patrick jane forums

Christian Theology with DOUG and TED T. => Christian Threads => Topic started by: patrick jane on February 13, 2021, 10:01:33 am


Title: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 13, 2021, 10:01:33 am
I have stated before that I conclude "self" and "selfishness" as the root of all evil and this includes pride, love of money, murders and sexual sins. Sexual sin is insidious to say the least.


We see politicians, world leaders and pastors, evangelists and clergy as sexual sin permeates every part of society. This thread will consist of posts relating to sexual sin in the many various forms it takes in peoples' lives.
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on March 17, 2021, 08:09:41 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z3a97BOOgM
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: guest8 on March 17, 2021, 10:25:29 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z3a97BOOgM

while not all sins are the same, they all weigh the same.

Blade
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on March 19, 2021, 02:21:11 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMKf6f2a_hU
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on March 22, 2021, 07:10:34 pm
(https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/122793.png?w=700)
https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2021/march/equality-act-people-of-faith-and-religious-freedom.html








The Equality Act, People of Faith, and Religious Freedom




When sexual freedom conflicts with religious freedom, who will take precedent?


H. R. 5, known as “The Equality Act,” was introduced in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The legislation would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, the credit system, and jury duty. H. R. 5 seeks to create a new protected class for people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination of any kind. At the heart of this effort is an attempt to dismiss ontological sexual differences as unimportant by redefining gender as only a matter of social construct.

The Equality Act, which has an appealing name, does not actually support equality for everyone. To the contrary, it targets people of faith for whom human sexuality is not merely a matter of personal opinion. Several advocates for The Equality Act claim that the proposal allows both sexual freedom and religious freedom to coexist, doing so by understanding faith primarily, if not entirely, as a private expression in one’s heart. Under this law, religious faith is limited to a narrow, personal, subjective, and privatized understanding of faith. For years, the brilliant sociologist Peter Berger insightfully and prophetically reminded us of the trends in our culture not only toward secularization and pluralization, but toward the privatization of faith.

Fellow citizens who hold positions of religious faith, however, understand that one’s faith is both objective and subjective, vertical and horizontal, as well as personal and communal. Faith possesses certain public dimensions that should not be outlawed simply because of changes in a public opinion poll. Human dignity must remain vital for every person since all humans are created in the image of God. Thus, all persons, regardless of their religious beliefs, should be treated with compassion and respect without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or biological sex.

Unjust discrimination or harassment must never be tolerated in a pluralistic society and the desire to protect people from such unwelcomed actions is commendable. Where genuine unjust discrimination and harassment exists, all Americans, regardless of religious identity, should work together in a pluralistic society to seek to address such actions. As a nation founded with a commitment to principled pluralism, we want to honor every person’s right to gainful employment and to basic goods and services needed to live and flourish. People of faith want to work with others, demonstrating neighbor love, to ensure that these basic rights are protected and that nondiscrimination principles are protected. We want to see this take place, however, without confusing ontological differences between male and female.

When sexual freedom conflicts with religious freedom, The Equality Act devalues religious freedom, stating that “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993,” which was sponsored in the House of Representatives by then Congressman Chuck Schumer and in the Senate by Senator Ted Kennedy, and passed almost unanimously by Congress before being signed into law by President Bill Clinton, “shall not provide a claim concerning, or a defense to a claim under, a covered title, or provide a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of a covered title.” This language removes traditional religious freedom protections that have characterized Constitutional discussions since the days of the Bill of Rights. Appearing to target those who might disagree with the ideas put forth in the legislation, it effectively brings an end to the kind of dialogue that has long been important for a pluralistic society.

The Equality Act would become the first major piece of legislation in the history of the United States to exclude protections for religious freedom. The bill does not even recognize the sacred rights of religious congregations, communities, or denominations. In fact, it would discriminate against people of faith by adversely affecting religious schools, benevolence organizations, women’s sports, sex specific facilities, and conscience rights. If religious freedom entails the ability of people on their own to reach conclusions about their religious beliefs and to live out those beliefs in the community, the marketplace, and the public square in an unhindered way, then the so-called Equality Act will violate the religious freedom of millions of people in this country.

