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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - MAY 8, 2024
UPCOMING PRIMARIES: Maryland, Nebraska, and West Virginia take place on May 14. For election and voting information, visit My Voter Hub
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Three Christian Women Helped Establish a Day to Honor Mothers
“Women of all ages have, at one point or another, pondered the importance of motherhood. This has been the case for hundreds of years, and thanks to three Christian women who put action and philanthropy behind their ponderings, a day has been dedicated to all mothers to revere their admirable roles.” read more at Standing for Freedom
THINK.
- Do you know the surprising history of Mother’s Day? It was not introduced in the United States until 1908 when Anna Maria Jarvis organized a Mother’s Day celebration at Andrew’s Methodist Episcopal church in West Virginia to honor all mothers. Anna was inspired by her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, who founded Mothers’ Day Work Clubs in 1858 to help women learn how to better care for their children and improve unsanitary conditions causing high infant mortality rates. Later, the elder Jarvis created “Mothers’ Friendship Day” in 1868 to help the Confederate and Union soldiers and their families unite after the brutal Civil War.
- After years of petitioning to have Mother’s Day added to the national calendar, Anna Jarvis’s efforts finally paid off. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day a national holiday on the second Sunday of May. And because Jarvis intended for Mother’s Day to honor “the best mother who ever lived, yours," she opted for a singular possessive rather than a plural possessive. It’s why today we call this observation Mother’s Day. Ironically, Jarvis spent the rest of her life fighting what became the commercialization and politicization of the holiday.
- At My Faith Votes, we recognize the family as the foundational unit of society and an essential institution ordained by God. Progressive culture is working to destroy the institution of marriage and the roles of men and women. When families fall, society falls. Our culture has distorted a biblical perspective on motherhood. We have collectively bought into the cultural lie that motherhood means the death of your previous self, that motherhood is a rock-bottom job to be feared and avoided. But popular culture is wrong. Motherhood is a gift; it’s a calling. And while it’s not a role for the faint of heart, it’s a role created by God as an opportunity to shape the future.
PRAY.
Lord, you formed each of us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). Whether we celebrate her or grieve her, You have called us to honor our mothers (Exodus 20:12). We pray a blessing over our mothers today (Numbers 6:24-26).
ACT.
If you could give one piece of advice to a first-time mother, what would you say? That’s the question we posed on our Facebook page this week and it’s getting a lot of attention. Head over to the post and share your advice as well.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Signs Repeal of 1864 Abortion Ban
“Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday signed a repeal of the state’s near-total abortion ban that has been on the books since the Civil War, capping a political scramble sparked by a controversial state Supreme Court ruling last month. Flanked by Democratic lawmakers who helped wrangle the bill through the GOP-controlled Legislature, Hobbs signed the repeal inside the state Capitol one day after the state Senate passed it.” read more at NBC News
THINK.
- How did this happen? Both chambers of the AZ state legislature hold a Republican majority, but three GOP legislators in the state House and two in the state Senate voted with Democrats to repeal the abortion ban. It’s clear that political pressure played a part. One of the legislators thought the total abortion ban was “unworkable and out of line with the values of Arizonans.” Republican Rep. Rachel Jones, who voted against repeal said, “Life is one of the tenets of our Republican platform. To see people go back on that value is egregious to me.”
- What happens next? The 1864 abortion ban that was just repealed may actually take effect for a few months this summer because the repeal that was just passed can’t take effect until 90 days after the legislative session ends. Once the 1864 ban is repealed (likely in October or November), the state’s 15-week abortion ban will be the law. However, abortion supporters are collecting signatures to place the Arizona Right to Abortion Initiative on the ballot this November. That constitutional amendment codifies abortions up until viability (roughly 24 weeks). This would legalize most abortions and repeal the 15-week ban.
- In Florida, there’s good news: the state’s six-week abortion ban went into effect last week, replacing the previous 15-week ban. However, Florida is one of three states so far where voters will decide whether to enshrine a “right” to abortion in the state constitution this November. Eight more states (including Arizona) might also end up with abortion amendments on the ballot. Most are pro-abortion; a few amendments are pro-life. You can see each state’s current abortion laws here. Will this map change after November 5? It depends, in large part, on how many people think and vote biblically.
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, many times in history, “justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance…” (Isaiah 59:14) But You are sovereign and faithful, and You will ultimately prevail. Awaken the consciences of voters this year; let them have compassion for the unborn and help us to stand for life wherever You give us the opportunity. In Jesus’ name, amen.
ACT.
Arizona is a key state for our Write Now campaign, which is proven to impact Christian voter turnout. Will you join us and send a personal letter to a Christian in a swing state, encouraging them to vote? We give you everything you need. Our goal is 3,000 volunteers by June 15, and we have 541 so far! Sign up here.
