Archive for the 'America' Category
Stand Up With Moral Courage and Address the Planned Parenthood Debacle
Now is the time for moral courage in America. Moral courage is the courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences.1
The reported actions by Planned Parenthood should result in an immediate outcry. Unquestionably, if Planned Parenthood does not decry what has been exposed as immoral, brutal, and barbaric, then it is time that the mighty Planned Parenthood should fall.
Justifying or rationalizing their actions is not moral courage. As Commentator Brit Hume states, “The sight of a senior Planned Parenthood official and a doctor to boot, discussing the market for fetal body parts in between bites of salad and sips of wine was stomach-turning.”2 The Administration, the Board, and the entire Planned Parenthood organization must be held accountable for their actions.
Congress needs to exert moral courage now
The House and Senate need to demand the termination of all funds to Planned Parenthood now. Not one more dime of the reported $500 million should go to the brutality of killing the unborn. If the needed investigation proves the allegations true, then ultimately, Planned Parenthood should be completely defunded. This is not about the 2016 election, but what is right morally.
The White House needs to exert moral courage now
The President and his White House need to call for an immediate inquiry into these matters, demanding Congress deal with the issue now. This is not about polls and parties, but what is right morally.
Aspiring politicians need to exert moral courage now
Since the 2016 Presidential campaign faces us daily as well as other elections locally, statewide, and nationally, aspiring politicians need to exert moral courage now. Regardless of their support or lack of support in the past for Planned Parenthood, now is the time to stand with moral courage.
It was English politician, William Wilberforce, who led the movement to see slavery abolished. We need to remember his profound words: “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”3
Perhaps aspiring politicians or even elected officials have never chosen to ask Planned Parenthood the hard questions. However, you can never say again that you do not know. Now is the time to exert moral courage and speak your heart to the American people not only about Planned Parenthood, but your personal conviction about abortion. Since 1973, 57 million abortions have occurred. This would be like taking the lives of the entire populations of California and New York. Without a doubt, we need national leaders who exert strong moral courage.
Business leaders need to exert moral courage now
Leaders in the business world cannot remain silent. Moral courage demands these leaders ensure the company’s gifts to all organizations, including Planned Parenthood, would never contribute to the brutality of the unborn child.
The media needs to exert moral courage now
It was reported Thursday that the Media Research Center studied the major networks of ABC, NBC, and CBS, comparing the coverage of their stories between Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe and the story about Planned Parenthood. Interestingly, the unfortunate incident about Cecil the lion received 30 minutes of coverage compared to the Planned Parenthood story that received 11 minutes of coverage.
Yes, the media should cover the story about Cecil the lion, but one would certainly expect equal, if not more coverage of the Planned Parenthood study. Regardless of their personal convictions or thoughts, it is very much news when an organization like Planned Parenthood is doing what it is doing. The media should continue investigating until the entire truth is known. Yes, even the media needs to exert moral courage at this time.
Pastors, churches, and denominations need to exert moral courage now
Pastors, stand up and speak against the brutality of abortion and other moral issues. This is not being political, but prophetic. God did not call you to sit this one out. He has called you to stand on God’s Word. Refuse to buy into any type of pseudo-spirituality that says silence is your calling.
As I stated in my 2015 Presidential Address to the Southern Baptist Convention on June 16th, “America: We stand believing that abortion is a glaring desecration of the unborn child’s purpose and value. We must be vigilant to always stand for the unborn child, all human life, and human dignity from the womb to the tomb. Any decline in America’s commitment to the unborn child will lead toward an accelerating desecration of human life, resulting in more abuse, more violence, and more chaotic disruption. God has created us to bring Him glory. When we devalue human life in any way from the womb to the tomb, we are robbing God of His intended glory for each of us.”
This biblical and moral conviction is why I requested our 2015 Resolutions Committee prepare and present to our convention a resolution on the sanctity of human life from the womb to the tomb. They did so, and you can read where our Southern Baptist Convention stands on the issue of abortion. If the Planned Parenthood story had broken before our convention meeting, I believe deeply that our convention would have called for the complete defunding of Planned Parenthood.