H. R. 5, which was passed in the House of Representatives this past month, and which President Biden has promised to sign into law, reveals the divisions in American culture. President Biden commented that “every person should be treated with dignity and respect, and this bill represents a critical step toward ensuring that America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all.”

Yet, this legislation has been called the most invasive threat to religious liberty ever proposed in America because of its intent to mandate understandings of sexual orientation and gender identity as expectations for all aspects of society. Anyone who maintains a traditional understanding of human sexuality, gender identity, and marriage will no longer be allowed to disagree out of good will and commitment to one’s beliefs but will treated as one guilty of discrimination. The bill also addresses abortion by including the language of “pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition” as that which is forbidden by law. By including this language in the discussions of sexuality, anyone who refuses to perform an abortion would be guilty of sexual discrimination

As others have observed, The Equality Act, which reaches far beyond its basic goals, fails to differentiate between views that are morally repugnant from those that are culturally disfavored. It should be recognized that this would not just affect one particular religious group. This legislation moves against people represented across the entire landscape of the United States, all of whom cherish historical protections for the diversity of religious convictions.

Beliefs regarding sexual ethics held by Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, and Evangelical Protestants are supported by centuries of tradition, reason, and natural law, as well as by teachings viewed as special revelation by these various faith communities. The proposed legislation pushes against these perspectives and seeks to contain them in certain legal spaces deemed appropriate by public law. By doing so, it delegitimizes diverse points of view held by people of good will. Looking ahead, these perspectives will be viewed to represent malevolent ill will, labeled as a form of discrimination similar to racism.

Religious communities have also maintained an anthropological understanding that the human person is a unity of body and soul, a whole person. They have maintained that a person’s identity is not separable from one’s body. Sexual difference is a sacred dimension of human life and the beautiful complementarity between male and female should be celebrated. The Equality Act would thus burden people who have religious-based questions about the gender ideology movement.

If passed by the U. S. Senate, this legislation would create a hostility toward religious ethics in the court of public opinion resulting in the narrowing of opportunities for people of faith to serve in the areas of education, social work, counseling, healthcare, as well as other spheres. Extending beyond the impact of the Obergefell (2015) and Bostock (2020) Supreme Court decision, the missional, legal, financial, and cultural impact of The Equality Act on religious schools, non-profits, and benevolence organizations would be immediate and wide ranging.

Raising the LGBTQ community to a protected class at the federal level would greatly affect hiring rights, behavioral expectations, federal funding, and accreditation. Moreover, it would change the way that graduates of religious colleges are viewed when it comes to graduate school opportunities, job placement, and internships, making it more difficult for these schools to carry out their mission in a faithful manner, limiting their ability to serve society at large. Frankly, the bill is so pervasive, almost nothing would escape its sweeping influence, having implications for private businesses and individuals as well.

The Equality Act expands the meaning of public accommodations in ways that would violate the privacy of women and men, forcing a gender ideology not only on schools, but healthcare organizations and those who provide benevolence and charitable services. Some entities that would not normally be classified by law as public institutions will be considered such by H. R. 5. As a result of this legislation, if a Jewish synagogue, for example, rents its banquet hall for certain events, then they would be mandated to host events that they may consider immoral in their facility.

The Equality Act is anything but a step toward ensuring that America lives up to its foundational values of equality and freedom for all. With no ability to appeal to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the protection of conscience and religious liberty will be lost. People of faith, while recognizing that they now live as a cultural and cognitive minority, will need to work together, exemplifying conviction as well as civility and kindness, to support religious freedom issues as a first priority, recognizing the broad implications for many areas of private and public life in what Charles Taylor has rightly called “our secular age.”








