Wednesday, March 28, 2018

This week's ongoing Bible study will be part 3 of Acts chapter 4

The First Believers Unity in Prayer and Purpose
[Acts chapter 4, verses 23-37]
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Last week as we continued our in-depth studies of the writings of the apostle Luke, we left off at Acts 4 and verse 22. Peter, John, plus a fair amount of their compatriots, had just been let out of jail after being ordered by the court not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus. In response, as they left the courtroom, Peter and John said to the authorities present there, “'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'” Today as we pick up at verse 23, Peter and John have just returned together from the proceedings to an enthusiastic welcome, so let's go to the Word to see what happens next.


On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord', they said, 'you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant David: 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and to perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.' After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.” (Acts 4, verses 23-31)


What's the first thing the early Christian converts did when Peter and John returned? They didn't throw a party, they didn't have a banquet in the form of a giant potluck dinner, and they didn't go out to Red Lobster either. They prayed, and they did so as an example to everyone as to what authentic prayer really looks like. Their prayer was passionate, it was very thankful, and it was filled with gratitude! One more important thing about this prayer – it was prayed directly to God just as he is, which is on his throne as creator-ruler of the whole universe. Although it was formal in that the prayer quoted the first 2 verses of Psalm 2, it was personally directed at God, but not with face-to-face familiarity since that is not possible for any human. Instead, just as Jesus intercedes at the Father's right hand in heaven, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us here on earth. Their prayer was directed at the Holy Spirit. The impartation and constant presence of that same Holy Spirit among the true believers was the reason for the occurrence of Pentecost – so that a communications channel between humanity and God could be opened and maintained!


Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.” This particular verse is where the phrase 'conspiracy theory' originates, and the conspiracy against Christ was real just as the conspiracy surrounding the assassinations of President Kennedy, his brother Robert and that of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a tragic fact that, until the return of Christ, there will always be people who crave money and power to such an extreme as to kill someone to get what they want (or what they don't want someone else to have). They are all like spoiled little brats who will take the life of anyone who stands in their way – the ultimate temper tantrum. Like other unbelievers, they risk eternity in hell if they don't repent of their violent lifestyles and callous attitudes.


“....Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and to perform miraculous signs and wonders....” Peter, John and company didn't have a 'board meeting' to decide on a counterattack against those who had jailed them unjustly, even though there would be sufficient justification for doing this in the eyes of many. They prayed about it and gave it all up to God instead – they put the Lord in charge and submitted themselves to God's will rather than their own. As I wrote above, if everybody did this we could all avoid a lot of costly and sometimes-stupid mistakes! “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.” If the Holy Spirit can shake an entire house, just think of what that kind of Spiritual power can do for you! Moreover, consider what that kind of power could do to anyone or anything that opposes it! And now let's move on to part 2 of this week's lesson, starting at verse 32.


All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called 'Barnabas' (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostle's feet.” (Acts 4, verses 32-37)


These five verses describe exactly what happened when Christianity as it was originally taught was put into practice for the first time. Ownership did not disappear entirely, since some of the land that was owned by the members was used to grow food. Others owned houses so the people could have a place to meet, or for anyone in need of emergency shelter (yes, they took in homeless people with few questions asked, if any!). Everyone's basic needs were met 24/7 (“No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.”). Food, clothing, shelter, medical and social needs, and unity of purpose were the primary things that mattered. They still are. There was no Internet, phone, television or radio, and no one cared because they already had everything they wanted! I doubt the early believers would have been interested in any of our modern technology anyway. Let's not forget that all this was occurring about 2 months after Christ had been crucified and resurrected, and so the memory of Jesus was still very fresh for all who had known him. But by this point they were equally knowledgeable about the extreme significance of what Christ had done.


There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” When's the last time you ever heard a sermon on Acts 4 and verses 34-35 preached here in fabulously wealthy North America? Never!! Nor with much of the rest of the Capitalist world, either. Capitalism is a code word for organized, systematic greed. Capitalism is also a grievous sin (see Nehemiah 5: 1-13, Exodus 5: 22-27). The ugly truth for the proponents of capitalism is that the first Christians, the 1st century Church that endured an enormous amount of persecution, is that the first Christians were practicing Socialism via a laterally-managed organization of peers. There was – and is – no hierarchy present in authentic Christianity except for that of Christ as the head of his Church. As you saw during my previously published studies on the writings of the apostle Paul, neither he nor any of the other apostles took a salary for their work. They did it all for free, a lesson that modern preachers and TV evangelists have yet to learn.


Moreover, the distribution of church resources was unconditional and free of charge! As I wrote before, the First Century Church was socialistic by modern standards, except that it was apolitical. This tells us without a doubt that the early Christians, the first generation believers who had either known Jesus personally or knew others who had, were practicing their faith as it was originally meant to be practiced. It's also an instrument of measurement as to how far off base the modern church actually is. The ugly truth is that the modern church, particularly here in the western hemisphere, and the early churches are polar opposites of one another! And, the early churches were apolitical. They certainly never called themselves “conservative” or “liberal”. Those two words are labels arbitrarily slapped onto the population by people whose job it is to divide us. Christ didn't come to divide us, he came to unite us collectively with himself. Let's unite with Jesus instead of our economic system, which is dying of old age anyway. Jesus, on the other hand, lives forever! Anything else, if carried to its logical conclusion, ends up being idolatry. It makes no sense to pledge allegiance to any flag if we already have allegiance with Christ. And next week we'll move onto chapter 5 of the Book of Acts.

