Doing Church Isn’t Church

In my 40+ years of ordained ministry, I’ve lost count of how often I’ve heard the likes of this:

“We can’t make it to church today, so we’ll just do church at home as a family.”

“I can just do church on a hike this morning in God’s creation.”

“The church is really the people, so we can do church wherever … for God is everywhere.”

It’s becoming increasingly popular to fashion new ways to “do church.”  But how do we discern what does and does not constitute going to church?

God’s Word has plenty of wisdom on the issue.  Here are a few reasons why doing church away from church isn’t church:

1. We wouldn’t approach other areas of life like that.

To assert that we can do church away from church is an unparalleled way to approach life events.  Does the “church-away-from-church-still-counts” parallel other things in life, like missing your child’s game or performance or a movie we wanted to see together?  Would you say, “I’m going to forsake my son’s hockey game, but remember his practice last week at the ice rink” or “I’m going to miss my daughter’s musical performance, but I’ll remember her practice in the living room last week” or “I won’t make it to the theater, but I’ll do the movie by watching the preview again on my phone”?  Of course not!  Nor does doing church at home, in the car, or on a hike constitute going to church.

2. Since we are not God, we cannot redefine things that are God’s.

If you are the founder of a company, you can define your company’s goals.  You can define standards for your employees, because you are over the thing.  Well, Christ is the head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22-23); He bought the Church with His life (Acts 20:28); He birthed the Church into being, therefore, it’s His Church (Matthew 16:18).  So, the Lord gets to say how things go.  When He lays out things for His Church, that’s how things need to be.  So, when it comes to doing church we must do it God’s way.

3. Worship of God is not a self-determined endeavor.

Much of the Bible lays out what it means, and does not mean, to worship God.  That’s because one of the great problems with humanity is that depravity renders us unable and unwilling to worship Him correctly.  Not once in the history of humanity has a person or people devised the correct way to worship the One true God.  That’s why we need the Bible.  Whenever man takes the self-determined approach to worshiping God, he makes an idol.  In His grace, God prescribes worship to sinful man for good reason.  God has not left it up to us to decide what defines obediently gathering as the church for corporate worship.

4. Church means something specific in the New Testament.

Not once in the New Testament does God refer to an individual or parents and their kids as the/a church.  Individuals are called by their name and families are called by their households; but they are not called ‘church’ or said to be doing church.  During the earlier days of the book of Acts, the Church was in its infancy (foundational stages).  God matured it towards the end of the first century.  The church means the corporate body gathered for edification in an orderly manner according to commands prescribed to church leaders.  Thus, it will not do to consider myself ‘doing church’ away from the local church.

5. Gathering corporately observes that God has saved us into the body of Christ.

Let’s be clear: The New Testament does not support this argument – “The church isn’t a building, it is the people; therefore, if I am with other Christians, then it’s technically church.”  Hanging out with my family or a few Christian friends might be practicing the one anothers or studying the Bible or praying; but it is not the church gathered in obedience for corporate worship.  The Lord does not say, “Oh, right, the church is not the building, so go ahead and forsake corporate worship.”  No, He says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25-26).  Paul writes, “The body is not one member, but many” (1 Corinthians 12:14-18).  The local church is made up of many members who need one another.  We belong to the body of Christ; we gather to show that we embrace God’s desire to immerse eagerly into His visible, living church in faithful obedience to the Head of the body – Christ Jesus.  Doing church away from church isn’t church … because doing church without the church isn’t church.

6. Church constitutes, in part, a group of believers under the committed care of qualified leadership present to bless the local body.

God’s Word calls for qualified and affirmed leadership in the church (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5-9).  Paul did not consider things as faithfully complete in a church without such leaders.  At the close of the first century, the apostles delegated elders/pastors to take the baton in the shepherding-care of the churches (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4).  Tested leaders (physically present) were necessary in every church.  We need to honor God and the way that He has decided to care for His churches.  Prescribed corporate worship involves the preaching of God’s Word, administering the sacraments, and disciplining as necessary by these leaders (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Timothy 3:2, 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2).  Even if the New Testament was written in our virtual age, the ideal would be a church who is physically, and not virtually, gathered together.  [I say this as a pastor of a church that provides Livestream as an intermediate or temporary means of worship; not in lieu of corporate worship.]  We cannot consider an arbitrary group of people gathered on a Sunday as a church if it does not include a regenerate body of individuals committed to one another, under biblically qualified and affirmed leaders, preaching of the Word, administering the sacraments, and conducting biblical church discipline as necessary. We cannot consider such a group as doing church.

