Episode 362
Religious broadcasters oppose California law limiting speech; Churchgoers’ desire to serve not fully realized; SBTS course on spiritual distinctives.
Transcript
The National Religious Broadcasters, an association of Christian media outlets, has joined a lawsuit seeking to block a California law that requires social media companies to publish their policies on removing hate speech from their platforms.
Under the law, companies must disclose in detail how they remove content, including hate speech, disinformation, extremism, harassment and foreign political interference. They are also required to submit terms of service reports to the state attorney general by Jan. 1, 2024. Fines for noncompliance were set at up to $15,000 per violation per day.
Internet freedom and tech lobbying organizations, as well as the California Chamber of Commerce, have opposed the bill since it was introduced by Democratic Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel.
Faith-based and culturally conservative groups have also objected to the law. In adding its name to the lawsuit, NRB joins the Babylon Bee, a conservative-leaning satirical site, and Tim Pool, a conservative podcaster who has been labeled a bigot by Media Matters.
NRB said the law affects its members “by having their speech repressed,” adding that by having to directly comply with the statute, members “would become agents of the state for First Amendment suppression.”
Although most churchgoers want to serve in their communities for Gospel impact, there is a noticeable gap when it comes to the number who are already volunteering for a charity.
Most Protestant churchgoers say their churches encourage them to serve people not affiliated with their church and that they want to do so. But few have volunteered in the past year. More than 4 in 5 churchgoers say their churches encourage every adult to serve people outside their church (84 percent) and they want to serve these people in hopes of sharing the Gospel (86 percent).
Despite saying they want to serve people who are not a part of their church, few churchgoers are even serving within the context of their own churches. Two in 3 (66 percent) churchgoers say they have not volunteered for a charity (ministry, church or non-ministry) in the previous year. Three in 10 (30 percent) say they have, and 4 percent are not sure. According to the latest findings of the U.S. Census Bureau, 23 percent of Americans volunteered through an organization between September 2020 and September 2021.
—
Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs
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 Richard 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.
—
When a student chapel service extended into days and weeks this past winter at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky., observers far and wide questioned whether the stage was set for the next Great Awakening?
Months later, theologian Tim Beougher will equip students to see distinctives of spiritual awakenings, revivals and personal renewals in an online summer course at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS).
The course, as SBTS promotes it, “is a study of the history and theological and biblical principals involved in awakenings and the sociological milieu in which they emerged. Some attention will be given to analyzing current awakenings and revival methods in the light of historical, biblical and theological principals of awakenings.”
Learn more at sbts.edu.
Pro-life advocates and others are awaiting a Texas judge’s ruling on whether an abortion pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 should be prescribed to women. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has called on nine federal agencies to revoke a proposed rule it says would unduly burden the rights of faith-based organizations that take part in government programs. And, a Lifeway Bible study on Baptist Press speaks to the final moments before Jesus’ arrest and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus seeks to encourage his disciples as he knows heavy sorrow is just around the corner.
Pro-life advocates and others are awaiting a Texas judge’s ruling on whether an abortion pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 should be prescribed to women. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has called on nine federal agencies to revoke a proposed rule it says would unduly burden the rights of faith-based organizations that take part in government programs. And, a Lifeway Bible study on Baptist Press speaks to the final moments before Jesus’ arrest and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus seeks to encourage his disciples as he knows heavy sorrow is just around the corner.
Pro-life advocates and others are awaiting a Texas judge’s ruling on whether an abortion pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 should be prescribed to women. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has called on nine federal agencies to revoke a proposed rule it says would unduly burden the rights of faith-based organizations that take part in government programs. And, a Lifeway Bible study on Baptist Press speaks to the final moments before Jesus’ arrest and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus seeks to encourage his disciples as he knows heavy sorrow is just around the corner.
Related Episodes
58 baptisms at TN jail by neighboring churches’ MedAdvance in 2023; More lives to be changed. 10 reasons for disaster relief training.
When more than 50 people were baptized at the Sumner County, Tennessee Jail in early May, it was the culmination of many years of ministry from two neighboring churches; For those with a passion for healthcare and a calling to missions, the International Mission Board has avenues of service ready to fill; Unfortunately, natural disasters are inevitable in this world. Coy Webb of Send Relief encourages believers to get trained in responding to disaster relief
Bilingual Texas church plant bridges generations; Christians and predatory payday lending; Demonstrating faith in Jesus.
As the Hispanic population in the U.S. grows, new challenges are emerging Christians should care about predatory lending because its practices exploit and take advantage of our neighbors, whom we’ve been commanded to love; Jesus revealed His identity as Messiah and Lord through His words and His actions.
90,000 U.S. testimonies of answered prayer sought for England monument; 6 Ways Pastors Become Men of Prayer
Everyone finds great joy when God answers their prayer. Richard Gamble’s is working hard to build what he calls the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, an interactive, 160-foot monument of 1 million white bricks built into an infinity loop on a plot of high-profile land in Birmingham, England; In a piece in the Baptist Press Toolbox, Kie Bowman encourages believers to pray and offers some tips to pastors and believers on how to create culture of prayer in the local church.
0 Comments