Christian Heritage News

(from Twitter @Paula_White) By W. James Antle III - Posted at The Washington Examiner: Prominent conservative Christians are up in arms about President-elect Trump's choice of a controversial televangelist to deliver one of the prayers at his inauguration on Jan. 20. Florida's Paula White, age 50, will join Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and other religious leaders in participating in the Trump inaugural festivities. Unlike the others, White is a proponent of the "prosperity gospel" — the belief that God blesses the faithful with health and wealth — who has come under attack for her theology, marital history and finances. "Paula White is a trinity denying heretic," wrote conservative Christian commentator Erick Erickson. "She rejects the Council of Nicaea's creed that every Christian accepts. To reject the orthodoxy of the Nicene Creed is to reject Christianity itself." Read

Posted at The Truth About Moscow: A Historical Review HISTORICAL FACTS In February 2005 Jamin Wight delivered a written confession of the crimes he committed against Natalie Greenfield to her father. Six months later, on August 15, 2015, Jamin Wight swore an oath before at least four eyewitnesses — including Douglas Wilson — that his written confession was “true and accurate.” Jamin Wight did all of it. Six months later, on February 14, 2006, the State of Idaho served notice to Doug Wilson that the prosecution intended to compel him to testify against Jamin Wight in his criminal trial for lewd & lascivious conduct with a child. The State wanted the jury to hear Doug Wilson’s eyewitness testimony regarding Jamin Wight’s sworn confession of guilt. The State pinned Jamin Wight with his written confession and his sworn oath. The State also pinned Doug Wilson. He could not claim pastoral confidentiality; he had to testify in open court against his ministerial student. Neither the p

By C.H. Spurgeon - Posted at Sermon Audio: Details: Preached January 1, 1860 Approximately 48 minutes in length. Link: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=121803162327

By Jordan Standridge - Posted at The Cripplegate: It was May 6th, 1954, and a miler named Roger Bannister became the first human to ever have run a mile recorded in under four minutes. That world record lasted only six weeks, when an Australian, named John Landy, beat his record by more than a second. The rivalry was not over though, as the Empire Games were scheduled for August of the same year, and Landy and Bannister were set to square off in one of the most anticipated races in history. The two runners could not have been more different. Landy loved to set the pace and start off strong, he usually led most of his races from start to finish. Bannister was different, he liked running from behind most of the race, only to take over first place in the final lap. The final proved those stereotypes right as Landy led for most of the race, with Bannister behind by quite a big margin going into the final lap. But then, something happened; the crowd started cheering as Bannister mad

Posted at Morning Star News: Peninah Fatuma Asiire and threatening letter from area Muslims. ( Morning Star News ) Area Muslims beat congregation. NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – Muslims in eastern Uganda beat Christians at a Christmas Day service and wrecked the home of a single mother on Christmas Eve, sources said. In predominantly Muslim Obokora village, Pallisa District, 19 masked Muslims entered a church compound chanting the jihadist slogan “Allahu Akbar” and “Away from here, this village is not for Christians but for Allah,” during a Sunday service (Dec. 25) at about 11 a.m., the congregation’s pastor, Erod Okaali, told Morning Star News. Pastor Okaali, who was preaching at the time, and several church members fled for their lives out a back door. The assailants caught the pastor and 15 church members and thrashed them, leaving five with serious injuries including broken bones in their hands and legs, he said. The pastor’s cheeks close to his eyes were injur

By Heather Clark - Posted at Christian News Network: FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has issued a proclamation declaring 2017 the “Year of the Bible,” making it the second year that Bevin has issued such a decree. He noted that several prominent figures throughout American history have lauded the importance of the Scriptures. “President Harry S. Truman said, ‘The fundamental basis of this nation’s law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul,'” Bevin’s proclamation reads in part. “In addition to encouraging Americans to rediscover the Bible’s ‘priceless and timeless message,’ President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 Year of the Bible Proclamation stated, ‘Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible,'” it continues. Read more here.

Posted at Geneva OPC: Contemporary Reformed theology has become gnostic in recent years, argues Douglas Wilson in his latest book entitled, Reformed Is Not Enough: Recovering the Objectivity of the Covenant (Moscow, Canon Press, 2002, 206 pp., $14.00, paper). What does Wilson put forth in his book? There are positive things about his book; he affirms various orthodox doctrines and interacts with historic Reformed teaching. There are, however, negative things about this book. Let us therefore first turn to Wilson’s case and then critique his arguments. Wilson argues that Reformed theology has become gnostic in its belief that the invisible church is more significant than the visible church (pp. 70ff). This has happened as a result of the influence of enlightenment rationalism. In fact, Wilson builds on the current popular acronym Truly Reformed (TR) and argues that current Reformed thought should be labeled Enlightenment Truly Reformed (ETR). In contrast, Wilson argues that

By C.H. Spurgeon - Posted at Sermon Audio/Daily Checkbook: "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven" — Acts 1:11 Many are celebrating our LORD's first coming this day; let us turn our thoughts to the promise of His second coming. This is as sure as the first advent and derives a great measure of its certainty from it. He who came as a lowly man to serve will assuredly come to take the reward of His service. He who came to suffer will not be slow in coming to reign. This is our glorious hope, for we shall share His joy. Today we are in our concealment and humiliation, even as He was while here below; but when He cometh it will be our manifestation, even as it will be His revelation. Dead saints shall live at His appearing. The slandered and despised shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Then shall the saints appear as kings and priests, and the days of their m

Scripture Text: Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Link: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=121603132444

By Scott Taylor - Posted at New City Times: Let me introduce you to Conservatism without Christianity. This brand of conservatism holds many faithful church attendees, but the Bible is not their final authority. In these churches, the flag stands erect behind the pulpit, sermons speak of hope—a return to the old days, or of fear—of those enemies of flesh and blood, and Donald Trump has become their savior, and they his disciples. Nevertheless, church attendance is optional, because the ultimate authority is not scripture. Their theology is soaked in American Exceptionalism, and their God is America. One of these adherents stands in line at JC Penny. As a newly converted disciple of Donald Trump, this lady speaks her mind as Donald Trump speaks his mind. She fears not the consequences, relying on the protection of her savior. In an encounter with her enemy, the Mexicans, feeling triggered, she speaks boldly to their face, speaking of them in words he speaks. Donald Trump didn’t sta

Posted at Morning Star News : Abdulmonem Abdumawla is charged with aiding accused pastors. (Christian Solidarity Worldwide) Evidence remains flimsy, attorney says. NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – Officials in Sudan are delaying a verdict in the trial of two pastors and two others because evidence is insufficient for conviction and they do not want to release them, sources told Morning Star News. The Rev. Kwa (also transliterated Kuwa) Shamaal, head of Missions of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC), and the Rev. Hassan Abdelrahim Tawor were arrested from their homes on Dec. 18, 2015. They are charged with crimes, some punishable by death, that range from spying to inciting hatred against the government. The case has been marked by postponements and judges who were said to be out of the country when court hearings were scheduled, according to advocacy groups. One Khartoum church leader, unnamed for security reasons, told Morning Star News the government is delaying the a

Posted at Voice of the Persecuted: Fifteen Turkish Protestant congregations and their leaders have been targeted since 27 Aug. by a strident campaign of death threats sent to their Facebook, email, websites and mobile telephones. The threats followed the style and jargon typically used by the so-called Islamic State (IS), vowing to kill, massacre and behead apostates who the messages accused of having “chosen the path that denies Allah” and “dragged others into believing as you do… As heretics you have increased your numbers with ignorant followers”. “Threats are not anything new for the Protestant community who live in this country and want to raise their children here,” the Association of Protestant Christians in Turkey said in a press release on 1 Sept. “But with the recent increase in systematic threats, from this country’s west to east and north to south, in different cities, we think that these messages, coming close together and resembling each other, are coming from the

By Jordan Standridge - Posted at The Cripplegate: Charles Spurgeon had a love-hate relationship with Christmas. Because of the Roman Catholic influence over Christmas festivities (especially in England at that time) he wasn’t a huge fan of it and went back and forth over encouraging his congregation to celebrate Christmas. In his sermon called “The Birth of Christ” preached on December 24, 1854, he ended his sermon saying, Now a happy Christmas to you all; and it will be a happy Christmas if you have God with you. I shall say nothing to day against festivities on this great birthday of Christ. We will to-morrow think of Christ’s birthday; we shall be obliged to do it, I am sure, however sturdily we may hold to our rough Puritanism. And so, ‘let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavend bread of sincerity and truth.’ Do not feast as if you wished to keep the festival of Bacchus; do not live to-morrow as if you

By Pastor Karl Baker - Posted at Calvary Baptist Church: Should a Christian Celebrate Christmas? Having been a pastor for 30 years, from year to year I am confronted with the question of why are there Christians who do not celebrate or partake of the festivities of Christmas. It seems unimaginable that a professor in Jesus Christ could find fault with Christmas: an apparent unique opportunity to present the coming of our Lord into this world as it's Saviour. Why would anyone want to oppose the undeniable recognition given to Him by the world that he came to redeem? Could there be a negative aspect so strong as to override the tradition that could stir up an animosity against its observance from a true believer? To protest the commercialization or a worldly reveling and such like seem understandable, but to totally reject any association at all with the holiday seems to be unrealistic for any real Christian. Yet, there are those who don't just let December 25th pass

Posted at Reformation Scotland: There are not so many of 2016’s 8760 hours left. In a 24/7 world, time is a precious commodity. We live our lives by the clock, assessing how much time we have till the next item on the schedule. It’s a 24/7 world because to many, this life and this world is all that matters. Time is short but there is an eternal world to come. This makes time precious in an altogether different way. True wisdom compels us to measure our lives for our enduring benefit. As Moses shows, our lives are so short they can be compared to a single day (Psalm 90:6). Jacob lived longer than the oldest person now alive but he assessed his years as “few and evil” (Genesis 47:9). Andrew Gray gives valuable counsel on the benefit of measuring our days in order to know the brevity of time. He says that it would be desirable that “the thoughts of it were deeply engraven on our hearts, as with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond”. Thus, “they might rise with us in the morning

By Mark Loughridge - Posted at Gentle Reformation: 'Tis the season for baby Jesuses and mangers, wise men and shepherds, as people give a passing acknowledgement to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Carol services will be had, children perform their parts, and we will all go home will rosy cheeks and glad hearts, to mince pies and mulled wine, feeling suitably imbued with the Christmas spirit. This is Advent—marking the coming of the Son of God into the world. The problem is that it is the wrong Advent. I don’t mean simply that we have layered extra detail on top of the Bible’s story, or that we have likely picked the wrong time of the year—although all that is true—I mean that we have picked the wrong advent event. The word advent means ‘coming’. The Jesus whose arrival we ‘remember’ at Christmas is coming back. That’s the one we are told to be looking for, counting down to. It will be entirely unlike his first arrival. If you’ve missed the point of his first arrival, here’

By Leonardo Blair - Posted at The Christian Post : Just over a week before he resigned from Ligonier Ministries for "personal reasons," R.C. Sproul Jr., whose father Robert Charles Sproul founded the teaching fellowship ministry, was arrested in Indiana for driving under the influence with a minor in his vehicle. A summary of the charges against Sproul provided by the Indiana court system shows that he was charged on four counts on Nov. 29. Sproul was charge with two class A misdemeanors: operating a vehicle with alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, endangering a person. Under Indiana law both charges attract up to 365 days of jail time, probation for a year, and the suspension of a driver license for up to two years. Read more here. See also: Affidavit Says R.C. Sproul Jr. Drove Off Road, Unable to Walk After Drunk Driving Arrest With Children (Christian News Network) ‘Bad Beer or No Beer?’ R.C. Sprou

By Bojidar Marinov - Posted at Christendom Restored: It wasn’t until very recently that some Presbyterians in the US started re-discovering their rich history of involvement in the formation and the founding of America, as we know her today—or as is the common perception of what she was supposed to be, originally. That rich history of Presbyterian initiative, involvement, and leadership in the political and judicial battles for liberty and justice in America has been hidden beneath several generations of government education of millions of American schoolchildren, and those Presbyterians who have cut their addiction to government schools have begun to actually study history and discover the historical truth about Presbyterianism. The process of discovery of that truth has been both glorious and painful. Glorious, because we have been learning that Presbyterianism has been a much weightier factor in the formation and the founding of the United States as a nation, polity, economic

By Heather Clark - Posted at Christian News Network: WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill this week that aims to give the White House and State Department improved tools to address religious persecution worldwide. The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act had been introduced in the House last year by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and then in the Senate this year by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. The bi-partisan-backed bill first passed the House in May and then came before the Senate this month, where it passed unanimously. It is named after former Congressman Frank Wolf, who first helmed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998, and is stated to expand upon his work. Read more here.

Posted at Voice of the Persecuted: RAISE YOUR VOICE An American pastor, Andrew Brunson, has been falsely charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization.” Turkey has imprisoned this American pastor without any evidence. He has been a Christian pastor in Turkey for the past 23 years. We are representing the family of this American Pastor who is facing grave danger in a Turkish prison where he is being held simply because of his Christian beliefs. The government of Turkey – led by an Islamic party – has begun increased crackdowns on Christians, and Pastor Andrew, if convicted, may face years in prison based on extremely serious – and false – charges. We are launching a global campaign to call attention to his plight demanding that Turkey – a NATO member – release Pastor Andrew without delay. Pastor Andrew Brunson – a U.S. citizen from Black Mountain, North Carolina – was summoned to the local police station in Izmir, Turkey on the morning of October 7, 2016. He believed

By Heather Clark - Posted at Christian News Network: The board of the organization GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment), which includes the brother and uncle of Tullian Tchividijan, as well as the son of Ronald Reagan, has released a statement of grief over Tchividijan’s sexual misconduct and is urging churches to implement reformation to protect against “wolves” in their midst. “The GRACE board is deeply disturbed about the revelations of sexual misconduct by Tullian Tchividjian. As an organization that deals with the abuse of God’s lambs and the damage silence causes, we feel compelled to speak,” the statement reads. As previously reported , Tchividijan, the grandson of Billy Graham, resigned from his role as pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, formerly led by the late D. James Kennedy, in June of last year after admitting to having an affair with a church member. However, Tchividijan stated that he had fallen into an inappropriate relationship in

By Barry York - Posted at Gentle Reformation : Theologians like to speak of the distinction between the invisible church and the visible church. The invisible church “consists of the whole number of the elect” ( WCF 25.1 ), meaning all true Christians. The visible church “consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion” ( WCF 25.2 ), or in other words all those who are baptized and in Christian congregations. Every local congregation is part of the visible church, for it is the church that the world sees. Yet I wonder if in our day and age the church may be too visible? Churches today seem to be vying to be THE ONE SEEN. Almost every community in our land now has one or more churches with a huge megaplex campus that rivals the local mall, with signs all over pointing to it. Given the slick advertisements in magazines, newspaper inserts, radio, television, etc., the promotional line in many congregational budgets must equal, oh let’s say, the salary of

Posted at BrentDetwiler.com: Tom Chantry was investigated for a year and then arrested and jailed on July 25, 2016. He posted bond on August 10 in the amount of $100,000 and was released. The story of his arrest was first reported on November 26 by The Daily Courier in Arizona. It was republished on Monday, December 5. That is when Todd Wilhelm at Thou Art the Man brought it to my attention. He wrote about it the same day and I wrote about it the next day. The news went viral in evangelical and Reformed circles having been concealed for the past four months. Thank God. As a result, Miller Valley Baptist Church, where the alleged crimes took place, put out a statement on their website on Wednesday confirming the newspaper account that multiple families were affected. Though law enforcement was contacted, it doesn’t appear the church was told about Chantry until this week. It said in part, “For those who have seen our church’s name attached to Tom Chantry who was r

Posted at GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) : But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart. I recall investigating a particular mission field where a missionary had admitted to sexually victimizing a young daughter of another missionary. The field leadership called a meeting of the missionaries and informed them of the abuse and then gave them strict instructions never to mention the matter again. They were even warned that further discussion would be considered “gossip” and would subject them to discipline. Because of the admonition to be silent, many of these missionary parents never asked their children whether this perpetrator had also abused them. It was not until years later that some of these parents learned for the first time that their children had also been victimized. This heartbreaking silence protected a perpetrator while at the same time robbed these abuse survivors of years of counseling a

Posted at Reformation Scotland: Many people pray and long for revival. But what do we mean by it? Perhaps this is assumed to be rather obvious. It is a special outpouring of God’s blessing when His people are spiritually renewed and many others are converted. Revival includes this but it is in fact much more besides. In its totality, it is a deepening and strengthening of God’s whole work not just in the lives of individuals. But what do we mean by God’s whole work? John King (d. 1679) answers this vital question in a sermon on Habbakkuk 3:2 about God reviving His work. He observes that there are times when God’s work may be near ruin but not quite ruined. The church and people of God may not only be near ruin but may experience much deadness on their spirits. This may be true and yet we may not have a true sense of it. All of us need to pray for reviving. This condition may continue for years, or a considerable time. This is why Habbakkuk prays for revival “in the midst of the ye