I’m sure much more could be said on what church is and is not, but Pastor Eric Davis of Cornerstone Church in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has hereby captured the essence. 

In summary: Christians should scrap the feeble attempts to justify church-away-from-church as the church.  We don’t approach other areas of life like that.  We are not God, and so have no authority to redefine the ins-and-outs of His church.  The truths about church and worship are not arbitrarily defined, but mean something specific in the New Testament.  Gathering with the body under the shepherding of biblically qualified leaders demonstrates the privilege we have of belonging to something larger than us – the greatest organization in the universe.  We ought to consider it a privilege and joy to gather weekly with God’s people.  The body needs us and we need the body.  We need what God desires to give us through qualified, affirmed leadership.  We need to see and be seen.  If we are missing church with the family, and attempting to supplement it, just tell the truth – “We are going to study the Bible, sing some songs, and pray as a family; but this isn’t church, kids.”

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Get Real in 2018 – Not With More False Resolutions, But With Genuine Priorities

Several years ago, I saw the movie “The Bucket List” starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  Jack Nicholson plays an uncaring multi-millionaire named Edward, who has everything money can buy; and Morgan Freeman plays Carter, a humble and very knowledgeable mechanic.  These perfect strangers meet as patients in a hospital room (actually it’s Edward’s hospital) where they both discover they have cancer and have only a year to live.

“The Bucket List” is a list of all the things to do before you ... “kick the bucket.”  These two men decide with only a year left to live they aren’t going to let their cancer hold them back from following their dreams.  So Carter heads off with Edward in his private plane as they begin living out what they think are their dreams and life goals, much to the chagrin of Carter’s wife and family.  I don’t think I’m ruining the movie for you if you haven’t seen it, but throughout their journey they begin to discover what’s really important in life; and I’ll give you a hint -- it’s not about going halfway around the world to see wonders of the world or live in luxury.  They discover it has more to do with faith and relationships; family and friends.

I felt the idea behind this movie is a perfect launching point for the New Year … because the New Year tends to be a time when we think about our life as we reflect back on the past year and the things we did or didn’t do; the happy moments; the regrets; the disappointments.  And then we look at the New Year as a fresh start; a chance to change things and do better this year.  Some of us even make New Year’s resolutions.  A resolution goes something like, “I resolve that over the next year I am going to ... eat less ice cream” … or something like that

Well, resolutions are one thing.  But a “Bucket List” is different; it’s a bigger idea … because it is more than just what I want to change, do better, or differently over the next year.  The “Bucket List” is looking at the end of your life and asking; what would you like to have accomplished before you leave this earth?  Supposing you have only a year left to live, what regrets would you have if they weren’t done before you die?  What things have you left undone?  I can imagine some peoples lists would be like Edward’s and Carter’s: kiss the prettiest girl in the world; make a million dollars; skydiving; and maybe drive a favorite car model.  Those may sound like pretty fun things to do, but I’m going to challenge you to begin creating a “bucket list” for yourself based not just on what you want to do, or what would be fun or exciting (that was the problem Edward and Carter ran into); but prayerfully create a list of things that are really going to matter at the end of our life.

Now, you might be thinking, why a “bucket list?”  Isn’t this rather depressing?  Why would we want to talk about our death or kicking the bucket?  Shouldn’t we be focusing on more positive things?  It’s interesting that even Christians don’t like thinking about how short their life is.  Yet, listen to what David wrote in Psalm 39; he actually asked God to remind him how brief his time is on earth.  Psalm 39:4-5 reads, “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away.  My life is no longer than the width of my hand.  An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.”  [hear/view my message entitled “Setting Priorities in Life” at https://livestream.com/accounts/3709164/events/7937477?t=1514297092571 as I expound on this text]

Supposing you find out tomorrow that you only have a year left to live.  Would that cause you to change what you are doing?  It is being intentional about doing what really matters.  It will have to deal with our relationships and with our faith.  What loose ends would you like tied up?  Relationships resolved?  When people are at your funeral, what do you want them to say about you?  What are you doing right now to accomplish these goals?

