Say Goodbye to Bride and Groom in Florida - Dr. Michael Brown, In The Line of Fire

In keeping with this social madness, the state of Florida recently changed its marriage certificates, removing the terms "bride" and "groom" and replacing them with "spouse." (Flickr)

Say Goodbye to Bride and Groom in Florida

9/28/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma news

N.T. Wright is one of the most world's foremost New Testament scholars, a sober-minded man not given to extreme rhetoric. Yet when it came to the question of redefining marriage, Wright did not hold back, explaining how dangerous it is to change the fundamental meaning of words:

"When anybody—pressure groups, governments, civilizations—suddenly change the meaning of key words, you really should watch out. If you go to a German dictionary and just open at random, you may well see several German words which have a little square bracket saying 'N.S.,' meaning National Socialist or Nazi. The Nazis gave those words a certain meaning. In post-1917 Russia, there were whole categories of people who were called 'former persons,' because by the Communist diktat they had ceased to be relevant for the state, and once you call them former persons it was extremely easy to ship them off somewhere and have them killed."

He continued, "It's like a government voting that black should be white. Sorry, you can vote that if you like, you can pass it by a total majority, but it isn't actually going to change the reality."

That's why I have often said that once you redefine marriage, you render it meaningless.

It would be like saying a couple can now consist of five people, or a pair can refer to one item, or a tricycle can have two wheels.

Redefining those terms doesn't change reality, and when it comes to marriage, if you don't have the two essential components, namely a husband and a wife, you don't have marriage.

Consequently, if you change the fundamental meaning of marriage, you change the meaning of husband and wife as well.

As I pointed out last year in an article titled "I Now Pronounce You Spouse and Spouse," as England began to move toward redefining marriage, the Daily Telegraph reported, "The word 'husband' will in future be applied to women and the word 'wife' will refer to men, the Government has decided."

According to John Bingham, "Civil servants have overruled the Oxford English Dictionary and hundreds years of common usage effectively abolishing the traditional meaning of the words for spouses."

In the government's proposed guidelines, "'husband' here will include a man or a woman in a same-sex marriage, as well as a man married to a woman. In a similar way, 'wife' will include a woman married to another woman or a man married to a man."

So, a man could be a wife if married to another man (or not), while a woman could be a husband if married to another woman (or not), all of which begs the question: Why use words at all if they have utterly lost their meaning? It's like saying that up is down (or up) and down is up (or down), while north is south (or north) and south is north (or south).

In the same article, I cited the Huffington Post, which reported that "California's same-sex couples may now be pronounced spouse and spouse after Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed a bill (last) Monday eliminating outdated 'husband and wife' references from state laws."

Not surprisingly, according to California bill AB 1951, birth certificates will have three options: "mother," "father" or simply "parent," meaning that, in the case of two lesbians, one could be designated "father," while in the case of two gay men, one could be designated "mother." (The bill would also allow for three parents to be listed on the birth certificate, since there's obviously a missing third party in the event of two men or two women "having" a baby.)

This means that we've come to a place of semantic insanity, a place where you can have male wives, female husbands, male mothers, and female fathers.

Do people really think you can just turn the world upside down without having any adverse effects?

In keeping with this social madness, the state of Florida recently changed its marriage certificates, removing the terms "bride" and "groom" and replacing them with "spouse."

This goes hand in hand with other international trends. As I pointed out in 2011, "In Ontario, Canada, as a result of the legalization of same-sex marriage, all references to terms like husband, wife and widow were removed from the law books in 2005. In Spain, birth certificates were changed from 'Father' and 'Mother' to 'Progenitor A' and 'Progenitor B.'"

But of course!

That's why principle No. 4 in my new book is: Refuse to Redefine Marriage, since, to repeat, once you redefine marriage, you render it meaningless.

The Supreme Court can give its ruling; laws can be passed; public opinion can shift and turn, but that doesn't mean we have to affirm it, participate in it or, God forbid, celebrate it.

But all is not lost. True marriage—natural marriage, marriage the way God intended it from the beginning (see Jesus' words in Matt. 19:4-6)—will endure, while radically redefined marriage will undo itself.

