Bristow Christian Church

09/07/2026

When Crime Goes Unpunished

BY BOB RUSSELL

In January 2023, Lindsay Clancy strangled her three young children—Cora (5), Dawson (3), and Callan (8 months)—in the basement of their Duxbury, Massachusetts home. This past week her trial ended in a mistrial. Her defense attorney said eleven of the twelve jurors were prepared to declare her not guilty on the grounds of insanity; the prosecutor disputed that reading of the jury’s notes. While Lindsay Clancy admitted she murdered her children, her defenders argued that she was over-medicated and in the grip of postpartum psychosis—that perhaps the drugs she was taking, or the illness itself, caused her to lose her mind and commit such a horrific deed.

Only one member of the twelve-member jury stood firm in opposition to that argument. As a result, the weeklong deliberation ended without a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial. Lindsay Clancy could be tried again. She could also be set free.

The murder of three innocent children is sickening. Christ gave His strongest warning against those who would harm children: “…it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6b). That warning is unequivocal.

While Lindsay Clancy’s admitted killing of her three children should cause moral outrage, the support for her troubles me. Rather than cries of justice for the children, their killer has become a folk hero for women’s mental health care. There have been rallies outside the courthouse. More than $1.2 million raised on her behalf. Bizarre conspiracy theories and deranged social media posts abound.

For Christ-followers there are several things wrong with the claims that Clancy should not be held responsible for the murder of her children:

Unpunished crime violates the holiness and justice of God. Cain murdered his brother Abel during an enraged mental state. God confronted Cain: “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain answered, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord responded, “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:9-10). God pronounced a curse on Cain for his crime because God is holy and the scales of His justice must be balanced.

That’s why, beginning with God’s covenant with Noah, murder was regarded as a capital offense. Anyone who intentionally took a life had forfeited their right to live. To take three lives, the lives of innocent children, is the most despicable of crimes and violates God’s eternal scale of justice.

Those three children didn’t really belong to Lindsay Clancy. They ultimately belong to God. When she painfully strangled them to death, she caused great offense to the holiness and justice of God, their Creator. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8).

The justice of God is absolute, and there is no mitigating factor that allows anyone to escape accountability for sin. No excuse, no impaired mental state, no under-the-influence reasoning will allow us to bypass divine law. A true biblical worldview reflects God’s divine justice. “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:7-8).

If crime goes unpunished, there is no justice for the victims. The victims in this case are the three innocent Clancy children who were strangled to death. The children’s grieving father, relatives and friends who loved those children are also victims. The Biblical principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was given to enact justice—a system of fair-mindedness and propriety in society. If Lindsay Clancy is not responsible, then there is no justice for the innocent Clancy children.

Biblical justice mandates a judicial system that advocates on behalf of the innocent. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9).

When a crime goes unpunished, there is no deterrent to those who are capable of similar offenses in the future. This principle of proportional justice serves as a warning to the public and protects social order. “The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you” (Deuteronomy 19:20).

And King Solomon wisely wrote that justice should not be prolonged. “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

Unpunished crime reflects a decaying judicial system and creates a confused culture without moral principle. Judges were warned repeatedly throughout the Old Testament, “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Leviticus 19:15). Judges and courts were not to twist the truth. Mitigating factors such as the influence of drugs or impaired mental state may determine Lindsay Clancy’s sentencing, but they should not replace responsibility. Justice demands she pay for her crimes. Perhaps Lindsay Clancy should be assigned to a mental institution, but she should never be released.

Only in time will we know whether justice is served on behalf of the Clancy children. Christ’s warning to Lindsay Clancy is clear. But His offer of a pardon from the penalty of sin is just as clear. Thankfully it is the same offer He makes to every one of us who has broken God’s law. Even the most wicked among us can be forgiven—if we will simply surrender to Him.

“Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).

09/06/2026

09/01/2026

See you there!

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08/31/2026

There Be God

BY BOB RUSSELL

There is an old sermon illustration I heard again recently that explains why dragons are pictured on some ancient maps. Terrifying experiences were thought to lie in wait at the far edge of the ocean, so cartographers would sometimes paint dragons or demons on their charts to mark the regions no one had ever explored. “Here be dragons” became the shorthand for unknown territory.

