Christian Heritage News

 Posted at Morning Star News: Published August 30, 2023 Kaduna state remains a hotbed of violence. ABUJA, Nigeria ( Morning Star News ) – Two Christians were kidnapped on Friday (Aug. 25) in Kaduna state, Nigeria, two days after gunmen described as terrorists killed a Baptist pastor in another area of the state, sources said. Terrorists on Friday night (Aug. 25) invaded the predominantly Christian community of Wusasa, Zaria, and kidnapped the two Christians, brothers Yusha’u Peter and Joshua Peter, staff members of St. Luke’s Anglican Hospital in Wusasa, a community leader in the area said. Isiyaku Ibrahim said the brothers were abducted at about 9 p.m. by “terrorists.” “This is coming not long after the father of the two victims was also kidnapped and taken into captivity by the terrorists,” Ibrahim told Morning Star News in a text message. “The terrorists have so often made our area their target of attacks and abductions of our people. In fact, recently two Christians in our communit

By Marissa Postell Sullivan - Posted at Ministry Watch: Published August 29, 2023 Most American Protestant churchgoers accept the prosperity gospel belief that God wants them to prosper financially. Financial prosperity is a goal for many Americans, and most believe it’s God’s plan for them, too—but that they need to give a little more to ensure that blessing. According to a study from Lifeway Research , 52% of American Protestant churchgoers say their church teaches God will bless them if they give more money to their church and charities, with 24% strongly agreeing. This is up from 38% of churchgoers who agreed in a 2017 Lifeway Research study . Additionally, churchgoers are more likely today than in 2017 to believe God wants them to prosper financially (76% v. 69%) and that they have to do something for God in order to receive material blessings from Him (45% v. 26%). Today, 3 in 4 churchgoers (76%) believe God wants them to prosper financially, including 43% who strongly agree. Fe

 By Samantha Kamman - Posted at The Christian Post: A grandmother is suing a Virginia school district and a public defender for allegedly hiding her 14-year-old granddaughter's gender transition from her and advocating for the teen to be put in a group home, actions she claims resulted in the child falling into the hands of sex traffickers on two occasions. Michele Blair is the grandmother of a teenager identified in court documents as "Sage," a female teenager who previously identified as a male but has since transitioned back to identifying as a female. Blair, alongside her husband, has served as the minor girl's legal guardian since the child was 2 following her father's death. Sage reportedly had a history of mental health issues due to childhood trauma, and as she began experiencing puberty in 2019, the girl started feeling distressed about her body. According to a complaint Blair filed in federal court last week, the granddaughter began identifying as a boy

Christians in Sharda Nagar, Madhya Pradesh were distressed as Hindu extremists disrupted their house church worship.  (Morning Star News screenshot)  Posted at Morning Star News: Notices have chilling effect on worship gatherings. HYDERABAD, India, ( Morning Star News ) – Police in India have issued questionnaires to at least 40 churches in Indore, Madhya Pradesh state seeking information that Christians fear will be used by Hindu extremists to attack them, sources said. The questionnaires are intrusive and discriminatory, as they were sent only to Christians, church leaders said. “We contacted the police commissioner and told him that it is an unjust order and very discriminatory – why only Christians?” Indore Catholic Diocese Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal told local media. “The questions in the letter are also very suspicious. This is not in good spirit.” The 16-point questionnaire issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Information Centre of Indore, addressed to all police st

 By Kurt M. Wagner - Posted at American Reformer: Published July 19, 2023 How to Win Over Baptists and Save the Country I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” -Ephesians 4:1-7 (ESV) “…called to be saints…” -Romans 1:7, I Corinthians 1:2 Introduction Much of the recent confusion and noise around the debate over Christian involvement in politics and culture within evangelical Protestant circles stems from a disregard or a forgetting of the traditional teaching of Christian calling, o

 By Dr. Peter Jones - Posted at Truthxchange: Many sociologists now speak about the arrival of the post-Christian era in both America and the West in general. Way back in 1976, Newsweek Magazine spoke of “the year of the evangelical.” But church attendance is down in America. Young people abandon any semblance of their childhood faith as soon as they set foot in a university. This is a great concern in our churches. The Wall Street Journal recently published an analysis of national sentiment over the past 25 years on: · Religion: 62% in 1998 vs 39% today. · Having kids : 59% in 1998 vs 30% today. · Community involvement: 47% in 1998 vs 27% today. · Patriotism: 70% in 1998 vs 38% today.[1] · The number of weddings: 40% lower in 2000 than in 1970 Star Parker, a black Christian intellectual gives similar figures and sees the sign of a “nation committing suicide.”[2] While 20th century unbelief was atheistic, religiosity is now everywhere, as astrology a

