June 2020 Newsletter

Posted on May 28, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”June 2020 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Advancing Christian Faith and Values,
Defending Religious Liberty for All,
Supporting Civility and the Common Good
through Preaching, Teaching, Writing, Activism and Reasoned Conversations

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1304″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Remembering June, 1945 – 75 years ago

World War 2 in Europe had ended. The elation of many American troops was tempered by the realization that thousands would be shipped to the Pacific Theater for the invasion of Japan.

The U.S. victory on Okinawa proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Pacific war. American dead totaled over 12,000 and Japan lost 110,000, including mass suicide when the victory of U.S. troops was seen as certain.

These horrific losses plus signs of Japanese determination caused U.S. military leaders to expect massive casualties when the invasion of Japan finally took place. But it was not to be…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message for Pentecost Sunday (May 31)
When the Holy Spirit Redirected Priorities

So when they [the apostles whom Jesus had chosen] had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

[Jesus] said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Acts 1:6-8 New English Version

“Life after the Coronavirus” will not be like “Life before the Virus.” Church priorities and ministries (what we should do and how we should do it) will not be the same.

Now put yourself with Jesus’ disciples, who were with him after his resurrection and before his ascension (return to Heaven). What will God’s work in the world be once Jesus is no longer with them? They need answers, because “Life after Jesus’ Ascension and the Day of Pentecost” will not be as before.

Jesus’ followers had one overriding question: “Lord, is it NOW, finally, that you will restore the kingdom to Israel? We’ve watched you and listened to you. We’ve gone through the pain of your death and, now, the joy of being with you in your resurrection. NOW will we see the kingdom restored with Israel having her rightful place in it?” *

Jesus’ answer must have disappointed them. It certainly will refocus them if they listen. Without zeroing out God’s promises to Israel, Jesus zeros in on “NOW”. What is God’s timing when it comes to fulfilling his promises?

Jesus clearly and forcefully told them, “The question of when prophetic events will come to be (‘times’) and the exact nature of these events (‘seasons’)—these are none of your business. Don’t worry about these ‘times and seasons.’ My Father in Heaven has determined them and they are well under his control. Instead, do what I assign you to do, which the Holy Spirit will give you the power to do.”

“Times” (Greek word: chronos) refers to the sequence of events (this, then this, then that). “Seasons” (kairos) refers to the significance of the events. If I say, “It is 12:00 noon” that’s a chronos moment, a tick of the clock. But if I say, “It’s going down today at hi-noon” that’s a kairos moment–something significant is going to happen. **

When the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the waiting disciples at Pentecost, it will not be to enlighten them about the future, either its times or details. Instead, the Spirit will be given so they will have the power to do a task—to bear witness to Jesus—his life and ministries, his death and resurrection, his teachings—throughout the world beginning in Jerusalem (verse 8).

How often have you heard preaching that is very certain about “the times and the seasons”? If we listened to a lot of “Bible prophecy” teaching throughout the Twentieth Century and up till now, we might think Jesus should have just saved his breath. Many teachers on prophecy talk confidently about when prophecies will be fulfilled and what the exact sequence of things will be.

When He shall come with trumpet sound
I’ll leave e’er Satan stalks the ground.
The times and seasons will unfold
Just like our charts have long foretold.

We have divided our churches and judged the orthodoxy of other Christians over how we think the “times and seasons” will unfold.

• “Pre-tribulationists” believe that Jesus will return and remove the saints before the Great Tribulation occurs. After the Tribulation he will return dramatically to end human history as we know it and usher in his kingdom (the two “returns” together are the “Second Coming of Christ”—Second Coming A and Second Coming B, if that’s reasonable).
• “Mid-tribulationists” believe that the saints will be removed from earth in the middle of the Great Tribulation. The first half is bad, but “you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet” – God is saving his fiercest wrath against evil for the second half. After this, Jesus will return to set up his kingdom.

• The “Pre-wrath” view teaches that believers will go through the Tribulation almost till its end, and be removed just before God’s fierce wrath is unleashed against evil. They will then return with Christ.
• “Post-tribulationists” believe there is only one climactic “Second Coming” event at the end of the Great Tribulation.
• Some simply teach a “second coming” without trying to fit it into other details (for example, they may not relate it to a Great Tribulation era).

Another opinion, the “partial rapture” view, believes that only Christians who are “ready” (they have reached a particular level of spirituality, or have had certain experiences, or belong to the correct church) will be raptured to be with Jesus when he first appears. The Christians left behind (the “have not’s”) will have to go through the Tribulation, which thus becomes sort of a Purgatory for them. This view isn’t widely held, but those who do hold it are quite sure of their own righteousness and don’t mind saying so.

What can we say about all this? In my opinion, the whole debate is a
great tribulation. It reflects the assumption that we can know “times and seasons” details which Jesus said we cannot know.

I’m opposed to churches and denominations setting forth prophetic timetables and using them as litmus tests to say who’s in and who’s out. I’m opposed to how the dogmatism stifles honest study and open debate.

The sooner we can rid ourselves of doctrinal statements that split hairs on prophecy and try to map it out, the better. My right hand of fellowship (if we can still extend our right hands after the coronavirus) is ready to accept you, whether you are a “pre-tribber”, “post-tribber” or whatever. Please accept me. Let’s study together and learn prophecy to the extent it can properly be known (Deuteronomy 29:29). And let’s join our voices in the prayer:

“Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

* John Stott, following Calvin, believed that the disciples’ whole question revealed several faulty notions about the Kingdom of God, not just a timing problem about Israel’s role (The Message of Acts, p. 43). I limit their error to the matter of “timing.” This reveals another major rift in how Evangelicals understand prophecy. Does Israel have a distinct future in the Kingdom (my view) or are promises to Israel spiritualized in the kingdom (common Reformed view)?
** Stott explains “times and seasons (dates)” differently: “times” are “critical moments” and “seasons” are the orderly development of God’s plan. F.F. Bruce explains the words much as I do, but notes that the meaning is found in the words as a pair, not separately (The Book of Acts, p. 35).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance –
Religious Liberty and the “Right to Assemble”

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – 1st Amendment
Notice two enumerated rights in the First Amendment: (1) free exercise of religion and (2) the right peaceably to assemble.

Religious freedom and the right to assemble allow individual believers to assemble into groups of believers. Hence, we have churches, synagogues, and mosques. These groups often establish ministries to further their religious ideals—schools especially. To force these groups or ministries to function in conflict to their ideals is to violate both their free exercise of religion and their right to assemble.

This recently happened in Ireland, where 90% of private schools are Catholic:

The Republic of Ireland’s Workplace Relations Commission has decided that an atheist child was discriminated against by his Catholic school when students were rewarded for attending a religious ceremony.

The commission ordered the school to pay €5,000 and demanded the school review its policies so it complies with the Equal Status Acts. The school will also have to post a memo of its compliance in a noticeable location within the school.
– Catholic News Agency, May 5, 2020

Rewarding students as an incentive to develop good worship patterns is about as natural a thing for a religious school to do as I can imagine. Yet, in Ireland at least, an individual’s right to practice atheism trumps the right of a religious school to further its own beliefs and practices (a school, by the way, where this student’s family voluntarily chose to enroll him).
In America we see many signs that the religious freedom of individuals is treated as more important than the freedom of religious groups. During the “Coronavirus crisis” the ability of religious groups to gather is highly restricted, even if they would practice specified safety measures.

Los Angeles County’s latest “Safer at Home Order” (May 13, 2020) says this:
Staff of organizations or associations, including faith-based organizations, may gather in a single space for the sole purpose of preparing and facilitating live-stream or other virtual communications with their members, including worship services, provided that the staff gathering is limited to 1O people or fewer and the Social (Physical) Distancing Protocol …is observed.
Well, thanks. This same order (May 13) lists 24 categories of essential businesses that can be open. But the need of a church to gather is overlooked.
The Christian faith teaches that God calls us into union with one another, not to be Christians in individualistic isolation.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God… (from Acts 2:42-47)

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread… (Acts 20:7)

We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body…” (1 Cor. 12:13)

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another… (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Churches cannot claim religious discrimination under current law, so long as a restriction is applicable to all and neutral toward religion. However, the more exceptions an order grants, the more difficult it is for government to escape the charge that it is discriminating against religion.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

May 18, 2020 – Centennial of One of the
20th Century’s Greatest Men

Karol Józef Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, a humble town in the south of Poland. Much of his life was lived in the crucible of tribulations. He carried his cross under the two antichrist systems of Nazism and Communism.

Karol Wojtyla helped keep his Polish culture alive while Poland was under Nazi occupation by establishing the Rhapsodic Theater where his acting skills were put to use in clandestine performances.

He became a priest and then a bishop. George Weigle tells how the Polish Communists had veto power over appointments to the bishopric, and one party official was determined to veto every nominee until Wojtyla’s name was put forth, because he thought he could control him. Little did he know…

Elevated to the papacy in 1978, he was one of God’s instruments in bringing down the Iron Curtain and ending Communist domination of Eastern Europe, including his beloved Poland. I remember watching the installation service (or whatever it’s called in Catholic circles) in 1978. As Polish Communist officials sat at the front in St. Peter’s, I wondered what was going through their minds. “We’re really in for it now!” I thought.

I’m not a Roman Catholic, but I am a student of modern Western history. I’m grateful to God for a man hardened and seasoned by oppressive systems who rose to a place where his voice would be heard and his values from a true Christian Humanist perspective (the dignity of the human person created in the image of God) would help usher in a new era.

As many liberated nations today settle into new oppressions and anti-human ideologies, it is both good and necessary for us to remember this legacy.

ADDITIONAL READING:
• George Weigle, The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy. Image Books, 2010.
• Donald P. Shoemaker, “One Evangelical’s Gratitude for John Paul II,” Guest Editorial, Long Beach Press Telegram, April 9, 2005 (accessible at www.donaldshoemakerministries.com)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight –
What’s So Great about “The Great Commission”?

Then Jesus came to them [his disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20

Christians rightly draw on many, many scriptures for direction. High on the list are the two Great Commandments: love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). But no assignment from Jesus gets more attention for “missional direction” than “The Great Commission.”

What makes “The Great Commission” so great?
1. Jesus made a GREAT AFFIRMATION about himself.
He makes the astounding claim, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me!” Either this is the boast of a self-deceived self-promoter, or it is a claim to be taken seriously. The church takes it seriously.

The Apostle Paul sets forth this same claim about Jesus in what was probably a “praise chorus” sung in Christian gatherings. Jesus humbled himself obediently to death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… (Philippians 2:9-10)

If Jesus is who he claimed to be, his instructions need to be obeyed.

2. Jesus gave a GREAT ASSIGNMENT to his followers.
Now, I’m going to be a bit picky here, because this assignment is often misunderstood. For example, it’s commonly taught that Jesus gave four commands: “Go, make disciples, baptize, and teach.” If this is so, then “make disciples” pretty much equals “lead people to Jesus” (then baptize and teach them). Discipling = Evangelism.

But that’s not what Jesus commanded. In fact, THERE IS ONLY ONE COMMAND IN THE GREAT COMMISSION—“MAKE DISCIPLES”. Around this one imperative verb are three participles (“going, baptizing, teaching”) that tell us HOW TO OBEY THIS ONE COMMAND.

“Going” – We can talk about following Jesus all we want, but if we do not penetrate the world around us, we will never make disciples for Jesus.

“Baptizing” – The New Testament assumes that one who believes the Gospel will be baptized. In fact, “unbaptized Christian” is an oxymoron.

Baptism is Trinitarian—it confesses God’s work in our salvation. God the Father loved us, God the Son died for us, and God the Holy Spirit empowers us to faith and good works.

Baptism is in water—a fitting mode to depict washing sins away (Acts 22:16).

What does our baptism declare to the church and to the world?

• “I hereby confess Jesus as Lord and I cross the line to be on Jesus’ side.”
• “I have moved from the old life into the new.”
• “I’m now a citizen of God’s Kingdom, a member of his family.”
• “My sins are washed away—I stand forgiven!”
• “The Holy Spirit has been given to me”
• “I’m willing to follow Jesus in obedience and suffering.”

“Teaching” – The baptized convert is to be instructed in all the commands of Jesus. Baptism takes a few moments—one single step in being a disciple. Teaching all Jesus commands is a life-long process—continual steps in becoming a disciple. Thus we never “arrive” at full discipleship in this life—we are always “Pilgrims in Progress.”

How does Jesus direct our lives? A few points among many:

• “Follow me in baptism.”
• “Accept the authority of the Old Testament just as I do.”
• “Keep God’s law in its depth, not just on the surface.”
• “Love God and love your neighbor.”
• “Show regard for all people, not just to other followers of mine.”
• “Get down where the people are. Touch the leper, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bind the wounded.”
• “Keep the Supper I established for you, in remembrance of me.”
• “Watch and pray. Be prepared when temptations come and face them as I did.”
• “I will return at an unknown hour. Be faithful and prepared.”
3. Jesus speaks GREAT ASSURANCE to us as we fulfill this assignment.
Jesus will be with his church as we do the task he calls us to do—empowering us, encouraging us, walking with us, helping us when we face persecution.

He is present when we are baptized in his name and as we face temptations and struggle to be his disciples and to lead others to be his disciples.

He walks beside us as we walk through life’s greatest challenges and sorrows. He assures us he knows the path, for he has walked it before.

He is there to serve his people not just at the start but until the end of the age.
When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
– “How Firm A Foundation” (1787, authorship uncertain). Originally sung to the tune “ADESTES FIDELIS” [“O Come, All Ye Faithful”], it is usually sung today to the tune “FOUNDATION.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Grace Community Church is on-line during the present coronavirus limitations. There are no gathered worship services for the time being. Watch and participate in the Sunday services during the service times at 9:30 and 11:00 PDT, or anytime afterward.
www.gracesealbeach.org

Pentecost Sunday – May 31, 2020
Remembering the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. – Acts 2:1-4 NIV

I invite you to listen to my Pentecost sermon (2017) at Grace Church –
“Come Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-42)

Simply go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

May 2020 Newsletter

Posted on April 28, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”May 2020 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Remembering May, 1945 – 75 years ago

World War II ended in Europe on May 7-9, with the unconditional surrender of Germany. Hitler was dead. Less than a month earlier, allied troops had discovered camps in Germany for exterminating Jews.

The Allied effort in World War II was regarded by some as a Christian Crusade. In 1941 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met on the Battleship HMS Prince of Wales to sign the Atlantic Charter. Churchill believed the allied cause was God’s cause and chose the song “Onward Christian Soldiers” for all to sing at a church service onboard.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month – A Model Citizen and Pastor

“Seek the welfare [“shalom” – well-being] of the city where I have sent you… and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)

“[Church leaders] must be well thought of by outsiders.” (1 Timothy 3:7)

Pastor Roy McCoy of Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, CA is a model of what these verses require.

2019 Thousand Oaks City Council Roy McCoy 2nd from right

He was a member of the city council and served as mayor in 2019. Al Adams, current mayor of Thousand Oaks, said council member McCoy was a “voice of strength and healing” after the city endured back-to-back tragedies: the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill and the Woolsey fire.

When his term as mayor ended in December 2019, he was honored by city officials. “You were the right mayor at the right time,” said City Manager Andrew Powers.

“The Healing Gardens Memorial was because of Rob McCoy,” Mr. Adams said. “It was his idea and he made it happen. You made the entire Council look good and on a personal note, you being there when my father passed meant a lot to me.” “You were the right mayor to heal us, unite us for these last 12 months,” said Council member Claudia Bill-de la Peña. “You have done a formative job to lead our city over the last year.”

But Mr. McCoy resigned from the city council because of his pastoral decision to offer Holy Communion at his church on Palm Sunday. Would this be a gross violation of the separation/safety protocols? No. Ten people would enter the sanctuary at a time over a two-hour period. Chairs were sanitized after each use. Those waiting lined up outside at a distance from each other. No one touched anyone else.

So what was the problem? The Ventura County Public Health Officer had ruled that churches are “nonessential” services. As a City of Thousand Oaks council member, Mr. McCoy was obligated to uphold the Public Health Officer’s order. So he resigned his position to maintain his convictions.
(See Appendix for the Ventura County Health Orders)

Law enforcement was at the church on Palm Sunday not to shut the Communion down but to monitor compliance with the distance rule.

