9 July 2014

Wednesday, July 9, 2014, 0:00

This news item was posted in Presbyterians Week category.

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“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” [Ezekiel 33:6]

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.“ [Ephesians 6:12]

Presbyterians Week Headlines
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[1] United Church of Christ to Sponsor Gay Games 9 Scheduled 9-16 August 2014 in Northeast Ohio

[2] Boerne Christian Assembly Statement Regarding Doug Phillips

[3] Former PCUSA Church in Madison, Wisconsin Purchased by Muslims for Mosque

[4] Free eBook on Evangelism Available in July from Reformation Trust

[5] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell

[6] Headlines from The Christian Institute

[7] The Thinning Blue Line
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[8] Raging Heathen and Vain Imagining

[9] The Religion of Peace

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[1] United Church of Christ to Sponsor Gay Games 9 Scheduled 9-16 August 2014 in Northeast Ohio

A 25 June 2014 New York Times article by Stuart Elliott titled “United Church of Christ Joins Sponsors of Gay Games” reports that the United Church of Christ (UCC) is sponsoring Gay Games 9, which is scheduled 9-16 August 2014 in Akron and in Cleveland, Ohio.

The UCC will be contributing US$50,000 in cash and in-kind donations such as volunteer labor for the event.

UCC Executive Minister of Wider Church Ministries the Rev. Rev. James Moos stated:

“The United Church of Christ has been a leader in L.G.B.T. [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] inclusion.”

“No matter who you are or where you are in life’s journey, you are welcome here.”
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+ New York Times, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, 212- 556-1234, executive-editor@nytimes.com

+ United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, 216-736-2100, ogm@ucc.org
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[2] Boerne Christian Assembly Statement Regarding Doug Phillips

Boerne Christian Assembly of Waring, Texas on 6 July 2014 published on its website the following statement regarding former Elder Doug Phillips:

“As previously noted, Boerne Christian Assembly has sought to exercise oversight and accountability with our former Elder, Doug Phillips, who last year publicly confessed to an inappropriate, long-term relationship with a woman other than his wife and verbally expressed his repentance for his behavior. Recently, contrary to the position established many years ago at Boerne Christian Assembly under his Eldership and which he reaffirmed on multiple occasions, Doug Phillips has left Boerne Christian Assembly and advised that he has become a member of another Church without a letter of transfer from Boerne Christian Assembly. This is a matter of great concern to the body at Boerne Christian Assembly and we are attempting to work through this entire situation in a manner that would be honoring to our Lord. We continue to pray for restoration, wisdom and grace as we determine how we should proceed.”
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+ Boerne Christian Assembly, 100 Manning Street, Waring, Texas, 78074, contact@boernechristianassembly.org
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[3] Former PCUSA Church in Madison, Wisconsin Purchased by Muslims for Mosque

A 7 July 2014 Wisconsin State Journal article by Doug Erickson titled “East Side Mosque Purchases Former Presbyterian Church” reports that the Islamic Center of East Madison has bought the former Parkside Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)) in Madison, Wisconsin, and will turn it into a mosque.

The Parkside church closed in early 2014 due to declining membership. In 1994, Parkside was honored for becoming the first PCUSA congregation in the state to become an “AIDS Caring” community. Parkside was also an early “More Light” congregation, meaning it fully included lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members.

The purchase was assisted by retired PCUSA pastor the Rev. David Butler who commented:

“We were able to close approximately two days before Ramadan (Islam’s holy month), which I think will be a fine thing for that congregation. We are praying that God will prosper their work there.”

Former congregation member Jim Zuelsdorf said that selling the building to another congregation eases the sting of the church’s closure a bit, commenting:

“A lot of people had expressed interest in that desire – that it remain a worship center of some sort for another community. We’re very pleased it all worked out and they were able to purchase the building.”
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+ Wisconsin State Journal, 1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, Wisconsin, 608-252-6200, jhumenik@madison.com

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005
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[4] Free eBook on Evangelism Available in July from Reformation Trust

The eBook version of Richard Phillips’ Jesus the Evangelist: Learning to Share the Gospel from the Book of John is available for free during July 2014 from Reformation Trust through the following link:

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/jesus-evangelist-free-ebook/?utm_source=All+Things+Ligonier&utm_campaign=ce9f8d0265-jesusevangelist_freeebook&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_420f754c7c-ce9f8d0265-239922145

Rev. Richard D. Phillips explores the early chapters of the Gospel of John to discover principles you can use for Christian outreach that were modeled by witnesses for Jesus and by Jesus Himself. Phillips examines the ministry of John the Baptist and the calling of the first of Jesus’ disciples. This book also includes an appendix that looks at the relationship between God’s sovereignty and evangelism.

“Phillips’ study of John 1, 3, and 4 takes us beyond clever techniques to biblical faithfulness, and beyond entertaining communication to sound theology in evangelism. He does a masterful job of helping us learn from God’s Word principles for evangelism, the theology of the gospel, and Jesus’ own practice in evangelism.”
– Rev. Thabiti Anyabwile

“Evangelism is not an afterthought in the Christian life. It is how God has ordained to glorify Himself in the salvation of sinners. Rev. Phillips explains this by showing how Jesus is both the evangel and the Great Evangelist. In the process, he challenges both apathy and superficiality in the great work of making disciples. I highly recommend this book!”
– Dr. Thomas K. Ascol
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+ Ligonier Ministries, 400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, 407-333-4244, Fax: 407-333-4233
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[5] News from the Deepest Recesses of Hell