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SBC theologians clarify the meaning of ‘pastor’ amid dispute over female ordination

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SBC theologians clarify the meaning of ‘pastor’ amid dispute over female ordination

Southern Baptist theologians have published a statement clarifying the meaning of the word “pastor” amid controversy within the United States’ largest Protestant denomination stemming from Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church ordaining female pastors last year.  

The document “A Statement Concerning the Baptist Faith & Message and the Word’ Pastor'” was released last week by two Southern Baptist seminary presidents and the former head of the denomination’s public policy arm. 

The signatories are Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Richard Land, who served as the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission from 1988-2013 and is the president emeritus of Southern Evangelical Seminary in North Carolina. The Confession Revision Committee assigned the three men to write a study guide for the new 2000 Baptist Faith & Message Confession. 

Aiming to bring clarity to a fractious debate within SBC life, the theologians said that when it comes to the word “pastor,” Southern Baptists have always understood the term. 

In keeping with the spirit of Baptist Faith and Message 2000, “pastor” means “one who fulfills the pastoral office and carries out the pastor’s functions.” 

Article VI of The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 states that the scriptural offices are pastors and deacons and that “[w]hile both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

The function of the office and the office itself are inseparable, the three Baptist leaders maintained. They highlighted that the commentary they wrote on the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message notes that central to that pastoral role is “the responsibility to preach and teach.” 

“[I]t is important to understand that the word pastor was chosen precisely because of its clarity among Southern Baptists. The statement carefully affirms that both men and women are gifted for service in the church, but the role of pastor is biblically defined and is to be held only by men as qualified by Scripture,” they reiterated in the new statement. 

When the Baptist Faith & Message was adopted and revised in 2000, the committee established that “pastor” was not to be used to describe every ministerial position within a church, they added.  

Unlike other denominations with a hierarchical ecclesiastical structure, in Baptist ecclesiology, the local church calls and ordains its pastors, not the denomination as a whole or its affiliated entities.

While the debate over what the Bible says about who is qualified to serve in a pastoral role is not new, the issue resurfaced at this year’s annual SBC meeting in Anaheim, California. Many considered Saddleback’s recent ordinations of female “pastors” contravening the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.  

In remarks from the floor of the annual meeting in June, Warren, the outgoing pastor of the Southern California megachurch, appealed to the denomination to stop fighting over the issue and that the subject is not a first-order doctrine. 

“As Western culture grows more dark, more evil, and more secular, we have to decide: Are we going to treat each other as allies or adversaries?” Warren asked.

“Are we going to keep bickering over secondary issues, or are we going to keep the main thing the main thing?”

Discussion of the issue, the theology surrounding it and whether to disaffiliate Saddleback Church from the SBC was ultimately tabled to a later date. It was sent to the convention’s credentials committee for further study.

Broadly speaking, those who oppose women being ordained as lead pastors are known as “complementarians” and believe that certain offices within the church are restricted to men. While espousing complementarian theology, there are others who believe that only the office of “senior pastor” is limited to men. 

By contrast, “egalitarians” believe that the specific scriptures that appear to restrict the pastoral office to men are not universal blanket restrictions. 

Land, one of the men involved in issuing the statement, is the executive editor of The Christian Post. He said in an interview Monday that “it should be remembered that this is a debate about ecclesiology, not soteriology, and should be treated as such in discussion among brothers and sisters in Christ.”  

The Christian Post

Welby meets with GSFA primates — affirms Lambeth 1.10 is the ‘official’ stance of the Anglican Communion on sexual ethics

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Welby meets with GSFA primates — affirms Lambeth 1.10 is the ‘official’ stance of the Anglican Communion on sexual ethics

The Archbishop of Canterbury has agreed to execute a letter stating the official position of the Anglican Communion on human sexuality is given in the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution 1.10. The letter is the fruit of on-going negotiations between the Most Rev. Justin Welby and the primates representing the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, who comprise approximately 257 of the 650 bishops present at the 2022 Lambeth Conference meeting at the University of Kent in Canterbury..

The Lambeth Calls process as it is currently structured does not permit debate or ammendment. The bishops are to discuss the call document and associated questions in small table groups. The substance of their conversation is recorded by a secretary-bishop at each table. A sampling of the table summaries will be shared with the wider conference, while each table summary will be shared in the post-conference discussions.

