Friday Church News Notes
December 19, 2025 - Volume 26, Issue 51
The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, though this does not imply an endorsement.
KIRK CAMERON DENIES THE “ETERNAL CONSCIOUS TORMENT” OF HELL (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Kirk Cameron changes stance,” Christian Post, Dec. 10, 2025: “Actor and podcaster Kirk Cameron stirred up a theological hornet’s nest after he revealed he no longer believes in a Hell that includes ‘eternal conscious torment.’ Cameron, 55, shared his changing views during a Dec. 3 episode of the Kirk Cameron Show in which he and his son, James, explored biblical references to Sheol, Hades and Gehenna to ‘examine whether God’s justice is compatible with endless suffering.’ Acknowledging the doctrine of Hell is an ‘uncomfortable subject,’ Kirk said the topic is a popular point of contention for atheists who characterize it as the ‘eternal barbecue for sinners.’ ‘Jesus died so that we could have eternal life. But do the wicked have eternal life in Hell? And if they do, why does the Old Testament describe the fate of the wicked in the opposite terms?’ he asked, pointing to references using words like ‘destroy,’ ‘perish’ and ‘death’ when describing the fate of the wicked.” CONCLUDING COMMENT: The eternal suffering of the unsaved is the clear teaching of the Bible rightly divided and has been stated in a great many Protestant and Baptist confessions. On the other hand, cults such as Seventh-day Adventist and Jehovah’s Witness have denied it, using the same arguments that Kirk is using. Eternal hell fire is a most frightful thing. In eternal hell we see holiness beyond human comprehension and justice beyond comprehension, just as we see in the cross of Jesus Christ. But the Bible teaches eternal suffering and it must be believed and preached and defended as part of the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). Eternal judgment is what we are saved from when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! It is a massive incentive to be saved and to be zealous in proclaiming the gospel! Imagine the first day in hell.
THE BIBLE’S TEACHING ON HELL (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire” (Matthew 18:8). “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:42-48). “the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments” (Luke 16:22-23). “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:10-11). “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). For a full study on the Bible’s doctrine of hell we recommend the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, www.wayoflife.org.
EVANGELICALS AND THE DOWNGRADE OF HELL (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Compromised, ecumenical, worldly evangelicalism has been moving in the direction of downgrading the doctrine of hell for a long time. In fact, as early as 1865, Charles Spurgeon warned, “There is a deep seated unbelief among Christians just now, about the eternity of future punishment. It is not outspoken in many cases, but it is whispered; and it frequently assumes the shape of a spirit of benevolent desire that the doctrine may be disproved. ... I am afraid it is the old nature in us putting on the specious garb of charity, which thus leads us to discredit a fact which is as certain as the happiness of believers” (cited by Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon, 1978 edition, p. 13). In 1996, Frontline magazine published Robert Vincent’s “Hell under Fire,” which begins with the author’s statement that he had not heard a whole sermon on hell since he was a child. He said further, “Over the last century and a half, the teaching of endless punishment has evolved into a doctrinal albatross for many evangelicals.” C.S. Lewis, the godfather of evangelicalism, said hell is not a place God sends people who do not believe the gospel, but a state of mind one chooses to possess and become. “And every state of mind, left to itself, every shutting up of the creature within the dungeon of its own mind--is, in the end, Hell” (Lewis, The Great Divorce). In 1966, George Ladd, professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, told the Los Angeles Times that hell will simply “be an eternity outside of fellowship with God.” In 1983, Billy Graham said, “I think people have a hard time believing God is going to allow people to burn in literal fire forever. I think the fire that is mentioned in the Bible is a burning thirst for God that can never be quenched” (Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Florida, April 10, 1983). In 1985, the Harvard Theological Review published “Hell Disappeared and No One Noticed” by Martin E. Marty. In 1987, Verdict Books published Edward Fudge’s The Fire That Consumes, which denies everlasting torment and yet was praised by prominent evangelicals Clark Pinnock and F.F. Bruce. In 1988, John R.W. Stott stated in A Liberal-Evangelical Dialogue (InterVarsity Press) that the torment of hell is not eternal in duration. In 1990, the Radio Bible Class published Herbert Vander Lugt’s What Does the Bible Say about Hell?, which postulates that the fire of hell might be symbolic. In 1991, Kenneth Kantzer, former editor of Christianity Today and head of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, said that “when Jesus spoke of flames ... these are most likely figurative warnings” (U.S. News & World Report, March 25, 1991). That same year, J.I. Packer, prominent Anglican evangelical and former senior editor of Christianity Today, said that he does not believe that the essence of hell is “grotesque bodily discomfort.” When drawing up a resolution on hell, the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) refused to state that there is “literal fire” (D.A. Waite, Four Reasons for Defending the King James Bible, 1993, pp. 20, 21). In April 2000, a commission of the Evangelical Alliance of Britain published a report entitled The Nature of Hell, which states that evangelicals have agreed to disagree about the doctrine of hell. In his 2011 book Love Wins, Rob Bell said the statements in the Bible about hell being a place of fire and torment are mere poetry.
AUSTRALIA BANS CHILDREN UNDER 16 FROM SOCIAL MEDIA (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Australia has become the first country to ban children under 16 from social media. The platforms--Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Threads, Kick, Twitch, Reddit--are required to determine the age of its users. Other services can be added if they are deemed a significant risk. A high court challenge has been launched on the grounds of freedom of political communication, but other nations are considering such a ban. “Australia’s clampdown began when the wife of Peter Malinauskas, the leader of South Australia state, read The Anxious Generation, a bestseller published last year by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The book, in which Haidt argues that children’s excessive social media and smartphone use has caused an unprecedented mental health crisis” (“TikTok, Instagram Ban,” Bloomberg, Dec. 1, 2025). No doubt, a large number of children will find ways around the ban. The fundamental problem is the parents who are not supervising their children and the churches that are not effectively dealing with this issue. We recommend The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ, available from the Course section of www.wayoflife.org and Journey to Victory by David Brady, purityplan.org.
ORCHID BEHAVIOR (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, November 21, 2025: “There are between 10,000 and 15,000 species of orchids. While you surely are not familiar with all of them, it sounds strange to talk about orchid behavior. This huge variety of orchids offers a multitude of different flower shapes, colors and sizes. Each unique shape, color and size is perfectly suited to the bees, butterflies, bats, moths, flies and birds that are involved in that orchid's pollination. Those orchids that use birds as pollinators have no scent. Instead, they offer the brightest of colors, appealing to the birds' strongest sense. Evolutionists call this ‘co-evolution.’ However, giving it a name doesn't explain it. How did these orchids know that the bird's strongest sense is sight? And how were these orchids able to perform genetic recombination on themselves so that they could develop their bright colors? No, giving something a scientific-sounding name doesn't make naturalistic claims any more scientific. Or consider the bee orchid. It offers a flower that looks like a female bee. The purpose here is to attract male bees to a position that will load them with pollen. How can it be scientific to suggest that a plant purposely restructured itself to fool bees into pollinating it? God has purposely made it impossible to explain the creation without Him. He did this not simply so that we would see that He is real. His purpose is much greater. God seeks a personal relationship with you and has made that possible through the saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ, for us. It is to Christ that He would ultimately draw our attention. Ref: Batten, Mary, ‘Sex & plants,’ Science Digest.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mt. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Ro. 13:11-14).
THE BIBLE’S TEACHING ON HELL (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire” (Matthew 18:8). “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:42-48). “the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments” (Luke 16:22-23). “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:10-11). “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). For a full study on the Bible’s doctrine of hell we recommend the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, www.wayoflife.org.
EVANGELICALS AND THE DOWNGRADE OF HELL (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Compromised, ecumenical, worldly evangelicalism has been moving in the direction of downgrading the doctrine of hell for a long time. In fact, as early as 1865, Charles Spurgeon warned, “There is a deep seated unbelief among Christians just now, about the eternity of future punishment. It is not outspoken in many cases, but it is whispered; and it frequently assumes the shape of a spirit of benevolent desire that the doctrine may be disproved. ... I am afraid it is the old nature in us putting on the specious garb of charity, which thus leads us to discredit a fact which is as certain as the happiness of believers” (cited by Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon, 1978 edition, p. 13). In 1996, Frontline magazine published Robert Vincent’s “Hell under Fire,” which begins with the author’s statement that he had not heard a whole sermon on hell since he was a child. He said further, “Over the last century and a half, the teaching of endless punishment has evolved into a doctrinal albatross for many evangelicals.” C.S. Lewis, the godfather of evangelicalism, said hell is not a place God sends people who do not believe the gospel, but a state of mind one chooses to possess and become. “And every state of mind, left to itself, every shutting up of the creature within the dungeon of its own mind--is, in the end, Hell” (Lewis, The Great Divorce). In 1966, George Ladd, professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, told the Los Angeles Times that hell will simply “be an eternity outside of fellowship with God.” In 1983, Billy Graham said, “I think people have a hard time believing God is going to allow people to burn in literal fire forever. I think the fire that is mentioned in the Bible is a burning thirst for God that can never be quenched” (Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Florida, April 10, 1983). In 1985, the Harvard Theological Review published “Hell Disappeared and No One Noticed” by Martin E. Marty. In 1987, Verdict Books published Edward Fudge’s The Fire That Consumes, which denies everlasting torment and yet was praised by prominent evangelicals Clark Pinnock and F.F. Bruce. In 1988, John R.W. Stott stated in A Liberal-Evangelical Dialogue (InterVarsity Press) that the torment of hell is not eternal in duration. In 1990, the Radio Bible Class published Herbert Vander Lugt’s What Does the Bible Say about Hell?, which postulates that the fire of hell might be symbolic. In 1991, Kenneth Kantzer, former editor of Christianity Today and head of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, said that “when Jesus spoke of flames ... these are most likely figurative warnings” (U.S. News & World Report, March 25, 1991). That same year, J.I. Packer, prominent Anglican evangelical and former senior editor of Christianity Today, said that he does not believe that the essence of hell is “grotesque bodily discomfort.” When drawing up a resolution on hell, the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) refused to state that there is “literal fire” (D.A. Waite, Four Reasons for Defending the King James Bible, 1993, pp. 20, 21). In April 2000, a commission of the Evangelical Alliance of Britain published a report entitled The Nature of Hell, which states that evangelicals have agreed to disagree about the doctrine of hell. In his 2011 book Love Wins, Rob Bell said the statements in the Bible about hell being a place of fire and torment are mere poetry.
AUSTRALIA BANS CHILDREN UNDER 16 FROM SOCIAL MEDIA (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Australia has become the first country to ban children under 16 from social media. The platforms--Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Threads, Kick, Twitch, Reddit--are required to determine the age of its users. Other services can be added if they are deemed a significant risk. A high court challenge has been launched on the grounds of freedom of political communication, but other nations are considering such a ban. “Australia’s clampdown began when the wife of Peter Malinauskas, the leader of South Australia state, read The Anxious Generation, a bestseller published last year by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. The book, in which Haidt argues that children’s excessive social media and smartphone use has caused an unprecedented mental health crisis” (“TikTok, Instagram Ban,” Bloomberg, Dec. 1, 2025). No doubt, a large number of children will find ways around the ban. The fundamental problem is the parents who are not supervising their children and the churches that are not effectively dealing with this issue. We recommend The Pornographic Age and Victory in Christ, available from the Course section of www.wayoflife.org and Journey to Victory by David Brady, purityplan.org.
ORCHID BEHAVIOR (Friday Church News Notes, December 19, 2025, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, November 21, 2025: “There are between 10,000 and 15,000 species of orchids. While you surely are not familiar with all of them, it sounds strange to talk about orchid behavior. This huge variety of orchids offers a multitude of different flower shapes, colors and sizes. Each unique shape, color and size is perfectly suited to the bees, butterflies, bats, moths, flies and birds that are involved in that orchid's pollination. Those orchids that use birds as pollinators have no scent. Instead, they offer the brightest of colors, appealing to the birds' strongest sense. Evolutionists call this ‘co-evolution.’ However, giving it a name doesn't explain it. How did these orchids know that the bird's strongest sense is sight? And how were these orchids able to perform genetic recombination on themselves so that they could develop their bright colors? No, giving something a scientific-sounding name doesn't make naturalistic claims any more scientific. Or consider the bee orchid. It offers a flower that looks like a female bee. The purpose here is to attract male bees to a position that will load them with pollen. How can it be scientific to suggest that a plant purposely restructured itself to fool bees into pollinating it? God has purposely made it impossible to explain the creation without Him. He did this not simply so that we would see that He is real. His purpose is much greater. God seeks a personal relationship with you and has made that possible through the saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ, for us. It is to Christ that He would ultimately draw our attention. Ref: Batten, Mary, ‘Sex & plants,’ Science Digest.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mt. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Ro. 13:11-14).
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Distributed by Way of Life Literature, publisher of Bible Study Materials and reports for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY (REPORTS AND FRIDAY NEWS) IS NOT DEVOTIONAL, BUT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR.
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The Way of Life Literature preaching and publishing ministry is based at Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. A mail stop is maintained in Port Huron, Michigan.
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