Monday, March 26, 2018

Free book excerpt #22 from Web pastor, author and blogger Paul J. Bern


35a5e-apostlepaul2b1

The Apostles In Plain English Vol. 1: the Apostle Paul” by Rev. Paul J. Bern

Five years in the making, this first of a series is a lot more than just a compilation of Bible studies. This collection of Paul's writings presents them from a broader perspective that are much more applicable to modern life than one might expect. Each study is limited to a few pages for the sake of brevity. This study of Paul's writings is done from a whole new 21st century perspective that is sure to educate while making the process enjoyable. Over 550 pages of enlightenment! A must-read for believers, whether they attend church or not! An inspirational guide for secular folks too! Watch the video at https://youtu.be/N4RXD3iOnxI


Building On The Foundation Of Christ
[1st Corinth. chapter 3]
This week's Bible study of the writings of the apostle Paul will be on the third chapter of St. Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is teaching about building on the foundation of Christ as a way to avoid divisions within the church, and he is doing so in the context of the state of the early Church at that time. Paul is addressing specific issues that had been brought up previously by this congregation, presumably regarding certain disagreements and arguments that had sprung up among them. In the early part of this chapter Paul finds himself having to rebuke this congregation for their lack of unity due to disputes among them concerning their views on what it meant to be Christian. We will begin at the first verse as usual.


Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, 'I follow Paul', and another, 'I follow Apollos', are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” (I Corinthians 3: verses 1-9)


As you can see, Paul is telling the early Corinthian church to grow up, stop fighting among themselves and to quit acting like children in the faith. Paul is admonishing them to become more mature in their faith as God first intended. But he is also saying that it doesn't matter how they first heard the Gospel being preached or from who they heard it. What is important is that the Gospel originates from God, not from mere men. Jesus is the message, and we are the messengers. Paul then refers to a well-known Old Testament verse, “One man plants, another man waters, but it is God who gives the increase”, stating, “...for we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building”, with another translation of 'building' in this context being 'storehouse' or 'barn'. Paul is saying that all blessings come from God, and He can send even enough to fill up any storehouse. Paul then continues in verse 10.


By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (I Corinthians 3: 10-17)


When Paul says “I laid a foundation as an expert builder”, he is speaking in the context of himself being the founder of the church at Corinth. He then states definitively that anyone building on his foundation had better not use any combustible materials, referring to the Old Testament, which calls God a “consuming fire”. This was written as a warning to the church against the pursuit of material gain and the hoarding of money and goods. This same warning is just as valid to the church today as it was when those words were first written nearly 2,000 years ago. Paul then adds that putting too much faith in our earthly works and treasures won't necessarily prevent us from getting to heaven when we die, but it will be the same as escaping from a fire with nothing but the clothes on our backs. It was also a warning that Christ is the only true foundation upon which the Church is built, and that anything less is impure at best, and heresy at worst. Finally, Paul compares the early church to a new temple of the Lord in which He can dwell, and he reminds us that, “...God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” Paul then concludes the chapter beginning at verse 18 by completing his warning to keep the church on the foundation of Christ.


Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness', and again, 'The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile'. So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (I Corinthians 3: verses 18-23)


To put this into 21st century English, Paul is warning the church, “Don't kid yourselves. People who think they are smart aren't as smart as they would like to think. In the end, everything belongs to God. Anything that is not consumed in His consuming fire, will stand the test of time and be permanent. Everything else is just temporary anyway.” And I believe Paul is telling us these things to make sure we keep our values in perspective, so we can be more spiritual and less superficial. This is a good thing for all of us to put into practice, so let's all start to do this today. That way we'll be able to advance the state of all our lives as we transition into tomorrow.


To buy direct from the author ($19.95) go to http://www.pcmatl.org/#!books-and-donations/c17et


Watch the video at https://youtu.be/N4RXD3iOnxI

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Putin's re-election and his role in Biblical prophecy

Putin's Re-election and Bible Prophecy:

Closing In on Armageddon
by Pastor Paul J. Bern
[Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, part 1]
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The re-election of Russian president Vladimir Putin last Sunday was confirmation for the Trump administration that we must either work together for our mutual good, or we will wind up killing each other off in a nuclear war. His re-election was also confirmation for on-their-knees Bible-believing Christians, whether they attend church regularly or not, that the “Gog-Magog War” from Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 is getting close. To explore the significance of this, today I am initiating a 3-part series on this topic to try and better explain this prophecy, since there is so much material to go over. So let me get started by pointing out some related prophecies elsewhere in the Bible that relate to what we'll be examining today.



