EDITOR’S NOTE: “Signs and Wonders” is a column that shares thoughts on news items that either do not rise to the level of a news story for MinistryWatch or are slightly (perhaps even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” My goal is to be punchy, opinionated, and not to worry much about being slightly off-brand. If that is not for you, no hard feelings. But if it is…read on.
SCOTUS Matters. The Supreme Court last week heard oral arguments related to a Colorado law that prohibits counselors from helping children suffering from gender dysphoria. According to Erin Hawley, co-counsel in the case, “in Chiles v. Salazar, a majority of the Court seemed deeply skeptical of Colorado’s law, which banned certain conversations based on their viewpoint, thus pushing many children suffering from gender dysphoria down a one-way path towards dangerous and life-altering drugs, hormones, and surgeries.”
The petitioner in the case, Kaley Chiles, is a licensed counselor who “views her counseling as an outworking of her Christian faith,” according to Hawley. They are fighting a law Colorado passed in 2019. Colorado, which has a gay governor, has been the source of many such cases in recent years, including one involving cake maker Jack Phillips. That case also went to the Supreme Court—and Phillips (and ADF) won.
Biola Scores. Biola University just received what it describes as a “transformational gift of more than $40 million” from an anonymous Silicon Valley executive. The gift, the largest in the school’s 117-year history, will fund facility investment, endowed professorships, student scholarships and equipment needed to accelerate student learning.
Biola established a School of Science, Technology and Health in 2018, following a trend among Christian colleges to carve out niches in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) in order to thrive in an increasingly challenging higher education environment. According to a statement from the school, “This gift will fund the expansion of Biola’s rapidly growing technology division, significantly enhancing opportunities for students pursuing degrees in computer science, engineering, robotics, mathematics and physics in a landscape shaped by the confluence of AI, cybersecurity and the use of cloud.”
BibleLand. Back in the 1970s, Christian musician Terry Talbot dropped a song called “BibleLand” that I have had in my mind ever since. (You can listen to the song here.) The chorus goes like this: “Come to Bible, Bible, Come to Bibleland/The tickets are expensive and the sights are out of hand/Guaranteed to thrill your soul and leave your mind amazed/See Moses part the Red Sea, three big shows a day!”
That song popped immediately to mind when I got an email this week advertising ChosenCon 26, a fan conference based on the TV show “The Chosen.” The website exhorts: “Mark your calendar. Call your dogsitter. Dust off your sandals. And start saving up those PTO days because ChosenCon is back and bigger than ever. It’s time for Torah, tunics, and a whole lot of teal as you and the rest of the Chosen family gather from around the world. We’ll have sneak peaks of the upcoming season, exclusive new gifts, breakout sessions, and even photo ops with the cast. (So we want to see your biggest smiles, even if you’re standing next to someone from the Sanhedrin.) There’s so much first-century fun, we even added an extra day.”
I don’t mean to pick on “The Chosen.” My wife and I are fans. We’ve been entertained and edified by the series. I’ve interviewed Dallas Jenkins, and I found him to be a thoughtful guy. But, I don’t know…this just hit me the wrong way.
Franklin Graham and the ECFA. I have gotten a lot of feedback on my article about the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse leaving the ECFA. Most of the feedback has been positive, and some of the negative feedback has been thoughtful. But the feedback I’ve found most puzzling comes from those who say the ECFA has wandered from its “lane” and is now meddling in areas that stretch beyond financial accountability. These critics seem to be saying that the character of the leader and the financial integrity of the organization are unrelated. It is precisely this kind of compartmentalization that has created so many problems with both our ministries and political leaders in recent years. For a good, short, recent article on this topic, I recommend “Maybe We Should Select Leaders Based On Their Character,” from Forbes. This issue is one of the reasons Peter Greer’s latest book, “How Leaders Lose Their Way,” is one that we’re promoting here at MinistryWatch. To get a copy, click here.
Pro-Life Movement Not Happy With “Kill Pill” Approval. The Trump Administration’s decision to approve a cheap, new generic version of mifepristone has sent shock waves through the pro-life movement. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said, “This is inexcusable.” He went on to call the decision “reckless.” Perkins blamed the situation on “Biden-era policies,” but some pro-life leaders say it’s a betrayal by the current administration. “The most disappointing thing about the approval of the generic abortion drug is that it’s a reversal of what Secretary Kennedy has said himself, said Noah Brandt, the vice president of communications at Live Action.
“The FDA made a huge error, huge misstep here. … This is not MAGA, this is not MAHA,” said Kelsey Pritchard, political communications director at Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America. Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins called the FDA’s approval a “stain” on the Trump presidency.
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