As we create a “bucket list,” we are really asking, what are my priorities?  What’s so important it has to be done or become a part of my life before I die.  It’s more than just thinking, what would be a cool thing to do.  It’s realizing my life will be incomplete without this.  It’s prioritizing what is really the most important things, and making them a reality in our life right now.  Unfortunately, as we’ve already mentioned our life usually doesn’t reflect our priorities, we live according to our unwritten real priorities.

What are these unwritten real priorities?  Your real priorities are identified by honestly asking yourself three simple questions:

* Where do I spend my time?

* Where do I spend my money?

* What do I think about most often?

These are your real priorities.  You can claim whatever priorities you think you have, but the answer to these three questions reveals what your priorities really are.  What we want is for our real priorities to match our hoped for priorities.

Listen: When creating a “bucket list” or setting your priorities, there are two things to keep in mind:

1) Ask, what does God want me to do; not what do I want to do? 

2) Don’t limit God.

Through Christ God gives us the power to tackle God-sized dreams.  If God tells us in His Word to do something, then God will give us the strength, the ability, and the means to do it.

What needs to go on your “bucket list?”  What needs to become a priority in your life?

May your focus in 2018 be on real priorities and not on seasonal resolutions.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Exposing SPLC by Coalition of Christians & Conservatives

A coalition of Christians and conservatives is continuing its efforts to expose the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

The campaign is a collaborative effort by many Christian and conservative groups that have united to defeat what they call a common enemy.  The website is https://exposesplc.com/, which features an eight-minute video about the SPLC.

“It’s about their money, where they park their money [and] about the injustices that they commit,” explained organizer and attorney Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute.  Dacus contends that was once a valued organization fighting for the civil rights of minorities has become a group of political activists driven by money.  As a result, the legal expert maintains the SPLC has worked hard to create “new hate groups” in order to create new hatred, isolation and vilification.  “You can’t really raise money to fight a dragon that’s already been slain,” Dacus asserted.  “There has never been – in my recollection – ever such a great threat to our First Amendment and our constitutional freedoms by any other third-party organization than the Southern Poverty Law Center.”

People appearing in the video include: Alliance Defending Freedom’s (ADF) Michael Farris; Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver and Carol Swain – a political scientist and former professor who has been targeted by the SPLC; and American Family Association President Tim Wildmon.

“At the end of the video, there is a petition that allows people to sign that and to weigh in against the SPLC – and specifically to inform the media that we object to their usage of the SPLC as some kind of impartial, credible third-party civil rights organization,” Dacus continued.  “They are not.  They are the farthest thing from that.”  The petition also requests companies donating to SPLC to stop.

My friends: You must view this video and come to realize the battle that is being waged, and the tremendous loss in religious liberty … if SPLC continues to spew its lies.  The time is long since passed to shut down SPLC.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Prevailing Translation of the Lord’s Prayer is Not Arbitrary

Pope Francis recently shared his thoughts (not decree) that the translation of the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer should be revised.  R. Scott Clark, an American Reformed pastor and seminary professor, rendered these thoughts addressing the underlying problem:

“Francis’ suggestion, already adopted by French Romanists and mainline Protestants, that the translation of the Lord’s Prayer be revised to say, ‘Let us not fall into temptation’ gives the impression that the relation between the text of Holy Scripture and translation is more or less arbitrary.  This implication fuels what I perceive to be a widespread view, particularly among unbelievers and perhaps also among believers, translations of Scripture or other authoritative statements are essentially arbitrary and may be changed at will.  This suspicion, which is part of the spirit of the Late-Modern age, assumes a sort of nominalism that is simply untrue.  The nominalists argued (and their late-modern successors continue to argue) that the relation between the sign (e.g., a word) and the thing it represents, the reality, is arbitrary, a convention, an agreement, and sometimes even the product of a conspiracy.  This is why people accept the claims of writers like Dan Brown.  They suspect that someone, somewhere is just making up things and imposing their will on the rest of us.  These are all symptoms of a profound loss of confidence in the existence of objective reality.  In earlier phases of the Modernity, the essence of which has always been the assumption of human autonomy relative to all other authorities, there was a shared agreement that there is such a thing as objective reality or truth.  The debate concerned which account of reality is of correct.  One of the defining characteristics of late-modernity is the loss of confidence that there is any such thing as objective reality.  Of course, the same people who deny that there is any such thing, who assert that all claims to truth and reality are nothing but a will to power also stop at stop signs.”

