Human Rights Campaign Demands Biden Deny Accreditation to Christian Schools and Colleges

 From Dr. Albert Mohler:

…the most shocking demand in the report is found under the section for the Department of Education. The Human Rights Campaign demands the Biden administration to ensure that “non-discrimination policies and science-based curriculum are not undermined by religious exemption to accreditation standards.”

That is sinister. I’ve not seen any document like this before—the Human Rights Campaign is effectively calling for religious colleges and schools to be coerced into the sexual revolution or stripped of accreditation.

Link to Full Text

 

Today’s Guests

Peter Kapsner – 50 Shades of Truth

Peter talks with us today about about how our partisan divide is more of a theological divide. Within this discussion, he states what it means to be “deeply religious” in America today and what it means to be secular. Furthermore, he equips us for conversations about “organized religion” – how we respond to that term, think about it, and live it differently.

Alisa Childers – Author of “Another Gospel”

No, Alisa Childers is not giving us another gospel, but rather reveals that much of the Christian religious landscape has shifted. She shows us that an increased number of people are being drawn to progressive Christianity and away from traditional Christianity. Along with other observations, Alisa helps equip us with tactics to use determining if our church is proclaiming, “another gospel.”

For more information on this book and her work, check her website out at AlisaChilders.com.

 

 

 

 

Today’s Episode

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201119095010-11-19-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR2.mp3

Church Roles

Some are pushing the U.S. Government to fill yet another role the Church rightly provides.

Cindy McCain will speak today during a 2 p.m. ET digital summit that’s part of a push to establish a White House Office of Bereavement Care to help families cope with the devastation of Covd-19, gun violence, opioids, and suicide. Here’s a link to the campaign: Live-Evermore.

As the church, we are to be a light in this world in the name of Jesus Christ. That means entering into the broken places filled with darkness and care for those who are bereaved. We rightly provide and must continue to provide for those in need in greater and greater measure!

 

Today’s Guests

Ben Johnson – Acton Institute

We are back today with Ben Johnson to discuss topics ranging from a work from home tax all the way to the U.S. Federal budget. Join us on today’s episode to hear the breakdown and check out Ben and his work at https://www.acton.org/

Derek Wilson – Author of “The Mayflower Pilgrims: Sifting Fact from Fiction”

Derek researched the topic for this book like a detective, sifting fact from fiction to find out who the Pilgrims really were and not who we think they were. One thing we know about them is that there were about 102 men, women and children who made the transatlantic journey on the Mayflower in 1620 AND that only about 35 of them were religious immigrants. To find out more about Derek’s book, “The Mayflower Pilgrims,”  check out the podcast below!

 

 

 

Today’s Episode

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201119095011-11-19-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR1.mp3

The Gift of Provision

Those hunting in the woods, fishing in streams and for many hunting down food in the grocery store, we have an opportunity to give thanks for the food that God provides through these means. Let’s cultivate that heart of thanksgiving prior to the holiday of Thanksgiving. Give thanks today to God for the meals you receive whether by your hand or another’s.

In light of Covid, this year more hunters may be able to give thanks because various states’ wildlife officials are issuing many more hunting and fishing licenses than usual. If you are a hunter, be sure to wear your safety colors and confirm where your sights are pointed, trying to avoid hurting the precious life of another person in those woods. Oh, and did I mention, give thanks

Pray

Pray today for one of our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-4), the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. He is doing a seven-nation tour from Nov. 13-23 and is visiting France, Turkey Georgia, Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. So, let’s be mindful of him and his conversations with the various leaders in these places as we pray for him.

 

Guests Today

Bruce Ashford – SEBTS – Discussing his new book: “Doctrine of Creation”

Bruce talks with us about his new book, “Doctrine of Creation,” which he co authored with Craig G. Bartholomew. As we discuss his book, Bruce helps make doctrine fun for us again, reminding us that doctrine is intertwined throughout all of our Christian walk and a proper doctrine can help us to engage the cultural sphere well.

Ruth Kramer -Mission Network News

Ruth talks again with us about the various stories from the church around the world! Some of the headlines she discusses are:

* Central America’s state in the aftermath of hurricanes Eta and Iota

* Mozambique, ISIS and more…

* Praying for Muslim background believers

Today’s Episode

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201118101016-11-18-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR1.mp3

Some Intro Headlines

The NCAA plans to hold the entire men’s March Madness tournament in a single city to mitigate COVID risks. It’s in talks with Indianapolis. (Indy Star)

Ironman: On November 7, 21-year-old Chris Nikic became the first person with Down Syndrome to finish the Ironman triathlon but growing up, the odds were stacked against him.

“At 5 months old, he endured open-heart surgery. He was so weak and had such poor balance that he did not walk on his own until he was 4,” writes New York Times reporter Kurt Streeter. “At every turn, experts spoke of Nikic in terms of limits instead of possibilities.” But Nikic persevered in spite of it all. “I learned that there are no limits,” he told Streeter. “Do not put a lid on me.”