First, we have the Psalm 83 war, which describes an unsuccessful invasion of Israel by its neighbors. This appears to have already occurred in the form of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, which resulted in the recaptured of Jerusalem by the Israeli Defense Force. Those old enough to remember the Yom Kippur War of 1973 have undoubtedly heard the argument that the Psalm 83 war was actually that war, but that's just Christians and Jews arguing with other Christians and Jews. Since that prophecy has, either way, already been fulfilled, there is no further point in debating this issue. If those people spent the time they devote to disagreements and spent that on the needs of the people – especially their Spiritual needs – the world would be a much better place. There are at least one and probably two world wars that will occur very closely together (see Ezekiel chapter 7 and Revelation 18, both of which describe America's coming destruction, and Revelation chapter 9, which describes World War Three in alarming detail), but none of those can be called the 'Gog-Magog' war for reasons that I am about to make clear. For my text for today, I will start in Ezekiel chapter 38, commencing at verse 1.



The word of the Lord came to me: 'Son of Man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophecy against him and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army – your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords....Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. After many days you will be called to arms. In future years, you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from among the nations, and now all of them live in safety. You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.” (Ezekiel 38, verses 1-4, 7-9)



One thing you will notice right from the start is that there can be no question about who is in charge of things. Sorry to disappoint or offend any atheists who happen to stumble onto this posting, but that's just the way of the universe that God spoke into being. I can't force you to believe it, so I'm not going to try. Beyond that, the first new thing we see are the words 'Gog and Magog', where Magog is the kingdom and Gog is the king, president, or other head of state. As such, Gog is also a military leader. The text is worded, interestingly enough, “Son of man, set your sights against Gog, of the land of Magog....”. In the four Gospels, Jesus sometimes referred to himself as the “Son of Man”. Ezekiel 38: 2 is the only place in the Bible I can remember right now where the words “the Son of Man” are used to refer to anyone else but Christ. This should give you all a good idea of how esteemed Ezekiel was in God's sight, something we all should be aspiring to.



I am against you O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army.” 'Meshech' is an old Hebrew word for the geographical area around Moscow today, and Hebrew is the original language of the Bible. The second part of that quote, I believe, is currently being put into play, so to speak. What would bring out Moscow's entire army? Probably not an attack on the US, or at least not at this juncture. As I wrote above, that occurs later in Bible prophecy's timeline. So what else could Russia be entangled in to the point of having “hooks in (their) jaws”? The one-word answer is, Syria, which is Russia's only ally that has a Mediterranean seaport. Syria borders Israel, and those two countries have been at each other's throats for centuries. If Israel were to invade Syria, Russia and Iran would be obligated by treaty to come to Syria's aid. So we can all clearly see now that the stage has been set for the Gog-Magog War as I write this.



After many days you will be called to arms. In future years, you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from among the nations, and now all of them live in safety.” The words, 'people gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel' refers to the United Nations resolution that made Israel a nation back in 1948, followed by the resettlement of the Holy Land in the ensuing years. This part of the world that we now call the Middle East was largely uninhabited back then, particularly the area where Israel is today. But today, with the Israeli Defense Force being one of the most powerful army and air force in the world, and with a rapidly-expanding navy as well, the words, 'now all of them live in safety' are the fulfillment of that prophecy. It's just that the remainder of Ezekiel 38 is still rapidly unfolding. “You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.” Gog of Magog, the prince of Meshech (Moscow) is none other than Vladimir Putin. And, Putin's Russia, together with her allies and the armies of other nations around Israel (Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt and Libya, and possibly Somalia), is going to attack Israel! I don't know when, but we won't have a long time to wait, I'm certain about that. Now let's move on to part 2 of this week's message, beginning at verse 14 of chapter 38.



Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In the days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.'” Ezekiel 38, verses 14-16)



Haven't you taken notice, Vladimir Putin, of Israel living in relative safety? Israel has beaten back all attempts to attack it militarily and economically to the point that nobody in the Middle East; not Egypt, nor Iran, nor Turkey, and those are the three biggest military powers in the region, with Saudi Arabia also in the running, dare touch Israel. All have attacked Israel in the past except Turkey, and all that their combined military's could muster was no match for lowly Israel, the smallest country in the whole region. But lately the stakes have gone up considerably. The largest discovery of natural gas ever uncovered has, only in the last year, been found about 60 miles off Israel's Mediterranean coast – more than Saudi Arabia and Kuwait combined! Putin's main interest in Syria is two-fold – first, because Russia can add a vitally-important southern seaport, and second for what everybody is fighting over – the oil pipelines that run from Syria north through Turkey and into Europe. That is exactly why Vladimir Putin's Russia is taking such a long, hard look at Israel.



That's also why Putin is Gog, Russia is Magog, and why Putin will ultimately strike at Israel. When he does so, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and eventually several African countries will all join together in confederation to attack Israel. “You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land.” Russia and her allies will attack very quickly and with the utmost decisiveness, like a mob of millions. The next verses tell what the outcome will be. “In the days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.” They will advance and conquer much territory, and at least for a short while, they will be successful.



But God clearly wants to make an example out of Vladimir Putin and Russia's military might, as he stated in verse 2, “I am against you, O Gog of Magog....”. Again God says in verse 16, “I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me....”, meaning that there will be no one left on the face of the whole earth who will not know exactly who God is and what he can do. Not when he finishes doing what he does to any nation that dares to attack Israel. Israel, you see, is God's Holy land. For a detailed description of Israel's true territory – as set forth by Almighty God himself – read Joshua chapters 13-20. For a short version, read Joshua chapter 1, verses 2-4, and you'll know why God gets so angry whenever any nation attacks Israel. And next week we'll move on to part 2 of our study of the Gog-Magog War.


