Christian Heritage News

 Posted at Morning Star News: Published September 29, 2023 Onslaught continues in southern part of state. ABUJA, Nigeria ( Morning Star News ) – Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists this week killed 15 Christians in Kaduna state, Nigeria, following the slaying of another one last week, sources said. The assailants on Wednesday (Sept. 27) attacked predominantly Christian Angwan Magaji village, Kauru County, killing three Christians, after attacking Kigam village on Tuesday, where three others were slain, said Abel Habila Adamu, an area community leader. The terrorists also wounded four others in the two villages, he said. 'We are saddened to inform you with a heavy heart about a resurgence of attacks on Christians by the armed Fulani herdsmen and terrorists,' Adamu said in a text message to Morning Star News. 'Indeed, our land is bleeding, and the blood of innocent Christians cries profusely for justice.' Continue here. 

 By Amanda Casanova - Posted at Christian Headlines: Published September 26, 2023 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 persecution need a safe haven in the United States,' according to the report. Continue here. 

 By John Stonestreet and Shane Morris Published September 27, 2023 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 encounter at age 11: “I think it really destroyed my brain and I feel incredibly devastated that I was exposed to so much porn,” she said. The things she saw on screen gave her nightmares and led to her

  Home education has been illegal in Germany for more than a century, while private religious schools, which are often costly, must utilize state-mandated curriculum from the areas in which they are located. Image: Home School Legal Defense Association (The Sentinel). By Ben Zeisloft - Posted at The Sentinel: Published September 25, 2023 The Romeikes, an evangelical Christian family, were recently told that their asylum status had been revoked and that the family has four weeks to apply for German passports so they can be deported. American officials abruptly informed an evangelical Christian family from Germany, who fled their nation one decade ago because they desired to homeschool their children, that their current asylum status has been revoked. Uwe and Hannelore Romeike obtained “indefinite deferred action” asylum status in 2013 after nationwide pressure toward the Obama administration, thereby permitting them to homeschool their children. The couple were recently told that their

 By Samantha Kamman - Posted at The Christian Post: An organization that advocates for a safe media environment for children is warning parents about a Netflix series that shows youth in sexual situations, as well as pornographic imagery. The Parents and Television Media Council has been raising awareness about the Netflix series “ Sex Education ” since the first season aired in 2019. The series tells the story of a socially awkward high school boy who sets up an underground sex therapy clinic for his classmates. The show has entered its final season this year, which PTC Vice President Melissa Henson hopes is a sign that the series is ending due to waning audience interest or no interest at all. Even though she doubts Netflix will develop a sequel series to “Sex Education,” Henson has raised concerns that shows like this one represent a “troubling pattern” of Netflix putting out content that depicts minors in highly sexualized situations. Continue here.

 By Ryan Denison - Posted at Denison Forum: 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 equipped, refreshed, and inspired as you hear from leading communicators on topics that speak to your heart, soul, and mind,” adding that “no matter what theological stance

By Michael Gryboski - Posted at The Christian Post: Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas has introduced legislation to repeal a federal law that has been used to prosecute abortion clinic protesters and those accused of vandalizing crisis pregnancy centers. Roy introduced the bill Tuesday meant to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, with Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah introducing companion legislation in the upper house of Congress. In an announcement , Roy argues that the FACE Act, enacted in the mid-1990s, has been used by the Biden administration to target pro-life activists peacefully demonstrating against abortion. The law makes it a federal crime to block or use intimidation to prevent people from receiving an abortion or reproductive health services. "Biden's Department of Justice has brazenly weaponized the FACE Act against normal, everyday Americans across the political spectrum, simply because they are pro-life," stated Roy. Continue here.

