Scrolling around...August 2, 2013

Exposing the Muslim Brotherhood in America
...Stakelbeck described the spread of the Muslim Brotherhood around the world to some 80 countries. But he emphasized the group’s effect and influence on the United States. He declared that without the birth of the Muslim Brotherhood, there would have been no 9/11, no war on terror. “The Muslim Brotherhood is the gateway drug to Islamic terrorism and jihad,” Stakelbeck declared...

Nigeria: Multiple blasts in Christian area of northern Kano city kill 12, injure scores
Nigeria's military says at least 12 people died in multiple blasts that rocked a Christian area in Nigeria's northern and mainly Muslim Kano city.

Military Joint Task Force spokesman Ikedichi Iweya says "a couple" of people were wounded in Monday night's attack by suspected members of the Islamic extremist Boko Haram network...

How to keep Millennials in the church? Let’s keep church un-cool.
Last week a column on CNN’s Belief Blog titled “Why Millennials Are Leaving the Church” went viral, partially because any time the words “Millennials,” “leaving,” and “church” are combined in a headline, people pay attention.

But why? Why do we care so much about the reasons Millennials are reportedly leaving churches?

I’m a Millennial, but I am weary of everyone caring so much about why Millennials do this or don’t do that. I’m sorry Millennials, but I’m going to have to throw us under the bus here: we do not have everything figured out. And if we expect older generations and well-established institutions to morph to fit our every fickle desire, we do so at our peril...

The Economist on Christian Sorrows
The Economist has a couple of interesting stories this week on the continuing plight of Christians in the Middle East...

Is the New Evangelical Liturgy Really an Improvement?
...If I’m not mistaken, there is a New Evangelical Liturgy which is increasingly common in our churches. You find it in Baptist churches, Presbyterian churches, Reformed churches, free churches, and non-denominational churches. It’s familiar in rural churches and city churches. It can be found in tiny churches and megachurches. No one has written it down in a service book. No council or denomination is demanding that it be done. No pastor is taught this liturgy in seminary (um, probably not). But it has become the default liturgy nonetheless. It looks like this:

Casual welcome and announcements
Stand up for 4-5 songs
During the set, or at the very end, add a short prayer
Sermon
Closing song
Dismissal

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say this is the basic liturgy from which most evangelical churches operate. To be sure, there are slight variations. The announcement may go after the praise set. There may be an offering in there somewhere, possibly with a special music number. The service may be tweaked a bit when there is communion or a baptism. But overall, if I were to visit 50 different evangelical churches over the next year, this is what I expect to find most of the time.

The simple question I want to ask is this: Is this New Evangelical Liturgy really an improvement?...

Planned Parenthood Now Over $12.5 Million in Government Determined Waste, Abuse, and Fraud
...But while you are likely to hear very little about this in the media, this is not the first time that state or federal governments have determined that Planned Parenthood affiliates have engaged in waste, abuse and potential fraud with taxpayer dollars. In just a handful of publicly disclosed and very limited audits of Planned Parenthood affiliates, federal and state government auditors in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington, California, and a previous audit in Texas have documented approximately $8.3 million in waste, abuse and possible fraud by America’s leading abortionist...
Mainstream Media Ignores Massive Fraud at Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz

The Attack in Benghazi: Worth Investigating After All
CNN reports that dozens of CIA agents were on the ground there -- and that they're being pressured to keep quiet. Why?...

Gay couple to sue church over gay marriage opt-out
Wealthy gay dad, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, says he and his civil partner Tony will go to court to force churches to host gay weddings.

He told the Essex Chronicle that he will take legal action because “I am still not getting what I want”.

A Government Bill legalising gay marriage passed Parliament recently but it included measures to protect churches from being forced to perform same-sex weddings...

San Antonio Preparing to Persecute Christians Who Speak Out on the Bible
The San Antonio City Council is about to adopt an ordinance that will persecute any Christian for preaching the Bible or sharing their faith. They are looking at passing some nondiscrimination ordinances that would make it a crime to exhibit or express any form of bias that could offend someone. The proposed ordinance says:
“No person shall be appointed to a position if the city council finds that such person has, prior to such proposed appointment, engaged in discrimination or demonstrated a bias, by word or deed, against any person, group or organization on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age, or disability.”...