David S. Dockery serves as president of the International Alliance for Christian Education and as distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Seminary.
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: guest8 on March 22, 2021, 10:59:11 pm
(https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/122793.png?w=700)it
https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2021/march/equality-act-people-of-faith-and-religious-freedom.html


it





The Equality Act, People of Faith, and Religious Freedom




When sexual freedom conflicts with religious freedom, who will take precedent?


H. R. 5, known as “The Equality Act,” was introduced in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The legislation would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, the credit system, and jury duty. H. R. 5 seeks to create a new protected class for people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination of any kind. At the heart of this effort is an attempt to dismiss ontological sexual differences as unimportant by redefining gender as only a matter of social construct.

The Equality Act, which has an appealing name, does not actually support equality for everyone. To the contrary, it targets people of faith for whom human sexuality is not merely a matter of personal opinion. Several advocates for The Equality Act claim that the proposal allows both sexual freedom and religious freedom to coexist, doing so by understanding faith primarily, if not entirely, as a private expression in one’s heart. Under this law, religious faith is limited to a narrow, personal, subjective, and privatized understanding of faith. For years, the brilliant sociologist Peter Berger insightfully and prophetically reminded us of the trends in our culture not only toward secularization and pluralization, but toward the privatization of faith.

Fellow citizens who hold positions of religious faith, however, understand that one’s faith is both objective and subjective, vertical and horizontal, as well as personal and communal. Faith possesses certain public dimensions that should not be outlawed simply because of changes in a public opinion poll. Human dignity must remain vital for every person since all humans are created in the image of God. Thus, all persons, regardless of their religious beliefs, should be treated with compassion and respect without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or biological sex.

Unjust discrimination or harassment must never be tolerated in a pluralistic society and the desire to protect people from such unwelcomed actions is commendable. Where genuine unjust discrimination and harassment exists, all Americans, regardless of religious identity, should work together in a pluralistic society to seek to address such actions. As a nation founded with a commitment to principled pluralism, we want to honor every person’s right to gainful employment and to basic goods and services needed to live and flourish. People of faith want to work with others, demonstrating neighbor love, to ensure that these basic rights are protected and that nondiscrimination principles are protected. We want to see this take place, however, without confusing ontological differences between male and female.

When sexual freedom conflicts with religious freedom, The Equality Act devalues religious freedom, stating that “The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993,” which was sponsored in the House of Representatives by then Congressman Chuck Schumer and in the Senate by Senator Ted Kennedy, and passed almost unanimously by Congress before being signed into law by President Bill Clinton, “shall not provide a claim concerning, or a defense to a claim under, a covered title, or provide a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of a covered title.” This language removes traditional religious freedom protections that have characterized Constitutional discussions since the days of the Bill of Rights. Appearing to target those who might disagree with the ideas put forth in the legislation, it effectively brings an end to the kind of dialogue that has long been important for a pluralistic society.

The Equality Act would become the first major piece of legislation in the history of the United States to exclude protections for religious freedom. The bill does not even recognize the sacred rights of religious congregations, communities, or denominations. In fact, it would discriminate against people of faith by adversely affecting religious schools, benevolence organizations, women’s sports, sex specific facilities, and conscience rights. If religious freedom entails the ability of people on their own to reach conclusions about their religious beliefs and to live out those beliefs in the community, the marketplace, and the public square in an unhindered way, then the so-called Equality Act will violate the religious freedom of millions of people in this country.

H. R. 5, which was passed in the House of Representatives this past month, and which President Biden has promised to sign into law, reveals the divisions in American culture. President Biden commented that “every person should be treated with dignity and respect, and this bill represents a critical step toward ensuring that America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all.”

