Southern Baptist Convention - considered more conservative (both theologically and socially) than the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.. Important to note that Southern Baptist churches are not only in the South. The denomination rejects same-sex marriage and denies LGBTQ+ clergy, holding that homosexuality is a sin. 

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Conversion therapy - also referred to as “Reparative Therapy” or “Ex-Gay Therapy,” is a widely discredited practice that attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Conversion therapy is any emotional or physical therapy used to “cure” or “repair” a person’s attraction to the same sex, or their gender identity and expression. Practices to “cure” individuals of their same-sex sexual orientations and transgender identities may include a number of techniques, ranging from shaming to hypnosis to inducing vomiting to electric shocks. ​​​

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Resurrection - the act of rising from the dead or being brought back to life, a concept central to Christianity, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion.

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Blasphemy - the crime of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or a religion and its doctrines and writings and especially God as perceived by Christianity and Christian doctrines and writings.

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Christ raised Lazarus from the dead - Jesus raises Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, from the dead by calling him out of his tomb four days after his death in Bethany. The event in the Gospel of John (John 11) showcases Jesus's power over death, demonstrating that he is the resurrection and the life and affirming God's glory to his disciples and onlookers. Lazarus emerged bound in grave clothes, and Jesus instructed others to unwrap him and let him go, leading many witnesses to believe in Jesus.

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Sisters-in-Christ way - a spiritual and relational dynamic where Christian women form supportive bonds based on faith and mutual love, mirroring the biblical concept of spiritual family. This path involves mutual encouragement, spiritual accountability, and shared experiences in prayer and Bible study, creating a community that helps women grow in their relationship with God and each other. 

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Complementarian - Though the concept of male-female complementarity can be seen from Genesis through Revelation, the label “complementarian” has only been in use for about 25 years. It was coined by a group of scholars who got together to try and come up with a word to describe someone who ascribes to the historic, biblical idea that male and female are equal, but different. The need for such a label arose in response to the proposition that equality means role-interchangeability (egalitarianism)—-a concept first forwarded and popularized in evangelical circles in the 1970s and 1980s by “Biblical Feminists.” Complementarians believe that God created male and female as complementary expressions of the image of God—-male and female are counterparts in reflecting his glory. Having two sexes expands the view. Though both sexes bear God’s image fully on their own, each does so in a unique and distinct way. Male and female in relationship reflects truths about Jesus that aren’t reflected by male alone or female alone.

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​Egalitarian - the belief in human equality, especially political, social, and economic equality. Egalitarianism has been a driving principle of many modern social movements, including the Enlightenment, feminism, civil rights efforts, and the establishment of international human rights. Given that there are many ways in which people can relate as equals or be treated the same, egalitarianism as a concept is versatile and sometimes contentious.

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Inter-denominational - relating to more than one religious denomination (a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church).

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Standard Evangelical church - a church that adheres to core evangelical beliefs, including a high regard for the Bible, a focus on salvation through Jesus Christ, and a belief in being "born again."​​​​​​

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Missionary dating - a practice where a Christian enters a romantic relationship with a non-Christian, with the explicit goal of converting that person to Christianity.

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Verses:​

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Matthew 15:4 - the verse where Jesus quotes the Fourth Commandment, saying, "For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother'" (or similar phrasing depending on the translation) and also quotes from the Old Testament law, "He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death". This quote is used to expose the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, who were using their own traditions to get around the actual commands of God, such as the command to care for one's parents.
 

Colossians 3:21 

 

After addressing wives, husbands, and children, Paul adds additional instructions for Christian fathers. This closely resembles the instruction Paul gives in Ephesians 6:4 warning fathers not to provoke anger in their children. Some render the phrase Paul uses here in Colossians as "do not cause your children to become resentful." The idea is that of stirring up or causing problems for your child. Unfairness and aggression, in particular, are to be avoided. Fathers are not to be problem-makers for their children, but rather providers and examples for their sons and daughters.

Fathers who provoke their children can cause discouragement. Children rely on their father to offer encouragement. When fathers fail in this aspect, it can have long-lasting impact on the well-being of their child. Once again, Ephesians 6:4 mirrors this part of Colossians. Fathers are called to both offer discipline and to teach God's ways to their children. This is not to be delegated to a mother or other influencers. Spiritual instruction may involve the support of all family members, but it is ultimately the personal responsibility of the father.

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Hebrews 12:7 - encourages enduring hardship as a form of God's discipline, explaining that God treats believers as children by disciplining them, just as a loving human father disciplines his sons. The verse establishes that suffering can be a sign of God's fatherly love and a means of spiritual training, implying that a lack of discipline might suggest an illegitimate status, not a true child of God.

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1 Timothy 5:8 

"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever". This verse, found in the New Testament, emphasizes the Christian obligation to care for one's family and household, warning that failing to do so is a serious transgression, equivalent to denying the faith itself and even worse than an unbeliever.  

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1 Enoch 100:1 and 2 

 

In those days, the father will be beaten together with his sons, in one place; and brothers shall fall together with their friends, in death, until a stream shall flow with their blood. • For a man shall not be able to withhold his hands from his sons nor from (his) sons' sons in order to kill them. Nor is it possible for the sinner to withhold his hands from his honored brother. From dawn until the sun sets, they shall slay each other. ​

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Proverbs 31 - the final chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament and contains two parts: the first part consists of the advice King Lemuel's mother gave him on ruling justly, and the second part describes the attributes of a virtuous woman, known for her wisdom, strength, diligent work ethic, kindness to the poor, and strong relationship with God. This woman is presented as a positive role model, emphasizing that inner qualities like a "fear of the Lord" are more valuable than fleeting beauty and that her virtuous deeds publicly bring her praise.

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Congregation - an assembly of people gathered for religious worship or instruction, such as a local church society, but can also refer to any gathering or assemblage of people or even objects. The term often describes the body of believers who habitually attend a particular church and participate in its activities

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​God loved Esau in his own way 

 

interpretation of the biblical passages, particularly Romans 9:13, which says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated". This statement refers to God's election and choice of one lineage (Jacob's descendants, Israel) for a special covenant role over another (Esau's descendants, the Edomites). It is not about a general love or hate in the sense of human emotions but about a divine decision regarding who would be the ancestor of God's chosen people and receive the covenant promises.

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1 Corinthians 13:11 - When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

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AWANA awards 

 

awards that recognize a child's spiritual and biblical growth, marking accomplishments in discipleship, scripture memorization, and living out their faith. These awards, which can be medals, plaques, or other tokens, are presented to acknowledge progress, motivate continued commitment, and celebrate the journey of becoming a follower of Jesus. The ultimate purpose is not just the award itself, but the spiritual formation it represents.​

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AWANA - a global, non-profit Bible-based children's and youth discipleship program whose name is an acronym for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" from the Bible verse 2 Timothy 2:15. The program provides weekly clubs in local churches for children from ages 2 to high school, featuring engaging lessons, memory verses, and interactive activities designed to teach children about God, the Bible, and how to live a Christian life.

 

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