Sunday, March 31, 2013

Resurrection Day!. . .

As I sat and thought this morning about what it is that we celebrate today, I pondered some of the music that's captured the reality and significance of Easter for me, ministering to me at different stages of my own life and walk in faith. Here are three. . . in chronological order. They've been helpful to me. I trust they will speak and minister to you today.




Friday, March 29, 2013

Free. . . Thank You Jesus. . . .

Good Friday. . . thank you Jesus.

As I grapple with the meaning of today, I will spend time looking at this David Arms painting that's in my house. Arms write this about his painting "Free"The cross frees us from bondage to all those things that weigh us down…guilt…need for approval…fears – weight that God never intended for us to carry. But He freed us and made available to us a peace that passes all understanding.




Thursday, March 28, 2013

Why Gay Marriage Is Good For The Church. . . .

"Get off my property. . . and get off NOW!" I  remember hearing those words. . . several times. . . from the elderly gentleman (we'll just call him "Mr. W" here) who had the unfortunate privilege of owning the house on the corner that happened to be where our elementary school bus stop stood for all those early years of my schooling. He watched us like a hawk. And every time our feet would wander off the concrete sidewalk and onto his grass, he would open the door and let us know about it. During our younger years, he was frightening. By the time we got a little bit older, our feet would trespass purposefully in an effort to get him to do what had become predictable and laughable to us.

Good old Mr. W has come to mind a few times over the last few days as the debate over same-sex marriage has been heating up. The rhetoric and mud-slinging has. . . not surprisingly. . . increased.  Social media has lit up with what's now known as the "marriage equality icon" and creative or not-so-creative mutations of that icon that have been tweaked to sarcastically and cynically get numerous other opposing agendas across. Sadly, hastily throwing around reactive words and icons is sometimes the best that we can do or even choose to do. . . and it's not the least bit engaging, beneficial, or productive. Nor does it honor God.

Because I think that the Spring of 2013 will be remembered by history as a watershed cultural moment as it relates to marriage, faith, and a whole lot of other related issues, I've been very targeted in my reading, discussion, prayer, and contemplation over the issue of same-sex marriage. Not only am I working to refine and cement what it is I believe on this issue, but I'm pondering how to most constructively and Christianly (i.e. "God-honoring") engage in thoughtful conversations with those who don't agree with me. And, for the record, I believe that marriage has been instituted by God to be entered into by one man and one woman.

So, why would I ever say that "gay marriage is good for the church?" I say that because the current debate and wherever it ends is serving to wake us up, to sharpen us, and to get us thinking about and doing things that we need to be thinking and doing. For the record. . . again. . . I think it's only a matter of time before gay marriage is commonplace from coast to coast. One of my concerns is that many of my Christian brothers and sisters will interpret this reality as a loss of territory. That people who support same-sex marriage will have "wandered onto our property" and that the best we should and could do is simply open the front door and fire off a series of volleys where we yell "get off my property. . . and get off NOW!" That approach. . . as we're seeing. . . is just plain silly and non-productive. Shouldn't we be inviting people into the joy of Kingdom-living?

The current debate is good for the church because it forces us to see that God is in control. . . not us. It reminds us that these issues are far more complex and difficult than we've made them out to be. It causes us to see people. . . real people. . . people just like us. . . who are dealing with difficult and complex issues in their lives. It forces us to confront our own glaring sin. It makes us. . . or at least it should make us. . . dig deep into the Scriptures to come to an understanding that will yield ongoing grace-filled conversations marked by give-and-take with people who might not see things the way we do. . . rather than one-way conversations marked by our grace-less yelling which we arrogantly expect can and should result in obedience. It will awaken us to the fact that cliches, reactive social media icons, and organized protests don't do much more than turn off the very people we hope to influence. The current debate is good for us because it will make us face our ignorance and increase our dependence on God. As culture changes, God is in the midst of changing us. . . perhaps where it's needed most. . .  at the level of our sin of spiritual arrogance and pride.

