Once I was free in the shackles of sin:

Free to be tempted, just bound to give in;

Free to be captive to any desire;

Free to eternally burn in hell’s fire.

'Til Someone bought me and called me His slave:

Bound by commands I am free to obey;

Captive by beauty I’m free to adore—

Sentenced to sit at His feet evermore.

―John MacArthur

Cultural Commentaries

Celebrating What Is Good - Grace to You published a Memorial Tribute that honors the legacy of John MacArthur and his exemplary life and ministry. MacArthur, longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, lived a life set apart for Christ. He held firm to his God-centric approach to ministry and preaching. On First Things, R. Albert Mohler Jr. shares that MacArthur never ceased preaching in a way that directed all focus toward God and His Word, even in a world that increasingly blurred the lines and challenged the boundaries of Christian faith and ministry.
Creating What Is Missing - Artificial Intelligence is on the rise and anticipated to increase in significance and utilization over time. This means that a framework for how to use it appropriately in ministry is imperative. The Gospel Coalition outlines four questions pastors should ask when using AI in ministry, and when fulfilling other responsibilities associated with their "ecclesial office."

Restoring What Is Broken - Explore this brief synopsis of the ruling in the Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges and how that decision has impacted public opinion. Obergefell undermines the true, God-given meaning and sanctity of marriage. Marriage is a gift from God where one man and one woman unite as one flesh under the authority of God. Obergefell, however, permits same-sex marriage as though it is natural and not a perversion of the true nature of marriage.

Ending What Is Evil - NPR.com recently shared an article that describes the recent IRS decision to allow churches to endorse political candidates. Do you have thoughts on this decision? If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, please take a moment to fill out this quick, one-question survey.

Legislative Update

Take a moment to review where all of the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV)-backed bills currently stand in the 136th General Assembly and pray over the bills that are moving in 2025.

Click here to learn how a bill becomes a law in Ohio.

View the July 18 Legislative Tracker

Pray for Ohio

*Prayer at the Statehouse November 2024*

Ohio Prayer Guide

We have partnered with Pray For Ohio to bring you a monthly topical prayer guide that can be shared with your church!

The Prayer Guide for August, along with the accompanying prayer letter, focuses on praying for the nations.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the pastors who will be participating in the fall semester of The Minnery Fellowship starting in August.

Send prayer requests to Ruth Edmonds at ruthedmonds@ccv.org so our team and intercessors around the state can be praying.

Resources

Check out this thought-provoking episode of The Narrative podcast featuring Daniel Gordis on the Israel/Iran conflict and why Christians should pay attention to what's going on in Israel.
Did you know that you can save big on health insurance, even if you’re only covering one person? Through our affiliate ministry, the Christian Business Partnership, churches and ministries who are part of CAN are able to access group-rate health plans built around your values and your budget. Whether you're covering a solo staff member or a whole team, there's a great chance we can save you money. Get a customized quote for your team and their families today at CBPOhio.org/health-insurance.
In this episode of the Credo Podcast, Carl Trueman and Matthew Barrett discuss "Nietzsche, Freud, and the Politics of Sex.”
We are pleased to share our new and improved Minnery Fellowship website with you! Check it out!
We want to hear from you about your experiences as a pastor connected with CCV and CAN to learn more about how we can better serve and equip you for the work of your ministry. To share your feedback, please take this quick survey.
If you believe other pastors in your network would benefit from receiving The Times, please forward this to them and encourage them to subscribe!

Upcoming Events

Click here to register for the Essential Summit on Thursday, October 2. This is CCV and CAN's annual conference, which brings together hundreds of believers from across the state and nation to discover how they can put their faith into action. Our keynote speakers for the upcoming Essential Summit include Carl Trueman, Rosaria Butterfield, and Willie Robertson.
Sign up for Prayer at the Statehouse on Thursday, August 14!
Save the Date: Our August livestream with Josh Zeichik, Director of The Focused Pastor at Focus on the Family, is scheduled for Tuesday, August 12.

Rest and Renewal

We will highlight a new Rest and Renewal option for pastors and ministry leaders each month.

This month, we want you to know about Tarryall River Ranch. Tarryall gives ministry families a 1-week, all-inclusive Dude Ranch experience in the Colorado Mountains. Food, lodging, kids' programs, food, guided fly fishing, pool/hot tub, hikes, more food, morning workouts/worship, cowboy activities, and more. In short, everything except trail rides and your travel out to the ranch is included in one very low fee for your entire family.

Check them out and tell them we sent you! You won’t regret it!

If you have other Rest and Renewal suggestions that we should share with the pastors in our network, let us know!

Pastor Testimony

'The Church Ambassador Network has been an invaluable blessing to my spiritual and leadership journey. Through the Minnery Fellowship, I’ve been profoundly edified—especially by the insightful and Spirit-led facilitation of Dr. Jim Spiegel, whose theological depth and pastoral sensitivity have enriched our cohort. CCV’s commitment to equipping leaders for faithful cultural engagement is both timely and transformative." —Dr. Tom Edwards, Lead Elder at HOME LifeCenter and CEO of COMMUNITY LifeCenter

Closing Thoughts

While watching this sunset with my wife Meghann over our vacation, I (Chris Lightfoot) remembered a quote from Chesterton that is humorous and thought-provoking:

"Oscar Wilde said that sunsets were not valued because we could not pay for sunsets. But Oscar Wilde was wrong; we can pay for sunsets. We can pay for them by not being Oscar Wilde." ―G.K. Chesterton

Serving and Resourcing Pastors in Ohio

A number of churches have decided to support CCV and the Church Ambassador Network financially through their budget. To set up a recurring monthly donation to CCV, please visit CCV.org/Donate and make sure to click the check box at the end of the form, above the comments field, before submitting your gift.

We would be honored if you chose to invest a portion of God’s resources into our effort to serve and support churches in Ohio with resources to help them carry out the Great Commission in the spirit of The Greatest Commandments in our current cultural context.

The Times: PROTECTING AND HONORING THE GOOD, TRUE, AND BEAUTIFUL