God's Love Is Transformational - Richard Rohr

Love Is Too Inclusive To Be A Weapon - Richard Rohr

Christ, Not The Bible, Is The True Word of God - C.S. Lewis

Call To Worship: Open Eyes & Hearts in God's World (based on Ephesians 5:8)

We gather this morning seeking to connect with God, whose presence lives within us and surrounds us. May our eyes be open to see God's goodness so that we view the world as God does. May our hearts be open to God's mercy, so that we care for all of God's world.

For God's endless compassion and love, we give thanks and praise.

Contemplative Awareness Is Meant To Create Communities - Tilden Edwards

Why My Church Doesn’t Use Songs by Hillsong or Jesus Culture/Bethel - Dan Cogen, New City Church

If my church was singing songs from churches that teach dangerously unbiblical doctrines, that would mean several negative things.

My concern is that if we embrace the songs these churches are writing, it would lend credence to their ministries whose theologies are significantly erroneous, at best.

Perhaps the most significant error that Hillsong and Bethel teach is the Prosperity Gospel.  Bethel's senior pastor Bill Johnson even claimed that he could not accept a theology that allows for suffering (not sure how he squares that with Jesus' temptation, agony in the Garden, or crucifixion?)

So here's what it boils down to for me.  If my church was singing songs from churches that teach dangerously unbiblical doctrines, that would mean several negative things ...

1. that we endorse them and are willing to promote their music
2. that we are willing to contribute to their financial progress to continue spreading more erroneous music
3. that we have a deliberate willingness to compromise our theology
   

(Editors aside: this article doesn't even touch on gay conversion therapy, which psychologists have categorized as child abuse, which both churches continue to promote and support).

The full article is available here

5 Things To Remember/Advocate for During “Border Crisis” & Budget Negotiations - CRCNA

The synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America has long advocated for a fair and just immigration system that honors the inherent dignity of immigrants and refugees.

Members of Congress need to hear from the faith community.

With this in mind, we as the Church uphold these 5 important points to remember and advocate for in this time of “border crisis” and budget negotiations.

1. We can have a secure border and humane border policy.
2. We can protect the asylum-seeking process, which is legal.
3. We can invest in aid, development, and just solutions to migrations’ root causes.
4. We can continue to protect children.
5. We can find permanent solutions for Dreamers and TPS recipients.

Using our action alert, you can urge your Congressperson to ensure that:

• funding for border security will also protect the safety of and access to legal protections for immigrants and asylum-seekers; it is harmful and disingenuous to only be funding and talking about a border wall
• and that the truth is told about immigrants: immigrants are a blessing to our economy, public safety, and overall stability in the United States.  Changing our immigration system should reflect this truth by increasing paths to legal immigration, not creating harmful, inhumane deterents.

The full article is available here