At their meeting with Archbishop Welby, the GSFA primates asked for a five minute break in the Anglican Identity call on 1 Aug 2022 to present their case to the conference as to why Lambeth 1.10 should be reaffirmed. The Most Rev. Justin Badi Arama, chairman of the GSFA, told a press conference on Friday: “Our decision to [offer] our own Lambeth 1.10 resolution comes after extensive requests to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a stand-alone resolution.”

The presenting issue was not homosexuality, sex or marriage “but fundamentally about the authority of the Bible which Anglicans believe to be central to faith and order,” the South Sudanese archbishop told reporters.

Archbishop Welby told the primates it was not necessary to reaffirm Lambeth 1.10 and offered instead to prepare a document the GSFA primates could take back to their churches that said Lambeth 1.10 was the “official” teaching of the Anglican Communion. Left unsaid by Archbishop Welby was whether he too believed Lambeth 1.10 to be the right and proper expression of Anglican sexual ethics.

The primates thanked the archbishop for his offer and accepted the gift of the letter, but requested that they still be allowed to present their case to the conference. They further asked that a list of all those registered and present at the conference be published, and that the results of the voting by each participant be made public.

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Paying the price for the Christian Faith in Nigeria

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Paying the price for the Christian Faith in Nigeria

Christians in Nigeria are paying the ultimate price for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, reports Kenneth Harrod of Release International.

Reverend Ibrahim Isa had won many people for Christ. It had earned him death threats. Despite that, he was determined to continue preaching.

Ibrahim and his wife Laraba lived with their five children in a village near Jos, in Plateau State, Nigeria. Mercifully, Laraba and the children were away in the city the morning Fulani militants murdered her husband.

Ibrahim had just told Laraba over the phone that he was planning to plant some wheat on a friend’s farm.

Just 15 minutes later, a church member called Laraba and told her to come home immediately.

Fearing the worst, she rang a friend who confirmed her husband had been murdered.

Lying in wait

Even while she had been speaking to Ibrahim, his killers were lying in wait for him.

‘They attacked him in the room,’ she said. ‘He tried to escape through the window – and as he fled, they shot him dead. I saw his body lying where he was shot.’

Like many Nigerian Christians in rural areas, Ibrahim had taken to sleeping outside at night. Knowing their homes could be targeted at any time, sleeping outside was considered safer.

Ibrahim was a pastor from a Fulani background. He served as an evangelist near Jos, working among Fulani Muslims. Many had become Christians as a result.

A community leader said, ‘He had been warned several times that he could be a target for killing by the Fulani militia. But Ibrahim said he had a duty to preach and bring the gospel to his people.’

His widow Laraba said, ‘As long as you are a Christian, you know that someday

we will leave this world. I know my husband is at rest with the Lord. I know also the Lord will be with me and provide for these children’s needs.’

Targeted

Another church leader was also targeted for killing. Matthew Tagwi had been serving as a pastor near Miango for just three months when Fulani militants attacked his village. They went to his house, called for him by name and shot him.

His pregnant wife, Rose, was in another town at the time for an antenatal check-up.

Rose said her prayer today was that her husband’s killers would come to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.

Release International’s partner has been supporting Rose and providing pastoral counsel. He said there were many like Rose and Laraba living in villages under constant threat of attack.

Other church leaders and pastors have also been specifically targeted by Islamist extremists in central Nigeria. Some have been killed and others kidnapped for ransom.

The aggressors are Fulani militants, Boko Haram, and Islamic State terrorists. But the danger has not deterred these Christians from sharing their faith.

Release is helping to train church leaders and evangelists to take the Christian message into areas most ravaged by Islamist violence. Despite the growing risk, these courageous leaders remain enthusiastic and committed.

‘In April, Boko Haram executed 20 Christians in an online video,’ said the Release International partner. ‘The attacks and killings are ceaseless now. The situation for Christians in Nigeria today is dire.’

‘Genocide’

He added: ‘We ask for prayers for God to raise up men and women who will continue to stand for the Church and be voices for the vulnerable. Please pray for God to raise up those who will fight for justice for the victims of this religious carnage and slow the genocide that is unfolding in northern Nigeria.

‘With government complacency and rising terrorism Christians are likely to face persecution for a long time to come.’

