Problematic

Pastors Should Be Bolder than Politicians

By now you may have seen a video of Salem Media’s Charlie Kirk sitting on a stage talking about Christians frustrated that President Donald J. Trump isn’t saying or doing enough when it comes to the sanctity of life.

The Turning Point USA founder mentions a Christian who told him President Trump wasn’t as pro-life as most people think. Charlie responded by asking a provocative and fog-cutting kind of question.

“Has your pastor spoke out regularly against the slaughter of the unborn?” he asked.

“Well, no, no, my pastor doesn’t do politics,” the man replied.

“Oh, so you want Donald Trump to speak out on holy matters when the person you tithe an offering to, that you call your home church, won’t even whisper about it?”

More than four months since the presidential election and just over two since January’s “Sanctity of Life” month, fewer people may be focused on how culturally engaged their pastors are in the pulpit.

But it should still matter to each of us.

Pastors carry a heavy burden – and enjoy an awesome opportunity to help lead and guide their congregations in the dizzying and dangerous culture.

“Let’s remind each other what church is,” Kirk went on. “Church is not a place where you go to be affirmed. Church is a place where you go to be saved and corrected. It is not a place to be told about how your lifestyle is the greatest thing ever. You go there to be reminded that you need a Savior and that your life is currently in error. But people don’t like that.”

He continued,

“Is it a church, which is about correction and elevating the Divine? Or is it a place where a ‘Ted Talk’ occurs with organized parking, above average coffee, a motivational speech and good music with nice lights? A church should be unafraid to go against the culture and not conform to the world but preach the Word.”

Christians are hungry for pulpit teaching that is comprised of sound doctrine coupled with practical application. They come into a Sunday service often beaten down by the lies of the world. Pastors who can bring clarity with conviction will be serving their congregations well.

The Bible is timeless and has a lot to say about the current challenges of the world. Pastors should be likewise engaged.

It’s not political to speak out about abortion and affirm the sanctity of life. It’s biblical (Psalm 139:13-16).

It’s not political to affirm the exclusivity of one-man, one-woman marriage. It’s biblical (Genesis 2:24).

It’s not political to acknowledge there are two genders. It’s biblical (Genesis 1:27).

Ministers worried about offending or running off attendees do those in attendance no favors by skirting or softening the truth of God’s Word. It was the apostle Peter who was quoting the prophet Isaiah when he said that Jesus was “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8).

Pastors should be far bolder than politicians, unafraid of criticism. Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has observed, “Those who teach and preach the Word of God are God-appointed agents to save God’s people from ignorance.”

If you’re blessed to have such a pastor, don’t forget to give thanks to God – and let them know how much you appreciate their outspoken candor and conviction.

Image credit: Internet Archive

‘Only Fans’ is a Social Toxin Destroying Lives

You can tell a lot about a culture by how its people spend their free time and disposable income.

OnlyFans, an X-rated internet content site based in England, generated over seven billion dollars last year. With over 300 million users, more than 40% of which are believed to be based here in the United States, the company strives to provide its subscribers with all kinds of tawdry and pornographic content.

The site boasts 4.1 million “creators,” 84% of whom are female. Not surprisingly, 70% of the paying customers are male.

Last week, one “creator” filmed herself having sex with 1,000 men in a single day. The site eventually removed the video because they said they couldn’t prove if everyone involved was over the age of 18.

That same woman claims to be making over one million dollars a month on the site.

Friday’s Wall Street Journal features the sad tale of “celebrity women” cashing in on the perverted interest of voyeuristic men:

Today, the most lucrative way for many female celebrities to sell sex is OnlyFans. In theory, it is a content-neutral platform that enables any individual to sell subscriptions of any kind to fans, promising “creative ownership,” “inclusivity” and “freedom” to would-be “creators.”

Lily Allen, a British singer who had two platinum-selling albums in the 2000s, posted on X last year that she earned more money selling pictures of her feet on OnlyFans than from streams of her music on Spotify. Drea de Matteo, who won an Emmy for her role on The Sopranos in 2004, has said that she joined OnlyFans after acting work dried up and she faced foreclosure on her mortgage.

It could be argued that pornography is not new. The first publications of lewd material and images are said to date to Rome in the 1500s. The advent of photography in the early 1800s and then film in the early 1900s provided more opportunity to exploit and commodify human sexuality. The internet is yet one more, albeit supercharged, medium to make a mockery of God’s gift of sexuality .

It would be easy to chastise the women who are voluntarily exploiting themselves on OnlyFans or other similar sites. To be sure, a number of them are being exploited by others. But the main reason the women are engaging in this industry and forum is because there’s a market for it. Men are willing to pay, so women are willing to perform.

Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson was invited by President Ronald Reagan back in the 1980s to serve on the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography. It was a grueling and difficult assignment. He and his co-laborers spent several years identifying the wickedness of the industry and made substantive recommendations. They contended it was a “winnable war.” Congress enacted many of their proposals, but sadly, time and culture have erased many of the gains.