A New Member: Nasa Astronaut Kate Rubins greeted fellow astronaut Victor Glover early today as he enters the International Space Station from a vestibule connecting the SpaceX Dragon capsule. Glover, a Navy commander and test pilot, is the first Black crew member taking part in an extended stay on the station, per the N.Y. Times. (Bio)

 

Today’s Guests

Justin Giboney – The And Campaign

We ask some questions to Justin about his recent social media posts. Check the episode out and see what he says!

We also ask him how we may affect the Biden administration on things we are concerned about as they go through their first 100 days agenda.

Connect with Justin at the AndCampaign website and on Twitter @JustinEGiboney

Jan Johnson – Author of “Taste and See”

It’s Tuesday, so you know that means it’s “Taste and See Tuesday!” We have author Jan Johnson on to discuss her book, “Taste & See – Experiencing the Stories of Advent and Christmas.” Jan thinks with us about taking advantage of seasons like advent to incorporate intentional practices and rhythms into our lives. She also walk alongside us as we try to move from reading or remembering Scripture stories to experiencing them.

 

Hope

Moderna joined Pfizer yesterday in announcing the development of an effective COVID19 vaccine. Trials indicate the Moderna vaccine is 94.5% effective, is delivered in one shot (not 2) and does require extreme cold storage, as does the Pfizer vaccine. Phrases like “light at the end of tunnel” and “hope rising” were common in media coverage. 

In what does your hope rest? Better said, on WHOM does your hope rest? 

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

I Peter 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Lamentations 3:21-23

But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Today’s Guests

Mark Caleb Smith – Cedarville University

It’s Tuesday, so Mark Caleb Smith is back with us! Some of the things He and I talk about are:

* The Georgia Senate runoff and why it matters

* The wave of conservative women in the House of Representatives

* …and the future of the Grand Old Party (GOP)

 

Lori Jenkins – Wycliffe

Lori from Wycliffe Associates joins us to talk about the SUN  (Symbolic Universal Notation) program which is an effort to bring Scripture to illiterate deaf and deaf-blind individuals by using universally recognized symbols and their extensions to represent every word in Scripture.

 

Today’s Episode

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201117102016-11-17-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR1.mp3

What Conversations Do You Remember Forever?

Do you remember the last conversation you had with someone? 

Do you remember the conversation in the midst of a shared dramatic/stressful experience? 

What do you remember about specific conversations and what specific conversations do you remember? 

What conversations do other people remember having with you? 

I don’t remember the last time I heard my dad’s voice but I remember things he said to me at particular moments and points in time. 

I also don’t remember all the conversations others have recounted to me about things I’ve said to them. Memory is strange that way. You may well remember something said that I may just as likely forget ever saying. 

Two Kinds of Sticky Memories: True truth and Terrible Lies. 

Consider the sticky conversations Jesus had with people. 

I’ll name one: Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-10)

* You name some others…

* If you can’t, start in one the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Which of Jesus’ conversations stick out in your mind? (John says that if everything Jesus had said and done were all written down, the world couldn’t contain the books that would need to be written.) 

Let’s be people who have conversations with others that stick – for eternal reasons.

 

Today’s Guests

Junius Johnson – Author, Father of Lights

Junius’ base scripture for this book is James 1:17. It goes like this, “Every good giving and every perfect gift is from on high, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Junius goes on from this base to talk with us about God being the source of beauty and how our experience and acknowledgement of beauty demonstrates our inherent longing for God.

If you want to buy or look at his book further, check it out here.

David Aikman – Editor, Godspeed Magazine

It’s Monday! That means we are blessed with David Aikman to talk with us about the headlines from around the globe!

Here are a few we cover in today’s episode:

* Boris Johnson quarantining after exposure to Covid-19

* BREXIT during the Covid-19 turmoil

* Hong Kong and their mass resignations within city the city legislature

* The world’s largest trading bloc spearheaded by…China

* Word of the day: Hegemon(y): “preponderant influence or authority over others.”

Today’s Episode

 

Some Headlines of the Day

SpaceX

Launched a flight to the International Space Station carrying four astronauts. Think of it as a very expensive taxi ferrying NASA astronauts to work. 

Private companies now do what only nation states used to be able of doing…

Hurricane Iota 

It’s expected to make landfall tonight and is a dangerous Category 5 storm! Iota is threatening the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras and will be the second deadly storm in two weeks to hit that area after Hurricane Eta made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing landslides and flooding that displaced thousands and left scores of people dead or missing. It is predicted that Hurricane Iota’s landfall journey will bring with it life-threatening storm surges and heavy rains. 

Let’s pray for this area.

Minneapolis

There is a police shortage in Minneapolis and alongside it, murder rates are rising. Check out this article in the Washington Post to read more about it: article link.

