Welcome to G3 Weekly—a summary of this week’s top news stories on Christianity and the public square.
This week, Ohio Right to Life fired a Christian employee after a Republican lawmaker publicly criticized her for sharing the gospel. Mobs of Pakistani Muslims attacked several churches and many homes belonging to Christians. Meanwhile, the interim president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee resigned after admitting that he falsified his resume.
Ohio Pro-Life Group Fires Christian after Sharing the Gospel
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).
Elizabeth Marbach, the communications director for Ohio Right to Life, was fired by the pro-life organization after Representative Max Miller, a Republican from Ohio, condemned her for sharing the gospel on social media.
Marbach had said on social media that there exists “no hope for any of us outside of having faith in Jesus Christ alone.” The lawmaker, whose wife is a board member at Ohio Right to Life, told Marbach to “delete” the assertion and said the post was intolerant toward his Jewish faith.
“This is one of the most bigoted tweets I have ever seen,” Miller remarked. “Delete it, Lizzie. Religious freedom in the United States applies to every religion. You have gone too far.”
Marbach responded by telling the official that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Miller later offered Marbach an apology for his post, which she accepted.
Ohio Right to Life nevertheless fired Marbach two days after the social media exchange. One official at the pro-life organization had voiced disagreement a few days earlier about another social media post from Marbach which called a pro-abortion activist a “murderous liar,” according to internal communications detailed in a report by The Republic Sentinel.
Marbach said in further comments to the outlet that she believes “God will continue to use this situation to bring glory and honor to his name” and called on her state to abolish abortion.
Pakistani Muslims Destroy Christian Churches
“You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one” (Hebrews 10:34).
Several hundred Muslims in Pakistan attacked churches and Christian homes after two believers were accused of desecrating a copy of the Quran.
Many Christians fled to safer parts of the eastern city of Jaranwala as rioters looted their property. “We were sitting at home when suddenly we heard that a mob is coming and it is burning homes and attacking churches,” a tearful Christian woman named Shazia Amjad said in an interview with The Associated Press outside of her destroyed home.
Law enforcement arrested several dozen Muslim rioters and the two Christians accused of defacing the Quran. Pakistan currently has laws that permit capital punishment for those found guilty of insulting Islam or religious figures in the religion.
Southern Baptist Convention Official Resigns over Falsified Resume
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9).
Willie McLaurin, who served as interim president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, abruptly resigned after acknowledging that he lied on his resume.
McLaurin, who was attempting to apply to the position he temporarily occupied, falsely claimed that he had graduated from North Carolina Central University, Duke University Divinity School, and Hood Theological Seminary. Members of the presidential search committee confirmed with each of the schools that he had never finished his degree programs at the institutions.
Executive Committee Chairman Phillip Robertson said in a statement provided to Baptist Press that “God’s wisdom and direction is paramount at each and every point in the process.”
McLaurin previously served as a vice president at the Executive Committee, worked as a staff member of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board for fifteen years, and served as executive pastor and senior pastor at two separate Baptist churches in Tennessee.
Two other leaders of the Executive Committee have resigned from their posts in the past five years alone over separate controversial matters.
Ed Litton, the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, was notably caught plagiarizing a number of sermons from JD Greear, another former president of the nation’s largest association of Protestant churches. Litton did not resign but declined a run for reelection.
