“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11

Let me begin by reiterating a recommendation I made two weeks ago when I shared a message entitled, “Walking as Children of Light”. I recommended that our church family take their high schoolers and go see the movie, Unplanned, on the counsel of some of our staff who viewed a pre-screening of the movie. 

Unplanned follows the true story of Abby Johnson, a Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life activist. 

After seeing the movie on Sunday, I am going to revise my recommendation. I now highly recommend the movie with your children junior high and up. The movie did not deserve an “R” rating. 

Movieguide, The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment, wrote the following about Unplanned.

The pro-life movie UNPLANNED released on Friday in theaters across the country earned an impressive $6.3 million over the weekend. This is a very strong opening, given that the movie was: released in a limited 1,000 theaters; was denied advertising opportunities on many networks and platforms; received negative reviews from mainstream publications; and, was rated “R” from the MPAA. By all accounts, UNPLANNED was an underdog movie that multiple publications predicted would only open to $2-3 million.

I have never been big on conspiracy theories, but I do believe that the powers-to-be in our society, especially Hollywood, have a plan or agenda that they want to promote or prevent. I believe that pro-life is one they want to prevent. They have a plan.

It’s curious what Tess Farrand, Staff Writer for Movieguide, wrote about Unplanned. She did not imply there was a plan. I believe that there may have very well been one in place.

She reported three things about the movie. First, Unplanned was “denied advertising opportunities on many networks and platforms”. Second, it “received negative reviews from mainstream publications”. Finally, it “was rated “R” from the MPAA”.

I have no first-hand knowledge of the first two obstacles, but after seeing the movie, it is incredulous that it received an “R” rating. I have seen PG and PG-13 movies that are far worse.

After the movie was release and doing well, something curious happened. Farrand reported the following. 

On Saturday morning, UNPLANNED’S Twitter was suspended briefly. Lead actress Ashley Bratcher tweeted to get the word out, “Trying to figure out why the @UnplannedMovie account has been suspended. We need answers. #unplannedmovie” 

In the following hours, celebrities like Patricia Heaton, pro-life political voices and the UNPLANNED Twitter page noted the suspension as well as Twitter’s negligence to verify the movie. Due to the buzz about the suspension, Twitter restored the page…

It does appear that there are those who do not want the message of Unplanned to be successfully told. But God has a different plan. He is on the side of the unborn child in the womb and wants this story to be told.

I hope you seriously consider seeing this movie then having an open dialogue with your children and others. We are not called to argue the things of faith, but to clearly and lovingly share the Good News of Jesus with others.  

Part of the Good News from the movie is a clear message that God loves the baby in the womb and those who choose life. The movie also shows God’s love for those who have chosen to end life in the womb and how He desires from them to come to Him so He can forgive them, cleanse them and restore them.

One final note, God’s ultimate plans always succeed.

Something to think about…

By Pastor Dan Christian

Have you ever thought about the fact that any great athlete started out as a floppy baby who had to learn to hold their head up, and then as an unsteady toddler who had to learn to stand without toppling over?

 The training that LeBron James went through to gain a vertical jump of 44 inches did not start on the basketball court, nor in the workout gym, but on the living room floor of his home. It did not begin with jumping at all, but with the challenge of simply balancing on his own two feet and taking his first wobbly steps.

The training that Kerri Walsh Jennings went through to become the most decorated beach volleyball Olympian of all-time started long before she touched the sand of the California beaches. Her training began with the rather uncoordinated (and sometimes comical) batting of squeaky baby toys hanging above her bouncy seat.

The training that Michael Phelps went through to become an Olympic swimmer with 23 gold medals did not start in the swimming pool but in his crib at home. It did not begin with major workouts, but with the unimpressive feat of rolling over and sitting up.

Whether a famous athlete or a top scholar or a successful executive, the principle remains the same: high-level achievement begins with small, unimpressive steps.

The same is true of the women and men of great faith whom we look up to as examples of godliness—their maturity in Christ started with simple, basic steps of studying God’s Word, learning to pray, practicing a memory verse, and so on. Training is an essential part of growing toward maturity in Christ, and training always starts small.

When change happens, and we struggle to come to terms with all that is new or different, we might know that the “right Christian answer” is to trust in God, but trust is not something that can be immediately “produced.” Rather, trust is developed in small increments over a long period of time. So if we are to trust God in a season of transition, we must train our hearts to trust, one small step at a time.

What might those small steps of trust look like?

Perhaps it’s writing a truth on a sticky note and posting it on your bathroom mirror where you’ll see it each morning. This past Sunday we were reminded through the story of Lazarus that God loves us and He has the power to raise the dead—you could rehearse that truth every day, especially as it relates to our transition.

Perhaps it’s telling God honestly what you’re feeling or what you’re struggling with in this time of change. Bringing that complaint or concern to God in prayer, rather than letting despair or bitterness take hold, is an expression of trust in Him.