Last night as I was laying in bed trying to sort out all that was running around in my head, I had this thought: The current debate should not be about followers of Jesus lording it over others so that they will conform to our wishes. Rather, it should lead us to a deeper life lived humbly under the Lordship of Jesus so that we will be obedient to Him. That, I think, will change the way we engage in this debate. Who knows what God will bring from all of this? I'm wondering if the primary change God is working to bring about in all this might be the deepening of His people in their knowledge of and humble commitment to and reliance on Him. Maybe we need a little refining. . . or a whole lot.

Some past blog posts on this topic. . . .
Rob Bell, Homosexual Marriage, and Our Changing Times. . .
Wrestling With Homosexuality. . . What's A Christian to Do? . . .
An Open Letter to the Church from a Lesbian

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Tiger Woods, Nike, and a Flawed View of Life. . .

Here's an ad that should keep us thinking, processing, and talking for a good long time. It's a map and a mirror. As a map, it tells us what to think and how to live. As a mirror it tells us what we think and how we live. And, the greatest power of advertising is not its ability to sell product, but its ability to sell a worldview. That's why it's worth thinking about, processing, and talking about this ad amongst ourselves and with our kids. Take a look. What do you think?


When I see ads like this one I immediately start to process it through what's come to be known as our "Simple Seven" ad processing questions here at CPYU. Here they are. . . .

1. What product is this ad selling?
2. What, besides the product, does this ad sell? (ideas, lifestyle, worldview, behaviors, etc.)
3. What's the bait, hook, and promise?
4. Complete this sentence: "This ad tells me, use________ (the name of the product) and ___________ (the result the ad promises).
5. Does the ad tell the truth? What? How?
6. Does the ad tell a lie(s)? What? How?
7. How does the ad and its messages agree or disagree with God's truth and what does that mean for me?



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Into His Suffering. . . What A Gift! . . .

"Why is this happening to me?!?" Ever think that? Ask that? Say that? Or how about this one. . . "What have  I done to deserve this?"

The abundant luxuries, conveniences, and comforts of our lives have lulled us into a faulty theology that leaves us expecting life to be easy. And when it's not. . . well. . . something must be wrong. We've somehow come to believe that God exists to make our lives easy. Having lived lives where we can push a button, flip a switch, take a pill, or pick up the phone to call an expert. . .again, we've been lulled into expecting the instant fix that removes pains, difficulties, and inconveniences in no time at all. Avoid pain. . . pursue pleasure. . . that's what life is all about.

This is the week when we ponder the suffering of Christ on our behalf. We should also meditate on the gift He gives of inviting us into His suffering. James tells us to "consider it all joy" when we face trials and suffering of all kinds.

I love this little reminder from C.S. Lewis: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”

"Take up your cross. . . " isn't an invitation to a life of ease. It is, however, an invitation to life.

Monday, March 25, 2013

In Christ Alone. . . .

And so we find ourselves immersed in Holy Week. Because I grew up in an intentionally Christian home, this week and the events it commemorates are familiar. . . 57 years familiar. I don't know what familiarity does to you, but I tend to forget. . . to take for granted. . . to not appreciate as I should. And so once again, I enter into a week of deliberate contemplation and thought about radically amazing and beyond belief realities that I can never allow to become too familiar.

Over the course of the last few years I've come to appreciate the role that theologically-sound music plays in my preparation to celebrate the resurrection of the Savior. Stuart Townend and the Gettys have been most helpful. I trust this musical reminder will serve you as a gateway into a deeper understanding and appreciation as it has me. . . .

Friday, March 22, 2013

An Open Letter to the Church from a Lesbian. . .

Yesterday I came across this challenging letter to the church. . . you and me. . . on Justin Taylor's blog. It serves as a helpful follow-up to what I blogged on a few days ago. . . "Rob Bell, Homosexual Marriage, and Our Changing Times. . . " Read on. . . .

To the churches concerning homosexuals and lesbians:

Many of you believe that we do not exist within your walls, your schools, your neighborhoods. You believe that we are few and easily recognized. I tell you we are many. We are your teachers, doctors, accountants, high school athletes. We are all colors, shapes, sizes. We are single, married, mothers, fathers. We are your sons, your daughters, your nieces, your nephews, your grandchildren. We are in your Sunday School classes, pews, choirs, and pulpits. You choose not to see us out of ignorance or because it might upset your congregation. We ARE your congregation. We enter your doors weekly seeking guidance and some glimmer of hope that we can change. Like you, we have invited Jesus into our hearts. Like you, we want to be all that Christ wants us to be. Like you, we pray daily for guidance. Like you, we often fail.