As Covid cases and deaths rise, so do restrictions

There were 120,601 new coronavirus cases and 1,021 deaths in the U.S. yesterday, adding to a death toll that has climbed by nearly 30% over the last two weeks. In response, cities and states across the country are tightening restrictions this week. Chicago’s stay-at-home rule was followed by near-lockdown orders in New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington state. California, Oregon, and Washington state want out-of-state travelers to quarantine. In New York City, bars and restaurants must close at 10 p.m. Even some of the staunchest opponents of such measures are changing course. In an about-face,

Life and Death Conversations

I’ve received three evites to Zoom funerals in the past week.

My first Zoom funeral experience…

real, oddly intimate

Slate Magazine elaborates on a zoom funeral in this article: Praise of Zoom Funeral.

Covid Changes

We have stopped doing things in COVID and we have started doing things differently in COVID and funerals have been revived in the pandemic. More people attending and more people attending more of them…

Death conversations

Life conversations

Hope

We have a resurrection hope in Jesus Christ. Services of celebration of the resurrection of Jesus in whom we have hope. Each Sunday and more we can gather together (though many on zoom these days) and celebrate this truth. Christ DIED and ROSE again. Death has been defeated by him. Let us not forget to meet to celebrate this fact, whether on zoom or in person. 

 

Today’s Guests

Adam Holz – Plugged In

Adam helps us cultivate a discerning spirit about what we’re watching and our appetites about what we’re watching as he takes us through some movie reviews and more! Check out today’s reviews at pluggedin.com.

The movies we discuss today are:

* “Emily and the Magical Journey” on Youtube Premium

* “Come Away” in theaters

* “Jingle Jangle” on Netflix

* “WandaVision” on Disney+ (Not yet released)

John Lennox – Professor of Mathematics, Oxford University

Dr. Lennox joins us to talk about his new book, “2084,” in which he explains the different kinds of artificial intelligence, both positive and negative.

We also discuss a movie he is in being released as a fathom event. It is called “Against the Tide: Finding God in an Age of Science.” “What’s the tide?” you might ask. The tide is the ebbing and flowing opposition to the Christian faith and how the public expresses it.

You can check watch the trailer, buy tickets, and get other updates for the movie here.

 

Today’s Episode

https://nwmedia-ondemand.streamguys1.com/mornings-with-carmen/20201113101010-11-13-2020-Mornings-with-Carmen-HR2.mp3

 

Dual Citizenship

Let’s continue to cultivate our understanding of ourselves as dual citizens: first allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven and secondarily to the particular nation state or kingdom of this world into which we were born, or to which we were naturalized through a process. 

Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20 that our citizenship is in heaven – but we also know Paul was a Roman citizen, and when that designation served to advance the Gospel, he made mention of it.

Paul’s Allegiance

But Paul’s allegiance was not to Rome nor the Emperor. Paul understood that although his birth certificate mattered – he describes himself as both a Roman citizen and a Jew – he made most of the reality of his re-birth into a living hope, namely Jesus.

Roman citizenship in the days of the New Testament was lorded over those who were not citizens of Rome. Roman citizens enjoyed rights and privileges non-citizens did not have. Roman citizens had the right to suffrage – or prosecute their case in court. And they had the right to appeal to the highest law in the land, the Emperor. They could avoid certain punishments like whipping, flogging and crucifixion and only treason was a capital offense punishable by death. 

So Paul, a Jew from the city of Tarsus of Cilicia located in modern day Turkey, obtained his Roman citizenship by virtue of place of his birth and the social status of his family of origin. And Paul experienced the very real tension of his dual citizenship.

And, when necessary, Paul used his citizenship to advance the Gospel. Acts 22:24-26 recounts the event where Paul was being stretched on the blocks to be flogged and said to the Roman Centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?” The centurion quickly sent the question up the chain of command. And the commander is described by Luke as “alarmed” that under his watch, a Roman citizen had been put in chains. 

The commander then inquires of Paul and they have the following exchange: (Acts 22:27-29)

The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

The value of citizenship was well understood and to be a citizen of Rome was of great value. Which makes Paul’s confession in Philippians 3 all the more curious. In Philippians 3:20 Paul acknowledges his first allegiance is to Christ as the King of the Kingdom of Heaven. And in verses 8-9 of that chapter we hear Paul weigh that in the balance against everything else – his status as a Jew and his citizen of Rome: “I consider everything as a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.”

As we consider the dual nature of our own citizenship, let us, like Paul, consider it all as nothing compared to knowing Christ and being found in Him.

 

Today’s Guests

Dane Ortlund – Book Spotlight: “Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers”

Today we talk with Dane Ortlund about his book, “Gentle and Lowly,” a look into the heart of Jesus Christ for Christians. Dane quotes Jesus from Matthew 11:29 ...