Largest Participating Religions In the USA

Getreligion.org posted this article mainly about the age and decline of the SBC, but the map’s colors spoke to me. The map is a look at the largest participating religions in the US. It shows a clear picture of where SBC presence is mostly felt. While I currently serve in the red, my prayer is for the other colors as we need to reach beyond where we are to where we are not.

Along with map, here is the core of what the article had to say about the decline of the SBC:

Here is what Bob Smietana of the Tennessean stated about the decline of the SBC:

Three major factors derailed the Southern Baptist system.

First, the birth rate among white Americans fell. That was a problem because most Southern Baptists are white and because they found most of their converts among their children. …

Second, Americans moved from rural areas into cities and suburbs. That’s a problem because almost half of Southern Baptist churches are in rural areas. And Baptists have, until recently, started few new urban churches. Hall disagrees with some critics who think the decline in membership and baptisms is a spiritual problem.
“The problem is not a lack of evangelistic fervor,” he said. “It’s location, location, location.”

The third factor? New churches that don’t act like Southern Baptist churches. Those churches have often exchanged their choirs for rock bands, met in nontraditional places, and have preachers who dress casually and give edgy sermons. And many new churches also have dropped Baptist from their names as denominational loyalty fell.

Abortion: America's Silent Holocaust

On January 22, 1973 abortion was legalized in America. Since 1973 that have been 49,551,703 abortions have taken place; that’s more than seven times the number of Jews killed during the Nazi Holocaust. 1,206,200 took place in 2006, which is more than 2 per minute. Abortion is a human tragedy, and it is something we believe breaks our Lord’s heart as He created each of these unborn children in His image.

President Obama is now expected to sign The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would eliminate every restriction on abortion nationwide.

• FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial birth abortion, and on all other protections.
• FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.
• FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.

While campaigning he made a promise to Planned Parenthood last year they expect him to keep. Obama said, “The first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing I’d do.”

Here is what God says, "When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.' - Exodus 21:22-25

I have no desire to stand on the streets and curse the darkness of abortion – something that takes more lives in a single year than did the entire holocaust. My hope is to cast light on the issue that each person is formed in the womb. Each unborn baby was created by God and deserves the audacity of hope to be born. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “You stand for something or you fall for anything.” May we stand for life.

Hope Requires Birth

Here is an interesting video put together by the Catholics.

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

This week I read a new blog from a pastor who gained my attention through a shocking title, “Why I hate sanctity of Home Life Sunday.” His title is shocking on purpose, but he made some great points. Shen statements beckons the question, what the heck is wrong with us (America) as a people? Here is a blurb from his article:

I hate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday because I’m reminded that we have to say things to one another that human beings shouldn’t have to say. Mothers shouldn’t kill their children. Fathers shouldn’t abandon their babies. No human life is worthless, regardless of skin color, age, disability, economic status. The very fact that these things must be proclaimed is a reminder of the horrors of this present darkness.

In 2005, America aborted 1.2 million unborn children who are precious to their Creator. Since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973 legalized abortion, the total number of dead has exceeded 45 million. That’s more than seven times the number of Jews killed during the Nazi Holocaust. Abortion is a human tragedy, and it is something we believe breaks our Lord’s heart as He created each of these unborn children in His image.