Daly Focus Blog
This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for a small country church and its big-hearted members.
We first learned of Silver Lake Church of the Bible (Silver Lake, Oregon) from a simple letter. The story Pastor Leon Baker shared in that letter started in 2006.
After listening to a Focus broadcast, “The Lord laid it upon my heart to begin collecting for the purchase of an ultrasonic machine,” he wrote.
And for eight years, that’s what Pastor Baker and his congregation did.
Last week’s bombshell out of Houston that its mayor, Annise Parker, had subpoenaed the sermons from area pastors is still causing ripples both inside and outside the faith community.
On Friday, city attorneys revised their demands. Instead of requesting the pastor’s sermons, they’re now demanding “all speeches or presentations” related to the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. The controversial law, also known as the “Bathroom Bill” allows men who consider themselves women to use the women’s restroom.
October is Clergy Appreciation Month, so it’s a timely moment to let you know about Focus’ latest efforts to help pastors. We’re working with the North American Mission Board to power the organization’s care line for pastors.
I’ll let Michael Lewis, the group’s executive director of Pastoral Care and Development, tell you more:
At the North American Mission Board (NAMB) we are keenly aware of the daily pressures that come with serving as a pastor.
We’ve all heard the horrible stories of persecution in the Middle East at the hands of ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria). The radical militant group is targeting people of various faiths and ethnic backgrounds with violence, including area Christians, forcing these people to flee their homes to save their lives.
Thanks to the generosity of many Focus friends, Sami Yacoub, the regional director of Focus on the Family Middle East, and his team have been helping the refugees.
Many of you commented on and shared my recent blog post, “Could Robin Williams’ Faith Have Prevented His Suicide?”
That’s not surprising because mental illness directly impacts about one in four individuals… yet sadly, it sometimes seems that the Christian community doesn’t talk about the issue as often and as thoroughly we should.
Focus on the Family is hoping to help change that by helping families and churches better understand topics related to mental health – things like depression, bipolar and schizophrenia.
If you’ve had an eye on the news lately, you’ve no doubt heard reports about the terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), more recently known as “The Islamic State.”
They’re a well-armed Muslim extremist group sweeping throughout Iraq, exercising both military and political control over the regions they conquer.
Just the other day we saw grisly images of the beheading of the American journalist, James Foley. ISIS claimed responsibility for his murder.
Beyond the political complications usually addressed on the nightly news are disturbing accounts that hit much closer to home for all of us who profess the name of Christ.
Although not everybody has the luxury of enjoying a summer vacation, the season invariably lends itself to setting aside some time to read a good book. If you’re looking to pick one up, our online resource center is packed with exciting and entertaining titles.
Whatever your taste, I think you’ll find a title to your liking.
If you’re more inclined to invest in the classics (including some modern ones), the following list should be helpful to you.
The broadcast team and I are working on a program to honor our pastors, and we’d like your help.
As you may know, Focus celebrates Clergy Appreciation Month every October, a time when congregations can recognize the sacrifices, hard work and blessings of pastors and their families. These special people often live under incredible pressures. Simply put, it’s hard work being a member of the clergy.
So often pastors give up their own time to be there for their flock – giving up holidays to visit with sick people at the hospital, counseling couples through the tough times in their marriages, and helping congregants pray through milestone decisions.
Earlier this month, a young male started shooting a gun at Seattle Pacific University, a Christian school. Before he stopped to reload his weapon, he had killed one and injured three others.
A 22-year old student, Jon Meis, put himself in harm’s way to stop the gunman from inflicting further harm. Meis used pepper spray to incapacitate the shooter before knocking him down. At that point, other students jumped in and helped subdue the shooter.
Bucking the narrative
Sadly, these stories of public shootings follow a familiar storyline by now.
Same-sex marriage is in the news. That’s partly the result of various national-level religious liberty debates stemming from Christian photographers, florists and bakers conscientiously declining to participate in homosexual marriage ceremonies – and the lawsuits that they’ve had to face.
With all the conversation on the topic, I’m sure this has happened to many of you: you’re online, reading articles on these stories, when you decide to read the comments section.
“Sure Leviticus says homosexuality is a sin; but it also says eating shellfish and wearing clothes made out of different types of thread are sin.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
