Picture a group of immigrants and students gathered in a warm church room, sipping tea and stumbling through English conversations. This is the ministry of 2:19 Teach to Reach, a conversational English program that’s so much more than language lessons. Using proverbs from around the world, volunteers support language learners and spark conversations about life’s deepest questions related to family, purpose, and what gives life meaning. The room, filled with the usual nervous chatter that comes when groups of strangers gather, became a different kind of space: a magnetic space, an oasis in a world that felt like it was pulling us all apart. Magnetic spaces are environments that can promote civility and also the gospel of Jesus Christ. In our fractured, angry times, we desperately need places like this in order to catch our breath and find our way. Civility Crisis Let’s state the obvious: Our cultural moment feels uniquely broken. Whether it’s political infighting, endless protests, or the pandemic’s lingering scars, incivility seems to be everywhere. Compounded by the ways online life divides us (I’ve seen the terms “cyberbalkanization” and “splinternet” thrown around), our posture toward one another is less open and more defensive. A 2022 U.S. study with 7,000 participants dug into how COVID-19 messed with our personalities. The study focused on the “Big Five” personality traits: extraversion versus introversion, agreeableness versus antagonism, conscientiousness versus lack of direction, neuroticism versus emotional stability, and openness versus closedness to experience. The findings are sobering. We’re less kind and empathetic, more closed off to new ideas, pulling away from people, and struggling to stay motivated for our goals. In other words, we’re becoming less good at being with each other. Inside the church and out, we’re talking past each other, slapping labels on folks we disagree with, and caricaturing their views. We’re all feeling the squeeze—squeezed for the time it takes to have a real conversation and squeezed out of the healthy spaces where those conversations used to happen. We’re afraid of being misunderstood or “canceled,” and that fear just makes things worse. This hostile climate affects our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. We all yearn for a comeback of basic civility, but here’s the thing—it’s not enough on its own. We need Jesus at the center, the One who mends what’s broken deep down. That’s where magnetic spaces fit in beautifully. They ease the immediate squeeze on our time by creating room for honest, kind conversations. At the same time, magnetic spaces open doors to lasting hope by pointing us toward the gospel. Forecourts to Porches In one of his last articles, “Lemonade on the Porch,” pastor and theologian Tim Keller suggested that Western culture can no longer be seen as a “forecourt” where we can naturally introduce the Christian faith. Magnetic spaces open doors to lasting hope by pointing us toward the gospel. Instead, he argued that churches need to build a new kind of front porch. These are low-pressure spaces where we “can serve lemonade to outsiders who are not yet ready to come all the way into the ‘house,’ but where they can be prepared to do so.” They’re places where people can connect without feeling like a project. Keller draws on my own work concerning subversive fulfillment––a way of engaging with culture––which he states will be one of the main marks of an effective church porch: In a nutshell it means that there must be a balance of criticism and clear confrontation of unbelief (“subversive”) along with a great deal of respect and appreciation for the good values, commitments, and aspirations of the non-believers (“fulfilment”). . . . “Subversive fulfillment” avoids the twin errors of either syncretism or irrelevance. Sin must not only be denounced in general, but in the particular idolatrous forms found in the culture. Salvation must not only be declared in general, but as fulfilling the very hopes that the culture wrongly puts in its idols. Magnetic spaces would provide temporary relief from the storms of life, a place to reflect on the presenting issues of our time. Such spaces would be akin to ancient hospiciums that, before the 19th century, were rest houses for travelers rather than places to care for the dying. Magnetic Points The spaces each church builds will look different, but they’ll share the same solid frame: the “magnetic points” of J. H. Bavinck. This was Bavinck’s way of describing a universal longing every human being has. I’ve popularized his ideas in my book Making Faith Magnetic, which begins with Bavinck’s understanding of the Bible’s view of humanity. Bavinck argued that all human beings have, because of the fall, an impaired religious consciousness. Men and women are image-bearers who suppress the truth and turn to idols (Rom. 1:18). Bavinck says we all know and don’t know