The alarming ineffectiveness of the authorities to prevent the violence was highlighted in May. Police stood by while a mob stoned to death a Christian college student in Sokoto state after falsely accusing her of blaspheming Islam’s Prophet Mohammed. After killing Deborah Emmanuel (also known as Samuel), the mob set her body on fire.

Local media reported that militants protested after Deborah gave thanks to Christ on her class WhatsApp chat for passing her exams. When they demanded that she retract the statement and apologise, she refused.

According to other sources, she was targeted because she refused to date a Muslim.

After two suspects were arrested for her killing, rioters attacked Christians, started bonfires, damaged churches, and looted Christian-owned shops.

Release International’s partners say they were ‘shocked but not surprised’ at Deborah’s killing.

Police stood by

‘More than a dozen policemen watched as Deborah was battered to death, but did nothing to prevent her murder,’ said a partner.

‘The Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari simply pointed out that “Muslims demand respect for Islam”.’ And many prominent politicians, Islamic scholars and imams publicly declared their support for Deborah’s killing.

‘That disdain for Christians in Nigeria by militants continues to grow,’ said the Release International partner.

2023 is presidential election year in Nigeria. Previous elections have seen an upsurge in violence. Release International’s partners are calling for prayer.

Christian Today

Billy Graham Chaplains Welcome Ukrainian Refugees

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Billy Graham Chaplains Welcome Ukrainian Refugees

An elderly Ukrainian man wept as he shared his devastating story of fear and loss with a crisis-trained Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) chaplain.

Fleeing the conflict in his homeland, the man had just arrived at Toronto’s Pearson Airport in Canada along with his wife and their three young grandchildren. His daughter—the children’s mother—had been killed in Ukraine.

“It was hard to keep it together,” David said. “It was a heartbreaking story.”

To date, David and Sandra have been present for eight Samaritan’s Purse Canada flights bringing Ukrainian families from Poland to Toronto. There, they meet friends, relatives, sponsors, or take connecting flights to other parts of Canada.

“We have a table set up with gift packages that we offer them as they arrive,” David said. Tailored to meet the immediate needs of passengers, the welcome packages include SIM cards for mobile phones, gift cards for food and necessities, plus items for children like coloring books and stuffed animals.

Working with interpreters, the chaplains welcome each family, offer prayer and emotional support, and provide transportation to connecting flights or sponsor pick-ups where needed.

After having endured a harrowing escape from their country and earth-shattering losses, refugees are so grateful for the support offered by our volunteer teams.

“The man first wanted to pray, and expressed his deep gratitude for God’s blessings and mercies in helping them come this far and receiving so much help from BGEA (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) and volunteers like us,” David said.

“I prayed for him, man-to-man. It was a privilege to give him my shoulder to cry and lean on. He is a certified chiropractor, and I prayed for him to be able to resume his career in Canada.”

Please continue to pray for Ukrainian refugees, and for chaplains who are ministering to them with the hope and power of the Gospel. And pray also for the visible witness the chaplains and this ministry are having as other Canadians observe this work.

“The airport terminal manager and ground personnel are getting more familiar with us,” David said. “They are curious about what we are doing, and how we are helping all of these refugees. That is also a cause for thanking God for the testimony of Jesus.”

The Real Fight Is The One You Can’t See! SPIRITUAL WARFARE DEMYSTIFIED by Daniel Kolenda

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The Real Fight Is The One You Can’t See! SPIRITUAL WARFARE DEMYSTIFIED by Daniel Kolenda

If you’ve ever ridden a bicycle, you probably already know that you can feel a hill, even if you can’t see it. Some grades are too subtle to be observed. But your legs don’t lie. They know when progress is hard and when it is easy. They can feel even the slightest elevation that resists their effort.

Just as there is physical resistance, there is also spiritual resistance. The apostle Paul told the Ephesians, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). One obvious takeaway from the above verse is that though it may be unseen, the struggle is real. Like riding that bike up a subtle but definite slope, we do not usually see the actual forces pushing back on our progress. But we sense them nonetheless.