Some who disagreed with the church and pastor parked their cars in the church’s parking lot and blew their horns. [NOTE: disrupting or disturbing a worship service is a misdemeanor under California’s Penal Code Sec. 302 PC.]

Mayor Adams said in an interview, ““He did the right thing in resigning, because he’s going ahead with the services at his church that are just incompatible with the county guidelines that we’re trying to maintain here in the city of Thousand Oaks.”

Well, then there’s something wrong with the guidelines. Church gatherings simply must not be labeled “non-essential.” Pastor/councilman McCoy did the right things as a pastor and as a city leader. But it shouldn’t have come to this. The city has lost an acknowledged fine leader.

We need more Pastor McCoys who represent the best of the prophetical traditions in the Old and New Testaments in their communities. It is disrespectful that the city council’s current Website does not name and picture him now as a former mayor and council member.

Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief
or an evildoer or as a meddler.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed,
but let him glorify God in that name.
– 1 Peter 4:15-16

Watch “McCoy Abdicates Thousand Oaks City Council to Break Coronavirus Orders” on YouTube (KTLA Channel 5)

https://you.tube/aX-_oJL292g[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance –
During the Coronavirus Crisis

“I wasn’t thinking of the Bill of Rights when we did this… The science says people have to stay away from each other.” – New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy *

“Our federal constitutional rights don’t go away in an emergency. They constrain what the government can do.” – Attorney General William Barr

Love, Law, Liberty

3 Essentials During the Coronavirus Crisis

I suggest that our country’s response to the coronavirus be looked at as a stool with three legs: Love, Law and Liberty. If balanced and embraced by most, we will overcome. I gave three points in my last newsletter, which I’ve now made the three legs of the stool:

LOVE: Out of love for our neighbor, the second great commandment Jesus taught, we do what is best for the greater good of society (Mark 12:31).

LAW: Out of respect for authorities (Titus 3:1) and the medical knowledge they gather to the best of their ability, we agree to the prohibitions and adjustments set forth by our local, state and federal governments, so long as they are fair and equitable.

LIBERTY: Recognizing our constitutional rights, we keep a wary eye on any edicts from government that might limit these rights. We insist on a quick end to limitations of our rights once the crisis has passed.

Unfortunately, the “Liberty” leg is coming up short. Here is a letter in my local newspaper which, I fear, reflects commonly-held thinking:

Yes, the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion. It also guarantees freedom of assembly, but that right has been temporarily suspended for the common good. [emphasis mine]

Temporarily suspended? By what authority? In World War II the rights of 120,000 Japanese-Americans were “temporarily suspended.” Where in the Constitution does it say that the rights guaranteed therein are subject to suspension? Of course the rights are not absolute. Freedom of religion does not give one the right to sacrifice children or deny minors lifesaving treatments. Freedom of speech doesn’t include the right to cry “fire” in a crowded theater, to use Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ analogy. **

Agree or disagree with policies, we should all acknowledge that the “free exercise of religion” and “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” are being infringed upon.

I wonder what the reactions would be if “freedom of speech or of the press” were infringed upon in a comparable way at the present time. It is not beyond reason that during the present crisis some might call for limits on speech and publications if the speech is contrary to the “ruling orthodoxy.” Just follow curtailment of speech on public campuses to see how this works.

What are some of the more egregious violations of freedom of religion and assembly?
• California: Pastor Roy McCoy found it necessary to resign as a councilman in Thousand Oaks, California because he decided to offer a Communion Service at his church that fully conformed to limits on cleanliness and distancing.
• Mississippi: People who attended a drive-in service by sitting in their cars with the windows up were issued $500 tickets. The Department of Justice intervened in favor of the church, arguing the church was being singled out for more restrictive rules.
• Kentucky: the mayor of Louisville imposed a ban on drive-in services. The church won in court, the judge saying that people were being permitted to sit in their cars for other purposes, so why not church?

Government cannot target religious exercise unless it shows a compelling state interest in restricting that right. And—very important—the government must use the least restrictive means necessary to achieve that compelling state interest. Brad Dacus, President of the Pacific Justice Institute, notes that as time passes the government’s claim for a compelling state interest will decline while a church’s position will get stronger every day.

Local and state governments should make clear that religious gatherings and services are “ESSENTIAL” services. To put it another way, government is outside its legitimate role to declare in-person religious gatherings “non-essential.” And it certainly is not being “neutral” toward religion. ***

In my 36 years as a pastor in Seal Beach, California I’ve seen first-hand how the presence, ministries and gatherings of a church provide critical spiritual and emotional support to the community in times of crisis.

A handful of unwise pastors have filled their churches with crowds in blatant disrespect for the government. Their behavior doesn’t cancel the positive role that a church gathering can now play when proper distancing, cleanliness and a limit on attendance are in force. Offering Holy Communion during Passion Week is a valuable spiritual uplift to those who come and seek it.

Having places of worship closed while “essential” cannabis dispensaries and liquor stores are open is ethical dissonance almost beyond imagination.

* The good governor said, “Science says people should stay away from each other.” Science says nothing of the sort. Science tests theories on how the virus spreads. The order to separate is a judgment made from looking at the current science. A hypothesis of science is capable of being applied in a number of directions by others, according to their own societal convictions. In fact, what does “science” say that would lead us to have liquor stores open and churches closed?

** Oliver Wendell Holmes gave this analogy in 1919 to argue that a defendant’s speech in opposition to the draft during World War I was not protected free speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Would we agree with him today?

*** The U.S. Supreme Court said religious organizations “contribute to the well-being of the community” and called for the government to have a position of “benevolent neutrality” toward religion (Walz v. Tax Commission, 1970).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

How to Wash Your Hands during the Coronavirus Crisis

Use plenty of soap and water, vigorously scrub your hands, including under your fingernails, and rinse—20 seconds altogether. Dry your hands thoroughly with a paper towel.

How can you time your washing? Well…
• You can always count to twenty.
• You can sing “Happy Birthday” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
• I notice the toilet tank fills in 20 seconds.

Better yet, sing “The Doxology”. Or perhaps best of all, recite The Lord’s Prayer! Do it from the heart, not with empty recitation. Keep your mind engaged, not on autopilot. Let it guide your priorities throughout the day.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory forever, amen.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]America is “quarantined.” Where did this term come from?

Isolation as a defense against infectious disease originated in the city-states of Venice and Florence. Italy was the center of Mediterranean trade, and the plague arrived in 1347 on commercial ships…

After plague visitations, the Venetian navy eventually began to force sailors arriving at the harbor to disembark on a nearby island, where they remained for 40 days—quaranta—a duration chosen for its biblical significance. (“How Epidemics Change Civilization,” The Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2020)

So the term has its origin in the biblical numeral “40.” I’m not a fan of “numerology”—the notion that one can find deeper teachings in the Bible by searching for cryptic meanings in certain numbers. Here are numbers that have biblical significance in their contexts: 7, 40, 666.

“40 days and 40 nights” indicated the period of time that rains fell to flood the earth as a judgment from God for human evil (Genesis 7:4, 10).

After “40 days” Noah knew the floodwaters were abating and he could look forward to reinhabiting the earth (the image of a dove with an olive branch originated in this passage—Genesis 8:6-12).

“40 days and 40 nights” indicates the period of time Moses was before God on Mt. Sinai, when he received the Ten Commandments.

Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 26:19)
So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:28)
After the Israelites left Egypt, Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan to survey the land and its people. They were gone 40 days. They returned with a mixed message: the land flows with abundance but the people are fierce and powerful. Upon receiving this report Israel rebelled and God brought a judgment on his people.

According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. (Numbers 14:34)

That was the “40 years” of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. During this time God provided for the needs of his people, giving them their “daily bread” and much more (Deuteronomy 2:7):

The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (Exodus 16:35)

Ezekiel prophesied that God would bring judgment on Egypt for her evil, but he would restore the people after 40 years (Ezekiel 29, 12-13).

“40 days” was the window of opportunity for the City of Nineveh to repent, according to the Prophet Jonah (Jonah 3:4).

Jesus, the Second Moses, fasted “40 days” in the wilderness and during that time he was tested by Satan (Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2).

“40” seems to be a number indicating judgment, trials and opportunities for repentance before God. “40” is a number not to be taken lightly. I’ll let others debate whether the number might be symbolical at times rather than literal.

“40” can be our spiritual “boot camp.” Will we persevere through hardships and testings, better able to serve God because of them (1 Peter 1:6-8)?

Our “40 days”, our quaranta, may be this present time of quarantine, our forced separation from much we would like to do and from many places where we would like to go. It is the hour of testing, perseverance and self-examination—a careful look at our priorities as individuals and as a nation, and our willingness to submit to the commandments of God.

Jim Bakker just won’t go away!

Remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker from the 1980’s?

Out of prison and back in “ministry”, Jim Bakker can be seen on “Christian” media with his promotions, pronouncements and prophecies.

One difficulty the Pentecostal Movement seems unable to overcome is its conflation of forgiveness and rehabilitation. “God called me to minister!” seems to trump just about anything else. Yes, God forgives. No, forgiveness is not a fast pass back into ministry. Maybe someday but not soon. Or maybe never again, depending on the offense. A child predator who once worked in children’s ministry at a church—would you EVER want him back in that ministry? Or an embezzler back to handling church finances? I don’t think so. No matter how “forgiven” they are.

Here he is—the Bernie Madoff of religious fundraising schemers—displaying a “coronavirus cure”!

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Easter 2020 – “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!”
Here is the Easter Service from my own church, Grace Community Church of Seal Beach, California. If you watch carefully, you’ll see me with the montage singing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today!”

https://www.facebook.com/gracesealbeach/videos/229351198271556/

Grace Community Church is on-line during the present coronavirus limitations. There are no gathered worship services for the time being. Watch and participate in the Sunday services during or anytime after the services at 9:30 and 11:00 PDT. www.gracesealbeach.org

Available: My Sermons at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach

To hear sermons I’ve delivered at Grace Community Church go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

• “The Holy City – Final Home” (Revelation 21-22)
• “Jeremiah: Right Man for the Right Hour (Jeremiah 1-20)
• “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King (1 Kings 1-11)
• “Christian Freedom” (Romans 14:1-8) RECOMMENDED!
A sermon for the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
• “Come, Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-42)
RECOMMENDED TO PREPARE FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY—JUNE 7

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net

APPENDIX: Orders by the Ventura County (CA) Health Officer
(See above: “Message of the Month” on Pastor Roy McCoy)

There were three orders in March. Any restrictions on religious gatherings were at most implicit. The April 9 order was explicit.

#3 – All Gatherings prohibited of two or more persons outside a household…

Point “a” –
“Gathering” means “any event” for “non-essential purposes” including “church services” … [So “two or more” cannot “gather in Jesus’ name!”]

Point “e” –
“Faith-based organizations” may gather “for the sole purpose of preparing and facilitating live-stream or other virtual communications with their members, including worship services, provided that the number of such staff is the fewest necessary to prepare and facilitate those communications, but in no event in excess of seven persons.”

Comment:

In fairness it should be noted that the limit of seven for preparing a virtual worship service is in contrast to a “two or more” limit for gatherings (thus somewhat of a concession).

That said, anyone who has worked in the development of virtual worship knows that seven is certainly a bare minimum for such a production and hardly a maximum. Such services usually include instrumentalists, singers (who may also be instrumentalists), a speaker, those who lead prayer and read scripture, and one or more technicians.

An April 20 order (1) increases the number of persons at gatherings to a maximum of five; (2) increases the number who may develop virtual worship to no more than ten; and (3) allows for “drive-up” worship with several prohibitions, including rules that would prevent serving Holy Communion (unless worshippers brought the bread and cup with them); (4) lists funerals, weddings, producing virtual worship, and “drive-up” worship services under “Essential Activities” (17.a.) – very significant![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

April 2020 Newsletter

Posted on March 23, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”April 2020 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

The Water Section at Sam’s Club in Long Beach

Hoarding & Profiteering
in a Time of Crisis

Store shelves in my area are stripped of water and, for goodness sake, TP.
Hoarding (and its twin evil “price gouging”) is common during times of crisis.
Does the Bible have anything to say about hoarding?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight—Hoarding Necessities During a Crisis

One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
– Proverbs 11:24-26 New International Version

A time of crisis like the present coronavirus outbreak brings out both the best and the worst in people. Many are generous; not a few are selfish hoarders. Hoarding is accumulating more than enough for one’s foreseeable needs in a time of crisis. Hoarding can also be an effort to drive up prices so one can make a killing by taking advantage of others in need.

I’ve seen long lines of carts loaded with water bottles and with TP and more. For some, this is simply prudence. Maybe so, but overall it seems too excessive for simple prudence. It’s often a form of hoarding—putting “self” first and showing it by keeping more of life’s necessities than necessary and thus depriving others of basic items they need.

In The Lord’s Prayer we read and pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Implicit in this petition is our need to be sure our neighbors also have their daily bread—the sustenance needed in food and in other provisions that makes for a sufficient lifestyle.

If we sincerely pray this petition Jesus gave us, we’ll be sure not to hoard. Instead, we will be generous to others in their hour of need.

Scalping is odious enough when it’s done to make a killing from coveted tickets for sports and other events. It is even more odious, AND EVIL, when the basic needs of life are hoarded and others are made to suffer need or pay exorbitant prices.

Proverbs 11:24-26 is quite clear. God honors the generous. God abhors the hoarder and, in the end, that person will not prosper. People likewise will honor the generous and curse the hoarder. Today as well as long ago.

Keeping Politics out of the Coronavirus Emergency
Remember “Swine Flu” in the 1970’s?

It started out in 1976 as a mystery illness among several soldiers at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Testing showed the illness was ordinary influenza in most cases, but with two soldiers it was something else.

The Centers for Disease Control found evidence of “Swine Influenza A” (a relative of the 1918 pandemic flu that killed up to 100 Million worldwide).

President Gerald Ford became very proactive and encouraged mass vaccination. Those who remember this flu scare may recall his very public televised vaccination.

But at least two things happened: (1) there were some severe reactions to the vaccine, including cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome; (2) Swine flu turned out to be mostly a “non-event” and use of the vaccine was suspended and never resumed. Political critics roundly mocked the president as someone caught up in hysteria. Had a pandemic occurred, he would have been hailed as a prescient hero.

Hindsight is 20/20. Was President Ford correct in his pro-active stance? Laurence Gostin would write years later in The Hastings Center Report: “…the swine flu affair fails to tell us whether, in the face of scientific uncertainty, it is better to err on the side of caution or aggressive intervention.”

One reporter recently asked President Trump how he would rate his response to the coronavirus on a scale of 1 to 10. The president said “10” to no one’s surprise. Self-promotion has been a mark of his career. It would have been better if the reporter had stayed off the silly self-evaluation question and the president had not taken the bait.

Our country and the world will be better served by non-partisan, non-judgmental, science-based responses to the virus, supplemented by care, caution, prudence and common sense. It is not an hour for the news media, the opinion writers or politicians to try to score points other than safeties.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message for the Taxing Month of April –

Ministers MUST pay into Social Security

In 1985 I proposed to the Conference of my denomination (The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches) that a study committee be appointed to develop a strong, contemporary retirement program for our ministers. The proposal passed, and I became one of the committee members.

My task at one point was to analyze a survey we sent to our ministers. I divided the responses into three age categories (below 40, 40-55, above 55).

I found that most of the pastors in the 55+ group were participants in the Social Security program (NOTE: for many years participation in Social Security was OPTIONAL [opt-in] for clergy—not so in recent decades).

Surprisingly, I found that most of the pastors below age 40 had opted out of Social Security. Furthermore, most of these opt-outers had not created any kind of a substitute plan for funding their retirements.

Maybe Jesus will return first!

Here are some plain facts:

(1) Ministers are regarded as SELF-EMPLOYED by the IRS when it comes to paying into social security (Self-employment Tax). This means they must pay twice what employees pay into the program (15.3% instead of 7.65%). Many church boards may not be aware of this burden on their pastors. An enlightened church board would reimburse pastors for at least half of this tax.

