The Stream Highlights – Weekly Newsletter (July 23, 2023)

The Biggest Problem With American Christianity: Not What You Think It Is; Christians Engaged Goes to Washington: Congressmen are People Too; and more…

View Online THIS WEEK FROM THE STREAM July 23, 2023

The Biggest Problem With American Christianity: Not What You Think It Is Tom Gilson July 20, 2023 I used to think the biggest problem with American Christianity was that we don’t understand Christianity well enough. Now I’m thinking it might be that we don’t understand America well enough. Hear me out, please, because what you think I mean probably isn’t what I do mean. I’m certainly not diminishing the importance of Christ and His Word. It’s more like something I still remember saying to our church’s pastor a full 25 years ago. He’d just come home from a national church conference. Our denomination was widely known for its strong global mission sending. He said, “We’re doing great everywhere in the world except North America.” I said, “That’s because everywhere else they know they’re missionaries.” Maybe America was once a Christian nation with Christian values and a Christian way of looking at life. Or maybe it wasn’t. I don’t even care where you stand on that controversy; the fact is most American churches assumed it was true. The crazy thing is, most American churches still act as if it were true. Continue Reading... Please Support The Stream: Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day. Christians Engaged Goes to Washington: Congressmen are People Too Al Perrotta July 18, 2023 The Stream is honored to be tagging along with Christians Engaged on its three-day exploration of and intercession for the nation’s capital. In line with the Christians Engaged motto, "Pray, Vote, Engage," Day One focused on prayer. Day Two was scheduled to focus on voting, but took an unexpected turn. After Sunday’s casual day of prayer and exploring, we had to put on our big boy pants Monday, for we were going to meet with and pray over members of Congress and walk the corridors of power on a tour of the Capitol. Christians Engaged, to be clear, is a non-partisan non-profit. Principles over party, as Stream founder James Robison likes to say. And the Bible, to be clear, calls for us to pray for those in leadership. If Nancy Pelosi or AOC had walked in, we would have prayed over them just as easily and eagerly and sincerely. (Sure, I might have been tempted to ask Nancy if she had any of that fancy ice cream of hers in her office, because we’d just finished lunch and passing all the ice cream trucks on the Mall the past two days has given me a fierce craving. However, I am sure I would have prayed over her instead.) Continue Reading... ‘I’m Going to Take the Rainbow Back for the Glory of God’ — Messianic Rabbi Says It’s a Call for All of God’s People Nancy Flory July 18, 2023 “First they were in the closet, then they demanded rights, then they took away our rights. And you know what? Now we’re in the closet.” Messianic Rabbi K.A. Schneider said Christians need to “come out of the closet” and speak up against the LGBT agenda’s use of the rainbow. Schneider is the host of the television program Discovering the Jewish Jesus. He also started a campaign called Taking the Rainbow Back. Christians need to understand, “Satan wants to shut us up, he wants to shut you up. I would first of all say if [LGBT activists] can claim the rainbow, why can’t we claim the rainbow? I mean, it’s God’s rainbow. It was a covenant that God gave to His people, a covenant that was symbolized and still [is] with the rainbow. So why should we not use the rainbow? When God gave it first — and He gave it to his people — it’s a manifestation of His glory. So don’t shut up. That’s the thing. Don’t shut up. Speak out and stand up.” Continue Reading... Is the Answer to Zombie Neocons … Zombie Putinists? Jason Jones & John Zmirak July 18, 2023 John Zmirak and Jason Jones continue their conversation on the war in Ukraine. See Part 1 here. John Zmirak: Some on the Right (and I don’t agree with these people) see Putin as unambiguously the hero of the Russia/Ukraine drama. They argue that Russia represents Christian civilization, pushing back against the LGBTQMYNAMEISLEGION machine, the globalism of George Soros and Pope Francis, Klaus Schwab and the U.S. Deep State. But aligning with Putin is a dangerous game, which ignores hard truths, isn’t it? Jason Jones: Let’s start with the paramount truth. Ukraine wants independence and self-determination. Ukraine is not Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine, robbed Ukraine of its children, imprisoned thousands of civilians, littered villages, schools, and farms with millions of landmines, is ceaselessly rocketing civilians, and has been using cluster munitions since the first day of its invasion. Continue Reading... Popular This Week   ‘You Don’t Have to be Columbo’ to Solve White House Cocaine Case Mike Huckabee   Have You Accepted Antichrist as Your Personal Lord and Savior? John Zmirak   Tears — The Battle Cry for a Dying Nation Shane Idleman   Tucker vs. the GOP Candidates Timothy Furnish   There is a Problem if There is No Hell Michael Brown   Paused Mike Huckabee   Here’s the Real Reason Obama Went Out of His Way to Defend Librarians in a ‘Banned Books’ Letter Tyler O'Neil   Red China Is Using Hand-Puppets and Corrupt Muslim Governments to Hide its Uyghur Genocide Jason Jones & Salih Hudayar   Why are So Many People So Angry? Michael Brown   Christians Engaged Goes to Washington Al Perrotta Featured Authors This Week Al Perrotta Latest Articles Christians Engaged Goes to Washington: A Day of Engaging and Embracing July 19, 2023 Christians Engaged Goes to Washington: A Day of Prayer and Intercession … With a Nod Toward Jefferson July 17, 2023 Sweet and Stinky Memories of the Naval Research Lab on Its 100th Birthday July 16, 2023 Amy K. Hall Latest Articles The Only Way to Carry a Heavy Burden July 19, 2023 You Can’t Tear Down the Norm and Then Be Surprised by What Comes Next May 25, 2023 A Response to an Employer’s Request for Pronouns May 11, 2023 Note From The Stream Daily online publishing and social media engagement is costly. If you believe in The Stream and our purpose, please support us both with your prayers and with faithful gifts. You may give monthly or periodically, online or by mail. We trust God and know He uses people as instruments of provision and blessing. You can click here or on the donate button below if you would like to support The Stream. All donations are 100% tax-deductible in the U.S. and you will receive a receipt. Please respond today, and pray that we may see the answer to Jesus’ prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Thank you for giving your best. SUPPORT THE STREAM

CONNECT WITH US With social media sites cracking down on political content, your inbox is one of the most reliable ways we can stay in touch! Thank you for being part of our Stream community. If you like what you read, please share this email with your friends! If this email was forwarded to you and you'd like to subscribe, click here. © 2023 The Stream. All Rights Reserved. unsubscribe | preferences | view online