Our spiritual legs do not lie. At that point, we must choose to dig in, push back, and endure until we finish the course. This sense of unseen resistance is what Christians often identify as spiritual warfare. Maybe they are getting ready for a mission trip and one thing after another goes wrong. It feels as if someone is actually trying to sabotage their plans. Or maybe they are experiencing unusual challenges with their children or marriage that seem sinister. Or perhaps odd sicknesses keep popping up in someone’s body. Or their finances seem to be under unrelenting assault. All of this resistance feels as if it is coming out of nowhere, and there is the distinct impression it comes from beyond the natural realm. It is not always obvious what to do during such times in life. Let’s discuss what spiritual warfare really is and get some wisdom on how to prepare for it.

THE TERMINOLOGY

Like many useful terms the phrase spiritual warfare does not appear in Scripture as such. The wording is instead rooted in the use of scriptural military analogies to show how Christ followers are to prepare for and repel evil, in the form of both injustice and temptation. Perhaps the most famous example is found in the close of the apostle Paul’s letter to the congregation of believers in Ephesus.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Ephesians 6:10–18

A soldier in the ancient Roman Empire would put on his complete battle gear before engaging the enemy. Likewise, says Paul, we should also be fully dressed in spiritual armor – with both the defensive and offensive components – designed to protect and advance our spiritual lives.

GET DRESSED

At this point you may expect me to do a point-by-point commentary on God’s armor to show how each piece functions spiritually. For example, people often say salvation is a helmet because it protects our minds, etc. However, I don’t think this is what Paul is trying to say. He is rather using the whole armor as a metaphor to help us understand the way spiritual battles are fought in general. Just as physical battles are fought with physical weapons, spiritual battles involve spiritual implements. That is Paul’s main point. It is not that righteousness protects only our hearts while salvation protects only our minds. That kind of interpretation takes the metaphor too far.

We know this because Paul uses similar metaphors in different ways elsewhere. For example, although faith is a shield in Ephesians, it takes on other images in other contexts. It is a door in Acts 14:27 and a breastplate in 1 Thessalonians 5:8. The language is flexible. 

Paul means that these are the kinds of provisions God has made available for our protection in the Spirit. Spiritual warfare requires us to cultivate the Spirit’s life into our actual characters. That means truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than godly virtues. They are spiritual battle gear. We need these virtues in order to be good witnesses but also to be effective soldiers. We must therefore wrap ourselves in these spiritual defenses, to be prepared to combat all kinds of evil.

What’s more, Paul’s metaphor must be understood in its broader scriptural context.
Though he adapted the metaphor for his own purposes, Paul did not invent it. As Isaiah writes:

Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 59:15 – 18

Again, if the helmet of salvation means that salvation is meant to protect the mind of the Christian, then why does God put it on in this passage? He does not need salvation. These virtues refer rather to attributes of God’s character that take on a whole new meaning in the context of spiritual warfare. This is why we must not interpret the armor pieces too strictly. However – and this is the main point – the armor metaphor does speak of its wearer’s intent to vanquish evil and injustice, with a passion fitting to all-out war. By borrowing Isaiah’s divine imagery and applying it to Christians, Paul is communicating to his readers that they should treat evil the same way the Lord does: as an enemy to be completely vanquished.

We are God’s children in peace; we are likewise His children in war. We put on salvation, righteousness, and faith so we can stand firm against the strategies of the devil as we fight against evil rulers and authorities in the unseen world.

THE RADICAL NORMALITY OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE

For many Christians – especially Charismatics and Pentecostals – the idea of spiritual warfare is often acted out in physical ways. You will sometimes see prayer meetings with intercessors waving flags, blowing shofars, and so on. It is crucial for us to understand, however, that most spiritual warfare is not fought this way at all. Spiritual warfare often takes on the most mundane of appearances. Some of the most destructive things a Christian can do to Satan’s dark kingdom occur through a life of purity, acts of kindness, Christlike forgiveness, humility, and self-sacrifice.

Even when spiritual warfare does become outwardly dramatic and physical, it often looks like anything but an impressive victory. Consider the ultimate spiritual weapon: the blood of Jesus is the thermonuclear bomb of spiritual warfare that has forever changed the game and has already rendered Satan a defeated foe. The cross of Christ was the ultimate act of spiritual warfare. Yet it hardly looked like a dramatic display of eternal military might. On the contrary, it looked like utter weakness, total loss, and complete failure. What seems powerful and effective in the flesh is often completely impotent in the spiritual realm. 

Likewise, what seems weak and small to the human eye can make the realms of darkness tremble. The most effective spiritual warfare occurs below the surface, in the depths of our character, godliness, and sacrifice. None of this is to say there are no outward expressions in spiritual warfare. But I want to stress this more fundamental point.