The standard, prevailing translation of the Lord’s Prayer, is not arbitrary.  The relation between the original text and the traditional English translation is not merely nominal.  The translation says what it says because the original text says what it says.  The Greek text of Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4 translates most direct as, “And bring us not into temptation.”  Out of the dozens of English translations only a few (e.g., the New Living Translation) adopts a rendering approaching that suggested by Pope Francis.  The two most important terms for this discussion are “bring” and “temptation.”  This verb occurs 8 times in the New Testament.  This is the verb our Lord used when He said, “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities” (Luke 12:11).  

The translation “to lead” or “to bring” in the first clause of the sixth petition is not arbitrary. This is what this word means.  It is true that the petition may be troubling.  That is often the nature of Jesus’ teaching.  He said deliberately difficult things.  Anyone who thinks Jesus’ teaching is simple has not considered it very deeply.  

As to the intent of the petition, the Heidelberg Catechism 127 is right:

127. What is the sixth petition?

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” that is: Since we are so weak in ourselves that we cannot stand a moment, and besides, our deadly enemies, the devil, the world and our own flesh, assail us without ceasing, be pleased to preserve and strengthen us by the power of your Holy Spirit, that we may make firm stand against them and not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, until finally complete victory is ours.”

The urge to revise the Lord’s Prayer rests partly in a misunderstanding of it.  We are sinful.  We, not God, are the source of the problem.  In large measure the prayer is to be delivered from ourselves.  Of course, we confess the reality of the spiritual struggle against spiritual principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12).  The Evil One does go about as a lion (1 Peter 5:8).  The complete victory to which the catechism refers is the final, eschatological victory.  We are engaged in a spiritual struggle with ourselves and our own corruption of heart, mind, and will.  We are also engaged in a struggle with spiritual realities outside of us.  [read James 1:12-18]

God tempts no one and our Lord taught us to pray, “bring us not into temptation.”  James 1 is a Holy Spirit inspired commentary on the first clause of the sixth petition.  We are utterly dependent upon the Lord’s preserving grace, on which we dare not presume and, at the same time, we are the source of the corruption against which we struggle.  The Lord is not corrupt.  He neither tempts nor sins.

While the sixth petition is challenging, it is God’s Word and the traditional translation faithfully communicates the language and intent of the text and of our Lord’s own words. There is real truth in the world and the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer is part of that truth.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Perfect Gift

As we celebrate Christmas, the perfect gift that has been given to us is not wrapped in shiny paper.  We do not have to try to figure out what the gift is by shaking it upside down.  For the perfect gift we have been given does not lie under a Christmas tree, but was born under the stars of Bethlehem in a stable.

My friend: If God can reach all the way down from the throne of Heaven to the body of a teenage virgin; if He can enter time from eternity; if the infinite can become an infant … think about what He can do in your life. 

The One who created all things emptied Himself into a human being so that we could have everlasting life.  How did He do it?  I have no clue.  Mary didn’t know; Gabriel didn’t know; and you can’t know things like that.  You just have to leave them up to God.  And, as Gabriel says, “nothing is impossible with God.”  [read Luke 1:26-38]

May you have a very, merry Christmas … remembering always the reason for the season.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Christmas Caroling for Life

Throughout December, Christmas carolers have gathered outside abortion facilities across America, to draw attention to the unborn children at risk of abortion.