(2) By law, ministers MUST participate in the Social Security program, except in very narrow circumstances. To be specific, only by conscientiously signing and submitting Form 4361 to the IRS may a minister “opt out” of paying into this system.

(3) What does Form 4361 require? The minister must declare:

I certify that I am conscientiously opposed to, or because of my religious principles I am opposed to, the acceptance (for services I perform as a minister…) of any public insurance that makes payments in the event of death, disability, old age, or retirement; or that makes payments toward the cost of, or provides services for, medical care…

Read that again, carefully. In addition, Form 4361 requires that the minister has previously communicated this conviction to the ordaining body of his church. Finally, under penalties of perjury, the applicant declares, “I have examined this application and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true and correct.”

(4) Many clergy have opted out of Social Security not from religious convictions, but simply because (a) they didn’t want to pay it and/or (b) they thought they could benefit more by investing this amount elsewhere. Seminaries may even have facilitated this thinking.

(5) Many clergy therefore lied, or at the least got bad advice, didn’t check it out on their own, and didn’t read Form 4361 before signing it. In fact, a tax guide for ministers came out several years ago that actually advised them, if questioned by the IRS, NOT to say they opted out for financial reasons, but because of their church’s doctrines. This was simply not true in a vast number of cases.

(6) My assessment of clergy responses when I served on the retirement study committee is that many had not invested in an alternate, comparable retirement program. Thus, they will find themselves coming up short when the desire or need to retire comes.

(7) If a minister lives in church-owned housing his retirement prospects may be even worse. Unless he has prepared for his retirement housing, he will find himself with no parsonage and with no equity.

One of the best words of advice I ever received is when the board of my first congregation as a senior pastor advised me to stay in the Social Security program when I could have opted out (in those days, without declaring an “objection of conscience”). They sweetened that advice by paying my social security taxes. I now am beneficiary of that wisdom.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3
“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”
The Off-Duty Officer

My wife and I love watching “Blue Bloods.” In one episode, Police Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) was determined to discipline an off-duty officer for not intervening in an armed robbery at a store where he and his daughter were customers. PC Reagan eventually changed his mind.

And good he did! While off-duty intervention against a crime may be appropriate and work out well, it is not without its special dangers:
• Even if armed, the off-duty officer is not wearing body armor.
• The officer lacks a radio and other important equipment.
• The officer may be at a tactical disadvantage.
• Neither the public nor law enforcement responders may recognize this officer or learn he is an officer.
• Family members of the officer may be in danger.

Thus, an off-duty officer probably has no “duty to intervene” (department manuals will cover this) and must use his or her own training and wisdom on whether to do so. It may be better to call 911, monitor the situation, and wait for uniformed officers to respond. Or it may be better to intervene. The highest respect is due this person, whatever the decision is.

Chase and Nicole McKeown are officers with the Elizabethtown, KY police department.
On Saturday, February 15 they were eating at a favorite restaurant. An armed robber entered. The couple drew their weapons and left their seats (running down separate aisles!). The robber, seeing the jig was up, dropped his weapon and ran out, the officers hot on his trail.
Bad guy captured!

Good for Chase and Nicole! Their city is privileged to have them.
What they did is a symbol of the dedication of officers on and off the job.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance – Government Edicts During the Coronavirus Crisis

We properly respond to government actions concerning the coronavirus three ways: (1) love of neighbor, (2) respect for authorities, and (3) recognition of our constitutional rights.

Out of love for our neighbor, the second great commandment Jesus taught, we do what is best for the greater good of society (Mark 12:31).

Out of respect for authorities (Titus 3:1) and the medical knowledge they gather to the best of their ability, we agree to the prohibitions and adjustments set forth by our local, state and federal governments. We do this as active citizens, not passive subjects (as in China or under other authoritarian systems).

Recognizing our constitutional rights, we keep a wary eye on any edicts from government that might limit our rights. We insist on a quick end to limitations of our rights once the crisis has passed. Two points to remember:

First, constitutional rights don’t emanate from the generosity of the government. They precede the government. The rights are over the state, not benevolently bestowed by the state and subject to the state’s retractions.
President John F. Kennedy was clear in his inaugural address (Jan. 20, 1961):

I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.

The world is very different now… And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.

Second, attempts by the state to limit the right to assemble and the free exercise of religion can’t happen by edict not subject to review. The courts are established, as an independent branch of government, to review such edicts. I would expect “strict scrutiny” to be applied to these edicts. “Strict scrutiny” is a very high and rigid standard. It presumes at the start that the restriction is constitutionally invalid. Thus the burden of proof rests on the government to show its constitutionality. It must show that the edict is necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that it is tailored as narrowly as possible to achieve the justifiable results.

Americans should uphold the rules and recommendations of state officials during the present crisis. We are good citizens. But our love for our country also includes vigorous defense of our constitutional rights.

The Struggle for Religious Freedom Continues in China

Under authoritarian governments, religious freedom (to whatever degree) is bestowed by the state, which can also remove it.

“Brother Enfu” is the pastor of an unregistered (thus illegal) church in China. Every time his church meets, he and the other church members know that police could raid the service and close down their meeting. Church members have been told to stop attending services or risk losing their jobs, and other churches in the area have already been closed.
(Source: “Voice of the Martyrs”)

Available: My Sermons at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach

To hear sermons I’ve delivered at Grace Community Church go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

Sample Sermon Titles:

• “The Holy City – Final Home” (Revelation 21-22)
• “Jeremiah: Right Man for the Right Hour (Jeremiah 1-20)
• “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King (1 Kings 1-11)
• “Christian Freedom” (Romans 14:1-8) RECOMMENDED!
A sermon for the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
• “Come, Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-42)

Grace Community Church is on-line during the present Coronavirus limitations

There are no gathered worship services for the time being. Watch and participate in the Sunday services during or anytime after the services at 9:30 and 11:00 PDT.

www.gracesealbeach.org

Available: Past Issues of this Newsletter

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Click “Blogs and Newsletters”

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Appendix – Responses to the March 2020 Newsletter

A reader commented on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War 2:

We’ve driven by [the Manzanar Internment Center] countless times and stopped to visit last May. A number of years ago I had the opportunity to have lunch in the Senate Dining Room with then Congressman and later Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta. Sec. Mineta told me that as a child of 7, living on Terminal Island where his family grew and sold vegetables, they were forced to board a train and taken to an Internment Camp in Wyoming. He was wearing his Cub Scout uniform at the time. The soldiers confiscated his Louisville Slugger baseball bat because it was a “weapon.” And I am tearing up as I type these sentences with the thought of such injustice.

Thank you for highlighting important issues in the name of Godly justice and righteousness.
__________

Dr. Bill Katip, President of Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, observed that World War 2 internment camps also put away German and Italian Americans [reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment_of_German_Americans]

During WWII, German nationals and German Americans in the US were detained and/or evicted from coastal areas on an individual basis. Although the War Department (now the Department of Defense) considered mass expulsion of ethnic Germans and ethnic Italians from the East or West coast areas for reasons of military security, it did not follow through with this. The numbers of people involved would have been overwhelming to manage. A total of 11,507 people of German ancestry were interned during the war…
__________

A reader responded to my “Message of the Month” on ADA (Americans with Disabilities) issues:

ADA – You said nothing about renters, landlords and service animals. We have a condo…we rent out to short term renters. We don’t permit renters to bring pets to the condo… Following months of legal research and professional drafting, the HOA recently updated its Rules & Regulations and CC&Rs to prohibit owners from allowing short term renters to bring pets and imposes heavy fines on owners who violate the regulation. We were notified recently by the HOA that a renter brought a pet to our condo.

Here in part is [the rental Website’s] reply,” … the owner of the dog verbally told…that the animal was an ADA service animal. The conversation stopped right there, as [the rental entity] is prohibited by law to ask … a) for any documentation, b) to have the animal demonstrate the task it has been trained to perform, and c) to ask the owner what their disability is… The reality is, renters can lie and lawfully get away with it. As a Short Term Rental property owner, you have essentially no rights with regard to ADA service animals.” There are several points which may not be entirely accurate based on my reading of the ADA Code of Federal Regulations…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

March 2020 Newsletter

Posted on February 28, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”March 2020 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Winter of 1968
in Indiana

My wife, Mary, is standing by our car and almost hidden by a tree. We are leaving for church on a Sunday morning. Two years later we were on our way to warm Southern California! Read on…

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight—Youth in Leadership?

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
– 1 Timothy 4:12 (New International Version)

In January 1970, shortly after my 25th birthday, my wife and I boarded a plane in South Bend, Indiana to fly via Chicago to Los Angeles. The runway in South Bend required the use of a snowplow before the plane could land to get us. We found the Los Angeles area to be one fine place in January!

I was candidating to become the pastor of Los Altos Brethren Church in Long Beach. When the church extended a call to me a couple of weeks later, I accepted. We followed the plan to move in the summer, and I became the pastor of that church in August of 1970.

To a few who didn’t want me as pastor, I was “that kid.” I was having breakfast at Bob’s Big Boy one morning when another pastor phoned the restaurant to reach me. I saw the waitress come down the row of booths and ask at each table, “Are you a reverend?” But when she came to my table, she looked at me and walked right on to the next table!

I was pretty GREEN and I made my share of mistakes. But one thing I did rightly was to show respect to the older believers in the church and listen to them. (By “older” I mean those who were as I now am, 50 years later!)

The Apostle Paul’s words to young Timothy (1 Timothy 4:12 above) were relevant to me. Of course, Timothy was likely well into his 30’s and it’s a valid question to ask how far Paul’s words can be stretched to fit church leaders in their 20’s. Yes, I had my master’s degree from seminary and was trained in pastoral and theological matters, but was I seasoned enough to lead a congregation?

What should a young church leader do and not do?

First, the young leader must repudiate today’s “Cult of Youth.”
* This was strong in 1970, with the campus unrest and protests. Remember “You can’t trust anyone over thirty”? Of course, no one from that era still believes that!
The church should be a counter-culture to the “Cult of Youth.” Instead, in church life the “cult of youth” is as bad today as it was in 1970. Biblically speaking, the leader must be someone with knowledge and wisdom, who learns from the past and is seasoned by years of testing (Hebrews 5:18). Today the Apostle Paul could rightly insist, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are OLD, but set an example for the YOUNGER believers…”

Second, the young leader must avoid shooting his toes off by making foolish mistakes in words or actions, and especially in attitude. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” – Proverbs 16:18.

“You are to follow me because God put me over you!” (Pastor, where did you get the idea you alone are Spirit-filled and above accountability?)

“I’ve got the education to know what the issues are and what’s best for the church!” (But maybe you are answering questions no one is asking!)

“I just preach The Truth and let the chips fall where they may.” (You may find yourself in the “chipper”!)

“I unfold the Bible’s meaning in great depth.” (But you don’t need 50 minutes to do it. A 25-30 minute sermon will be a better sermon.
In seminary we thought ourselves to be clones of John MacArthur.)

What other presumptuous words, attitudes and actions can you think of?

Third, the young leader must follow the FULL meaning of 1 Tim. 4:12. The verse has a “do” phrase as well as a “don’t” phrase. If the young pastor wants to avoid being looked down on, this pastor must earn the people’s trust as a leader. And it is done by being “an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

My mentor in my early pastoral career (1968-70) was Pastor Gordon Bracker, under whom I served as associate pastor in Elkhart, Indiana. At my installation service in Long Beach in 1970 he gave me three words of advice in front of all, “Love the people, love the people, love the people.”

* TIME Magazine featured the “cult of youth” twice recently (Dec. 23-30, 2019 and Feb 3, 2020). Greta Thunberg, 16, is TIME’s “Person of the Year” showing “The Power of Youth.”
But the real “Persons of the Year” were the protestors in Hong Kong and Venezuela.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month –
Settling ADA Issues Jesus’ Way

As I drove down a major 6-lane road in Long Beach I noticed a man in a wheelchair trying to navigate around a bus stop bench. He had to go into the street—into the right lane of traffic—to get around it.

When I got home I contacted City Hall to report the sidewalk blockage. Within a couple of days the bench was moved. ¡Problema completado! Issue over!

But that’s not how our litigious system for resolving ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) issues seems to work.

In the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach, full of small restaurants and stores, a law firm has joined with a disabled person to sue businesses that are not ADA-compliant in one way or another. In fact, this gentleman and his attorney’s firm have filed 650 lawsuits over ADA compliance. California leads the nation in such lawsuits (2444 in the first six months of 2019). Why shouldn’t it, when state law guarantees a prevailing plaintiff $4000 or more for each incident, plus legal fees?

Immigrant business owners easily find themselves victims of such lawsuits. Many of these hard-working people are not culturally accustomed to detailed regulations. So they might get sued, for example, for having a bathroom mirror a couple of inches too high.

Jesus’ teaching is contrary to a litigious spirit. Jesus taught people to attempt resolution of issues without first resorting to litigation. Jesus taught those offended by another’s wrongdoing to try to handle the matter privately between them before getting others involved.

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge…” – Matthew 5:25 (NIV)

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church…” – Matthew 18:15-16

The Apostle Paul explicitly forbade Christians being litigious with one another.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? …Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! – 1 Corinthians 6:1,5,6

The answer to ADA non-compliance is neither to ignore violations nor to litigate them without giving the business a reasonable amount of time to comply.The Federal Government has a resolution process:

The ADA Mediation Program is an important part of ADA compliance. Using professional ADA-trained mediators throughout the United States, mediation is a confidential, voluntary way to resolve ADA complaints fairly and quickly. Types of complaints most appropriate for this program include barrier removal, program accessibility, effective communication, and modification of policies, practices, and procedures. [Source: ADA.gov]

This “grace period” provision, however, is resisted by those who want to milk the “system” and who don’t care who they hurt.

What more is to be said?
• We need more practice of “The Golden Rule.”
• Churches should lead the way and even do more than is required.
• Legislators must think more about the long-range likely consequences of laws they pass, and also unintentional consequences and the likely litigation a law may generate.
• State laws should be changed if necessary to allow reasonable time for compliance before citing a business for a violation.

Back to the man in the wheelchair whose path was blocked by a bench—maybe I should have referred him to a law firm specializing in ADA lawsuits and received a finder’s fee. The bench, then, might take months to be moved.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3
“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”

Chaplains are there to
“Back the Badge”

Chaplains play a very important role in the law enforcement community.

Most chaplains are ordained ministers. Sometimes chaplains have professional training in psychology. All chaplains are trained for their work and continue to be trained as they serve. Chaplaincy is a non-sectarian service, and all chaplains must take care to view it as such (for example, no proselytizing during a time of service as a chaplain).

I’ve been privileged to serve as a chaplain for the Seal Beach Police Department since 2001. I know it has been enriching for me and valuable for my pastoral work in my church. I’ve also been able to serve the community and department in meaningful ways.

Chaplains perform ceremonial roles and these can sometimes be significant (certainly more than just “blessing the cookies” at the end of a swearing-in ceremony). Conducting a funeral for someone in the law enforcement family is very important. In my own service, fulfilling ceremonial functions connected to a mass murder in Seal Beach in 2011 has been one of the most important roles I have ever undertaken.
Chaplains get to know the individual officers—their work and challenges especially—through “ride-alongs.”

Chaplains are called to respond to very difficult incidents—suicides, sudden or unexpected deaths, accidents, counseling situations, and more. Again, the mass murder (of 8) in Seal Beach was a defining moment in my life and my service and responding to it has been the most significant ministry I’ve had in fifty years of service as a minister. I still meet and pray with some family members of victims on the anniversary day of the killings (October 12).

Chaplains assist officers in many ways. One of the most important is assisting in a death notification, which can be about as horrible as one can imagine for the family or spouse or parent being notified.

Does your local law enforcement agency have the services of a chaplain? Information to get started is easy to find. You may contact me for any advice or assistance I can provide.

The best organization for chaplains is the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC): www.icpc4cops.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance –
Threats to the Religious Liberty of Parochial Schools

Parents spend over $5000 a year to send their children to St. James Catholic School in Torrance, California. Perhaps some do this from the secular desire to give their children a very good education. But many more do so in order that their children might learn in a distinctively Catholic environment.