The penultimate “Together for the Gospel” conference in 2020 in Louisville, Ky.  (Together for the Gospel Coalition) Image Source: Chronicles  By Stephen Wolfe - Posted at Chronicles: I converted to Christ in the year 2000, leaving behind my atheistic contrarianism. I entered American Protestantism completely unaware that something unique was occurring. In the 1980s, Calvinism reemerged as a potent intellectual force in evangelicalism, spearheaded by Baptists John Piper and John MacArthur and Presbyterian R. C. Sproul. In the early 2000s, young Gen X seminary graduates and writers who were influenced by these men became a movement known as the Young, Restless, and Reformed (YRR). New personalities and publishers emerged, and megachurches were formed. Centered on Calvinistic doctrines of salvation, these Baby Boomers and Gen X Calvinists achieved a good deal of theological unity. Their cross- and intra-generational unity was most evident in the Together for the Gospel conferences (T4G),

 By Bill Muehlenberg - Posted at Culture Watch: Published September 19, 2023 The prophets have a few choice words for these females: OK, I used to have a housewife. Yes, she did work outside of the home for many years, but she was also and primarily a very wonderful and loving housewife and mother. She would still be a terrific housewife today, were it not for the fact that she recently passed away. She was a superstar in every way. And yet she never made it onto any reality television programs. Nor would she wanted to have done so. I refer of course to those ubiquitous and utterly deplorable shows that start with the words, “The Real Housewives of…”. It seems that just about every major city in the West now has their own version of the show, and Australia has not been exempt from this. For those in the know, one well-known scene from one of these shows featuring an irate woman in a big fight has been turned into a massively successful meme, including with her arguing with Smudge the c

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert speaking with attendees at the 2021 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Gage Skidmore (Source:  MAGA's Morality Problem | Shane Vander Hart )  By Shane Vander Hart When a voting base dismisses the importance of private virtue, we shouldn't be surprised when their leaders lack it. Elected officials having affairs and the like is not new, we've seen Republicans and Democrats caught in scandals. What is new, however, are those being dismissive or defensive of the behavior. Does personal morality and character matter when considering political candidates and elected officials? For me, for me that is an unequivocal yes. The MAGA movement disagreed excusing and elevating a serial adulterer to the White House. We are seeing the fruit of this position today. Continue here.

 By Dr. Ryan Denison - Posted at the Denison Forum: Published September 15, 2023 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 likely agreed to exchange munitions (from North Korea) for access to satellite and missile technology (from Russia), in violation of all manner of international sanctions.” Such an exchange is not unprecedented, but it would m

Posted at Morning Star News: Published September 13, 2023 Fulani herdsmen and others massacre 10 on Sunday. ABUJA, Nigeria ( Morning Star News ) – Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists on Sunday (Sept. 10) killed 10 Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria, where 27 others were slain in August, sources said. The terrorists attacked Kulben village, Mangu County, at about 8:40 p.m., an area resident said. “Armed Fulani herdsmen alongside terrorists attacked Kulben community, killing 10 Christians, and injured one other Christian villager,” Yitmwadi Raymond told Morning Star News in a text message. On Aug. 14 in Riyom County, herdsmen and others attacked a community high school in Kwi village, killing two Christian teachers, Rwang Danladi and his wife Sandra Danladi of BECO Comprehensive School, and injuring two other Christian staff members, said Jeremiah Nyam, a resident of the area. “They were in the school teaching their students when armed Fulani herdsmen shot and killed them,” Nyam said

 By Bill Muehlenberg - Posted at CultureWatch: Published September 12, 2023 Good news about rogue rulers and evil tyrants: A major problem we have as mere fallen and finite creatures is that we lack perspective. We do not see the big picture and we do not consider the long term. Christians can be just as guilty of this as non-Christians. We can too easily become overwhelmed by events going on around us. This can especially be true regarding wicked rulers and evil nations. I have been around for a while now, and I recall worrying greatly about things like the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc. Communism seemed to be the wave of the future back then. But of course the wall came down in 1989, and over seven decades of godless Communist rule came to an end – at least in that part of the world. And many empires have come and gone over the centuries, be they the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Romans, and so on. Yet when we see powerful and evil nations today, it still can seem like they are

