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They Were About to Pull the Plug on Pastor, But Then Wife Sees Him Wigging His Toes Ryan Marlow, a pastor in North Carolina, is alive and back home with his wife and three children after doctors initially and wrongly declared that he had experienced "neurological death." The Bible is full of miracles and other wondrous signs from the hand of the good Lord above. God's Words tell of instances of divine interventions, situations in which the Lord acted, showing off his immense power and love. However, many would argue that miracles and similar events no longer happen today. But one family in North Carolina would wholeheartedly disagree with that conclusion. Doctors declared Ryan Marlow, a pastor in the Tar Heel State, brain dead after suffering a "bout of rapid-onset listeria and subsequent hemorrhagic stroke," according to Insider. The outlet reports that Ryan...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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 Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 04, 2023 7:03pm |
6 Good Questions to Use When Engaging on Hot Topics It can be intimidating to engage our neighbors on cultural issues these days. It seems that every conversation is a potential minefield where the slightest wrong word can get you banished from polite society as a bigot or “hater.” This is where we can take a lesson from two of the greatest teachers of all time, Jesus and Socrates. Both were masters of their craft, and both used questions to lead their listeners to the answers they sought. Here are six questions I’ve found extremely helpful to create the sort of dialogue we should desire about issues of faith and culture. First: What do you mean by that? The battle of ideas is always tied up in the battle over the definition of words. Thus, it’s vital in any conversation to clarify the terms being used. For example, the most important...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 05, 2023 4:39pm |
A Call to Christian Leaders: "We Are Not Celebrities" Without question, one of the hardest jobs is being a Christian leader, especially a pastor. Close friends leave you, others betray you, social media slams you, the world hates you, and demonic forces rally against you and your marriage. This is why thousands exit the ministry each year. We are also often stretched financially, relationally, emotionally, and physically all while living in a fishbowl for the world to see. Pastors’ wives feel it as well and they are often the unsung heroes in this battle. POPULARITY WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM To deal with the stress of ministry, we sometimes believe that popularity (celebrityism) will fix our problems: Life would be so much easier if I could just be a mega-ministry pastor and have 100,000 followers and a popular...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 05, 2023 5:45pm |
Nigerian Woman Is Allegedly Set on Fire as a Pastor Attempts to Perform a Deliverance A woman in Nigeria was set on fire by a pastor while he allegedly tried to perform a deliverance on the woman to “rid her of demonic evil.” Sakura Owodunni, 21, has severe burns following the Aug. 17 incident in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria, Faithwire reports. According to PUNCH Metro, a pastor invited Owudunni to the Cherubim and Seraphim Maberu Parish for a “special prayer” and instructed her to bring perfume, eggs and a candle with her. When she arrived, he poured the perfume on her and then lit the candle, starting a fire that burned her chest, shoulder and legs. SP Omolola Odutola, a public relations officer for authorities, told PUNCH Metro an investigation is ongoing. The pastor has also been...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 1:44am |
Pastor Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minor He Met on a Mission Trip A pastor from Green Bay, Wisconsin, has pleaded guilty to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor he met on a mission trip in South America. According to a press release by the Department of Justice, Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Cory J. Herthel (40) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, will be sentenced to at least 15 years in federal prison on December 4, 2023. Herthel will also be required to register as a sex offender under both state and federal law. According to a plea agreement filed in the case, in May of 2023, Herthel’s church, Green Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church, reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) asserting that Hertel “possibly had been involved...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 1:49am |
Church Giving Is Up, But Clergy Dissatisfaction Continues to Grow: Report A new report found that giving is up at churches, but clergy dissatisfaction is still rising. The report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research came from a five-year study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. churches. The pandemic led to a marked change in worship services and a slow return for people to in-person worship services. Still, the report found that more people are giving, and there is less conflict in churches overall. The report, titled “Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations,” looked at responses from more than 4,800 congregations from 58 different denominational groups. “It is apparent that congregational dynamics are still in a state of flux,” said Scott Thumma, director of the study, Religion News Service reports. “Churches,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 1:52am |
Church Ordered to Pay Nearly $800,000 in Fraudulent Donations A church in Joliet, Illinois, was ordered to return nearly $800,000 of donations following an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into a donor for fraudulent practices. According to ChurchLeaders.com, Messiah Lutheran Church had received donations from a local company that had been involved in dishonest financial dealings. Most of the donations were made back in 2010. Despite the church having no part in the fraudulent financial practices, it was ordered to return the money to the federal government. The congregation now fears they will have to sell their building. "The church accepted those donations in good faith and is not accused of wrongdoing," the church leaders say on the Messiah's fundraising page. "However, the donations are no longer...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 1:55am |
Alaska Expected to Ban Trans Athletes from Participating in Girls' Sports Alaska is expected to become the 24th state in the U.S. to ban transgender girls from competing in girls' sports. According to The Christian Post, the Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development passed an amendment to state law on Thursday, asserting that "if a separate high school athletics team is established for female students, participation shall be limited to females who were assigned female at birth." A memo published ahead of Thursday's meeting notes that the amendment urges school districts wanting to join the Alaska School Activities Association to offer "interscholastic activities in a manner that [ensures] fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for female students in high school athletics by limiting participation in separate high school athletics teams for...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 1:58am |
Pool of Siloam Steps, where Jesus Walked and Healed the Blind Man, Are Unearthed In recent weeks, archaeologists and workers in Israel have unearthed eight steps at the Pool of Siloam as part of a major project that will reveal – for the first time in centuries – the very stones that Jesus and the men and women of Scripture once walked. The project was announced late last year by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the Israel National Parks Authority and the City of David Foundation and involves excavating a site in the southern part of the City of David and within the Jerusalem Walls National Park area. The pool was built some 2,700 years ago during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:20) and allowed “bathers to sit and immerse themselves in the waters of the Pool,” according to an IAA news release. The...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:00am |