The Pro-Life Action League’s (PLAL) nationwide caroling event – ‘Peace in the Womb’ – brings the Christmas message of peace and joy to the darkness of abortion clinics at over 80 locations in 30 states.  [https://prolifeaction.org/event/caroling2017]  “It’s particularly sad to think of someone getting an abortion during the Christmas season, when we celebrate a new dawn of hope and joy coming into the world with the birth of a child,” explained Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of the PLAL.  “With our Christmas carols, we seek to remind those entering abortion facilities, and the entire community, that the Christmas message of salvation came through an unplanned pregnancy.”

The PLAL ‘Peace in the Womb’ Christmas caroling events have taken place nationwide, with multiple events and locations in metro areas, including Chicago, Omaha and Philadelphia.  December 2017 marks the 50th year that the PLAL has coordinated caroling outside of abortion clinics.  Scheidler remarked, “The message of the Christmas angels is, ‘Be not afraid.’  This is the same message our carolers are sharing with abortion-minded mothers.  Whatever fear might be bringing them to the abortion clinic, we want to help, in any way that we can.”

Scheidler noted that pro-life carolers throughout the country are prepared to refer women to pregnancy assistance centers that offer a wide range of assistance to help women choose life for their babies.  Over the years, many women have decided against abortion after hearing the pro-life carolers.  At least 9 babies were saved from abortion during the 2016 nationwide caroling event, including one in Wood Dale, Illinois: “The couple came out of the abortion clinic with huge smiles on their faces,” Scheidler reported.  “The mother declared, ‘We’re having a baby!  We changed our minds!” … while the father thanked the carolers, saying, ‘Good job!’  All they’d done was sing Christmas carols, and a life was saved.”

Surely the heavenly host joined in sing – “Glory to God in the highest!”

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Should a Judicial Commander-in-Chief Rule on the Military?

A federal court has ruled that the Trump Administration must comply by January 1, 2018 with the Obama Administration’s 2016 policy of allowing transgender recruits into the military.

District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling denies White House attempts to prevent self-identifying transgender individuals from entering military service dating back to the summer of 2017.  At the time, President Trump tweeted, “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military.” The President (POTUS) added, “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.  Thank you.”

The Trump Administration had sought to delay a June 2016 policy change by the Obama Administration that allowed transgender individuals to serve openly in the military.  The Obama policy had set a one-year deadline for the military to begin accepting new transgender recruits.  But legal battles that ensued eventually pushed the deadline to January 1, 2018.  Kollar-Kotelly ruled that she was not convinced that the deadlined need to be pushed forward again.  “With only a brief hiatus, [the Trump Administration] have had the opportunity to prepare for the accession of transgender individuals into the military for nearly one and a half years,” when the policy was initially issued by the Obama Administration in June 2016, she wrote.  “Especially in light of the record evidence showing, with specifics, that considerable work has already been done, the Court is not convinced by the vague claims in [the Trump Administration’s] declaration that a stay is needed.”

But Justice Department (DOJ) spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said she disagreed with the judge’s ruling.  “We disagree with the Court’s ruling and are currently evaluating the next steps,” she said.  “Plaintiffs’ lawsuit challenging military service requirements is premature for many reasons, including that the Defense Department (DOD) is actively reviewing such service requirements, as the President ordered, and because none of the Plaintiffs have established that they will be impacted by current policies on military service.”

According to a report in the Washington Post, government lawyers said “Forcing the military to accept transgender applicants and implement such a significant change in policy may ‘negatively impact military readiness.’”

A military watchdog says the DOJ should head to court – quickly – to fight a pro-transgender court order.  Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, says it’s an outrage that a federal court has ruled Obama’s policy can’t be overturned by the country’s new commander-in-chief.  “It is blatant bias,” she says.  “The Washington, D.C. district judge seems to think that she is supreme judicial commander of the military.”  Trump has announced he will end the policy and has “every right and power” to do so, Donnelly adds.

The Trump Administration should respond like it did with the POTUS’s travel restriction, which also ended up in a federal courtroom, but the DOJ went to work to defend it in court.  “An immediate stay was sought,” Donnelly recalls, “and finally the Supreme Court on December 3, just a few days ago, ruled in favor of the president 7-to-2.”