By Jordan Standridge - Posted at The Cripplegate: I have never been persecuted. Not really. Sure I’ve been called names, but my bank account and my health have not been affected in any way for being a Christian. I recently did an informal (and most definitely unscientific) survey, asking people who they thought was the most mature Christian. Although I got many different answers, there was a trend. Most people pointed to someone who had suffered severe trials or even died for their faith. It does seem that those who have been persecuted are more mature. They seem to evangelize more, to say no to sin more often and to be an encouragement to those around them. Perhaps persecution is coming for all of us, but as of right now we just don’t know too many Christians who are facing persecution. We hear of the bakers, florists and millionaires on TV losing businesses and TV shows, but we have a long way to go to experience what the “others” in Hebrews 11:36-38 who were even sawn in

Posted at BrentDetwiler.com: Tom Chantry is a nationally recognized Reformed Baptist pastor and one of the men who has publicly opposed me and attacked me for exposing the conspiracy to commit and cover up the sexual abuse of children in Sovereign Grace Ministries, etc. The story of his arrest for child molestation broke on November 26 and it was republished yesterday by The Daily Courier in Prescott, Arizona where he used to pastor and committed the alleged crimes. He now pastors at Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Hales Corners, Wisconsin in Milwaukee County. I am not surprised by his arrest based upon my interactions with him. You can easily access his court case at this link . Just type in his name, Thomas Chantry and click search. That will take you to another page where you click the case number (J-1303-CF-2016000671). That will take you to his case information. There you will see five counts for the “molestation of child” and two counts for “aggravated assau

Posted at Jenny's Stool: He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.   – Luke 17:1-2 Forgive me if I don’t articulate my thoughts perfectly today, but I’m angry. To be blunt, you should be angry, too. The fact that I’m even writing the following four words should make all of us very, very angry, Church. Here we are again. Again the usual suspects are following standard damage control procedure. The Celebrity Pastors Club, the ones with a platform and a voice and a mic, are either mute or wagging their fingers with the usual “Let’s not rush to judgment” scold. Wringing their hands over the Twitter Trial that’s sure to come, the clergy class are circlin’ the wagons and hinting that the victims are untrustworthy. Read more...

By Rev. Dr. Joe Renfro - Posted at The Christian Observer: Rudyard Kipling, who received the Nobel Prize in 1907, the first Englishman to receive that prize, believed very much in spreading justice, adherence to the law, and Christian enlightenment in faraway lands. His slogan for learning was: “I keep six honest serving men, they taught me all I knew: Their names are WHAT and WHY and WHEN and HOW, and WHERE, and WHO.” (The New Learning Revolution, Network Educational Press, Ltd, p. 192) But sad to say, honesty is often presented from the left as a slanted half-truth or not truth at all, but it has become the motivation of demonstrations to spread their cause all over our nation, and much of this relates to the educational establishment, since often our schools are educating for revolution rather than really seeking a revolution in education. Many are watching the demonstrations by students from elementary school through college, contesting the election of our new president wh

By Amy Spreeman - Posted at Berean Research: Let’s cut right to the chase: Are there heresies in The Shack? Yes. Scroll down. There are more than a dozen of them. Movies about God always make big bucks at the box office, and the film adaptation of The Shack will more than likely be a top ticket seller when it hits the big screen. Now the official trailer is out, and the emotional impact in just this two minute clip already seals the deal that this film will be a blockbuster. The film hits Theaters March 3, 2017. I can already imagine The Shack Bible studies, sermon series and of course the social media hype, not to mention busloads of small groups fellowshipping and praising “Papa” for another opportunity to share Jesus. But which Jesus? We know that the Jesus of the Bible is very different than the one author William P. Young wrote about in his mega-bestseller. Yes, I know it’s fiction. And I get that the story of forgiving a heinous, unspeakable crime against a child is

By Deidox Films Description: Do you experience risk and discomfort when sharing your faith? Meet Li Yang, a believer in China, where you can be beaten, jailed, or even killed for your faith in Jesus. Be inspired by Li’s courage to share, despite the risk, for he says, “Who can have victory over God? Nobody.” Link: https://youtu.be/eKanVzGTKUg

By James Griffiths - Posted at CNN: Newly-released satellite images show that North Korea's prison camp system, where detainees are subjected to forced labor, torture, starvation, rape and death, may be expanding. Up to 120,000 men, women and children are imprisoned in the gulags, known as "kwanliso" in Korean, according to the United Nations. Pyongyang officially denies that the camps exist, but multiple human rights groups have documented their ongoing operation via survivor testimony and satellite imagery. Read more here. HT: Sermon Audio