Man Arrested for Beating to Death of Pastor Police have arrested a man in Chicago, Illinois, suspected of beating a pastor to death inside her apartment last weekend. The suspect, 59-year-old Marvin Wells, was charged with one felony count of first-degree murder, one felony count of home invasion, one felony count of armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, one felony count of possessing a stolen vehicle and one felony count of possession of a controlled substance. According to Chicago police, Wells is suspected of breaking into Pastor Marisol Berrios' apartment Saturday morning and beating her to death. He also stole her purse and drove off in her sister's car. As reported by WFLD-TV, Berrios, 53, would frequently help Wells, who did odd jobs on her block, by giving him money and food. "When I saw his face, my heart was broken...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:03am |
Seminary Student Burned to Death in Attack in Nigeria Assailants in an area of Nigeria where Fulani terrorists have operated freely burned a Catholic seminary student to death Thursday night (Sept. 7) in a failed kidnapping attempt, sources said. In an attack at about 8 p.m. on the rectory of St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Fadan Kamantan, in southern Kaduna state, under the Kafanchan Diocese, terrorists unable to enter the home of the parish priest they sought to kidnap instead set it on fire, according to news outlet ACI Africa, citing an interview by Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi of Kafanchan with charity Aid to the Church in Need. The priest, the Rev. Emmanuel Okolo, and his assistant managed to escape, but the fire killed seminary student Na’aman Danlami, 25, Kundi reportedly said. An area priest who had...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:06am |
School District Accused of Prohibiting Christian Student Club from Meeting on School Property A California school district is being accused of wrongfully prohibiting a Christian student club from meeting at a local elementary school. The student club, Child Evangelism Fellowship, says the Hayward Unified School District allegedly rejected multiple requests from the Good News Club chapter to meet at Fairview Elementary School. A Hayward Unified School District spokesperson told The Christian Post that school officials “are investigating this matter and have no comment at this time.” Religious Liberty law firm Liberty Counsel has sent a letter to HUSD Superintendent Jason Reimann asking that the school district “immediately approve CEF’s renewed facilities use request to hold a Good News Club after...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:09am |
5 Steps to Take Before Sharing Your Faith A month ago tomorrow, the historic town of Lahaina was largely destroyed by wildfires. The fire was not declared 100 percent contained until last weekend, as officials continue to investigate the causes of the tragedy. Maui is facing a severe economic downturn and inviting tourists to come to the island, though they are urged not to visit the Lahaina area. Meanwhile, more than twenty-six hundred miles away, a five-year-old in Seattle has been making a difference. Edison Juel learned of the fires and set up a lemonade stand on his busy street. It sold popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, candy, pink and yellow lemonade, and even some of Eddie’s toys. The sign read: “FOOD & STUFF & LEMONADE FOR LAHAINA.” His stand raised more than $17,000. Eddie’s mother said she...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:14am |
Empty Canadian Graves Back in 2021, news outlets around the world announced a scandal involving Canadian government schools and missing indigenous children. Starting in the 1800s, Canada built and opened a series of boarding schools where children from local native people could be educated or, more accurately, assimilated into modern Western culture. A majority of these institutions were operated by the Roman Catholic church and, before they were shut down toward the end of the twentieth century, tens of thousands of children were taken from their families, compelled to speak English or French, taught Christianity, and required to dress according to European styles. Even if those involved had the best of motives, families and students were harmed by these institutions. A number of former students have even reported being subject to physical and sexual...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Sat, September 09, 2023 2:18am |
Reflections on Divine Empathy, Reason, and Hope On most days, the earthquake that killed more than 2,100 in Morocco—the number is expected to rise—would be the subject of today’s Daily Article. Conversely, given my perennial hope that this will finally be the year for the Dallas Cowboys, I might reflect on their decisive season-opening victory last night in New York. Or I might discuss the faith of Coco Gauff, who won the US Open at the age of nineteen and is a very public Christian. But on 9/11, it feels wrong to focus on anything but 9/11. Today is the only anniversary in American history known simply by a number. We don’t refer to Independence Day as “7/4,” to Pearl Harbor as “12/7,” or to any other significant event I can recall through its numeric designator. But see the numbers “9/11,” and if you’re old enough, you’ll...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 11, 2023 3:05pm |
Coco Gauff Kneels in Prayer, Thanks God after U.S. Open Title: 'I'm So Blessed in this Life' Teenage tennis sensation Coco Gauff won the first major tournament of her young career Saturday, and then bowed down in prayer as thousands in the arena and millions on television watched. Gauff, though, said she wasn’t praying for wins and losses, Sports Spectrum reports. “I don't pray for results,” she said during a nationally televised interview. “I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. And whatever happens, happens. I'm so blessed in this life. So I'm just thankful for this moment. I don't have any words for it to be honest.” Gauff, 19, roared back after losing the first set to defeat Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the finals of the U.S Open for her first Grand Slam...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 12, 2023 1:45pm |
Global Church Network Works to Reach Every Person with the Gospel by 2030 European ministry leaders and pastors hope to finalize the Great Commission as part of a campaign called FINISH 2030. FINISH 2030, a campaign from the Global Church Network, aims to reach every person with the Gospel message by 2030, the 2,000th birthday of the Church, Religion News Service reports. “A vision becomes a goal when it has a deadline,” said Dr. James O. Davis, Founder and President of GCN. “One of the reasons the Great Commission hasn’t been fulfilled yet is because we never established a deadline. FINISH 2030 offers a new overarching strategy — one that is synergistic, global in scope and capable of getting the Church to the finish line sooner than we ever dreamed possible.” FINISH 2030 is also an acronym for Find, Intercede, Network,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 12, 2023 2:01pm |
Christian Rock Singer Mylon LeFevre Dies at 78 Skillet frontman John Cooper paid tribute to Christian rock icon Mylon LeFevre, who passed away from cancer last Friday. LeFevre, 78, was best known for his band, Mylon and Broken Heart, for which he was the lead singer. He recorded more than 20 albums and won a Grammy Award and a Dove Award with his band for his 1987 album Crack The Sky, ChurchLeaders.com reports. “So we’ve got some super bad news. My very good friend and Christian music icon Mylon LeFevre… passed away, I guess, last night. I love Mylon. He was just a great friend to me and a great mentor to me in the last few years,” Cooper said in a video posted to Facebook. Cooper noted that while he does not usually post on private matters, “Mylon deserves to be known and celebrated. He was...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 12:32pm |
Just 2 Percent of Parents with Children under 13 Report Having a Biblical Worldview A new book from Christian researcher George Barna shows that uncommitted Christians are causing a "catastrophic decline in biblical worldview in America" because they do not know how to pass on biblical values to their children. Barna’s book, Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind, and Soul, was released on Sept. 5. It analyzes research from seven original studies from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University and the Family Research Council, The Christian Post reports. The book explores the idea that Christian parents often feel “ill-equipped” and begin “outsourcing their responsibilities.” "During the research, parents often shared doubts about their own parenting ability, even...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 12:39pm |