When the word “homosexual” is mentioned in the church, we hold our breaths and sit in fear. Most often this word is followed with condemnation, laughter, hatred, or jokes. Rarely do we hear any words of hope. At least we recognize our sin. Does the church as a whole see theirs? Do you see the sin of pride, that you are better than or more acceptable to Jesus than we are? Have you been Christ-like in your relationships with us? Would you meet us at the well, or restaurant, for a cup of water, or coffee? Would you touch us even if we showed signs of leprosy, or aids? Would you call us down from our trees, as Christ did Zacchaeus, and invite yourself to be our guest? Would you allow us to sit at your table and break bread? Can you love us unconditionally and support us as Christ works in our lives, as He works in yours, to help us all to overcome?

To those of you who would change the church to accept the gay community and its lifestyle: you give us no hope at all. . .  Read the rest of the letter here.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Rob Bell, Homosexual Marriage, and Our Changing Times. . .

A formal discussion about sexuality was had on the campus of Yale University back on Saturday, March 2nd. It was part of Yale's "Sex Weekend." The conversation took place during a workshop titled "Sex: Am I Normal?" Run by "sexologist" Jill McDevitt - who owns the Feminique sex store in West Chester, Pa. - the workshop included a time for students to anonymously answer questions using cell phones regarding their sexual practices. According to reports, survey responses indicated that 52% of the students had engaged in "consensual pain" during sex, 3% had engaged in bestiality, and 9% had paid for sex.

A report on the event from Campus Reform includes this: Event director Giuliana Berry ’14 told Campus Reform in an interview on Monday that the workshop was brought to campus to teach students not to automatically judge people who may have engaged in these sorts of activities, but rather to respond with “understanding” and “compassion.” "People do engage in some of these activities that we believe only for example perverts engage in,” she said. “What the goal is is to increase compassion for people who may engage in activities that are not what you would personally consider normal.”


I've been mulling over this report from Campus Reform for the last two weeks. I got to really thinking about it again yesterday when I read this article in the online Christian Post: "Rob Bell Supports Same-Sex Marriage, Says He is for 'Fidelity and Love.'" Of course, Rob Bell is no stranger to controversy. . . controversy that usually arises at about the same time he releases a new book. It seems that during an appearance at The Forum at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco he was asked if he was in favor of "marriage equality." Bell stated that he is "for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it's a man and woman, a woman and woman, a man and a man. I think the ship has sailed and I think that the church needs to to just. . . this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are."

My great concern in all the discussion is that the starting point for many are emerging cultural norms (Rob Bell's "the world we are living in"), the high court of public opinion (majority wins. . . or even more accurately, any minority option is valid and right), and an appeal to compassion. . . even Christ-like compassion. A vein that runs through all these starting points is the pursuit of personal happiness and fulfillment. . . without borders or boundaries. That's what was at the root of Senator Rob Portman's struggle to reconcile his Christian faith and conservative views with the homosexuality of his son, Will. Last Thursday, Portman publicly renounced his stand against same-sex marriage. On Friday, he penned these words in an op-ed piece in the Columbus Dispatch: "Ultimately, it came down to the Bible's overarching themes of love and compassion and my belief that we are all children of God."

The great dilemma in all of this that's faced by people like me is this: "How can I best maintain faithfulness to God, Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, and His revealed will in the Scriptures?" I oftentimes look to the story at the beginning of John 8 as the teachers of the law and the Pharisees stand a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Jesus masterfully confronts the compassion-less sins of the Pharisees while simultaneously confronting the sin of the adulterous woman. Rather than saying to her "This is the world we are living in and I affirm your adultery" . . . or "love and compassion trump the wrongness of adultery," he confronts her sin, forgives her, and implores her to "go now and leave your life of sin." As I ponder how to best honor and remain faithful to the Lord, I'm brought face-to-face with how I view and confront sinners, while maintaining a clear understanding of the sins that I and all humanity so easily slip into and embrace. I don't want to be or give people good reason to think that I am self-righteous. Rather, I want to humbly serve the Lord and others without compromising on truth. Sadly, the reality is that any equating of homosexual behavior and/or same-sex marriage with "sin" or "wrong" is seen as compassion-less and intolerant.

