Discussion Topics

OK - that last two posts created some interest. What subjects would you like to discuss next?

Who Are These Society Would Abort?

Would you consider abortion in any of the following four situations? Often the argument is made by society that quality of life or the threat of a lessened quality of life is reason to abort. Would you consider abortion or suggest abortion in any of these circumstances?

1. There's a preacher and wife who are very, very, poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she's pregnant with her 15th. They're living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending she get an abortion? - This baby was John Wesley - the founder of the Methodist Church

2. The father is sick with syphilis, the mother has TB. They have 4 children. The 1st is blind, the 2nd is dead, the 3rd is deaf and the 4th has TB. She finds she's pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion? - This baby was Beethoven

3. A white man raped a 13 year old black girl and she got pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion? - This baby was Ethel Waters - a great Gospel Singer

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiancee is not the father of the baby, and he's very upset. Would you consider recommending abortion? - This baby was Jesus

Laws to Protect the Helpless?

Every once in awhile articles written in the newspaper catch your eye and cause you to think. This is the case recently as I was reading with interest three articles of a similar tone.

The first story that caught my eye was the on-going saga surrounding Michael Vick, the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons football team of the NFL. Mr. Vic has been indicted for having dog fights on his property. Recently he has been barred from camp. There are big fines, jail time and other consequences facing him if he is found guilty. It is appalling that anyone would make a sport out of dogs fighting and find enjoyment in two animals tearing each other apart. Personal satisfaction and entertainment drive us to do some terrible things in this society.

Another story was about a disturbed man who was angry with his neighbor. Two days in a row he came to his neighbor’s home and each day he stomped a cat to death. This is a horrific act and this man could face years of incarceration for this evil act, or at least years of psychological care.

On another day someone was charged with animal cruelty because they left some rabbits alone at home for an extended period and they starved to death. These animals were being kept as food for snakes the man kept. But instead of feeding them to the snakes they starved to death and for this, the man will face a great fine and jail time for cruelty to animals.

I believe that animals should be protected and there should be severe penalties for this sort of mistreatment of animals. Laws should exist to protect the innocent, those who cannot help themselves, in these cases, animals. I’m glad we live in a society that cares for animals.

Unfortunately, we live in a confused society where some people do not want to take responsibility for their actions and simply want to please themselves. It is very confusing to me that we live in a society which protects animals with fines and jail time but allows thousands upon millions of babies to be killed each year in various stages of human development through abortion. Why would we make laws and issue fines for people who mistreat animals yet allow people to kill unborn yet often viable children? I believe that human life, even the unborn, is more valuable than animal life and we should protect the innocent unborn with more fervor than we do the helpless animals.

Please hear me when I say I know this is an emotional and sometimes complicated subject. Rape, incest, teen pregnancies, and other factors can create a no win situation. I read somewhere that rape and incest accounts for only 2 % of all abortions though. In many cases abortion is being seen as removing an unwanted appendage or tissue.

Each time abortion is the choice of the adult(s) involved, the life of the unborn, the helpless baby, is lost. I wonder at times how many significant contributions to society have been swept away in abortions. Often the adults involved have a choice prior to the abortion. They can abstain from sexual activity or use contraceptives. The unborn child has no choice.

I believe in the sanctity of life and that life begins at conception if not before. We are not merely creatures of our sinful human desires but of a God with a plan for our lives. God had a plan for and knew Jeremiah before he was in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah 1:4-5 - The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." God is creating our inmost being, our spirit, even as we are developing physically in our mother’s womb. Psalms 139:13-14 - 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

As I open this subject to debate, I also acknowledge that as a church body, we cannot merely be against abortion, but as we have in the past and even more in the future, support adoption, agencies like Bethany Christian Services (a crisis pregnancy counseling center and Christian adoption agency), single mothers in our church and community and more. We have to remind ourselves that abstaining from sexual activity outside of marriage is not just an old time value. It is a Godly value that is meant not only to protect the gift of sexuality for one partner for life but to protect us from issues like the one we are discussing.

Using abortion as a form of birth control devalues human life and the intrinsic value of the persons involved. As a pastor for 30 plus years I know the pain that is caused post abortion to the women and men involved. I also know there is no such thing as an unwanted child after watching my wife and others work with families who have opened their hearts to any child, in any condition. Unwanted or unexpected or even crisis pregnancies maybe, but that unborn child is loved by someone and if the birth mom is unable to care for the child, someone will!

Back to my original thought of confusion. In a society that has laws to protect animals from cruelty and abuse, why not more laws to protect the most helpless of humans, the unborn, of intrinsically more worth than any animal? Instead we have laws that allow for their death.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Men's Ministry

Tell me about the Men's Ministry at Mt. Oak?

Women's Ministry

Tell me about the Women's Ministry at Mt. Oak?

Conforming to Christ

Sunday, July 22, the message is titled Conforming to Christ and we will use Romans 12:1-2 as the base Scripture. In the world today we are asked to conform to so much. From our childhood up there always seems to be dress codes and styles in order to fit in. Behavior also seems to be something that is conforming. We are either behaving properly or in properly according to someone’s standard. We’re asked to conform to traffic patterns and laws.

When someone resists the rules or standard we call them a rebel. They grow their hair differently or cut it or color it in an individualistic manner. We speed or drive in a manner that is opposed to the laws of the land and at times we pay the penalty for our transgressions with tickets and more.

Does God have a set of rules/laws we are to follow? What are the consequences of breaking these rules? What blessings can be ours by following them? See you Sunday!

Dealing with Pain

Sunday the message is titled Dealing with the Pain and we will use Psalm 124:1-8 as the base Scripture. If we had the time to survey the entire congregation we would find that we all have some kind of pain, some baggage in our lives. Some of us suffer with depression, weight issues, marital difficulties, teens/young adults living at home with discipline issues, drugs addictions and so much more.

Come and search the Scriptures with us as we study how God wants to be there for us and with us through our pain and find ways that God wants to heal and relieve the pain. See you Sunday!

Acceptable Worship

Sunday the message is titled “Acceptable Worship” and we will use Genesis 4:1-5 as the base Scripture. If we are going to meet each week, set up chairs, play the organ, piano & other instruments, and lead people in worship, shouldn’t we know what acceptable worship is to God?

Come help us search Scripture together and find what God’s Word has to say about worship; acceptable worship.