36 N.C. Methodist Churches to Leave Denomination over LGBT Issues The Western North Carolina Conference announced that a group of 36 North Carolina-based United Methodist churches will disaffiliate from the denomination. According to Christianity Today, the official departure of the group, which consists of some of the biggest churches in the conference, is scheduled to take place on November 4, following a special session of the conference or regional geographic body. The departure follows a debate that has taken place within the UMC regarding same-sex marriage and the ordination of gay clergy. In March, a North Carolina Superior Court judge rejected the church's lawsuit in which they expressed their desire to sever ties with the denomination. However, the churches and conference continued discussions...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 12:44pm |
Community Recites the Lord’s Prayer Together during Contentious School Board Meeting Community members in a Virginia county began praying the Lord’s Prayer together in unison during a school board meeting in August when a board member asked a woman not to pray publicly at the meeting. During the Aug. 10 meeting of Suffolk Public Schools, a woman named Angela Kilgore tried to use her speaking time during the open comments section to pray for the public schools. She invited others in attendance to pray with her and apologized if anyone objected to the prayer, but Suffolk Board Chairman Tyron Riddick stopped her, saying, “I apologize, we can’t do that,” Faithwire reports. “I’d like to pray for our students in our school,” she said, with Riddick telling her to return to her intended topic. “That’s not what you signed up to do,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 12:47pm |
CA Passes Bill Punishing Parents Who Won't Affirm Their Child's Gender Identity during Custody Battles On Friday, the California State Assembly approved a bill that would order judges in custody cases to consider whether or not parents have affirmed their child's gender. According to Fox News, the legislation, AB 957, was amended in June to require parents to affirm their child's gender identity to be considered adequate providers for "the health, safety, and welfare of the child" in a court of law. The news of the bill sparked an outcry from multiple commentators on X, the social media app formerly called Twitter. "This bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing. What it actually means is that if you disagree with the other parent about sterilizing your child, you lose custody," tweeted tech entrepreneur and Tesla founder Elon Musk. "Utter...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 12:52pm |
Is Christian Nationalism Christian? Päivi Räsänen, a member of the Finnish Parliament, is currently on trial, charged with hate crimes against a minority group. To be specific, Räsänen is being accused of violating a Finnish law that prohibits “War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.” According to state prosecutors, Räsänen committed the crime by quoting the Bible in support of traditional understandings of human nature and sexuality. While prosecutors claim that they’re not attempting to restrict religion per se, only certain public expressions, they are attempting to decide what can and cannot be said and done in the name of religion. In fact, the prosecution openly admitted that “[t]he point” of their case “isn’t whether [what Räsänen said] is true or not but that it is insulting” (emphasis...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 1:00pm |
One Important Reason to Sabbath That No One Talks About Maybe because it seems selfish to focus on ourselves on our day of rest to honor the Lord, I haven’t seen many people make the connection between sabbath days and getting to know ourselves better. But knowing ourselves, our true selves, is an under-utilized resource in bringing God’s kingdom to Earth. Keeping sabbath days is an Old Testament command to rest on the seventh day of every week because God rested from creating all of creation on the seventh day (Exodus 20:8-10a, 11b). But under Jesus, we are no longer bound to the Law–but that doesn’t mean we should throw out this spiritual practice altogether. I like how the Bible Project puts it: “Sabbath is not a commandment we are bound to; it’s a promise we’re invited to enjoy. Sabbath rest is an invitation to practice for eternity in God’s...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 13, 2023 1:17pm |
America’s Religious-Political Divide Could Threaten its Future, Gallup Scientist Warns A sociologist at Gallup is warning that the strong demographic ties between religion and politics in the United States may have a detrimental impact on the country’s future. Frank Newport, a senior scientist at Gallup and the polling company’s former editor-in-chief, notes in a new analysis headlined The Politics of Religion that Republicans are much more likely to be Protestant and Democrats are significantly more likely to be labeled as “nones” when asked about religion in surveys. Specifically, Newport wrote that 56 percent of Republicans in America identify as Protestant, compared to 38 percent of Democrats who do. On the flip side, 26 percent of Democrats identify as “nones,” while 11 percent of Republicans wear that label. (The percentages...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 1:47pm |
Max Lucado Reveals Secret Battle with Alcohol in New Book: 'I Confessed my Hypocrisy' Minister and author Max Lucado is opening up about his past use of alcohol, saying he once drank beer to "manage" stress instead of asking the elders for help with his jam-packed schedule. Lucado, the teaching minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio and a prolific author, writes in his new book, God Never Gives Up on You (Thomas Nelson), that he would sneak to the other side of town and purchase beer in secret. Fox News published an excerpt. He did it, he said, because he felt overwhelmed. He began drinking some two decades ago, during the height of his popularity. "The staff needed me. The pulpit required me. The publisher was counting on me. The entire world was looking to me. So, I did what came naturally. I...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 1:59pm |
| A Reflection on 'Speaking the Truth in Love' Were the wildfires on Maui the result of a secret “weather weapon” being tested by the US? Should money being spent on the war in Ukraine be spent at home for disaster relief instead? If you believe the disinformation campaigns currently being waged by China and Russia, you’re likely to say yes to both questions. Researchers warn that China is building a network of accounts that could be used for future information operations including next year’s US presidential election. This is what Russia did in the year leading up to the 2016 election. Once you know that news can be fabricated, you begin to wonder if anything you read is really true. For example: a man bought a painting for $4 at a flea market, then discovered inside its frame one of only twenty-four known copies of the Declaration of Independence made on July...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 2:08pm |
Suicide Rates at All-Time High According to the Associated Press, nearly 50,000 people committed suicide last year, an absolute record in terms of raw numbers and the highest rate in nearly a century. Though, as one scholar noted, there’s always the chance that the numbers are up on account of better reporting, that doesn’t explain the consistent increase in these numbers over the last two decades. Something is broken in the United States, and it’s us. Why, in the most prosperous time to be alive in human history, do so many think that they would be better off dead? Nor do these numbers about suicide tell the complete story. Along with the dramatic increase in substance-abuse-related deaths, particularly opioids, deaths related to alcohol abuse and other addictions, and the suicide-by-slaughter of mass shootings, we face an outbreak...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 2:13pm |
