Published May 28, 2024

"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, 'Mine!'" ― Abraham Kuyper

*Attendees at the Allegheny West Annual Conference at Mount Vernon Nazarene University*

Cultural Commentaries

United Methodist Church (UMC) to Global Methodist Church (GMC): Last week, the campus of Mount Vernon Nazarene University hosted the Allegheny West (Ohio and Western PA) Annual Conference. The chapel on campus was full of clergy and church leaders who have chosen the sacred over the secular and are now energized by a call to a new vision:

"It’s no longer time to fight to reform a denomination. That time has past. Now it’s time to fight to reform a nation."

Many in the GMC are hurting from broken relationships and the battles that were fought to birth this new denomination out of the UMC. Yet, they have shown great love for Jesus and for each other. What was at the root of this necessary split? Carl Trueman dives into that in his article The UMC Lost Sight Of What It Means To Be Human.

The excitement in the GMC is palpable as they begin their Gospel mission and stand in their communities as "...the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." (1 Tim 3:15 ESV).

What happens when the sacred is removed from Mother’s Day? There is a sobering example in this Washington Post article: Our daughter wanted a mommy, so she picked one of her dads. Yet, research has shown that children thrive the most in traditional families with a mother and a father.

Ryan Burge gives us a clear look at society's sacred/secular demographics in his article, The Nones Have Hit a Ceiling. Interestingly, only a very small percent of those non-religious are atheists. Like Mr. Sensible in CS Lewis’ Pilgrim’s Regress, many of them say, "The Landlord [God] has his function like everything else as one element in the good life… As ONE element!"

Partner Ministry Updates

Church Ambassador Network is part of Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) and its affiliated ministries, which seek to impact public policy, education, and the Ohio marketplace with the truth of the Gospel. Check out these updates from our ministry partners!

Policy

SB217: Bill to Prohibit AI-Generated Child Pornography
Sponsored by Senators Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) and Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), SB217 received its second committee hearing on May 22. Attorney General Dave Yost and CCV's Policy Director David Mahan were among those who gave proponent testimony. SB217 would make it a felony to create, distribute, buy, or possess any AI-generated child pornography. It would also require AI-generated content to have a watermark, and prohibit identity fraud using a replica of a person's likeness or voice.
SB212: Bill to Protect Children from Obscene Websites
Sponsored by Senators Stephanie Kunze (R-Dublin) and Bill DeMora (D-Columbus), SB212 received its second committee hearing on May 7. CCV's Policy Director David Mahan gave proponent testimony on SB212 as well. Similar to the Innocence Act (HB295) in the Ohio House of Representatives, SB212 aims to protect children from the porn industry by requiring Ohioans to provide ID for age verification to access obscene websites.

Christian Business Partnership

The keynote speakers for The Partnership's inaugural Legislative Luncheon were featured on The Narrativepodcast. Jonathan Butcher of The Heritage Foundation and Representative Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) join CCV President Aaron Baer to discuss the insidious rise of Critical Race Theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), especially in higher education institutions.

Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN)

The Heritage Foundation announced CCV as one of its 2024 Innovation Prize winners. CCV will receive a $100,000 award to support its Education Restoration Initiative, addressing Ohio's academically broken and morally corrupt government-run education system. The award will expand CCV's Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN) model, which helps churches operate full-time, in-person Christian schools Monday through Friday. Learn more.

Pray for Our Leaders

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. – 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)

*Church Ambassador Network Christian Engagement Ambassador Ruth Edmonds*

As we pray for our leaders this month, we focus on the leaders in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Join us in honoring 1 Timothy 2:1-2 by praying for these elected officials:

Don't forget to continue to pray for your district lawmakers. You can even click on the link on their page and send them an email to let them know your church prayed for them this month.

If you have prayer requests, please send them to Ruth at ruthedmonds@ccv.org.

Resources

*Church Ambassador Network Pastor Ambassador Eric Tober introducing CCV's* Vital Signs *report at Prayer at the Statehouse*

Morality Matters - My friend and former college suite-mate Pastor Stephen Anderson wrote this thought-provoking article. I encourage you to check it out to hear his thoughts on:
- How, and why, should the church stand against moral depravity in our culture that devalues human life, undermines the sanctity of marriage, and attacks the very fabric of our faith?
- Why fight for morality amongst the immoral?
- Why not forego the moral arguments institutionally for the evangelistic ones individually?
- If the solution is found in Christ, why would we, presumably, waste time fighting against immorality instead of fighting for gospel issues?
- Do we want to win a battle, or win the war?

Why We Need Social Taboos with John Daniel Davidson - Last week’s episode of The Narrative dives further into the topic of morality with a look at the recent decriminalization of child pornography in Germany.

Bringing Hope to an Election Year - Watch this important conversation with Brent Leatherwood and Daniel Darling about Christ-like political engagement in a messy political landscape. You'll get an overview of the issues we’re watching in this election year and beyond, and learn how to anchor your trust in Christ as you seek the good of your community.
How Pop Nietzscheanism Masquerades as Christianity - "Nathan hardly did Israel a favor when he confronted David over his relationship with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband. But he did his job and he saved David’s soul. That’s prophetic ministry. 'Prophetic' does not mean 'triggering the libs.' It means calling anyone and everyone to faith and repentance, no matter the social and political exigencies of the day."

If you believe other pastors in your network would benefit from receiving The Times, please send us their name and email address and we will get them connected!

Upcoming Events

Pastors' Lunch and Learn - The Fall and Rise of American Education: On Thursday, June 13 from 12:00 to 1:30 pm, the Church Ambassador Network is partnering with Columbus Classical Academy to share a thought-provoking presentation on the underlying philosophies and worldviews that have brought the education system in America to where we are today and the part Christian leaders play in bringing biblical truth to the forefront to begin rebuilding what has been broken. Space is limited to the first 100 responders, so register soon.
Save The Date for The First Annual Essential Summit Hosted by Center for Christian Virtue, The Essential Summit will take place Wednesday, October 2, through Friday, October 4! Join us to hear from speakers like Dr. Ben Carson, Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn, Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon, author and social critic Os Guinness, and more. Pre-registration is opening soon, watch your inbox for more details.

Pastor Testimony

“The Center For Christian Virtue is Ohio’s bright light continually exposing and pushing back the evil forces that are permeating the political landscape and trying to destroy the family.” – Pastor Reggie Hayes, Senior Pastor at United Faith International Church

Closing Thoughts

"One of the most urgently needed things today is a careful treatment of how the gospel, biblically and richly understood, ought to shape everything we do in the local church, all of our ethics, all of our priorities." – DA Carson, "What Is the Gospel?—Revisited" in For the Fame of God’s Name

A number of churches have decided to support CCV and the Church Ambassador Network financially through their budget. To set up a recurring monthly donation to CCV, please visit CCV.org/Donate and make sure to click the check box at the end of the form, above the comments field, before submitting your gift.

We would be honored if you chose to invest a portion of God’s resources into our effort to serve and support churches in Ohio with resources to help them carry out the Great Commission in the spirit of The Greatest Commandments in our current cultural context.

The Times: Sacred or Secular