I was reminded of this as I watched some baby dedications at a church service on Sunday, with the proud moms and dads holding their precious little ones in their arms: There's no substitute for marriage and family the way God set it up, regardless of what Florida, California, England, Spain or Canada might say.

Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.

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What We Learned From the Arrest of Kim Davis - Dr. Michael Brown

What We Learned From the Arrest of Kim Davis

9/4/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma news

Kim Davis, seen in this courtroom sketch above, was arrested and jailed Thursday. (Reuters)

It is jarring to write the words "the arrest of Kim Davis," speaking of the Kentucky clerk who was remanded to jail for refusing to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples, but for years now I and others have been warning that committed Christians could soon face jail time in America for holding to our convictions.

That time is now here, and the only thing that is surprising is that anyone is surprised. How could we not see this coming?

To be sure, there is a healthy debate taking place among both believers and non-believers concerning the rightness of Kim Davis's actions. Should she simply have resigned if, in good conscience, she could not issue those certificates? Does she have any legal, moral or constitutional ground on which to stand?

That is a legitimate debate, and it is one that is sure to continue.

But what cannot be debated is that the national outrage against Kim Davis has nothing to do with her refusing to obey the law and everything to do with her Christian beliefs.

Had she found herself on the opposite end of the conflict and had she stood for "gay rights," refusing to obey a law that she felt discriminated against them, she would be praised from coast to coast.

Instead, she is being vilified in the ugliest terms and has quickly become the target of death threats simply because, in conscience before God, she cannot comply with the judge's order.

Yesterday I tweeted, "It's interesting that gay activists who praised SF mayor Gavin Newsom for illegally issuing marriage licenses now vilify Kim Davis."

Hector Alvarez (@eltoritolociito) responded, "@DrMichaelLBrown how is it interesting? He was for marriage equality, she was an anti gay bigot who wasnt [sic] doing her job."

Doesn't that say it all?

As Andrew (@AKUContraMundum) tweeted later in the day: "Civil disobedience is only cool when it is God's Law that's being broken." Or, as expressed by Sean Davis,writing on the federalist.com, "Kim Davis Uproar Shows That Breaking the Law Is Only Okay When Progressives Do It."

When Gavin Newsom refused to submit to the law in 2004, he was a hero. When Kim Davis refuses to submit to the law, she is a bigot and a monster. (And make no mistake about it: His actions were far more flamboyant and aggressive than hers, and whereas as she is a self-professed "very private person" who does not want the spotlight to the point of being overwhelmed and in tears because of the national attention, Newsom actively sought it out.)

Let's also remember that while Newsom, who was sworn in as mayor under national and state laws that recognized marriage as the union of one man and one woman, violated his oath of office to uphold that law, the exact opposite was true of Davis. When she was sworn in, Kentucky did not recognize same-sex "marriage."

As attorney David French pointed out, while it is true that her act was revolutionary, "she didn't fire the first revolutionary shot. That distinction belongs to a Supreme Court that concocted out of whole cloth a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, using legal 'reasoning' that reads more like a religious tract than a court opinion. Justice Kennedy took the moral sensibilities of five justices and rendered those moral sensibilities the law of the land."

Let's recall that just last year, Jack Conway, Kentucky's attorney general, refused to defend the state's ban on same-sex "marriage," despite his oath of office, explaining that, "Once I reached the conclusion that the law was discriminatory, I could no longer defend it. At that point, being true to myself became more important than the political considerations." (Conway was planning to run for governor of Kentucky.)

Where was the national condemnation of Conway?

And where was the national condemnation of then-Attorney General Eric Holder when he instructed attorneys general nationwide that they were not obligated to defend state laws—meaning, specifically, bans on same-sex "marriage"—if they found them to be discriminatory?

Ironically, liberal websites like the Huffington Post, which are leading the assault on Kim Davis, celebrated Gavin Newsom's actions as recently as 18 months ago in the article, "Ten Years Ago Today, San Francisco Set the Stage for Marriage Equality."

The article begins: "Ten years ago today, San Francisco issued the United States' first same-sex marriage licenses—a move then-Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered of the city clerk after President George W. Bush declared his stance against them in his State of the Union address. The marriages were annulled by a Supreme Court ruling four months later, but the landmark event set the stage for the national fight for marriage equality that's still blazing forward."