Just as the President’s travel restriction was considered a national security issue, certainly a Pentagon policy restricting who can wear a military uniform is one, too.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Closing Planned ‘Murderhood’ Facilities Will Save at Least 50K Babies in 2018

“Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a rapidly shrinking organization,” according to a pro-life group.

In its annual study of Planned Parenthood (PP) facilities, American Life League (ALL) has found the abortion giant closed 32 locations over the course of 2017.  According to the study, only 597 PP facilities remain open across the country.  In perspective, 1995 saw the highest number of PP facilities with 938.

ALL’s STOPP (STOP Planned Parenthood) campaign was launched in 1985 to halt the spread of PP’s abortion business.  In 1993, PP announced an initiative to open 2,000 facilities by the year 2000.  However, thanks to ALL and the pro-life movement’s work, the abortionist never eclipsed 1,000; and 2017’s 597 represents the lowest number of PP facilities since the campaign began.

ALL’s Executive Director, Jim Sedlak, writes:

“The dwindling facilities and customer numbers have also had an effect on Planned Parenthood’s single most profitable activity—abortions.  Despite its ever-increasing emphasis on abortion, it has struggled to even maintain its abortion business numbers. Over the last eight years, PP has averaged 328,302 abortions a year—with very little year-to-year fluctuation.  Now 328,000 is a lot of dead innocent human beings (even one is too many), but, as the report shows, it is estimated that at least 50,000 babies will be saved in 2018 because these PP centers are no longer around.”

Eliminating corporate support for PP’s abortion business is another way to force the closure of PP facilities.  Five major corporations (AT&T, Coca-Cola, Ford, Macy’s, and Xerox) have all publicly stated they no longer support PP.  Who will be the next?

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

The Life & Death Cost of Illegal Immigration

The acquittal of Jose Ines Garcia Zarate in the 2015 San Francisco shooting death of Kate Steinle has sparked a new national debate about sanctuary city policy.  The Trump Administration has tried to tackle this matter … even threatening to cut off Department of Justice (DOJ) grants to cities who continue the policy of offering a shield to illegal aliens and an obstacle to enforcing federal immigration laws.  The courts have so far blocked such attempts.

So, what are the costs of illegal immigration?  Paul Bedard at The Washington Examiner had a breakdown: It costs the U.S. taxpayers in all 50-states a total of $89 billion; and California, where an illegal was just cleared of murdering Kate Steinle (despite admitting to the shooting), pays the most at $23 billion.  The costs cover added expenditures for education, welfare, law enforcement, and medical care.  When federal costs are included, the price tag (nationally) soars to $135 billion a year. 

Donald Trump made immigration a GOP primaries issue … that proved critical to him winning the 2016 election as U.S. President.  With these numbers and the outcome of the Steinle trial, you can see why we’ve got to address the matter of illegal immigrants.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

Holy Donuts Apologize to Local LGBT for Helping a Needy Family with Assistance from Salvation Army

A popular donut shop in Portland, Maine was forced to apologize to the community after they offended customers by working with the Salvation Army (SA) to provide Christmas to a needy family.

The Holy Donut (HD) had asked customers to help them with a gift drive for a local family with 5-children.  Those customers who participated received free donuts.

The HD reached out to the SA to find the family in need, the Press-Herald reports.  But instead of saluting HD for doing a good deed, an online mob stormed their Facebook (FB) page.  Many accused the SA of being anti-gay and discriminating against the LGBT community.  Though it was untrue, the truth doesn’t seem to really matter these days.

“They [SA] proselytize to the people in their programs, they reject LGBT people from their shelters,” one outraged customer wrote.  “They have tried to scrub their image, but still discriminate.”

Let’s be clear: The SA is a well-respected Christian ministry that provides shelter for the homeless, addiction programs and of course the iconic red kettles at Christmas time.

The Press Herald reports that the online mob was unrelenting … going so far as to threaten boycotts unless HD renounced its association with SA.  “In case you forgot, a solid 70 percent of your clientele is part of the LGBTQ community,” one rabble-rouser wrote.  “You’re making a silent statement that you’re completely fine with their choices.”

