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The article "Goldilocks Protestantism" in the March 31, 2025 issue of First Things magazine excellently portrays the current state of Christianity. Brad East, the author, is an associate professor of theology at Abiline Christian University, which is associated with the Churches of Christ movement.
This movement is an attempt to restore New Testament Christianity. I'm familiar with this "Restoration Movement" because my wife and I began our missionary service in it. The Churches of Christ attempt to restore some of the basic elements of early Christianity, including baptism performed immediately after confession of faith in Christ as a necessary part of salvation, and celebrating the Lord's Supper every Sunday.
But this is just one of the many flavors of of post-Reformation religious bodies. Our own lives illustrate the current state of Christianity because we have sampled several flavors, moving somewhat painlessly from one to another as if there were only minor, non-essential differences between them. However, this points to the fatal flaw of relativism, any flavor will do, Christianity's current state.
The "Goldilocks Protestantism" article divides current Christianity into two categories: the "catholic" (in the sense of one true and universal Church including Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican), and the other group being the "evangelicals." The former has authoritative Saints, the Creed, liturgy, bishops, ordained priests. icons, sacraments, and infant baptism. The latter has none of those, just the Bible: "solo Scriptura." What then of today's Lutherans and Calvinists – heirs of the earlier "Majesterial Reformation" that rejected Rome's purgatory doctrine and selling indulgences, but retained much of the former traits? Sadly, those Majesterial heirs are less than 10% of global Christianity and are fading fast, often taking up the traits of the evangelical majority which is descended from the "Radical Reformation" that rejects all of the "catholic" traits. The article raises four issues:
First, as described in The Democratization of American Christianity by Nathan Hatch, the leveling or democratizing effect the Age of "Enlightenment" or "Reason" that placed human intellect over the authority of revelation and Church. Second, evangelicals will not adopt the Majesterial traits: "They believe in populist biblicism.... The lack of tradition is a feature, not a bug" per the article....
Get the full article on our ARC-News blog.
A Personal Note: Thanks for your continuing prayers for my wife Cheryl as she recovers from her spinal fusion surgery of Dec. 10 last year: at her visit to the pain management clinic this week, she got prescriptions for two new medications and was told to resume taking the pain medication she was on before going on Buprenorphine patches last week. The results are promising: she seems to be getting ahead of the pain now, so keep on praying for her full recovery – thanks again!
(click the pics!) Our friend Maureen in Kenya can't get her daughter Kayla back into school because she lacks 15,000 Kenyan Shillings (about $115). She's been out of school for two weeks now. We have sent her what we could, but it wasn't enough. Can anyone help out? If you can, please go to https://Agape-Restoration-Society.org/donate.htm and designate for "Kayla's school fees" – thanks in advance!
A kind donor donated enough money to Vision Complex to buy the 15 chairs that we mentioned on Mar. 20. Now the kids don't have to sit on the floor in the dining room. But they still needed 30 tables to sit at! UPDATE: Another generous donor sent $200 to pay for 10 tables, but more are needed.
Teacher Margret in class with kids on new chairs. As you can see, the kids lack tables. So we need 30 tables, which will be enough for both the dining room and classrooms. The cost of the remaining 20 tables is about $300. Please go to https://Agape-Restoration-Society.org/donate.htm and designate for "Vision Complex: tables" – thanks in advance!
Here's our next free online course: (click →) Course 500, "Vocational Rehabilitation" - deadline to enroll: 13 Apr. 2025 (← click). So enroll today, before you forget!
SYNOPSIS: Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie argued that taxpayer-funded abortions are cheaper than Medicaid-funded births, citing "averted births" as a cost-saving measure, when Senate Bill 183, which would mandate taxpayer funding for abortions and require public employee insurance to cover them, was under consideration in the Colorado House.
Critics, including Dr. Catherine Wheeler (a former abortionist) and Brittany Vessely (executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference), strongly condemned McCluskie's statements, arguing that the bill's fiscal note significantly underestimates the true costs of abortion, especially late-term abortions. Pro-life advocates view the proposed legislation as prioritizing cost savings over the lives of unborn children, highlighting the ethically problematic justification for funding abortions based on perceived cost savings. Despite criticism, SB 183 passed the House Health & Human Services Committee in a party-line vote. The article calls on the President and RFK, Jr. to defund Planned Parenthood.
(One might ask: Since it was so expensive to bear the baby girl to become that Colorado lawmaker, why didn't her mother just abort her?)
Pray for an end to the stupidity of immoral laws and lawmakers that legalize the murder of unborn babies as cost-saving measures.
SYNOPSIS: Religious communities in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine have drastically decreased, with the most significant losses among UGCC and OCU parishes. Radio Liberty reports that the number of religious communities has fallen from 1967 to 902 due to Russian aggression, specifically targeting communities not affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. Russian forces have destroyed or appropriated church buildings, with examples including the appropriation of an OCU church in Novoazovsk and a Protestant church in Melitopol.
The Novaya Gazeta Europe study highlights the widespread religious persecution and violence against religious leaders in the occupied areas. This report from RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine) underscores the severe impact of the war on religious freedom in Ukraine. Parishes of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Catholic Church (UGCC) have been completely decimated. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has been implicated in the seizure of church buildings.
Intercede for Christians of all stripes in Ukraine whose church buildings have been destroyed or appropriated for godless uses such as barracks and breweries.
SYNOPSIS: In 1967, Gary Griffin's wife, Mary, became seriously ill during pregnancy, facing a difficult medical situation with a possible life-threatening condition, creating a life-altering challenge for the couple. Their unborn child, Steven, was born prematurely, facing critical health conditions due to the premature birth and related complications. Gary Griffin recounts the difficult decision-making process when abortion was illegal, not an option, highlighting the couple's faith and trust in God during this difficult time.
Steven survived despite facing life-threatening circumstances and growing up to be a healthy and successful individual. The author reflects on how the circumstances of 1967 emphasize the importance of the availability and value of life, especially when considering abortion as an option. The article concludes with a strong pro-life perspective, emphasizing the miraculous work of God in the face of hardship and the importance of choosing life. Gary Griffin shares his personal story as a testimony for the value of life and the importance of faith.
Praise God for faithful Christians like Gary and Mary Griffin who struggled to bear and raise their preemie baby who's now a healthy adult and father.
SYNOPSIS: Many people with disabilities risk losing Medicaid benefits if they earn too much, due to strict income and asset caps in many states' Medicaid buy-in programs. Zach Mecham, a person with a disability, is impacted by these rules, needing assistance to work while staying within the income limits of Medicaid. He advocates for changes to the system. Iowa is considering a bill ("Work Without Worry") to remove income and asset caps, replacing them with a 6% income-based premium for Medicaid coverage, with waivers for those with employer-based health insurance.
Advocates argue that income and asset caps in Medicaid buy-in programs create a "poverty trap," preventing individuals with disabilities from pursuing full-time employment or promotions. Similar proposals are being considered in other states, demonstrating a broader national discussion about the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing and maintaining Medicaid benefits while working. Federal and state Medicaid programs face the challenge of balancing access to crucial support services for people with disabilities and work requirements, a dilemma highlighted by Iowa's situation.
Ask the Lord for our society to strike the right balance between getting people back to work and caring for those with disabilities.
SYNOPSIS: A new study by Dr. Steven Cummings, Trey Ideker, and Zane Koch links random genetic mutations with predictable epigenetic changes that measure biological aging. Epigenetic clocks track patterns of epigenetic markers, but the underlying mechanisms driving these changes were unclear. This research reveals a connection with DNA mutations. As people age, DNA mutations accumulate due to cell replication and exposure to factors like radiation. The study found a strong correlation between these mutations and changes in methylation patterns (a type of epigenetic modification)./p>
Mutations can lead to a loss of methylation at specific CpG sites in DNA, and methylation can, in turn, influence where DNA mutations appear. This creates a complex interplay between these two factors. Analysis of data from over 9,330 cancer patients shows that mutated cpg sites have less methylation, while nearby intact cpg sites are hypermethylated. this demonstrates a ripple effect around these mutations. the research suggests that these genetic and epigenetic changes may both be downstream of a common process driving aging, though the study proposes that dna mutations might drive aging and epigenetics reflects this. further research is needed, including studies on non-cancer individuals and longitudinal studies to fully understand the causal relationship between mutations and methylation, and their implications for aging.
Praise God for the progress being made in understanding what causes ageing and finding ways to slow down the debiitating effects.
SYNOPSIS: This article argues that Planned Parenthood is a politically motivated corporation that prioritizes abortion over comprehensive women's healthcare, despite receiving substantial taxpayer funding. The article highlights that Planned Parenthood spends a majority of its taxpayer-funded resources on elective abortions (97.1%) and significantly less on prenatal support (1.6%). It asserts that numerous alternative providers, such as FQHCs, free clinics, pregnancy help centers, and maternity homes, offer a broader range of comprehensive care, including prenatal care and support services, often at a lower cost and with more readily available appointments.
The article claims Planned Parenthood's prioritizing of abortion over other essential medical services is evident in declining prenatal care, cancer screenings, and other preventative measures, while government funding continues to increase. The authors contend that Planned Parenthood is a partisan political powerhouse with significant political contributions and a large financial surplus, not a struggling healthcare provider. The article challenges the notion that Planned Parenthood is the only healthcare option for underserved women, emphasizing the extensive network of alternative providers available. The piece promotes redirecting taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood to these alternative healthcare providers, advocating for a stronger social safety net for women and families.
Pray for the national and state governments to defund Planned "Barrenhood" and for an end to the world's largest cause of death: murdering the unborn.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Perhaps you've read this before and are wondering, "Why am I seeing this again?" But millions of other Christians haven't seen it! So please use the "share" buttons above to share it with your social media friends. Thanks!!
A major goal of Agape Restoration Society is to help residents and others get needed assistance so they can live at home, either in our wheelchair-accessible Agape Restoration Communities or other housing. Our state, Pennsylvania, offers various social services for citizens age 60 and up, as shown in the photo. Then "Home Health Care" and "Meals on Wheels" can go a long way toward keeping you at home – that is, if your home is suitable for this when you need it to be. And if you live in AZ, CN, CO, IN, GA, MA, MO, NV, NY, OR, or PA, and you're on Medicaid, FreedomCare will allow you to choose who provides your care – even family members – and the caregiver gets paid instantly after their shift.
The basic problem, however, is that most people don't want to think about such things... until it's too late. Psychologists call this "the normalcy bias" – our brains work in terms of past experience, so we assume that everything will simply keep on going on "like normal" just as it has in the past. But when we stop and think about it (if we ever do take time to stop and think...), we realize deep-down that someday we're going to die, and more likely (70% probability!) first will come the slowing down, having a hard time climbing up or going down stairs, feeling exhausted after walking 50 or 100 feet, needing a walker or a wheelchair, etc. – the old heart, back, knees, etc. are getting tired and worn out. Are YOU going to be proactive and stop to think about it now, or will you wait until it's too late to choose which accessible housing is best for you? Then you'll have to depend on relatives – who are busy with their own lives – to take time out to do it for you. Don't even think of moving if you're over 75 – we did, and it almost did us in!
What is an ARC – an Agape Restoration Community? Perhaps first of all we should say what an ARC is not: it is not a nursing home, a personal care home, or an assisted living center. Think of an ARC as a Christian community, an independent living facility where you have your own living unit, can move about, come and go as you please without the physical barriers of stairways, steps at porches or decks, or narrow hallways and doorways that hinder movement by people with mobility impairments. An ARC also provides common spaces for worship and other group activities so you're not cooped up at home alone.
Why an ARC? See the article "The Changing Demographics of Nursing Home Care: Greater Minority Access… Good News, Bad News": as our population ages, more and more low-income elderly people (often minority groups) are being placed in nursing homes as an increasing number of white Americans move into high-end independent living or assisted living facilities that they can afford. Will you be able to afford thousands of dollars per month for such hotel-like accommodations? What we need is moderately-priced "walkable" housing for empty-nesters and other people with mobility issues.... [read more...]
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If just 5% of the people who see this would give $5 per month (just 17¢ per day!) – coffee with your favorite friend at your favorite coffee shop – we could cover our operating expenses and do much more in spreading the word, supporting orphans, and providing accessible housing for the disabled. My wife and I left our careers over 30 years ago to serve in Russia as missionaries: we're now "semi-retired" – we've put on a new set of semi tires and keep on trucking! We live on our retirement income and volunteer our time: we receive no financial support from Agape Restoration Society. Our websites and ministry are funded by us and just a few friends. ...thanks!
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Please remember to pray for Christians in Secularized Countries, and for...
Your fellow-servants,
Bob & Cheryl
p.s. Thank God for the gift of each day: that's why it's called "the present."