God; we’re all running to God and running away from him. Bavinck then suggests five magnetic points that all of us are drawn to: Totality: Is there a way to connect? We all want to feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. Norms: Is there a way to live? We all look for rules and standards to live by. Deliverance: Is there a way out? We all want an escape from the brokenness of this world. Destiny: Is there a way we control? We all wonder if we have a purpose and if we’re in control of our lives. Higher Power: Is there a way beyond? We all wonder if there’s something more out there. We try to answer these questions on our own, seeking fulfillment in our careers, relationships, or hobbies, but only Jesus fully subverts and fulfills them. Magnetic Spaces I love how adaptable Bavinck’s points are—I’ve shared them globally, and the ideas just pour in. Imagine a parenting class digging into norms and destiny with a mix of proverbs and Scripture, or a mental health circle tackling deliverance from inner turmoil with stories of Jesus’s hope. Toddler groups could touch on totality, that universal hunger for belonging. Book clubs or movie nights? Perfect for wrestling with higher power, sifting cultural idols with grace and grit. The most developed magnetic space I’ve seen has been by the 2:19 Teach to Reach ministry, which I described above. They produced a resource called Utter Wisdom, based around 60 proverbs from different languages and cultures. Volunteers facilitate short English language activities and lead discussions aimed at how the themes in those proverbs help us consider life’s deepest questions. Each theme (time, success and failure, animals, pain and suffering) is based around the “magnetic points.” And each lesson ends with a short study where learners can see how these deep themes connect with and are confronted by Jesus the “I am.” Bavinck says we all know and don’t know God; we’re all running to God and running away from him. Ministries like this aren’t wild innovations—lots of churches already do similar work. The goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel but to give these initiatives a way to thoughtfully navigate between meeting people’s practical needs and sharing the life-changing truth of the gospel. When we help people think about life through the magnetic points, they uncover their own ultimate heart commitments, which the Bible calls idolatry. Magnetic spaces help people stop and think about the objects of their worship. We hope and pray that by God’s Spirit they begin to see the futility of idols and the beauty of a life built on Christ, the only higher power who gives us totality, norm, deliverance, and destiny in him. Magnetic Person One can imagine other magnetic spaces being designed and built on this “magnetic points” frame: parenting classes, toddler groups, mental health and grief support groups, book clubs, film clubs, student campus groups, current affairs discussion groups. These would foster and promote civility among God’s image-bearers. We’d love all citizens in our hostile and fractious culture, both Christian and non-Christian, to cultivate civility that improves self-understanding, awareness, and listening to the other. Through conversation, we create space for conversion. These magnetic spaces are an entry point to Christ’s family. Such spaces can be both “church gathered” (like our Sunday services, which are still the ultimate magnetic space) and “church scattered” in our daily lives. In our uncivil world, these places offer weary travelers a moment of rest and reflection. All the while, they point to the ultimate magnetic Person—the Lord Jesus, the only place in whom we truly find rest.

“That’s it,” he said. “I’m done with porn.” We’d sat in the same two chairs in my church office and had this same conversation many times—so many times that I had my doubts. Why does repentance often fall flat? One moment, a man can’t see why he’d ever commit a particular sin again. A few moments later, he’s committing it. A string of defeats soon leaves him hopelessly asking, “Why can’t I just stop?” In my years of counseling and helping young men turn from using pornography, I’ve found that one problem is a weak view of repentance. We think it’s simple: Just stop sinning. But when the Lord works repentance in his people, he turns our whole hearts. Repentance doesn’t just bring new actions but pointed feelings, changed desires, and a fresh outlook. What does it mean to heed God’s call to “return to [him] with all your heart” (Joel 2:12)? Open Eyes to See Sin When God’s call to turn first reaches us, it finds us in rough shape: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn” (John 12:40). We don’t naturally turn from sin, because we don’t see sin to turn from. But the Lord sends his Word “to open [our] eyes, so that [we] may turn” (Acts 26:18). Like the Prodigal Son, we come to ourselves (Luke 15:17). Then, we