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

The Loneliness of the Remnant Believer

This week's ongoing Bible study will move on to part 2 of Acts chapter 4

Concluding Peter's Lecture at Pentecost
[Acts chapter 4, verses 13-21]
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Last week in our ongoing study of the writings of the apostle Luke, we left off at verse 12 of Acts chapter 4. At this point, it is still the evening of the day of Pentecost, Peter and John have just been taken to jail for creating a disturbance and for incitement, and Peter and John are now standing before the authorities as they give an account of themselves and their activities. Peter had just told them that Jesus was the Son of God whom they were responsible for crucifying, as he relates in verse 12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Today as we take up at verse 13, Peter finishes the account he is giving as they stand before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council that still exists today, beginning at verse 13.


When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man they had healed standing next to them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin, and then conferred together. 'What are we going to do with these men?', they asked. 'Everybody in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn this man to speak no longer to anyone in this name.'” (Acts 4, verses 13-17)


Simply put, the Sanhedrin was 'blown away' by two things – first, the very idea that Peter and John had healed this crippled man was evidently too much for them (“they were astonished and took note that these men had been with Jesus”). That's because the crippled man had been healed by the power of the Holy Spirit of the risen Lord Jesus Christ (“since they could see the man they had healed standing next to them, there was nothing they could say”)! How could they believe in the Holy Spirit when they never had believed Jesus was the Christ, the Anointed One in the first place? Instead, they thought Peter and John had done it by some mysterious power – basically, by some unknown technology. Second, they couldn't wrap their brains around the fact that they had crucified the promised Messiah. They simply refused to believe that Jesus was who he said he was, and to this day the overwhelming majority of the Jewish people have followed suit, refusing to acknowledge that Jesus ever existed. How sad it will be for them when the Lord returns; they will see sorrow beyond measure!


The ruling council was flummoxed by the powerful words and compelling testimony of Peter and John – not counting the fact that they had healed a man who had been crippled all his life – and by their familiarity with this man, who had spent all his adult life begging at the temple gates. So they had what we would call a closed-door hearing. “'What are we going to do with these men?', they asked. 'Everybody in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.'” Those of you who have been following this from the beginning, at chapter 1 of Luke's gospel, knows that the Sanhedrin were corrupt beyond belief, similar to the corruption that still exists in modern organized religion, and especially in government. Anybody who is utterly corrupt belongs in the back of the church, not up at the front. And so it was with these people. The above conversation that the members of the Sanhedrin had among themselves is very similar to any governing body that finds itself caught up in corruption. The solution to corruption is replacement of and prosecution for the wrongdoers, each and every time. But for now, after their little conference, the two prisoners Peter and John are brought back into the room.


Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.' After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over 40 years old.” (Acts 4, verses 18-22)


Verses 18-19 have been the launching point for many an argument about being law-abiding citizens – Christian or not – ever since they were first written down around the year 80AD. Some say this means that although we should indeed remain law abiding out of reverence for the Lord, we are not duty-bound to obey laws that contradict Scripture. One example would be the current topic of 'medical marijuana', which is outlawed by the federal government as a dangerous substance while opioid pain-killers (which killed 38,000 people last year alone), tobacco products (which kill 50,000 people annually) and alcoholic beverages (which killed 35,000 more last year) all remain perfectly legal. Obviously something is very wrong with this picture! The marijuana plant – whether any of you are in favor of legalization for medical use or against it – is a creation of Almighty God from the third day of creation (see Genesis 1: 11). Moreover, any creation of Almighty God's is put here for our use, and should not be restricted by religion or legislation (see Acts 10: 15), as it is written, “Do not call anything unclean which the Lord has made clean.”


On the other hand, there are those who say this proves that it is wrong to break the law, even if it contradicts Christian beliefs. People from this 'school of thought' point to Peter and John being jailed as proof, and then they'll quote Romans 13, verses 1-5 as proof of their correctness. These are individuals and even whole families who come from strictly hierarchical churches, such as the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Wesleyan and most of the American Baptist churches, among others. But as we'll see as we get further along in our ongoing study of the Book of Acts, we will continue to learn that this is not the case with true Christianity. As it was back then, so it is much the same today. When confronted by something that completely contradicts the established order of things, authoritarian organizations are stymied and feel threatened by it, whether they are religious or governmental in nature. “After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.


How do you stop something that God has started? You don't. Today's Internet is a lot like that. I'm not implying that God invented the Internet, but a few of his creations certainly did, and now look what we've done with it! The 'resistance' cells and the 'patriot movement' here in the US are additional examples of this. You cannot punish somebody for doing good, that never works. Back then it was Peter, John and whoever else got locked up with them. Today, it's government whistle-blowers like Edward Snowdon, Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner, and other American political prisoners such as Leonard Peltier (search those). Innocent people are still being punished, but Truth marches on. And next week we'll move on to part 3 of Acts chapter 4. Shalom....