To maintain a religious environment such as that at St. James, it is essential that religious schools be able to hire teachers devoted to their tenets of doctrine and worship and moral values. Religious education, after all, is more than having a cross or crucifix on the wall or saying some formalized prayers. If the education is genuine, it will strive to inculcate religious beliefs and worship and values deep into the hearts of the students. It will seek to relate faith to ALL subject matter, rather than make religion a superficial part of children’s education. That’s why such schools must be able to require “adherence of the heart” from its teachers.

In its “Statement of Philosophy” St. James School says, “We guide spiritual formation of the student in partnership with the parents. We strive to influence the moral values of the child and hope to help each strengthen his/her personal relationship with God.”

If parents don’t really want that, or if teachers don’t deeply believe that, they are free to move on to a school that fits their own philosophies of life. Parents are also free to use the public school system and save over $5000 a year.

It is therefore both sad and dangerous that the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has sided with two teachers (one from St. James School and another from Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Hermosa Beach, CA) rather than with their schools on the issue of dismissal from their teaching positions.

The two cases have been combined by the U.S. Supreme Court and the court will hear and decide them sometime in 2020-21.

I agree with the position of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty:
Religious institutions should be fully empowered to select their priests, rabbis, ministers and other religious teachers. The Supreme Court has acknowledged that right and all courts should respect that decision. Both church and state benefit when the state is not evaluating the internal decisions of a religious ministry.

Growing Restrictions on Religion in China
Last month I reported on the new (as of February 1) restrictions on religion in China. Here is a report on how funeral practices are being restricted. Imagine in America, if clergy were not allowed to officiate at funeral practices occurring outside the walls of a church, or even banning religious funerals altogether.

Christian funerals have been banned in some areas of China as the communist government begins to enforce a set of repressive regulations on religious practices.

In the eastern province of Zhejiang, the government has put in force a set of Regulations on Centralized Funeral Arrangement, which bans priests from attending funeral prayers outside a religious place.

The government claims the new rules aim to “get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized and economical way of funerals.” [What in the world is a “scientific” way of doing funerals?]

“Clerical personnel are not allowed to participate in funerals” at homes and “no more than 10 family members of the deceased are allowed to read scriptures or sing hymns in a low voice,” the rules state.

– From Union of Catholic Asian News, February 3, 2020

On Feb. 11, Cardinal Joseph Zen, emeritus bishop of Hong Kong, discussed the situation of the Church in China with the Catholic News Agency.

“More and more, the Church is under persecution [in China]—both the official Church and the underground…

“Even in the official church, the faithful are more and more controlled. On the top of the church they tell you to destroy the crosses, inside the church, they put the image of Xi Jinping—maybe not in the center, but in some place. Now they have to have the flag in the church, they have to sing the national anthem.

“People under 18 years of age are not allowed into churches, not allowed in any religious activity. Christmas is forbidden, in the whole country. Even the Bible should be re-translated, according to the Communist orthodoxy. So now we see more and more control on the Church, and there is a really a universal lamentation in the whole Church.”

[Note: One of my ministry foci is “Religious Freedom for All.” I support freedom of religion for Catholics as well as Protestants and non-Christian religions as well as Christianity. I also support those who hold no particular religious expression—their right not to be coerced by the state toward a particular faith—and the right of all not to be coerced toward any secular ideology.][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Great Wrong of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942
Highway 395 runs north/south on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. I have driven it many times on my way to backpacking or hiking in the Sierra or to visit Mammoth Lakes.

Along one bleak, arid segment of the highway you come to Manzanar, where 11,000 Japanese Americans were placed during World War II (120,000 were interned in ten relocation centers). I remember the first time I stopped there when the only thing to see was the old guard house at the entrance along with a couple of plaques. Even then, it was a very moving experience.

Now the location has a fine museum and you can drive around and see signs telling you what buildings were at various locations. Manzanar was not a “concentration camp” by any means, but it was not a retreat either. Winters were cold; summers very hot. The centers were essentially prisons for those who had done nothing wrong—they were simply Americans of Japanese descent.

In post-Pearl Harbor America there was much fear of what might happen on our West Coast. Would an attack come? Would people of Japanese descent support Japan? There was no evidence that they would and there were no acts by them against the U.S. Still, President Roosevelt, encouraged by California Governor Earl Warren, signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 that led to the internment camps.

Beside the forced and quick internments, these prisoners in most cases lost their livelihoods, possessions and properties.

As a descendent of German immigrants, how would I feel had the government rounded up German Americans and put them in such places?

Let the memory of this great wrong keep us from doing anything like it again.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Raunchiest Ad on TV?
Are you “In Good Hands”
with Allstate?

Available: My Sermons at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach
To hear sermons I’ve delivered at Grace Community Church go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

Sample Sermon Titles:

• “The Holy City – Final Home” (Revelation 21-22)
• “Jeremiah: Right Man for the Right Hour (Jeremiah 1-20)
• “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King (1 Kings 1-11)
• “Christian Freedom” (Romans 14:1-8) RECOMMENDED!
A sermon for the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
• “Come, Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-42)

Available: Past Issues of this Newsletter

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

February 2020 Newsletter

Posted on January 31, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”February 2020 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

– Psalm 139:13-17 (NEV)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month—Guns & Churches & Faith in God

They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore. – Micah 4:3b

Better not do that by yourself! You may end up dead and your country overrun by tyranny. The verse speaks of universal abandonment of weapons.

The prophecy, whether from Micah 4:3 or Isaiah 2:4, finds its realistic fulfillment in an ideal “Age to Come”. In that age there will be no need for weaponry of war, for:
It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
and many nations shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away. – Micah 4:1-3a

There will be no need for weaponry at home either. God will protect.
They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and no one shall make them afraid,
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. – Micah 4:4

We should all work for a high measure of safety and consider this way and that way to accomplish it. But we must not be naïve about those who would do us harm, personally and as nations. Leave the promise in its context!

Israel’s Governor Nehemiah got it right! He knew the sinister capabilities of his foes, and he knew how to promote public safety:

And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. – Nehemiah 4:9

And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” – Nehemiah 7:3

Which brings us to the Sunday, December 29 shooting at the West Freeway Church of Christ in the Fort Worth suburb of White Settlement. Because of trained, armed church members, great loss of life was prevented (two worshippers and the assailant [red circle] were killed).

No defense can take the place of dedicated law enforcement officers who are willing to run toward danger to save lives. But officers are not ubiquitous and a wary and prepared citizenry will often be the first line of defense. *

Sheriff Bill Waybourn said it well: “Today evil walked boldly among us. But let me remind you, good people raised up and stopped it before it got worse.”

Jesus’ words to love our enemies and “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:44, 39) do not negate self-protection or armed officers. These words in The Sermon on the Mount may be referring to response to persecution.

At any rate, Jesus is not replacing the Old Testament’s Law of Moses with a new law of pacifism. Any interpretation of “The Sermon on the Mount” that puts it in conflict with the Law of Moses has somewhere missed the point.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,” Jesus said. “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus’ teaching will clarify, not nullify. His teaching lifts us above self-satisfying surface obedience to the heights of real obedience. Playing on the Latin superlative, Martin Luther said that in “The Sermon on the Mount” we have Mosissimus Moses—Moses to the “nth degree”.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott awarded the “Governor’s Medal of Courage” to Jack Wilson, who felled the shooter (within two seconds of the killer’s first shot, by my timing). Mr. Wilson wrote,

The events at West Freeway Church of Christ put me in a position that I would hope no one would have to be in, but evil exist and I had to take out an active shooter in church. I’m thankful to GOD that I have been blessed with the ability and desire to serve him in the role of head of security at the church. I am very sad in the loss of two dear friends and brothers in CHRIST, but evil does exist in this world and I and other members are not going to allow evil to succeed.

A better application of sound theology to life would be hard to find.

I pray and yearn for the arrival of the “Better Age” and I join all people of good will who work hard for incremental progress. We can agree or disagree on the means to the end, but I have no room in my mind for wishful naiveté. “Praise the Lord but keep the powder dry” is still good advice.

Finally, I urge all places of worship that display a sign “No Weapons Permitted” to take it down. A person bent on violence isn’t going to obey it. Why would you assure him that he has little to fear at your soft target?

* Michael Bloomberg disagrees with this civilian action. “It’s the job of law enforcement to have guns and to decide when to shoot.” Had this happened, officers would have found a massacre.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3
“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”

Emotions still run deep in those who were connected in some way to the events forever known as “9/11”.

Beyond the emotions, real health concerns continue.
I witnessed this once when a speaker who was deployed to the World Trade Center site had to cough frequently during her presentation many years later.

A recent report shows an increasing number of cancers as the years pass, including leukemia, in WTC first responders (JNCI Cancer Spectrum journal, reported in The Wall Street Journal).

As of November, 2019, 241 police officers have died of “9/11” related illnesses—more than three times the 71 who died in the actual collapse of the World Trade Center towers. Twelve died in 2019, including most recently:

August 29 – Cayuga County Undersheriff Stephen McLoud
September 8 – NYPD Detective Joseph Paolillo
September 19 – NYPD Officer Derrick Bishop
– these all died of cancer developed after the 9/11 recovery efforts.

Let us keep our memories focused lest we forget those who died and who are now dying as the event of 9/11 fades into the past, now 19 years later. The WTC toll of firefighters was 343 on that day and well over 500 now.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”1324″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1325″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance – China and the U.S.

“I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.”
– Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Miller, 1808
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
– United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights (Article 18)

Once again “Religious Freedom Day” was observed on January 16. This date marks the 234th anniversary of adoption of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson. It stopped the practice of taxing people to pay for the support of the local clergy, and it protected the civil rights of people to express their religious beliefs free from discrimination.

Jefferson saw this as one of his greatest achievements, so much so that it is listed on his tombstone along with authorship of the Declaration of American Independence and Father of the University of Virginia. Oddly enough, he did not list “President of the United States”, perhaps considering that role less significant (those were different days for how the Executive Branch was viewed, but I digress).

Here is a summary of the statute, thanks to Gateways to Better Education:

An easier-to-understand paraphrase of the Virginia Statute
God created us to be free in our thinking. He is all-powerful but He chose not to force us to obey Him. Throughout history there have been people who have tried to force others to believe a certain way about God. Often times this has led to people being forced to believe what the ruler believed even if it wasn’t really true. We don’t want that.

It also isn’t right to force people to give money to religions that they don’t believe. It is best to let people support the religion they believe is the best one. The government shouldn’t even force people to support the religion they do believe is right. Each person should be free to support his religion in the way he thinks is best.

The rights we have, as citizens, shouldn’t depend on which religion we follow. The government shouldn’t tell people that they cannot hold a public office like mayor, or governor, or President just because of their religious beliefs. If the government did that, it would only cause people to lie about their beliefs. They might say they believe this or that religion just to run for political office. Of course, it would be wrong for people to lie about their religious beliefs, but it would also be wrong for the government to tempt people to lie by saying that only people who believe a certain way can be in politics. The government’s job is to help keep a peaceful society, not to tell people what religion to follow.

Truth is a wonderful thing. Truth can defend itself if you just let it be told. People need to be free to talk about what they believe is the truth about God.

Because of all this, we, the leaders of the state of Virginia, have decided the government should not force anybody to follow a religion, nor should the government force anybody to pay money to support a religion. People should decide this for themselves. Also, the government shouldn’t hassle people because of the religion they follow. Instead, everybody should be free to follow, and talk about, their religion.

We know that we are elected by the people to make decisions for right now. We know that in the future some group of Virginia’s leaders may decide to change this law. But, if they did that, we want to say right now that would be wrong, because God created us to be free.

Contrast America’s “separation of church and state” from what is about to happen in China, as of February 1. Be thankful for our First Amendment and the freedoms derived from it. And pray for suppressed and persecuted Christians and for others who will experience harm from this great intrusion by the Chinese government into the affairs of religion as it tries to make the church a mouthpiece for Communist socialism.

Here is what will soon happen:
Beijing, China, Jan 6, 2020 (Catholic News Agency) – China will enforce new restrictions on religious groups, organizations, meetings, and other related events starting on Feb 1.

The country’s state-controlled media announced the new policy on Dec. 30, after Chinese authorities moved to further suppress Catholics in the Archdiocese of Fuzhou who are refusing to join the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

According to UCA News, the new “Administrative Measures for Religious Groups,” which consists of six sections and 41 articles, will control every aspect of religious activity within China, and will mandate that all religions and believers in China comply with regulations issued by the Chinese Communist Party, which must be acknowledged as the higher authority.

“Religious organizations must adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, observe the constitution, laws, regulations, ordinances and policies, adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, adhere to the directives on religions in China, implementing the values of socialism,” says Article 5 of the new policies.

In Article 17 states that “religious organizations must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party,” as well as requiring “religious personnel and religious citizens to support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, supporting the socialist system, adhering to and following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

All this was not supposed to happen! Note this critical assessment from the Catholic Crisis Magazine (January 9):
Under this pontificate [Pope Francis]… the Holy See made a deal with the communists [September 22, 2019].

…In return for the Vatican recognizing some of the “patriotic” bishops as legitimate, they declared the Pope to be head of the Church. Meanwhile, the faithful in China got nothing. As retired Hong Kong Archbishop Joseph Cardinal Zen declared the previous day, the Holy See was “giving the flock into the mouths of the wolves.”

So it has proved. Since then persecution of the Church has increased, with churches being destroyed, children prevented from attending Mass, and new regulations requiring recognized religious groups—including the now semi-official Catholic Church in China—to render complete and total submission to the Communist Party. By any objective standard, Pope Francis’s China policy has been a complete and utter failure. A martyr Church has been betrayed—we must hope—unwittingly.

How the church adjusts to a hostile government or culture is not an easy question to answer. What can be yielded to protect what dare not be yielded? Maybe we better start sharpening our answers to this question in America.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight—Finding Truth in the Book of Revelation

Everyone yearns for a better tomorrow. We see this especially in an election period when candidates out-do one another with promises.

The Book of Revelation takes us through the turmoil and trials of life and leads us to a better tomorrow—an eternal city. Interpretations abound on how to understand this fascinating and yet bewildering book. Here are my guidelines:

1. Always keep this fundamental principle of interpretation in mind: The Book of Revelation was written to seven existing churches in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). Read chapters 1-3 to see this fact. It had great significance to First Century Christians facing severe testings. Any interpretation of this book that does not see it through the eyes of these believers is suspect!

2. Try reading this book doxologically – as a Book of Worship (which it certainly is). The book has many themes and poetry that have led to rich Christian music. For examples, check out these passages: 1:4-7; 4:6-11; 5:6-14; 11:15-18; 15:3-4; 19:1-8 and “The Holy City” by Frederic Weatherly (1892).

3. The Book of Revelation has lots of symbolism and drama (like The Chronicles of Narnia) —don’t get too dogmatic over the details! The details add to the drama without each of them calling for interpretive significance.

4. The Book of Revelation depicts heaven and earth as places of conflict between good and evil. Experience tells us that’s true on earth, but are we open to the possibility of such conflict happening in the unseen realm of spirits?

5. The book’s basic message is this: The present times are tough—it may look like evil is winning. But God still rules. His plan is on schedule. “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (11:15).

6. The book’s challenge is: Stay strong, resist evil, keep the faith—Judgment Day is coming, with vindication and reward for the “overcomer.”

7. Finally, the Book of Revelation extends this invitation to everyone: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come. And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (22:17). This invitation to come to Jesus still stands.

Available: My Message on the Book of Revelation

To hear my December 29, 2019 message on the Book of Revelation, go to www.gracesealbeach.org and click “Sermons” under “Resources.”
You will see my name under “Sermons by speaker.”

Unintended Humor
Excuse me if I saw just a little bit of humor in the juxtaposition of the titles of these two opinion columns in The Washington Post on Jan. 8 –

“Want an end to wars? Let women run the world.”

“Elizabeth Warren tries to pick a fight with Joe Biden.”

Pastors—Keep Your Politics Out of Your Message
A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that almost half (45%) of people who attend services at least a few times a year are “unsure” of their clergy’s partisan leanings. Over a quarter (27%) say their clergy are a mix of both parties, while 16 percent say they lean Republican and 11 percent say they lean Democrat. 72% say their pastor has “about the right amount” of discussion about politics in sermons.
– Christianity Today (on line), January 15, 2020

I don’t think a pastor’s political affiliation should be made known at any church gathering or via any church communication instrument.

