“The tragedy of our situation today is that men and women are being fundamentally affected by ideas which they do not even know about and cannot define.”

Francis Schaeffer

Table of Contents

1. School Shooting in Georgia

2. More Companies Roll Back DEI

3. Faith-Based Movies Take on Hollywood

4. Other news you should know

5. Share this newsletter

School Shooting in Georgia

Four people were killed and nine others were confirmed injured in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The victims include two students, along with two teachers. The 14-year-old suspect was arrested and will be prosecuted as an adult. A teacher among the injured underwent surgery and is recovering, and the remaining injured students are expected to recover as well. The suspect’s father has also been charged in connection with the shooting.

A gun did not walk into Apalachee High School Wednesday, kill two, and wound more on September 4th. 

AI did not drive a car into a group of people, killing three in New York on July 4th. 

A rogue knife did not wound 3 two days ago in Minnesota or kill a bartender the year before. 

A disturbed child, a drunk man, and an unknown assailant did. America has a parenting problem, a substance abuse problem, and a sin problem. Until we “humble ourselves, and pray and seek the Lord’s face and turn from our wicked ways,” we should not expect that God “will hear from heaven, will forgive our sin and will heal our land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

The solution to our pain and the chaos that fills our families, schools, streets, and cities will not be found in a city inhabited by legislators; it will be found in seeking the face of a God who has humbled Himself to inhabit the cities of men and reconcile them through His Son. We can give ourselves some relief by becoming slaves to more oppressive laws, but that relief will be short lived and only lead to greater despair and horror that all who live under the tyranny of man must endure. 

As Alex de Tocqueville noted over 150 years ago in Democracy in America, 

“When religion is destroyed among a people, doubt takes hold of the highest portions of the intellect and half paralyzes all the others. Each person gets accustomed to having only confused and changing notions about the matters that most interest his fellows and himself. You defend your opinions badly or you abandon them, and, since you despair of being able, by yourself, to solve the greatest problems that human destiny presents, you are reduced like a coward to not thinking about them. Such a state cannot fail to enervate souls; it slackens the motivating forces of will and prepares citizens for servitude. Then not only does it happen that the latter allow their liberty to be taken, but they often give it up.”

If we don’t want to be a nation prepared for servitude to other sinners, we must radically begin to deal with the sin within ourselves. May the remnant lead the way by speaking the Truth (Ephesians 4:14-15), holding to the Truth (1 Thessalonians 5:21), comforting victims of violence with the Truth (2 Corinthians 1:2-4), and never relenting to offer a hurting world the Truth which sets people free (John 8:32).

_{By: Todd Wagner}

More Companies Roll Back DEI

Several major companies, including Ford, Harley-Davidson, Lowe's, and Molson Coors, announced they would stop providing workplace data to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a group known for promoting LGBTQ-friendly policies. This marks a shift away from diversity initiatives, as many of these companies were previously highly rated by HRC's Corporate Equality Index. Social media activist Robby Starbuck has openly criticized HRC, suggesting its policies might conflict with conservative values, influencing companies to distance themselves from the group. Despite this, HRC remains committed to promoting LGBTQ equality and continues to evaluate companies, even if they opt out of providing data for its index.

Perhaps more remarkable than these major corporations choosing to sensibly scale back submission to “wokeness” is the impact of the one individual behind it. Robby Starbuck has demonstrated that one man, when the truth is behind him, can have a remarkable impact. While the world presses on in its attempts to suppress the truth and celebrate sin, brokenness, and unrighteousness, we see that “there is no wisdom, insight or plan that ultimately can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30). Starbuck gave up his career in order to not compromise on his convictions, and now dedicates his life to exposing companies that have completely folded to the demands of a depraved, confused, and crooked world. May we have as much courage to “vote” with our dollars, educate ourselves on the companies we support (and policies we inadvertently subsidize), take heart, and hold fast; the battle of DEI “wokeness” has not yet been won or lost. It remains up to the wise to speak the truth (Proverbs 12:17), speak out against folly (Proverbs 26:4-5), speak in love (Ephesians 4:15a), and remember that because God is for us, nothing can stand against us (Romans 8:31). 

_{By: Kirby Mankin}

Faith-Based Movies Take on Hollywood

Jon Erwin, a Christian filmmaker, is directing the epic series "House of David," which portrays the biblical story of David versus Goliath. This project, backed by Amazon MGM Studios, is part of a broader trend where faith-based audiovisual media is making headway into mainstream media, following major successes like "The Chosen" and "Sound of Freedom." Erwin and his team aim to create quality, uplifting content that appeals to both Christian and secular audiences. The Wonder Project, which has raised over $100 million in seed funding, seeks to compete with major studios by producing clean, family-friendly entertainment that presents stories of good versus evil and hope over despair.

It is refreshing to see a monetary influx to television series or movies that present Christ, His Word, and the truth. Prayerfully and hopefully, the surge of investment in (christian) faith-based television and movies is reflective of a generation waking up to the need for Christians to “take back” the arts and step up in their role as evangelists (Romans 1:16), leveraging their talents and treasures (1 Peter 4:10) to share the Gospel and stories of Scripture in every medium. What a praise that people might get less Game of Thrones and more David slaying Goliath.

However, there can be a danger in Christian cinema. That is, if this medium does not point us back to the place that God has first revealed Himself to us, then it is a failure or even a blasphemy (Romans 1:25). It is through the Scriptures that we come to see the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), and gain knowledge and understanding of who He is. Film can serve to illustrate and expand our imagination, but it should not serve as the source of our love or interest.

_{By: Jack Mueller}

Other news you should know

🤦🏻 Liz Cheney (former R-WY) is (unsurprisingly) voting for Kamala.

😬 Sharks have predators?

🔀 Huner Biden intends to change plea in tax case.

🥐 Former Brexit negotiator appointed new PM of France.

🇨🇳 China halts foreign adoption.

🇺🇬 Ugandan Olympian athlete dies after being set on fire in tragic murder.

🤝🏻 Pope Francis sits with Southeast Asia’s grand imam.

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