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Ending the teacher's strike, justice and mercy, and real Christianity

Progressive Christianity, Worker's Rights and Social Justice
by pastor Paul J. Bern
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 The recent settlement of the West Virginia teacher's strike, which resulted in a 5% pay raise after lasting for nearly two weeks, will soon echo across the landscape of American labor, and hopefully for the entire world as well. People everywhere – and I mean globally – are literally starving for a pay raise. Today's labor market – not just in America but globally – already has within it the seeds of revolution, and the people are most definitely ready to rise up, if only I could get you all to turn off your damned televisions and gaming consoles!! This isn't about religion, this is about justice and equality, and the Bible has plenty to say about both. So, for those of you who may think the Bible is some antiquated rule book that has lost its relevance, allow me to set the record straight.


In Psalm 106 verse 3, it says, “Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.” In Proverbs 29 verse 4, it says, “By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.” Come to think of it, I'm going to send that Bible verse to every member of Congress in Washington, D.C.! The prophet Isaiah lamented the lack of justice in his own time – so this problem is not new – when he wrote, “So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, and honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.” Here's one more sample of the mind of Almighty God: “And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts, do not think evil of each other'.” All of the above truths were brought sharply into focus most recently by the West Virginia teacher's strike. The ugly truth we all must face is this – if our net take-home pay won't even cover the most basic of living expenses, we are economic slaves! Rather than elaborate here, allow me to post an excerpt of my first book from 2011, now in its third updated edition. Enjoy!



The Ongoing Battle for Worker's Rights Across America
(excerpt from, “The Middle and Working Class Manifesto”, by Rev. Paul J. Bern)




America has become a ticking time bomb of inequality and lack of opportunity. The rights of US workers have been trampled underfoot by the rich multinational corporations and the top 1% elite, who have outsourced all our jobs overseas as they leave us high and dry on the island of minimum wage jobs with no futures. There are also a growing number of employed people who, despite having a job, are still living in poverty. There are at least 19 million US workers who now fall into this rapidly growing category. The median US income of $35,000.00 a year is not going to get you far in today's economy, and half of the country is making less than that. The reason we struggle with these things is because the Economic Elite have robbed us all through the systematic confiscation of middle class wealth, security and prosperity. This has caused tremendous suffering among workers throughout the world, it is no less than a criminal act, and it is the result of the largest single transfer of wealth in all of human history from the world's middle classes to the rich.



The first thing on any list of worker's rights is that of a fair and realistic minimum wage, and more fundamentally, the basic human right to a decent livelihood. Unemployment as we have previously known it must now come to an end forever. This does not mean unemployment will be eliminated, but periods of unemployment can and should be converted to times of retraining to acquire new skills or to even completely change careers. What gives any wealthy corporate 1%'er CEO or their subordinates the right to tell anybody, “Sorry, you are not needed around here anymore. Your skills, experience, and your work ethic no longer matter here. Our company's bottom line and the interests of our shareholders are far more important than that of our workers.” This is the essence of what it means to be fired. In my view, this is demeaning to the point of being abusive, and it is therefore an abuse of authority.



This brings me to the point that I wish to make. In today's world, if the net take-home pay of any given individual does not meet, or just barely meets, that same individual's daily cost of living, then that is tantamount to economic slavery. Let me say that again because this point simply cannot be overemphasized. If your take-home pay won't even take you home, you are a slave. Oh, you are free to move around and to come and go as you choose and take care of business, that is true. But if after you go to the grocery store, pay the light bill (assuming you are fortunate enough to be able to do that), put gas in your tank (assuming you are lucky enough to still own a car) and set some money aside for this month's rent or mortgage (if you're not already on the street or living with relatives) – and then, after all that you peek into your wallet and realize that you have $7.00 left to live on for the whole stinking' week, that's when you know you are a slave! What happens to the people whose incomes are at or below minimum wage? They go hungry and are often homeless. Many of these newly homeless, formerly middle class people also have kids who have fallen into poverty along with their parents. As I write this, it is profoundly sad to report that 1 in every 5 American kids will be homeless at some point in their childhoods. And this is happening in the United States of America, supposedly the richest country in the world? This is a moral outrage, a social injustice, and it is economic discrimination of the worst kind!


Since it is an issue of economic discrimination (regardless of race or religion), it also becomes a 21st century civil rights issue creating a demand for fundamental change in the way our economy works and the way our government works. This too, then, is cause for protests, demonstrations, boycotts, occupations, general strikes and other forms of peaceful civil disobedience. On this point alone, there are enough issues on the collective dinner plate of the American people to foster open revolt throughout the land. Never mind everything else that I have written about. Think about it for a minute. How does it feel to be a slave? Makes you feel kind of angry, doesn't it? Maybe even violated on a certain level, like we've been raped? The time to rise up and say, “No more!” has arrived. It's time for all of us to get out from in front of out TV's and our gaming consoles and computers and to get our backsides out in the streets and start protesting – a lot! And that's just for this issue alone. Now allow me to point out a couple of subcategories.