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

January 2020 Newsletter

Posted on January 2, 2020 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”December 2019 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

“3 R’s” for Churches at the Start of Every New Year

Revival – is our church aflame with (wise) zeal and love and enthusiasm to serve the Lord, along with repentance from sin and forgiving others?

Reformation – Are our doctrines and values thoroughly biblical and their explanations crisp and clear and contemporary?

Renewal – Are our church’s structures (including facilities and grounds and equipment) positive testimonies and enhancements to our witness and are our methods and governance as sharp as they could be? Read pages 3-6 below about one key area of “Renewal” your church may need.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – The Christmas Immigration Story

A Fitting Word for Epiphany Sunday, January 5, 2020

“…an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child [Jesus] and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’” – Matthew 2:13

A church in Claremont, California created quite a controversy (as I’m sure they intended) by putting Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus in cages—symbolizing experiences of some attempting immigration into the U.S. along the southern border.

My opinion? No depictions of the plight of immigrants can be better than the simple biblical story of the danger facing the Holy Family at the hand of the paranoid and murderous King Herod. By God’s guidance Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to Egypt. That didn’t end the danger! After Herod’s death the family returned to the land of Israel, again by God’s guidance, and finally settled safely in Galilee (read Matthew 2:19-23).

Here was government oppression to faith in God, up to and including killing. Here was fear to return to the land because of new oppression. Imagine being afraid of the leaders in the country you love and call “home”, because they cannot tolerate a challenge to their rule—in this case a spiritual challenger (this is typical of tyranny). The travail and risks of emigration are preferred over the travail and risks of living under tyranny while striving to please God.

Christians believe the flight to Egypt by Jesus’ family had special redemptive significance, for this child was destined to rule and abolish evil rulers like Herod personified (listen to the words of “Joy to the World”).

But the stories about Jesus provide broader value as they point us to the vision of the prophets for a land of justice and mercy. For that I pray, and I give thanks for the social impact of the Christmas Season. Jesus is indeed the savior of those who believe, but also the savior of all people everywhere (1 Timothy 4:10), including those living under and fleeing from oppression.

See Appendix for my denomination’s 2019 resolution on immigration.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Pastoral Compensation—Proper and God-pleasing

By Donald Shoemaker
Pastor Emeritus of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach, CA

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ’Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’” – 1 Timothy 5:17-18 (NIV)

Neither then nor today have most Christian leaders received financial compensation for their service. But many others are “career pastors” or have other compensated roles in the local church. A given church has hired them with the expectation that such “career” people are what the church needs and they should be compensated for their services.

What financial obligations do we have to our pastors? And do we approach these obligations with joy or with reluctance?

Before getting deeper into that topic, I want to stress how important it is for churches to demonstrate leadership in good and honorable ways. Churches should be the engines of healthy change, not the cabooses (have you ever seen a caboose—once the last car on a freight train?). Accommodations for those with disabilities? Churches should already lead the way and not wait for a city agency to come along and tell them what they must do. The same is true with pastoral compensation and other matters of pastoral care. Lead the way!

Here are my convictions1 (they are intended to fit full-time pastoral roles and would need adjustments to fit other compensated roles in the church).

1. Compensation

Compensation should be commensurate with a pastor’s training, years of experience and level of achievement. As compared to what? Certainly as compared to similar pastoral positions in the area.2 But also to similar secular positions, such as education. Why shouldn’t the senior pastor earn what a principal earns at a local school of similar size?

Compensation should never include the costs of doing ministry. Not only is this wrong in itself, but it gives the impression the pastor is earning more than he really earns.

Compensation should also include reimbursement of one-half of Self-Employment Tax (“Social Security”).3 A pastor is considered self-employed by the IRS for Social Security purposes. The tax is currently 15.3%. If the pastor were considered an employee, the church would have to pay half of that. This is a matter of equity.

The Bible gives the principle of compensating someone as he is “worthy.” So let’s ask, does our compensation package express what the pastor is truly “worth”?

2. “Fringe” Benefits

• Health, dental and vision insurance paid totally or in part by the church (here’s an idea if this is something new: start 50/50 and move up to 90% paid by the church). Remember that this fringe benefit saves the pastor a significant amount of tax, as it also does for workers in secular jobs.
• Vacation time of two to four weeks, four being appropriate for the senior pastor.
• Identified holiday time off, or “CTO” if the pastor must work on a holiday. The church I served thoughtfully added the Monday after Easter to the list, which now totals twelve days.
• Sick pay of 10 days per year that can be accumulated up to a reasonable limit.
• Bereavement pay.
• Maternity and paternity leave (this can be covered by sick pay or vacation pay) for up to six months.
• Term life insurance of $50,000.
• A defined-contribution retirement program. The church should match the pastor’s pre-tax contribution up to 5%, perhaps phasing this in over the first three years of service.

3. Professional Expenses (“Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?”
– 1 Corinthians 9:7)

• The church should cover all reasonable costs of doing ministry. This includes professional library and computer-related tools, expenses for conferences, ministerial dues, periodicals, a mobile phone, and more.
• An accountable “Petty Cash” system is a wise way to cover smaller expenses, like lunch with a prospect or a book or the cost of attending a meeting.
• Reimbursement of mileage for the work-related use of the pastor’s vehicle (this must be the per-mile rate established by the IRS and cannot include commuting).
• All professional expenses should be supported in writing to be honorable and to avoid taxes. Avoid any taxable schemes like “$200 a month for auto”.

4. Professional Improvement

• A paid Sabbatical of three to six months every seventh year of service to provide for concentrated professional growth and improvement.4
• Cost of continuing education.

5. Community Service

• Encourage the pastor to be involved in meaningful community service and cover any expenses involved (such as membership fees for community organizations).
• Provide 10 days of compensation for Jury Duty. Some pastoral work can be accomplished during Jury Duty, but be sure the pastor isn’t expected to perform two jobs during this period.

6. Debt Retirement

• If the pastor is paying off a student loan for seminary or other ministry-related graduate studies, the church should view itself as the beneficiary of this training and pay the monthly expense of this debt.

All of this is to fairly compensate the pastor who is serving honorably and well. The church has to set its own measurement standards to evaluate this. Job descriptions are essential for holding a pastor accountable to agreed-upon performance points. They also protect a pastor from unestablished expectations.

I have talked about financial and related responsibilities a church has toward its pastor. There are other responsibilities. Protecting church leaders against unfair criticism, a process for handling grievances, clear job expectations, striving for a spirit of “shalom” in the church, and protecting the pastor’s family from unnecessary intrusions and criticisms are among them.

None said it better than the Apostle Paul: “Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

ENDNOTES:

(Introduction) Several of my points follow generally the compensation policies set forth in the employee handbook of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach, where I served as senior pastor from 1984 to 2012.

2 (Compensation) One compensation study I read covered such a broad geographical area as to be almost meaningless (what hath Arizona to do with Orange County, California?). It also gave no consideration to the pastor’s education.

3 (Compensation) The church should require its pastors to be in the Social Security program. They cannot “opt out” because (1) chances are strong they will not provide for comparable retirement income on their own, and (2) more important, pastors (and their denominations) do not have the required moral objections to government programs like Social Security.

4 (Professional Improvement) Some churches never think of a sabbatical (or a retirement plan, for that matter) since they don’t expect a pastor to stay long and they treat him accordingly. Taking unfair advantage of a pastor is a clear violation of scripture (1 Timothy 5:17-18).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Tribute to a Good Friend and Community Leader

Seth Eaker, 46, of Seal Beach CA died suddenly and unexpectedly on December 18.
He was a respected Seal Beach community leader, involved with the Lion’s Club, the Police Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce and just about anything else that was significant in town. He was a long-time spokesman on LGBT issues.

Seth and I had our points of agreement and respectful disagreement. We would exchange long emails, walk on the pier, stroll the streets of Old Town or just sit and talk. He would thoroughly prepare for our discussions and I quickly learned I had to be “on my toes” as well. We would discuss the Bible, religion, ethics, religious liberty and gay rights, court decisions, politics, community issues, and more. We were both listeners. I was honored whenever he would refer to me as his “mentor.”

When he was nominated to be Seal Beach’s Citizen of the Year in 2014, I voted for him as a member of the selection committee. We last sat together at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast November 14.

I will miss all my personal encounters with my good friend. The community will miss his energetic, loyal presence and service and his ability to add worth to anyone he encountered.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Issues of Death and Dying

(NOTE: I spoke on “Death and Dying” to a group of ministers on November 12. Five days later death hit very close to home when my wife’s brother passed away. Suddenly the topic became immensely personal. I hope the words I share will be of value to both pastors and others.)

“There is a time for everything…A time to be born and a time to die…”
“[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2, 11

If October 31 is “Dia de los Muertos” (“Day of the Dead”) then September through December have truly been “cuatro meses de los muertos” (“four months of the dead”) for my family and myself.

September, October, November, December – eight deaths plus serious illness!

• “Aunt Sally” called from Ohio in August to say she was dying of kidney failure. “Would you prepare a memorial message that could be played at the service?” “Of course we will—and we will visit you when we are in Ohio in October.” Three weeks later we received a call that Aunt Sally had died. We “Skyped” a memorial service to those gathered at a funeral home in Ohio.
• Jarrid Wilson, well-known pastor serving with Greg Laurie at Harvest Church in Riverside, CA, and minister on suicide issues and close friend to our daughter and her family, committed suicide in September.
• We travelled to Ohio in October to visit my brother and my wife’s brother, both of whom were having major health issues.
• Two church members passed—Trudy in her sleep, Chris after being briefly ill with cancer.
• Well-known worship pastor Keith Wells died of pancreatic cancer a few weeks after experiencing severe pain during a worship service—his “retirement” service.
• As I prepared to leave home for Trudy’s memorial, our next-door neighbor suddenly died. This experience showed the truth of Proverbs 27:10 – “Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.”
• My wife’s brother died under hospice care in Ohio on November 17.
• Seal Beach community leader and good personal friend Seth Eaker died suddenly on December 18.

“God, that’s enough for the rest of this year and then some!”

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.”
– Ecclesiastes 7:2

Why is this “better”? Because you confront one of life’s surest realities. After that “cold plunge” go live your life as best and joyful as you can in light of it.

“However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all.
But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many.”
– Ecclesiastes 11:8

Pastor John Piper said: “I’d rather speak at a funeral than at a wedding.
People need help.”

Over the years, when people ask me what a pastor’s work is like, I respond: “A pastor must be able to conduct a funeral and a wedding the same day, and take the right set of emotions to each.” One Saturday this happened! I officiated at a funeral in South-Central L.A. Then on to an ocean-front wedding in Newport Beach for an LAPD cop and his bride. More of a contrast I cannot imagine!

Pastor must have and show emotions as needed, but be in control of them always. If he’s having a crisis of emotions, he needs support by family and church leaders and, if needed, professional help and time off the job.

“Death and Dying” Questions for All to Ponder
and for Pastors to Shape into Ministry and Policy

1. Have we “put our house in order” and are we helping our flock do the same?
Doing so is both biblical and wise! “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die…” – Isaiah 38:1 (the prophet’s word to the king).

Completing a “Living Trust” is the best way to do this. At least that’s the place to start.

The Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes has this pessimistic look at what will come of our wealth:

“I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.” – Ecclesiastes 2:18-19

This pessimism can be largely overcome by a Living Trust.

2. Have we established an “Advance Health Care Directive” and encouraged it with our family and church members?
Be sure to check out your state’s “Advance Health Care Directive” (or similar executable document). It should be available at no cost on-line. These are generally understandable and simple to execute. You may find that your version of a Living Trust includes the AHCD.

3. Have we thought seriously about death and dying issues? Pastors, have you taught about these from the pulpit or in classes?
Have you taught on doctor-assisted suicide if it has become an issue in your state? Here are some key issues for pastors and laypeople to ponder:
• The “Patient Autonomy” argument. It is often presented as the ultimate value justifying assisted suicide. Patient autonomy, rather, is an important aspect of end-of-life decision-making, but not the only aspect. There are at least three other equal values: “Do good” (beneficence), “Do no evil” (non-maleficence), and “Do justice”. Patient autonomy is not an absolute right.
• “Abandonment” – a common fear by those severely ill. A patient may receive less institutional care if the family does not maintain a regular presence.
• “I don’t want to be a burden” is a very common concern of the elderly who are facing severe illness. We need to re-think burdensomeness in light of biblical mandates to families (1 Tim. 5:4,8). [Some of these points were drawn from “Facing Ethical Dilemmas at End-of Life” seminar presented by Dr. Bill Hoy at O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills, CA on Nov. 6, 2019.]

“…if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God… But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:4, 8

4. Does your church have a pastoral “ready response” policy for when a member has a severe medical crisis or accident, or when a member or someone in his/her immediate family dies?
In my 34 years as a senior pastor I made this a top priority. At my church we always have a “pastor on call” available. People in need can call a church number and their call is automatically forwarded to a pastor’s cell phone.

My mother experienced a complete lack of pastoral care during her six-month struggle with cancer. No good church will do this to a faithful member.

5. Pastors should have a brief service prepared to conduct on-location with the family and others gathered after someone passes.
This is a simple matter to plan for in advance. I have in my car scriptures and prayers in English and Spanish for use in appropriate chaplain “call-outs”.

6. Do we offer counsel to the bereaved on the details of what to do after a death occurs? Do we know the options on disposition of the body, on mortuaries to recommend, and what kinds of funerals/memorials can be held? Do we have a general idea of costs? Do we understand the role of the coroner?

Traditional funerals are becoming less common. A traditional funeral and burial may cost $10-12,000, plus cemetery costs. A single grave may cost $5000 or more in Southern California. The cost to pick up the deceased for cremation followed by a graveside service may be $2800, plus cemetery costs. Reputable mortuaries will have costs easily available without pressure, preferably on-line.

I find that many do not know what the next steps are after a death occurs. Typically, the coroner may require that a non-hospice death be “signed off” by the person’s physician. Otherwise, an autopsy may be required. Circumstances vary widely on this. The pastor or chaplain may need to be a helpful advocate for the family.

7. Do we lead a funeral/memorial with the appropriate decorum? Do we conduct the service based on sound theology? Do we focus on Christ, the reality of death, and the hope we have in Christ, or are we there to “celebrate the life” of the deceased? How do we interface with ceremonies such as by the military or by a lodge? What elements of a service are to be encouraged and what elements discouraged?

Dr. Bill Hoy of Baylor University believes the funeral service is an important part of the social support needed for effective grieving. (Do Funerals Matter: The Purposes and Practices of Death Rituals in Global Perspective, Routledge, 2013).

“Being casual” has its places in ministry, but a funeral or memorial may not be one of them. Dress a notch better than most of the men present will likely dress.

Have a Christ-centered funeral/memorial focused on the gospel and resurrection hope. This is possible, with sensitivity, whether the deceased was a Christian believer or not. Try to avoid devoting lengthy periods of time for tributes, audio-visuals, etc. Try to put any secular music requests early in the service and move toward music expressing faith and hope.

8. What have you as a pastor or layperson experienced in working with a mortuary that you have really appreciated or not appreciated?
Most funeral directors show compassion and excellence and professionalism. There are exceptions! I note the use of inexperienced staff on weekends, problems with the sound system, and sometimes bland prerecorded music. Planning a service with a dysfunctional or divided family is a challenge for both pastors and funeral directors. Only very rarely have I seen what I thought was excessive spending on funeral services or attitude problems on the part of funeral personnel.

Be prepared to make recommendations to families and even to intercede, when rarely necessary.

In conclusion, providing quality pastoral care to a family in this hour of need is one of the most important and ennobling services a pastor can provide. This is true whether one is a member of our church or not, or a Christian believer or not. We should consider this a high calling and strive for the utmost compassion, skillfulness and professionalism in it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1577989683262{background-color: #a5cece !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love… Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”
– Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Don’s Ministry

December 29 – “The Holy City—Our Final Home” (Revelation 21-22) at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach.

