The Scattered Abroad Network Update for June 2023
Welcome to Summer!
A Word from the Directors
Another season at SAN has come and gone. Can you believe it? We are starting our 6th season for our Main Shows this August. I know what you must be thinking. “What do I do in the meantime?” Well, there are a few options you can enjoy!
Take Time to Catch Up on Older Seasons
With so many shows on SAN, you may have not listened to all of the shows that we offer. The summer is a great time to go back and catch up on the episodes you have missed. I promise you won’t regret taking some time each day and “bingeing” on SAN. What better way to study the Bible than to sit down with a “guide” for your daily Bible time?
Catch Our Summer Shows
Yes. That is right. We have multiple shows that we offer during the Summer as well! While these shows are not as frequent as our regular lineup, these shows will still uplight and encourage you. They are:
Centered On Christ.
Jameson Steward formally hosted the “Asking God Why” podcast on SAN. He approached us sometime during the winter and expressed a desire to step away from a weekly show and move more toward writing and to host our show, “Days Gone By.” Jameson is also an avid blogger on Substack, writing for his publication “Centered on Christ.” Jameson was wise to look at his short articles and begin to film them. We have acquired his audio and plan to have a short episode nearly every weekday this summer. You don’t want to miss it!
Through Their Eyes.
Season 3 of this show will kick off uniquely. Caleb and I sat down for the first two episodes to introduce our theme and then, in the second episode, talk about our view of what our summer theme is. This year’s theme is: “Advice to My Younger Self,” and I know we all have things we wish we could take back. We have a spectacular lineup that we will discuss in our first episode this Tuesday.
Did That Really Happen?
One of our favorite summer blessings is sitting down and recording this podcast. We sit down with people who have had the most unique circumstances befall them. We also get to add to some of their stories with our own stories. We know you will be taking road trips and traveling throughout the summer. So what better way to pass the time when you need some laughs than to listen to this program?
We appreciate you taking the time to support SAN. We are willing to see about scheduling a time to come out and discuss the work with your congregation if you are interested in supporting this work. Please pray for our efforts; we will return in the middle of this month with another entry. God bless!
In Him,
Michael Clarke & Caleb Rutherford
Co-Directors of SAN
Blog Article: Does The Bible Really Say That We Should Not Eat Pork And Shellfish?
When having a discussion with someone, especially one who denies that the Bible should be our Guide in life, you may have heard the following: “Oh yeah? Well, the Bible also says you’re not supposed to eat pork or shellfish! How about that?” Those who make this argument think that they have found some contradiction in the life of the Christian, thus freeing them from having to follow God’s Word. While we know that this isn’t quite how it works, what about the argument that we shouldn’t eat pork or shellfish, and other dietary requirements for Christians?
The argument about those dietary restrictions comes from the book of Leviticus, specifically chapter 11 (but they probably don’t know that). In the first section of Leviticus 11, God’s message to the Jewish people was that they were to abstain from any animal that does not 1. Have divided hooves and 2. Chew the cud (Lev. 11:3-4). Some examples that are given are camels, rabbits, and yes, pigs. Further in the chapter, God tells them that of all things that live in the water, they can only eat the things that have fins and scales (Lev. 11:9-12). This would include shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and even catfish, among others. Through the rest of the chapter, God tells them about other birds, bugs, mammals, and reptiles that they were not to eat.
What does this mean for Christians? Ultimately, nothing. Sure, we can look at this passage and others like it and see that God cares about details and our obedience to those details, but we are not bound to this Old Testament law just like we are not bound to any other Old Testament law (Heb. 9:15-17). Some people say, “Well, that’s a convenient excuse!” when in reality, it is not an excuse at all. When we rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15), we can see that these dietary restrictions were only valid under the Mosaic law.
What are the dietary restrictions for Christians? 1st Timothy 4:3-5 and Acts 10:13-15 tell us that everything that God has created can be enjoyed. That’s right, the only dietary restrictions that you have as a Christian are the ones that your doctor has told you to follow (kind of joking). 1st Timothy 4:4-5 tells us that all food is acceptable when it is received with thankfulness and prayer. While we should be mindful of what we eat and be good stewards of the bodies and health with which God has blessed us, there are no restrictions to what we can eat as Christians.
Written by Bradley Smith.