Perhaps it’s having the courage to ask a friend or a pastor for prayer, whether on a Sunday morning at the end of the worship service, or in your Branch or fellowship group.

Perhaps it’s attempting to memorize a verse or passage of Scripture that gives comfort or perspective in the upheaval of change, such as Colossians 1:11-12 or Philippians 4:4-7. Write it out on a 3x5 card and read it two times each morning.

These are small steps. They’re not earth-shattering. But until we take the initial small steps, we will not be able to progress further in our trust of God.

If you have been a part of this church for many years now, you know that the level of trust you have in Pastor Cory has developed incrementally over all these years, as you have listened to him and followed his leadership. In the same way, your trust in God for all that is coming in this new season will grow incrementally as you take these small steps moment by moment and day by day.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 says:

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Training for godliness starts with small exercises, just like training for an athlete begins with holding their head up as a baby or swinging their hands at the toys over the crib. Yet these seemingly insignificant steps build habits of trust and relationship with God that are crucial in navigating the uncomfortable unknowns of this season of transition.

So start small—and train hard.

By Pastor Dan Christian

Loss stinks.

Suffering is no fun.

Grief is not an easy fix.

Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from loss or suffering or grief. And being a Christian doesn’t mean we have to put on a happy face in the midst of the pain.

Times of transition inevitably bring loss of some kind. Situations change. People leave. Relationships break. Sickness or death intrudes.

Even good changes bring loss. What proud new parent hasn’t fumbled through the fog of a lack of sleep? What recent graduate hasn’t bemoaned the working-world reality of long commutes and no summer breaks?

Retirement of our senior pastor—after 42 years of faithful ministry—is a good and well-deserved change! Yet there are significant losses that come with Pastor Cory’s retirement, especially for those who have been a part of this church for three or four (or more!) decades: loss of stability, loss of familiarity, loss of presence. We will miss Pastor Cory’s unflappable trust in God’s leading, his alliterated sermon outlines, his frequent invitations to receive Christ, and his familiar benediction.

In what ways are you specifically feeling the pang of loss and grief, as the reality of Pastor Cory’s retirement sinks in? Give yourself permission to feel that pain, and then express all that you’re feeling to God in a prayer of lament.

Lament is the biblical model of a faith-filled response to loss and suffering and pain. To lament well is to walk the tightrope of trust in God, between the pitfalls of emotionless cynicism on the one side and bitter complaining and despair on the other.

In a prayer (or song) of lament, our hearts turn upward to God, rather than curving inward to self or outward to other people. From the outside, it might feel like lament is disrespectful, simply because it is honest and forthright—it does not hide behind a veneer of politeness—but lament actually expresses a deep faith by “getting in God’s face” and reminding Him of His character and His promises.

Paul Miller writes:

“There is no such thing as a lament-free life. In fact, if your life is lament-free, you aren’t loving well. To love is to lament, to let your heart be broken by something.

“If you don’t lament over the broken things in your world, then your heart shuts down. Your living, vital relationship with God dies a slow death because you open the door to unseen doubt and become quietly cynical. Cynicism moves you away from God; laments push you into his presence. So, oddly enough, not lamenting leads to unbelief. Reality wins, and hope dies.”

In Hebrew culture, laments were not the solitary practice of an individual, but the joint practice of a community. Thus the psalms of lament were not whispered in private prayer closets but sung as corporate songs of worship. So in our Sunday morning worship services, join in with your brothers and sisters to sing, “I will wait for You, I will wait for You, Through the storm and through the night…” And let your heart cry out to God even as you sing, with the heaviness and pain of your own loss, as well as the suffering and sorrow you know that others are facing.

And in your mid-week meeting places (whether at Branch or simply bumping into someone at Costco), don’t settle for only polite Christian pleasantries, but allow others into your suffering, and learn to listen well to the pain that others might share with you. Then instead of offering Romans 8:28 as a promise of hope, try praying Psalm 69:16-17 for them instead:

Answer me, Lord,
   for Your faithful love is good;
 in keeping with Your great compassion,
   turn to me.

Don’t hide Your face from Your servant,
   for I am in distress.
 Answer me quickly!

Ignoring the pain of loss in this transition season is neither healthy nor helpful. God knows us and holds us in our grief, so as we walk with one another through all that is changing, may we learn to lament well—together—as an expression of trust in our God.

By Pastor Dan Christian

Do you remember what it was like to prepare for a science test in elementary school? Do you remember the pressure of final exams week in college? Were you the kind of student who studied diligently for weeks in advance, or did you prefer to stay up most (or all) of the night before, trying to cram as much information into your sleepy brain as possible? Perhaps you’re a student now, and the stress of exams is not just a distant memory but a present reality!