Shofars and banners are not listed anywhere in Scripture as weapons for spiritual warfare. In fact, to emphasize how practical spiritual warfare is, consider the armor listed for us in Ephesians: truth, salvation, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, and God’s Word. These are all invisible attributes made visible only by a Christian lifestyle. Indeed, they are the very root of victory in any spiritual battle. If Paul’s message in Ephesians is not clear enough about this point, consider the way he frames spiritual armor in Romans. 

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Romans 13:11-14

Notice this military terminology is being used to address our own personal war against sin. I want this to be clear – biblical spiritual warfare begins in us. Here Paul specifically emphasizes that our spiritual armor does not merely protect against outside evil powers but also against the internal, personal practice of sin. Paul admonishes his readers in both passages to protect themselves against evil and sin by wearing right thinking, pure actions, and the actual presence of God.

Paul uses strong military language out of a deep concern for the personal holiness of his audience (which includes us). He encourages them to prepare for battle against temptation. And once they have done everything possible to get ready, he encourages them to rise up and actually fight the battle.

GET READY; STAY READY

Getting dressed for battle is no small task. Modern soldiers carry more than sixty pounds of gear, and longer patrols can more than double that amount! Needless to say, people don’t go through the effort to prepare like that unless they are going to war. That is true today, and it was true two thousand years ago when Paul wrote Ephesians. Nobody prepares like this to go shopping. To be clothed for war signals the intention to fight.

We gear up because we understand we are in a spiritual battle. Therefore, we don’t naively walk around unarmed and oblivious like private citizens. The mindset of a warrior is different than the mindset of a civilian. Paul refers to this warrior mentality when he tells Timothy, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer” (2 Tim. 2:3-4).

In fact, within its context all of the armor seems to be a matter of preparation and readiness. You will notice that Paul does not specify the exact methods of fighting a spiritual battle in this passage. He rather emphasizes that we should be equipped and ready. In fact, he doesn’t talk much about the fight at all. His basic instruction is to get dressed and stay dressed in God’s armor, then stand and fight.

It is essential to be ready at all times because we just don’t always know when a spiritual attack is coming. Other times we may not initially be able to tell the difference between a spiritual attack and the normal difficulties of life. But a person who is ready for battle is able to handle everything that comes his way. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Pet. 5:8–9).

Without becoming superstitious or fearful, we stay ready for battle by keeping our hearts and minds aligned with Christ. Sometimes we will be under demonic assault, and other times we will simply be handling the volatilities of life. We will not always know which is which, but our preparation will assure that in every situation we are more than conquerors.

(Excerpt from: Slaying Dragons, by Daniel Kolenda)

TO BOYCOTT LAMBETH OR NOT TO BOYCOTT

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TO BOYCOTT LAMBETH OR NOT TO BOYCOTT

How are the orthodox Anglican bishops at the Lambeth Conference going to react now that the organisers have caved in to politically correct pressure to drop the traditional Christian sexual ethic as the “mind of the Anglican Communion”?

There should be no doubt that this is what the organisers have done in changing the wording of the Lambeth Call on Human Dignity.

Liberals in the Anglican Communion’s Western churches last week created such a furore that they have succeeded in preventing Lambeth Resolution 1.10 – which the 1998 conference passed “rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture” – from being reaffirmed at Lambeth 2022.

The study document circulated last week to the 650 bishops from around the world attending the conference now underway in Canterbury was unequivocal about what “the mind of the Anglican Communion” was on the Christian sexual ethic

“It is the mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole that same gender marriage is not permissible. Lambeth Resolution I.10 (1998) states that the ‘legitimizing or blessing of same sex unions’ cannot be advised.

“It is the mind of the Communion to uphold ‘faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union’ (I.10, 1998). It is also the mind of the Communion that ‘all baptized, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ’ and to be welcomed, cared for, and treated with respect (I.10, 1998).”

The orthodox archbishops and bishops of the Anglican churches in Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda are boycotting the conference because they are not prepared to compromise on that issue. Given the politicking at Lambeth 2022 over the Call on Human Dignity, their stand has very arguably been vindicated.

Around 270 orthodox bishops in the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA), led by the Archbishop of South Sudan, Justin Badi Arama, are attending Lambeth. What should they do now that Lambeth 1.10 has effectively been ditched?

