Dear Families at TFC

Presents and Presence -
Mission-Minded Gift-Giving

The month of December may be described as a time of competing cultural values. Why, because secular society promotes a "shop 'til you drop" spirit in which materialism motivates actions of giving, getting, and guilt for not conforming.  This thinking is superimposed upon the holiday (literally "Holy Day" season) during which time we celebrate the humble and unassuming entrance into the world of God's gift to humankind, Jesus, the Messiah. While biblical and secular worldviews are very different and often in conflict, the concept of gift giving and generosity are significant to both perspectives. Rather than erroneously fighting the concept of giving, let us seize the opportunity to evaluate the "why" and "how" to give in a way that has a Kingdom impact.

End of Year Giving to Support the Missions Efforts of The Family Church

Each year at our Global Impact Celebration (GIC), everyone who is a part of The Family Church makes a "Faith Commitment" of financial support for the local and global mission efforts of TFC. These funds are what help keep our missionaries and mission partnerships on the field and reaching the lost for Christ in their respective areas of ministry. This is a great time to catch up on those faith commitments or for additional contributions if you have been blessed with an abundance of resources this year. Please do not forget to note "GIC" on the memo line, knowing that your giving is impacting life for eternity around the world.

Special Christmas Gifts

Another way that you can give during this Christmas season is to support ministry partners with direct specific gifts that the Lord may lay on your heart. Here are three suggestions:

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What's an Alongsider?

"God is looking for amateurs to make disciples! This should be an encouragement to anyone wanting to participate in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). In the original meaning of the word, amateurs are not people who lack skill or training. The word amateur comes from the Latin word meaning "lover." Amateurs are often skilled people working without compensation. Amateurs work not for pay but out of the sheer love and joy of what they do. 

The Apostles were ministry amateurs. When Jewish boys reached their mid-teens, the best and the brightest were recruited by the local rabbi for advanced study. For those who didn't qualify, apprenticeship in a vocation was the next step. More fishermen were always needed (Matthew 4:21-22). These are religious amateurs (the Apostles) creating a stir. When the ministry professionals observed their boldness and confidence, they were amazed because "they were uneducated, common men...and they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

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Did Morality Evolve? a, b, c   

Stephen F. Larner, PhD

The existence of morality has always been a challenge to explain for secular humanists and their ideologically cousins: atheism, agnosticism, naturalism, etc., i.e., those with an evolutionary worldview. Although most evolutionists adhere to a moral code of right and wrong, they have no rational basis for doing so. Creationists, on the other hand, have a rational, logical, and reliable reason for morality.

CNN conducted an interview with Dr. Richard Dawkins, the British biologist and professor at Oxford University, widely known for his belligerent attitude against religion and as an ardent atheist advocate, was asked, "whether an absence of religion would leave us without a moral compass?" Dawkins responded: "The very idea that we get a moral compass from religion is horrible." The heart of the issue for anti-God believers is that there is no need for religion or God-based morality, but that the world would be noticeably more moral without them. That belief is irrational and contrary to experience, an ignorance of history.b

Even though most people, like Dawkins, will not admit it, morality that most people adhere to is biblically based. As the revealed Word of God, the Bible is the ultimate authority and foundation for knowledge. It informs us the loving Creator retains the right to define absolute standards of behavior.

Christian philosopher Dr. Greg Bahnsen once stated, "What does the unbeliever mean by 'good,' or by what standard does the unbeliever determine what counts as 'good'? ... What are the presuppositions in terms of which the unbeliever makes any moral judgments whatsoever?"1 Although unbelievers may classify actions as good or evil, what is their foundation for defining them as so?

Interestingly, even many evolutionists recognize evolution cannot provide a basis for morality. William Provine, evolutionist and biology professor at Cornell University, noted in referring to the implications of Darwinism, "No ultimate foundations for ethics exist, no ultimate meaning in life exists, and free will is merely a human myth2." Per his view, if evolution is true, then there can be no universal moral code.