Showing posts with label Senior Pastor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Senior Pastor. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The Spiritual State of Our Union in 2016: America Must Come Back to God - Ronnie Floyd - Senior Pastor of Cross Church and President of the Southern Baptist Convention CBN News

The Spiritual State of Our Union in 2016: America Must Come Back to God
01-12-2016
Ronnie Floyd - Senior Pastor of Cross Church and President of the Southern Baptist Convention 

CBN News
This is the time of year when millions of Americans tune in to hear our President give his State of the Union address. He will give his assessment of our national security, our priorities, and our vision for the future.

This is a tricky word— "our."

For these days it seems as if America can hardly find "our vision" for any thing, much less the future.  Our nation is deeply polarized around our political parties, and totally unrelenting in our commitment to fighting against one another. Despite growing national security threats, violence erupting, escalating racial tensions, the devaluing of human life, and economic insecurity we find ourselves unable to agree on almost anything.

What's especially alarming to me, serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, is that we fail to realize how the spiritual health of our nation affects the state of our union. As our spiritual lives go, so goes the nation.

It wasn't meant to be this way in America, for one of the reasons our founders so cemented Judeo-Christian principles in our nation is because they were skeptical of mans' ability to govern themselves.  So, America would be a nation first subject to God - and subject to His higher law - so that our respect for our creator would provide a baseline for our "more perfect union."

We would at least be united around important things when we couldn't find unity among many things. Where are the leaders in America today that can bring people together, rather than separate us?

For our founders knew that the moment we no longer saw ourselves subject to God - and to His higher law - that we would begin to fight over everything in an attempt to gather God's authority for ourselves.

When our political leaders and the people of America lack fear of God we become subject to that awful temptation we find in Judges 17:6, "to do what is right in their own eyes."

For since the beginning of time, we have been tempted to "be like God" and when a nation's leaders and her people lose their fear of God and replace it with their own authority then we begin to live in a kind of chaotic unity – not with one another – but in an unholy union with that very sin that brought sin to earth in the Garden of Eden. Aside from all of the others, we fail to follow the very first commandment given to us through Moses, "thou shalt have no other gods before me."

In America, we have replaced God with government, and granted politicians the ability to circumvent God's higher law at will.  It's our fault as citizens because we are a country that elects our leaders. 

While we profess to remain "one nation under God" - and while we have inscribed such belief on our currency and in marble all over our capital - we seem to be more interested in "God bless America" than in actually being "one nation under God."

The first phrase infers what we want from God, and the second phrase infers what God requires. We want His blessing, but His blessing comes with our being subject to His authority.

Rarely is God ever mentioned in the State of the Union address except with that customary salutation, "God bless America."   It's all about what we can get from God, and less about what we need from Him.

So, what is the actual spiritual State of Our Union?

It is very simple.

We need to repent, come back to God and put our trust in God alone. America needs a Great Spiritual Awakening.

Now is the time to elect leaders who fear God and we need to learn to fear God again ourselves.

We need not say phrases like "God Bless America" because they are our tradition. We need to speak them with a holy reverence for God's authority, for without God there never would have been an America at all, and without God at its center America will not exist as it has.

I'm trusting that 2016 is a year where we apply a simple verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

 Dr. Ronnie Floyd is Senior Pastor of Cross Church and President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Follow him on Twitter @ronniefloyd.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Chick-fil-A Lands in Another Gay Marriage Firestorm - Jennifer LeClaire

Chick-fil-A Lands in Another Gay Marriage Firestorm




The gay agenda sought to besmirch Chick-fil-A's business after president and chief operating officer, Dan Cathy, made his beliefs about traditional marriage known to the radio listening world. The company was maligned, protested and otherwise attacked.
The gay agenda sought to besmirch Chick-fil-A's business after president and chief operating officer, Dan Cathy, made his beliefs about traditional marriage known to the radio listening world. The company was maligned, protested against and otherwise attacked. (Flickr/Creative Commons)
Jennifer LeClaire is now sharing her reflections and revelations through Walking in the Spirit, a new podcast from Charisma. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Chick-fil-A took a bold stand against gay marriage in 2012—and the company is still paying the price.
Here's the backstory: The gay agenda sought to besmirch Chick-fil-A's business after president and chief operating officer, Dan Cathy, made his beliefs about traditional marriage known to the radio listening world. The company was maligned, protested against and otherwise attacked.
The Christian world applauded when former Gov. Mike Huckabee declared "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." The chicken chain set a world record for sales and the enemy backed down—at least for a season.
Since then we've seen at least one school ban "offensive" Chick-fil-A sandwiches and First Lady Michelle Obama declaring war on the company. One town even canceled a leadership event Chick-fil-A sponsored because of its so-called "homophobia." This all despite the fact that Cathy publicly stated he regretted making the chain a symbol in the same-sex marriage debate.
In the latest turn, Chick-fil-A may be denied the right to open up a store in the Denver International Airport. The Denver City Council is deciding on the chicken chain's fate even now, noting the city "has been at the forefront of honoring gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees and their families with non-discrimination clauses and partner benefits." So apparently that means the First Amendment goes out the window.
JOIN JENNIFER ON FACEBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CLICK HERE. 
The City Council told CNN Money: "When Denver International Airport proposed a concession with a company that had a history of funding opposition to this recognition, it was important that we as a City Council take a pause to ensure that all the policies are in place with all of the entities involved to ensure there will be no discrimination, and that benefits will be provided equally to all employees and their spouses, regardless of their sexual orientation."
Mark Cowart, Senior Pastor of Church For All Nations, Colorado Springs told Charisma News expressing our First Amendment rights in any situation is one of the cornerstone freedoms that America was founded upon. As he sees it, "This situation is not about politics, it is about something much greater—the disregard and disrespect of God's moral law in America and of those who uphold biblical values and principles." 
I agree. It's ridiculous that Denver is compelled to waste time discussing what should be a non-issue. Tim Wildmon, President of the American Family Association, told me, Chick-fil-A is the highest ranking fast food restaurant for customer satisfaction, according to the 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant Report. Why deny travelers a tasty sandwich because of moral values? Selah.
"Based on this fact alone, we can see that customers around the country are pleased with Chick-fil-A's service and way of doing business as a whole," Wildmon says. "Therefore, members of the Denver City Council are acting on their own activist beliefs to keep the chain from serving customers at the Denver International Airport, making it obvious that the problem is with their bias against and intolerance of Christianity and those who choose to uphold it in all areas of their lives."
Sam Rohrer, President of the American Pastors Network, agrees—and asks a pointed question: Where does it end when activists are now blocking businesses from operating in the marketplace because of the Christian views of their leaders? I can answer that. It won't end unless we enact laws that end it—or, even better, preach the gospel with signs following and open the eyes and hearts of those who don't yet know Christ. Laws can only do so much. The real power is in the gospel.
"This is yet another example of the faithful being pushed aside—from doing business, from making decisions based on their faith, and even from being welcomed to certain cities to serve customers," Rohrer told me. "We should applaud those who base business decisions on biblical and constitutional principles rather than punish them."
Dr. Alex McFarland, author, speaker and religion and culture expert, argues that what appears obvious to most: stalling of a business location based on its religious beliefs goes against First Amendment rights. That's really the bottom line here, but it shouldn't be surprising—and we should expect more of this in the days ahead unless God breaks in with power and wakes up the church and the world to His love.
"All Americans have the right to provide a service to our nation's people, no matter what skill set they offer, in addition to their political and religious views," McFarland told me. "Our nation should respect the religious liberties of all American businesses, and not be deterred by a changing cultural environment."
I agree, but what should be is not what's happening. I am believing for a Third Great Awakening in America that will see mass repentance. Everyone won't respond to this outpouring—the religious-minded and lost souls alike will reject it—but many will. Will you believe with me?
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan's Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer's Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Antioch International Church - 1st meeting in New Building (Former Heritage USA BARN)

Dr. Peter Wyns, Senior Pastor, Antioch Intl. Church


Peter Wyns leads in opening prayer at Antioch International Church's new building - 1st meeting in New Building (Former Heritage USA Barn)

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.




(L-R) Liz Enns, Jesse Enns, Toni Bogart

Little Big Eagle on bass


 



Jesse Enns


Photos by Steve Martin
Love For His People