VA “Right to Reproductive Freedom” Amendment
VA Constitutional Amendments and House of Delegate Elections: The Virginia Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment is a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would establish a right to “reproductive freedom,” defined as the “right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy.” By clicking on the link above, you can find the full text of the amendment, Senate Joint Resolution No. 247, House Joint Resolution 1, and the breakdown of the vote in each chamber.
The constitutional amendment process in Virginia requires four steps. Here’s the full process:
- A simple majority of both the state House and Senate approves an amendment.
- There must be an election for the state House (all 100 House seats are up for election this November.)
- A simple majority of both the state House and Senate approves an amendment for a second time. This attempt will be made in January or February of 2026.
- Voters decide on an amendment in a statewide election. It only requires a majority vote to be added to the state constitution. This would occur sometime in 2026 likely coinciding with next fall’s midterm federal elections.
The proposed amendments have all completed the first step. A governor cannot veto an amendment.
Currently, Virginia allows abortions into the third trimester, with restrictions. That will no longer be the case under this amendment. Babies who survive an abortion attempt will no longer have the legal protection of reasonable, life-saving care currently required by Virginia law. Abortionists will be legally allowed to deliver the baby and let it die on a medical table if it survives the abortion process. Further, rights of parents to know about or consent to their teenage daughters’ invasive abortion surgery will be eliminated.
“Reproductive Freedom” is an umbrella term not limited to women. Men, women, and minors would also have a right to sterilization and therefore “transgender” surgery. One of the other constitutional amendments is on codifying same-sex marriage. It is also destructive to our society, but for different reasons. Please vote for the delegate who will protect life. We will keep you posted as the process unfolds next year.
Loudoun County Special Elections
As Pastor Jim discussed during his series on “Christ in Culture,” we wanted to alert our body to an opportunity to be involved in our local elections. There are some critical moral issues to be decided by our local government authorities in a upcoming special elections that we can impact not only for our good, but for society’s well-being in general (Romans 13:1-4, 1 Peter 2:13-17.)
On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, a special election will be held in Loudoun County for Senate of Virginia, (District 32) and House of Delegates (District 26.) The stakes are exceptionally high, and will determine who holds the state senate majority until 2027 and whether the House of Delegates will require bi-partisan support to pass legislation. To further understand the implications and moral issues of those candidates running for District 32 State Senate—including the important topics of abortion/life, gender & sexuality, preventing boys from playing in girls’ sports and keeping boys out of girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms—Tumay Harding’s website is here and Kannan Srinivasan’s website is here. To understand the implications and moral issues of those candidates running for District 26 House of Delegates, Ram Venkatachalam’s website is here, and J.J. SIngh’s website is here.
Only residents of House District 26 and/or Senate District 32 are eligible to vote. To determine if you are eligible to vote visit the Loudoun Co. Government website. You can vote early through Saturday, January 4 at the Office of Elections in Leesburg or at Claude Moore and Dulles South Recreation Centers. There is no pre-application required. Otherwise, voters must vote at their assigned precinct on election day between 6:00 am – 7:00pm, January 7. The turnout will likely be very low. Your vote will matter.
Ordination of Tony Cho
We were blessed last weekend to formally ordain Tony Cho as a RBC pastor.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Mortgage Update
Watch the short video below for some amazing news of God’s provision and how it affects the mortgage on the RBC property.
Aiding Ukraine Together
A long-time RBC attender, Sandy Varney, was born in a barn while her parents fled from Ukraine during World War II. She would become a refugee in Germany then eventually immigrate to America. Eventually she would marry, practice dentistry and raise a family in Reston. In May of this year, Sandy went to Germany as a translator in a Ukrainian refugee camp. That became a springboard for a later trip into Ukraine where she met relatives, assessed urgent needs and found reliable on-the-ground organizations where the gospel of Jesus Christ would be spread in conjunction with delivering material needs.
As with all war, devastation and destruction leave people without adequate shelter and basic things for life. This is coupled with the mental and emotional trauma many experience. As a congregation, we have not forgotten about the needy and poor of Ukraine. Together, RBC recently supported a large purchase of sleeping bags that protect to -20 degrees. These bags will keep people in some targeted villages from freezing in their bombed-out homes. Generators were also purchased for churches so people can be fed and kept warm.
The generosity of the RBC congregation allows us to extend the love of Jesus to Ukrainians in need. Please continue to pray for an end to hostilities and for many to turn to Jesus Christ. Thank you for being a generous church. Below are some pictures of the villages where this aid was sent.
Check-In Survey Results (October 2020)
A couple weeks ago, the leadership of our church sent out an online survey to get feedback from our local body here at RBC. As we move into colder months, the weather impacts our ability to host outdoor ministry activities, so your feedback is very helpful as we consider how best to steward our ministries in this season. Within the next few weeks, you can expect to hear from the elders regarding any adjustments to our COVID requirements for indoor gatherings.
We do want to thank those of you who took time to fill out the survey. We estimate somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 of our congregation responded, and we are grateful for your feedback. As communicated when it was released, please note that the questions and responses in the survey are not indicative of any future leadership decisions on these matters. But because the issues at hand are complex and have implications for life and ministry in the body of RBC, it is very helpful to have heard from so many of you. Please continue to pray for our church leadership as we seek the Lord’s wisdom and discernment in faithfully caring for His bride. There are many factors, viewpoints and considerations to navigate, and we take none of it lightly. Yet, we have great hope and freedom, for the Good Shepherd whom we follow patiently reassures us His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
For those within our body who are local, consider RBC your church home, and are experiencing significant financial or spiritual hardship in this season, we want to be able to care for you and minister to you. Please reach out to us.
FINANCIAL: If your household is experiencing financial difficulty, please reach out to our Deacon Ministry here. Our deacons are specifically-appointed men and women in our church commissioned to coordinate financial resources and assistance to meet the material needs of our congregation.
SPIRITUAL: If you are experiencing significant spiritual burden or you feel your walk with the Lord is suffering and you would like to speak with someone, please let us know by emailing us or calling the church offices at 703-404-5010. We would love to connect you to a pastor, elder or counselor here at RBC.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11
VIDEO: Quick Note from Pastor Mike
Announcing Our New Elder Candidates
This past year, we’ve had three elder candidates sitting in on our elder council meetings. That year is now up, and we are pleased to present them to the RBC congregation for the next two weeks.
The candidates to join our elder council are Ed Lee, Dan Lowen, and Jason VanDorsten. If there is anything that you know about these men that we don’t know, please let the elders know at elders@restonbible.org. We would love your feedback on anything that might disqualify any of these men from being an elder, or if there are any positive things that you would love for us to hear about them.
We believe that they are very well qualified, and we are eager to introduce them to you following this period of consideration.
VIDEO: Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief – Day 2
A Tribute to Dr. R.C. Sproul
For those of you unfamiliar with the world of theology, allow me to introduce you to the greatest theological mind in the last century – Dr. R.C. Sproul. In a culture awash with theological liberalism, Dr. Sproul has been one of the greatest defenders of the faith in our lifetime.
On December 14, he went home to meet the Savior he has faithfully preached about for the last fifty years of his life. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” were no doubt the first words he heard upon entering his eternal home and walking into the presence of his Lord.
God gifted Dr. Sproul with a mind that was far beyond that of the greatest of scholars. A scholar himself in numerous fields, he was a superb philosopher, an accomplished linguist, a master logician and a theologian beyond compare. What he casually knew about various disciplines often exceeded the knowledge of scholars dedicated to those fields. To challenge R.C. to a debate was to face sure defeat even before the first words were spoken. His mind was a true gift from God and a true gift to Christianity – a gift well-stewarded in advancing the Kingdom.
When Dr. R.C. Sproul left this world, I am quite certain 90% of its intelligence left with him. But our great loss is overshadowed by his great legacy. May God bless Dr. Spoul’s legacy, and may it continue to bear gospel fruit for generations to come.