Breakpoint

Today we revisit a conversation from Shane Morris to commemorate St. Patrick's Day. Getting beyond the shamrocks, green beer, and parades, who was the historical St. Patrick? Today on the BreakPoint Podcast, we welcome back our former Colson Center colleague and expert on St. Patrick, T. M. Moore. Moore describes the events of Patrick's life and gives us an inspiring glimpse into the spiritual life of this giant of the faith, a man whom God used to ignite a revival among the Irish–a revival that would, in the end, save Western Civilization. Moore is the founder and principal of the Fellowship of Ailbe and author of Celtic Flame: The Burden of Patrick, which is available at our online bookstore.

According to the Barna Group, millennials who stayed in church were "twice as likely to have a close personal friendship with an adult inside the church." That was true for me. Around Christmas in December of 1990, I met Ms. Buckner, who lived down a windy, rural Virginia road. She was an 89-year-old widow. There was, shall we say, a pretty significant generation gap between us. We didn't know what to talk about, so she prayed for me. That prayer time led me to visit Ms. Buckner again two years later. I was even less interested in spiritual things by then and didn't think she'd remember me. When Ms. Buckner came to the door, I said, "You probably don't remember, but I was here two years ago." "John," she smiled. "I prayed for you this morning." Her friendship and prayers impacted me in ways I cannot measure. Prayer not only unites the church, it inspires faith. That's why we're hosting a time of guided prayer during Lent. These times will inspire you to pray for people in your church especially those in other generations. To sign up for the weekly reminders, visit breakpoint.org/praywithme.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the global economy, sparked fears of world war, and pumped gas prices to record highs. There are personal costs, too. Aside from the lives already lost in the fighting, the conflict in Ukraine has revealed a conflict of interest at the heart of an increasingly common practice. In an article at The Atlantic, Alison Motluk described how, in recent years, Ukraine has become "an international surrogacy hub." Prospective parents from the U.S., China, Germany, Australia, and other countries have rushed to take advantage of Ukraine's lax surrogacy laws, hiring less-wealthy women there to gestate their children. By some estimates, around 2,500 such arrangements are made each year in Ukraine. One large fertility clinic in Kyiv reported that they expect 200 surrogate babies to be born in the next three months. None of the "intended parents" involved foresaw a Russian invasion. Like COVID-19 did in early 2020, the war has "disrupted the supply chain," something you say until you realize the product is human beings. the war has "disrupted the supply chain," something you say until you realize the product is human beings. In the last few weeks, surrogate mothers across Ukraine have been forced to choose between doing what's right for themselves and their families, and following the contractual demands of paying "parents" thousands of miles away. Many of these women have refused to move since that would separate them from loved ones in harm's way. Others fled after the clinics in charge of their pregnancies were forced to shut down. Still others are debating whether to seek refuge in other countries, knowing their babies' legal status and ultimate fates will be uncertain. As Motluk writes, "Some people in wartime can turn all of their attention to family and the war effort, but surrogates cannot. Even if they defy pleas to go to places of safety, they carry their work with them, inside their body. … The reality is that the interests of the surrogate and the interests of the parents don't always align. War just makes it that much more stark." Of course, there's a third party whose interests often aren't considered, particularly in the media coverage: the unborn babies. Where are their rights? What say do they have in all of this? Who will they call "mommy" and "daddy"? If they make it to their intended buyers, what will they think of being the result of a risky commercial transaction? And if they don't make it "home," what fate awaits them? Maybe something similar to the dozens of surrogate babies who were stranded in Ukraine in 2020 after COVID-19 hit. All of this reveals one of the central problems with our limited ethical deliberations over artificial reproductive technologies, such as surrogacy (especially surrogacy across national borders and between people from such disparate socioeconomic backgrounds): we tend to assume best-case scenarios. Moral dilemmas, however, rarely happen in a best-case scenario. That's not how the world works. The hardest decisions we make in life are during times of chaos and conflict—when illness, financial hardship, or family trouble make it incredibly hard to do the right thing, or even know what that is. We've approached surrogacy as if the women contracted to carry the children are always informed, never under financial pressure, protected by contracts that can handle extenuating circumstances such as war or pandemics, that the wishes of the intended "parents" never conflict with their best interests, that no lasting emotional bonds to the baby will be formed, that no coerced abortions will ever happen—and of course, that no one's country is invaded. When any of these assumptions prove wrong, a terrible human cost is exacted. Recently, my colleague Shane Morris interviewed pro-life author and speaker Stephanie Gray Connors on the Upstream podcast about her new book Conceived by Science. The book and the conversation detail the ethical problems with both in-vitro fertilization and surrogacy. One of the principles Stephanie emphasizes is that good desires don't justify immoral actions. It's natural for couples to want children of their own and tragic when they can't conceive or carry them. Still, that is no license to bring children into the world through any means, including technologies that treat children as a commercial product and another human as a supplier or that abandon children or "excess" embryos. The unfolding crisis for surrogate mothers in Ukraine is a sad reminder of what happens when people are treated as instruments rather than image bearers, as means instead of ends. But ultimately, it's the children who pay for our failed transactions.