Yet, this legislation has been called the most invasive threat to religious liberty ever proposed in America because of its intent to mandate understandings of sexual orientation and gender identity as expectations for all aspects of society. Anyone who maintains a traditional understanding of human sexuality, gender identity, and marriage will no longer be allowed to disagree out of good will and commitment to one’s beliefs but will treated as one guilty of discrimination. The bill also addresses abortion by including the language of “pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition” as that which is forbidden by law. By including this language in the discussions of sexuality, anyone who refuses to perform an abortion would be guilty of sexual discrimination

As others have observed, The Equality Act, which reaches far beyond its basic goals, fails to differentiate between views that are morally repugnant from those that are culturally disfavored. It should be recognized that this would not just affect one particular religious group. This legislation moves against people represented across the entire landscape of the United States, all of whom cherish historical protections for the diversity of religious convictions.

Beliefs regarding sexual ethics held by Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, and Evangelical Protestants are supported by centuries of tradition, reason, and natural law, as well as by teachings viewed as special revelation by these various faith communities. The proposed legislation pushes against these perspectives and seeks to contain them in certain legal spaces deemed appropriate by public law. By doing so, it delegitimizes diverse points of view held by people of good will. Looking ahead, these perspectives will be viewed to represent malevolent ill will, labeled as a form of discrimination similar to racism.

Religious communities have also maintained an anthropological understanding that the human person is a unity of body and soul, a whole person. They have maintained that a person’s identity is not separable from one’s body. Sexual difference is a sacred dimension of human life and the beautiful complementarity between male and female should be celebrated. The Equality Act would thus burden people who have religious-based questions about the gender ideology movement.

If passed by the U. S. Senate, this legislation would create a hostility toward religious ethics in the court of public opinion resulting in the narrowing of opportunities for people of faith to serve in the areas of education, social work, counseling, healthcare, as well as other spheres. Extending beyond the impact of the Obergefell (2015) and Bostock (2020) Supreme Court decision, the missional, legal, financial, and cultural impact of The Equality Act on religious schools, non-profits, and benevolence organizations would be immediate and wide ranging.

Raising the LGBTQ community to a protected class at the federal level would greatly affect hiring rights, behavioral expectations, federal funding, and accreditation. Moreover, it would change the way that graduates of religious colleges are viewed when it comes to graduate school opportunities, job placement, and internships, making it more difficult for these schools to carry out their mission in a faithful manner, limiting their ability to serve society at large. Frankly, the bill is so pervasive, almost nothing would escape its sweeping influence, having implications for private businesses and individuals as well.

The Equality Act expands the meaning of public accommodations in ways that would violate the privacy of women and men, forcing a gender ideology not only on schools, but healthcare organizations and those who provide benevolence and charitable services. Some entities that would not normally be classified by law as public institutions will be considered such by H. R. 5. As a result of this legislation, if a Jewish synagogue, for example, rents its banquet hall for certain events, then they would be mandated to host events that they may consider immoral in their facility.

The Equality Act is anything but a step toward ensuring that America lives up to its foundational values of equality and freedom for all. With no ability to appeal to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the protection of conscience and religious liberty will be lost. People of faith, while recognizing that they now live as a cultural and cognitive minority, will need to work together, exemplifying conviction as well as civility and kindness, to support religious freedom issues as a first priority, recognizing the broad implications for many areas of private and public life in what Charles Taylor has rightly called “our secular age.”








David S. Dockery serves as president of the International Alliance for Christian Education and as distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Seminary.


most all sins have the same value. They are counted as sin...However, there is only one sin that can prevent you from getting to heaven..


"Not Believing int he Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to scriptures."


Blade
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on March 27, 2021, 09:52:45 am
****: Is it REALLY a Bad Habit? | Louder with Crowder



Steven Crowder delves into the very real problems pornography has dealt out. On just about everyone...