I’ll always remember what Dr. Dobson said to me once about pornography’s scourge. He once said, “You go into the house of every serial killer, and you’ll always find pornography. Always.” He wasn’t suggesting everyone who looks at porn becomes a mass murderer, but he was warning about the insidious and incremental nature of the sin.

Friday’s Wall Street Journal article concludes by quoting an Only Fans “creator” who recently told a documentary filmmaker that navigating the escalating, sometimes unnervingly depraved requests of “fans” is “like doing a deal with the Devil.” Another woman said, “I felt objectified by creepy men.”

Tragically, that’s the evil nature of the pornography industry. If you or someone you know is caught in its grasp, please know Focus on the Family has resources available to help you break free and be liberated from it.

Image from Shutterstock.

In God’s Economy, There is No Need to Panic

According to Merriam-Webster, a panic is “a sudden overpowering fright,” an “unreasoning terror” or widespread concern regarding financial affairs.

The word is rooted in Greek mythology where a so-called “god” named “Pan” was known to elicit extreme anxiety in both man and animal.

In 2025, media and political agitators are the new “pans” of the era. Their goal is two-fold. First, they want to get your attention and earn your click. Second, they want to either confirm or change your opinion to be in alignment with their (usually) radically liberal point of view.

Early Thursday, the ignominious Drudge Report was running the following banner headlines:

“CONSUMER PANIC HITS RICH AND POOR” … “WALL STREET SPIRAL CONTINUES.”

Linking to a Wall Street Journal article, we read that Americans are pulling back on their spending. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon acknowledged that for many, the “money runs out before the month is gone.” Costco’s Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip told the publication that customers are being “very choiceful,” which is code for saying they’re buying more essentials and fewer impulse-type items. 

Many families and individuals can relate. 

History is both a good teacher and source of perspective. Financial ups and downs are part of any capitalistic economy. We all know about the Great Depression and more recently, the financial crisis of 2008. But you might be interested to know there have been 48 recessions going back to America’s founding. 

Incidentally, a recession is considered to be a “significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.” 

Of course, Christians are not immune to fret and worry, though the Bible offers considerable advice on the subject.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me,” wrote King David (Psalm 23:4). We read in Deuteronomy, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (31:6). “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you,” said Jesus. “Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid”(John 14:27).

Recognizing the coordinated effort to rile you up is an important part of avoiding the tidal wave of worry. Don’t take the bait. 

At the same time media outlets and pundits, along with some politicians, are attempting to gaslight you into thinking the country is on the verge of financial collapse, we received the news yesterday that inflation was lower than expected – and egg and gas prices, along with mortgage rates, are all going down.

But wait – might the government shut down tomorrow night, triggering another wave of fatalist headlines and hype that the end is near?

Regardless of where you are or where the economy happens to be, embrace the wise words of the apostle Paul, who urged Timothy,“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

It was Corrie ten Boom, who survived being imprisoned during World War II in the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, who wrote, “There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.”

We’ll need to wait for eternity to be free of earth’s problems, but with the Lord’s help and peace, we can still strive to avoid panicking before we get there.

Image from Shutterstock.

Wife. Daughter. Mom. In that Order.

A video is circulating on X featuring a young man asking other young men to prioritize, in order of importance, the relationship with their mother, wife, and daughter.

None of the men featured list their wife in the top slot. Mothers and daughters both earn top honors.

“A wife is replaceable,” says one. “You can always find another wife,” reflects another.

“I was raised by a single mother, so my mom’s gotta come first,” replies one man. “Then my daughter, then my wife.”

It’s clear from these exchanges that none of these men embrace God’s directive found in the second chapter of Genesis: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (2:24).

The failure to “leave and cleave” in a marriage has resulted in major conflict, heartache, and headache over the years. While this video is new, it’s an ancient point of tension and the reason it’s addressed in the very first book of the Bible.

Scholars will tell you that to “leave” in Hebrew is to “forsake” or “depart,” “let loose,” or “leave behind.” That doesn’t mean the child is supposed to completely abandon or ignore their mother or father, but it does suggest we’re to reprioritize our relationship with our parents and make sure our spouse isn’t competing for our attention. 

This transfer of loyalty can be jarring for everyone involved. Some parents might get their feelings hurt. The son or daughter might feel guilty. Families should anticipate a season of transition as they navigate the new dynamic.

As a child, I remember my mother talking about how my grandfather (her father) would leave their Jersey City apartment early each Sunday morning to take his mother to church. He’d then have breakfast with his mother back at her apartment. He’d finally arrive back home to a frazzled wife trying to get the girls ready for church – and then traipse off to their church with them. 

My mother said the arrangement “irritated” her mother – but she remained quiet, assuming it was a temporary season given the old woman’s advanced age. I don’t think my grandmother expected her husband to ignore his mother, but she clearly felt like she was playing second fiddle come the Lord’s Day.