John and Shane discuss structural racism, how should Christians respond. They also explore the wide landscape of Disney movies, especially noting recent films that are problematic for a Christian worldview. To close, they field a challenging dilemma from a listener who is weighed down by an in vitro fertilization situation.

In his 1979 book The Culture of Narcissism, sociologist Christopher Lasch argued that as the bonds of religious identity and family erode, Americans were increasingly looking inward for security and meaning. In such a culture, feelings and subjective experiences aren't just considered the most important thing in the world: They're considered the most accurate view of the world. We see that played out today, where special social status is awarded to people perceived as victims. In a secular culture increasingly hostile to Christianity, one a person's negative experience at Church or disdain for Christianity is elevated, and quickly believed,, even if that perception is false, or at least uncommon. As Lasch described, "the contemporary climate is therapeutic, not religious. People today hunger not for personal salvation, but for the feeling, the momentary illusion, of personal well-being, health, and psychic security." In such a climate, Christians must be quick to repent and quick to invite others into the abundant life Christ offers. If Christians have found peace, it's by God's grace, and our task is to invite the lost to come and find it, too.

Sir Isaac Newton, in a letter written in 1675 to fellow scientist Robert Hooke, wrote, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Chuck Colson was one of those giants for many of us, and it is our privilege to steward his legacy at the Colson Center. In fact, Chuck believed that his most important legacy, more than any organization or his many books, would be people. That's why he started what he called the Centurions Program, something that continues today under a different name, the Colson Fellows program. Here's Chuck Colson, in his own words, on the important vision he had for this program, which continues today: I have a burning passion—it's the first item on my prayer list every day— and that's to see a movement of Christians raised up from the churches to defend truth in the marketplace of ideas and to live out the Gospel. Nothing less than this kind of an awakening can possibly save our quickly deteriorating culture. That's why I'm now spending all of my time working at BreakPoint and the Colson Center. One of my major projects is developing Christian leaders who can understand and defend a biblical view of all of life. We call this the Centurions Program. For the past six years we have brought 100 of the best and brightest into this year-long teaching effort, to study under some of the best minds in the Christian world. It's demanding: We read books together, view movies, and critique them; do a lot of teaching online; and have three residencies during the year in Lansdowne, Virginia, near our offices. Our Centurion graduates are like the Marines or the Navy Seals who are on the front lines of the next wave of leaders. Can this work? Just two weeks ago I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a rally on behalf of the Manhattan Declaration. It was organized by the Catholic Archbishop of New Mexico, Michael Sheehan, and a former congressman named Bill Redmond, who is a Centurion graduate. You can imagine my thrill when I walked into the convention center to see 1,600 participants. And they were on fire! They were there to learn biblical worldview, to learn how to defend the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty, to learn how to become activists! There were representatives from across the denominational spectrum: Southern Baptists, Nazarenes, Assemblies of God, Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics. The Church had come together. And all of this was organized by one gutsy archbishop and one Centurion graduate. They in fact have built a powerful network across the state of New Mexico. So yes, it can be done. And our Centurions are doing a whole variety of important tasks across the spectrum. Like Jon Blankmeyer, who founded a safe home for girls rescued from forced prostitution. Josue Delgado, a hospital chaplain who teaches Emergency Medical Technicians on how to build stronger marriages. Kathy Peele, who founded a group to help mothers under distress, and so many more. By the time they are certified, Centurions know how to write, discuss, and teach Christian worldview in all sorts of settings. They know how to create God-honoring culture through the arts, media, literature, and business. They're able to debate ethical challenges with medical professionals, advocate human rights, and develop tomorrow's leaders by raising children grounded in biblical values. In short, they learn to defend Truth in an age in which many believe such a thing does not exist. Look, folks, the reason the Church today is having so little impact is too many Christians view their faith only in terms of a personal relationship with Jesus. But Christianity does not stop with salvation; that's only the beginning. We've got to learn how to present our worldview in a winsome way. And if we don't do this, it simply dooms our churches to isolation and irrelevance—just when our culture desperately needs the hope of the Gospel more than ever. After Chuck's death in 2012, the program he started as the Centurions Program was renamed as the Colson Fellows Program. I think Chuck would be ecstatic that, this year, over 750 Christians from across the country, and even around the world, have been studying worldview, theology, and culture in the Colson Fellows Program, and are currently planning to apply what they've learned in the time and place God has called them. If you desire to make a similar impact in your community for Christ, consider studying with the Colson Fellows program next year. With over 60 regional cohorts around the country, there is likely a cohort in your region. If not, there are online cohorts offered as well. Either way, you'll find a deeper understanding of truth and be better equipped to live out your faith in this cultural moment in whatever calling and vocation God has put before you. For more information, visit www.colsonfellows.org.

According to Pew Research, roughly 79% of Americans agree that there are major differences in the viewpoints held by different generations. The gaps are significant, but there's reason for hope. According to a report outlined in Christianity Today, younger generations are eager for more from church. Evangelicals under 40 are twice as likely as others to say they want more substance from the pulpit. That's one reason why the Colson Center is offering a special tool to help you connect with the generations in your church. The Pray for Me Campaign, headed by my friend Tony Souder, is a simple idea: Connect every student with three or more "prayer champions" across multiple generations. These mentors regularly pray for students, encouraging them in their spiritual walk. Already active in over 700 churches, 42 states, and more than 17 denominations, the Pray for Me Campaign is a practical tool for bridging a generational divide. We want to give you this resource in exchange for a gift of any amount to the Colson Center. To receive this resource simply visit colsoncenter.org/february.

It's not easy or comfortable to talk about the ethics of assisted reproduction. But too much is at stake not to. Artificial reproductive technologies are fraught with moral, ethical, and practical dilemmas. This includes technologies already widely accepted and practiced in our culture (and even our churches), technologies such as surrogacy, in vitro fertilization, and sperm donation. How these technologies are increasingly employed also goes largely unquestioned. For example, much of the demand for both international commercial surrogacy and for legalizing commercial surrogacy in the United States is now coming from same-sex couples who, having chosen a sterile relationship, demand the right to have children. There's also been a number of social adjustments made in order to reimagine reproduction and family life, such as changing the legal definition of the word "parent." All of this demonstrates just how much our technological abilities have outpaced our ethics. For the most part, the extent of our ethical deliberation has been reduced to two questions: Can we do this? And, do we want to do this? If the answers to these questions are "yes," the ethical case is closed, and the conclusion is that we should do this. In fact, the editorial team of the Colson Center recently recognized a trend in the significant amount of feedback we receive anytime we broach these difficult topics in a commentary, podcast, or short course. With rare exception, nearly every comment or question (especially the critical ones) has to do with the will and desires of the adults involved, not the rights and well-being of the children involved. For example, we are assured that couples who pursue assisted reproduction have good intentions, and anyone who suffers with infertility should be able to consider any and all available options, without judgment. Others wonder why, since we claim to be pro-life, we are critical of certain technologies that make it possible for couples to have children. Most ask if we have considered how painful it is to desire children but struggle to conceive. We have. The pain of infertility is real and deep, and the desire for children is natural, inherent, and good. It's a tragedy whenever someone who embraces this desire is unable to experience it. At the same time, we question the use of certain artificial reproductive technologies. Ours is a culture in which adult happiness is prioritized over the rights of children, both in the taking and the making of preborn life. It's as if the well-being of the children who may result from such technologies aren't even a consideration. It's as if they are the desired ends that justify any means. It's as if any innovations or experiments having to do with family structure, or the procreative process, are justified as long as the adults involved get what they want. To be clear, infertility is so personal and painful that the only reason to address the ethical and theological problems inherent to some forms of assisted reproduction is if much is at stake. After all, it is more than a little uncomfortable to discuss the ethics of a technology with someone, especially a friend or family member, who believes it could deliver what they want most in the world. Though some people do employ assisted reproduction after parsing out what is ethically acceptable from what is ethically problematic, too many operate from only good intentions and broken hearts. Good intentions, however, are not enough. Refusing to talk about these technologies to protect the feelings of adults won't end what is a growing human rights crisis, especially when so many people—Christians included—are unaware there's a crisis at all. Many people don't realize, for example, that the sperm donation industry is outrageously unregulated. In some areas, it's not only legal but common for donors to father dozens and dozens of children who, in the end, may be legally prevented from learning about their father or their half-siblings. Many don't realize the trauma inflicted on surrogate mothers and babies who have bonded physically and emotionally for nine months before being separated shortly after birth, robbing that child of the right to his or her birth mother. Many don't know that surrogate moms lose custodial rights to their babies or that their names aren't listed on their babies' birth certificates. Many don't realize that commercial surrogacy is banned in much of the Western world and many developing nations because of how it enables the exploitation of women. Many don't know that where commercial surrogacy is legal, it is a booming industry, primarily because wealthy Western couples keep impoverished women pregnant, underpaid, and away from their own families. Many also don't know how common it is for companies in the U.S. to lure college women into the incredibly dangerous process of freezing their eggs by promising an enormous fee. Many don't realize that an estimated one million embryos —tiny human beings that are referred to as "excess" embryos—are currently kept in freezers across the United States, or that only 7% of all embryos created by IVF will be born alive. Many pastors avoid addressing these issues with their congregations, either because they think them too irrelevant or too risky to address publicly. But the moral stakes are too high to remain silent: Embryos are abandoned in freezers right now with more added every day. Couples are hiring surrogates to carry their babies today. Some Christian women even think of it as their mission field. States are passing legislation to turn the practice into a full-blown industry. Christians are in church pews today, tempted, and even pursued by segments of assisted reproduction industries at risk of making uninformed but serious moral mistakes. It must be said that any and every child God brings into the world is made in His image and shares in the dignity inherent to any human being. After all, no child is born whom God did not intend. No moral concern with assisted reproduction, nor any corruption or spin employed by the assisted reproductive industries, should ever reduce our enthusiastic love, respect, and care for children conceived by its technology. In fact, it is the inherent rights and dignity of these children that demand we speak out on their behalf. My friend Katy Faust has been doing that for years through her nonprofit Them Before Us. I'll be joining her in person tonight for another live event in the Lighthouse Voices Speakers Series, at the new Focus on the Family bookstore in Holland, Michigan. The event starts at 7 p.m., Eastern Time, and if you can't make it in person, it will be live streamed for free. For more information, please visit colsoncenter.org/events.

Covenant College Professor of Theology Kelly Kapic has written a new book called You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News. Nobody likes the idea of "limitations." And that's for obvious reasons. A core piece of the American dream is to always fly higher, do more, and never let up off the gas pedal. As Kelly argues though, we sometimes internalize that idea even as Christians. As a result, too many of us go to bed exhausted and distracted. It's easy to have this underlying feeling that, at the end of the day we just didn't do enough for God. The good news is that there's a solution: we need to recover the God-given idea of human limitations.

According to the Pew Research Center, the U.S. has the world's highest rate of children living in single-parent households. Almost a quarter of U.S. children under 18 live with one parent. Of course, there are many heroic single parents courageously committed to raising their children. Still, decades of research show how costly it is for so many. Children of unmarried parents, on average, do worse in school, have poorer emotional and physical health, are more likely to commit crimes, and are more likely to have children out of wedlock themselves. The sexual revolution decoupled sex from marriage while insisting "the kids will be fine." Well, they're not. Christians must speak into this issue with truth and love, especially in a society that fosters adults to seek happiness at the expense of kids. Redefining and reinventing family structures, parenting, and marriage are having horrible consequences. On Tuesday, March 15, we are partnering with Focus on the Family to address this topic. Katy Faust of Them Before Us will teach how Christians can stand for the rights of children. Register for the live stream at Colsoncenter.org/events.