The Times of Israel just ran a post (which was linked at Realclearreligion.org) entitled “Dismantling USAID is a moral and strategic tragedy” claiming the effectiveness of and call for the preservation of USAID. The following is the essence of this story.

Make no mistake about it: USAID was and is indispensable, no matter its faults. The Trump administration’s wholesale demolition of the agency will cause untold suffering to millions of innocent people. USAID provides massive funding to essential programs for people desperate for help. That money is mostly allocated to large NGOs such as Save the Children or Catholic Relief Services and then redistributed to smaller international or local organizations. And yes, some of that money disappears along the way, as Elon Musk and others have pointed out. But a huge amount of it does get through and does fund absolutely essential humanitarian needs

Why would I talk about this on a Baptist blog? Someone has to argue against this thinking linked on a site for religious news. Biblical principles apply and we must always prioritize building a biblical worldview.

What is USAID about?

This is what it is about from the USAID website:

Our Mission: On behalf of the American people, we promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world. In support of America's foreign policy, the U.S. Agency for International Development leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance.

The problem with this mission statement is found in the words, democratic values. The values that USAID has pedaled in the last few decades are immoral and anti-religious. The agency has become a socialist, DEI, and LGBTQ propaganda tool that is at odds with the values of the countries being reached while not representing the values of most Americans. None of these things are associated with the “democratic values” of our Republic, constitution, or history. They are values that are contrary to the created order and have been recognized in recent years, even by atheists, to be socially destructive. It would be better for USAID to do nothing, than for it to promote these values. Shoving left-wing social values down the throats of other countries as a condition for receiving our charitable treats is not a way to gain allies in the world—and it is wrong. …

Read the rest of the article here: Dismantling USAID is a Moral and Strategic Necessity – Proclaim & Defend — or, just listen to the podcast.

We are talking about FrontLine magazine on this podcast, interviewing authors of our articles as they come out. The theme of the most recent edition of the magazine is “AI: Developing a Christian Perspective.”

Our author today, Erik Hanson, wrote an article for us called “Developing a Biblical Perspective on Technology.” It’s an introduction, laying the groundwork, for a more detailed discussion of AI in subsequent articles.

Technology is woven into the fabric of daily life, influencing how we work, communicate, and even worship. From smartphones to social media, from transportation to medical advancements, technological innovation continues to shape human culture in profound ways. But how should Christians view technology? Is it a neutral tool, a blessing, or a potential danger?

Both the article and the podcast explore technology from a biblical perspective, tracing its origins, moral implications, and cultural significance through Scripture. As believers, we are called to use technology wisely, ensuring that our innovations reflect God’s glory rather than our own desires. Understanding technology through the lens of Scripture helps us navigate its opportunities and challenges with discernment and faithfulness.

Let me remind you that Erik’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.

Erik’s article for paying subscribers is here: Developing a Biblical Perspective on Technology (all others get a preview).

Erik mentioned a book in the conversation, here is the link: From the Garden to the City: The Place of Technology in the Story of God by John Dyer.

The recent government memo directing all federal agencies to stop all government grants and loans has raised many questions. The administration aimed to review everything and find government waste and fraud. Many left-wing NGOs received billions in federal aid, but among the left-wing appropriations were also billions in funding for the social efforts of more mainstream evangelical organizations.

Warren Smith identified several favorites:

But the outcry was not just from progressives. A number of Christian groups, some of them relatively conservative, also objected. World Relief, the benevolence arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, said the freeze would hamper their refugee resettlement efforts.

PEPFAR, an AIDS prevention effort in Africa and elsewhere that costs $5 billion a year, has been a favorite of evangelicals. It too faced a funding freeze. Sanitation and clean water efforts, many of them led by Christian groups in Africa, India and elsewhere, faced immediate shutdown.

In fact, a spreadsheet sent to federal agencies naming the programs under review ran to more than 50 pages.

Shockingly, even Christianity Today, the granddaddy of evangelical periodicals, received nearly $2 million in funding from USAID.

One of the Baptist Distinctives is the separation of Church and State, but does that mean the separation of parachurch institutions from the state? Have we become a frog in the water on this issue? We have to consider all kinds of connections. …

Read the whole article here: Christian Ministries and Government Funding – Proclaim & Defend — or just listen to the podcast.

We are embarking on a series of conversations with the authors from our January/February edition of FrontLine which was on the topic, "AI: Developing a Christian Perspective."

I was in an airport recently and decided to pick up a book to read on the plane. Since I've been talking to our authors on this topic, I took a book on the subject of AI. The lady who sold it to me said, "To tell the truth, I'm kind of scared of AI."

I think a lot of people have something of that sense. AI is something new, and many bold predictions are coming out in the news about what it will do for us. Some of these predictions make us a little uneasy.

We aren't here to stoke these fears or to minimize them either. Our purpose in the magazine is to help us understand what AI is and also to get a sense of where Christians will have to make decisions about its use and misuse. That's why our topic is "AI: Developing a Christian Perspective," and not simply, "AI: A Christian Perspective." This is all new to us and we are developing our understanding.

In today's interview, I sat down with the Associate Editor responsible for this edition, Dave Shumate. Dave is a regular contributor, so regular listeners will have heard him before. He is always thoughtful. I hope you find his discussion helpful.

Let me remind you that Dave's article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.

Article: An AI “Interview” with C. H. Spurgeon

Magazine Opening Editorial on Proclaim & Defend: AI: Developing a Christian Perspective – Proclaim & Defend

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. Hebrews 13:3

Are the prisoners that we should remember only those who are being mistreated, or should we also remember those who are believers who have legitimately broken the law, or have been caught in a legal/political grinder? I have been thinking lately about how the principle of this passage might apply to dear believers I know who are also undocumented migrants living in a world of legal uncertainty. I conclude that if I am going to err, I will do so on the broader interpretation of the passage.