Don’s messages can be heard at www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”. Other messages: July 28: “Jeremiah—Right Man for the Right Hour” (Jeremiah 1-20) and April 14: “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King [Solomon]” (1 Kings 1-11)

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com
Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Appendix – Immigration Reform
The following Resolution was adopted by my denomination, The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (Charis Fellowship) in July of 2019:

America has been a land of immigrants since before the nation was founded. Between the extremes of nativism and open borders, most citizens have open arms toward immigrants but also see the rule of law and secure borders as essential for a safe and civil society. Today our nation and our churches are increasingly populated by people from a multitude of cultures and lands, and many of these people are undocumented.

How can our Charis Fellowship respond?

1. We call on our churches to give prayer, thought, discussion, and action toward addressing the problem of the undocumented immigrant in a God-honoring way.

2. We recognize the divisive and controversial nature of this debate, and we encourage dialogue in the churches that is respectful, open-minded, and solution focused.

3. We further call on our churches to be the “reconciling presence of Christ” in the midst of a broken system that creates rancor, resentment, racism, selfishness, fear, exploitation, danger, and disregard for the law.

4. We call on our society and elected leaders to rise above political posturing and rancor to work toward a solution on immigration that is compassionate and realistic—a solution that accomplishes the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens and guests, while at the same time provides relief to the oppressed.

5. We recognize that meaningful solutions to this problem are not easily reached and must come through a determined will to achieve them. We deplore the present situation when our Federal Government is unable to resolve key immigration issues year after year.

6. We also recognize that the United States cannot accommodate everyone who desires to come to this country. Correcting the situations that force many to flee their home countries is one way to reduce the number attempting to gain entry into the United States.

7. We also call on the Federal Government to be wise in its use of Foreign Aid to aid in reforming situations in those foreign countries.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

December 2019 Newsletter

Posted on November 30, 2019 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”December 2019 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

The Fall of the Berlin Wall—November, 1989
An Important Reminder for Thanksgiving

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, including our precious liberties gained and sustained by the sacrifice of many.

Our youth and young adults need to be taught the lessons of the Berlin Wall—what caused it, what sustained it, and what brought it down thirty years ago. Today’s fascination with Socialism shows the need for this.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Thanksgiving 2019

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. – 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV

Seal Beach, California held it’s first Prayer Breakfast on November 2. I led the responsive prayer time. I began with “Thanksgiving.” My prayer, with some edits:

Thanksgiving

Scripture enjoins us to offer prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving for all who are in authority. So we pray for our president, members of Congress, judges, state and local officials. We thank you for them and we pray you will give them hearts of wisdom, justice, and compassion as they fulfill their roles as servants of the people.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

Civility

We are concerned with the breakdown of basic civility in speech and conduct at all levels of government, high and low. We ask you to move the minds and wills of those who govern us so they will be people of civility, encouraging constructive and respectful communication, and discouraging volatile, hostile or aggressive actions and words, because civility is so essential to our democracy and our public process and who we are as a people.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

Civility

We pray for our government in Washington. Bring wisdom and justice in spite of political turmoil and consideration of impeachment. Guide our president as commander in chief, and our representatives and senators. We also now pray for the men and women of our military at home and around the world. May they fulfill their good missions and come home safe. May our country be safe and be guided from above to fulfill the role in the world you will for us to have.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

State Government

We pray for our governor, members of the state legislature, and other elected and appointed officials. Guide them in their priorities and their fiduciary duties as caretakers of the state’s finances and needs. May they fulfill their role so our state citizens can work and live and enjoy our truly remarkable state to its fullness.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

Local Government

We pray for our mayor and city council, our city manager and all in administration… We thank you for them and pray your guidance for all they do. We pray for our police department. Watch over them as they watch over us. We pray for our police and firefighters as they strive often in the most difficult and dangerous of situations to keep us safe. Protect them and guide them as they protect people and property.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

Citizens of America

We pray for our citizens, that they will take their citizenship duties seriously and fulfill them. We pray they will honor their elected and appointed officials properly, in light of their roles and in spite of their shortcomings. We pray we all will fulfill the biblical commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.

We lift this prayer before you. All: “Hear our prayer, O God!”

Finally, God, we thank you for America, our heritage, our present and our potential.

America, America.
God mend thine every flaw.
Confirm thy soul in self-control.
Thy liberty in law.

All: “Amen!”

(Please use this prayer fully or in part, as you find it of value.)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

You Know You Are in the Heart of Ohio
when…

People strike up conversations with you easily.

A man in the car parked beside you at your hotel offers you his scrapper without being asked, to clear the ice and frost off your car windows.

You see “Mail Pouch Tobacco” ads painted on the side of barns.

You can “open carry” a firearm as a fundamental individual right.

The little church you visit sends workers into the woods to cut firewood to give to the needy before winter sets in.

The church cutting firewood for the needy delays its project for one week so its workers aren’t in the woods during deer hunting season. Besides, some of the church’s people want to go deer hunting.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1297″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Your brother tells you dozens of deer come through his property every night.

You see lots of Amish people on the roads and in the stores.
Gas is $2.29 a gallon.

Note: We were in Ohio for my brother-in-law’s funeral, November 20-25.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1298″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message for the Season . . .

Mary, Mother of Jesus,
Blessed Among Women

Mary did NOT say in her poem “The Magnificat”—

“From now on all generations EXCEPT PROTESTANTS will call me blessed.”

I once referred to Mary as “the Blessed Virgin” in a pro-life narration. The phrase was changed—“too Catholic” the editor thought. “Wouldn’t go over well in Evangelical churches.”

Too bad, since that’s how she is depicted in Luke’s birth account (Luke 1:48).

What made Mary “blessed”?

1. She maintained her virginity prior to her marriage to Joseph. *

The angel announced to Mary, “You have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…he will reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:30-33).

Mary said, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (1:34). Good question!
The angel’s answer is profound, ending with “Nothing is impossible with God” (1:35-37).

Mary remains a role model for all—women AND men—of protecting virginity as a gift from God.

2. She willing accepted the gracious call that she will bear the Christ Child.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said,” Mary told the angel (1:38). Mary remains a model to us all of surrender to the will of God.

3. She reverently pondered the meaning of Jesus’ birth and childhood.

The shepherds who came to visit baby Jesus then “spread the word” about him. Mary took a quieter approach. She “treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (2:16-20).

When Jesus was twelve Mary and Joseph, fearing Jesus was lost, finally found him in the Temple engaged in discussions with the teachers of the Law. Jesus explained to his parents, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (2:41-52). Once again, Mary meditated on the deeper meaning of her son’s life and mission (2:51).

The church can’t accomplish its mission without evangelists, learners and doers. AND a ministry of meditation on what God is doing and why.

4. She remained faithful to her son through the ordeal of the cross.

Three “Mary’s” stood before the cross when Jesus was crucified—his mother, his mother’s sister Mary (wife of Clopas) and Mary Magdelene (John 19:25).

5. She continued as a follower of her son after his ascension and as the Church was launched on the Day of Pentecost.

The mother of Jesus was numbered with Jesus’ disciples as they all awaited the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:12-14). She thus became part of the Spirit-filled infant church that began a movement that continues around the world to this day.

Mary is worthy of our honor as a singular obedient servant graced to be the mother of our Lord. Truly, all generations since should call her “blessed.”

* A long tradition within both Eastern and Western churches confesses the “perpetual virginity” of Mary. That is, even after her marriage to Joseph she remained ever a virgin. Most Protestants find no biblical or theological need to embrace this view and believe that she and her husband Joseph would have consummated their marriage in sexual union.

Important to both positions are (1) belief in a miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary, making her “the mother of the Lord” through the Holy Spirit without the agency of sexual union with a man, and (2) the role of Mary as a role model of sexual purity—a position needed today more than ever.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1575135058514{background-color: #dda1a1 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Incivility

We have scorched our opponents
with language that precludes compromise
and we have brushed aside the possibility that the person
with whom we disagree might actually sometimes be right.”

– Jim Matti, Institute for Civility in Government

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Don’s Ministry

December 29 – Speak on the Book of Revelation at Sunday Morning Services (8:00, 9:30, 11:00) Grace Community Church of Seal Beach.

You can watch the service via Facebook “live” at 11:00 a.m. (PST) on December 29 or anytime afterward. Simply go to “Grace Community Church of Seal Beach” and click on “live” or (for later viewing) “videos”.

Don’s message of July 28: “Jeremiah—Right Man for the Right Hour” (Jeremiah 1-20) and his message of April 14: “The Triumphs and Failures of Israel’s Greatest King [Solomon]” (1 Kings 1-11) can be heard at www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”.

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com
Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Appendix
“Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall”
By Ilya Somin
The Volokh Conspiracy, November 9. 2019

Today [November 9] is the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is undeniably a happy occasion—not only because the fall of the Wall was good in itself, but because it presaged the collapse of communist tyranny throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. But the history of the Wall also carries some important lessons that we have not fully learned even today—lessons about the nature of communism, but also about the importance of freedom of movement across international boundaries…
In several ways, the Wall and its collapse are fitting symbols of communism. They demonstrate several truths about that system that we would be wise not to lose sight of. First and foremost, Cold War-era Berlin was the most visible demonstration of the superiority of capitalism and democracy over communism and dictatorship. Despite the fact that East Germany had one of the highest standards of living in the Soviet bloc, it had to build a wall to keep its people from fleeing to the capitalist West. By contrast, West Germans and other westerners were free to move to the communist world anytime they wanted. Yet only a tiny handful ever did so. Decisions to “vote with your feet” are often better indicators of peoples’ true preferences than ballot box voting, since foot voters have better incentives to become well-informed about the alternatives before them. Even more powerful evidence is the fact that many East Germans and others fled communism even when doing so meant risking their lives.
Second, the Berlin Wall was an important symbol of the way in which communist governments violated the human right to freedom of movement, one of the most important attributes of a free society. If people are forcibly trapped under the rule of the government in whose territory they happen to be born, they are not truly free; rather, they are hostages of their rulers.
Finally, the sudden collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 vividly demonstrated the extent to which communist totalitarianism relied on coercion to maintain its rule. Some Western scholars and leftists contended that most Russians and Eastern Europeans actually supported communism or at least preferred it to the available alternatives. The events of 1989 gave the lie to this notion. Once the Soviet government and its puppet states in Eastern Europe signalled that they would no longer suppress opposition by force, the Berlin Wall was quickly torn down, and communist governments throughout Eastern Europe collapsed within months.
Despite all of the above, I am somewhat conflicted about the status of the Berlin Wall as the symbol of communist oppression in the popular imagination. My reservations have to do with the underappreciated fact that the Wall was actually one of communism’s smaller crimes. Between 1961 and 1989, about 100 East Germans were killed trying to escape to the West through Wall. The Wall also trapped several million more Germans in a repressive totalitarian society. These are grave atrocities. But they pale in comparison to the millions slaughtered in gulags, deliberately created famines, and mass executions of “kulaks” and “class enemies.”…
It is right to commemorate the fall of the Wall, and to mourn its victims. But we should also remember that it was just the tip of a much larger iceberg of communist oppression. Indeed, those other oppressive policies were the main reason why so many Germans (and others) sought to flee communism in the first place. The true lesson of the Berlin Wall is not merely that the Wall itself was unjust, but that it was meant to perpetuate other, far more severe injustices by making it impossible to escape them. That lesson remains relevant today, as socialist dictatorships continue to oppress millions in Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela.
In western nations, “democratic socialism” has gained ground in recent years. While most of its advocates do not want to go as far as the communists did, the two ideologies nonetheless share a great deal of dangerous common ground…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

November 2019 Newsletter

Posted on October 30, 2019 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”October 2019 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Thanksgiving When Blessings Aren’t So Evident

(Many of our American ancestors celebrated in times when life was
quite tentative and prosperity very uncertain)

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
– Habakkuk 3:17-18

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

I was privileged to be Palmer Luckey’s pastor for many years. Always a curious and creative fellow, he invented a head-mounted virtual reality display and founded Oculus, which was later purchased by Facebook. In 2014 he received the American Ingenuity Award in the Youth category from the Smithsonian.

Do a Google search of his name and you read this under “Palmer Luckey –Wikipedia”: “Palmer Freeman Luckey…is an American fascist and the founder of Anduril Industries, a defense technology company…” [bolds mine].

But if you actually access Wikipedia, you read this: “Palmer Freeman Luckey…is an American entrepreneur and the founder of Anduril Industries, a defense technology company…” Entrepreneur, not fascist.

What’s with Google?? Has somebody hacked its search results for Palmer?
By contrast, I read “entrepreneur” and not “fascist” when I searched with Bing. Who would do this smear? Is money involved? What should Google do about it? What should Wikipedia do? I’m curious if any readers know the answers.

Note: my search was done on September 25.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Pastor Greg Laurie speaks of the death of Jarrid Wilson

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1285″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

“Tragically, Jarrid took his own life. Sometimes people may think that as pastors or spiritual leaders we are somehow above the pain and struggles of everyday people. We are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers. But we do not.”
A point both pastors and church members should always keep in mind.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1286″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month –
Beware of Leftist Fundamentalism

“Fundamentalism” is not just an American religious movement. Its dictionary definition includes “strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles.” More than that, fundamentalism is a mindset with typical characteristics.
So you can be very secular and still be a fundamentalist.

What are some common characterizations of fundamentalism?

Fundamentalists are absolutists. In the mind of the clergy or the party faithful there is but one Truth. It is precise and detailed. It is not open to re-examination or dialogue. All information is sifted through the screen of ideology and presuppositions.

Therefore fundamentalists are also closed-minded. Why not be, if you already have all the truth in your back pocket?

Fundamentalists are separatists. They repudiate their polar opposites but they especially loathe those who could be their fellow travelers—those who embrace most of their tenets but not their mindset. Religious fundamentalists loathe evangelical Christians who aren’t as strict as they are, or who don’t cross every theological “t” their way.

Leftist fundamentalists loathe liberals who are not “the true faithful” as they think they are. * Many don’t have any meaningful contacts with thinking conservatives (an oxymoron to them) and never dialogue with conservatives. Some are even proud they don’t.

Fundamentalists are idealists. Whenever data does not conform to their presuppositions it is “flawed” or biased or incomplete. If we just had a little different scenario or a little more data than the past or present has given us, they are sure that the fundamentalist ideal would then be vindicated.

This idealism is seen in leftists’ thirst for more government revenue. Big government has the compassion and answers, but not enough money. If it just had more money, the shortcomings in its visions would not be there.

Finally, fundamentalists are self-righteous. Their cause is the correct and moral one, pure and simple. Everyone else is wrong (if not evil), ignorant, laughable and mean-spirited. Leftist fundamentalists never apologize for their sacrifice of the intellect, their costly errors or practical failures. What counts is the righteousness of the cause, not the empirical facts and certainly not the results.

Are there any differences between religious and political fundamentalists? O yes there is—at least one. And it is huge! Religious fundamentalists have traditionally been apolitical. They just want to be left alone—free to indoctrinate their own, practice their faith, and preach the gospel. Only for rare and significant matters have religious fundamentalists tried to impose their moral views on society. **

Leftist fundamentalists, on the other hand, are transformationist zealots and crusaders from the get-go, out to reshape America, by coercion if need be. That makes them scary.

George Will captures both the self-righteous and coercive spirits of leftism: “Progressivism has become a compound of self-satisfied moral preening and a thirst for coercion” (“Progressives are all too willing to cut constitutional corners,” The Washington Post, October 16, 2019).

Fundamentalists, religious and political, have every right to bring their agendas to the national table and to try to persuade others. That’s one great thing about America. But once their ideologies are laid out for all to see, the American process of open debate and reason leads to their tempering or rejection.
Fundamentalism, whatever its stripe, just doesn’t “play well in Peoria.”

* For a great example see: Michael Taube, “The Left Targets One of Its Own” in The Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2019.
** The misguided effort to bring organized prayer into public schools was one example. Critics cite Prohibition as an example of faulty imposition of morality. Perhaps so. But many supporters of Prohibition were mainstream religious people (and non-religious people) who saw it as a positive social solution to keep families strong and financially solvent. They were not fringe religionists trying to shape America according to sectarian dogma. In reality, all legislation reflects moral positions at some level, and activists who believe in “the cause” strive to impose their views on others by coercion if persuasion doesn’t work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance – Presidential Candidates’ Disdain for Religious Liberty

““Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
– The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

I take no personal pleasure in upholding religious liberty in the face of its challenges, especially when the disagreements are with friends.

