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The Weekly is a highlight of the work the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is doing to strengthen you and our churches for God’s glory.

How to teach your children to handle peer pressure

Peer pressure is the feeling that one must do the same things as other people of one’s age and social group to be liked or respected by them. All of us are subjected to peer pressure in both positive and negative ways and in subtle and overt manners. The influence of our peer groups leads us to conform to social norms and ultimately helps us develop our sense of self and our place in society.

During the early adolescent through late teen years, children become more aware of a desire to fit in and find their niche in society. This makes them more susceptible to the positive and negative influences of peer pressure. But parents can play a powerful role in shaping these peer interactions.

This Week at the ERLC

Dan Darling writes at In Touch about our bodies and how we should view them in light of God as our Creator. His new book on human dignity is also featured on Ann Voskamp’s blog. Read the excerpt here.

The Lifeway Group Answers podcast hosted Dan Darling for a discussion about human dignity. Listen in here.

What You Need to Know

What is the “Becoming a Church that Cares Well for Abuse" curriculum? It’s a new course that Brad Hambrick and his team have developed to make churches a safe place from sexual abuse. Read about this much-needed resource here.

Over the last six months, at the directive of my senior pastor and president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), J.D. Greear, I have had the privilege of leading a team of nine individuals to develop a curriculum to equip churches to provide holistic care in the initial stages of learning about instances of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse. . . . It will be available at churchcares.com so it is accessible for every church, pastor, and ministry leader.

Phillip Bethancourt highlights one of the most important developments in Southern Baptist life recently. J.D. Greear, president of the SBC, announced 10 calls to action for Southern Baptists on sexual abuse. Find out more here.

As the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention convened, SBC President J.D. Greear announced 10 calls to action for Southern Baptists based on initial recommendations from the Sexual Abuse Presidential Advisory Group. The group’s efforts are ongoing, and there will be more resources and responses released in the months to come.

How should Christians respond in a divisive climate where rational and respectful discussion seems to be a thing of the past? Using the example of the Trader Joe’s standoff in California, Dan Darling writes about why civility could change our politics and culture. Learn more about this important call here.

[M]ore often than not, a simple, yet powerful appeal to our common humanity can remind potential oppressors of their own humanity, can shame those who are tempted to silence in the face of injustice, and can lead to social change. You don’t want to do this. You are better than this. You are a human and not an animal. This message needs to be heard, whether in a suburban grocery store, in the halls of Parliament, or on the streets of the segregationist South.

News From Capitol Hill

On Monday, Feb. 25, the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Babies born-alive following an attempted abortion procedure are living human beings who should have the same access to every measure of medical care and legal protection. Protecting the lives of living babies must not be a partisan issue.
​Ahead of this vote, the ERLC policy team welcomed pro-life and adoption advocate Melissa Ohden to the Capitol Conversations podcast to share her story. Listen to their conversation here.
Melissa was born alive after a failed abortion attempt at seven months’ gestation. Her story is an awesome testament to God’s grace, the power of forgiveness, and the inherent dignity every person deserves, no matter how small. The group also discusses how being made in the image of God relates to the abortion debates unfolding today in America. Melissa is a true voice for the voiceless.

“As survivors of abortion, we have had to fight for our lives in the womb. We should not have to fight for our lives again after we’re born alive.” – Melissa Ohden

Featured Podcasts

What do you do when a person says they're a Christian but doesn't know Jesus? Dean Inserra, founding and lead pastor of City Church, joins Dan Darling on The Way Home podcast to discuss the “Unsaved Christian” and more. Listen to their conversation here.

On the guest series of the ERLC Podcast, Better Together, Trillia Newbell talks with vice president of book merchandising and publishing for LifeWay Christian Resources, Jennifer Lyell. Lyell shares about women in leadership, women flourishing in the church, and how we can best care for those who have experienced abuse. You can listen to the discussion here.

From The Public Square

Why Religious Freedom Matters
Alan Sears, Townhall

Those who founded this country understood intuitively the priority of giving each person elbow room to seek God, profess faith, and live out his or her deepest convictions.

Federal Court: University Of Iowa Illegally Discriminated Against Christian Student Groups
Nicole Russell, The Federalist

Court documents revealed the public university kept a ‘watch list’ of student groups on probation. All of the groups on the list were religious.

The average American baby now watches nearly 3 hours of TV every day
Kathryn Krawczyk, The Week

Children are spending more time than ever in front of a screen, and it doesn't necessarily bode well for their futures.

Cuba's proposed constitution cuts religious freedom
Diana Chandler, Baptist Press

Cuban pastors are resisting pressure to support a Feb. 24 constitutional referendum that further limits religious freedoms in the Communist nation, international religious liberty advocates said.