Julian Mann is a former Church of England vicar, now an evangelical journalist.

Christianity Today.

Archie Battersbee’s family look to Supreme Court in son’s life support case

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Archie Battersbee’s family look to Supreme Court in son’s life support case

The parents of Archie Battersbee are filing an urgent application to the Supreme Court to hear their case after the Court of Appeal blocked them from taking it to the United Nations. 

The Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution until 2pm on Thursday for an application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), but not the UN. 

The Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which is representing the 12-year-old’s parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, said the ECHR has “a track record of rejecting applications from parents in end-of-life cases such as Archie’s”. 

The family wants the Supreme Court to grant permission to appeal the block on an application to the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

The High Court has sided with doctors who want to withdraw Archie’s life support against the wishes of his parents. On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal the High Court ruling. 

Ms Dance said, “It feels wrong that the Court of Appeal have tried to force us down a road which they know will fail and have taken away our rights of taking the case to the UN.

“All we have asked for from the beginning is for Archie to be given more time and for Archie’s wishes and ours to be respected. As long as Archie is alive, I will never give up on him, he is too good to give up on.

“When he is to die, we believe it should be in God’s way and in God’s time. What is the rush? Why is the hospital and the courts so keen to push this through as fast as possible?”

Ms Dance has previously said that prior to the accident in April that left Archie unconscious and brain damaged, he had expressed an interest in Christianity and being baptised. She has also stated that he would not want his life support withdrawn.

The Court of Appeal said that his religious beliefs were “insufficient” to justify the continuation of life support and that continued treatment “would not be lawful”.

While doctors have argued that a “planned death” would be more “dignified”, Ms Dance says this would be “the most traumatic outcome” for the family.

“Parents need support not pressure. It is exhausting what we have been through. We should not have to endlessly battle the hospital in the courts for what we believe is right for Archie,” she said. 

“Top judges have told us, however, that this is the law, if this so, the law must change.

“Archie is making medical progression which we have not been allowed to address in court, but we are determined to present it as evidence as take this legal challenge forward.

“We will continue fighting for Archie and will not give up.”

CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said, “The pace at which this case is running is troubling and there appears to be an unexplained urgency from the hospital and courts to end life support for Archie.” 

She called for a “wholesale review of how the system works in this kind of case” so that hospitals “wait until parents are ready rather than bring the full force of the law upon them”. 

She continued, “Archie’s case has focused on two issues of fundamental importance to the sanctity of life and the protection of the vulnerable.

“First, the controversial concept of ‘brain death’. Second, the everlasting ethical dispute between those who believe in sanctity of life until its natural end, in God’s way, in God’s time – and those who believe that ‘dignity’ requires a choreographed death, be that euthanasia, assisted suicide, or a planned withdrawal of life support.

“We continue to stand and support the family in every way we can as they take their case to forward.

Elias Dummer’s ‘The Work Vol.II’ showcases grace, mercy and the joy of collaboration

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Elias Dummer’s ‘The Work Vol.II’ showcases grace, mercy and the joy of collaboration

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Grappling with the highs and lows of the Christian life, from disappointment and disillusion to forgiveness and hope, Juno and GMA Canada Covenant Award-winning singer/songwriter Elias Dummer delivers his much-anticipated sophomore solo set, The Work Vol. II, July 29. The 10-song recording laments the failings of humanity while ultimately amplifying God’s lavish grace—His finished work on the cross which offers new mercies each day.   
 
Dummer co-wrote the entire project and co-produced The Work Vol. II with Brent Milligan (Steven Curtis Chapman, Tauren Wells). The album also features songwriting collaborations with David Leonard; Tim Timmons; Benji Cowart; Zach Bolen (Citizens); Eric Fusilier (The City Harmonic); and Gary Rea (Land of Color), among others. 
 
Exuberant album opener “Expectation” puts Dummer’s signature style on full display as it steadily builds into a soaring chorus proclaiming the assurance of Christ’s promises, while the self-indicting “How Many Songs Does It Take To Save The World?” finds the artist pondering the motivation of his heart: “If I sing a new song, it had better be one I’m living/Not just Sunday morning/Cup of coffee, high notes, and giving/You want us faithful/We bargain for power/You want the whole thing/I offered an hour.”  
 