Dr. Henry Cloud, a popular guest on the Focus on the Family with Jim Daly radio show, has stressed the importance of finding a healthy balance when it comes to adult child and parent relationships. 

“It is so important to have multi-generational in-law great relationships,” he’s said. “There’s grandparenting relationships that are so important. There’s all sorts of stuff. You’ve gotta have the high value of in-laws.”

Pastor Ted Cunningham, another popular guest and author, has urged mothers and fathers to prepare for this transition years before it’s even likely to take place.

According to Pastor Ted, families are launching kids into life rather than launching young adults. He calls it “prolonged adolescence” and characterizes the teen and early college years as “too much privilege, not enough responsibility.”

“[Parents need] to help them understand privilege is at the end of responsibility,” he says. “You have to start laying on more of the responsibility, you have to start allowing them to make more decisions. If it’s true we treat our children like children right up until the very day we expect them to be adults, this is why so many young people crash and burn. They’re just not ready for the responsibility of all that freedom.”

Part of that responsibility for Christians is knowing how to prioritize their adult relationships when getting married. Outside our relationship with Jesus Christ, our spouse should be our top priority. If the Lord blesses us with children, they should come next. Then our parents. This doesn’t mean we might not encounter a difficult season when it comes to caring for a mother or father. But when it comes to regular, day-to-day operations, it should always be, “Spouse. Child. Parent.”

And in that order.

Image credit: Internet Hall of Fame

Of Course We Should Pray for the President

Former swimmer and women’s sports activist Riley Gaines ignited something of a social media firestorm on Sunday when she prayed for President Donald Trump and his cabinet at the opening of the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Texas.

The tradition of praying at the start of NASCAR races dates to the sport’s beginning in 1948. But television viewers around the country would have first become aware of the practice in 1979 when CBS agreed to air the invocation. Response from viewers was overwhelmingly positive.

Riley Gaines’ invitation came just weeks after President Trump made headlines for attending the Daytona 500, his second visit to the track.

Here is how Gaines prayed:

Dear heavenly Father, we gather today with gratitude for your mercy that we do not deserve and the sacrifice of your son who was sent to Earth to conquer death, hell and the grave. We thank you for this day and the unity that brings us together as we prepare for the start of this race. Lord, we ask for your protection for all drivers, staff, families and fans alike. Grant each driver wisdom and safety at every turn.
Heavenly Father, bless President Donald J. Trump, his cabinet and all of our leaders that they may seek your guidance in all decisions. If this is done, we may never be wrong and America will be made great again. Instill in us humility and grace so that others will see you in our daily lives. May today and every day lead us to the ultimate finish line – meeting you at the pearly gates.
We surrender the activities of this day and of our lives into your mighty hands. God bless America, God bless the great state of Texas. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture is clear in its call to pray for our leaders. Wrote the apostle Paul:

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. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Critics of Riley Gaines’ prayer suggested NASCAR was being turned into a Trump rally. Others were uncomfortable with the invocation simply mentioning the president at all.

NASCAR and political figures have long enjoyed an alliance. President Jimmy Carter hosted champion drivers at the White House in 1978. Back in 1984, President Ronald Reagan was the grand marshall of the Daytona Firecracker 400. George H.W. Bush visited the Daytona Speedway in 1992. Bill Clinton was grand marshall of the 1992 Southern 500.

Back in 2015, NASCAR’s Darrell Waltrip was the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast. Waltrip and President Obama greeted each other warmly. The legendary driver pulled no punches in his remarks. At one point during his keynote, the championship driver warned:

“If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if you don’t have a relationship, if He’s not the master of your life, if you’ve never gotten on your knees and asked Him to forgive you of your sins, or if you are just a pretty good guy or a pretty good gal, you’re going to go to hell.” 

Opening prayers at NASCAR have made headlines over the years. Pastor Joe Nelms of the Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tenn., became water cooler fodder in 2011 when he prayed at the Nashville Superspeedway:

Heavenly father, we thank you tonight for all your blessings you sent and in all things we give thanks. So we want to thank you tonight for these mighty machines that you brought before us. Thank you for the Dodges and the Toyotas. Thank you for GM Performance Technology and R07 engines. Thank you for Sunoco racing fuel and Goodyear tires that bring performance and power to the track.
Lord, I want to thank you for my smokin’ hot wife tonight, Lisa, my two children, Eli and Emma – or, as we like to call them, the Little Es. I pray you bless the drivers and use them tonight. May they put on a performance worthy of this great track. In Jesus’s name, boogity boogity boogity, Amen.

While Pastor Nelms’ prayer went viral, some were understandably uncomfortable with the inclusion of several irreverent references.  

Yet as Christians, we should feel free to pray for the burdens the Lord places on our hearts, and especially for our elected leaders regardless of political party.

Image credit: X.