But the famous explorer Sir John Franklin refused to be intimidated by the unknown. Franklin was a devoted Christian, a man of faith and prayer. His ability to suffer hardships with patience, courage and joy is well documented.

Legend has it that Franklin took a copy of one of the “Here be dragons” maps, crossed out the ominous warning, and wrote, “Here be God!” He was determined to trust the Lord and continue to explore God’s creation. He sought to embolden his fellow sailors that God had promised never to leave nor forsake them, even in unfamiliar territory.

Wouldn’t that be a reassuring slogan for us to write over our unknown future? Instead of “Here be dragons,” say with confidence, “There be God!” Rather than being terrified of what tomorrow might bring, what if we walked in assurance like the Psalmist who wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

Are you facing an operation that makes you fidgety? “There be God!”

When you calculate your future budget, do you wonder how you will make ends meet? “There be God!”

Have you sent your kids off to college and now you’re worrying how they will cope with the challenges to their faith? “There be God!”

Are you contemplating getting married and having children but you’re somewhat intimidated by stories of disaster? “There be God!”

Do you feel led to accept a new position but you’re apprehensive because it’s so risky? “There be God!”

Facing retirement and wondering if life will still have a purpose? “There be God!”

Do you fear death now that you know it is imminent because of your age or failing health? “There be God!”

Isaiah 46:10 reads, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'” God sees tomorrow and instructs us as He did Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

There is a banner in the Russell kitchen that says, “Don’t fear tomorrow — God is already there.”

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23:4)

08/24/2026

Whatever Happened to Sin?
BY BOB RUSSELL

Recently, I received an amazing photo of my newest great-grandchild, John Luke Russell. Our family gushed over it. We studied his facial features—his little nose and Cupid’s-bow mouth. What makes the photo all the more extraordinary is that John Luke has not yet been born. It was taken during our granddaughter-in-law’s ultrasound. The image is so spectacular you can’t help but marvel at the miracle of life.

Just a few weeks later, the governor of Massachusetts signed a bill into law that makes it legal for a mother to abort a baby just like John Luke, right up to the day of delivery. A number of legislators who sponsored the bill stood behind her, smiling, clapping, and celebrating the right to kill a fully developed, totally innocent little child. How decadent can our society become before the wrath of God falls on us?

We develop euphemisms to minimize the wretchedness of sin. It is not murdering a baby; it is “health care” or “reproductive rights.” It is not adultery; it is an “inappropriate relationship” or “an alternative lifestyle.” It is not drunkenness; we are just a “little buzzed” or a “little high.” It is not lying; “we misspoke.” It is not gluttony; our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. It is not profanity; it is colorful street language, and we tease, “Forgive my French.”

We see so much evil that we become numb to it. Sin no longer shocks us. We say, “Abortion has always been around.” “Everyone uses the ‘F’ word.” “Everyone cheats on taxes. It is no big deal.” Even preachers avoid the word sin and substitute more palatable words like “addiction” or “mistakes” so as not to offend anyone.

We may laugh at sin, thinking humor somehow reduces its horror. “He was so stoned he walked off the deck and fell into the pool. We almost died laughing.” The late J. Wallace Hamilton once asked, “Is a drunk boy staggering down the street comedy or tragedy?” Then he added, “If it is my son, it is not funny.” Love makes a difference in how we view sin. The Bible makes it clear that our loving God does not giggle at sin that destroys His children.

When wrongdoing is recast as illness, a mistake, or somebody else’s fault, accountability fades. We excuse what God calls sin and then wonder why the conscience grows dull.

In 1973, the renowned psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger wrote a book titled Whatever Became of Sin? He warned that the word sin was disappearing from common speech and that wrongdoing was increasingly explained as illness, disorder, environment, or trauma. Explanations can help us understand behavior, but they must not erase moral responsibility. Menninger’s warning feels prophetic today.

Occasionally, evil is put on full display, and we are temporarily shocked and appalled. Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a university event. Records from the Epstein cases remind us of the sexual exploitation of young girls. For a moment, we are repulsed by evil and demand accountability. But it is soon forgotten, and we return to normal. Familiarity does not breed contempt; it breeds indifference.

Genesis says that when the Lord saw how great human wickedness had become, He regretted that He had made mankind and judged the world with a flood (Genesis 6:5–7). Second Peter warns that the present heavens and earth are “reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly” (2 Peter 3:7).

Many who have a heart for God are praying for spiritual revival. That is certainly what is needed most. But spiritual revival begins with repentance. Repentance involves conviction of sin, genuine contrition, and a determination to change.

Bill Weedman recently began a talk to more than one hundred men at a breakfast by stating, “I am not going to give a pep talk this morning. My speech is more like a kick in the butt!” We soon realized that his honest assessment of men’s immaturity and immorality was exactly what we needed to hear.

I am convinced that if we are to avoid God’s judgment as a nation, we do not need many more inspirational sermons. We need a renewed emphasis on the doctrine of sin. Before we emphasize God’s love and grace, we first need to underscore God’s holiness and wrath. Before we preach forgiveness through the cross of Christ, we need to return to the Ten Commandments so we are once again convicted of our sin. Before we highlight the hope of heaven, we need to warn of the horrors of hell because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

Maybe that is why Jesus began preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17).

08/17/2026

Jesus Only
BY BOB RUSSELL

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Recently I’ve heard three YouTube preachers say that Jesus didn’t really mean it when He said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” These “progressive” ministers reasoned that such exclusivity was contrary to the Jesus they knew and inconsistent with the “tone of Jesus’ ministry.”

One United Methodist preacher, wearing a rainbow-colored robe, insisted that conservative evangelicals use John 14:6 as “a clobber verse” to exclude others from the hope of heaven. She insisted we must find another interpretation because it is exclusive, arrogant, and unloving to claim that Jesus is the only way.

However, readers should consider what Christ said during the Last Supper before declaring that no one comes to the Father except through Him. He first declared that He was the truth. In the final hours before His arrest, Jesus would not have made such an unmistakable statement unless it were absolutely true.

People ask, “Are you saying people can only be saved if they call on Jesus for salvation?”

Yes, I’m saying that. And you know why? Because Jesus said that!

If it were possible for someone to be saved by living a good life or practicing Islam or Hinduism, it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die an atoning death. When He was arrested, He could have simply said, “Misunderstanding! Feel free to take any of the other roads to heaven,” and walked away free.

Simon Peter understood exactly what Jesus meant in the upper room that night. A few weeks later Peter stated emphatically, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Christianity is simultaneously the most inclusive and the most exclusive of religions. It is the most inclusive in that whoever wants to may come to Christ. No one is barred. But it is the most exclusive in that it insists there is only one way to salvation, and that is through Christ. Anyone who alters that truth is a false teacher. Scripture repeatedly warns us about them.

In this age of precise technology, we are well aware that truth is often very narrow. If you mistype one letter in an email address, the server may respond, “Undeliverable.” Being close doesn’t count. How many wrong numbers could you dial while trying to reach my cell phone? Millions! How many right ones? Only one.

Jesus Christ is unique. There is no other.

Only Jesus was born of a virgin through the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit.
Only Jesus lived a sinless life and qualified as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Only Jesus, when baptized by John in the Jordan River, saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and heard the Father say, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
Only Jesus performed miracles by His own divine authority and uniquely claimed the power to forgive sins.
Only Jesus died an atoning death. His death was not a martyr’s death. He gave His life in place of ours: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
Only Jesus conquered death. He alone arose bodily from the grave to live forever.
Only Jesus could say triumphantly, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25).
Only Jesus claimed all authority in heaven and on earth, commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations, and promised, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).
Only Jesus ascended into heaven in the presence of witnesses and today sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us.
Only Jesus will return one day, and at His name every knee will bow and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Only Jesus will reign forever as King of kings and Lord of lords and put all enemies under His feet.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).