By Pastor Andrew Brunson - Posted at YouTube: Description: Although persecution has been the norm for faithful believers throughout history, many Christians believe this cannot happen in America. But in a culture that is increasingly intolerant of those who identify with Jesus and His teachings, now is the time to prepare. Presented by  Family Research Council Direct Link:  Prepare to Stand Session 1 - Recognize the Danger - YouTube Link to articles about Pastor Brunson: Christian Heritage News: Pastor Andrew Brunson 

Home of Rafaqat Masih burned in rioting that began Aug. 16, 2023 in Christian Town, Jaranwala, Pakistan. ( Morning Star News )  Posted at Morning Star News: Published August 22, 2023 LAHORE, Pakistan ( Morning Star News ) – Police in Pakistan on Saturday night (Aug. 19) charged a Christian with blasphemy for uploading on TikTok a video of content that last week led to attacks on Christian homes and businesses in Jaranwala more than 100 kilometers away, sources said. Tensions flared over the weekend in 186/9-L village, Sahiwal, Punjab Province when members of Islamist extremist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan called for protests against the alleged blasphemy after the TikTok post by 27-year-old Ehsaan Shan Masih went viral. “A major crisis was averted due to timely action by the police, otherwise the entire Christian community of Sahiwal was in a state of perpetual fear since Saturday afternoon,” Bishop Abraham Daniel of the Sahiwal Baptist Church told Morning Star News. Continue here.

Burned houses are seen adjacent of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, on Waine Street, in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii, on August 11, 2023. A wildfire that left Lahaina in charred ruins has killed at least 99 people, authorities said, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the U.S. state's history. Brushfires on Maui, fueled by high winds from Hurricane Dora passing to the south of Hawaii, broke out August 8 and rapidly engulfed Lahaina. | PAULA RAMON/AFP via Getty Images Image Source:   U.S. News (christianpost.com)  By Michael Gryboski - Posted at The Christian Post: Published August 21, 2023 More than 1,000 people are reportedly still missing in Maui due to the ongoing wildfires, with local officials recently placing the confirmed death toll at 114. In comments given to CBS News’ “ Face the Nation ” on Sunday, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green estimated that at least 1,000 people were missing in Maui, with rescue operations ongoing. “More than 1000 are una

 By Tom Strode - Posted at Baptist Press: Published April 12, 2023 NASHVILLE (BP) – The COVID-19 pandemic provided challenges to the religious liberty of Americans and their churches, but court rulings during the crisis actually affirmed the First Amendment’s protection of the free exercise of religion. Beginning in March 2020, most Southern Baptist churches and other religious bodies throughout the United States canceled in-person worship gatherings in cooperation with public officials to help prevent the spread of the virus. Some state and local governments adopted reopening restrictions, however, that treated churches and other religious groups less favorably than secular organizations such as businesses. The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and other religious freedom advocates objected to the disparate treatment, and, ultimately, the US Supreme Court and lower courts issued opinions rejecting the unequal policies. In hindsight, events during the pa

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms : Published August 15, 2023 Last week we discussed some periphery issues surrounding the Bible and extra-terrestrials. I want to expand today a little on one of those as well as to speak concerning a particular argument some evangelical Christians make for the existence of intelligent life on other planets. While not every subject we judge during this series will receive two posts, I think it important as we start out to establish a pattern of how and why we should be taking up what may seem like a frivolity. God in His graciousness has provided both a book of nature and a book of Scripture which each in their own way declare His glory. (Ps. 19:1,7). We cannot neglect either when considering this matter. Throughout as we begin to look at things like fairies, mermaids, and other human-like creatures there are going to be questions around the commonplace presence of them in cultures both far and wide. It is not unheard of

 By Samantha Kamman - Posted at The Christian Post: A California school district has enacted a policy requiring staff to inform parents if their child requests to identify as the opposite sex on the heels of violent threats that resulted in an arrest over a similar policy at another district in the state. The Murrieta Valley Unified School District heard comments from people on both sides of the debate about whether schools should inform parents if their child expresses a desire to identify as trans or non-binary. In a 3-2 vote following a meeting last Thursday, the board passed the proposal submitted by board President Paul F. Diffley III and clerk Nicolas Pardue. The policy requires staff to notify parents within three days after becoming aware of a student’s request to be treated as a member of the opposite sex. Staff must also notify parents if the student is using a bathroom or playing on an athletic team that does not align with their biological sex, and they must notify parent

 By Diana Chandler - Posted at Baptist Press: ATLANTA (BP) — Senior adults suffered the largest increase in suicides as nearly 50,000 Americans killed themselves in 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its latest report . The 8 percent rise in suicides among adults 65 and older was the highest driver in suicide deaths, the CDC said, with 10,433 deaths in that age group alone. That’s compared to 9,652 adults over 65 who killed themselves the previous year. Suicide declined 8.4 percent among the youngest Americans the CDC tracks – ages 10-24 – falling from 7,126 to 6,529. The number counters recent reports of an increase in mental health struggles among young adults, and a concurrent call for ministry to address mental health concerns among millennials and Gen Z . Continue here. See also: Suicide deaths reached record high in 2022: CDC | U.S. News (christianpost.com) Depression and Older Adults | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)

 By Wes Bredenhof Artificial Intelligence websites are all the rage. The other day I came across a news story about an AI Jesus. The mainstream media picked up on this website and found it rather quirky. I checked it out so you don’t have to. I’m not even going to provide a link. Really, please don’t bother looking it up. I can report that it is an absolute waste of time. Besides that, it’s also exceedingly sacrilegious, even blasphemous. What did I observe? There’s a video screen with a picture of someone who is supposed to be Jesus. He looks like the typical Western (mis-)representation of what Jesus is thought to have looked like. Users input questions for “Jesus” on a side panel and then this animation answers them. This runs 24/7. The questions are mostly stupid, vulgar, and juvenile. Many of them have to do with bodily functions. Other questions are designed to get this AI to say ridiculous or perverted things. The AI obliges, providing netizens with a non-stop source

 By Al Baker - Posted at Forget None of His Benefits: May he also rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. . . And let all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him. -Psalm 72:8-11 The battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest, most gruesome battles of World War II. The victory at Okinawa was also crucial for the United States. Once the U.S. Tenth Army landed on April 1, 1945, though the battle lasted nearly three months (ending on June 22) and though the U.S. suffered 50,000 combat casualties, including 12,500 killed or missing in action, the victory at Okinawa was merely a matter of time. The Tenth army was 541,000 strong while the Japanese 32nd army had 76,000 men and 40,000 Okinawan conscripts. The war of attrition would eventually favor the U.S. and the land the U.S. needed so badly in order to plan their invasion of Japan, was taken one yard at a time. Until Christ’s first

 By Timothy Cockes - Posted at Baptist Press: LOS ANGELES (BP) – Several disability advocacy organizations have filed a lawsuit asking California’s End of Life Option Act (EOLOA), a law related to medically assisted suicide, to be declared “unlawful and unconstitutional.” The organizations believe the EOLOA , a seven-year-old law that was updated in 2021, violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and fails to provide equal protection under the law as outlined in the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The updated law reduced to 48 hours the required waiting period between the first and second doses of lethal medications sought by terminally ill patients. Advocates for people with disabilities say the law violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because those with a terminal diagnosis are considered disabled. A release from the advocacy groups states the EOLOA law is purposefully unregulated by any entity in California and that state officials and agencies operate under a sy

Posted at:   El Roi Haiti  Published August 9, 2023 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child who were held hostage in Port au Prince, Haiti. Today we are praising God for answered prayer! We are so thankful for everyone who joined us in prayer and supported us during this crisis. “El Roi” is a Hebrew name of the God of the Bible that means “the God who sees.” It is with that vision that we now rest upon God’s truth that, “In his kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation” (1 Peter 5:10). We praise God that He has proven Himself faithful as He restores, supports, and strengthens Alix and her family, the

Image Source:  Artificial intelligence - Wikipedia  By Samantha Kaman - Posted at The Christian Post: Artificial intelligence has made it easier for predators to sexually abuse children and harder for law enforcement agencies to hold these bad actors accountable, according to a recent report. Britain’s top law enforcement agency, the National Crime Agency, warned that there are between 680 to 830,000 adults in the United Kingdom that pose a sexual risk to children. NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said in a recent speech that the agency highlighted how the number is “roughly 10 times the prison population” and noted that it illustrates the dangers of the internet. Due to the internet, sexual predators can easily access or share videos and images of child sexual abuse, and now, with AI, NCA has started seeing hyper-realistic images and videos of this type of content. “The use of AI for child sexual abuse will make it harder for us to identify real children who need protecting and fur

By Chris Rosebrough - Posted at The Lutheran Witness: Published August 1, 2023 Whether you realize it or not, you have been exposed to the prosperity gospel. Its core doctrines saturate most, if not all, of the charismatic churches of our day. Its teachings are broadcast across the globe via television and the internet, and it is the central teaching of a significant number of today’s most well-known American preachers. The purveyors of the prosperity gospel are known for their positive messages, optimism and opulent living. But there is a dark and sinister side to the prosperity gospel. Its roots are based in the Mind Science cults, and it promotes a false gospel that makes promises for God that He has not made and therefore is not bound to honor. This heresy has ruined the lives and shipwrecked the faith of countless numbers of people who have bought into the deceptions of the prosperity gospel. The prosperity gospel is another name for a teaching called The Word of Faith. The late

Jason Shenk  By Jessica Eturralde - Posted at Ministry Watch: Authorities are looking for a Georgia man they allege posed as a missionary and squandered at least half of the $33 million in funding he promised to use to produce and distribute Bibles and Christian literature in China. According to a federal indictment , authorities accuse Jason Shenk, 45, originally from Dublin, Georgia, of misusing millions of dollars in donations for personal use. A grand jury recently indicted him on 37 counts. The charges include money laundering, wire fraud, and failing to report a foreign bank account. The indictment says Shenk invested about $1 million of the donations in precious metals and diamonds, contributed $7 million to his family farm, purchased $4 million in 16 life insurance policies under different names, $850,000 in shares of a private U.S. nuclear company, $820,000 in credit card purchases, $320,000 in Chilean real estate, and $1 million in an online sports betting site. Continue here

By Dr. R. Scott Clark - Posted at The Heidelblog: Published August 2, 2023 The Religion News Service (RNS) reports , “Whitworth University, a Christian school affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has revised its policies to allow for the hiring of faculty who identify as LGBTQ and to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination statement.” The report adds that Whitworth is among a “sliver” of Christian colleges who have made the decision to hire “faculty in same-sex marriages.” Included in this list are Eastern University (American Baptist Churches USA) and, according to Vincent Funaro, writing for the Christian Post , “Goshen College in Indiana and Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia announced on Monday that they will now hire faculty who are in same-sex marriages.” Both schools are tied to the Mennonite Church USA. These moves have caused tensions with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. In 2017, all seven members of the faculty senate at Gord

 By Bill Muehlenberg - Posted at Culture Watch: Published August 2, 2023 "We need to persevere. The other side never gives up as they seek to overturn Western and Christian civilisation and remake it into to their own image. So we too need to get involved and stay involved and keep on fighting. And the arenas of engagement are many, be they in politics or the media or in education or the arts or in law or in writing articles and books or doing podcasts." ‘There’s some good in this world and it is worth fighting for’ While much of the West is caving in and going down the tubes in terms of the three big ticket items that I mention in my title, not everyone is so easily capitulating and selling out to the activists – including the rainbow radicals. Africa is a clear case in point. In numerous African nations the advancing homosexual juggernaut has been resisted and in some cases fully thwarted. In my eyes that is real good news, and it should encourage us in the West to keep sta

Image Source:  Christian aid worker and daughter kidnapped in Haiti | Baptist Press  Posted at El Roi Haiti: July 31, 2023 We are now entering day 5 since our dear friend, Alix, and her daughter were kidnapped from our El Roi Haiti ministry site near Port au Prince. We continue to work diligently with authorities and partners in the United States and Haiti to secure their freedom. Many people are laboring for their return, but currently we cannot share more specific details. We are so thankful for all of the support that has been shown. Please continue to pray with us for the protection and freedom of Alix and her daughter. As our hearts break for this situation, we also continue to pray for the country and people of Haiti and for freedom from the suffering they endure daily. Alix has been on staff with El Roi Haiti as a school nurse since 2020 and married our ministry director in 2021. She first visited Haiti soon after the 2010 earthquake while she was in college and fell in lo