The HD owner wrote on FB, “We do not support the Salvation Army or consider them our ‘partner’ for this project, they simply linked us to a needy family.  We have nothing to gain here; we just wanted to help a family in need.”

To quell the growing controversy, HD threw themselves at the mercy of the surging mob.  “We take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to anyone that we have offended,” the store owners wrote on FB.  “We are an organization which prides itself on our track record of kindness and acceptance of everyone.”

While HD should be commended for helping a family in need and spreading a bit of Christmas cheer, shame on those who harassed these good folks and spread out-right lies about SA!

In the name of HD, drop a few bucks in your nearest SA red kettle. 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

SCOTUS is Baking the Cake that Could End All Cakes

Question:

Should a gay baker be legally required to design a cake with the message, “God hates fags”?

Should an African American t-shirt maker be required by law to design a t-shirt saying, “Long live the KKK?”

Should a Muslim caterer be required by law to provide pork for a secular event?

Should a Jewish photographer be required to shoot a wedding on the Sabbath?

The answer to all these questions is: Of course not.

Why, then, should a Christian baker be required by law to design a cake celebrating the “wedding” of a same-sex couple?

That is the big question the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) will be answering in the weeks ahead when it hears the Masterpiece Cakes case involving Christian baker Jack Phillips.  [read my previous blog posting on September 20, 2017]

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is defending Phillips, has pointed out that:

1) “Jack does not discriminate,” and he was perfectly happy to sell the gay couple cookies and brownies and anything else pre-made off of his shelves; but subsequently they took him to court.

2) “Jack has turned down other cakes in the past,” including Halloween cakes and lewd cakes.

3) “Jack has faced anti-religious bigotry as well as threats and intimidation simply because he declined to promote an event,” so he is the one being singled out for unfair treatment.

4) “Jack owns a private family business, and he doesn’t give up his rights when he sells his art,” and by calling his business “Masterpiece Cakes,” he is making clear that for him, they are works of art.

5) Accordingly, “Jack’s shop has been called an ‘art gallery of cakes.’”

6) “Wedding cakes made up about 40 percent of Jack’s business,” and these are all custom designed.  But due to Colorado’s laws and legal rulings to date, he has had to drop this part of his business entirely.

Now, common sense would say that this case should be a no-brainer, a slam-dunk win for Jack Phillips and his ADF attorneys.  The problem, however, is that “gay rights” have been exalted to such a degree that these “rights” outdo all other rights and freedoms … including our freedoms of conscience, speech, and religion.

In the case at hand, because Phillips is a committed Christian, he doesn’t make cakes mixed with alcohol (nor can he be required to), he doesn’t make cakes for lewd bachelor parties (nor can he be required to), and he doesn’t make cakes for horror-themed events (nor can he be required to).  But when he cannot, in good conscience, use his artistic skills to make a cake for a same-sex “wedding,” he can be charged with violating the state’s anti-discrimination laws to the point that the state can now discriminate against him as a Christian.  In other words, you can freely exercise your Christian beliefs unless those beliefs offend gays.  In that case, you’re breaking the law.

If a Hindu came in and wanted a, “Krishna is Lord” cake, Phillips could politely decline, without legal penalty or pressure.  The same would apply to a Muslim baker declining to bake a cake for a Christian with the words, “Jesus is Lord.”  But wouldn’t that offend the Hindu and the Christian wanting to buy the cakes?  Perhaps so, but the bakers are rightly protected by the law and cannot be penalized for refusing the business.

Why, then, are gays and lesbians treated differently?  Why are they put in a special category?  The sympathetic answer would be that society has over-compensated for perceived past injustices.  And so, the pendulum has swung from one side (mistreatment of gays and lesbians) to the other side (overprotection of gays and lesbians).

Listen: The real agenda is that some gay activists have always had as their ultimate goal the silencing of those who resist their cause. 

Many on the Left will argue that Phillips was guilty of discriminating against gay customers, but that is a complete misrepresentation of the facts; and if the SCOTUS finds him guilty, the implications for America will be massive.  It will mean that the highest court in the land has ruled that, in virtually all conceivable cases, gay rights go one better than religious rights.  And it will mean that Christians in particular can be forced to violate their consciences and their deeply held, historic beliefs under penalty of law, with the real potential of losing their very livelihoods.  And should they still refuse to comply, it could mean a jail sentence too.