“I love the Church and believe deeply in what it can and should be, but if we’re honest, we’re not doing a very good job of being that thing,” Dummer admits. “The Work Vol. II is for the disappointed who refuse to give up on Hope, whether their faith is hanging by a thread, or they have the gift of years of perspective. It’s for the hurting, who refuse to give up on mercy, knowing that we need it above all else. It’s for the tired, eager to find rest for the soul but worn out on cliches and cheap maxims. These songs are for those of us aware that while we, together, have missed the mark, Jesus remains true to His every word.”  
 
“Ultimately, this is a collection of worship songs—some for Sunday and some for Monday through Saturday,” he adds. “I made this record for myself, and people like me. These songs are prayers I needed to pray, and if you can relate to those things, this music is for you too.”   
 
The Work Vol. II is also a multi-faceted showcase of collaboration. “When my co-producer, Brent, and I first started working on this album in 2020, it was a remote process,” Dummer explains. “However, using the power of the internet, we were able to gather a virtual choir from around the world to be featured on several tracks, and one of my co-writers arranged and recorded string parts for us from Australia. When we finally went back into the studio, we were joined by some incredible musicians in person as well.”
 
Among the album’s key collaborations are “See Clearly,” a plaintive, indie-pop hymn featuring acclaimed singer/songwriter Sandra McCracken; “Kyrie Eleison (It’s Mercy We Need),” with Seattle-based Citizens; the gratitude-filled “Carry,” featuring singer/songwriter JJ Heller, and the contemplative Land of Color feature, “The Gospel Is Rest.”

Elias Dummer-The Work

Elias Dummer co-founded and fronted one of Canada’s most acclaimed worship bands, The City Harmonic. As the group’s principal songwriter, he helped pen such hits as “Holy (Wedding Day)” and “Mountaintop,” as well as “Manifesto,” which served as the theme song for 2011’s National Day of Prayer. The City Harmonic earned 12 GMA Canada Covenant Awards and a Juno Award (Canada’s GRAMMY® equivalent), before disbanding in 2017. 

Dummer released his solo debut, The Work Vol. I, in 2019 and was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2020 Covenant Awards. Both as a solo artist and with The City Harmonic, Dummer’s music has garnered more than 100 million streams to date.

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Pre-release: Aaron Williams – “The Hope of Christ”

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Pre-release: Aaron Williams – “The Hope of Christ”
Aaron Williams- The Hope of Christ
Aaron Williams- The Hope of Christ | Turning Point Media Relations PR

Singer/songwriter and veteran worship leader Aaron Williams is set to bow his highly anticipated full-length debut, The Hope of Christ, August 5. The Worship Initiative release was produced by Williams and Alan Thomas (joan) and features 10 pop-driven live worship selections extolling the boundless grace, love and rest offered by the Savior.  
 
Williams co-penned each track, with additional songwriting contributions from Shane Barnard, Jason Ingram, Jon Egan and Benji Cowart, among others. Highlights of The Hope of Christ include lead single “Walk By Faith,” an anthem of devotion to Jesus; album opener “Enter In,” celebrating our unfettered access to the Father; the Shane & Shane-featured title-cut, a confident proclamation of the heart of the Gospel; and “Abide” (feat. Aaron Keyes), a melodic ballad already resonating with worshipers around the world. 
 
The album’s latest single, “No Height No Depth,” is a deeply personal track for Williams. “I wrote it this Spring after nearly losing a close friend to mental health struggles,” he reveals. “With rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide at an all-time high in our society, I wanted to offer a song that would help people give voice to worship during such seasons of life. If we’re going to worship Him with sincerity during times of hardship and struggle, we need songs with fitting language for those moments. ‘No Height No Depth’ aims to honestly express where we are, while anchoring ourselves in the unchanging love of God.”   

Aaron Williams is an acclaimed worship leader and songwriter who has been featured on numerous recordings from The Worship Initiative. Seeking to write lyrically rich and musically compelling songs to help the Church voice its worship, Williams also has a passion for training and mentoring worship leaders and teams. He is the co-founder of Dwell, a parachurch ministry offering a range of resources for individuals and churches—including concerts and retreats; original worship songs; and discipleship tools. Williams also serves with 10,000 Fathers & Mothers (10KFAM), a Colorado Springs-based ministry committed to creatively shaping the future of the Church by encouraging and nurturing worship pastors. A resident artist with The Worship Initiative, Williams and his family reside in Dallas

Breathecast.com

Legal victory for Canadian pastor who was fined for holding services during Covid-19

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Legal victory for Canadian pastor who was fined for holding services during Covid-19

A Canadian court has ruled in favor of a pastor who gained international notoriety for his steadfast objection to coronavirus restrictions and sought to have a lower court ruling holding him in contempt of court dismissed.

Sarah Miller, the lawyer for Pastor Artur Pawlowski of Street Church and the Cave of Adullam in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, announced in a tweet Friday that the Alberta Court of Appeal issued the outspoken pastor a “slam dunk win.”

The Court of Appeal made a unanimous, sound decision and overturned the finding of contempt against my client,” Miller wrote.

The unanimous ruling from the three-judge panel vacated a lower court decision holding Pawlowski and his brother, Dawid, in contempt of court for holding an illegal public gathering in violation of Alberta’s provincial restrictions on large gatherings imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. The ruling ordered Alberta Health Services to pay Pawlowski and his brother Dawid $15,733.59.

“The finding of contempt and the sanction order are set aside,” the decision declared. “The fines that have been paid to them are to be reimbursed.”

Pawlowski regarded the ruling as a welcome development in an interview with Rebel News.

“I was speechless,” he recalled. “When I learned that this was a total vindication, I stopped talking.

After lamenting that he had “lost hope in [the] justice system,” Pawlowski expressed gratitude that, “Finally, something positive, something good is happening.” He praised the ruling as “great news, not just for us.”

In addition to the Pawlowskis, the Alberta Court of Appeal considered a request from restaurant owner Christopher Scott to overturn a lower court order requiring him to pay a fine of $20,000 and costs totaling $10,922.25. The Court of Appeal decided to reduce Scott’s fine to $10,000.

“This is great news for Canadians because if I would fall, if my brother would fall, if Chris Scott would fall, then you’re next,” Pawlowski said.

When asked if he would change his behavior if he had to do it all over again, Pawlowski responded in the negative.

“Every single thing I did, I did it from the heart,” he said.

Pawlowski indicated a desire that government officials would see the court decision as an order to “let us live our lives free” and “respect our fundamentally guaranteed rights.”

He pointed to the treatment he has received over the past two years as a violation of the order in the Preamble in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which proclaims that the country acknowledges “the supremacy of God.”

“Leave the pastors alone, leave the clergymen alone, leave the Christians alone. This country was built on Judeo-Christian values, the supremacy of God and the rule of law,” he said. “We’re not criminals. Those that did that to us are the criminals. And I hope one day, we will be able to go after the real villains and charge them for the crimes that they have committed.”

Citing an English saying that “the fish stinks or starts to rot from its head,” Pawlowski maintained: “We have a very rotten head in the federal, provincial and municipal government.”

“[Alberta Health Services] would not act like the Nazi Gestapo of today if they would not get their orders from the politicians,” he added.

The Alberta Court of Appeal had overturned a lower court ruling requiring Pawlowski to issue an addendum every time he criticized the government’s coronavirus restrictions.

The addendum stated, “I am aware that the views I am expressing to you on this occasion may not be views held by the majority of medical experts in Alberta.” It stressed that “the majority of medical experts favor social distancing, mask-wearing, [coronavirus vaccines] and avoiding large crowds to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

Video footage of Pawlowski confronting public health officials entering his church seeking to enforce coronavirus worship restrictions went viral in the spring of 2021.

In the first video, taken on Good Friday of last year, he likened the public health officials to “Nazis” and the “Gestapo” as he ordered them to leave his property and not come back without a warrant.

Another video of Pawlowski confronting public health officials outside his property three weeks later, where he used similar rhetoric, also went viral.

Shortly after the videos of the tense exchanges between Pawlowski and local law enforcement officials went viral, the Pawlowskis were arrested for holding an illegal in-person worship service that violated coronavirus restrictions. The brothers knelt on the road and refused to walk on their own, leading to police officers carrying them into a police car.

In addition to Pawlowski, Pastor Tim Stephens of Calgary and James Coates of Edmonton, Alberta, also found themselves subject to jail time for holding in-person church services that ran afoul of coronavirus restrictions.

 The Christian Post

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