Greetings!
Were you hit with reality as much as I was this week, after experiencing a Christmas break? Whew!
Fortunately, I am thankful for my job and enjoy having the opportunity to work with many great people who are involved in ministry and sharing the news about what is happening among Oklahoma Baptists and beyond. Even when there are busy weeks, especially after a nice break, I can still appreciate what I get to do for a living.
And that includes writing about six timely topics every week. So here’s this week’s Doyle’s Half Dozen!
- Moore speaks on the gun issue
I have been wondering when/if Russell Moore would address the issue of gun possession/control. It has been a hot topic for a few months now. I wrote about the issue when it involved John Piper and Jerry Falwell, Jr. a few weeks ago.
Usually when a social issue goes viral, I often am curious if the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission would present his take. And this week, Dr. Moore did just that on the gun issue, and once again, his perspective amazed me.
I have read “Is Gun Control a Christian Issue?” three times since it came out on Tuesday. This is so good and has so much great content. I could have devoted my entire DHD to this article.
One segment I will address is how he answers the question of how someone can say they are “Pro-Life” and be against gun control. He handles this masterfully:
“Wherever one stands on gun control, no one is denying the personhood of gun victims or their right to be protected from violence…This is quite different from the abortion debate where one side denies the personhood of those subject to lethal violence.”
That right there, friends, is a magnificent answer. But read the rest because there’s a lot more packed in this piece that is one of the most objective commentaries on guns.
- Sneak peek on Strobel
The lead story for next week’s Baptist Messenger is a Q&A article with Lee Strobel. The well-known Christian apologetics writer is one of the keynote speakers for this year’s Oklahoma State Evangelism Conference (SEC), which will be at First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Jan. 25-26.
Strobel gives some great answers that involve how to do personal evangelism. He also shares some great stories of his Gospel-sharing experiences in the book he co-wrote with Mark Mittelberg The Unexpected Adventure.
I have never heard Strobel speak in person. I have read his books and heard him speak on podcasts, but I am looking forward to hearing him at this year’s SEC. He comes across being very personable, and I get the feeling, being from Chicago, he would be a big sports fan. Maybe I will have the chance to ask him to see if he is. Stay tuned, DHD fans!
- Speaking of sports
It seems like we made a drastic change of focus this week among Oklahoma sports fans from football to basketball. People are STILL talking about the game for the ages on Monday that occurred in Lawrence, Kan. involving OU facing the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse. A triple overtime Kansas victory over the Sooners was a huge promotional boost for college basketball, as it seems like both teams were deemed victorious after such a hard-fought, competitive matchup.
I made a bold prediction that when OU-KU face each other again in Norman, the Sooners will win by double figures.
On a separate basketball topic, I’ll make another bold prediction that will happen in about two years. Watch out for Thunder center Steven Adams. I predict the New Zealander will up his game to include a mid-range jump shot within the next two seasons and become a well-rounded player, similar to Memphis Grizzlies’ all-star center Marc Gasol.
- Preventing payment to Planned Parenthood
This week, both the U.S. House and Senate approved a bill to cut almost 90 percent of federal funding to Planned Parenthood Federation of American. Though there are critics to this approach, because they believe not approving the current budget bill and making a statement against PP in this fashion would have made a more bold statement, I applaud this declaration.
And whether you agree with Congress’ defunding bill method, this congress still has accomplished more in light of Sanctity of Life than it did in its last eight years.
- PP & Hillary = A significant election marker
The line in the sand has been drawn. Planned Parenthood announced this week it has endorsed Hillary Clinton, and it is the first time ever the largest abortion provider has ever endorsed a candidate.
PP also announced it is planning to spend more than $20 million during the 2016 election. This is as bold and as clear of a statement that PP is trying to overcome the major hit they took from the videos that exposed their practice of selling aborted baby parts.
- Trevin Writes
My final topic is an applaud to Trevin Wax, whose “Trevin’s Seven” weekly column inspired “Doyle’s Half Dozen,” who recently graduated with his doctoral degree at Southeastern Seminary.
His blog titled “I Am Going to Write” was a great encouragement to me this week, and I share the same conclusions he made in regards to writing.
Well done, Dr. Wax!