House Passes GOP Antisemitism Bill Amid College Unrest
“The House passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act on Wednesday amid unrest on college campuses. The bill, which was introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, passed 320-91. The measure was led by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and had 15 Democratic co-sponsors. Many Republicans and Democrats who voted against the bill said it infringes on free speech.” read more at ABC News
THINK.
- What does the bill do and why was it passed? Until 2003, the Department of Education (DOE) didn’t consider discrimination against Jews to be a form of ethnic discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Each administration since then has directed the DOE to interpret Title VI to protect Jewish people from ethnic discrimination. As we have seen, interpretations of laws can change based on who’s in office. The Antisemitism Awareness Act codifies that interpretation.
- What are the concerns? The bill itself does not define antisemitism. Instead, it instructs the DOE to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, as it has done since 2003. There are concerns the IHRA’s definition could leave the door open for some speech–such as preaching the Gospel–to be incorrectly labeled antisemitic. Others say this concern is not justified. It will ultimately come down to how the DOE decides to interpret the IHRA.
- Another concern, as Kirsten Waggoner of Alliance Defending Freedom expressed, is that the “definition expressly includes examples of vile, but constitutionally protected, speech.” Dr. Albert Mohler framed the question well: “Anti-Semitism, one of the most odious hatreds known to humanity, must be confronted and fully exposed. But is this legislation the right way to do it?” It’s up to the Senate to consider how to make sure Jewish people are protected under Title VI without infringing on First Amendment rights.
- Over 2,400 anti-Israel protestors have been arrested on 46 campuses in the last three weeks. But in this darkness, there is light. Last week, over 5,500 students gathered on the campus of the University of Tennessee to praise the name of Jesus and hear the Gospel preached. More than 100 were baptized, professing faith in Christ. These kinds of gatherings continue to happen. God is at work, even if it doesn’t dominate the mainstream headlines.
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, continue to pour out Your Spirit on all generations, young and old. (Acts 2:17) Let us stand for truth and righteousness. Let our words and actions be a stark contrast to the hatred across the nation. Help us to be ready to point people to the salvation found in Your Son, Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:15)
ACT.
Pentecost began with prayer. Great revivals in our country have begun with prayer. Pray for our nation’s college students–including the ones you know–with this May prayer guide from Moms in Prayer International. Consider doing a prayer walk around a local college or university.
UMC Drops Decades-old Ban on Ordaining LGBT Clergy Without Debate
“The United Methodist General Conference has voted to remove a decades-old ban on ordaining pastors in romantic same-sex relationships after thousands of conservative congregations left the denomination in recent years. At the UMC General Conference Wednesday, delegates approved without debate a measure removing the language from the Book of Discipline as part of a broader consent calendar, passing it by a final tally of 692 to 51.” read more at The Christian Post
THINK.
- After repealing a 52-year-old declaration on Thursday that the practice of homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching,” delegates on Friday went further, eliminating a passage in their Book of Discipline, or church law, that states: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” They also eliminated provisions that would have charged clergy with immorality if they were not “faithful in a heterosexual marriage” or “celibate in singleness.” Instead, delegates supported adding a requirement of “integrity in all personal relationships.” Throughout the conference, delegates who addressed the event were asked to state their gender identity, preferred pronouns, and racial or ethnic identity.
- What a sad development in this denomination’s history. The United Methodist Church is the largest mainline denomination in the United States and the second largest Protestant denomination in the US (next to Southern Baptists). Methodism comes from the Wesleyan Holiness theology – named after the Protestant reformer John Wesley. Wesley’s goal, aided by his brother Charles, was to lead a holiness movement within the Church of England. They were eventually labeled “Methodists” as a term of derision, simply because of the methodical approach taken by Wesley’s devotional societies. The holiness movement led to a national renewal movement within the Church of England. This revival was then brought to America by colonists.
- Not all Methodists agree with the direction of the church. Since 2019, over 7,600 Methodist congregations have disaffiliated over LGBTQ issues. And African delegates at this year’s convention voiced their devastation over the disregard the church now has for the Bible's teaching on marriage and sexual morality, with one delegate correctly stating, "We do not believe we know better than Jesus. We do not believe we know better than God. We do not believe we know better than the Bible. We are devastated now to be part of a denomination that officially contradicts the Bible's teaching on marriage and sexual morality.”
PRAY.
We grieve the blatant disregard for the principles You have laid out in Your Word. We pray that You would make us holy as You are holy. Help us to hate sin more today than we did yesterday. Help us not to be casual with sin in any way. God, make our thoughts, our desires, our words, our actions, our everything, holy, completely pleasing, and honoring to You. Hallowed be Your name in our lives. And hallowed be Your name in our churches.
ACT.
A film adaptation of the best-selling book, Letter to the American Church, warns pastors and churches of the evil advancing because the church has remained silent. Consider watching the movie or attending a local church screening near you to be informed and know how to take action. how to take action. Learn more here.
My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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