 Regardless of our study habits, though, we face a similar process with every test we take. Prior to the test, there is a certain amount of information that we need to learn and understand, and there are certain skills that we need to master. After we’ve taken the test, the red ink on our paper makes it clear what information we do—and don’t—comprehend, as well as the skills we are proficient in and the ones with which we are still struggling. As much as we perhaps dread seeing our grade, those marks help us know where to focus our subsequent study hours.

One thing happens almost universally at test time: we pray. Even the unreligious student is likely to mutter something akin to a prayer when a test rolls around, especially if it’s a pop quiz or an exam that could cause them to fail the class. Only a few obnoxiously cocky students refuse to pray (and perhaps don’t even study). Everyone else studies hard and then “prays” they pass.

James 1:2-4 tells us that God allows us to meet various kinds of trials in our lives, and each of those trials serves as a test of our trust in God. These trials may be sickness or sorrow or struggle, but they may also be wealth or friendship or promotions—whether negative or positive, they test our reliance on God alone.

Seasons of change can be a kind of trial that God uses to test our trust in Him alone. The internal struggle, which we call transition, of coming to terms with the changes that are happening, can also be a way that our trust in God is tested.

Just like tests in an academic setting, we would do well to prepare diligently for the tests (trials) that God brings our way. Sometimes those tests are thrust upon us unexpectedly—like a sudden discovery of cancer—and other times the tests are anticipated, as is the season of transition that we as a church are walking through. We prepare for both the expected and the unexpected in the same way: there is information (truth) we need to learn and take to heart, and there are skills (habits) that we need to practice and master.

Our All-Church Bible Study last fall helped us begin the process of digesting truths and practicing habits that boost our trust in God, and this blog series is meant to remind us of those truths and exhort us to continue practicing the habits we have begun. But in one sense our study session is coming to an end and the test is being placed in front of us, so now we begin to see how well we have prepared. And just as we can’t help but utter some kind of plea for Divine mercy as we sit at our school desk with the blank exam staring up at our bleary eyes, so also as this test of transition truly begins, the best thing we can do is pray.

In the very next verse, after James describes various kinds of trials as tests of our faith that reveal where we are strong and where we need to learn and grow further, he says,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)

Ask God.

Why? Because we want to do well on this test, but we lack wisdom.

Pray.

Why? Because God is generous, and He does not shame those who ask Him for help.

Keep on praying.

Why? Because reliance on God doesn’t mean asking once and then doing the rest on our own; reliance means walking moment by moment with Him in constant dialogue as each new aspect of this change unfolds.

We’ve studied and prepared. Now the test is in front of us. Let us pray.

“There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…” Proverbs 6:16-17

Forty-six years ago, on January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down two rulings that have changed American history forever. The Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton decisions legalized abortions in America. 

For those of you who are much younger than me, while growing up, I never thought I would ever see the day that abortions would be legalized or homosexuality would be acknowledged as acceptable behavior. Yet, in my thirty-sixth year of life, babies were having their lives legally terminated in the womb.

On Sunday, March 17, I shared about abortion from a biblical perspective and that life begins at conception. I have shared on numerous occasions that I don’t believe that one should base their conclusions on such matters from scientific “evidence”. We should always begin with the Word of God; then look to science to support the Word. 

It is interesting to note what Pastor John Piper wrote about science and life in the womb.

“Ultrasound technology has given a stunning window on the womb that shows the unborn at eight weeks sucking his thumb, recoiling from pricking, responding to sound. All the organs are present, the brain is functioning, the heart is pumping, the liver is making blood cells, the kidneys are cleaning fluids, and there is a fingerprint.”     

Again, you should not draw a pro-life conclusion solely from scientific evidence any more that you should validate abortion from scientific findings. Draw from the Word of God.

I personally believe that the abortion issue is no longer a moral issue for many of those who support the killing of babies. It has, however, become a tremendous financial issue.

Many of you know that I was a pharmaceutical representative from 1972 to 1977. I remember calling on one tiny hospital that was run down and about to go out of business in 1972. I didn’t visit the hospital again for years.

The next time I was there, it had received an entire facelift. It had become a very profitable enterprise. When I inquired what transpired, the answer was chilling. They began to do abortions. They told me how profitable abortions are. It saddened my heart because, in America, if something is profitable, morality usually goes out the window. 

What to do? Pray and get involved. I believe that tide of killing babies in the womb has turned somewhat due to efforts of organizations like Options, A Women’s Care Center. On the other hand, laws permitting full-term abortions are now getting passed.

More than ever, we need to get involved by writing to our elected representatives about the legislative bills regarding abortion and by discovering the position of candidates on this issue and voting accordingly.

Views are hopefully changing amongst young people. Who knows, legalized abortions may cease in my lifetime. I doubt it, but then again, I never thought they would become legal in my lifetime.

Something to think about…