can say with open eyes, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Ps. 51:3). Repentance turns us from blindness to seeing sin clearly. When I’m helping a young man put porn use behind him, I first want to know how clearly he sees his sin. Is it a big deal to him, or is he compartmentalizing, walking through his day without feeling the weight of what he’s doing at night? Can he admit his wrong with honest words like “I used a video of a complete stranger for selfish pleasure”? Whatever the sin, the first question to ask is “Do you see it clearly?” Enjoyment Turned to Sorrow Scripture says we don’t merely commit sins, we “glory in [our] shame” (Phil. 3:19), boasting like a king while our sin reduces us to beasts (Ps. 73:22). But like the tax collector and Ezra, both of whom wouldn’t lift their eyes to heaven, a repentant man senses the shame of what he’s done (Ezra 9:6; Luke 18:13). This is the path home, for a “broken and contrite heart” the Lord “will not despise” (Ps. 51:17; see 38:18). Repentance trades boasting and enjoyment of sin for shame and sorrow over it. Like the tax collector and Ezra, both of whom wouldn’t lift their eyes to heaven, a repentant man senses the shame of what he’s done. Men turning from pornography use typically have no trouble sensing the shame of it. But because the sin promises fleeting delusions of glory and power, feeling ashamed can make the sin all the more tempting. To repent, you must instead bring your shame to the Lord. Go to the heavenly temple, beat your chest, and weep in his arms. Let the Lord lift your head and justify you. Ignited Zeal When the Lord corrects his people, he calls us to “be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19). The admonished Corinthians do just that, moving Paul to exclaim, “What zeal!” (2 Cor. 7:11). Repentance leaves behind defeated lethargy and burns for holiness. Like finishing a long run by tripping on the sidewalk, falling into sin after a long battle can knock the breath out of you. To strive for holiness, you’ll have to “lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (Heb. 12:12–14). With God’s help, you can crucify sin. But you must ignite the flame of zeal and keep it burning through the dark night of temptation. Trust in God’s Mercy When we feel the weight of our sin, our doubts can make us despair: How could I possibly earn God’s favor now? But the prophets call us to return to the Lord because he will “have compassion” on us and “abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7). A repentant heart, despite feeling sin’s weight, trusts that God is as merciful as he says he is. Like David, it asks for forgiveness not according to how hard we’re trying but “according to [God’s] steadfast love” (Ps. 51:1). After seeing the sin’s ugliness and feeling its shame, do you still trust God to forgive you? Your answer reveals whether you’ll run to the Lord, hesitate, or run from him. Lowered Defenses Hiding silently pretends nothing is wrong, and defensiveness loudly insists you’re right. But confession admits you’re wrong and God is right. It looks at the Scriptures that condemn our sin and says the Lord is “justified in [his] words and blameless in [his] judgment” (Ps. 51:4). Is the Lord right to say that lustful looking is heart-adultery (Matt. 5:28)? Is your friend right to ask about your internet history? Your reaction when confronted will tell you whether your heart seeks holiness or is defending itself. Repayment Feels Small Zacchaeus’s pledge when he repents is striking. Not only does he promise to give back four times what he’s taken, but he also gives away half the riches he’s earned fairly (Luke 19:8–9; see Eph. 4:28). Repayment and generosity felt like a small matter because his heart has turned from greed. This is one way wholehearted repentance manifests itself. Selfishness turns to generosity. For a man turning from porn, this means changing how you see women. Sin trains you to take, but the Lord calls you to protect, serve, and give. The first thing your eyes should notice is what she may need from you (a door opened, help moving, your jacket). Married men need to consider the heavy cost their sin has placed on their wives. Has your deception eroded trust in your relationship? Have unrealistic standards left her feeling objectified? Has betrayal left her unsure of her own beauty? A repentant husband will work to make her rich in what she’s lost. Sin trains you to take, but the Lord calls you to protect, serve, and give. It’s only when our whole hearts turn from sin that we “bear fruits” (Luke 3:8) in our conduct, “performing deeds in keeping with [our] repentance” (Acts 26:20). Young man, if the outward fruit isn’t there, look inward. Do you see the sin clearly, with all its ugliness? Have you shed tears of sorrow and shame in the Lord’s arms? Is there zeal, faith, confession, and generosity? To see consistent fruit, you must repent with a whole heart.

Every pastor wants a culture of care, but not every pastor feels equipped to counsel—much less to equip others to counsel one another. In this episode, Deepak Reju—a Delaware pastor who served for nearly 20 years as the counseling pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church—joins Ligon Duncan and Matt Smethurst to discuss counseling versus discipling, how to build a culture of lay counseling, advice for getting tooled up, tips for pastors who feel out of their depth, thoughts on medication and referrals, and more. Resources Mentioned: “Cure of Souls (and the Modern Psychotherapies)” by David Powlison Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison How People Change by Paul David Tripp How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp The Art of Disagreeing: How to Keep Calm and Stay Friends in Hard Conversations by Gavin Ortlund The Pastor and Counseling: The Basics of Shepherding Members in Need by Jeremy Pierre and Deepak Reju Journal of Biblical Counseling New Growth Press’s Minibook Counseling Resource Pack Counseling Talk podcast Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) courses

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A growing confrontation over major digital surveillance powers is unfolding within the European Union, as Denmark’s Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stands accused of using false claims to pressure hesitant governments into backing the European Commission’s proposed Chat Control 2.0 regulation. In a press release, digital rights campaigner and former Member of the European Parliament Patrick Breyer has denounced what he describes as a manufactured crisis aimed at forcing through legislation that would subject all private communications in the EU to automated scanning. Classified minutes obtained by Netzpolitik from a September 15 Council meeting reveal that Hummelgaard, currently presiding over the EU Council, told interior ministers that the European Parliament would block any renewal of the existing voluntary scanning framework unless governments agreed to adopt the new regulation. Breyer immediately pushed back on this claim. “This is a blatant lie designed to manufacture a crisis,” said Breyer. “There is no such decision by the European Parliament…We are witnessing a shameless disinformation campaign to force an unprecedented mass scanning law upon 450 million Europeans. I call on EU governments, and particularly the German government, not to fall for this blatant manipulation. To sacrifice the fundamental right to digital privacy and secure encryption based on a fabrication would be a catastrophic failure of political and moral leadership.” The regulation in question, officially called the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR), would compel messaging platforms, email providers, and cloud storage services to scan all user content for potential child abuse material. This would apply even to services using end-to-end encryption, meaning private conversations on platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and iMessage would no longer be truly confidential. Although supporters describe the system as targeted and limited, the legal framework allows broad application. According to Breyer and legal analysts, nearly all major communication services could end up required to scan the messages of every user. The claim that scanning would only be used as a “last resort” has also come under fire. The thresholds for issuing such orders are vague, and privacy experts argue that in practice, providers would face pressure to implement blanket scanning. The scanning technology itself is also deeply flawed, with false positive rates reportedly ranging between 50 and 75 percent. Innocent exchanges, such as family vacation photos or private romantic messages, could be incorrectly flagged and forwarded to authorities. Even more concerning is that once flagged, the regulation requires not only the identified image or video to be reported, but also the full conversation thread. These entire exchanges would be sent to a new EU-level agency and shared with law enforcement, raising serious questions about scope and oversight. A provision in the Council’s draft has added further controversy. Article 7 of the Danish compromise text explicitly exempts the communications of police officers, soldiers, and intelligence agents from being scanned. Breyer views this as a glaring admission of the proposal’s dangers. “This cynical exemption proves they know exactly how unreliable and dangerous the snooping algorithms are,” he said. “If state communications deserve confidentiality, so do citizens’, businesses’, and survivors’ who rely on secure channels for support and therapy.” While Denmark continues to lead efforts to pass the regulation, opposition is building at home. An internal Council working group is due to meet on October 9 to discuss the legislation, with a final vote expected on October 14. The outcome will likely depend on a small group of undecided countries, including Germany and Italy. With time running out, privacy advocates are urging EU governments not to give in to political pressure based on misinformation. They warn that adopting Chat Control 2.0 would open the door to constant surveillance of personal communications and dismantle long-standing protections for private digital life in Europe. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Denmark Accused of Spreading False Claims to Push EU’s Mass Surveillance Law appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Watchdog report details years of animal abuse, toxic practices, and conflicts of interest ignored by regulators and certifiers. By yourNEWS Media Newsroom The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National…