The first sub-category under worker's rights is the right to better and more comprehensive unemployment insurance, and to also allow some independent contractors to draw unemployment provided certain conditions are met (subject to future legislation or referendum). Any worker who has lost his or her job through no fault of their own will be entitled to up to 52 weeks of unemployment compensation instead of the current maximum of 26 weeks due to a continued turnover in the job markets of most developed countries, starting with the US. Besides their job search, at any time during the worker's period of unemployment he or she should have two other options available to them to assist in the development of their careers. The first should be the ability to sign up for public works projects to obtain immediate employment if it is needed. (The worker's second option will be reeducation, and I will touch on that one next so please bear with me). Workers will be required to choose one of the above to qualify for benefits. We have been needing massive public works projects to repair America's crumbling infrastructure for decades. I would conservatively estimate that anywhere from 1-3 million people could be employed this way as contract laborers, salaried employees, or subcontractors, depending on the need. The fact of the matter is that we need jobs, we need lots of them, and we need them right now! Seven twenty five an hour won't work either. Let's strike and protest for action while we engage in other methods of passive resistance on this matter. We might as well, because things are going to continue to get worse until we do.



The next sub-category of worker's rights is the right to free vocational retraining for life. Period, end of story. Anybody can go back to school and get retrained at will, up to and including a 2 year degree (with a 4-year available for some additional cost) at little or no cost. Large, wealthy corporations with robust cash flows, as well as millionaires and the super-rich, will supply the necessary funding through what I call in my book “the excess wealth tax” (you can buy the book on Amazon from right here). Since corporate America made the decision to send their factories and all the jobs those factories provided overseas to lower their labor costs, and since this action has caused the obliteration of millions of American careers, it will be corporate America who will shoulder the expense of retraining these people whose careers evaporated through no fault of their own. If they take your job away, or if they export or downsize your career out of existence like I experienced myself, then it is those same corporate henchmen who must pay for your reeducation. Higher public education is a basic, fundamental human right. It is not a privilege! As of today, higher education, and the fundamental right to improve and enrich ourselves, is an essential human right that must be had by all without qualification!



Now I know what at least some of you are thinking right now – “who's gonna pay for all this?” That is a perfectly valid question. Let me put all this into perspective for you. If your US government took all the money that was spent in a single day on the twin occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, plus the clandestine and illegal wars and “black ops” in Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria and elsewhere and set it aside in an enormous savings account, there would be enough money to send every American school age kid from the first grade through high school and upwards to any public college, state university, or vocational or technical school to earn their degree of choice with the tuition fully paid for, plus the cost of all their books and supplies, their meals during school hours, Internet access, new computers, and with access to public transportation covered for those who need it.


So, for those who say we can't afford to send everyone to public or community colleges with most if not all of their expenses fully paid, or that the money to accomplish this just isn't there, either doesn't know what they're talking about, or they are elitists and bigots who can't stand to see middle and working class and minority students getting ahead. Access to higher education – and looking after the children of those who are retraining – is an American civil right that should be equally available to all without qualification, not just to those who can afford the 'tuition'. Would you like to see test scores improve in our nation's schools? Tell all those kids that they are all going to public college at taxpayer expense, and watch their grades shoot up like rockets at Cape Canaveral. Give them an incentive to do better and our kids will rise to the challenge every time!



The right to family and sick leave, which must include maternity leave for women, is the final right I have listed for all workers and independent contractors. Every other country in the developed world from Europe to Canada to Japan has paid family and sick leave for its workers – all except for the US. It's way past time for Congress and President Trump to bring our country up to speed with the rest of the world. Moreover, medical, family and maternity leave should be allowed for up to 3 months per calendar year, and it must be made illegal to fire someone from his or her job because that employee needed to take family or sick leave. The right of all individuals to have medical, family or maternity leave must be had by all, without interference or fear of retribution, for the strengthening of our families and the nurturing of our children. The fundamental rights of workers must be honored and acknowledged by rule of law, and by a culture change that puts people before profits, which goes hand in hand with Progressive Christianity. As the old ways of greed-based capitalism continue to die of old age, this is the new reality we must all embrace if we are to thrive in the 21st century.


Wednesday, March 14, 2018

This week's ongoing Bible study will be part 1 of Acts chapter 4

Those Who Crucified Christ Put Peter and John In Jail
[Acts chapter 4, verses 1-12]
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Last week when we completed chapter three of the Book of Acts it was still the Day of Pentecost, and a large crowd had gathered when they heard the sound of what evidently sounded similar to a hurricane. The apostles Peter and John, together with much of the remainder of the 120 who had been in prayer together in the Upper Room, had come to explain things and reassure the crowd regarding what they had just seen and heard. So this week, as we continue the dialog between Peter and a few of the onlookers, we find the Roman authorities coming on the scene to break up the crowd, and to charge Peter and John with incitement. Except there was more to it than just that. So today let's begin at verse 1 of Acts chapter 4.


The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducee's came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” (Acts 4, verses 1-4)


First, you'll notice the same people (“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducee's”) who came to the garden at Gethsemane to arrest Jesus were there to arrest Peter and John (see Luke 22, verses 49-53). Also, anytime you have something happen that poses a threat to an established way of life, or to a way of thinking, opposition to that 'something' invariably springs forth. Jesus' teaching that “the Kingdom of God is at hand” flies in the face of organized government, or at least in its current form. It most certainly flies in the face of empires and dictators – you know, like Roman empires. Also, as Luke wrote later, “They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” Everybody knows, the Roman authorities were saying, that you can't rise up from the dead. Or so they thought. So, this worship of a crucified Jesus was deemed a cult and a disruptive influence by the Roman authorities. The priests and the captain of the temple guard were there to enforce Rome's declaration against organized Christianity as it was at that time.