Every day now more stories are hitting the news about mass deportations under the new Trump administration. This should be no shock. This is exactly what President Trump said he would do during his campaign. We were living under an immigration crisis, and the steps necessary to resolve that crisis will be painful. When we step back from the principled political rhetoric, we must address a very different perspective on the ground in everyday ministry.

I once called a dear believer I know.

“How are you doing with all the talk and action regarding deportations going on across the country?”

“Pastor, I am trusting God with this. I am doing better than I deserve. I have been working with a lawyer for years to get all my papers in order. I believe that we are very close. All I can do is the best I can and trust God.”

Biblical Baptists must understand that some of the many congregations across our country have large numbers of undocumented migrants worshipping with them—especially those congregations that focus on reaching multiple language groups. If your church does not reach migrants, this might shock you. If you are not a soul-winning church, this might sound strange. But churches in major metropolitan areas (that are majority Hispanic especially), and churches that have ethnically focused ministries understand this. …

For the rest of this article, click here, or just listen to the podcast.

With this edition of the podcast, we complete all the interviews I recorded with the November/December FrontLine authors. There were a few writers who couldn’t come on due to scheduling reasons, but I think you will have a good sense of the topics we covered if you listen to the ones we were able to get to.

Besides the feature articles, each magazine also has regular columns that various writers bring us. In other words, there is more to our magazine than the articles I can feature in the podcast. I hope you will become a regular subscriber to our magazine to benefit from all the good content we have.

The theme of the November/December edition was “The Thinking Christian: Biblical Wisdom in an Emotionally Driven World.”

Our concluding podcast on this issue is with David Saxon, another professor at Maranatha Baptist University. His article, called “The Only Wise Pursuit: Wisdom from Ecclesiastes,” appeared fourth in line of the various articles on the theme. I’ve sort of mixed up the logic of the magazine with the order of the podcasts.

Nonetheless, looking to Ecclesiastes at the end of this series seems appropriate. The Book of Ecclesiastes takes a long hard look at life, giving us truly deep insight into what we are about as we live out our days “under the sun.” In the end, we find that truly there is only one purpose worth living for.

I think you will find brother Saxon’s comments insightful and edifying.

Let me remind you that Dave’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.

Book mentioned in the podcast: David Gibson, Living Life Backward - you might be interested in it for further study.

Article here: The Only Wise Pursuit: Wisdom from Ecclesiastes

Should Mariann Budde have the only voice?

Religious leaders have been clamoring to influence the newly sworn-in President of the United States. Mariann Budde, Bishop of the National Cathedral, in a public address at Trump’s inaugural prayer service, spoke directly to him asking him to have mercy on illegal immigrants, and transgender children. Catholic Archbishop Timothy Broglio publicly called some of Trump's executive orders troubling, while praising others. In Mariann Budde’s case, the public rebuke of Trump, guised as an appeal but intended to grandstand and humiliate, only made him angry.

There is a clear biblical difference between the outgoing and incoming political administrations in Washington DC. This is not politicizing religion, it is a simple observation. While not beatifying Trump, it is important to note that his basic worldview is miles closer to a biblical worldview than the outgoing leadership's, which is the same thing as saying it is closer to reality. It is closer in some significant ways. …

Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast.

We are still discussing the November/December edition of FrontLine, The Thinking Christian: Biblical Wisdom in an Emotionally Driven World.

Our guest this time is Steve Love, a long-time pastor who now teaches at Maranatha Baptist University. His article was called "How Wisdom Should Produce Discernment," focused on lessons from the Book of Proverbs.

I enjoyed speaking with Steve and hope you find our discussion helpful. We live in a world where wisdom is in short supply, and we echo Solomon's exhortation, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."

You will not go wrong with a lifelong pursuit of wisdom as your first focus in your spiritual life.

Steve’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.

Article: How Wisdom Should Produce Discernment

As I write, we are a week into the LA wildfires and the official containment level is still under 20% in most of the breakouts. The political/media class has exploded with finger-pointing and pontificating while the fires still roar. Surely, short-sighted political decisions have had disastrous consequences. LA saved $17 million in the fire budget last summer, but the reduced revenue from property taxes alone will cost the city much more. After all, scorched building lots piled high with debris cannot be taxed at the same rate as multi-million-dollar mansions.

These fires will go down in US history on the same level as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. It is difficult to fathom that 100-150 years later, with our advanced technology, we are dealing with city fires with equal levels of destruction.

But for anyone who acknowledges the existence of God, there is the question that everyone thinks but dares not utter aloud.

Is this fire the judgment of God? …

Read the rest of this post here: On Wildfires, Judgment, and Compassion – Proclaim & Defend or just listen to the podcast.

We are working on interviews with the authors for our November/December edition of FrontLine magazine. We still have a few outstanding conversations to go through before we get to the soon to be published next issue.

Today's guest is Benjamin Flegal who teaches at Maranatha Baptist University. I'll let him introduce himself to you, but I'll mention here that his article is called: Biblical Decision Making: Seeking “The Will of God”.

When I was in college, this topic was a matter of discussion as students looked forward to the rest of their lives and were of course interested in who they would spend that rest of their lives with. I can remember discussion and debate over exactly what God's will was and how we could know it.

No matter how you define it, I think you will find some good insight from what Ben has to say in this conversation.

The article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers: Biblical Decision Making: Seeking “The Will of God”

We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.