And Newsom, portrayed as a champion and icon, is quoted as saying in 2004, "I took an oath of office to bear truth, faith and allegiance to the constitution of the state of California, and there is nothing in that constitution that says that I have the right to discriminate against people on any basis ... And I simply won't do that. And if that means my political career ends, so be it."

What, then, is the difference between Newsom, who did not lose his job and who spent no time in jail, and Davis, who was told by the judge that she would be jailed until she complied?

Newsom stood for redefining marriage, Davis is standing for marriage as God intended it and, more fundamentally, is refusing to violate her conscience as a Christian, and that, not the breaking the law, is the issue at hand.

Make no mistake about it. Following Jesus in America today will be increasing costly until God's people awaken and stand.

The arrest of Kim Davis has made that clear.

Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show "The Line of Fire" and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.

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I'm Feeling Like an Umbrella Salesman in a Thunderstorm - Dr. Michael Brown

I'm Feeling Like an Umbrella Salesman in a Thunderstorm

 7/1/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma news

I've been speaking so much about gay activism (as well as urging the church to pray for the LGBT community and to prepare for a massive harvest of souls). (Reuters)

About 20 years ago, I was spending time with David Wilkerson in New York City when a storm unexpectedly broke out as we were leaving a building. Sure enough, in true New York fashion, there was someone right outside the door selling umbrellas, and as expected, Pastor Dave bought one to keep us dry in the showers. In fact, just about everyone seemed to buy one as they walked outside into the sudden downpour.

I feel like that umbrella salesman today, except that for years now, I've been selling these umbrellas in the desert, knowing that a massive storm was coming and that soon enough, the umbrellas would become hot items.

What exactly do I mean?

After I spoke in Jerusalem earlier this week on our calling to take up the cross and serve the Lord by life or by death, an Israeli-born American missionary to the Muslims asked me why I did not appear more concerned about the Supreme Court's disastrous redefining of marriage.

He knew I was grieved over it.

He knew that I expected hard times for the Church of America.

But he knew that I was full of optimism and confidence in the midst of the storm.

Why?

It's because I have been expecting these things for years now, and, with all my heart, I believe that I have a promise from God that, as surely as there was a Civil Rights movement in America, there will be a gospel-based moral and cultural revolution in our land.

I have lived with that promise since the late 1990's, and that's why "revolution" has been a dominant theme in my teaching, preaching, and writing since then.

That's why, every day on the radio, I'm introduced as "your voice of moral, cultural, and spiritual revolution."

That's why I've written that there must be revolution in the church – meaning radical, dramatic, sweeping change in our midst based on the Word and empowered by the Spirit – before there can be revolution in society.

That's why I wrote in 2000, "Only the life-changing power of the gospel will ultimately change a society for good. Only new hearts will bring forth the new life that the oppressed so long for and desire. Only the Spirit of God will truly liberate captives! But if we do not rise up and act, Satan will. The dissatisfaction is rising. The discontent is growing thick. Revolution is near – either heaven-sent or hell-bent – and only we have the truth that will set slaves free."

Sadly, we are currently witnessing a hell-bent, anti-God, anti-Bible, anti-Christian revolution, and it is rapidly sweeping our land.

But all hope is not lost!

As surely as it gets dark at night, if we humble ourselves and repent of our sins, if we cast off the fear of man and dead religious traditions, if we seek God earnestly and don't let go, we will see a turning of the tide. We will see a gospel-based, Jesus-exalting, Spirit-empowered, moral and cultural revolution, overcoming hatred with love, overcoming evil with good, overcoming lies with truth.

That is what I live for and that is why I raise my voice in writing and on radio and in preaching and teaching, seeking to awaken those who are slumbering and to strengthen those who are discouraged and to equip those who want to make a positive difference with their lives.

This is the day we've been expecting, and this is the hour we've been made for. The storm is here, but we have the umbrellas – and more. In fact, we have a way to bring out the sunshine again.

Last year, I wrote an article titled "I Hate to Say I Told You So," in which I documented how detail after detail of what I (and others) had predicted regarding the gay activist agenda had come to pass in shocking, almost devastating fashion.