Notice the time frame here in verse three. “They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.” Yet back in chapter 2 verse 15 Luke wrote, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!” So from the time of the “mighty rushing wind” of the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost until the time of the arrest of Peter and John was about nine hours, assuming they were seized by the temple guard at around 6PM. So many people had been there for this event that the 120, who had received the Holy Spirit and who were preaching the Word of the Lord in other languages, required the entire day for the message to be delivered and disseminated! That message was and is that the risen Lord Jesus Christ was himself the new covenant, that he had come “not to abolish the Old Law, but to fulfill it.” Moreover, the eternal life gained by Jesus Christ through his Supreme Sacrifice for us all means that eternal life is equally available to all of humanity without qualification, just as Jesus sacrificed himself for us all – again, without qualification, for which he achieved immortality himself. This is the crux of the message of the Gospel in a nutshell.


But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” This just goes to show you, if something is derived from a sufficient amount of truth, goodness, empathy, love and compassion, it is simply unstoppable. Moreover, when one encounters an earth-shattering event such as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the morning of the 3rd day afterward, which resulted in his enthronement at the right hand of Almighty God, that encounter is by definition a life-changing event. The word 'epiphany' comes to mind, so does the phrase 'paradigm shift'. That epiphany, that paradigm shift straight from heaven, is what the crowd of 8-10 thousand people heard that Day of Pentecost. And, that epiphany they all experienced resulted in the salvation of 5,000 men, not counting any women and children who were there. If any of them were the families of the 5,000 saved men, their salvation was assured as well. That's what happens when one leads a life like that of Christ, and that's a measure of the awesome power of the Holy Spirit of the Risen Lord! And now let's conclude today's lesson starting at verse 5.


The next day the rulers, elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: 'By what power or name did you do this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: 'Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but who God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is 'the stone you builders rejected, who has become the capstone'. Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.'” (Acts 4, verses 5-12)


So, just like Jesus, their mentor and teacher, Peter and John spent the night in jail awaiting trial. Except in their case, they were not executed like Christ, since it was not yet their time. Peter would later be martyred, and John would live into his 90's. He died on the island of Patmos in exile, where he wrote the Book of Revelation as it was dictated to him (see Revelation 1, verses 10-15). Caiaphas the high priest – the same Caiaphas as the one whose servant got his ear cut off by Peter during Jesus' arrest – was presiding over the hearing that morning, but it was Peter who stole the show (the apostle John was evidently the strong, silent type) when he began by saying, “If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but who God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” Then he quotes the Bible, as he had the previous day, but this time from Psalm 118: 22: “He is 'the stone you builders rejected, who has become the capstone'.” Peter was telling them they had their theology backwards!


Jesus, who the religious establishment of his day deemed unfit for service in the priesthood, and judged to be a criminal who they accused of sedition against the Roman Empire, was the very foundation of the Movement that Rome had tried to stop. Actually, they did, but only for 3 days! Too bad, Satan! Get back to hell where you belong! And, Jesus was the very man Jerusalem had tried unsuccessfully to stop, thinking he was a false messiah when in fact Jesus was the 'real deal'. “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” That's the entire Gospel message right there in a nutshell! Nobody else but Jesus Christ died on a cross for anybody! Never has this happened in the entire history of humanity, excluding Jesus. He is the lone standout in this regard, and that is why we call him “Savior” and “Lord of Hosts”! Buddha didn't do it, neither did Mohammad or Confucius, and neither did Brahma. Only Jesus died for our sins, and that means yours, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. Isn't it time for all of us to acknowledge him? If you haven't already done so, ask Jesus right now to be your Lord and Savior, and make him the new manager in charge of your life. Don't worry, you'll still have plenty of input that Jesus wants you to hear, and for you to hear from him. Open your mind and heart to Jesus! His “yoke is easy” and his “burden is light”. See you next week....

Sunday, March 11, 2018

My Views on Declining Church Attendance, and Why They Differ From Mainstream Christianity

Why Are the World's

Young Adults Leaving Churches?
By Pastor Paul J. Bern
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Someone asked my opinion earlier this week about why so many millennial's are leaving church, and what can be done about it. After doing some reflection, prayer and meditating, and based on some personal observations, there are quite a few reasons why this is so. To begin with, the fact of the matter is that young Christians often feel forced to choose between their logic and their faith, between evolution and Creation, and between compassion and piety, as if they are mutually exclusive of each other. Meaning, churches who are losing members do so due to politics and religion undergoing a merger while missing any semblance of the awesome power of the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This attitude dates all the way back to the time of Christ, when the temple high priests and the Hebrew religious establishment of that time were expecting the Jewish Messiah to arrive as a conqueror who would set up his Kingdom in Jerusalem – in opposition to the Roman Empire, echoing the “patriot movement” of today – and rule the entire world. That day is coming, but not on those terms, until all the Scriptures have been fulfilled. Jesus said about such people, “Woe to you, Pharisees, because you give a tenth of your mint, rue and all kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.” (Luke 11: 42) God is running out of patience with those who “tithe” weekly while doing nothing for the less fortunate!