If the first generation of Christians were martyred for not denying the faith, what’s the imprisonment of today’s Christians … in comparison? 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

RIP Due Process in America

Whether Alabama senatorial candidate Roy Moore sexually harassed anybody 40-years ago or not, the bigger issue is – the end of due process.  This media feeding frenzy on Moore (and others) is serving to undermine the rule of law in America.

As the mainstream media has reported for decades: There should be a presumption of guilt … based on any accusation of sexual misconduct … whether it is a candidate for political office or an unlucky college kid accused of rape.  But mind you: The media has the prerogative of controlling the narrative… picking and choosing who’s guilty (i.e., Bill Clinton, Harvey Weinstein, Charlie Rose, etc.).

Trying to discern what is real from what is fake is a tall order in today’s media world, unless you’ve worked hard to cultivate a sense of discernment.  Navigating the “news” is like taking a walk through a complex hall of smoke and mirrors.

The question is: Will due process live or die?  Will we be able to revive its true meaning (i.e., the basic principle that people should be judged fairly on the basis of evidence)?  Or will we succumb to raw emotion and all of the bias lynching that goes with it?  

Some folks would say that the concept of due process only applies in a court of law, and has nothing to do with the variations of public opinion.  That may have been the case in the past, but not in our day of a propaganda media.  If society loses its comprehension of the idea of equal treatment under the law, based on a moral code that should apply equally to all, it really doesn’t matter that we aren’t in a court of law.

Let’s not forget that public opinion has always been used as a mechanism to change public policy.  This is why media corruption, opinion polling, and political correctness are such big deals.  They create illusions of opinion, which in turn strongly suggest which views will be socially acceptable to adopt. Then, politicians pass laws based on their perceptions of public opinion; and the courts soon follow.  So due process dies in the court of public opinion.

When we deceive ourselves into believing that moral standards are a pick-and-choose proposition, we end up in an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it possibly can be where soon there will be no due process or rule of law for anyone.

If perchance the double standard of morality were to unravel, then our society would actually have a shot at renewing our understanding of what due process, fairness, and justice really mean … that they must be built upon a moral code that applies equally to all.  But if not, we can expect a continued narrative that conditions the public to misconstrue and reject the concept of due process.  

Our media and power elites decided quite some time ago that some folks get the benefit of the doubt and others certainly do not.  MA Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy, for example, left MaryJo Kopechne to drown while he first called his lawyer then took a nap after extricating himself from the car he drove off a bridge, with her in it, at Chappaquiddick.  He went on to win numerous reelections, honored by his colleagues as the “Lion of the Senate.”

Only a free people who understand and appreciate the meaning of freedom can call out such cynical posturing.

Listen: Either moral standards exist or they do not exist.  If there are no standards, then there is no way to measure or achieve fairness, justice, or equality.  The concepts of due process and rule of law absolutely depend upon a society both recognizing and maintaining moral standards as equally applicable to everybody.

To understand what a moral standard is, let’s try to understand what any standard is.  A standard is just an unchanging basis that we use for comparison, measurement, and discernment.  Moral standards are critical to the functioning of any society.  Without them, there is no self-regulation, no balance in relationships.  The Ten Commandments, for example, provide moral standards by telling us not to kill, lie, cheat, or steal.  Whether or not a person believes such standards come from God, any sane individual can see how dangerous it is for functioning societies to reject such standards.  So without a rule of law based upon those principles, everybody becomes vulnerable to being violated.  If we exempt ourselves — or any hand-picked person who may serve our purposes — we end up in the chaotic territory expressed in the scripture of Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” 

There can be no room for even the pretense of due process if we allow our social discourse to be selective in morality.  If we are going to automatically adopt a lynch mob mentality whenever someone is accused of a crime, then we are paving a path into darkness where anyone and everyone can be presumed guilty and lynched.  Once our public discourse habitually trashes the concepts of presumption of innocence or due process, then we open the door for kangaroo courts, and due process enters the death chamber.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel