Churches Under Attack Through COVID Regulations

Many Christian pastors and celebrities are warning that some politicians taking advantage of the pandemic to enact religious persecution throughout the nation. Southern Baptist leader Albert Mohler Jr. believes that some politicians are using the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to enact policies that reflect an “overt hostility” toward churches. The president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, was a speaker at the recent Values Voter Summit.  

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins interviewed Mohler for the segment, with the former talking about a “spiritual dynamics” to recent events in the United States. At one point, Perkins asked Mohler when churches should start to question “the motives of government” regarding COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on in-person worship.  

Mohler responded he believed “some politicians have used COVID-19 as an opportunity for overt hostility to religious congregations and especially the Christian churches. And that overt hostility is what we have to confront.”

“No government authority has a right to say that the church isn’t essential. No government authority has the right to tell us how we are to order our worship services, and no government has the authority to say that Christian churches or other religious gatherings can be uniquely discriminated against,” Mohler continued.

Several states, including California and Oregon, still call for churches to be closed. Yet, they allow for bars and strip clubs to remain open. In Nevada, churches have a 50-person cap on religious gatherings while the state allows for casinos to operate at 50% of capacity.

Mohler did express support for “reasonable, temporary, generally applicable rules” aimed at curbing the pandemic, but warned, “that’s not what we’re looking at in some cases.” The inconsistencies are staggering when it comes to churches.

As an example, Mohler referenced Capitol Hill Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., which recently filed a lawsuit against Mayor Murriel Bowser over outdoor worship gathering restrictions. The suit accused Bowser and government officials of being “discriminatory in their application of the ban on large scale gatherings,” pointing out that the mayor herself spoke at an outdoor event in June that had thousands of attendees.

In a similar manner, actor Jim Caviezel spoke out against cancel culture, saying religious leaders in America need to rise up because churches are under persecution. Caviezel, best known for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in “The Passion of the Christ,” told Fox News that Christians are “being persecuting for their faith. If Christians don’t watch out, it will be canceling Christianity as well.”

The actor, whose latest film “Infidel” is a true story about an American Christian who’s kidnapped in Cairo, Egypt, and imprisoned in Iran under false spying charges, called on Christian leaders to stand up for their faith. “A lot of our pastors, our bishops, our priests, they’re laying right over. They let their churches be burned. How do we know that? Well, it’s right there in the news,” he said. “That’s why we’re in this situation right now. We can’t go to churches. We can’t go into our church. Why? Because they could get contaminated, right? So why are we on airplanes?”

Caviezel insisted that keeping churches closed during the pandemic is affecting those who need it most in these times. “I have had friends that have committed suicide. I have seven SEAL buddies that lost seven of their friends committing suicide. Would it have helped to get into a church especially during this time? Absolutely. And is it good for mental illness? Yes, it is,” he stressed.

Churches across the country closed their doors beginning in the spring to help curb the spread of COVID-19. With gathering restrictions still in place months later, some churches have chosen to defy orders or file lawsuits, claiming discrimination against places of worship, including the aforementioned Capitol Hill Baptist church and John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church among others.

Being Thankful in Troubled Times

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,

and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Are you weary with all that is going on in America today? As followers of Christ, we know that nothing surprises God. He is in control. He has a plan. When you are feeling low or overwhelmed, I encourage you to dig into Scripture. One of the most vital things we can do in these uncertain times is to take an eternal perspective.

 We have entered November, a month when traditionally we take time to reflect on all that we are grateful for. Even in a year like 2020, we can find so much for which to be thankful. Psalm 136 is a Psalm of thanksgiving which begins with the verse: “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever,” Psalm 136:1. Further, every verse in this Psalm concludes with the phrase, “for his mercy endureth forever.”

 Charles H. Spurgeon, the great preacher of the nineteenth century, said the following about Psalm 136 in his work, The Treasure of David: “We know not by whom this Psalm was written, but we do know that it was sung in Solomon’s temple (2 Ch. 7:3,6) and by the armies of Jehoshaphat when they sang themselves into victory in the wilderness of Tekoa. From the striking form of it, we should infer that it was a popular hymn among the Lord’s ancient people.” 

Thus, ancient Israel, after the bondage of Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness, and fierce warfare to conquer their Promised Land, found reason to thank and praise God, as should we.  

The word “mercy” is especially significant when used in the Psalms, for it indicates God’s love for His people. He has made a covenant relationship with us, and He is loyal to that covenant. 

Jesus stressed the importance of thankfulness when He healed ten lepers in Luke Chapter 17. Of the ten, only one returned to thank Him. This man happened to be a Samaritan, a natural enemy of the Jews, but he was grateful enough for this miracle to thank Jesus, a Jew, for this miraculous cleansing. 

Jesus Himself expressed thanks to His Heavenly Father. As part of His prayer when He raised Lazarus from the dead, He said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me” (John 11:41). At the Last Supper, He took time to give thanks for the elements of the first Communion service (Matthew 26:27), although He was just hours from the events that would ultimately lead to His death on our behalf. 

No matter how bad times are—as a whole, or for us as individuals—we can find something about which we can express our thanks to God. If nothing else, we can be thankful that He has led us by His Holy Spirit into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ that has provided us with an eternal home in glory. We can thank Him for the opportunity of living in a nation that allows us the freedom to vote. We can thank Him for family and friends who are a reflection of His love for us. May we be mindful of these things.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

A Call to Pray and Vote!

One of the reasons I’m convinced that God has blessed America all these years is because America was founded by Godly men and women who were concerned to take the Bible seriously, and to live out its truths in their lives.

 Secondly, they took the whole issue of freedom seriously, a freedom that was guaranteed to everybody as one of the unalienable rights given to us by our Creator. They understood that we are not here by accident. We are not simply here by convenience. We are here by the Divine sovereign choice of God Himself. God called those Pilgrims and Puritans to come to this new world, to establish this new nation to the glory of God.

You and I are the recipients of the blessing of God because our forefathers paid the price to establish this nation based on the principles and truths of the Word of God. They did it with a sense of dignity, with a sense of freedom that would allow everybody of every religious persuasion to come to this country in order to serve God by the choice and the dictates of their own hearts.

As time has gone on in American history, there have been many challenges along the way. God has intervened on many of those occasions. In the Revolutionary War, at a very crucial point, General Washington and his army were about to be defeated by the British in New Jersey. A fog came rolling in and covered them as they retreated across the river and escaped from being trapped at the end of that peninsula.

There were times in the Civil War when God again moved in to preserve the union of this nation. And there are certainly times when God moved in, in the 20th century. You see, God has placed into our hands incredible opportunities, incredible potential as a nation. But He also holds us accountable for what we do with that potential.

For if we want to continue to see the blessing of God on America, we need to be a people who are on our knees, seeking God, calling out to God, turning our hearts and our lives over to God. In a crisis, in a tragedy, we are quick to pray. We are quick to say, “God bless America.”

But when everything is going well, and the crisis has passed, when the blessings are flowing, do we then remember to get on our knees and again say, “God bless America. Convict us where we need to be convicted. Challenge us where we need to be challenged. Encourage us where we need to be encouraged. Bless us even when we don’t deserve your blessing”?

God has wonderfully blessed the United States of America, far beyond anything we deserve. And though we are not a perfect nation, and though there are many problems and challenges and difficulties, it is still one of the greatest nations in all of the world.

Let us come before the Lord with repentance and a humble spirit and plead for Him to continue to bless America! This is a nation in which there is freedom of religion, freedom of choice, freedom of opportunity for you and me to open the Word of God. To preserve these freedoms and so much more, if you have not already done so through early voting, I encourage you to prayerfully vote on Tuesday, November 3.

Pope Endorses Same-Sex Civil Unions

In the documentary “Francesco” released this week, Pope Francis calls for civil union laws for same-sex couples. These remarks are a clear break from the Catholic Church’s official teaching.

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered,” Pope Francis said in the film.

During his time as archbishop in Buenos Aires, he endorsed civil unions for homosexuals as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, up until now, as pope he has never commented publicly in favor of civil unions.

To date, Francis has not changed Catholic doctrine that marriage is between one man and one woman. Currently, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith teaches that “respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society.

“Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level of marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity. The Church cannot fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women and for the good of society itself.”

Will it be just a matter of time before this biblical teaching is reversed?

Largest Mennonite Denomination Divided

The Mennonite Church (MC) USA Conference’s relaxed approach to same-sex marriage and LGBT pastors has some congregations evaluating whether they can stay connected to the conference. MC USA has membership guidelines based on the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, which considers homosexuality a sin and marriage as between one man and one woman for life. It also prohibits pastors from performing same-sex marriages.

However, congregations and regional conferences have decided whether they will adhere to the guidelines or not and the MC USA does not actively enforce them. According to the MC USA, it has four credentialed leaders who identify as LGBT.

Pastor Bob Yates of Bethel Mennonite Church of Inman, KS, commented “There has been way too much leeway for every congregation and conference to do what they want, basically. There seems to be no standard.”

Bethel, founded in 1875, decided to disaffiliate with MC USA. “We question the direction MC USA is headed … in addressing what sin is, whether the Bible is true, how we’re called to live, and who defines that,” said Yates.

Netherlands to Expand Euthanasia to Children

Earlier this week in the Netherlands, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge pushed a proposal to expand the use of euthanasia for terminally ill children between the ages of 1 and 12. If done by a physician, end of life procedures are already available for babies up to one year old and for anyone over 12 years old.

The Christian Post reports that under what is known as the Groningen Protocol — a 2004 set of Dutch medical directives with criteria under which doctors are allowed to perform “active ending of life on infants” without fear of legal repercussions — babies in the Netherlands can be euthanized for serious disability and terminal illness.

By expanding the euthanasia laws, traditional “gray areas” will be redefined as palliative care where children are put into an artificial coma and dehydrated to death.  De Jonge said that the termination of life should be possible for “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering.”

Sedation and withholding nutrition over an extended length of time is not care, it is euthanasia in slow motion! It is unbelievably cruel.

Wesley J. Smith of the Discovery Institute wrote that he did not believe the “terminally ill” requirement will last. Smith commented “Dutch death doctors always use the ‘gray area’ excuse to expand the caste of the killable. Once death is in the driver’s seat, it never hits the brakes.”

The Bible is clear all life is created by God’s direct intention according to His infinite knowledge. Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7 teaches that God created the very first human life and Psalm 139:13-16 indicates that God Himself forms every subsequent human life in the womb!  Furthermore, Jeremiah 1:5 reveals God knows every individual before He forms them in the womb. Therefore, the intention of this expansion of law in the Netherlands clearly attempts to supersede the role of God!

Frighteningly, the Bible tells us to expect such efforts as the last day draws near. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 teaches us that in the last days much of humanity will be lovers of themselves while denying the power of God. Similarly, many Bible teachers believe such medical technology equates to the “knowledge [that] shall be increased” in “the end of time” as taught in Daniel 12:4. The Bible is clear every human life is precious to God and directly created in His image. Humans should be extremely cautious as we encroach on this divine directive.

PRAY: Pray for leaders in the Netherlands to reverse course and to work to protect the divine sanctity of life. Pray for Christians to see this as a call to strengthen their relationship with their heavenly Father and spread the message of His love to their unbelieving countrymen.

Chinese textbook rewrites Bible, claims Jesus stoned woman to death

A communist textbook that is being used in Chinese schools falsifies the biblical account found in John 8:3–11. The textbook claims that Jesus murdered the woman who was found in adultery and said He, too, is a sinner. The textbook, published by the government-run University of Electronic Science and Technology Press, states: “The crowd wanted to stone the woman to death as per their law. But Jesus said, ‘Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.’ Hearing this, they slipped away one by one. When the crowd disappeared, Jesus stoned the sinner to death, saying, ‘I too am a sinner. But if the law could only be executed by men without blemish, the law would be dead.’”

Christians in mainland China are distressed about the distortion of the biblical account, reports UCA News. “I want everyone to know that the Chinese Communist Party has always tried to distort the history of the Church, to slander our Church, and to make people hate our Church,” a parishioner who uploaded the textbook on social media was quoted as saying in his post.

Another Christian in mainland China, who was identified only as Paul, was quoted as saying, “The same pattern has been repeated every year but the Church has never fought back or received the respect and apology it deserves.”

Bitter Winter, a magazine that reports on religious liberty and human rights in China, noted the subtle objective behind manipulating the textbook. “The story teaches that the law and the (Chinese Communist) Party are good and pure and transcend the impure human beings who happen to represent them. Even if the officers are corrupted, their decision should be accepted—because, honest or corrupted, they represent the Party, and the Party’s law should never be questioned,” the magazine writes.

John 8:3–11 says: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now, what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”

The magazine reported earlier that children were also being taught to oppose religion, encouraged to question the beliefs of family members and report those closest to them to authorities. China has been cracking down on underground churches and Christian activists for years. The Chinese government continued its campaign against Christianity during the country’s coronavirus outbreak by destroying crosses and demolishing a church while people were on lockdown. More than 60 million Christians live in China, at least half of whom worship in unregistered or so-called illegal underground churches. China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians.

Are We Nearing the Rapture?

One of the signs of the end times and return of Christ, mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, is a falling away or a great apostasy (Greek, apostasia). Many have wondered when this type of falling away from the faith would occur and it is possible that we may be seeing the beginning of this event. The major areas that are contributing to this quick decline in belief in the Western world are the decline of faith in Europe, the decline of faith in the United States and the impact of the coronavirus.

First, Christianity is on major life support in Europe. Once a dominant Christian stronghold that sent missionaries all around the globe, Europe no longer has any strong Christian presence. For example, a recent Guardian report showed that 59 percent of young people aged 18-29 never attend religious services and 70 percent identify as non-religious. Secularism has destroyed Christianity throughout most of Europe and entire generations are no being raised in completely secular environments. The bastion of Christendom for so many centuries is now devoid of Christ.

Second, the United States, while not as secular as Europe, is quickly as it way to following in its footsteps. Secularism is on the rise and Christianity is suffering greatly. Even basic Christian beliefs are being thrown aside by the culture at large and even many who claim the Christian faith. In a recent State of Theology survey produced by Lifeway, 52 percent of Americans believe that Jesus was simply a great teacher, but not God. Even more troubling, 30 percent of self-identified Evangelicals also agreed that Jesus was a great teacher but not God. This is not a highly contested or debated theological concept but is a foundational theological belief in order to consider oneself a Christian. These types of surveys show that American Christianity is rapidly on a similar trajectory to that of Europe.

Finally, the coronavirus may also help to contribute to this rise in apostasy. Many church attenders have not been able to attend church for many months. Some have been able to watch digitally but many do not have access to the technology that allows for easy streaming. Churches are also struggling to survive during this pandemic. A recent Barna study showed that twenty percent of churches in America could be in danger of closing within the next 18 months, both because of financial struggles and because many churchgoers who attended prior to the coronavirus have not returned when the churches have been able to reopen. It is possible a decline in the coronavirus could help with these numbers, but it is still a significant blow to churches in a time when churches are needed to stem the tide in secularism. These trends could change and a great apostasy away from Christianity can be avoided.

Perhaps while Europe and America decline, other regions of the world will drive Christianity forward. However, it is also very possible that the stage is being set for the return of Christ and this rapid turn away from Christianity is another step in this direction. We need to be in prayer for our nation, for our churches, for our pastors and we need to be prepared to reach a world that is no longer accepting of basic Christian beliefs and morality. While we anxiously anticipate the return of Christ with an eye to the sky, we also need to work as diligently as possible to reach as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus.

Pray our nation will experience a great revival and turn away from the roots of secularism that have taken hold in so many through our nation and the world.

Trusting God

Our nation is in turmoil. The challenges we are facing today are not new; however, we do have Someone we can turn to for answers. God is the ultimate resource in times of trouble!

There are many Bible passages that can provide us with guidance to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed by adversity, but one that truly stands out to give us hope among stressful situations is found in Philippians 4:4-9. If anyone should have experienced worry and anxiety, it was the Apostle Paul. He was persecuted by both the Jews and the Romans; he was afflicted by a “thorn in the flesh”; and, of course, he had an overwhelming concern for the spiritual condition of those to whom he ministered. We can read a short outline of some of his calamities in 2 Corinthians 11:22-23. Yet he could find peace in the midst of adversity through his faith in the Lord. He shared his steps to peace with God in his letter to the church at Philippi. He said:

1. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). Remember that Christ is the Lord of our lives and all the circumstances surrounding them. We rejoice in the Lord because we know that nothing can happen to us that God cannot use for our benefit. Our joy is not dependent on the circumstances, but on the fact that God is in control of those circumstances.

2. “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Philippians 4:5). When we are yielded to God, we will live moderately in an outward sense. The degree of our inward yieldedness will manifest itself in outward moderation and be a witness to others about our trust in the Lord. It will, in addition, bring comfort in the place of conflict in our lives.

3. “Prayer” (Philippians 4:6-7). The entire passage tells us to be careful, or anxious, about nothing, but make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication “with thanksgiving.” Petition to God for the problems of the present should include thanking Him for what He has done for us in the past. Not only are our thanks due Him, but also, recalling such events increases our faith for the present distresses. We are told here that the result is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Whether or not God addresses our specific circumstances here and now, He does promise to give us peace in them!

4. “Think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). In this verse, Paul gives us a list of “positives” and commands us to focus on them. In so doing, they will replace worry in our hearts and minds.

Finally, in verse 9, Paul holds himself up as an example to his readers and says essentially, “What you have witnessed from me, do the same thing” and again promises, “the God of peace shall be with you.”

From the world’s standpoint, Paul’s life could probably be considered a failure. But from a Christian standpoint, he was a tremendous success, having penned approximately half the books of the New Testament. Despite hardship, he could say at the end of his life, just prior to martyrdom:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” 2 Timothy 4:7.

In times of trouble it is important to pray for one another. We are committed to praying for our country during these tumultuous times. We are also committed to praying for you. In return, your prayers would be a tremendous encouragement to us as we share the Gospel and seek to provide answers to those who are seeking TRUTH.

The Recent Peace Agreement

The recent peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain brokered by President Trump has raised numerous questions related to Bible prophecy. Some are asking: Is this the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel (Daniel 9:27)? Others are asking: How does this agreement fit with the Gog and Magog prophecy (Ezekiel 38-39)? Still others want to know: Does this have anything at all to do with Bible prophecy?

I believe the Bible gives us some very specific clues to help us answer those questions.

1.      This is definitely not the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel! The Antichrist will not be revealed until after the Restrainer is removed at the Rapture (2 Thess. 2:3-10). Also, this new agreement with two Arab states does not in itself guarantee Israel’s safety.

2.      It is much more likely that the peace agreement with UAE and Bahrain continues to set the stage for the Gog and Magog invasion described in Ezekiel 38-39. That prophecy depicts a massive invasion of Israel in the last days (38:16) from every direction involving Magog (Russia), Persia (Iran) Cush (Sudan) and Put (Libya). Since this prophecy has never been fulfilled, it must come to pass at some future time. By today’s observation this appears to be a Russian-backed Islamic invasion of Israel in the last days.

In relation to the current situation 3 things stand out. Three entities will protest the invasion but will not act in Israel’s defense: Sheba and Dedan represent Arabia and Tarshish represents Western Europe (38:13). Unnamed in this prophecy are Egypt and Jordan, both of which already have peace treaties with Israel. In other words, there could not be a more clear scenario than we have now. Russia and Iran will head the attack with support from other Muslim states. Western Europe (EU) will object but refuse to intervene. The same will be true of the Arab states (the Saudis, the Emirates and Bahrain) as well as Egypt and Jordan. What part the USA will play remains to be seen. Will they stay out of the conflict like Europe? Time will tell. If the future political leaders of the US are anti-Israel this could well be the case.

3.      The current peace agreements certainly seen to be setting the prophetic stage for the final fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. If we understand the prophecy correctly this recent move should not surprise us. It should get our attention! We appear to be one step closer to the final fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. In the meantime should we pray for peace, work for peace and hope for peace in the immediate future? Yes! But at the same time, we need to be aware that there will be no lasting peace until Jesus, the Prince of Peace, returns. In the meantime, the prophetic clock is ticking. Keep looking up (Luke 21:28).

China Orders Christians to Stop Believing in God

House churches across China have experienced intensified persecution in recent months, with Communist officials telling Christians they are not permitted to believe in God in the atheist country. Bitter Winter, a publication produced by the Center for Studies on New Religion which covers human rights issues in China, documented numerous instances where Christians were threatened and harassed by Chinese Communist Party officials.

In June, a group of officials in the county-level city of Leiyang, in the central province of Hunan, raided a house church. They confiscated the church’s donation box and destroyed Bible verses on the walls, telling the Christians their actions were “the result of their disobedience” and that it was “illegal to hold religious gatherings without a permit or joining the Three-Self Church.”

In May, the Religious Affairs Bureau in the province’s Yongzhou city shut down a house church for “holding illegal gatherings without permits” and confiscated all valuables in the venue, including a computer, a photocopier, and Bibles.

In April, police in Dengzhou city in the central province of Henan raided a house church, confiscated its Bibles and hymnbooks, and took eight congregation members to a police station for interrogation. One Christian later revealed that a police officer said to him that they could “not believe in God in China.” The believer also revealed that half a month later, police visited the eight arrested members at home to ask if they had continued to attend religious gatherings. Officers warned them that they would be sentenced to three to five years in prison if they gather again.

“We don’t break any law by believing in God, but the government treats us this way,” the believer said. “The government wants to eliminate all religions and threatens us with the future of our family members, forcing us to give up our belief. It’s really shameless.”

Protestant Christianity is one of five approved religions alongside Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Catholicism in China. Religious organizations must register with one of five state-sanctioned patriotic religious associations, which are supervised by the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Christian churches that refuse to register with the government, known as “house churches,” are illegal. However, even Three-Self churches — those registered with the government — have experienced an uptick in persecution in recent months.

Numerous reports have revealed the persecution Christians have endured at the hands of the CCP, including arrests, detentions, imprisonments, and church attacks. Such persecution is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to abolish religion and enforce greater control over people’s lives.

The magazine reported that “countless number of churches” were also ordered to remove their crosses in Jiujiang, Fuzhou, Fengcheng, Shangrao, and a few other cities in the province in April.

Persecution watchdog Open Doors USA ranks China as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political, or invite foreign guests.

This type of persecution should not surprise anyone. Everywhere communism has spread, religious persecution has quickly followed. Communism, combined with the rise of secular atheism, has created a worldwide environment where persecution has risen dramatically. If the United States continues to become more secular and moves toward communistic ideals, then persecution could quickly follow and soon it could be illegal to go to church, read a Bible, pray or even believe in God.

PRAY: Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in China who are being targeted for their faith. Pray that America will turn away from secularism and turn back to God.

Franklin Graham Warns Socialist Left Will 'Close the Church Down’

Prominent evangelical leader Franklin Graham says that the Democratic Party is “opposed to faith” and warns that the left will “close the Church down in many places” should the United States fall into the embrace of socialism. “The Democrats, if anything, they are opposed to faith,” Graham asserted after being asked to compare and contrast the major parties’ positions on faith.

“The Democrats have taken God pretty much … out of government,” he added, later stating that the changes that “the left want to make and take us into socialism is going to affect the Church. The government will … begin to tell the Church how [it] can be the Church and they’ll close the Church down in many places,” Graham warned. “We see right now because of COVID, the government trying to tell the Church that they can not meet and the Constitution gives us that freedom to do that. But because of COVID, they said we can’t meet.”

The outspoken evangelist assured that there are millions of Democrats who are “wonderful people” and stated that his father was a lifelong Democrat who “never switched parties.” He argued that his dad “saw the party that he grew up in changing and moving to the left. That’s what it’s done,” Graham contended. “The Democratic Party today is a party of the left. It’s a socialist party, they want socialism for this country.”

“I am just asking that God would spare this country, for another four years, to give us a little bit more time to do the work before the storm hits. I believe the storm is coming. You are going to see Christians attacked, you are going to see churches close and you are going to see a real hatred expressed toward people of faith. That is coming,” Graham continued. “Jesus told us. He said, ‘You will be hated by all people because of me.’ And if we are going to stand for the name of Christ, the world will hate us.” Graham had previously spoken about the “absence of God” at the Democratic National Convention in a Facebook post.

Shortly after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as his running mate, Graham called the “the most pro-abortion presidential ticket in the history of our nation” a source of “great concern to all Christians." Graham also stated “the only hope for this country is God. Donald Trump can’t turn it around,” Graham stressed. “Biden isn’t going to turn it around. Only God can do this … and we need God’s help.”

An example of the types of actions Graham is warning about is already occurring in California, where Los Angeles County officials have attempted on four separate occasions to shut down Grace Community Church. Pastor John Macarthur has taken the officials to court over their bans, arguing that the First Amendment does not allow for the government to tell churches they are not allowed to meet in person. After four different count filings, Los Angeles County has notified the church that it will soon be evicted from a parcel of land it uses as a parking lot, a move lawyers say is retaliation for the church’s decision to hold indoor worship services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some officials have even warned that the church could suffer fines and Pastor MacArthur has stated that he is willing to go to prison to keep the church open and meeting. Graham warns that if the Left continues its push towards socialism and gains control, more of these types of assaults on pastors and churches will become common throughout the nation.

Pray- Pray that our nation will turn back to God and move away from the secular culture that is dramatically turning the country away from its religious foundations.

Could the Coronavirus be setting the stage for the Rise of the Antichrist?

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,

or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelation 13:17

One of the questions that many Christians are asking is how the coronavirus could be impacting prophecy and the end times. While the virus itself is not a prophetic event, it could be setting the stage for the antichrist in three main areas: stronger government regulations (especially with regards to religious services), a push for a one world government and a possible move to both a cashless and global economy.

First, the coronavirus has created stronger government regulations throughout much of the world, even in most of the democratic nations that tend to be the most free. While some government regulations are necessary, continually increasing power and control in the hands of a few politicians and allowing them to make decisions on when people can leave their houses, which stores are allowed to be open and even when or if people are allowed to attend religious services. While it is true that many of these regulations may be lessoned if the virus lessens, it is also establishing a framework that would allow very few people massive control throughout the world. Perhaps the antichrist will one day be able to use this same type of structure to control and regulate the world, especially if people assume that the Rapture is some type of pandemic event.

Second, many, such as Al Gore, have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to push for a stronger one world government. When you combine this push for a single power in control with the stronger regulations that have occurred, it becomes very easy to see how someone like the antichrist could easily gain control of enough power to take control of the major nations of the world. Some have always wondered how the antichrist could possibly gain so much power and make so many changes so quickly during the time of the Tribulation. Perhaps this pandemic has shown us a blueprint of how something like this could occur. We would never have dreamed that so much of our daily life could be changed as quickly as it did in March. The Rapture, perhaps seen by the world as some type of pandemic, could very well be a catalyst that then allows the antichrist to rise to power in a similar manner.

Finally, the coronavirus has caused and will continue to cause dramatic changes to not only the economy of the United States, but also the entire world. Many have already been pushing for a cashless society for years and the pandemic has even heightened these calls.

A recent New York Times article was published entitled “Our Cash-Free Future Is Getting Closer: The pandemic is propelling a shift toward a cashless society in ways that no other single event has.” Liz Alderman writes, “Cash was already being edged out in many countries as urban consumers paid increasingly with apps and cards for even the smallest purchases. But the coronavirus is accelerating a shift toward a cashless future, raising new calculations for merchants and enriching the digital payments industry.”

Why would this be important? For centuries people have wondered how the antichrist could use the mark of the beast to control buying and selling of goods (Rev. 13:17). All of the different currencies and cash would make that a very difficult proposition. However, a cashless society makes this much easier, as the government could simply block off someone’s account and cards and completely cut off their ability to purchase goods. While it is not definitive that the coronavirus is setting the stage for the antichrist’s rise, these events do offer a blueprint on how his rise to power could occur in the future.

Historic Middle East Agreement

Last week, Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations between the two nations and establish full diplomatic ties. In this agreement, led by the United States and brokered by President Donald Trump, the UAE became the first Arab country to formalize a relationship with Israel in more than 25 years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to exchange ambassadors and open each country to tourism and trade.

A joint statement released by the United States, Israel and the UAE, expressed that “this historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential of the region. All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement.”

This agreement launched the Strategic Agenda for the Middle East working to expand diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation, thus leading to better lives for ALL peoples in these regions. It also led to immediate cooperation between the nations to develop a coronavirus vaccine to help save Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives.

As for their part of the deal, Israel said it would halt annexation in the Jordan Valley and other parts of the occupied West Bank. Iran and Turkey have both denounce the agreement. However, Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg told CBN News that he believes Turkey’s reaction to the peace deal is revealing:

“Why is that interesting? Because Turkey has a relationship [with Israel]. They have full normalization with us here in Israel. So, the idea that the would-be ‘sultan’ of Turkey is condemning a Muslim state for creating a full normalization with Israel that he already has, it’s ridiculous and it’s hypocritical.

“It’s indicative of the fact that Erdogan [Turkey’s president] is taking his country out of the western moderate camp, into the Iranian, Islamism more radical camp. And that’s a long-term, very serious problem.”

The UAE is the third Arab country to have full diplomatic ties to Israel. Egypt and Jordan are the first two Arab countries to have such a relationship with Israel.

Pray: President Erdogan and the leaders of Iran have stated in the past that they want to conquer the Holy City. We must continue to pray for the ever-changing relationships in the Middle East and for the

peace of Jerusalem.

America is at the Tipping Point!

As we begin our 245th year, the nation faces its most serious crisis in recent history. Anti-American forces are attempting to undermine and destroy the very soul of the world’s greatest nation. The convergence of political extremism, social unrest, pandemic paralysis and general confusion has left us gasping for breath and groping for solutions.

Many are confused, asking: What is happening to our country? Where did all this begin? Why are we so divided?

Let us begin by examining the root cause of the current chaos. In the nineteenth century, then Princeton theologian Charles Hodge warned that when American education ceased to be distinctively Christian it would only remain neutral (non-Christian) for a while and then ultimately turn decisively Anti-Christian. Within 100 years, his prediction came true.

The Supreme Court decision in 1962 (Engel v. Vitale) ruled prayer out of the public schools. Subsequently, even voluntary moments of silence were eliminated and in time all religious instruction was banned from American public education.

While students are still free to pray privately or in small groups, the absence of God in American public education is now glaringly obvious. The result is rampant secularization.

The secularization of America has increasingly grown into a stranglehold on public discourse. Nearly 60 years later the process looks like this:

1.  Secularism: There is no god

2.  Relativism: There is no truth

3.  Selfism: I am all that matters

4.  Materialism: Give me more stuff.

5.  Mysticism: Redefine reality.

The war against America is the result of the spiritual battle for the soul of the nation. It plays out in several areas under the disguise of social justice and political correctness. But make no mistake, it is a covert attack of Satan against the very heart of America’s Christian values. Here is how it works:

Deny Our Heritage: Eliminate any positive discussion of Christian influence in America’s founding. Pilgrims, Puritans, Quakers, and others seeking religious freedom are portrayed as “invaders” who mistreated Native Americans.

Defame Our Heroes: Emphasize their faults and weaknesses while neglecting their contributions. Denounce Christopher Columbus, who lived in 1492, by the standards of 21st century “correctness.” On that basis, nobody living in 1492 was “acceptable!” Everyone becomes a target of the culture wars: Washington, Jefferson, even Lincoln.

Desecrate Our Monuments: Public statues and government monuments are symbols of the America that extremists want to destroy. This is not merely about the Civil War or racial injustice. The extremists, like Antifa, want everything gone. “Tear it all down!” they keep shouting.

Dismantle Our Freedoms: Free speech is only acceptable for the radical, liberal left. Conservative Christians are denounced as racists, bigots, and anti-intellectuals. Any attempt to criticize or question the left-wing agenda is met with censorship, hostility, and ridicule.

Destroy Our Nation: The end result of the secular onslaught will eventually bring America down. Left unchecked, a godless society will implode. Perhaps this is why America is not specifically identified in Bible prophecies of the End Times.

America is in serious trouble and only the power of God can save us. We desperately need His divine intervention. America needs a spiritual awakening and a genuine revival of repentance, regeneration, and re-engagement with the culture. Nothing short of a radiant, Spirit-filled Christianity can speak truth into a decadent and self-destructive culture.

Scientists Use Corona-virus as Excuse to “Play God”

Recently, the world learned that researchers at London’s Francis Crick Institute used CRISPR technology to genetically edit 18 embryos. Around half of the embryos suffered the kinds of major mutations and genetic damage that could lead to birth defects and life-shortening medical problems. The horrifying results led one gene-editing expert to call for “a restraining order for all genome editors to stay the living daylights away from embryo editing.”

Unfortunately, the desire to play god with the human genome is not easily discouraged. For example, consider the title of a recent article at Wired which proclaimed a “From gene editing to brain computer interfaces,” the authors write, “our ability to engineer biological systems will redefine our species and its relation to all other species and the planet … And Covid-19 is accelerating this transformation.”

The authors quickly go from confidence to hubris, in language that resembles Satan’s from Paradise Lost: “Our ability to manipulate RNA and DNA, bacteria, viruses, algae, and fungi gives us the power to engineer life.” We can, the authors promise, “prevent a future [COVID-like] lockdown,” and failure to do so would be “a crime against humanity.”

“Imagine the day,” they warn, “when your great grandchild sues her parents for not genetically engineering her to protect her” from inheritable diseases or even failing “to enhance her in order to compete effectively.” What is standing in the way of what they call “our godlike technologies”? Only “our Paleolithic emotions (like fear, jealousy, and greed) and our medieval institutions.”

Of course, all “neurobiological” revolutionaries with “godlike” abilities know that a few eggs have to be broken in order to make an omelet. Perhaps that’s why WIRED didn’t mention what happened at the Crick Institute and only offered a passing reference to “the risk of unintended consequences and a backlash from patients, consumers, regulators, religious groups, and more.” After all, according to this worldview of scientism (excessive belief in the power of scientific knowledge and techniques), unleashing dangerous mutations on the human genome isn’t the real crime. The real crime is standing in the way of “Progress.”

What is meant, however, by progress? For whom is progress promised? For humanity and human flourishing? As C. S. Lewis warned in his masterful book The Abolition of Man, “The Power of Man to make himself what he pleases means . . . the power of some men to make other men what they please.”

In fact, to warn of the true risks and human costs of our “neobiological revolution” is to be labeled “anti-science” and “anti-progress.” That should not dissuade us in the least from teaching others that what we know as science emerged as a product of the Christian worldview during the medieval period, grounded by the belief in a rational God Whose creation could be known through reason and inquiry. Because this rational God is also moral, science is not autonomous, untethered from ethical, moral and even theological considerations.

With so much at stake, distinctively Christian voices are needed in the sciences exactly now, perhaps more than ever. Courageous consumers must refuse any and all “breakthroughs” or conveniences built upon human rights abuses. Courageous pastors and teachers must clarify for the faithful the moral stakes of our technologies, especially when it comes to genetics and human reproduction. And, may God give us a new generation of scientists, who love God and want to discover His creation, and who can lead these fields of study in ways that honor God and protect those vulnerable image bearers among us.

Pray- Pray that these types of manipulations of God’s original design will be stopped and Christian scientists will continue to stand for God’s design.

Supreme Court Favors Casinos Over Churches

Last week, the Supreme Court refused to grant a request from Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley to strike down an unconstitutional 50-person cap on worship services in Nevada. The church, located east of Reno, claimed that they should be able to adhere to the same COVID-19 restrictions in Nevada that allow casinos, restaurants and other businesses to operate at 50% capacity with proper social distancing.

Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley had argued that the strict limit on those who could attend religious gatherings was an unconstitutional violation of its parishioners’ First Amendment rights to express and exercise their beliefs.

This was another sharply divided 5-4 decision made by the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts once again sided with the liberal majority but did not give an explanation for his decision. Three of the four dissenting judges had plenty to say.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh stated that the courts should be “very deferential to the states’ line-drawing in opening businesses and allowing certain activities during the pandemic. But COVID-19 is not a blank check for a state to discriminate against religious people, religious organizations and religious services. Nevada is discriminating against religion.”

“The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion,” wrote Justice Samuel Alito. “It says nothing about the freedom to play craps, or blackjack, [or] feed tokens into a slot machine.” He added that “by allowing thousands to gather in casinos, the state cannot claim to have a compelling interest in limiting religious gatherings to 50 people – regardless of the size of the facility and the measures adopted to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch summed it up best, “The world we inhabit today, with a pandemic upon us, poses unusual challenges. But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel.”

Christians in the Age of Covid-19

There is a world-wide movement to suppress, quiet and even destroy those who claim Jesus Christ as their Savior. To receive Covid-19 aid, Christians in Bangladesh, India, Sudan and Malaysia are being told to renounce their faith or die of starvation. Last month we reported how Christians also in Vietnam and Pakistan were excluded from receiving food or emergency aid.

The Open Doors USA coordinator in Southeast Asia, Pastor Sam, reported “governments are giving assistance to a lot of people, but many Christians, especially those who come from a Muslim background or a Buddhist background, are not receiving the support when it goes to the villages. People may die or convert back to Islam if they don’t have the means to survive.”

A pastor in Sudan shared, “Believers from Muslim backgrounds have to be entirely self-reliant because they aren’t given any support from their family, tribes or community, because of their faith. They are told to give up Christianity if they want to be helped. It is a tragedy.”

In China, Christians are being ordered to renounce their faith and remove crosses, religious symbols, and images of Jesus. These symbols are to be replaced with portraits of Chairman Mao and President Xi Jinping. If not done, officials stopped their government subsidies.

“All impoverished households in the town [Linfen in the Shanxi province] were told to display Mao Zedong images,” a local pastor told Bitter Winter. “The government is trying to eliminate our belief and wants to become God instead of Jesus.”

The Christian Post reports that in Xinyu city in Jiangxi province, a disabled Christian’s minimum living subsidy and a monthly disability allowance of 100 RMB (about $14) was stopped because the believer continued to attend worship services despite government orders. The Communist Party is targeting images and photos of Jesus as part of its campaign to “transform believers in religion into believers in the party.”

According to Open Doors USA, underground churches in Iran have risked arrest to provide food and humanitarian aid to answer Jesus’ call to love their neighbors. David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, did not go into detail for security reasons, but he did say that “The church [serves] as a rally point [and] centers of care and compassion for Muslim communities they are living in. The Church has always been strong in the underground among supporting each other. This is something different because they are having to come above ground, so to speak. It’s a historic thing.”

Even in the United States, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently banned singing and chanting in churches and issued an executive order that effectively bans church members from holding Bible studies and other small group meetings in their homes.

Newsom had lifted worship restrictions in May but reinstituted them after an increase in COVID-19 cases. However, he supported anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd even though they violated California’s mass gathering ban, “To those of you who want to express yourselves… God bless you. Keep doing it. Your rage is real,” Newsom said.

Becket attorney William Haun said California should not single out singing in worship more than in other contexts: “The First Amendment protects both prayer and protest, and governments don’t get to pick and choose.”

PRAY and ACT: May we all show the love of Jesus to our neighbors, our communities and our world and share with those we agree with and those we do not. Despite persecution, the Church will prevail. Continue to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters to stand strong in their faith.

Turkey Continues to Stir Tension in Middle East

There are growing concerns about Turkey’s military operations in northern Iraq, after Ankara began bombing areas of the country claiming it was “fighting terrorists.” Turkey began operation “Claw-Tiger” on June 17 and it seems to come in the context of Turkey launching new military attacks every month in different countries to distract from failures at home by Ankara’s leading party. Turkey has had almost a year of near-constant new conflicts and militarist saber-rattling.

Last spring and summer it threatened to invade eastern Syria, threatening US troops and the Trump administration in the process. The US tried to appease Turkey by having its anti-ISIS partners on the ground remove obstacles to Turkey’s invasion. It wasn’t enough, in October Turkey told Washington it would begin bombing the region and US troops must move. After Ankara’s October offensive, in which some 200,000 people were forced to flee, Ankara signed a deal with the Tripoli-based government in Libya to help Tripoli fight opposition groups and secure Turkey’s energy demands in the Mediterranean.

Ankara then shipped thousands of Syrians to Libya to fight and sent drones to hammer the Benghazi-based Libyan National Army. In December and January, Turkey was busy heating up the Libya conflict, before moving on to stoke tensions with Russia and the Syrian regime in Idlib. Ankara threatened to send Syrian refugees to Europe during the Idlib crises of February and March.

In April and May, Turkey returned to fighting in Libya, capturing a key military base at Watiya. Then the Ankara regime decided to increase Turkey’s airstrikes in Iraq, claiming to begin fighting the “Kurdistan Workers Party,” known as the PKK. On June 17, Turkey launched airstrikes against Yazidi areas of Sinjar and near Christian villages along the border, forcing Kurds to flee the battles. Iraq has expressed increasing concern about the attacks, which appear to be coordinated with Iran.

Turkey has used the excuse of “fighting the PKK” to invade northern Iraq and Syria, taking over Afrin, Jarabulus and Tel Abyad, as well as to establish more than a dozen military bases. Turkey and the PKK once had a ceasefire before 2015, but it broke down. Since then, Turkey has claimed it has a right to bomb anywhere that members of groups linked to the PKK exist. This includes bombing unarmed people who are members of far-left groups that Turkey labels “PKK.” Turkey has produced no information that these groups are involved in armed attacks on Turkey this year.

The bombings in Iraq have created tensions with Arab states, including the Gulf which opposes Turkey’s actions. This is linked to the wider regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Ankara says it expects Iraq’s cooperation. Iraq has internal troubles with ISIS insurgents and disputes between the US and Iran, as well as Iranian-backed militias mobilized across the country. This means Iraq is so divided it has trouble opposing, even diplomatically, Turkey’s actions. A variety of Iraqi officials have nevertheless spoken up about the increasing war in northern Iraq.

While some US voices have expressed concern, including a tweet by the State Department after three women were killed in a Turkish air strike in Syria, most remain silent. Representative Jim Cooper from Nashville tweeted over the weekend that he was extremely disturbed by reports of “Turkish military attack on Kurdish people in Iraq.” Voices at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have also expressed concern and called for an end to the attacks. Anytime that Turkey shows aggression in the region, Ezekiel 38-39 come to mind and it is possible that that event could happen in our lifetime.

Pray- Pray that the tensions will lessen in the Middle East and that the innocents in the region will be protected.

New Danish Bible Removes References to Israel

The Danish Bible Society has omitted dozens of references to Israel from translations of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament in their new translation. Defending the deletions, the society said they prevent confusion with the modern-day country. The omissions occurred in a project titled “Bible 2020” that was published earlier this year under the society’s supervision.

A press release of the Danish Bible Society says this translation decision was made because, “for the secular reader, who does not know the Bible well, ‘Israel’ could be referring only to a country. Therefore, the word ‘Israel’ in the Greek text has been translated in other ways, so that the reader understands it is referring to the Jewish people.”

Jan Frost, a Bible enthusiast and supporter of Israel from Denmark, drew the media’s attention to the omissions on YouTube and other social networks. He counted 59 omissions out of 60 references to Israel in the Greek origin for New Testament texts. References to “the People of Israel” were replaced with “Jews,” while “Land of Israel” became “the land of Jews.” In other places, references to Israel were translated as referencing all readers or all of humanity.

The Song of Ascents from the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible, a popular Shabbat hymn for Jews, originally states that “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” In the new translation, Israel is replaced by the word “us.” A Bible Society representative told Frost that the decision was made to avoid confusing the Land of Israel with the State of Israel. However, the names of other countries from that time that still exist, such as Egypt, have not been changed.

Olivier Melnick, the Northwest Regional Director of Chosen People’s Ministries, also has came out in objection to the new translation. In a recent article, he wrote that, “Such a Bible widens the divide between Christians and Jews. At a time when antisemitism is thriving around the globe, Jewish people need to be reassured that they have Christian friends. Publishing a Bible that erases Israel is sending a clear message to the Jewish People that ‘We the Christians do not think that Israel is important enough to remain in the Bible’.

The Bible Society in Israel also issued a press release about the new translation, stating, “While all translators must make difficult decisions, those decisions must be freed, as much as humanly possible, from any interpretation foreign to the text. Even if done to accommodate for a secular Danish audience, the meaning of the word of God must not be compromised. We believe that the replacing and removing of the term “Israel” in the way that it was done in the Danish Contemporary Bible 2020 was a harmful decision which has hurt many who love the word of God, in Israel and beyond.”

These types of changes are usually put in by replacement theologians who believe that the nation of Israel has been replaced by the church and that no is no future for national Israel. That idea goes against both the promises given to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament as well as the future for the nation spoken of in the New Testament in places such as Romans 9-11. This type of thinking also laid down the foundation in Germany and other places for the rise of the type of anti-Semitism that eventually ended up in the Holocaust. Words are very important, and scholars should be careful with the types of messages they send when they replace words in translations. 

Pray- Pray for the Jewish people as anti-Semitism continues to rise once again throughout the world.

Supreme Court Decisions

Last month, the United States Supreme Court ruled on two cases that we have been watching. (Original blog post: March 5, 2020.) Below are the judgments rendered.

June Medical Services v. Russo

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court decided that a Louisiana state law requiring abortion clinics to have the same standards as surgical centers was unconstitutional.

Planned Parenthood hailed this decision as a victory for women’s health and abortion access. “Your ability to access abortion shouldn’t be determined by where you live, how much  money you make, and the color of your skin – we’ll keep working to make that a reality for ALL people,” stated Planned Parenthood on Twitter.

Justice Stephen Breyer referenced the precedent from past abortion cases: Health regulations that place an “undue burden” on abortion access are unconstitutional. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas dissented.

Justice Thomas wrote, “Our abortion precedents are grievously wrong and should be overruled.”

World Magazine reports Justice Gorsuch laid out the health concerns women faced in Louisiana. He listed abortionists’ health violations such as failing to sterilize equipment, not monitoring patients’ vital signs, and unauthorized staff improperly administering medications. They reported that June Medical had hired people ill-qualified to perform abortions, including a radiologist and an ophthalmologist.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins denounced the ruling, “Despite the Left’s hysterical fear-mongering, the case was not about the Supreme Court’s self-created ‘right’ to an abortion in Roe. This case was about whether the state has the right to ensure that abortionists who take women’s money also provide for their safety.”

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan filed an opinion concurring in the judgment.

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

In another 5-4 decision, the U. S. Supreme Court struck down Montana’s Blaine Amendment which barred public aid from going to educational institutions “controlled in whole or in part by any church, sect, or denomination.”

Those who support school choice and tuition vouchers celebrated this decision. Jeanne Allen, founder and chief executive of the Center for Educational Reform, called it “an extraordinary victory for student achievement, parental control, equality in educational opportunities, and First Amendment rights.”

Chief Justice John Roberts, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch, delivered the opinion of the court. “Montana’s no-aid provision bars religious schools from public benefits solely because of religious character of the schools. The provision also bars parents who wish to send their children to a religious school from those same benefits, again solely because of the religious character of the school. A State need not subsidize private education. But once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious,” Roberts wrote.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented in this ruling.