18 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WWRJBvw6Q4
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on March 27, 2021, 09:32:49 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfu70qKNqW8
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on April 02, 2021, 05:35:14 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsZoDBjEx_Y
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on April 14, 2021, 11:32:02 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVdTp1TZFb8
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on April 14, 2021, 08:07:47 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZp_S9bh-uc
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on May 06, 2021, 03:49:21 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DArqsDsig7g
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on May 16, 2021, 11:05:22 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAJD4rrkIX0
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on May 17, 2021, 02:34:03 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLut1AmCsbU
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on May 23, 2021, 06:25:21 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbZ7BvrS-OI
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on May 29, 2021, 01:07:32 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUmzCm_DOyA
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on June 12, 2021, 04:36:08 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLiqcMuzUw8
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on June 29, 2021, 06:24:00 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MccJLQGYyEI
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on July 10, 2021, 09:24:25 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3pxcfxnPgw
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on July 13, 2021, 10:29:01 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0DE5ZbH76k
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on July 20, 2021, 08:16:05 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii6niylP8tk
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on July 23, 2021, 07:16:07 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoLuuwjXrf0
Title: Re: Sleeping With Fire - Not All Sins Are the Same (SEXUAL SIN)
Post by: patrick jane on September 07, 2021, 06:21:40 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMXqdcw0Xzo
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on September 18, 2021, 04:11:58 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJL-nN1Cxls
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on October 09, 2021, 11:10:05 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj70WYgOQ_U
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on October 24, 2021, 01:20:44 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN4aRIYVbms
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on October 25, 2021, 01:55:44 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWGmlGbgThY
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on October 27, 2021, 10:54:06 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6on17UeJYKw
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on November 06, 2021, 07:51:50 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRaYaQ_qWXA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on November 21, 2021, 08:55:38 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20IHJhxOgZA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on November 23, 2021, 12:27:38 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viRpfTLEVVk
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on November 30, 2021, 04:46:43 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-DyLkR3Oy4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on December 11, 2021, 10:10:38 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvnBL-xv8Pc
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on December 24, 2021, 09:54:37 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuDXNWFGE0E
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on December 29, 2021, 02:36:08 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyX8y3iQtzg
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on December 30, 2021, 01:38:06 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qC428xPDn4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on January 05, 2022, 10:16:58 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB7J7vq6qWI
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on January 12, 2022, 11:49:47 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N__O6RhCDA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on January 21, 2022, 12:53:03 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwlJAj_D5ts
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 01, 2022, 05:44:22 pm
3 Signs Lust Is Controlling Your Life (This May Surprise You)




10 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVD_L6IFSak
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 06, 2022, 12:43:34 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U95qJbeEl6c
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 11, 2022, 12:19:44 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ekulp-6b4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 13, 2022, 03:28:50 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJvKoSI0Q2M
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 23, 2022, 12:13:39 pm
(https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/127819.jpg?h=528&w=940)
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/evangelical-controversy-abuse-scandal-less-ambitious.html







Studying Great Evangelicals’ Lives Made Me Less Ambitious









To avoid hurting our marriages and families, we can learn from our forerunners in the faith.


Back in 2015, while my wife played with our three children on our neighborhood playground, I stared in dumbfounded disbelief after reading a puzzling tweet by former pastor Tullian Tchividjian: “Welcome to the valley of the shadow of death… thank God grace reigns there.”

I quickly learned that this quote referred to the recently revealed marital indiscretions of both Tchividjian and his wife. This popular icon in the Reformed resurgence movement had, like so many, been found out for disastrous misdeeds that led to the dissolution of their marriage.

When the news broke, I had just accepted an associate pastorate at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park and was a couple months shy of beginning doctoral studies in Christian history at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

For the next seven years, I went on to study the history of evangelicals. All the while, I kept on the lookout for the same historical pattern, one I didn’t want to ignore in the literature—especially since its repetition and consequences continued to play out in the 21st-century evangelical world I inhabited.

The all-too-common pattern I discovered is this: Great evangelical figures throughout history often had tragic personal and family lives. This trope winked at me repeatedly as I came across it in biographies and historical accounts of evangelical pastors, revivalists, and activists.

Evangelical history happens to provide numerous cautionary tales for what happens when ambition goes unbridled. And while some evangelicals would rather gloss over these tales or conceal them, that would be to our detriment. These warnings can be a service to the future of the evangelical story—and heeding them may prompt us to curb our ambition, set healthy limits and expectations, and attend to the little church in our homes.