Had you asked me thirty years ago what the main pressure would be against religious convictions, I would have cited challenges against the right of parents to raise their children according to each family’s faith. Wrong!

When same-sex marriage was legalized in California in 2008, an editorial in my local newspaper told religious people who didn’t support same-sex marriage to relax. “Conservative religionists have nothing to fear. Their religious practices and their personal definition of marriage are intact.” Wrong again!

“Live and let live” is not a value embraced by the secular left.

It is appropriate to note that not all gay rights activists think like the left.
Tyler Deaton is one of many gay rights advocates who also support genuine religious freedom (The Hill, March 28, 2019). Andrew Sullivan is another. Religious freedom can be protected if the determination is there.

At a CNN “Equality Town Hall” hosted by the Human Rights Campaign in Los Angeles on October 11, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke was asked by CNN’s Don Lemon if he would favor stripping tax exemption from religious institutions if they opposed same-sex marriage.
O’Rourke’s answer was very clear: “There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone or any institution, any organization in America that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us. So as president, we’re going to make that a priority and we are going to stop those who are infringing upon the human rights of our fellow Americans.”

Freedom of religion is not a right that applies except when it doesn’t.

More alarming than his answer itself were the great applause from the audience and the concurrence of the other candidates.

Marriage is one of the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Will government step in and judge a church that safeguards its sacraments for those who qualify in accord with the church’s convictions? O’Rourke says yes.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, quoted above, is the great bulwark against all attempts to control others and eclipse their rights. The right to free speech and to the free exercise of religion, among other enumerated rights, doesn’t just apply when speech or religion is fashionable.

Fashionable speech or religion needs little protection. The real test for liberty comes when the speech or the religion is out of the mainstream or regarded as repulsive, ugly, unworthy of defense.

The First Amendment never says “however” or “unless” or “except.” Freedom of religion is not a right that applies except when it doesn’t. All the rights secured in the First Amendment are near-absolutes.

“To deny an exemption to claimants who engage in certain forms of speech is . . . the same as if the State were to fine them for this speech.”
– U.S. Supreme Court (1958), quoted by George Will (Washington Post, October 16, 2019)

My deep concern is that many presidential candidates, many who embrace the goals of the Human Rights Campaign, many secular leftists don’t really care about freedom of religion. They care about their vision for America and the conformity it requires. Religion be damned if it gets in the way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – Scripture as the Foundation for Our Human Dignity and Duties

(NOTE: I originally wrote these points as a portion of Resolutions presented at my denomination’s annual conference in July. Producing resolutions was a task I had as chair of our Social Concerns Committee from 1985 to 2019. The points have been expanded for this “Bible Insight” section.)

1st Principle: God is the creator of the heavens and the earth and all it contains.

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

Dennis Prager observes that Genesis 1:1 is “the most important verse in the Bible.” If it is false, nothing that follows it matters. (See: Dennis Prager, Genesis: God, Creation and Destruction, vol. 1 of The Rational Bible, pages 1-14)

2nd Principle: God created humanity as his highest creation, making humanity alone in his image and after his likeness.

Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule…over all the earth.’”
Psalm 8:4-6 – “What is man that you are mindful of him…? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands.”

3rd Principle: God created man as male and female, both as bearers of his image.

Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” The inverted repetition in the second phrase gives emphasis to the first phrase. The third phrase further articulates what is intrinsic to our humanity.

4th Principle: The woman was made from the man, she alone being equal to him yet different from him, to complete the duality of human existence and make marital union possible.

From Genesis 2:18-24 – “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken from the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called “woman,” for she was taken out of man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

5th Principle: God appointed mankind as stewards over creation.

Genesis 1:26, 28 – “Then God said, ‘…let them rule over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ …God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’”
See also Psalm 8:6-8

This is not to be an exploitive, selfish rule that exhausts the earth, but one of careful oversight with enjoyment (see my “Conservation as a Christ-like Cause” in the July-August, 2019 Newsletter).

6th Principle: God chose Israel, the object of his love and protection, to be his special people and a blessing to the whole world.

Genesis 17:7-8, 21 – God said to Abraham, “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants… The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
“But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you…”
See also: Genesis 12:1-3; Amos 3:1-2; Zechariah 2:7; Romans 9:4-5; 11:28-29

7th Principle: Human sinfulness deeply afflicts OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER (including how men and women, parents and children, rich and poor, strong and weak, and people of differing races treat each other) and also afflicts OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES (who we are as human beings), tempting us to define ourselves in subjective humanistic ways rather than according to our creator’s design.

Genesis 6:5-6 – “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”
See also: Genesis 3:1-19; 8:21; Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-18

From these seven foundational principles I draw several ethical implications—17 in fact! Here are two, and more will follow.

1. All human life (including the unborn, those with mental and physical infirmities and those who are terminally ill) is precious and worthy of our protection and care.

2. The loss of any human life by the actions of another is tragic. Nonetheless, taking human life is justifiable in narrow circumstances such as self-defense or defense of others (whether exercised by an individual or by the magistrate). Yet even this is tragic, for God himself takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11).

“Science doesn’t teach right from wrong—or even that there is a right and wrong. The purpose of Genesis 1 is not to teach science. It is to teach about God, man and nature.”
—Dennis Prager, The Rational Bible: Genesis

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Don’s Recent Ministry

Lead Prayer Time at Seal Beach Prayer Breakfast on November 2. Locals can sign up for this event at:

www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”.

November 12 – Speak on issues of death and dying to the Grace Leadership Network, 10:00 a.m. at Grace Brethren Church of Norwalk CA, 11005 Foster Rd.
Don’s message of July 28: “Jeremiah—Right Man for the Right Hour” (Jeremiah 1-20) can be heard at www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”.

We All Need to Remember
“The Loyal Opposition” – a phrase fond to Dr. Charles Krauthammer

“Originally a British parliamentary term, it encapsulates a concept critical to democracy: that whoever holds power, all sides must respect the fundamental legitimacy of their political rivals; that their differences be seen not as treasonous or out of bounds, but rather as healthy disagreement within our divided and adversarial system of government, which as a whole — and only as a whole — retains ultimate authority. Members of the other party may be your opponents, but within the walls of our democratic constitutional order, they are not your enemy. Where freedom and pluralism reign, you must convince, not overpower.”

– Daniel Krauthammer, speaking of an essential phrase that was fond to his father, Charles Krauthammer (“Charles Krauthammer championed civil debate,” The Washington Post, October 25, 2019)

Reformation Day—October 31

And finally, a Reformation thought, October 31 being the 502nd anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, German theologian Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the Wittenberg Castle Church door.

Luther on the dialectic of Christian freedom:

“A Christian is the most free lord of all, and subject to none.
A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to all.”

– Martin Luther, On Christian Freedom (1520)

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com
Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

October 2019 Newsletter

Posted on October 1, 2019 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”October 2019 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”687″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1270″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Jarrid Wilson was a pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside CA. He was a close friend of my daughter and son-in-law. They camped together in Mammoth Lakes this past summer. Jarrid was ring bearer at my daughter’s wedding in 1992.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1271″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Jarrid struggled with depression issues and faced up to them positively in his ministry. He founded “Anthem of Hope,” a Christian mental health ministry helping people battling depression, anxiety, self-harm, addiction and suicide.

On September 10 Jarrid took his own life. He was 30. We extend our support and prayer to his family and friends and all who knew of his life and ministry.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is available 24/7

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3

“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”

“The Letter of the Law”
vs.
“The Spirit of the Law”

The Letter of the Law:
A motorist in West Hollywood received a $53 citation for parking over a line. The ticket gave the reason: “No portion of the vehicle may be outside space mark.”

The Spirit of the Law:

The City responded to the driver’s Twitter: “We typically refer folks to the contesting information on the back of the ticket. This one may be unique, but we’re not 100% sure.” With no further action by the motorist, the ticket was dismissed.

Several years ago I took a “Laws of Arrest” course at the Orange County (CA) Sheriff’s Department and learned the difference between “letter and spirit” of the law. These words well summarize the importance of this difference:

“Are you using, ‘Letter of the law vs. Spirit of the law’ while working in law enforcement? Most of you who are officers learned this term in the academy or perhaps while in the military. Either way, it is important each officer grow and develop in their job and hone the level of equilibrium needed while dealing with people or situations. Yes, you may have the authority to enforce the law….to the letter, but eventually you will be questioned not only by your administration but most likely in court by judges and lawyers over your decision to enforce the letter of the law….”

“…Most departments have a traffic department and it is those traffic officers who play the big part of traffic enforcement. Even so, the traffic department should use good balance and go by spirit of the law if at the time it fits. Remember, if we do not have balance in police work things will work against us as society ultimately controls our very moves in law enforcement” [italics mine].

– “Letter of the Law vs. Spirit of the Law,” POLICEVOICE, March 29, 2016

The issue of “spirit versus letter” came home when one of my grandchildren received a ticket for turning right on red without a full stop. It was caught on camera. A camera has neither heart nor head and can’t discern what the “spirit of the law” requires. Only a real officer can do that.
No wonder camera enforcement is so widely hated.

There’s more! Read the 8th Amendment to the US Constitution:

“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

Well, the base fine for violating the “right on red after stop” law is $100.
Fair enough. But state and local governments see the ticket as a cash cow.
Various fees, surcharges and penalties are lathered onto the base fine.
What for? Some samples (7 out of a list of 16 that I read):

• The County General Fund
• The County Jail Construction Fund
• The County Automated Fingerprint Fund
• The Emergency Medical Fund
• The State Court Facilities Construction Fund
• The Emergency Air Medical Transportation Fund
• The State General Fund

Bottom line: the final ticket cost climbed to almost $500! *

These extras, mostly unknown to the general public, carry a very negative social consequence. People of small means can’t afford to pay the ticket.
So more penalties are added. Too many unpaid tickets? Big trouble! It becomes a downhill snowball—growing larger each time it goes around.

The Bible teaches the penalty should be appropriate for the wrong.

Like some ticketing practices, the fine process I’ve described breaks the “spirit of the law” and does not generate respect for the law, which is essential to a well-ordered and just society.

* By comparison, my only traffic ticket was for going 60 in a 50 MPH stretch of highway through Ohio farmland. I was tracked by an airplane. The fine was $85.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month – Baptism by Pouring
When Rules Give Way to Principles, and Rituals to Compassion
(Here’s more on the “Letter” and “Spirit” of the Law)

We had a most joyous experience at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach several years ago on a Sunday morning. We baptized one of our dear older saints. It was not possible to fulfill this baptism through immersion. So the baptism was done by pouring with the Elders of our church gathered around.

Pouring is not our usual mode of baptism. We baptize by immersion. Indeed, we really do! We baptize by triple immersion—likely the oldest baptismal practice in the Early Christian Church. So what can we say about pouring?
I offer three questions and answers…

1. “WWJD?” – What Would Jesus Do?

Jesus would put a compassionate act ahead of a particular rule or ritual.

[Jesus] went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” (Matthew 12:9-12 New International Version. It is important to read the entire context: Matthew 12:1-14.)

Then Jesus healed the man, to the irritation of those who were bound by rules. We too must be willing to lay aside a particular way of doing a ritual if fulfilling the spirit of the ritual would lead us to do the ritual a different way.

Some churches might say to someone unable to have immersion baptism,
“We understand you aren’t able be baptized—God understands too.” But that misses the point and is only semi-compassion! Why not give a person the joyous experience of baptism through a different ritual rather than denying someone the joy of the baptism?

2. What does baptism symbolize?

Many things! In fact, baptism is too rich a ritual for any specific method to capture all its meanings.

One important lesson of baptism is that it is a sign of the arrival of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus drew a close linkage between baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit. He told his disciples shortly before the Day of Pentecost, “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5).

And just how was our Lord’s promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost? The Holy Spirit was “poured out” on the waiting, submissive disciples! To have the Holy Spirit “poured out” on them was one and the same as being “baptized” in the Holy Spirit. Simon Peter explained it this way: “Exalted to the right hand of God, [Jesus] has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). In fact, Peter said that the coming of the Spirit fulfilled the promise of the prophet Joel, that God would “pour out” his Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17).

I’ll go so far as to say this: If I only had the Book of Acts to go by, I would assume baptism was probably done by the pouring method! Also, since the Spirit is poured out on us effusively, baptism by pouring should be effusive too. We’d do our best to drench you!

3. What would the Early Church do?

A likely answer might come from the oldest document we have, outside the New Testament, which gives us a glimpse into the life and teaching of the Early Church. It’s called The “Didache” (“did-a-KAY”), known as “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles” (none of whom probably ever saw it).

It was written in the common Greek language of its time with a gentile Christian audience in mind. It’s an excellent little discipleship manual that would guide new Christians in The Faith—even today. The “Didache” is dated anywhere from AD 50 to AD 125. You might want to do a search for “Didache” on your computer and read its simple teachings for yourself.

Here’s what the “Didache” had to say about baptism [bold mine]:

Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism. And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.

This is what it teaches: (1) baptism should be done in “living (running) water” or cold or warm water; (2) if those kinds of water were not available, pouring is permitted; (3) the pouring is to be “three times upon the head” by the Trinitarian formula (Matthew 28:19). The strong inference is, the preferred mode of baptism was most likely a triple immersion, since a triple pouring was permitted as a substitute mode if the necessary water was lacking. But the mode of pouring was certainly acceptable too.

The point I make is this: If pouring was an acceptable mode of baptism due to insufficient water for immersion, certainly it is an acceptable mode of baptism if done for some other good reason.

My Conclusion

Jesus put mercy, compassion, and people’s well being ahead of rules and rituals. He let the spirit of the Law trump the letter of the Law. The church should do the same. We would neither want to miss for ourselves nor deny to another the joy of Christian baptism!

ENDNOTE: TAKE CARE HOW YOU QUOTE THE CHURCH FATHERS

The Church Fathers are excellent sources of primary information on the thinking of the early church and secondary information on what the Bible taught. But there are cautions. First, since many writings by the church fathers are responding to controversies within the church, we can’t assume they are speaking for the entire church.
Second, quotations from the church fathers must be taken in their contexts, not “proof-texted” to support what we want to prove. Of course the Bible itself is never to be misused this way either.

“Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
When they are put there by you and by me.”

Here’s an example: my church tradition practices baptism by triple immersion (discussed above). Indeed, there are clear references to triple immersion in the church fathers.

When I was a seminary student (1966-69) the syllabus of my course “Denominational Beliefs and Practices” listed several church fathers as extra-biblical support for triple immersion. The summary sentence was: “The testimony is unanimous for trine immersion among the early fathers, and there is not a dissenting voice.” *

That’s quite a triumphant statement, underscored by the tautology. But is it really correct? One church father cited ** was Basil the Great (fourth century). And yes, he spoke of triple immersion baptism. But for what purpose?

Basil asks, “Whence the rule of trine immersion? And the rest of the ceremonies at baptism…from what Scripture are they taken? Are they not all from the unpublished and private teachings, which our Fathers kept under a reserve inaccessible to curiosity…?” ***

Basil’s whole point in a lengthy section is that baptism by triple immersion and many other rituals the church practices DO NOT HAVE A BASIS IN SCRIPTURE. RATHER, THEIR BASIS IS FOUND IN CHURCH TRADITION.
Context matters!

* “Denominational Beliefs and Practices” by Dr. Herman A. Hoyt, page 43.

** The claim about Basil was a secondary reference, taken from God’s Means of Grace by Charles F. Yoder. Secondary reference should be viewed with caution and only used when the primary source is not available or when the point of the reference is minor.

*** Basil the Great, De Spiritu Sancto, chapter 27, paragraph 66. Also see: “The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church” in The Creeds of Christendom by Philip Schaff, volume 2, pages 448-50.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

First Amendment Vigilance – When to Limit Speech

A gentleman I met in the dairy department at my local supermarket was wearing the T-shirt modeled here:

I commented to him about it, and he replied that someone recently told him at a bowling alley to take it off and wear it inside out! He refused. Good for him!