I ended the article asking, "Do you believe me now? And would you like to know what is coming next and what we can do about it? And would you like to know why I am convinced that, ultimately, the gay revolution will fail?

"Stay tuned for more. I'm glad I have your ear."

I trust that today, in the aftermath of the massive, breathtakingly fast negative revolution that has taken place before our eyes, from the Supreme Court's lawless decision on marriage to the celebration of "Caitlyn" Jenner and so much more, you understand why I've been talking about revolution (not rebellion) and why I've been speaking so much about gay activism (as well as urging the church to pray for the LGBT community and to prepare for a massive harvest of souls).

And I trust that you'll also understand why, as heavy as the storm might be and as intense as the conflict will surely be in the coming days – you will not be able to avoid it, from the pulpit to Facebook and from the schools to your job – I am overflowing with confidence in the Lord.

We knew the storm was coming, and we've got more than enough umbrellas.

Best of all they're free.

Everything we need is found in Jesus, and if we give ourselves to Him unconditionally, saying, "Here I am! Send me, use me!" He will place on the front lines of the greatest revolution this nation has ever seen.

So . . . on with it!

 Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book (September, 2015) is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown

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A Word to Self-Righteous Christians Attacking Josh Duggar - Michael Brown

A Word to Self-Righteous Christians Attacking Josh Duggar

 5/28/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma magazine

Though Josh Duggar did wicked things, that doesn't mean God did not transform his life. (Reuters)

I have been terribly grieved by some "Christian" responses to Josh Duggar, as if there are some sins God cannot forgive or some people that He cannot transform. Such an attitude betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of the gospel of grace and is actually a slap in the face of the Savior.

When I shared some redemptive thoughts about Josh's situation earlier in the week, I did not for a moment minimize the gravity of his acts. Specifically, I wrote that "he did sin grievously"; I put his actions in the category of "wicked things" that some of us did as teenagers; I stated that, "There's no excuse for sin, so own up to it"; I referred to Josh committing "serious sexual sin"; and I said "there are consequences to our actions" but that God can redeem, also stressing the importance of the church helping the victims of abuse.

And although I have never been the victim of sexual abuse, I have listened to the stories of abuse victims for years, often devastated by what they shared.

I remember reaching out to a blind, facially disfigured teenage girl at a church service one night. She told me that her problems began when she was sexually abused as girl, after which the pain was so great she got into drugs, finally making a death pact with her boyfriend and another friend. The other friend would shoot each of them in the head and, hopefully, not get caught.

Tragically, her boyfriend died as a result of his wounds, the other boy did go to jail for his actions, but instead of dying, she was blinded.

I thought to myself, "What kind of divine judgment awaits the man who abused her if he does not repent and find mercy before that day?"

A number of our ministry school grads work tirelessly in several nations to combat human trafficking, and I support their work however I can. They tell me in detail about the trauma experienced by these kids and teens sold into sex slavery, with full recovery being extremely difficult and rare (if they even manage to survive and are rescued).

In no way would I dream of minimizing the sin of a sex offender, even a younger one like Josh was, but I absolutely believing in maximizing the grace of God, who delights in saving the worst of sinners.

That's what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy, using himself as an example. He explained that "I was previously a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an insolent man. But I was shown mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. The grace of our Lord overflowed with the faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, first, Jesus Christ might show all patience, as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life" (1 Tim. 1:13-16).

Sadly, professing Christians have written to me, assuring me that God could never forgive Josh for what he did or that "once a molester, always a molester." And they also assure me that they understand grace and believe in the power of the gospel.

Nonsense.

Responses like theirs make me wonder if they have ever experienced God's mercy themselves.

The fact is, the very best of us are worthless wretches outside of His grace, and on the holiest day of our lives, in ourselves, we are utterly depraved in light of God's perfect brightness.

If you have ever come under deep conviction of sin, either as a sinner or a saint (meaning, as a nonbeliever or as a believer), you know what I'm talking about.

Suddenly, your flesh is revealed, as happened to the prophet Isaiah when he encountered the Lord, crying out, "Woe is me! For I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts" (Is. 6:5)

Suddenly, you become aware of the depth of your guilt and depravity, of the impurity of your motives, of the corruption of your actions, of your selfishness or greed or envy or lust or hatred or pride or rebellion or bitterness—or all of the above.

You feel as if the worst hell is too good for you, and you are completely overwhelmed when you realize that not only is God willing to forgive you, but that Jesus died for you and paid for every one of those sins, pronouncing you righteous through faith and bringing you into His family as a fellow child of the Father.

In the words of John Newton, the former slave trader, guilty of committing atrocities against fellow human beings, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."

I know extraordinary men of God today who used to be in involved in terrorist activities or who were once sexually depraved or consumed by hate, and they are some of the saintliest people on the planet. And all of us, no matter how we lived our lives, were sinners in need of salvation and mercy.

Those who have been shown mercy should lead the way in showing mercy; those who have been forgiven should lead the way in forgiving others; those who have been transformed should be the first to believe for the transformation of others.

We should exercise wisdom when it comes to putting certain people in certain positions (for example, no matter how transformed a convicted former child molester might be, I would never put that person in the church's children's ministry, for many obvious reasons), but we should absolutely believe in the power of God to forgive the worst of sinners and trust the power of the blood of Jesus to make us truly clean.

I really do fear for those who do not recognize the depth of their own sin in light of God's holiness and who do not understand the principle that "he who has shown no mercy will have judgment without mercy, for mercy triumphs over judgment" (Jacob [James] 2:13).

May we be ambassadors of the transforming mercy of God, and may we glory in the life-transforming power of the gospel.

That's what the cross is all about.

Michael Brown is the author of 25 books, including Can You Be Gay and Christian? and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show "The Line of Fire." He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. 

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Finding Redemption in the Josh Duggar Story - Michael Brown

Finding Redemption in the Josh Duggar Story

5/26/2015 MICHAEL BROWN   charisma news

Duggar Family (Facebook)

I have no desire to pile on with more comments about Josh Duggar, who appears to be a very serious and committed Christian and who has made no excuses for the sins of his youth and who deeply desires to make a positive impact for the Lord in the years ahead. I simply want to share some redemptive thoughts, supplementing some of the excellent statements made by others, including former governor Mike Huckabee and Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore.

1. Jesus really does change people. While critics of the Duggar family want to indict them (along with other evangelical Christians, especially those with large families) for Josh's actions, and while many seem ready to throw Josh under the bus, the fact is that while he did sin grievously, through repentance, faith and counseling, he became a new man. Jesus really does transform sinners.

How many of us did wicked things as teenagers? I was shooting heroin at the age of 15 and broke into some houses and even stole money from my own father before being radically converted at the age of 16. I was profane, filled with pride, anger and lust, yet the Lord had mercy on me and totally turned my life around.

Some of us continued to live like this into our adult years, only to find mercy and new life then, meaning that the transformation was even more dramatic.

For me, the first lesson from this story is this: Whoever you are, whatever you've done, there is hope in the Lord. As Mike Huckabee said, "'inexcusable' ...  doesn't mean 'unforgivable.'"

As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

2. There's no excuse for sin, so own up to it. In today's culture, almost no one is guilty of anything. It's someone else's fault, someone else's responsibility, not our own. We're all victims, and the reason we do bad things is because someone else wronged us. Isn't that how we think today?

I've even heard athletes apologize for some really heinous actions by saying, "I'm not happy with the way things happened," rather than saying, "What I did was wrong and I have no excuses. Please forgive me. I'm seeking to get to the root of my problems and address them."

What a vast difference between the two attitudes.

As Proverbs states, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (28:13).

According to the accounts we've all heard, Josh confessed his sin to his parents as well as to the proper authorities, and as a family, they worked through the issues. Now, half a lifetime later (he's 27 and is married with four children), when confronted with a police report about his past, he did not minimize his sin nor did he excuse it. He also resigned from the fine Christian organization for whom he worked, not wanting to bring any negative attention to their work.

When I see someone respond like this, I am filled with hope. In fact, over the years, I've seen that people who committed uglier sins but took full responsibility and repented did far better than those who committed less serious sins and tried to sweep them under the rug.

3. Even godly families have kids who mess up badly. Nancy and I only had two kids, and we sought to be godly parents and set godly examples. Yet our older daughter went through a real period of rebellion in her teen years.

As parents, we felt miserable, and I would wonder what I was doing wrong.

Of course, we dealt with her rebellion head on and prayed like crazy for her to really encounter the Lord, but while it was happening, it was terribly deflating spiritually. What kind of father am I? How can I be so ineffective?

Today, we all laugh about those years, and our daughter, who is now 37 and is a devoted wife and mother, is so grateful for the way she was raised. (She and Nancy are the best of friends and are in constant contact.)

The fact that the Duggars, who successfully raised 19 children in the Lord (who can imagine that?), had to deal with one of their kids committing serious sexual sin at 14 should actually encourage other parents rather than discourage them. And perhaps, they can teach us today how this tragic incident helped them come together as a family and draw closer to the Lord.

4. Josh can be an ambassador on behalf of the abused, even helping the abusers, as well. While it can feel like your life is over when your past, largely private sins become public (how many of us would like for that to happen?), the fact is that Josh's future can be bright in the Lord.

He can call on others who are sinning to come clean and get help, using his own example redemptively. And he can encourage those who have been abused to realize that they are not guilty and should not feel shame, also encouraging churches to embrace those who come for help rather than making them feel as if there is something wrong with them.

Why should those who have suffered abuse be stigmatized? They should be our priority for healing and restoration.

5. We need to be careful how we judge. There are many fans of the Duggars who are upset with what they feel is a witch hunt against a godly family, representing one more attempt to remove them from reality TV. (Let me say without qualification that there is life after reality TV, and if the Duggars never do another broadcast, their lives can still be overwhelmingly blessed.)

But would we have had this same attitude of judgment if this was the child of a gay couple? Would we have said, "This proves that gay parents are no good!"?

I certainly believe that kids deserve a mom and a dad and that, optimally, they will do best with a mom and dad, but I don't indict all gay couples because of the failings of one of their kids

So, if you want to show mercy, be consistent. We can all fall into the trap of selective compassion.

6. There are consequences to our actions, but with God, our worst mistakes can become stepping stones to spiritual growth.

Most of us have done things we wish we could take back, and in some cases, the consequences of our bad choices and sinful actions last for decades. Yet with the Lord, no matter how great the stigma of our sin, if we will humble ourselves before Him, He can take those stumbling blocks and turn them into stepping stones, to the point that the worst things that ever happened to us become the best things that ever happened to us.

To the core of His being, God is a redeemer, and I'm personally praying and believing that for Josh Duggar and his entire family, God will turn this painful situation around for greater good.

Let's watch and see.

Michael Brown is the author of 25 books, including Can You Be Gay and Christian? and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show "The Line of Fire." He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. 

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Mr. President, Giving Spiritual Counsel to Ministers Is Above Your Paygrade

5/22/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma magazine

Dr. Michael Brown asks who gave Obama the authority to lecture ministers. (Reuters)

Mr. President,

With due respect for your office and the tremendous responsibilities you face, I must take strong exception to comments you made at a recent evangelical-Catholic leadership summit.

Those comments were unhelpful, inaccurate, unbiblical and, sad to say, hypocritical.

During a panel discussion, you urged these leaders to spend less time on "divisive" issues like abortion and redefining marriage, putting more emphasis instead on dealing with poverty.

Speaking as a professing Christian, you said, "When it comes to what (you are) really going to the mat for, what's the defining issue, when you're talking in your congregations, what's the thing that is really going to capture the essence of who we are as Christians, or as Catholics, or what have you, [poverty] is oftentimes viewed as a 'nice to have' relative to an issue like abortion."

You also said, "I think it would be powerful for our faith-based organizations to speak out on [poverty] in a more forceful fashion," claiming that the redistribution of wealth is "vital to following what Jesus Christ, our Savior, talked about."

Mr. President, may I first ask who gave you the spiritual authority to give such strong counsel and even criticism to church leaders?

When you were first running for president and Pastor Rick Warren asked you when human life began, you responded by saying that to answer that question was "above my pay grade."

All the more then, it is above your pay grade to chide church leaders for standing up for human life, especially when they have ample reason to say that life begins at conception. And since you claim to be unsure of when human life begins, how can you advocate such an aggressive pro-abortion position? That's like saying, "Our intelligence sources are not sure if there are children in that schoolhouse, but since it may be used to store terrorist munitions, let's blow the place up."

Would you be so cavalier with the taking of innocent human life on the battlefield? How then can you be so cavalier with the taking of innocent human life in the mother's womb? And how can you criticize those who are contending for the preservation of innocent human life?

Your comments are also hypocritical in that you urge these spiritual leaders to de-emphasize "divisive" issues like abortion and redefining marriage, yet you commend other spiritual leaders who support abortion and same-sex "marriage."

As part of your second inauguration, you asked Bishop Eugene Robinson to offer a prayer, specifically because he was the first ordained gay Episcopal bishop. (I note that you also endorsed his book on same-sex relationships.) You had another minister pray at your inaugural ceremony, and he also prayed a pro-homosexual prayer.

How then can you criticize Catholic and evangelical leaders for standing firm on marriage—because it is "divisive"—while giving your very public platform to ministers who want to redefine it? How can you chastise those ministers who stand with the Scriptures and all of church history while applauding those who violate Scripture and cast off church history? And again I ask, since when is it the role of the president to fashion spiritual policy and interpret Scripture?

On a more fundamental level, how can you criticize these leaders for taking a stand on "divisive" issues when you would be the first to commend 19th-century Christian leaders who opposed slavery and 20th-century Christian leaders who opposed segregation?

Slavery was the most divisive issue our country had ever faced, costing hundreds of thousands of American lives during the Civil War and almost tearing our nation apart, yet you are absolutely right in standing with the Christian leaders who sought to free the slaves. And you are absolutely right to stand with the ministers who fought against segregation, despite the divisive nature of that issue.

Often, Christians must lead the way in taking stands that are divisive—Jesus Himself said that He came to bring a sword of division (see Matt. 10:34-37)—and to counsel these leaders not to emphasize critically important issues because they are divisive is to fly in the face of the Word of God.

Finally, sir, your comments were also off point in alleging first, that Jesus advocated redistribution of wealth (as opposed to compassionate and sacrificial care for the poor) and second, that Catholics and evangelicals spend far more time and energy opposing abortion and the redefining of marriage than they do helping the poor and the needy. The opposite, in fact, is overwhelmingly true, as has recently been demonstrated.

I continue to pray for you, sir, hoping against hope, that God would make you the greatest and most effective president in our history.

It's not too late for a change of heart.

Michael Brown is the author of 25 books, including Can You Be Gay and Christian? and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. 

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Why Are the Elders Following the Youth? - Michael Brown

Why Are the Elders Following the Youth?

5/4/2015 MICHAEL BROWN  charisma news

Why are the elders of the church looking to their youth? (Flickr/Creative Commons)

I believe in today's young generation and I am deeply committed to this young generation, but I do not believe that the older generation should be following the younger generation. To the contrary, young people should be following their godly elders.

There is a reason that 25-year-olds cannot run for president.

There is a reason that 14-year-olds are not given driver's licenses.

There is a reason that the Scriptures call on the youth to submit to the elders rather than the elders to submit to the youth (see, for example, Lev. 19:32; 1 Pet. 5:1-6).

Of course, that doesn't mean that young people can't be wise, nor does it mean that young people don't have important perspectives on life, perspectives that their elders often miss.

That's why my ear is always open to young people, especially when it seems that there is a disconnect between the generations.

Wise elders not only lecture, they also listen.

A pastor recently commented to me that when my generation hears the word "homosexuality," they think of an issue; when the younger generation hears the word, they think of a person.

In this case, both perspectives are important, and if we don't take into consideration both the societal issues and the people involved, we will not have God's heart and mind in full.

At the same time, it is a terrible mistake to make our decisions or to make public policy based on how the younger generations feel.

Instead, it is our job to set godly examples for them, to learn to communicate effectively to them, and to do our best to shape their thinking and guide their conduct based on what is right and good.

It is true that the younger generation has more influence today than ever, and it is true that they are often the shakers and movers of our society. But that doesn't mean their perspectives are right or mature, nor does it mean that, rather than setting the path for them to follow, we should start following them. Whoever came up with such an idea?

To be clear, I'm talking as a leader in the church, where the Scriptures set the standards for us and where children are called to honor their parents and youth are called to honor their elders. I'm not expecting your average non-believer to show the older generation that respect (although, before the 1960s, your average young person was taught to show that respect). Yet even in the church, such respect is often lacking because of the over-exaltation of youth culture today.

To give you a case in point, a younger colleague of mine is good friends with a well-connected leader who hosts major conferences for young adults, and this colleague urged him to have a nationally known speaker address the conference. (The speaker was in his late 50s.) His friend replied, "That wouldn't work, because the speaker is too old. They'll hear it better from their peers."

Do we realize how wrong this is?

A good youth leader will inculcate a spirit of respect and honor for the older generation as well as for authority figures in general, to the point that they would consider it a special privilege to learn from an older man or woman of God rather than thinking, "What's that old geezer got to teach me?"

That kind of attitude is totally out of line, not to mention terribly destructive.

To repeat: I believe in this younger generation and I'm deeply committed to this younger generation, and I hold young people in high esteem.

Since 1983 (when I was pretty young myself), I've poured into college-age young people on an almost weekly basis and, to be honest, I'm with them so much and I feel so youthful in heart, mind and body that I'm always surprised when I look in the mirror and see how old I look. (Seriously.)

I'm in touch with young people day and night through social media, and I have plenty of open doors to minister to them, so in no way do I feel shut out or cut off. And I absolutely believe that young people can do mighty exploits for God.

One of my spiritual sons, Daniel Kolenda, who now heads up Christ for All Nations (which was founded by Reinhard Bonnke), led millions of people to faith in Jesus before he turned 30, and he is one of many being used by God at a young age. (Some are even younger.)

In that same spirit, Paul instructed Timothy to let no one despise his youth (perhaps he was in his 30s too) but to set an example for the body (see 1 Tim. 4:12).

The problem is the mentality of our culture, which has turned things upside down in a destructive and harmful way.

When our daughters were in their mid-teens (they're now in their mid-30s, each with two kids), they told my wife, Nancy, and I that we were too strict and that they didn't like our household rules. I told them, "I want you to make a list of everything we're doing wrong as parents and then to write out what the rules should be, and I want you to look at the list once you have your own kids."

We laugh about it today (their kids range from 14 to 8), since their list included things like, "No curfews and no restrictions."

That's why parents raise children rather than children raising parents, and that's why a few years ago, our older daughter said to Nancy, "I'm so glad you raised me the way you did."

Last week, I spoke to 2,000 teens and young adults at a conference in Singapore, and I asked them, "If it was up to you, would you have no mandatory school, classes and tests?" They responded with an enthusiastic "Yes!"

But of course. They're young people.

The fact is that the same generation of Christian young people that is much more "tolerant" about things like homosexuality is also dreadfully illiterate biblically, also having lower moral standards in general. (I fault the parents and pastors for this more than the kids.)

Why should we be following their lead?

To be sure, we should try to see the world through their eyes and be sensitive to the valid perspectives they have, especially when it comes to issues of social justice. But having done that, we should now help them integrate those perspectives into a biblical worldview.

When I was a hippie teenager, one of our mottos (spoken or unspoken) was, "Don't trust anyone over 30." You can see where that got us, and you can see how unbiblical that is. (For some excellent reflections on this, with important insights from the Scriptures, see "On the Value of Being Older" by cultural commentator Bill Muehlenberg.)

The fact is, our perspectives change over the years (in other words, it is not inevitable that the younger generation will hold to the same value system or worldview when it becomes the older generation), and a society that follows the counsel of the youth and scorns the wisdom of the elders is a society headed towards self-destruction (see 1 Kin. 12).

Thankfully, it's not too late to turn the tide in America and beyond, but that means that we of the older generation need to get our acts together and, with wisdom, maturity, sensitivity and compassion, live our lives worthy of the respect and honor of the youth, people who are called by God to be world-changers in the best sense of the word if we can help them find their way.

Michael Brown is the author of 25 books, including Can You Be Gay and Christian? and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show "The Line of Fire." He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience.

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