A Reflection on the Pathway to Triumphant Faith Hurricane Lee is prompting hurricane and tropical storm watches for much of coastal New England this morning, with winds from the massive storm expected as early as tomorrow. Six thousand miles away, a massive flash flood in Libya has killed at least 5,100 people; thousands are still missing, and tens of thousands are homeless. In the first eleven days of September, eight devastating flood events unfolded on four continents. The US has already set a record for billion-dollar weather disasters in a year, with four months still to go. Meanwhile, Apple’s latest product-launch event unveiled even more sophisticated innovations from the world’s most valuable company. But all that the high tech on my desk, in my pocket, and on my wrist can do about the weather is to report the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 3:11pm |
The Problem with So-Called 'Antiracism' In a recent piece in The Atlantic, Tyler Austin Harper, a black professor from Bates College, argued that so-called “anti-racism” has gone too far. In their righteous crusade against the bad color-blindness of policies such as race-neutral college admissions, these contemporary anti-racists have also jettisoned the kind of good color-blindness that holds that we are more than our race, and that we should conduct our social life according to that idealized principle. Rather than balance a critique of color-blind law and policy with a continuing embrace of interpersonal color-blindness as a social etiquette, contemporary anti-racists throw the baby out with the bathwater. The term “anti-racist” came from a recent explosion of writing such as Robin DiAngelo’s White...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 15, 2023 3:16pm |
Pastor Who Called Autism Demonic Resigns from School Board A Missouri pastor has resigned as a member of the Stoutland School Board after he told his congregation that autism is a demon that can be cast out. During a Bible study on Sept. 6, Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church spoke of autism while discussing deliverance. He claimed he knows a minister "who has seen lots of kids that are autistic, that he cast that demon out, and they were healed." "And then he had to pray, and their brain was rewired, and they were fixed," he continued, noting that they can see "lots of examples of it" online. "If it's not demonic, then we have to say God made them that way," Morrow said. "Why does my kid have autism?' Well, either the devil has attacked them, he's brought this infirmity upon them, he's got them...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 2:02pm |
Chaplain Says He Baptized Over 150 Army Soldiers during Basic Training This Summer A military chaplain in Missouri recently shared that he baptized more than 150 U.S. soldiers during basic training this summer. Logan Lair, a chaplain associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, told the Baptist Press he baptized 84 new trainees at Fort Leonard Wood in July and 73 in August. “Trainees, typically from my perspective, have been pretty hungry to learn about spirituality and their spiritual strength,” Lair told the outlet. “It’s great to see their spiritual strength grow through basic training. It’s an amazing blessing for me as a chaplain to be able to see where those trainees have come from and then to see where they are going. I get excited every baptism Sunday. … It’s such a joy to see.” Lair said there is a...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 2:43pm |
Judge Blocks School's Policy That Hides Gender Info from Parents A federal judge handed parental rights groups a major victory in California Thursday, blocking enforcement of a local school district policy that prevents teachers from telling parents if their child begins identifying under a different gender. U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez, in a 36-page ruling, criticized the policy by the Escondido Union School District and ruled that two teachers who sued the district over the policy "are likely to succeed" in the case. Under the district's policy, a female student can, for example, secretly identify as a male during school hours and use a male name and male pronouns. Teachers and staff, though, are prohibited from disclosing the student's new identification to parents unless the student grants...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 2:54pm |
Evangelist Slain for Leading Muslims to Christ in Uganda Muslim extremists on Sept. 6 beat a 33-year-old evangelist to death for leading Muslims to faith in Christ at an event in eastern Uganda, sources said. After the evangelistic event in Kituuti town, Philip Bere was pulled from his bicycle while returning to Katiryo, Kibuku District and killed when the assailants bashed him with a large rock, an eyewitness said. Mudenya Sirasi, who had assisted Bere at the evangelistic event, was with him as the two neared Katiryo on the Kataka-Katiryo road. Sirasi said many people accepted Christ at the event, including Muslim women and two young Muslim men. The two evangelists were ambushed at about 7:40 p.m., he said. “We heard people talking from both sides of the road at a nearby bush saying, ‘They are the ones who converted our members...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 2:58pm |
Pastor Is Wanted by Russia for Opposing the War in Ukraine When Kim Jong Un makes international headlines, it’s rarely a good thing. That appears to be the case once again after the North Korean despot’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And while no official agreements were made when the pair conversed at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome—a key Russian spaceport—all indications point to an already precarious relationship becoming even more dangerous. After all, it was Kim Jong Un’s first trip beyond his borders since 2019, and it’s unlikely he would have made the trip without assurances that it would be worth the journey. As Mary Trimble and Grayson Logue write, “The pair smiled for cameras, pledged eternal friendship, and...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 3:03pm |
U.S. woman arrested in Afghanistan among 18 aid workers held for promoting Christianity, local official says Taliban members ride in a pickup truck during a celebration of the first anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, August 15, 2022, in Kabul, Afghanistan. NAVA JAMSHIDI/GETTY Almost 20 staff members of a charity organization operating in central Afghanistan, including one U.S. national, have been arrested by regional officials in the Taliban-controlled nation, a spokesman for the provincial government in Ghor province told CBS News. The 18 detained aid workers were arrested for "propagating and promoting Christianity," a violation of the Taliban's strict regulations on all non-governmental groups, according to Abdul Wahid Hamas, the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 18, 2023 5:44pm |
18-Year-Old Charged with Killing Church Leader An 18-year-old male has been charged with felony murder for the death of a 75-year-old pastor, who is also the mother of a Houston Police Department sergeant. According to The Christian Post, Trenton Bevel struck Gloria Collins at a red light around 10:15 a.m. on Sept. 7 on Martin Luther King Boulevard, near Van Fleet Street. At the time, Bevel was driving a stolen Dodge Charger and being chased by police until they lost sight of him. Collins, who was about two miles from her MacGregor Park-area home, was pronounced dead at the scene, The Houston Chronicle reports. On Thursday, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner identified Collins as the mother of an HPD sergeant. Two others were taken to the hospital with non-threatening injuries sustained from the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 19, 2023 12:51pm |
Americans Hostile Toward God Still Value Biblical Behavior, Report Says American Bible Society's 13th annual "State of the Bible" report found that Americans who are hostile toward God's word still value biblical behavior. Americans who believe the country would be better without the Bible actually score higher on valuing pro-social behaviors than those who think they would be "worse off" or "about the same" without Scripture, Faithwire reports. "Our research shows that even those Americans who are most hostile toward the Bible value biblical behaviors like loving your neighbor, caring for creation, and welcoming the stranger," Dr. John Farquhar Plake, chief ministry insights officer at the American Bible Society, said in a statement. "This shared passion for neighborly behavior is a new avenue for...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 19, 2023 1:03pm |
Is Serving Christ Enough for You? The number of people in the US living to at least one hundred years old has doubled over the last decade. Ask many centenarians their secret and they’ll credit their positive attitude. But David Watson, a professor emeritus of personality psychology at the University of Notre Dame, disagrees: “I think the effects of just being positive are overrated.” Dr. Watson claims that the trait most related to longevity is conscientiousness, or being organized and disciplined. This is likely because conscientious people are better at taking care of themselves with regard to eating habits, healthy behaviors, and safe activities. I wonder if the same trait is vital to the longevity of a nation. USA Today is reporting that school shootings have hit an all-time high for the second year in a row. The 2021–22 school year saw...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 19, 2023 1:13pm |
School District Must Reinstate Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chapter, Judge Rules A California school district must reinstate a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter after a judge ruled that the district's decision to forbid the group was unlawful. The school district, the San Jose Unified School District, initially revoked the group's recognition because it requires leaders to abstain from sex outside of marriage, The Christian Post reports. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 9-2 to issue an en banc ruling last week that the district likely violated the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by banning the FCA due to its statement on sexual purity, which was labeled in violation of the school district's antidiscrimination policies. Judge Consuelo Callahan, a George W. Bush appointee,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 1:40pm |
Former Clerk to Appeal Order to Pay $100,000 for Refusing to Sign Gay Marriage License Former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis seeks to issue an appeal to a jury ruling ordering her to pay $100,000 in damages for her refusal to sign a marriage license for a same-sex couple in 2015. Last week, a federal jury awarded David Ermold and David Moore $50,000 each in their lawsuit against Davis because she refused to sign their marriage license in 2015. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Obergefell v. Hodges that year, allowing same-sex marriage nationwide without restrictions. In response to the verdict, Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit legal group representing Davis, announced they would appeal the 2015 decision, contending that the jury lacked evidence. According to The Christian Post, Liberty Counsel...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 1:46pm |
God's People Must Live in a Way That Is Distinctive from Our Fallen Culture Auburn University is the second-largest university in Alabama. Known for its football team and fierce cross-state rivalry with the University of Alabama, the school is making news these days for a completely different reason. Some time ago, five girls began meeting on campus in Neville Arena to pray. Their group grew to two hundred students. Local ministries became involved and sponsored a worship event last week which around five thousand people attended. Following the service, a student wanted to be baptized. Crowds then began gathering at a nearby lake, where roughly two hundred people gave their lives to Christ and were baptized. Auburn Tigers head football coach Hugh Freeze, a very public Christian, helped with the baptisms. Now other universities are calling to bring similar...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 1:55pm |
Married People Are Happier If all there was to go on were sitcoms, movies, and mainstream editorials, we’d have to conclude that marriage is a direct path to misery, the “old ball and chain” that only ties us down, limits our freedom, and cramps our sexual fun. Many people now think of marriage less as “settling down” and more as “settling.” Young people are told, “You’ve got plenty of time, live a little, first,” as if life ends after the wedding. The truth about marriage, however, is that it is, statistically, the single best predictor of long-term happiness. Making this even more important to understand is that for at least the last 20 years now, Americans have been steadily getting less happy. Writing at UnHerd, sociologist Brad Wilcox and the Institute for Family Studies’ David Bass point to new research from the University...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 2:07pm |
3 Reasons I Know I Am in the Right Church for Me Recently, I was in a church environment that triggered many of my wounds from past spiritual abuse. The sermon was guilt-driven, and I felt a sense of stuck-ness that I hadn't felt since leaving my past church. But a beautiful thing happened, too, because those from my current church were also there. And I was able to look around the room and feel a sense of peace and awe that God had me right where I needed to be. As I reflect on this moment, three things come to mind that led me to feel confident that I'm in the right church for me: 1. I Truly Admire People's Spiritual Walks Hebrews 10:24 encourages us to "...consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." We are meant to inspire and show each other who God really is. We're meant to...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 2:15pm |
Are We Alone in the Universe? UFOs (or UAPs – “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” the government’s official term for UFOs) are back in the news. Mainstream news. A highly credible U.S. Air Force whistleblower has made dramatic new claims about their existence, and that we have remains from craft and even alien beings. The Pentagon has verified that various photographs of UAPs are, indeed authentic, but is not speculating on what they are. But it has established a website for all things UAP, including hotspots for seeing them. The question “Are we alone in the universe?” is one that haunts all of us, but none more than the scientific community. Those who study the cosmos for a living have many compelling questions, such as: Is that life like us? How are we related? Can life move from planet to planet? Or,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Wed, September 20, 2023 2:24pm |
Senator Is Awarded 2023 Distinguished Christian Statesman Award Sen. Tim Scott (R- S.C.) has been awarded the 2023 Distinguished Christian Statesman Award for his work and commitment to Christian values while he works in politics. Scott received the award this week at a presentation at the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship in Washington, Religion News Service reports. “The future of our nation depends in large part on the character and integrity of our leaders,” said Dr. Rob Pacienza, Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and President and CEO of D. James Kennedy Ministries. “We are grateful for Sen. Scott’s commitment to stand boldly for truth and righteousness in his service to God and our nation and are honored to present him with this year’s Distinguished Christian Statesman...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 4:44pm |
Episcopal Church Lost over 90,000 Members in 2022 Although the Episcopal Church lost 90,000 members in 2022, the mainline denomination also saw a rise in Sunday worship attendance. According to a parochial report released on Monday, the Episcopal Church had an estimated 1.58 million baptized members in 2022, spread across 6,789 member congregations. The findings reflected a decrease when contrasted with data from 2021, in which the denomination reported having 1.678 million baptized members and 6,806 member congregations. The Episcopal Church, however, saw an increase in Sunday worship attendance, from 312,000 average Sunday attendees in 2021 to close to 373,000 last year, The Christian Post reported. Regarding worship attendance, the report noted that the increase was a rebound from COVID-19, where the numbers declined...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 4:51pm |
How to Love Well “Picture this—you’re out going to pick up your lunch and there’s this random guy walking by with a handmade sign. I’m sure like most of us, we’d glance and keep it moving, but I decided to read his sign since I was at a stop light.” This is how a woman in Jacksonville, Florida, described a recent experience to a local reporter. Here’s what made it newsworthy: The sign read “HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!! I LOVE YOU.” The man also held up another sign that read “YOU are RELEVANT.” As the woman snapped a few pictures, the man holding the signs gave her a sunflower. The reporter shared the story with the reminder that the kind messages came during National Suicide Prevention Month. We need this reminder as much now as ever. Billy Miller, an actor who played Marcus Specter on Suits and won three Emmy...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:10pm |
Religious Liberty Déjà Vu In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that to deny a church “an otherwise available public benefit on account of its religious status” is to violate the Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution. In that case, Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, a Missouri church that operated a licensed preschool and daycare facility, applied for state “funds for qualifying organizations to purchase recycled tires to resurface playgrounds.” Trinity Lutheran met all the qualifications of the program, but the state informed them that a grant would violate a state constitutional provision that “no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, section or denomination of religion.” Trinity Lutheran sued, claiming that because of the Free Exercise clause in the First Amendment, a government...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:15pm |
God Wants Us to Understand Him Intellectually and Know Him Intimately Bryan Johnson swallows 111 pills a day, wears a baseball cap that shoots red light into his scalp, and sleeps in a laser face-shield for collagen growth and wrinkle reduction. The multimillionaire tech entrepreneur has spent more than $4 million developing a life-extension system he calls Blueprint. It outsources every decision involving his body to a team of doctors, who then use this data to develop a strict health regimen to reduce what Johnson calls his “biological age.” His goal is to never die. But what if he has an accident, like the British tourist who plummeted three hundred feet to his death in Austria while climbing an aerial ladder made popular by Instagram photos? Or he is struck by the asteroid Bennu, which NASA scientists predict could...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:20pm |
Humanity Isn't a Problem to Solve: Technology Needs a Telos Pixar’s Wall-E has proven to be among the most profound and prophetic films of the last 20 years. After hopelessly polluting the Earth and leaving an army of robots to clean up the planet, humans now live aboard a giant ship built by a company that promises to take care of all its passengers’ needs. Thus, humans are left with nothing to do but amuse themselves and eat a lot. Many Christians wrote off the Pixar classic because of its hyper-environmentalist message. However, the film’s commentary on human exceptionalism and vocation, specifically the inability of our machines to do our most important work for us, was spot-on. In the world of Wall-E, human beings have a purpose, or a telos that cannot be reduced to maximizing comfort, safety, and convenience. In the biblical account of...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:24pm |
Dear Teens, Virginity Is Good for You Research consistently shows that young people who wait until after the wedding have a better chance for a stable, fulfilling, happy marriage. They also do not have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. Though this does not fit with contemporary assumptions about human beings, obedience to the Lord’s loving plan always works best, and brings incalculable benefits into our lives. While we may or may not hear this kind of moral clarity in church, it’s been quite a while since the government has admitted the negative consequences of unmarried sex, particularly for teenagers. However, a 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated clearly that young people who are virgins register much higher in nearly all health-related behaviors than those who are sexually...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:29pm |
How to Thrive Biblically in a Post-Christian Era As Andy Stanley’s church and public profile have grown, the pastor has become an increasingly controversial figure in Christian life. His attempts to make the gospel attractive to the lost appear to come from a genuine desire to help people know the Lord, but too often, he crosses boundaries that end up drawing people to a god that stands in contrast to the God of Scripture. As such, perhaps it should not come as a surprise that he and his church are in the news once again in the buildup to the Unconditional Conference that they will host next week. The Unconditional Conference is an event “for parents of LGBTQ+ children and for ministry leaders looking to discover ways to support parents and LGBTQ+ children in their churches.” They promise that those who attend “will be...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 22, 2023 5:37pm |
Evangelical Colleges Celebrate Best-Ever Enrollment Numbers Eleven Evangelical colleges and universities reported record enrollment this fall. According to Christianity Today, Asbury University’s enrollment hiked 20 percent. East Texas Baptist University jumped to more than 1,800, the highest enrollment in the school’s history. Meanwhile, Abilene Christian University boasted some 1,000 incoming freshmen, and Cedarville University had 374 students, adding to its total size of 1,017 students. Grace College added 465 new undergraduates, and Taylor University added 606 students. Concordia University, St. Paul, added 228 students, and Lipscomb University added 700 first-year students. Other colleges that also increased enrollment included Dordt University (1,911 more students), Samford University (11 percent more...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 25, 2023 1:01pm |
Over 1, 000 Christians Attend First-Ever International Conference to Usher in Messiah's Return Last week, a special international conference held in Dallas, Texas, brought people from around the world to usher in the return of the Messiah. The first annual conference, titled “Gather America,” brought Jews and Gentiles together in worship and the theme of crying out to the Lord in repentance, CBN News reports. More than 1,000 Christians were reportedly in attendance for the event. “Hearts and voices unite in #praise and #worship at an international conference called "Gather America" in Dallas, Texas, co-founded by the talented American-Israeli Messianic singer, Joshua Aaron,” wrote Jerusalem Dateline on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post also included a clip of a woman singing “Days of...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 25, 2023 1:12pm |
Kirk Franklin to Release Documentary on His Childhood, Reconciling with His Biological Father Gospel singer Kirk Franklin has released a documentary about his childhood and his biological father, with whom he recently reconciled. The documentary, "Father's Day: A Kirk Franklin Story," tells Franklin's story of being adopted when he was four by a woman named Gertrude, a then 64-year-old relative of Franklin's, The Christian Post reports. "There was never a time I didn't know I was adopted. It was always a framework of who I was," the 19-time Grammy Award-winning gospel singer shared in his new documentary. "I was raised alone; it was horrible." In the documentary, Franklin's mother calls him to deny a rumor that a man who attended his aunt's funeral was his biological father. Franklin had not attended the funeral because he didn't...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Mon, September 25, 2023 1:27pm |
Charges Dropped against UK Woman Arrested for Silently Praying Outside Abortion Clinic The United Kingdom's West Midland Police have dropped charges against a woman arrested in March for silently praying within an abortion facility's "buffer zone." The March arrest for Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a pro-life volunteer and co-director of March for Life UK, marked the second time the activist was arrested for praying silently in an abortion buffer zone, Faithwire reports. In February, a court acquitted her of all charges from a December 2022 arrest for violating the Public Spaces Order and praying in the abortion buffer zone. In the second arrest in March, she was praying outside the BPAS Robert Clinic in Birmingham. She told police she was not protesting but praying. "But you said you were engaging in...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 26, 2023 2:24pm |
Does Our Preferred Dress Code Affect Our Christian Witness? A reporter for the New York Post attempted to gain entrance to some of New York City’s finest restaurants while wearing shorts and a hoodie, only to be turned away at the door by each establishment. The reason for his experiment: he was wearing attire that Sen. John Fetterman (D–Pa.) has made famous (or infamous) in our nation’s capital. The senator’s preferred clothing generated national headlines a few days ago when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he was relaxing the Senate’s longstanding dress code requirement that its members wear a suit on the floor. The backlash was immediate and bipartisan. Sen. Fetterman then replied to the furor in a crude statement, agreeing to “save democracy” by wearing a suit on the Senate floor if House Republicans pass a...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 26, 2023 2:39pm |
Strongly Rooted Faith Can Discern Truth in Trying Times A leaked Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) training video instructs staff to confirm that men can get pregnant and encourages them to refer to a pre-born baby as an “embryo” or “fetus,” to a “fetal heartbeat” as “embryonic or fetal cardiac activity,” and to a “mother” as a “veteran” or “person.” When I saw the story, I then checked some other taxpayer-funded agencies for similar language. I found this statement on the National Institutes of Health website: “The term chestfeeding or bodyfeeding can be used alongside breastfeeding to be more inclusive” for “nonbinary or trans people.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website similarly includes COVID-19-related information for “pregnant and recently pregnant people” (not “women”). The website later...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Tue, September 26, 2023 2:52pm |
Many Persecuted Christians Do Not Find Refuge in the US: Report The number of Christians finding security in the U.S. from other countries has fallen some 70 percent, according to a recent report. Religion News Service reports that the “Closed Doors” report from Open Doors, an international Christian charity group that tracks persecution, said that in 2022, about 9,528 Christians found safety in the U.S. after fleeing persecution in their home country. In 2016, that number was 32,248. In Myanmar specifically, the number of Christian refugees fell from about 7,600 in 2016 to just 587 in 2022. In Iran, the number dropped to 112 in 2022 from more than 2,000 in 2016, and in Eritrea, those numbers were 1,639 in 2016 to just 252 in 2022. “The tragic reality is that many areas of the world simply aren’t safe for Christians, and Christians fleeing...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Thu, September 28, 2023 3:38pm |
Progressive Christianity 'Is the Greatest Threat' to the Church, Anglican Leader Says A well-known Anglican leader and British social commentator is calling liberal Christianity one of the greatest threats to the faith, saying it twists the truth and is being used by Satan to deceive the church. The Reverend Calvin Robinson, an Anglican deacon in the Free Church of England and a frequent writer and commentator in U.K. media, told Fox News that liberal or progressive Christianity is rooted in a lie. The Free Church of England is part of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, a conservative network of Anglicans. “Yes, liberalism is the greatest threat [to Christianity], current, because it’s one of the tools that the devil is using,” Robinson said. “The enemy has many tools at his disposal, but liberalism is one that is really,...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Thu, September 28, 2023 3:51pm |
'Did Jesus Teach Hell Is Real?' Apologist Explains Biblical Reality of a 'Literal Hell' Hell is a topic many tend to avoid, yet the questions surrounding its existence, what the Bible proclaims, and what the afterlife entails are essential to ask, answer, and ponder. It’s a subject apologist Jason Jimenez of Stand Strong Ministries recently tackled on his “Challenging Conversations Podcast,” explaining the ins and outs of the “reality of hell” and detailing why many people find the notion of being separated from God for eternity “very disturbing.” “This idea of being tormented in eternal agony, this isn’t something people like to think about, let alone talk about,” Jimenez said. “That’s why, most of the time, we don’t bring it up. Most of the time, we want to rule it out altogether.” Of course, heaven — the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Thu, September 28, 2023 4:23pm |
Archaeologists Discover Unique Inscription of Psalm 86 in Judean Desert Archeologists from Hebrew University running an excavation at the Hyrcania Fortress in the Judean Desert have discovered a rare inscription of Psalm 86 on the side of a building stone. “Jesus Christ, guard me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you.” The adapted words of King David's original Hebrew Psalm are painted in red letters on the side of a large building stone underneath a cross. The inscription of Psalm 86 is one of the only Koine Greek Psalm inscriptions ever found on rock as opposed to parchment paper. It is inscribed in the same Greek the New Testament of the Bible was recorded in. According to The Times of Israel, a 5th-century CE community of Byzantine Christian monks is suspected to have left the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Fri, September 29, 2023 6:33pm |
Is This What Jesus Looked Like? AI Uses Shroud of Turin to Create Life-Like Image An AI company has released a life-like image of what Jesus may have looked like based on a computer analysis of the Shroud of Turin. This mysterious linen cloth has divided Christians worldwide over its authenticity. The AI image by the company Midjourney shows a man with long hair, a beard, and a mustache staring straight ahead. The image looks similar to modern-day portrayals of Jesus in movies and television programs and, of course, similar to the faint image in the Shroud. The Jerusalem Post reported that the AI image also shows the “top portion of his body … and he is wearing what appears to be a simple tunic.” The history of the Shroud of Turin, The Post said, “is complicated and full of mystery and controversy.” That’s putting it...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 10:18pm |
'Massive Evidence' Sodom's Destruction Was Caused by Meteor Explosion A well-known Catholic theologian says new archaeological evidence of a meteor explosion long ago in Jordan aligns with the biblical description of Sodom and Gomorrah and that the location likely is the site of the ancient event of Scripture. John Bergsma, professor of theology at Franciscan University in Ohio and the author of numerous books, says in a new episode of Pints With Aquinas that he is convinced archaeologist Steven Collins has found the site of Sodom. Collins is the dean of the College of Archaeology at Trinity Southwest University. The Jerusalem Post this week ran a story about Bergsman’s thoughts on the subject under the headline “Biblical sin city Sodom destroyed by asteroid stronger than nuke -- expert.” Bergsma and Collins believe...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 10:30pm |
Upcoming 'Synod on Synodality' Held at the Vatican The Vatican is expected to hold its annual “Synod on Synodality” next week, in which bishops and lay people will convene to discuss synodality, focusing on communion, participation, and mission. According to Church Leaders, the synod follows a two-year process that initially began on September 21, when the Vatican published a preparatory document and instructions on how to prepare for the summit. Additionally, Catholics worldwide would meet in their respective parishes to address questions raised by the synod. As a result, the synthesis of those discussions would be delivered to their respective bishop’s conferences. Following debate and discussions amongst the bishops, the conclusions of the synthesis would be sent to the Vatican, where about 30 experts, theologians, and pastoral workers met in...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 10:52pm |
Worship Pastor Used Big Wheel of Fortune Win as a Platform for Adoption/Foster Care A worship pastor at Hindman First Baptist Church and the executive director of adult and family ministries at Camp Nathanael in Kentucky won $61,450 on “Wheel of Fortune” earlier this month. Steven Bell told host Pat Sajak about his personal experience of fostering and adopting children. “My wife and I are just huge proponents to make sure we do everything we can to make adoption more affordable for families,” he told Sajak. According to ChurchLeaders.com, Bell and his wife have six children, two of whom were fostered to adopt and another who was adopted from Congo. He said he was excited to share his heart for adoption and God’s impact on his life with audiences. “The ability to talk about my family and...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 10:57pm |
