This ad will not display on your printed page.

Christian History

  • Send to printerSend to printer
  • |
  • Close windowClose window
The following article is located at: https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/july/morning-roundup-070313.html
Ed Stetzer Blog, July, 2013
November 10, 2020Leadership

Morning Roundup 07/03/13

Wendy Davis; Attracting Influential Leaders; Bible Translation

Ed Stetzerposted 7/03/2013
Morning Roundup 07/03/13

I continue to be impressed with Kirsten Powers, who is willing to speak up-- at times, in contrast to many who share her progressive views. We met briefly at the Q Conference, and I started reading more of her work-- and I'm glad I have.

I Don't Stand With Wendy Davis -- Kirsten Powers

It's amazing what is considered heroism these days.

A Texas legislator and her pink sneakers have been lionized for an eleventh-hour filibuster against a bill that would have made it illegal for mothers to abort babies past 20 weeks of pregnancy, except in the case of severe fetal abnormalities or to protect the life or health of the mother.

People actually cheered this.

When Davis' filibuster was stopped, spectators voiced their anger.

But the fight is not over. The bill will be reintroduced, and supporters of the ban are optimistic it will pass. For now, Wendy Davis has achieved the dubious victory of maintaining a very dark status quo. Texas women will still be able to abort a healthy baby up to the 26th week of pregnancy for any reason, as the current law allows.

According to the Parents Connect website, if you are in the 25th week of your pregnancy, "Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby's hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch." Let's be clear: Davis has been called a hero for trying to block a bill that would make aborting this baby illegal.

In addition to the limit on late-term abortions, the Texas legislature sought to pass regulations on abortion clinics similar to what was passed in Pennsylvania in 2011 after the Gosnell horror. The New York Times warned that the Texas bill "could lead to the closing of most of Texas's 42 abortion clinics." That sounds familiar. In 2011, the Pennsylvania ACLU claimed a post-Gosnell bill "would effectively close most and maybe all of the independent abortion clinics in Pennsylvania." Last month, aPennsylvania news site reported that "several" abortion clinics have closed, which isn't quite the Armageddon the abortion-rights movement predicted.

So no, I don't stand with Wendy. Nor do most women, as it turns out. According to aJune National Journal poll, 50 percent of women support, and 43 percent oppose, a ban on abortion after 20 weeks, except in cases of rape and incest.

Brad is a great read for leadership ideas and he hits it nicely here.

How to Attract Influential Leaders to Your Team -- Brad Lomenick

In order to be great you have to attract the best to your organization. The difficult part, especially in start ups and smaller organizations, is not having the resources or budget to attract the most influential thought leaders. A problem pervasive today in lots and lots of organizations.

So here are a few thoughts on attracting influential leaders to your team.

  1. Cast the net wide.

  2. Tap into their strengths.

  3. Allow them to have ownership.

  4. Demonstrate passion.

  5. Go after the big fish.

  6. Lead with excellence.

  7. Make it about more than you or them.

  8. Provide freedom, creativity and flexibility.

  9. Create perks.

  10. Have fun.

Bible translations continue to provoke debate-- this interview helps is to understand why.

Finding the Right Words for God's Word -- Christianity Today

For 20 years, missionary and translator Dave Brunn labored to provide the Lamogai people of Papua New Guinea with Scripture in their own language. Meanwhile, a debate broke out among Western Christians about the merits of translating the Bible into different versions of English: Are "dynamic equivalent" translations (which aim to reproduce the basic meaning of original biblical texts) as faithful to the original biblical text as "literal" (word-for-word) ones? In One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? (IVP Academic), Brunn, dean of academics for New Tribes Mission's USA Missionary Training Center, explains the choices faced by Bible translators and exposes the limits of English-language conventions in understanding the translation process. Lindsay Olesberg, Scripture engagement director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and author of The Bible Study Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to an Essential Practice (InterVarsity Press), spoke with Brunn about the judgment calls that translators inevitably face, no matter which translation theories they espouse.

Why do English-speaking evangelicals face so much tension around this issue?

Part of the tension is due to a limited, incomplete view of translation. I don't question anyone's motives. They are all driven by a desire to protect the faithfulness and accuracy of God's Word as it is translated into English or another language.

But it is a little bit dangerous to raise discussion of Bible translation to the level of doctrine. Obviously, there are key doctrines, such as the Virgin Birth and the deity of Christ, that we must protect very carefully. But the Bible does not give instructions on how to translate a message from one language into another.

Recently on The Exchange, Brad Lomenick joined me to talk about Catalyst conferences, leadership, and his new book The Catalyst Leader. Don't forget to join me every Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern for The Exchange.

Christianity Today

© 2020 Christianity Today