Note: We deleted an episode from last week with the same title because of audio issues that we thought had been resolved in the editing process. Due to importance of this topic, we decided to recreate that sermon and discussion about current efforts to raise awareness about the harms of pornography.

Jesus said something profound in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” I imagine most Christians want to see God at work in their families and ministries, but are we doing the hard work of developing and maintaining a pure heart? When we think of purity, we often think about sexual purity–and I am going there. So buckle up. But Jesus’ teachings encompass much more than that. In this sermon, I explore what Scripture says about developing and maintaining the “Holy Habit” of purity and why this habit is important in our churches and communities.

Outline:

1. God is pure.

Key takeaways:

• Definition: Purity is freedom from anything that contaminates. Purity is the quality of being faultless, uncompromised, or unadulterated.

Parents, not the state, are tasked by Scripture with the primary responsibility of raising their children. And the right of parents to raise their children according to their beliefs and best judgment is one of the most cherished principles recognized by state and federal constitutions. Here are three reasons why parental rights need to be protected (with a full explanation in the video):

1. Parents, not the state, have the primary responsibility to raise their children.

Links and talking points:

• Link to my World Opinions article about the Cox case explaining the details and including a link to the Court of Appeals opinion.

Most of us are perpetually tired physically, mentally, and emotionally. And even our rest is restless. When we are off, we are still on—on a screen, on our phones being pushed and pulled to scroll down or watch one more episode, and on our way to next event. If you are like me, you long for rest for your body and mind, but Christ offers something better—rest for our souls. Here’s how to practice the holy habit of rest.

Outline:

1. Remember the Sabbath

Key Takeaways:

• I recently read the book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. In that book, the author makes a profound statement: Jesus was never in a hurry. The more I have thought about that truth, the more I am convicted.

According to a recent poll, only 20% of American Christians say their views on immigration are primarily informed by the Bible. This is deeply concerning as Christians should endeavor to follow Jesus in every area of lives, including in our role as citizen. So, what does the Bible say about the arrival and treatment of immigrants as well as government’s role in security and national borders? How can we think Biblically about this issue and apply those Scriptural principles in our lives and ministries?

In this episode, I discussed this topic with Matthew Soerens. He is the US Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief, where he helps evangelical churches to understand the realities of refugees and immigration and to respond in ways guided by biblical values. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values.

Matthew previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor at World Relief’s local office in Wheaton, Illinois and, before that, with World Relief’s partner organization in Managua, Nicaragua. He’s also the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis, Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate, and Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church.

Key Takeaways:

• Link to Matt’s presentation on this topic.

We often discuss a 4-step plan for Christian citizenship, and the first step is to go over or review your role as citizen in light of Scripture. This is a necessary and ongoing exercise for Christians ministering in the public square, and Patrick Schreiner has written a great book–Political Gospel–to assist with this.

In  Political Gospel, Patrick Schreiner argues Christianity not only has political implications but is itself a politic. The gospel at its very core is political––Jesus declared Himself to be King. But He does not allow you to put Him in your political box. Often, the accusations are fair. Christians tend to get stuck in one of two political ditches: we either privatize our faith or make it partisan. We think religion and politics should be separate and never intermingle, or we align so tightly with a political party that we conflate the gospel with a human agenda. In a supercharged political climate, Political Gospel explores what it means for Christians to have a biblical public witness by looking to Scripture, the early church, and today. Should we submit to governing authorities or subvert them? Are we to view them as agents of the dark forces or entities that promote order? In these pages, we’ll see that Christians live in a paradox, and we’ll see how to follow Christ our King right into the political craziness of our day. (Note: This explanation is taken from the book description of Political Gospel).

Link to book: Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World.

Patrick Schreiner is the Director of the Residency PhD program and Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously taught at Western Seminary in Portland Oregon (2014–20) and received his Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2014). He is the author of a number of books, including a commentary on Acts (B&H), The Visual Word: An Illustrated Guide to the New Testament Books (MoodyThe Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross (Crossway),   and The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine (Lexham Press). He serves as an elder at Emmaus Church in North Kansas City and previously served as an elder in Portland, Oregon.

Key Takeaways:

• How the ancient, Biblical conception of church and state different from our own and why that is important.

Are you living in victory? Are you at peace and are you and your family flourishing? If not, don’t just set resolutions or goals this year. Develop spiritual disciplines (Holy Habits, if you will) that will lead to the abundant life that Christ offers us. Here’s how.

In this sermon, Josh walks through a Biblical survey and some practical advice concerning an often overlooked and difficult spiritual discipline: fasting and prayer. He also notes the powerful potential of this discipline to transform our lives, impact our communities, and renew our nation.

Outline:

1. Who fasted and prayed.

Key Takeaways:

• What Jesus meant when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Luke 4:2-4.

The United States is facing a substance abuse crisis. In 2020 (documentation generally lags a few years behind in this space), there were 91,799 overdose deaths–a 30% increase from 2019. This substance abuse crisis is a problem that is impacting most if not all families in the United States, is recognized by state and local government, and is a key need that churches should move to address. Here are some recent developments in this ministry space (including peer recovery) as well as some new ideas for church-state partnerships.

Amy Brinkley is the Recovery Support Systems Coordinator for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and serves all U.S. states and territories. Amy serves as a board member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and has become nationally recognized for her recovery-focused and data-driven outcomes and focuses. She is also in long-term recovery from mental illness and substance use disorder. She previously worked for the State of Indiana, Division of Mental Health and Addictions, and has been recognized for transforming the state’s efforts in the area of addiction recovery and support for mental illness.

Key Takeaways:

The term “Christian nationalism” is often used and (I would argue) misused to describe Christian efforts to influence public life. But what exactly is it? And how do we avoid it without abdicating our Biblical role in culture and government? In this episode, I dive into these questions and explain a better, Biblical paradigm for engaging in the public square.

Key Takeaways: