Author: amadmin

Texas abortion law upheld, likely SCOTUS bound

In a case likely headed to the Supreme Court, the embattled Texas abortion law passed last summer in special session cleared another hurdle on Thursday (March 27) as the federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld it. 

The much-anticipated ruling from the three-judge panel in New Orleans was unanimous but not surprising to those watching the case. In a Jan. 6 hearing, the tone of questions from the court hinted they were skeptical of arguments the law placed an unconstitutional “substantial burden” on women seeking abortions when weighed against state interest in protecting the health and safety of women.

The Dallas Morning News has one of the better definitive stories on the case. We will post a story later at texanonline.net.

Of course, Abortion activists decried the ruling, but Texans for Life’s Kyleen Wright had a different take via Twitter: “Happiness is 3 brilliant women on the 5th Circ! Justices Jones, Elrod & Haynes rock. #WomenRule #HB2 #Stand4Life.”

What’s at stake with SCOTUS and Hobby Lobby

The Supreme Court of the United States is now deliberating on something far more important than exempting a business from some elements of the Affordable Care Act. Hobby Lobby and their owners face a choice between fines that will destroy their business and a moral compromise founder David Green has already declared unacceptable. On one side advocates for Hobby Lobby say that forcing the company to provide abortifacient coverage for employees will violate the conscience of the people that own this business. The other viewpoint is that women’s healthcare will be compromised if this company or any other company is allowed to dodge the requirement to fund all of 20 different contraceptive drugs and devices specified in the ACA. Shriller voices say that a decision in favor of Hobby Lobby would be comparable to the “pro-discrimination” law recently vetoed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. That law, by the way, would have allowed businesses to decline participation in ceremonies and celebrations related to causes the owners find odious, as with a photographer or caterer who prefers to decline participation in a same-sex “wedding.” This really is not a disagreement between those who don’t believe in religious freedom and those who hate women–discrimination as some have expressed it.

It is a disagreement over the meaning of religious liberty. Increasingly, the popular and political notion of religious freedom is limited to private, very private, expressions of religious devotion—what you do within the walls of your church or home. A Bible on your desk at work, a cross necklace, Christmas songs with an actual Christmas theme—all these have been challenged more than once in our public institutions. In a well-known Texas example, an Air Force noncommissioned officer was canned for refusing to even say what his religious beliefs about marriage might be. This will have implications for a variety of subjects, nearly any subject on which we might be at odds with the culture.

A win for Hobby Lobby would not be a loss for women’s health. Of the 20 different contraceptives covered by ACA, only four are at issue with the Green family. These four can arguably cause early abortions. In fact, according Hobby Lobby’s website, 93 percent of women are covered by the 16 devices and drugs to which the Green family has no convictional objections. Hobby Lobby’s owners have no convictional disagreement with contraceptives, but rather with drugs and devices that prevent the live birth of human beings already conceived. Even so, Hobby Lobby employees can obtain for themselves these other four remedies without running afoul of their bosses. Using images of the employer intervening between a woman and her health is really overblown. There is also the option, rejected by the Greens, of giving no healthcare to employees and paying a fine approximately six percent as great ($26 million per year compared with $1.3 million per day) as the one they face for offering a plan deemed non-compliant by Health and Human Services. If they really did not care for their employees, that’s the way to go.

The ramifications of this Supreme Court decision are significant. A decision one way will accelerate the erosion and disregard toward religious liberty that we have all observed in recent years. A decision the other way will be a precedent that supports the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. RFRA put the burden on the government to show “compelling state interest” before abridging the free exercise of religion, and even then abridging that exercise as minimally as possible. The court may be deciding if that standard is constitutional. It is not unreasonable to suggest that the administration is now treating RFRA the same way they formerly treated the Defense of Marriage Act—disregarding it in hopes that the court will overturn or weaken it. They are at least using a pretty generous interpretation of “compelling state interest.”

During a recent forum at Georgetown University, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, while terming the government’s case in Sebelious v. Hobby Lobby “trivial and silly,” said that Christians are losing the cultural battle because they haven’t done a good job of convincing people that religion is relevant. Obviously that is a discussion we’ve had within the body for 30 years; but Dershowitz is mistaken to think that secularists have no dog in this fight. An atheist’s or Buddhist’s beliefs are in no less danger than my own. While I don’t expect a Christian majority to arise and persecute skeptics in America, a religious majority of some sort will always be present and it will only grant full liberty to minority beliefs if required by law. It is foolish for anyone to assume he will always be in the majority. That’s why the U.S. Constitution should be more durable than opinion polls. That’s why presidents should be required to obey, even enforce, its inconvenient precepts. That’s why we must all pray that the Supreme Court will uphold the most basic freedoms God granted to men.

Former Prestonwood star takes ‘solid’ faith into Final Four

ARLINGTON—When he takes the court Saturday in a Final Four matchup with Wisconsin, Kentucky forward Julius Randle will be close to home.

The freshman star who has led the eight-seeded Wildcats to an unlikely Final Four berth is a graduate of Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, across the sprawling metroplex from AT&T Stadium in Arlington. PCA is a ministry of Prestonwood Baptist Church.

“Julius is a great young man who is solid in his faith,” Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, said. “He and his mother, Carolyn, have an incredible bond, and it is wonderful to see how he is devoted to her. Julius loves his family, and he loves his family at PCA, where he was a good student for six years.”

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Randle is averaging 15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for Kentucky and leads the nations in double-doubles (games in which a player has double digits in both points and rebounds) with 24. He has posted double-doubles in all four NCAA tournament wins.

Some experts are projecting Randle to be a top-five pick in the NBA draft in June.

On multiple occasions, Randle has publicly expressed his faith in God and his love for the Bible.

“Depending on whether it’s a home game, I go to the team chapel,” Randle wrote in a blog article on Coach John Calipari’s website. “That’s just something that’s important to me that I spend time hearing God’s Word before I go out and play.”

Even as a 15-year-old in high school, Randle was willing to talk about his faith in the Lord. In a video interview with ScoutsFocus, Randle said God was “my everything” and that he appreciated the devotionals his PCA coach held for the team.

“He keeps us into the Bible and into the word constantly,” Randle said in the video.

As a senior at PCA, Randle led the team to the Texas 5A state title, even though he missed much of the season with a broken foot. He returned from the injury sooner than he expected and scored 34 points in the championship game.

“Honestly, I just think it was a blessing from God,” Randle said in an article at coachcal.com about the experience. “He gave me the power to go out there and do that stuff. I don’t know how I did it, but it happened. It was definitely God working through me.”

Larry Taylor, head of school at PCA, said one of his favorite memories of Randle took place off the basketball court.

“I asked Julius to speak at a Student Leadership Institute National Conference, where I heard him publically proclaim Jesus as his Lord and Savior,” Taylor said. “He graduated PCA having achieved many personal and team accolades, including meeting his goal of a GPA above 3.0. But I will always think of Julius as simply a kind and caring young man.”

“I truly love the joy that you see in Julius, regardless of what he’s doing,” Graham added. “He has a great smile, an infectious smile, that now the entire country has noticed. I am confident that Julius will honor Christ with his life and incredibly bright future.”

–30–

Christians as a marketing niche

The TEXAN turned down an ad for the upcoming Noah movie starring Russell Crowe. We’d heard enough stuff about the altering of the story and had enough doubts about other content to make us pass. When it comes to movies we have a “when in doubt, don’t” attitude. There are companies that market popular movies to Christian audiences, but some of the efforts are clumsy or even goofy. The first such effort I remember had to do with a television miniseries about a nuclear exchange that devastated the country (“The Day After”). The network provided discussion questions to help youth ministers deal with the trauma kids would experience after the broadcast. Shortly thereafter I got a similar packet for an R-rated western about a preacher who straightened things out with a Colt revolver. The entertainment industry doesn’t get Christians, especially those of us who believe the Bible to be God’s perfect revelation of himself.

Back to Noah. I’ve read with interest the articles discussing the response of Christians to a movie almost no one has seen yet. The director, Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan,” “The Wrestler”) was mortified that anyone would suggest, after a preview screening, that he change the movie to accommodate biblical literalists. The reports of those who’ve seen it suggest that the movie not only (understandably) fills the biblical narrative with drama not recorded in Scripture but also changes the message a bit to accommodate modern sensibilities regarding environmentalism and overpopulation. I’m not sure if all that is true but it wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t think it will annoy me as much as clumsy propaganda like “Avatar” does. 

I really like some of Russell Crowe’s movies. “Cinderella Man,” “Master and Commander” and “A Beautiful Mind” are “watch ‘em again” movies at my house. The idea that the story of Noah, or even some version of it, would be given a modern treatment with amazing special effects sounds pretty cool to me. Of course I expect I’ll be disappointed that the biblical story was not grand enough for Mr. Aronofsky. He could tell it with only modest embellishments but he won’t do that and will not understand why we care.

The reason I’m not offended is that the director is making no claim to represent the plain message of Scripture. He, like many of our co-religionists, feels free to make the text say what he thinks it should say. I look forward to seeing the movie but I’m not taking a bus full of church people to it as an alternative to Bible study. My hope is that it will be a ripping adventure story well played. If that is not to your taste, skip it, but also skip that vast majority of movies that play loose with the details of history.

A second issue has to do with Christians as a market. I’m uncomfortable with being a marketing niche for movies, music, TV or even books. For one thing it implies that Christian art is only for Christians, and along with it, the truth that it carries. Sometimes Christian art has been marketed with the assumption that it could not compete in terms of excellence with other books, music, etc. This has often been true and a few careers have flourished based on this “ghettoizing” of Christian culture. But imagine the calculus of Newton or the portraits of Rembrandt or the concerti of Bach, or the fiction of Tolkien or Chesterton relegated that little “religious” niche of the book store or gallery. Each of these works had religious intent—were founded on biblical assumptions about truth, virtue and beauty. But Western culture owns them in a way it will not own most modern musicians and writers who believe in Jesus.

But other artists have a religious message. Artists who scoff at reality or the ability to know what’s true are making a religious statement. I recently went into a small bookstore that featured the works of neo-atheists Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris under the subject “science and nature.” Atheism was to the bookstore owner simply the truth. That is a religious statement. Imagine the chaos of grouping every writer, painter and musician in sections according to his worldview. But in this country we do that only with Christians. Thus you’ll find Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” in the religion section but not the counterpoint, anti-religious children’s books of Philip Pullman (a movie called “The Golden Compass” was based on his books).

Where were we? Oh yes, the Noah movie. Of course I’d love to see the stories of Noah, Joseph, Caleb, Deborah, Gideon and other heroes told well and with respect to the Author of the story. I guess Christians are going to have to make those movies. In the meantime, I don’t expect non-Christians to treat the Bible as true or historical—especially not in a day when most who call themselves “Christian” and many who call themselves “Baptist” similarly disrespect it. We embarrass ourselves when we freak out because the lost and liberal do not understand the Bible. Of course they don’t; neither did we when we ourselves were lost and liberal.

Grace giving, a biblical partnership

Paul’s letters to the Corinthians contain more about giving than any other segment of the New Testament. Paul repeatedly reminds the Corinthians of the desperate need of the poor, hungry saints in Jerusalem. He was almost obsessed with the need to minister to them. The Macedonian churches gave out of their poverty to help the Jerusalem believers. The Corinthian church was far wealthier. Some members were well off. Paul challenged them to a partnership in grace giving.   

Partnership in giving is a biblical principle. It also has a denominational application. The Cooperative Program is one of the greatest examples of partnership giving. Southern Baptists hold certain beliefs in common. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is a confessional fellowship. The SBC requires that its ministries affirm the Baptist Faith & Message statement (2000). Southern Baptists have a shared giving plan too. As our doctrinal positions distinguish us from other believers, so does our giving method. The CP is a modern example of a grace giving partnership. There are several principles of this partnership.

The first principle is participation in giving (2 Corinthians 8:8, 10-11). The Corinthians told Titus a year earlier that they would share in the special collection (v. 6) but they did not. The money to be collected was not to support the Corinthian church. It was a benevolence offering to alleviate suffering.

Paul advised the Corinthians that they would benefit by participating. Paul was testing their willing heart (v. 8). Grace giving cannot be coerced or forced. The same is true about giving to accomplish the Great Commission. Churches must work together by giving to make it happen. By giving through the Cooperative Program an SBTC church works with others of like faith to reach Texas and touch the world.
People ask, “What does giving through the CP do for me?” Here’s the value: Getting to cooperate with churches of like faith to do Great Commission work is its own reward. Because of CP gifts, for example, Criswell College students become pastors and SBC seminarians become missionaries.

Partnership in grace giving means participation without an expectation of benefit. Jesus said in Acts 20:35 that participation is the blessing.
The second principle is proportionate giving (2 Corinthians 8:12-13). The apostle Paul endorsed proportional giving. Giving is measured by generosity. Paul may have thought about Jesus’ observation of the widow casting in her mite (Luke 21:1-4). It wasn’t about how much she gave. It was about how much she had left over. God sees the portion and the proportion of our gifts. God looks at our heart and our wallets.
No set standard for partnership giving exists among Southern Baptists. Some churches give large dollar amounts. Others give a large budget percentage. Increased CP giving will result in more churches, more ministries and more missionaries to the unreached. Your mission goals are accomplished as you invest proportionately.

Partnership in grace giving is proportionate by what you have left rather than what you contributed (Luke 6:38). Proportionate blessings come from proportionate giving.

The third principle is about the purpose for giving (2 Corinthians 8:14-15). Equality was the purpose. The concept of community is woven throughout the Scripture. God’s plan was enforced during Israel’s wilderness wanderings so that no one was to have a surplus and no one was to have a shortage (Exodus 16:16-31). During the wilderness wandering God used a miracle to supply his people with food. Paul believed God wanted his people to provide for the poor Jerusalem saints. God wants to use the church to meet the needs of those without Christ.

During natural disasters, an unsettled economy and global unrest, the Cooperative Program works. No missionary is called home. No seminary student is turned away from class. No church planter misses a check. Conversely, independent direct-mission giving removes the safety net. SBC churches are independent, but choose to cooperate to advance the gospel.

Partnership in grace giving is equality in provisions (Galatians 6:2, 5) and shows us how we are stronger together. We are independent, yet inter-dependent. We accomplish more for Jesus through a partnership in grace giving.   

The final principle of grace giving that I find in the text is the person of giving (2 Corinthians 8:9). The greatest grace gift is the Lord Jesus. John 3:16 shows the giving heart of the Father. Jesus gave of himself. It seems trivial to quibble about the tithe when looking at Calvary. Grace giving starts with every church member being obedient. Southern Baptist churches choosing to be in partnership through the Cooperative Program would enable us to reach the unreached across our state and around the world. The Cooperative Program is a partnership in grace giving.

April 6 is Cooperative Program Sunday. You may access material at whatiscp.com or sbtexas.com. Call toll free 1-877-953-7282 for further help.

An unchanging gospel in an ever-changing world

The homosexual agenda has advanced at breathtaking speed.  The first domino fell when it became politically correct to hold the position that homosexuality is an inherited trait rather than a chosen behavior. Logically following the first step, its proponents say that since homosexuality stems from an inherited trait, the homosexual agenda is a civil rights issue. Now in Texas, as in other states, the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage has been declared unconstitutional with the Supreme Court to issue the final say in the not-too-distant future. Chief Justice Roberts wants to slow the process down so that the court does not get out too far in front of the people. Through the clutter and noise of political maneuvering, what I hear is the unspoken proclamation that the Bible is irrelevant, and therefore, so are those who believe it.  

Despite the waves of humanism crashing around us, those whose eyes are still on Jesus know that the Bible carries a relevance more poignant than today’s newspaper.  The Bible speaks to moral issues as well as all other ones, but in order to be heard, someone has to preach and teach that truth.  We can view the moral changes around us, not just those from the homosexual agenda, in several ways. We can bemoan the fact that corruption is all around us and exhibit a self-righteousness that is not becoming at all; we can engage in vociferous saber rattling, or, we can view these days as incredible opportunities to shine an ever brighter light in an ever darkening world. I think of two passages:

  • 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 … “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened for me, and there are many adversaries.”
  • Romans 1:16 … “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Let’s stay in the fight until Jesus comes, because there are wide doors open right now, though the adversaries are many.  It is my conviction that they will increase the intensity of their opposition in the days ahead. More now than ever, this world needs the “pillar and buttress of the truth” to do her job (1 Timothy 3:15).  In the face of these adversaries, let’s not be ashamed of the gospel.  It is still the power of God for salvation to all who would believe.

 The culture in which we live today will change, and likely change very quickly, but the gospel remains the same. Let’s not change it or adjust it. Let’s preach it, teach it and live it in a spirit of love, mercy and grace.

Worship pastor: Music has impactful ministry

Trouble is ordinary. Pain is common. Trials nip relentlessly at the heels of the trials in front of them. They’re essentially the ticker tape of the human existence. Only rarely and for short seasons can easy describe life on earth. If that were not the case, a sizable portion of Scripture would seem to speak to a problem nobody has.

As it is, though, everyone does have that problem—cancer for some, bankruptcy for others, flat tires for nearly everyone at some point.

Scott Bryant, worship pastor at Lamar Baptist Church in Arlington, said he sees music as a God-given tool that can be used for good or bad—as a balm for a deflated soul or as claws that tear down a soul one swift swipe at a time. When used as God intended, he said, it reflects the scene of perfect worship going on around the throne in heaven. Whether a sacrifice of praise or a shout of jubilation, worship, he said, can help heal hearts and restore joy.

“John reminds us that God created all things,” Bryant said. “Nothing apart from him exists. That’s everything. That would include leadership. That would include music. That would include worship, which began before he created time, and that’s a whole study within itself. I have seen the value of that when people are hurting and a song will minister to them—the words and where those words come from, if they’re scripturally based, if they’re theologically correct and right for the situation. Sometimes music can really reach a person at that level more than words or other things. All of us have probably experienced that, whether we’re happy or sad or in between or just needing encouragement or direction, the Lord just speaks in so many ways.”

Bryant said that in his role as worship pastor he often witnesses firsthand how the Lord speaks to people in the congregation—breaking hard hearts, comforting grieving hearts, guiding aimless hearts—as those deep, soul-level transactions register on the countenance of the people.

“You can see that expressed in corporate worship,” Bryant said. “You can’t read people’s hearts—only God can do that, but when you see what’s going on, on the outside, you can kind of tell when God’s touching hearts where it’s needed, and sometimes people will verbalize that later.”

CREATION
Bryant explained that certain scientific aspects of music—harmonies, melodies, tones, scales, the way sound travels—are obvious testaments to God as creator. He said certain tones can soothe, and others can stir, while some, such as those used in war, can even cause a person to become ill and unable to fight. The measurable science behind it is what has allowed things like music therapy to have some success, Bryant said. What some in that field do not realize, he said, is that the science only affirms both the general and special revelation of God and the Bible’s claims that God did indeed create the world and created it with intricate order.

“I think it’s a great industry, [but] it’s kind of like some of the other sciences; they tend to want to shut God out,” Bryant said. “To me, they are discovering about the creator and what he’s already doing, but then not giving him credit, glory and honor for that. Science is cracking the door open for Christian people called to that to inject that [field] with Christ and with what it should be. But for me, the Scripture is the foundation.”

Bryant said he saw firsthand how music seems to have some way of ministering that can penetrate to the spirit when nothing else can, during his grandmother’s final days on earth. He recalled that she had suffered multiple strokes and could not really respond anymore. Living several states away, Bryant would call and talk to her on the phone, even though she could no longer talk back. One day, though, he felt led to sing her favorite song to her—“There is a Savior.”

A few minutes after hanging up from the one-sided conversation, the nurse attending to his grandmother called his phone.

“The nurse said [my grandmother] cuddled up to the phone and tried to mouth the words of the song as I sang,” Bryant said. “She said, ‘I don’t know what you said or did, but she responded like no other time.’

“Sing for people, even if you don’t sing very well.”

SCRIPTURE
Bryant pointed out that Scripture tells of God using music and worship to minister to people time and time again, citing the 1 Samuel 16 account of a distressed Saul becoming “refreshed and well” when David played the harp for him. Bryant went on to say that references to music and worship in the Psalms are almost too many to number and that it’s not just happy and joyful songs that fill the book, but often songs sung as a sacrifice of praise in deep and troubling times. Bryant said often offering that sacrifice of praise, being willing to be obedient to give thanks in every circumstance, can take the focus off of self and put it onto Christ—something that he said can calm and soothe a troubled soul.

The music minister also pointed to Zephaniah 3:17 and said it serves as a word picture of God singing over his people to calm and comfort them as would a father with his child.

“[There’s] a passage in Hebrews [that says] Christ himself is with us in worship,” Bryant continued. “Music and worship matter to God. Knowing that God’s presence is there with us—that brings about everything and anything anybody could ever need—physically, spiritually, emotionally.

Bryant said music employs the body in the physical act of singing or playing, the mind in the act of thinking about the words and the heart and soul in the act of offering the innermost part of a human being to God in worship. It connects every aspect of a person to what Scripture calls the two greatest commandments—loving the Lord with all one’s heart, mind, soul and strength and loving people as one’s self.

“Everything comes out of that—heart, mind soul and strength—-sing praise with your heart and your mind,” Bryant said. “Sing with all your strength.”

CORPORATE WORSHIP
Bryant said involvement in the local church plays a crucial role in facilitating the ministry of music—not only in encouragement and unity among believers but in evangelism to unbelievers as well.
“If what you’re experiencing in there is healing you and your mind and your heart, you want to share that, so we go and we take Christ to them as quickly as we can and as soon as we are able, and immediately if at all possible, bring them into that church so that they can experience that,” Bryant said. “They can’t get that anywhere else. You can’t get that on a car radio. You can’t get that at home on your own. You can only get that corporately. Now there are people who are shut in and are physically unable to do so and people in other parts of the globe and underground and what have you, but you can find other believers, and other believers can come to you and you can experience that corporate worship together.”

Bryant said he would tell members of his church that if they have a problem for which they need to seek help, they should do that, but also said he continues to see, time after time, the true and effective ministry of music.

“It is very important and brings about healing and can touch us in a way that nothing else can,” Bryant said. “And it’s not because of the music or the musician. It’s because of the creator.”

Special Report: Mental health motion addressed by EC

NASHVILLE—The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has concurred with the spirit of a motion referred from the 2013 SBC annual meeting regarding mental health ministry.

In its Feb. 17-18 meeting in Nashville, the Executive Committee voted to amend an annual ministry report form it solicits from the SBC’s entities to include questions asking appropriate entities what they are doing to assist Southern Baptist churches in equipping and ministering to people with mental health challenges.

The Executive Committee also voted to “continue to seek ways to work in cooperation with SBC entities and others to address the severe challenges imposed by mental illness.”

SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page will name a volunteer advisory body of professionals in the mental health field to advise him on possible ways of better informing Southern Baptists about available mental health service providers and resources, the Executive Committee noted.

The Executive Committee was responding to a motion by Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas, at last year’s annual meeting in Houston.

The original motion Floyd introduced asked “that the messengers of the 2013 Southern Baptist Convention … request that the Executive Committee and the Bylaw 14 entities of the Southern Baptist Convention work in cooperation to assist our churches in the challenge of ministry to those suffering from mental health issues, and that each entity in their written annual ministry report inform the messengers what they have done, are doing, and will do annually to assist our churches in equipping and ministering to the people in our churches and communities who suffer with mental health challenges.”

Bylaw 14 of the SBC constitution names as entities the International and North American mission boards, LifeWay Christian Resources, GuideStone Financial Resources, the Ethics & Liberty Commission and the SBC’s six seminaries.

Separate from the motion, messengers to the 2013 SBC annual meeting approved a resolution on “Mental Health Concerns and the Heart of God,” affirming the “immeasurable value to God” of those with mental health concerns, committing to “affirm, support and share God’s love and redemption with those with mental health concerns” and opposing “all stigmatization and prejudice against those who are suffering from mental health concerns.”

The resolution calls for the SBC to support “the wise use of medical intervention for mental health concerns when appropriate” and to “support research and treatment of mental health concerns when undertaken in a manner consistent with a biblical worldview.”

The resolution affirms that “those in Christ cannot be separated from the eternal love of God that is in Christ Jesus” and asks Southern Baptists and their churches “to look for and create opportunities to love and minister to, and develop methods and resources to care for, those who struggle with mental health concerns and their families.”