Personally, I want to learn from their mistakes by protecting my family and guarding myself against tragedies of my own making.

Recently, while reading W. R. Ward’s Early Evangelicalism, I came across a segment on the life of August Hermann Francke (1663–1727), a figure who stood at the headwaters of evangelical history. Francke was mentored by famous theologian Philipp Jakob Spener and led the way for the second generation of German pietism in the later 17th and early 18th centuries.

His public activism and institutional work circulated through the evangelical press and social network of correspondence, which gained him widespread credibility and regard among early evangelicals. Later evangelicals, like John Wesley, repeated the pattern of Francke’s work ethic and strategy in their own ministries, sadly to the detriment of their personal lives as well.

You see, while Francke engaged himself in marvelous kingdom work, his marriage to Anna Magdalena Francke suffered from the disappointment of unmet needs. By midlife, Anna and August became estranged, and in 1715, their separation became public. Ward also hints that August paid scant attention to their daughter, Sophia, while he fulfilled his theological ambitions.

So while Francke’s public evangelical ministry and activism flourished, the health of his household languished. Surely, something was amiss here, I thought—there must have been a disconnect between Francke’s public ministry and his private interior religion.

Upon reading this historical recountal of Francke from Ward, I tweeted, “As a historian who has read much about the tragic private lives of great evangelical figures in history, I have, as a result, become much less ambitious. No achievement is worth the cost of a healthy family.”

But the Francke story that prompted my tweet was merely the most recent tragedy among a litany of others I had come across in my research.

One figure of this historical movement that has drawn my curiosity is Abraham Kuyper. Much like the Anglican C. S. Lewis, some historians would be reticent to portray Kuyper as a self-conscious early evangelical forerunner. Nonetheless, both figures have heavily influenced the development of the modern evangelical mind, including my own.

Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920) was both precocious and ambitious. He became known for his Protestant work ethic and commitment to a Christian mission to transform all of society. Many evangelical thinkers and their written works have lauded this pivotal figure in ecclesial history—but the majority of them do not tell the full story.

Kuyper is oft remembered by evangelicals for the following quote: “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’” And yet the truth is, he struggled in the domain of his personal and family life.

Kuyper suffered from debilitating anxiety and depression, which at times left him bedridden. He learned to cope with the symptoms of being overworked by frequently withdrawing for long periods of solitude in holidays and hikes. As a result, his wife and children hungered for his presence during these long absences while he recovered from the rigors of his missional work.

Unfortunately, Francke and Kuyper are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the costs evangelical families have paid for their loved ones’ Reformed Protestant work ethic.

Recently, someone asked me to offer some examples, and I reluctantly gave a few names—some of which I know from my own archival research and others I learned from other historians’ work. The problem with naming names and being fascinated by “who’s done it” is that it can lead to a voyeuristic or unproductive historical fascination rather than to a healthy discussion.

I think what evangelicals actually need is less fascination with the dark sides of our fallen heroes and more appreciation for the quiet, daily faithfulness of pastors, professors, revivalists, and activists who managed to swim against the powerful social and cultural currents of their times that often placed an unrealistic demand on their output and performance.

Evangelical leaders throughout history have carried a heavy weight, and they continue to bear the unrealistic expectations of many institutions, publishing houses, and ministries that dominate the evangelical marketplace. Over time, some of these leaders give in to the temptations that come with notoriety and ultimately forsake their better judgment. And sadly, evangelical organizations also have a history of giving into avarice for the sake of success—and they too willingly eat the expense of their leaders’ private failures and choose to keep them concealed.

When I observe the professional output of some evangelical peers, I pray earnestly for God to protect them and their families. While I’m thrilled for their successes, I recognize and fear the cost that comes with always saying “Yes!” to every opportunity. Far too often, it sets people up for failure, especially if they do not remain accountable to their individual or familial bodies.

