A friendly Reminder

In my years of ministry in D.C. and before that in the California State Capitol, I have often heard the following excuses surface regarding Bible study:  “Some people worship the Bible rather than Jesus.”  “Right now in my life, fellowship is more important to me than studying the Bible.”  “Studying doctrine can be divisive, so I’d rather just love Jesus.”  Do any of the following thoughts come to mind as you ponder this subject? Notice I didn’t include “I just don’t have the

Chevron Deference has been the bane of the constitutional community for decades. The decision in Chevron directly violated the Administrative Procedures Act, but that didn’t stop the courts from allowing executive agencies from rewriting laws. While Loper overturned Chevron, I have to wonder if allowing the courts to “fill in the blanks” will be any better? There are certain legal terms and cases that most people don’t know about, at least until they’re used to bite someone i

In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He states,  “You are the salt of the earth; … You are the light of the world.”  (Matthew 5:13–14). Often, well-meaning believers invoke this passage as a means of encouragement and prodding others to step up to the plate and affect the world.  In this study, I desire to provide you with a greater understanding of the Greek verb that Jesus uses.  “   You are”  is not an imperative command; it is an indicative verb. This distinction is very importa

There are two sexes: male and female.” — Judge Reeves While this basic biological fact seems to have been lost by society, at least one District Court judge knows the truth. Does the language of the law matter? Or do we expect courts to simply make it up as they go along? Rarely does a single sentence so completely crystalize a debate as the first line of the court order in Tennessee v. Cardona. The case involves the attempts by the Biden Administration’s Department of Educat

Is a bump stock a machine gun? Do executive agencies have the authority to rewrite laws passed by Congress? Should the court make decisions based on the law or their emotions? When does a rifle become a machine gun? That is the question asked in the Supreme Court case Garland v. Cargill. When the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives suddenly decided to redefine bump stocks as machine guns, many Americans simply complied. However, when Michael Cargill surrender

The foremost need of public servants is to know Christ. This need is why Capitol Ministries is focused on changing hearts by sharing the gospel. Good legislation is important, but men and women can hardly be expected to make policies in accordance with sound, biblically based principles if they are at odds with the Author of Scripture. Only the gospel has the efficacy to change a heart. We believe that foremost in the capital community is the objective of evangelizing and dis

What are your rights and liberties worth to you and your family? Are you willing to stand up against those who are trying to infringe on your rights? Those who signed the Declaration pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. What will you pledge? Things looked bleak for the colonies in 1776. The question of freedom had life and death consequences. Those 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence knew they were committing treason against their king. They knew tha

What would a parent do to protect their child? Who should be the final arbiter of what’s best for a child, the parents or the school? Should schools be required to notify parents of any substantial medical or mental changes in the child? Probably the most powerful instinct as a parent is to protect our children. Parents work hard, sacrifice, and sometimes risk their own lives to protect their children. Most parents believe the government is there to help them protect their ch

In the same-sex marriage debate, there is increasing reluctance by believers to mention the book of Leviticus. In this study, I will attempt not only to familiarize you with this book, but also explain how it impacts the debate.  By way of introduction, a simple, sobering observation is worth making. In the time of God’s giving of the Torah wherein the Old Testament (OT) book of Leviticus exists, surrounding the set-apart-by-God Hebrews were the permissive Canaanites.  The pe

An ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for leaders of both Israel and Hamas. Judge Merchan concluded a biased case with biased jury instructions. Does anyone else see that these cases have a common theme? Late May in the United States is usually a time of cook-outs, the beginning of summer, and remembrance as we memorialize those who gave their lives in service to this country. Later May 2024 however, should be remembered for another death: The death of courts of justice. Fi

When Jesus said,  “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s”  (Matthew 22:21b), He was proclaiming a huge new distinction—something quite different for the coming Church Age, relative to the past with Old Testament (OT) Israel. This passage, among other New Testament (NT) passages, represents the biblical basis of  institutional  separation of civil government from God’s ordained institution of the Church. (Lest you misunderstand wha

The Scriptures teach that God designed five institutions to establish order on the earth—institutions that have precise roles, responsibilities, and objectives that are unique to each of them.  Each institution is to fulfill the purposes it was assigned by God to achieve. It follows that each institution is woefully inefficient and ineffective when it tries to achieve the purposes of another. Recent events bear this out as we experience the calamitous effects of the instituti