Poll Exposes a Divide between Liberal Pastors and Conservative Pews  Pastors within America’s mainline churches are considerably more liberal and more likely to vote Democrat than the people in the pews, according to a new survey that revealed ministers have drifted even further to the left than the last time the poll was conducted. The survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) found that 55 percent of mainline church clergy consider themselves liberal, while 22 percent call themselves moderate and 22 percent conservative. By contrast, only 20 percent of mainline churchgoers describe themselves as liberal, while 31 percent say they’re moderate and 45 percent conservative. Mainline churches are defined as the historic, traditional denominations in the United States and are to be differentiated from more...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:01pm |
Weather or Not It’s not exactly groundbreaking, but it does support conventional wisdom. A study of U.S. churchgoers examined reasons some give for skipping church services. Whether or not they attend is based on… well, whether there’s weather or not. A whopping 77% say that they skip out on attending church at least once a year, if not many times a year, due to weather. 43% have stayed home simply because it’s raining. The weather plays a role in the second most common reason for skipping out – when it’s particularly nice weather. 55% will take advantage of a Sunday morning away from the pews to enjoy an outdoor activity when the weather is pleasant. To round out the survey, 54% have passed on church due to getting some extra sleep, 50% to meet a friend or group of friends, and 42% to watch a favorite team or sporting event. But...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:33pm |
Applying Biblical Reasoning to Our Current Landscape US Senate leaders have revealed a plan that would avert a government shutdown for seven weeks. If such efforts are unsuccessful by Sunday, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed, and a wide range of services will be suspended. Some airports may experience disruptions and delays, roughly ten thousand children could lose access to childcare starting next month, and disaster relief funds could be depleted. Current members of the military would not receive paychecks. Security at the southern border could be further imperiled. Additional aid to Ukraine could be affected. Ironically, lawmakers would continue to receive paychecks, but other federal workers would not. Here we find another example of the fact that what happens in the halls...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:39pm |
Solution to Minors' Exposure to Pornography, 'Keeping Unsupervised Devices Out of Unsupervised Hands' Not long ago, most non-Christians treated pornography as a harmless expression of sexual freedom. For half a century, Hugh Hefner’s Playboy philosophy dominated, teaching people to wink at porn use. Children discovering a relative’s “stash” became a popular trope in TV and film and was played off for laughs. In the digital age, distribution and access became easier and instant and the content grew darker. Finally, more people are admitting that, though it was never harmless, this content now poses a life-altering danger to those who stumble across it—especially children. In 2021, singer-songwriter Billie Eilish confessed to being one of those children harmed by pornography. In an interview, Eilish described her first...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:43pm |
What's Up with Heaven? What can we expect to encounter in Heaven? What will we find? In a word, everything! Everything that is most precious and dear to you and me, everything that is important to Christ-followers, is currently in heaven. Everything we need or desire will be found in heaven once we pass through its magnificent gates, either by death or by being caught up with Christ at the Rapture. The word heaven is mentioned almost seven hundred times in the Bible. Thirty-three of the thirty-nine Old Testament books talk about heaven along with twenty-one of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. The word heaven refers to something that is raised up or lofty. So the language of the Bible speaks of heaven as a place that is high, lofty, and lifted up. Jesus does not intend for us to live in a vapory nether land, in a disembodied haze, or in a...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:48pm |
Prepare the Millstones I want you to think about the idea of “one out of every 10.” That’s 10%. That’s 10 out of every 100, 100 out of every 1,000, and 1,000 out of every 10,000. Now think about this. According to a study carried out by Edinburgh University’s Childlight unit, a research center that investigates the risk of sexual exploitation of children and young people, and the University of New South Wales, Australia, one in 10 British men have carried out sexual offenses against children. This was the number who admitted as much in a survey; one can only imagine the number who denied doing so but lied. Jesus said, “And whoever welcomes a little child… in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5, NIV). Now that may not seem like a whole lot, but in the Bible the idea of “welcoming”...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:52pm |
Our Stories Make an Impact Attempt to instruct a group of 12-year-old kids about the importance of duty, honor, perseverance, and friendship by means of a lecture, and the most likely result will be glazed eyes and tuned-out ears. If instead of a lecture, however, the lesson began with, “There once was a tiny creature called a Hobbit, whose name was Frodo. He had hairy feet and a magic ring, and whenever he put that ring on his finger, he’d disappear. But each time he put the ring on, the Ring exercised a dark power over him and attracted the attention of the Dark Lord Sauron. . .” That story, the plot of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, is more likely to capture the attention and the imagination of kids, as it has tens of millions before them. And, along the way, they’d learn about duty, honor, perseverance, and friendship. This is the...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Yesterday at 11:56pm |
Reflecting on the Freedom to Choose Last night, Janet and I watched the second Republican presidential debate. The seven participants took aim at each other, President Biden for his perceived failings, and former President Donald Trump for not attending. While our ministry does not endorse candidates, I will say how grateful I felt to live in a country where candidates must go through such a rigorous process to be elected. Across much of human history and in much of the world today, last night’s event would never have occurred. In light of the value of our democracy, it is odd to me that so many people these days—men, especially—seem to be fascinated with the Roman Empire. Even when it was a republic, Rome was never anything like the democracy we embrace and appreciate. Colonial Americans went to war to remove themselves from the power of a...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Today at 10:44pm |
Addressing the Loneliness Epidemic and American Anxiety  Rex Colubra is a Wisconsin diver who has developed a unique relationship with a wild smallmouth bass he named Elvis. Colubra was exploring a lake in 2021 when “all these fish were coming up to me,” he explains. “I noticed one was sticking closer than the rest.” When he returned to the lake a few weeks later, he brought crawfish snacks for his new friend. Since then, he has visited Elvis about a dozen times, documenting their reunions for his 174,000 TikTok followers. “He’s completely obsessed with me,” Colubra states. “He follows me around and just stares me in the eyes.” Skeptics might wonder how the diver knows Elvis from the other fish, but he says the fish has a “unique mouth disfigurement,” likely from a fishing hook. Colubra refers to Elvis as “my...more Go top of page Go bottom of page |
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Posted by Temmy |
Today at 11:08pm |
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