Not coincidentally (I believe), I've been reading through N.T. Wright's After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters. Wright states a compelling case for a more proper way to approach our lives as Christians here in the midst of our broken world. . . a way more proper than 1) the belief that Christianity is all about conformity to a set of rules (the Pharisees!), or 2) the more widespread contemporary error that Christianity is all about following a Jesus who "accepted people as they were, and urged them to discover their real identity, and to be true to that essence." Wright goes on to say, "The idea of a goal, an ultimate aim, calling us to a hard road of self-denial - the idea, in other words, that Jesus of Nazareth meant what he said when he spoke of people taking up their cross to follow him! - has been quietly removed from the record, no only of secular Western life but also, extraordinarily, of a fair amount of Christian discourse." I couldn't help but reflect on these words from N.T. Wright as I read the reports on Rob Bell and Senator Portman.

It seems that in today's rapidly emerging cultural climate, any effort to state any kind of opposition to same-sex sexual behavior/marriage based on Scripture leads to a default response that lumps one in with the Pharisees and position #1. It also seems that the accepted proper place for Christians to land is at position #2. But neither should be an option.

So what option should inform our thinking and acting on this and other issues? I think N.T. Wright nails it: "We urgently need to recapture the New Testament's vision of a genuinely 'good' human life as a life of character formed by God's promised future, as a life with that future-shaped character lived within the ongoing story of God's people, and, with that, a freshly worked notion of virtue."

God's promised future is one of restoration. . . the restoration of the shalom lost at the fall. . . a re-ordering of things that are not the way they're supposed to be (including in relation to our sexuality and broken sexual impulses. . . whether they be heterosexual, or homosexual, or whatever-sexual) to what they were intended to be. When we grasp that reality and look to God's Word, we are all going to be confronted with deep discomfort over ourselves and our culture. Shouldn't we all be for fidelity and love? Shouldn't our first fidelity and love - even if costly - be to the revealed will of God and our Groom? I don't say this arrogantly. . . Nor am I being nasty. . . I'm deeply concerned. . . .

And so I continue to think about that weekend at Yale. . . a university founded in 1701 by New England clergy "wherein youth may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Publick employment both in Church and Civil State." The school's motto? "Lux et Veritas" . . . "Light and Truth" . . . to this day.


Friday, March 15, 2013

What Voice Will They Listen To? . . . .

This weekend we celebrate another year of ministry with CPYU as our CPYU friends and supporters gather tonight to share a meal and spend an evening together. For the last few weeks I've been praying and thinking through how to best talk about the many voice and choices the emerging generations face in today's culture. All kinds of competing voices call for attention and allegiance, endlessly shouting "come and follow!" In the midst of that ever-present ambient distraction, Jesus is the one trustworthy, good, true and right voice to heed and follow.

And so very appropriately, I turned this morning to the next page in Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth, a book of prayers by Walter Brueggemann, to see and pray this very timely prayer:

You are the voice we can scarcely hear
because you speak to us about dying and suffering,
and we are impacted by so many voices
that have to do with power
and competence
and success

We do know that you are the voice that gives life,
that you are the voice that opens futures to people who who are hopeless.

We are a part of a hopeless people,
because the other voices eat at our hearts,
and we are immobilized
and we become deaf.

So we pray for new ears.

We pray that your voice may be more audible to us,
that we may be able to sort out the death-giving
from the life-giving voices among us.

We pray in the name of Jesus,
through whom you have spoken
in such inscrutable ways.

Amen.


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Reflecting On Changing Times. . . Divorce Over 50. . .

It's Banquet week here at CPYU. That means that we're not only busy as we prepare for our friends and donors to gather to celebrate God's work through CPYU, but it means that I'm spending lots of time thinking about the last 24 years (yes, CPYU has been around that long!) and how the world has changed since we got started. . . . and I get sad. Not hopeless, mind you. . . but sad.

