Supreme Court pauses abortion pill ruling; 7 Qs to understand & appreciate your community.

The U.S. Supreme Court placed a temporary hold Friday afternoon (April 14) on a week-old decision that suspended the federal government’s 2000 approval of the abortion pill.

Associate Justice Samuel Alito ordered a stay of the federal court ruling out of Texas until 11:59 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday, April 19. Alito, who is assigned motions that arise from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, said a response to the emergency request by the Biden administration for the hold must be filed by noon (EDT) Tuesday, April 18.

While Alito’s order is not based on the merits of the lower court’s decision, it means the April 7 nationwide injunction halting distribution of the abortion pill will not take effect until after April 19, if then.

The order is “standard operating procedure” for an emergency application, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing pro-life doctors and associations in their challenge to the FDA. “It gives the court sufficient time to consider the parties’ arguments before ruling,” ADF Senior Counsel Erin Hawley said in a written statement.

Federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Amarillo, Texas, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration failed in 2000 to address safety concerns in approving mifepristone, the first drug in a two-step process commonly referred to as medical or chemical abortion. He delayed its implementation for seven days to permit the Biden administration time to pursue “emergency relief” from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

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Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richar d and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

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In a piece in the Baptist Press Toolbox, Scott McConnell writes,

Everyone in our community needs Christ, but many times we can feel lost knowing how to help our congregation start connecting with people. Answering these seven questions about your community will help you love your community better, pray for them more specifically, and highlight some needs God has already equipped your church to address.  

• What pain are people avoiding?
• What pleasures are people pursuing?
• With what worldview lens are people viewing life?
• How do people personally interact?
• How do people build trust?
  • More than any other country, Americans build trust through doing tasks together. What are the tasks people in your community are doing together?
• How do people build God?
  • Is God real or a human created myth? Which god are we talking about? Is God perfect or fallible? Does God owe us anything?
• How do people view the Bible?

• Some people believe the Bible is hurtful and contains hate speech. Some believe the words of the Bible are from men not God. Almost half of Americans consider the Bible fiction. And only half of Americans believe the Bible has the authority to tell us what we must do. 
• The truths we desire to share with others come from God’s Word. Many will see no reason to accept those words or ideas. The more we can share about the God who revealed Himself through His Word, the more these words will plant the seeds of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).