For my part, I have become altogether less ambitious as a result of studying evangelical history. As I’ve said, no achievement is worth sacrificing a healthy family life. But this conviction is not only built on my knowledge of the past and present downfalls of evangelical leaders.

My caution toward ambition is also derived from my own lived history. Just as evangelical ambition has slayed the credibility of so many forerunners in the faith, I recall a time not too long ago when it crouched at my own door.

I have been a burned-out pastor who stood at the crossroads, looking down the potential path toward private tragedy. I have experienced the grinding expectation to blog a certain amount, gain a certain number of followers on social media, publish more journal articles, curate the perfect CV, and make myself known to the “right” people. I feel fatigued when I think back to the many temptations I experienced and the various tactics I employed to achieve my ambitions.

Some years ago, I had a personal crisis while attempting to be a full-time pastor and full-time doctoral student. This crisis caused me to reset myself and reorient my ambitions. My wife and I went to couples therapy and to individual therapy for a year. I reprioritized my schedule and set some professional limits on my life. I started looking for ways to reinvest in time with my children, and eventually we relearned how to value sabbath rest together as a family.

I know that people are called to make sacrifices for the cause of Christ. But even the apostle Paul argued that married people, especially those with children, carry a certain worldly weight. This requires them to have a balance—between how much of their lives they lay down for the cause of Christ and how much time and energy they reserve for their families.

That is, we should all seek to weigh our commitment to the Protestant work ethic and the mission of God along with our dedication to building little churches in our homes. And in this area, evangelicals can learn from our forerunners’ failures—by keeping our missional ambitions in their proper place and spurring on our family’s devotion to God through selfless service.




Joey Cochran is the husband of Kendall and the father of Chloe, Asher, Adalie, and Clara. Presently he is guest faculty at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and coordinates social media for the Conference on Faith and History.
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 25, 2022, 04:21:06 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8UnbMhzY44
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on February 27, 2022, 11:46:15 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4jHABEmF1M
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on March 08, 2022, 06:21:06 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETa4pwAVPPw
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on March 13, 2022, 05:59:40 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGYPqctS5zc
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on March 16, 2022, 07:40:42 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCuiO7J_xW4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on March 31, 2022, 11:42:57 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbKMpdqbvgA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 07, 2022, 10:14:02 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7s-rKcN36M
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 08, 2022, 08:12:38 am
Leaked Audio Of Perry Stone's Predatory Behavior




Leaked audio shows Perry Stone claiming he will take his own life after being shown to have a predatory lifestyle towards women. We also take a look at the effects of adultery in ministry and some others who have actually chosen to take their own life when their torrid affairs were exposed.





27 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf18WJ7L8WM
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 16, 2022, 05:19:29 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_rjQHEw2q8
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 21, 2022, 05:10:19 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF4iRHMFBoA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 28, 2022, 06:11:29 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44IKPJMJC-I
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on April 29, 2022, 06:31:07 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMAUW6gDiiA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on May 06, 2022, 10:16:13 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbfl9bDwE1E
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on May 09, 2022, 10:42:55 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwcnH4KA4Z0
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on May 23, 2022, 11:14:31 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSM5UDP6kk4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on May 25, 2022, 08:38:41 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWpDXoVeqM0
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on June 06, 2022, 11:46:39 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bGGtdzItX4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on June 09, 2022, 01:19:55 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0rRGzRbBhg
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on June 26, 2022, 07:38:56 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcgTDEU7NaE
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on July 28, 2022, 10:33:14 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLmaVECqIa4
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on August 01, 2022, 06:23:54 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4p_grQOuxA
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on August 24, 2022, 04:45:12 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATZKlRlzyYI
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on August 26, 2022, 12:04:27 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npWTixi5lfY
Title: Re: SEXUAL SIN
Post by: patrick jane on September 09, 2022, 03:29:10 am
[url][https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIGm9UMN8oU/url]