My sadness is sparked by the realities of life's brokenness in this world. Specifically, I've been pondering an article I read last week about the divorce rate among people over the age of 50. The divorce rate doubled among adults over the age of 50 between 1990 and 2009. That's sad. I think about the children of divorce that I've had the opportunity to get to know over the years. Never have I met one who said it was easy. Never have I met one who said that the breakdown of their parents' marriage was a good thing. Rarely have I met one - whether they are a child or adult child of divorcing couples - who hasn't somehow blamed themselves and then had to endure the struggle of a lifetime of fallout. It seems that the assumptions made during the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s about the benign nature of divorce were horribly off-base. We shouldn't be surprised. When we re-write the script of the Creator's good created order, good things never follow. The fallout always reaches far, long, and wide.

I often wonder if the escalating and multiplying pandemic of marital breakdown, divorce, and even avoidance of marriage in the first place isn't like a network marketing scheme gone bad. It's pandemic. Viral-like. We sell faulty ideas and ideals to each other thinking we are selling a good thing. . . and the disease of brokenness just spreads. If you need to be convinced, just take some time to read Judith Wallerstein.

As I prepare my remarks for our CPYU family on Friday night, I've been haunted by some lines I heard and read in the last couple of weeks. The first is the opening line from Anne Lamott's novel, Imperfect Birds: "There are so many evils that pull on our children." And then there was the haunting yet so-very-real question that Meryl Streep's character, Linda, asked Robert De Niro's Michael in the classic 1978 film about post-Viet Nam trauma and brokenness, The Deer Hunter: "Did you ever think life would turn out like this?" she asked. His reply. . . "No."

Nobody does. . . but it does.

And it's for that reason that we should rejoice in the hope that is ours through our Redeemer. . . Jesus Christ. Time are changing. But God has not.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Bang With Friends. . . We've Got an App For That! . . .

I've waited a few weeks to blog anything at all about this new ingredient in the soup of today's youth culture. I wanted to see just where it was going. . . and now we now. . . at least in part. It's a new Facebook App that appeared a few weeks ago called "Bang With Friends." The app is self-billed as a way to "anonymously find friends who are down for the night." Friends. . . anonymous. . . down for the night. There you have it. That's what sex has become in these days. Pretty straightforward in today's hook-up culture, huh?

Here's how it works. First, you download the app. Then, you log in. What you see are pictures of your Facebook friends. When the app first launched, the faces you saw were of your opposite-sex friends. Of course, that will most likely change pretty quickly in today's sexual climate. Under each of their photos is a button that says "Down to Bang." Click on the buttons under the photos of the friends you'd like "to bang". If they use the app and click on your face, you get a notification email telling you that you've got a match. Then, you and the other person just take it from there. Are Facebook users using "Bang with Friends?" To date, the number of people who have downloaded the app is close to a million, and it's believed that the app is responsible for a couple hundred thousand "matches."

This week, the SXSW annual music, film, and tech festival in Austin has become a "Down to Bang" hot spot. The app launched a new landing page for SXSW attendees who want to hook up with each other. This too, is a sign of things that have not already arrived on the cultural landscape, but of the future.

No doubt, all of us who have a history of struggling with sexual pressures, temptations, and sin in our teenage and young adult lives are thankful that something like this wasn't a part of our cultural landscape. But we do have to be concerned for our kids. . . for so, so many reasons. . . . far too many to mention here.

Still, thinking for the last couple of weeks about the advent of "Bang with Friends" has kept me pondering  what happens every time a person steps out of God's grand and glorious "YES" and design for sexuality. Recent research on the chemistry and composition of the brain shows that we are integrated and marvelously made beings who God has wired for sex. The sex that he's wired us for is to be between one man and one woman within the context of a monogamous covenantal marriage. God made it so that a couple commits to each other in marriage, then they consummate that commitment in the glorious act of sexual intercourse. Research on the brain shows that when a couple does that, an amazing complex release of brain chemicals occurs that binds the couple together and makes them want to come back for more. In effect, God has made us to be "addicted" to each other. Sadly, the same addiction occurs every time a person engages in sex. . . either alone, with another, or with an image on a screen. . . . and it messes us up when it's not with our spouse.

If you haven't done so already, every one of us who are parents, youth workers, pastors, etc. should take the time to talk to the Facebook-using kids we know and love. And the conversation should start with this sentence: "I want to talk to you about 'Bang with Friends" . . . "


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Youth Ministry Matters of Importance. . .

We had some great conversations around the table, in the halls, and during the seminars at last weekend's Simply Youth Ministry Convention in Indianapolis! They were stimulating, thought-provoking, and I hope profitable. I know they were for me.

Several of those conversations were spurred by the fact that we live in a consumer-driven and image-oriented culture. Where we spend our time, money, and energy is an indicator - more than our stated convictions - of what we really think is important. I can say that because. . . well. . . I know me. I was involved in a few conversations related to aspirations. Let's face it, our current youth ministry culture has morphed (sadly) into a world with a pecking order. . . primarily because of the stage that fosters celebrity and celebrity followings. In our youth ministry world, we're certainly not immune to the trappings of the world. During a late night option with my friends Duffy, Marv, Rich, and Chap, a roomful of youth workers fired some really really good questions at us. Some of those questions admittedly revealed the ever-present pressure to aspire to the stage, the publishing world, and other places that would allow one to make a name for themselves. While me and my aforementioned friends would all be quick to say that we never ever aspired to the task or position that now marks our ministries, I know we would all admit to that human longing for significance that's motivated by our own insecurities and fear of man. Let's face it. . . it's a battle for any human being.

That said, I thought I'd pass on some middle-of-the-night thoughts that came to me while laying in my hotel bed and pondering the questions last weekend in Indianapolis. My thoughts are a helpful reminder to me as I endeavor to live my life to the glory of God and in reckless submission to His will, as opposed to carefully crafting a life that would elevate and glorify myself. . .

First, make it a top priority to develop your own character. Think solely about God and His character. . . and the character He wants to develop in you. Then, enter into wholehearted pursuit of character.

Second, make it a top priority to develop your message. Go deep in the things of God. Study the Scriptures. Read widely. Be a student of the faith.

Third, don't make it a priority to develop your image and brand. In fact, let your character and your message yield the fruit that God chooses to bring. . . and let it happen in God's time. Don't aspire to anything but a deep character and a deep message. We live in a world where image and brand are job #1. What a sad and sorry world that is. I hate the language of "brand" as it's applied to human beings. You are not a brand. You are a person.

These are good reminders for me. I hope they are helpful to you as well.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Youth Workers Respond to Pornography. . . .

Over the weekend I had the privilege of spending a day with a roomful of youth workers at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference talking about one of the most timely, urgent, and difficult youth culture topics out there. . . pornography. It was our CPYU seminar on the topic. At the end of the day, I asked my youth worker friends to act on what we had discussed during the day. Their task was to sit around their tables and come up with a list of youth ministry strategies that were framed as "do's" and "don'ts." While their list is not exhaustive, it's a good one. And so, I share it here. Take it and run with it. There are some great starting points, parameters, and boundaries here. . . .

  • Don't ignore the pornography issue. It's not going to go away. It's touching every one of your kids and their families in some way, shape, or form.
  • Don't be scared of the pornography issue. None of us have all the answers than this. And, God is bigger than this issue.
  • Don't chastise, berate, or belittle the kids who are struggling with pornography. You'll only drive them away and forfeit your opportunity to lead them in the right direction.
  • Don't joke around, mess around, or make light of sexuality and sexual issues. They get enough of that from the culture and peer group. Let's be above all that.
  • Don't lose hope. There's not a kid who will benefit from a lack of hope. All of them need to know there is hope for them as they struggle with this issue.
  • Do compare God's truth and big "YES" for sex with the enemy's lies about sexuality.
  • Do be proactive in addressing the pornography issue rather than being reactive. Remember, it's a matter of when not if your kids are being exposed.
  • Do pray. The Holy Spirit can bring change.
  • Do equip them to live Christianly in the world. Don't pull them out of the culture. Rather, equip them to live in a "porn is the norm" culture.
  • Do have conversations with your students' "gatekeepers." In other words, talk about the issue with moms and dads.
  • Do educate and empower parents.
  • Do elevate women in the eyes of your students. Culture and pornography are objectifying and tearing down women. We need to lift them up and celebrate their identity in Christ.
  • Do have credibility with kids. Do you have an issue with pornography?