O Church Arise! A Biblical Perspective on the SCOTUS Decision.

 Rom. 1:16-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, and Jude 3-25

After Friday’s landmark SCOTUS decision many shepherds felt compelled to imitate the example of Jude. Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 3-4). Following in Jude's footsteps I decided to take a week off from my regular expositional series through the gospel of John in order to address the Supreme Court's nation changing decision.

An Evangelical Declaration of Marriage (Local Signatories)

"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ.

Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."  

~ Martin Luther (1483-1546)


"HERE WE STAND:  An Evangelical Declaration of Marriage"

Local Signatories:

An Open Letter to Evangelical Leaders in NW Il

Dear Pastor and/or ministry leader,

I write you this morning with a simple invitation. We are all very aware of the Supreme Court’s landmark SCOTUS decision this past Friday. Immediately after the Supreme Court’s decision was announced the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC published an “Evangelical Declaration on Marriage: Here We Stand.” This document was signed by church leaders from a variety of evangelical backgrounds (Presbyterian, Free Church, Baptist, Southern Baptist, Non-denominational, etc).

If you agree with this evangelical declaration on marriage and would like to add your name to the signatories list I am asking you to prayerfully consider doing two things.

 1) Please send me an email with your name, position, ministry. For example, “H.B. Charles Jr., Pastor-Teacher, Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church.” I plan on sending this Evangelical Declaration on Marriage to the Journal Standard with a name of LOCAL signatories. As many of you know the Journal Standard has provided free advertisement to Dr. Dutcher’s LGBT/’Open and Affirming’ beliefs more times than I can keep track of (Unity Fest, etc). I am going to ask that the Journal Standard to allow the other side of this debate to express their religious/biblical convictions by publishing this Declaration in the paper with our signatories. In view of how many times they have published articles for St. John’s I believe it is only right that they do so. If you decide to add your name to this cause I will send you a final document with a list of local signatories so you can use the list as you see fit.

2) If you want to sign the national document you can add your name here. http://erlc.com/erlc/herewestand I do not think the vast majority of people in our local communities will ever see this document or our signatories. Hence the reason for request one.

A Biblical Perspective on the SCOTUS decision

         Rom. 1:16-32, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, and Jude 3-25         

A Biblical Perspective on the SCOTUS decision

"Fight the Good Fight of Faith!" 

After Friday’s landmark SCOTUS decision many shepherds serving in America felt compelled to imitate the example of Jude.  Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.  For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 3-4).  I Following in Jude's footsteps I decided to take a week off from our gospel of John series in order to address the Supreme Court's nation changing decision.  

“These are dark times, there’s no denying it!”  In our own backyard my family often hears beautiful hymns of the faith played on traditional church bells from only a block away.  We often hear great gospel songs like “the Old Rugged Cross” and “Amazing Grace.”  Yet when anyone drives by this church they quickly observe a flashing "Gay Pride" rainbow flag that is proudly displayed on St.John's digital billboard.  St. John Church of Christ wants everyone in Freeport to know that they are leading the way in the "Open and Affirming" church movement that is sweeping through our nation like wildfire.  Dr. Dutcher strongly believes that Lord himself desires every church, not just his own congregation, to join him in this progressive crusade; And they are certainly not alone in this!  Just like week Pastor Tony Campolo issued a statement saying he now "fully supports same sex marriage."  Add to that, a recent article on Reuters which reports that close to thirty five percent of “professing Evangelicals”now support gay marriage. That number represents a a sixteen percent  increase over a time span of just three years (though around fifty percent of the nation still believes homosexuality is a sin).