Reach Out and Resist

I will continue using Facebook as a ministry platform despite them force-feeding us propaganda (including added links about COVID-19 that I do not approve of). Earlier this week, a sponsored ad from singer Carole King came up in my News Feed in which she thanked Dolly Parton “for inspiring me to record my own vaccination song.” I had no interest in hearing the song. When I clicked on the ellipsis, nothing happened. I couldn’t hide the ad. The only way to prevent it from coming up again on my News Feed was to block Carole King’s Facebook page.

I’ve also been doing this with Facebook ads “celebrating” pride month. This year several of them have appeared in my News Feed. One by iHeart Radio claimed you “can’t cancel pride.” I did so by blocking their page. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 both say, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

To anyone wanting to label me a hater, I need to clarify something. I do not hate homosexuals. By His grace, I love them as God loves them. What I hate is the demonic deception that's blinding their minds (2 Corinthians 4:4). In his book “A Queer Thing Happened to America,” Dr. Michael L. Brown encourages Christians to “reach out and resist” when relating to homosexuals: reach out to them with compassion but resist gay activism with courage. 

The late D. James Kennedy stated, “Tolerance is the last virtue of a depraved society. When you have an immoral society that has blatantly, proudly, violated all of the commandments of God, there is one last virtue they insist upon: tolerance for their immorality.” LGBT advocates are wasting their time and money trying to convince me to condone lifestyles the Bible calls an abomination. I pray they repent before it’s too late.

“But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.” - Psalm 63:11

A Pan of Panera Bread

I’m a traveling missionary who frequently patronizes Panera Bread. I enjoy sitting inside their restaurants drinking coffee and eating an occasional bagel while working online with my laptop. I was glad to see the one closest to my home finally allow indoor seating again after three months of doing take-out and drive-thru orders only. So I resumed going there earlier this week.

Unfortunately, I saw something on Thursday that made me turn around and leave. The windows had artwork of a rainbow with the caption “CELEBRATE WHO YOU ARE.” I assume this is in observance of Gay Pride Month. As a Christian, I find this offensive. The rainbow is a sign of God‘s promise not to destroy man again with a flood (see Genesis 9). It was never meant to symbolize deviant lifestyle choices. I happen to know former homosexuals and transsexuals who got delivered with God’s help. Therefore, I do not buy the lie that gays are “born that way.”

I avoid spending my money at places that openly endorse LGBT causes. Hopefully, this rainbow artwork is an isolated incident. Until it’s removed, I will not go inside this location again. If I see this sort of thing become normal at other Panera Bread restaurants, then they will lose not only me as a regular customer but other God-fearing patrons.

This panning of Panera Bread has been emailed to their corporate office. I pray somebody there took time to read it.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Dumping (and Misquoting) Starbucks

I’ve always thought Starbucks Coffee was overrated. Usually, I go to Caribou Coffee. One reason I prefer Caribou is they provide free refills of their “coffee of the day” while you remain in the store. Nevertheless, I occasionally enjoyed Starbucks’ cold drinks such as their frappuccinos. That changed in March 2013 after reading about Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz affirming his support for same-sex marriage. I decided then to avoid Starbucks products altogether.

Not long afterward, I went evangelizing one night in downtown Minneapolis with three other soul-winners from a local church. The leader of our group directed us into Starbucks and offered to buy us each a drink. I didn’t have peace in my heart and declined his offer. When I later told him the reason, my fellow evangelist totally understood for he wouldn’t do business with Home Depot because of their supporting homosexual groups and pride celebrations (which they have since discontinued).

To be fair to Howard Schultz, it’s still being mistakenly reported Christian shareholders were told he didn’t want their business if they won’t “embrace diversity.” During a stockholders meeting in Seattle, Mr. Schultz actually told them, “If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, it’s a free country...You can sell your shares in Starbucks and buy shares in another company.”

Sometimes it’s not practical to boycott a business that provides a necessary product or service. While I have friends who continue to patronize Starbucks, I prefer to avoid spending my discretionary income at places that endorse gay marriage (which is neither “gay” nor “marriage” in God’s eyes). However, I will walk into a Starbucks Coffee shop if the Lord leads me to minister to someone there. 

Always remember, we are in the world (but not of it) to reach the lost with the gospel.

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” - John 17:16

Should Christians Boycott?

Last night before going to bed, I was reading news headlines on the Internet and learned that the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream company was temporarily changing the name of their “Chubby Hubby” flavor to “Hubby Hubby” to commemorate same-sex marriage being legalized in their home state of Vermont. I was appalled but not totally surprised considering Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have used company profits to support other ungodly causes such as abortion advocacy. Now I have another reason not to buy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Every Christian has had to decide whether or not to avoid purchasing certain products or services based on moral grounds. Years ago while I was a prayer meeting, one man there suggested boycotting Best Buy because the electronics company sponsored a rock music festival where Ozzy Osbourne was the headlining act. At first, I was in favor of the idea. But a few days later, I was praying when the Lord specifically told me to go to Best Buy. When I showed up at the store, I noticed a boom box that I wanted to buy was on sale. I purchased it immediately.

On the other hand, I made a personal decision to boycott AT&T initially because of them sticking me with a phone bill run up by an ex-roommate. Years later, I learned the communications giant sponsored the “Gay Games” and other homosexual causes. Since then I have continued shying away from doing business with AT&T. That's one reason why I haven't purchased an iPhone. However, there were a few instances when I bought AT&T long-distance calling cards because I needed one and didn’t have other choices at the store where I was shopping.

Some Christians refuse to patronize restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages. Certainly, I don’t agree with sowing money into the liquor industry. But one could still enjoy the food at such a restaurant and then minister to the waiter or waitress who served the meal. It’s not up to any individual to dictate where we should eat or not eat. Romans 14:3-4 says, “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant?”

As a general rule, I believe Christians should not knowingly invest a large portion of their finances into companies that clearly have an anti-Christian agenda. Nevertheless, situations may arise when it’s impractical to totally boycott a business or service as previously cited in the AT&T example. Regarding any decision in life, always “let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15)

“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect.” - Colossians 2:20-23