The First Amendment’s “free speech” guarantee does not protect us from speech policies at work or in many other contexts, such as in our homes and churches. It DOES protect us from any government limitations on speech, including at government locations like public universities (many of which apparently don’t know that).

But the First Amendment has GREAT TUTORIAL POWER, in that it creates an atmosphere of freedom in the country generally. For example, raunchy or intimidating speech excluded, we generally accept how others choose to express themselves. Cultural mores traditionally guide and temper what we say, unless these mores break down.

Sincere commendation of others needs no justification. Criticism of others on the other hand generally requires that we have earned the right to be heard. We can give criticism in a moment of urgency (because a necessity to be heard exists), or with friends and family, or with business associates (when constructive criticism is cultivated), or between pastors and church members, or with subordinates. And we can approach others respectfully and “knock and ask permission” to criticize.

Otherwise civility may suggest we restrain ourselves. Read on:[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – Speaking with Civility

“No one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” – James 3:8-10

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
– Ephesians 4:29

What would the biblical writers say about communicating today via all the “social media” options? Today we talk with our fingertips, not just with our tongues. And the potential impact of our words is far greater. Words once spoken are irretrievable, but retraction is usually much easier when we speak with our voices.

So…is it too much to ask for our president and other governmental leaders to be exemplary when they communicate?

The power of their words is immense as they lead by example, for good or ill.

Here’s what happened during September: President Trump tweeted about Jonathan Karl, an ABC News reporter, calling him a “lightweight reporter.”

Or so the president intended.

Instead, by misspelling the last name as “Carl”, he actually tweeted about a Baptist pastor in Kentucky by that name. Soon after that, Pastor Carl received tweets of “intense vitriol and hatred” from supporters of the president.
With measured and reasonable words, Pastor Carl gave this advice to the president: “Please don’t make the Twitter-universe such a dark and depressing place. It shouldn’t be a place to argue, fight, or jockey for position. We can disagree and debate without childish name-calling. You can make Twitter a better place.”

In all our communications we should re-read our comments to check spelling and grammar and—more important—to be sure it says what we mean it to say and it speaks in a way that honors the dignity of persons. And when we do need to say something negative, we “sleep on it” before we hit “send” and we include in the readership no more people than necessary. How many times haven’t I re-read the next morning the comments I wrote the evening before and realized they should not be sent the way I first wrote them!

I wrote this (adopted) Resolution for my denomination’s annual meeting in July:
Civility in speech and good conduct toward others who are in God’s likeness are our duties. Our communications with one another must be consistent with loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Civility must begin at the highest levels of government—the president and the Congress in America—and continue to all other levels.

Civility must avoid the ad hominem attacks on opponents that have become so much a part of today’s charged political climate.

Civil communication must characterize all “social media” and Christians especially must not communicate with gossipy, malicious, or oppressive words in their use of social media.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Don’s Recent Ministry

Don’s message of July 28: “Jeremiah—Right Man for the Right Hour” (Jeremiah 1-20) can be heard at

www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”.

Lead Prayer Time at Seal Beach Prayer Breakfast on November 3. Locals can sign up for this event at:

www.sealbeachprayerbreakfast.com

Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com
Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Appendix – A Good Voice from the Past

Charles Colson comments on the impeachment processes
in 1972 (Richard Nixon) and 1998
(Bill Clinton)

[1998] If the House of Representatives passes an impeachment resolution this coming week, it does not mean the president is going to be turned out of office. It simply means that the House has made a finding that there is credible evidence …

The Senate’s job will be to decide how to dispose of the matter: Do nothing, plea bargain, censure, or conduct a trial.

In their wisdom, our Founding Fathers designed a way we could bring to trial the only man in America who cannot be tried in the courts while he sits in office: the president of the United States. They intended no man to be above the law, a concept that reflects a major Christian contribution to the founding of our nation.

The House action will not, I repeat, not, despite what the president’s defenders claim this week, overturn the election results.

Nearly 25 years ago, I sat in the witness chair facing the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment hearings of Richard Nixon. It was hardly a happy day for me because I was there to testify under oath about all the transgressions we now know of as Watergate.

I left the hearings that night knowing I was going to prison, despondent because I knew that my friend President Nixon would soon be out of office. But, in a sense, I had a renewed confidence in the American system. Why? Because the congressmen seemed genuinely concerned about upholding the law. Even the Republicans, mostly partisan defenders of Nixon, recognized that the integrity of the presidency was on the line, and what was right had to take precedence over politics. Even though I was on the losing end, I was reassured that the American system was stronger than any man or partisan interest.

And for all of us who are Christians, regardless of how we view this process, let us remind ourselves that we serve a God who rules over the affairs of men—whether they know it or not.

[Excerpts from BreakPoint Daily, “How to Think about Impeachment”, September 27, 2019][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

September 2019 Newsletter

Posted on August 30, 2019 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”September 2019 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”687″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1255″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

El Paso & Dayton

“Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1256″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.” – Jeremiah 7:4-7 ESV

A strong and good heritage is important but not enough. Jeremiah the Prophet declared that changed hearts that serve God and people are a must if God’s blessing on the land is to continue. The application for America is clear.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

My Opening Prayer at Church on August 11

Lord, today our hearts are grieving and we really need to hear the Book of Lamentations, because our own country has seen so much bloodshed in recent days. As Jeremiah lamented,

Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.

We pray your very special comfort to those who have lost loved ones and who have been wounded. We pray for justice for those who do evil. We thank you for our first responders.

We pray for our nation’s leaders as they face the question of what to do about violence. We pray they will put political ambition and posturing aside and search for real solutions. Guide them with your wisdom.

Forgive us all whenever we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves, including the foreigner in our midst.

Thank you for this beautiful day to worship you.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit so we might truly worship you.
Open our minds to hear the message [from the Book of Lamentations]. Bless our fellowship and prepare us to serve you. Make our words and lives be of special blessing to others in the week ahead.

We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus, before whom every knee shall bow. Amen.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Back the Badge – Psalm 106:3

“Blessed are those who maintain justice.”

Remembering Two Fallen Officers

Deputy Sheriff Morris L. Taylor, 38
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon
Killed by gunfire on September 14, 2002

Deputy Taylor was shot and killed after responding to a report involving a man performing lewd acts at a motel in Curtin, Oregon. I conducted his graveside service. His sister served on the board of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach.

Deputy Sheriff Daniel Lee Archuleta, 35
Kern County Sheriff’s Department, California
Killed in a traffic accident on September 12, 2004

Deputy Archuleta grew up in the church. He had been an Explorer with the Seal Beach Police Department. My wife and I travelled to Bakersfield for his funeral, where I was privileged to sing and offer a tribute. Later, a memorial was held at our church for the benefit of our own members and locals, and for some deputies of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, where he once served.
It was a very deep honor for me to be involved in the services for both of these fallen officers, who died doing what they were called to do.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Message of the Month –
Government Fiscal Responsibility

“The borrower is servant to the lender.” – Proverbs 22:7

“When you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.”
– Benjamin Franklin

“We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.” – Thomas Jefferson

Being financially responsible is a clear biblical mandate. We know we have to run our personal and family budgets this way or there will be natural consequences. Do our elected officials realize this same diligence is needed in local, state and federal governments? Any more we’re not so sure.

Local governments aren’t able to provide basic services while they fund a plethora of niceties and sometimes great excesses. State governments (like California) have steep graduated income tax rates that create plush surpluses in good times but dire shortages in lean times. Still, state governments create ongoing obligations that must be funded during lean times. With both state and local governments, the sure source for funds is more taxes.

And the federal government? We’re talking $23 trillion dollars of national debt, and growing. For the first time except during World War II the national debt exceeds the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). And now there’s talk of cutting payroll taxes—needed to sustain Social Security and Medicare.

President Clinton was the last president to preside over a string of budget surpluses. In fact, when Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the Senate’s Committee on the Budget on January 25, 2001, he gave this optimistic prophecy:

The most recent projections from the OMB indicate that, if current policies remain in place, the total unified surplus will reach $800 billion in fiscal year 2011, including an on-budget surplus of $500 billion. The CBO reportedly will be showing even larger surpluses…
The most recent projections, granted their tentativeness, nonetheless make clear that the highly desirable goal of paying off the federal debt is in reach before the end of the decade.

From our vantage point in 2019, Greenspan’s words in 2001 seem so “long, long ago, far, far away.” Somewhere else in the galaxy.

Since then, under presidents Bush and Obama, it’s been deeper and deeper red ink and now Washington seems utterly unconcerned. The NY Times [July 22] says this about the careless two-year budget bill now signed into law:

But it is another sign that a Capitol once consumed by fiscal worries simply no longer cares — even as the government’s deficit approaches $1 trillion a year. Still, the accord would lift the debt ceiling high enough to allow the government to keep borrowing for two more years, punting the next showdown past the 2020 elections.

A string of presidential candidates would spend and create entitlements that will ensure massive deficits and a zooming national debt on into the ages.

Will there be a day of reckoning? Is it wise that China is the largest foreign creditor of our national debt at $1.11 trillion? Does this create leverage? Well yes, at the least it enables China to sell goods to the U.S. more cheaply.

Will enough willpower arise in Congress and in the Administration to set in motion a process to tame or even turn around the deficit spending? Is this a moral crisis as well as a fiscal one?

My denomination approved this resolution at its annual meeting in July:

Governmental Responsibility

Governments must operate with a strong sense of integrity and faithfulness to the laws of the nation. They must honor their commitments to their citizens by fulfilling their basic duties, controlling entitlements and spending, and avoiding immense deficits that will burden future generations.

We warn our government against yielding to the passion for an ever-broader expansion of rights that are popular at the moment but are not wise or good for the long-range health of the nation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

World War 2 + 75

The war hit home in September 1944 when my uncle, John K. Shoemaker, age 25, was killed in France. The 100th anniversary of his birth is September 1, 2019. I never met him—I was born after his death.

Gravestone at Workman Cemetery, Danville Ohio

Crossing the Meurthe River in France – September, 1944

One historical source gives a day-by-day account of this event. Here is September 22—the day of my uncle’s death:

“The showdown was set for 0530, 22 September and was kicked off by a 15-minute artillery barrage. K and L/Companies moved out to take the St. Clement-Moncel highway. K/Co reached the objective, but L/Co got pinned down on the west bank by machine gunners firing from the farm area stronghold. Finally, two tanks managed to wade through the marshy area to L/Company’s position. With the tanks leading the assault, they ran 27 enemy out of the barns. Another stalemate ensued as German anti-tank fire halted the infantry advance. I/Co regrouped to attack past the highway to the railroad tracks. The Company destroyed five enemy machine gun nests, clearing the highway. F/Co was sent to cover I/Company’s rear after reports of enemy tank sightings. The Regiment had achieved its objective, and the engineers were sent in to build a bridge overnight.

“At 0430, 23 September, the bridge was completed. Anti-tank units were the first to cross and the day was spent moving the troops around to further secure the area…

“Once the dust had settled, the 79th Division, 314th Regiment had lost the equivalent in casualties to one-quarter of a battalion – most occurring in the 3rd battalion’s ranks. The 3rd battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its part in the Meurthe River battle.”

The 79th Infantry Division entered Germany in March 1945.
During its 13 months in Europe, 2476 of the 79th were killed in action.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

First Amendment Vigilance
Religious Liberty – The “Grain” and the “Husks”

Remembering the price paid for our freedom has been intense this year—
the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in World War 2. But what if people don’t care or don’t even know their freedoms?”

A 2017 survey conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center is alarming. Most Americans are ignorant of the rights provided by the First Amendment (in “The Bill of Rights”).

• 37% could not name a single right protected by the First Amendment.
• While 48% knew the First Amendment protected freedom of speech, the other rights it guarantees are far less known.
• Only 15% remembered the right to freedom of religion.

What is forgotten or never learned will not be cherished and defended when the challenges come, as they surely will.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – “The Devil? Whence Cometh He?”

To my non-Christian readers: you may question the whole notion of a spiritual being known as “Satan.” Perhaps you accept the physical realm, capable of scientific analysis, as the only true reality. But that may require faith, just as accepting the reality of the Devil and a spirit realm is an act of faith (I have no litmus paper to prove evil spirits are present). Most people, Christian or not, believe in a spiritual realm beyond the physical. Christians believe in a Supreme Being who dwells above time and space, and in the realities of angels and demonic spirits. It is a non-science issue, not an anti-science one.

Verses in the Bible always have their contexts. Many of us pull verses from their context and use them, sometimes acceptably, sometimes not. To knowingly use a verse contrary to its context is very wrong—not “spiritual” at all. A text without its context is a pretext to make it say what we wish it to say.

All that to say: some notions people have about the Devil (“Satan”) come from scriptures taken out of context.

What and where was Satan before he became, well, “Satan”?

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star [“Lucifer” * ], son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’”
(Isaiah 14:12-14 English Standard Version)

The argument goes something like this: the description here, taken literally, cannot refer to any human ruler. So it must refer to the ruler of the realm of evil—the Devil himself. Thus, these verses are describing the pre-historic fall of the Devil from his place of angelic honor, due to his prideful ambition.
Nice theory, but no cigar. Because the text has a context. And the context is a taunt against an earthly king, the King of Babylon. Now a “taunt” is an expression of scorn or ridicule or derision. And that’s exactly what these verses are. The powerful, prideful King of Babylon will be brought down to nothing. Don’t take a taunt too literally—it may be full of hyperbole and characterizations that are not to be understood with wooden literalism.

Well then, what about Ezekiel 28?

“You were the signet of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God. [12b-13a]

You were an anointed guardian cherub.
I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God;
in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created,
till unrighteousness was found in you.” [14-15]

Similar claim with these very selective proof texts: no mere earthly ruler was “perfect in beauty” or “in Eden” or a “cherub” on the “holy mountain of God.” So they must refer to the Evil One behind an evil ruler.

Similar problem: the context makes it clear that the King of Tyre (an ancient city adjacent to Israel on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea) is the object of these words, which are a “lament”—a statement of pity over this
king’s sad fall from greatness to calamity. Again, don’t be too literal on details.

We know less about the original state of the Devil than we may have thought. Jude 6 (also 2 Peter 2:4) does speak of “the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling,” but it is not clear that this refers to Satan. We cautiously refer to Satan as a fallen angel.

Satan first appears on the scene in the Book of Job—as a sinister being who challenges God and afflicts Job terribly (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-10).

More important than where the Devil came from is where he is going. And what he is doing now.
The Devil “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), strives to frustrate the work of God, tempts Christians away from God’s will, afflicts people, spreads false doctrines, tries to bring down spiritual leaders, and much more.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
– “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin Luther

Don’t evade responsibility by blaming the Devil for everything! Evil in the world around us and our own sinful inclinations can tempt us to do lots of bad things (James 1:14-15).

The Devil’s doom is clear from Scripture—he will be cast into eternal fire “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41; see Revelation 20:10).

Good riddance!

* “Lucifer” is a Latin name for the planet Venus, the “morning star.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Don’s Recent Ministry

Don’s message of July 28: “Jeremiah—Right Man for the Right Hour” (Jeremiah 1-20) can be heard at

www.gracesealbeach.org under “Resources”.
Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries.com
Contact me at: donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

“The commandment to love the stranger
is the most frequently repeated commandment in the Torah.”

—Dennis Prager, The Rational Bible: Genesis
[“Torah” = the Books of Moses, the first five books of the Bible]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1244″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Appendix – A Resolution Responding to the Current Immigration Crisis

[Note: Since 1985 I have chaired the Social Concerns Committee in my denomination, the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (now using the name “Charis Fellowship”). The committee’s primary task is to prepare resolutions for delegates to consider at the denomination’s annual business session. I concluded this ministry at the end of this year’s session in July. In upcoming newsletters I will be presenting some of the resolutions for you to read. I hope you find them of value.]

Immigration Reform

How can our Charis Fellowship respond?

1. We call on our churches to give prayer, thought, discussion, and action toward addressing the problem of the undocumented immigrant in a God-honoring way.

2. We recognize the divisive and controversial nature of this debate, and we encourage dialogue in the churches that is respectful, open-minded, and solution focused.

7. We also call on the Federal Government to be wise in its use of Foreign Aid to aid in reforming situations in those foreign countries.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]