Articles

As many of you know, Pacific Justice Institute, an established legal defender of family and faith on the west coast, was the first to file a federal lawsuit in California challenging the new massive Health Care Law as unconstitutional. This lead case in the 9th Circuit has already overcome at least one attempt to dismiss it.

This positive momentum in our litigation was furthered even more when we heard that a federal judge in Virginia recently gave the green light to a similar lawsuit by Virginia’s attorney’s general against the same massive federal health care legislation.

The purpose of this article is to assist Christian student clubs, youth pastors, churches and ministerial associations in sponsoring and producing a baccalaureate service for graduating high school seniors.

What is it? . . .One court succinctly described a typical baccalaureate service as “generally intended to honor the high school’s graduates, and characteristically included speeches, prayer, and songs with a Christian theme, organized and presided over by church pastors or other community religious leaders.

Students are free to express their religious views both in the classroom and during noncurriculum times. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that religious speech is a protected type of expression. In fact, students’ religious speech may only be limited for two possible reasons: where it materially disrupts class work, or invades the rights of other students.

What's the greatest hurdle today for churches wishing to build or expand? This question was asked at a pastors conference and their near unanimous answer was surprising. No, it was not lack of members or lack of funds. Instead, it was land use restrictions by uncooperative local governments that proved to be the greatest hurdle to church growth today. However, as a church in DePere, Wisconsin learned, new churches no longer have to be unreasonably stopped by local governments.