Take action now. Let your representatives know you support the defunding of Planned Parenthood and the end of abortion. The ERLC offers a resource to help you find your representatives and tips on correspondence.
Moral courage or moral cowardice
What will history say one day about all of us who lived while abortion existed in our nation? Will it say when the curtain was finally pulled back about the brutality of abortion that Americans stood up with moral courage? Or will history record that we were cowards?
We cannot be adrift on denial. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was right when he said: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”4
Now is the Time to Lead With Moral Courage,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention
1 Moral Courage
2 Brit Hume, FOXNews, July 20, 2015
3 William Wilberforce
4 Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
We Are a Country in Chaos: What Southern Baptists Should Do
I love America and will not give up on our great nation. Yet, America is a country in chaos. Never in my lifetime have I seen our nation in such turmoil. What are some of the things that tell this story?
Burning of African American Churches
While we do not know why all these churches have burned, we do know that it reminds us there are some in our nation that want to cause our African American brothers and sisters harm. Enough is enough!
Racism and prejudice need to end now. If it remains the way it is today, we will see more violence occur. Perhaps the greatest threats to our national security are those who still hold on to the demonic grip of racism and prejudice. If you missed this story on BPNews last week, please take the time to read it.
I encourage you to join Cross Church and the North American Mission Board in giving toward helping these churches. The North American Mission Board, under the leadership of Dr. Kevin Ezell, will receive these funds and distribute them to the churches that have needs. You can give online, by check (please designate it as “Church Fire Fund”), or by phone. Please go to namb.net/givenow for more information.
9 People Killed in Charleston
While our lives go on and the media follows the next big story, back in Charleston is a church and nine families that will continue to realize the brutality and force of these murders. They have mirrored God’s grace through their grief, but they still begin a new life without these nine loved people. We need to pray for them and do not need to forget them.
We need to stand with Charleston, not just initially through these tragic days, but in the future. Within hours of these murders, I called upon Dr. Russell Moore, Dr. K. Marshall Williams, and Dr. A.B. Vines to join me in a statement. Dr. Williams is the President of the African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention and Dr. A. B. Vines is the former President of this distinguished and loved fellowship. I can assure you that the four of us will work diligently within our Southern Baptist family to see all racism and prejudice end.
Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage
Last week in my article to our Southern Baptist Convention, I addressed this in detail. Today, we see a country divided and teetering on a moral collapse. You see, as many of us warned, this is not the end, but the beginning of so much more. The court’s overreach could now push us to more of a divide, creating chaos in many towns, cities, and states. Plus, the court itself, the White House, and Congress will begin to see that some people are just not going to give up their values.
Some will be willing to walk away. Southern Baptist Linda Barnette resigned her county clerk job after 24 years, refusing to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples. I spoke with Linda and her husband, Sherman, of Mississippi, encouraging and thanking them for their stand. Let me make something clear: This couple and others like them are not troublemakers or radicals, but born again Bible believers who stand on the authority of Scripture.
It is unbelievable that America has come to this point. We are a nation in chaos, a country that is confused and operating in disorder.
ISIS and Their National Security Threat Against Our Nation
The story buzzing for days before July 4 was the threat of ISIS within the borders of our nation. Hours and hours have been given to this threat, with speculation from many different sources. Again, confusion and disorder. Why the insecurity regarding our national security? ISIS is racing forward rapidly and it appears there is no end. Surely, there is something someone can do as they continue to forward their ruthless agenda against Christians globally.
What Should We Do as Southern Baptists?
I could go on with other examples of our nation being in chaos. What must we do as Southern Baptists?
Let me remind you what Judges 21:29 says: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted” (HSCB) or “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (KJV) America is a country that is permitting its citizens, courts, politicians, and leaders to do what is right in their own eyes or whatever they want to do.
The end result: chaos, confusion, and disorder.
What we should do:
- Pray for our nation like never before.
- Raise up convictional leaders who will do what is right in the eyes of God.
- Stand upon the Word of God strongly and consistently.
- Encourage one another in the faith.
- Connect with your church more than ever before.
We need God and one another more than ever before.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 46,000 churches nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.