A second and equally noteworthy reason that churches are losing America's young professionals is that young adults perceive evangelical Christianity to be either too political, too exclusive, too old-fashioned to the point of being and thinking backwards, too unconcerned with social justice and hostile to liberal, progressive, environmentalist and LGBTQ people, among others. Most of all, I have met modern Christians who refuse to congregate and worship with anyone other than their own race. Rev. Dr. King said it best back in the 1960's when he stated, “The most segregated place in America is at church on Sunday morning”. To a large extent, this has not changed much over the last 50 years or so. Does organized religion think that young adults don't see this for the hypocrisy that it is? Who, after all these decades, still does not understand that there will be no bigots in heaven??



A third reason that some well-established churches are driving millennial's and young adults away is the time-honored yet non-scriptural tradition of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. There are at least a few well-known Christian denominations – which I will decline to name – who “teach” that abstinence from alcohol is essential to salvation in Christ. But they have forgotten all about the twin facts concerning this subject; the first is that Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine, and the second is that there were at least two glasses of wine – and probably more – that were served at the Last Supper on the night before he was crucified. Even the apostle Paul advised Timothy, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” (1st Timothy 5: 23) Earlier in this same book, Paul advised, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer.” (Timothy 4: 4) Since this includes the grapes that make the wine, Paul's teaching also extends to other natural substances, like medical marijuana and 'polysyllabic' mushrooms, both of which are proven to treat or cure bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, chronic alcoholism, seizures and even certain forms of cancer. That's why America's young adults look at the entire 'abstinence-is-godliness' issue and see it for the spiritual BS that it truly is.



Then there is another one of my pet peeves, that Old Testament-based “teaching” about giving a tenth of your income each and every week, otherwise known as tithing. It is based on two verses of Scripture, the first from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 14, verse 22, which says, “Be sure and set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year”. According to Scripture, tithing only occurred on certain feast days; Passover, First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (see Leviticus 23, verses 4-44). But modern churches take this much further than that. Their pastors, deacons and other elders will use a well-known verse from the book of Malachi, the very last book of the Old Testament. It reads as follows: “'Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me'. But you ask, 'But how do we rob you?'. 'In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me'” (Malachi chapter three, verses 8-9).


Yet the Bible tells us that the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Law, as it is written, “Do not think I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” (Matt. 5: 17). So when certain pastors quote from the Book of Malachi, they are taking it out of context. Still, modern-day preachers and evangelists use these verses to convince their congregations to keep giving more money and other donations as if the above verses were directed at the faithful. In reality, these passages were severe admonishments from God, not towards members of the Church, but rather directed at the leadership. Evidently there was some embezzlement going on because the priests kept too much of the offerings for themselves. This had nothing to do with the offerings of the faithful, and it still doesn't!



The evangelical obsession with sex can make Christian living seem like little more than sticking to a list of rules. The world's young adults long for faith communities in which they are safe asking tough questions and wrestling with doubt. We are taught to abstain from sex before marriage and not to commit adultery, yet all the while those who teach this commit the same sins in secret, as if God doesn't know what they are doing. These are the same people who condemn same-sex marriage while committing their own immoral sexual behavior, such as being addicted to pornography. According to statistics provided by the National Council on Churches, combined with statistics from the CDC right here in Atlanta, roughly one half of Christian men, and about 40% of Christian women, are addicted to porn. That's why I'm saying those who teach 'abstinence' are a bunch of hypocrites!



Time and again, the assumption among Christian leaders is that the key to drawing people in their twenties and thirties back to church is simply to make a few style updates – edgier music, more casual services, a coffee shop in the fellowship hall, a pastor who wears skinny jeans, an updated Web site that includes online giving via texting. But here’s the thing: Christians of all ages have highly sensitive BS meters, and we’re turned off by anything that smacks of consumerism. What millennial's really want from the church is not a change in style but a change in substance, and much more of it. We want an end to the culture wars. We want a truce between science and faith. We want to be known for what we stand for, not what we are against.



People today want churches that emphasize an allegiance to the kingdom of God over an allegiance to a single political party or a single nation. We want to be challenged to live simply, care for the poor and oppressed, pursue reconciliation, and become peacemakers. What people today don't want are anti-abortion, “pro-life activists” who happen to be war hawks who are anti-national-health-care. In other words, they want authenticity, and millennial's aren't finding it in the churches. Millennial's aren't leaving churches because they don’t find the 'cool factor' there; they're leaving the church because they don’t find Jesus there. Like every generation before ours and so every generation after, deep down, we long for Jesus Christ the Son of God and everything he brings, which is life everlasting through his Holy Spirit! But I would encourage church leaders eager to win back young adults to sit down and really talk with them about what they’re looking for and what they would like to contribute to a faith community. The immorality of fighting wars, of extreme inequality, of the race-based drug wars while opiates are legal, and caring for the fatherless, widows and orphans would be good places to start. The point is, we must all start somewhere, or we will all end up nowhere. Better get going....