 By Sean Davis - Posted at The Federalist: Everyone came together in the days after the attacks, but in hindsight 9/11 looks like the moment when everything started to fall apart. Was 9/11 the beginning of the end for America? In the 22 years since the attacks, I’ve begun to worry that the answer to that question is “yes.” It spawned the worst and most destructive foreign policy in the country’s history. The government response to 9/11 birthed the constitutional abomination that is the modern warrantless surveillance state. The Patriot Act enabled the government to weaponize its vast resources against its own people. Bush’s failed foreign policy led directly to Obama’s presidency, and indirectly to Biden’s, both of which are responsible for diminishing the U.S. at home and abroad, militarily and economically. After two failed forever wars that wouldn’t have happened without 9/11, our government is now desperately trying to foment a potentially nuclear forever war against Russia. Meanwh

Tribute in Light, two vertical columns of light representing the fallen towers of the World Trade Center shine against the lower Manhattan skyline on the 19th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, seen from Jersey City, N.J., Friday, Sept. 11, 2020.  (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)  By Dr. Jim Denison - Posted at the Denison Forum: 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 t

Deevers said that there exists considerable precedent for pastors venturing into the political realm, especially during times of national crisis.  (Image: Dusty Deevers. - Source: The Sentinel )  By Ben Zeisloft - Posted at The Sentinel: Published September 5, 2023 Dusty Deevers said in an interview with The Sentinel that his church asked him to occupy his ministerial role as he pursues a civil role amid state and federal tyranny. Rarely does a campaign advertisement for a state Senate race draw significant viewership on social media. But when Dusty Deevers announced his run for the Oklahoma Senate, his launch video went viral because he revealed that he would serve as a lawmaker even as he continues his work as a pastor. Deevers said in an interview with  The Sentinel  that his church asked him to occupy both roles as state and federal tyranny threatens their flourishing as a community.   Deevers currently serves alongside a plurality of elders as a bivocational minister at Grace Com

 By Samantha Kamman - Posted at The Christian Post: A North Carolina education board recently joined around 200 school districts nationwide in filing a lawsuit against leading social media giants, accusing the companies of fueling a youth mental health crisis in the United States. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education is the latest to file a suit against Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) Google (owner of YouTube), ByteDance (owner of TikTok) and Snap Inc. (owner of Snapchat) due to concerns about students' mental health. As WCNC reported Monday, the board filed the lawsuit late last month and is represented by attorney Philip Federico. Federico said the goal of the litigation is to convince the companies to change how they operate their businesses, arguing that there is a "healthy" way to run their platforms that is not "addictive." The board filed the lawsuit as it struggles with providing mental health resources to students "amid rising rates

Blurring the lines between the sexes may be popular practice, but it is not biblical. Now more than ever, society is in need of the kind of men and women who are unashamed to live out their roles to the glory of God.  [Sentinel] File Image.  By Zachary Conover - Posted at The Sentinel: Males and females are not mirror images. The Bible presents to us a complementary view of the sexes which the created order attests. God’s Word governs the entire world, including the roles of men and women. This government extends to the roles of men and women in the family, church, and civil spheres. God’s creatures do not assign to themselves their value or their function. He is the one who establishes the boundaries and sets the terms of their relationship to him and to one another in a fallen world. Our first parents were created to correspond to each other, implying that they are functionally different. Males and females are not mirror images. The Bible presents to us a complementary view of the se

 Posted at Morning Star News: Published September 4, 2023 Assailants ordered him to recite Islamic profession of faith. LAHORE, Pakistan ( Morning Star News ) – A pastor was shot and wounded by hardline Muslims on Sunday evening (Sept. 3) in Jaranwala, Pakistan a week after Islamist slogans were written on the walls of his church building, sources said. The Rev. Eleazar Sidhu, pastor of a Presbyterian church in Kukranwala village in the Khanuwana area of Jaranwala tehsil, Faisalabad District, said the assailants ordered him to recite the Islamic creed before shooting him. He was returning home to Rehmat Town with an assistant after pastoral visits to church members when two bearded men stopped his motorcycle near the Khanuwana bus stop, he said. “One of the attackers pulled out a pistol and asked me to recite the Islamic Kalima, [profession of faith],” Pastor Sidhu stated in the First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Saddar Police Station in Jaranwala. “When I refused and instead

Flag of Finland (Source:  Finland - Wikipedia ) By Anugrah Kumar - Posted at The Christian Post: Published September 2, 2023 Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen, acquitted more than a year ago after being prosecuted for voicing her traditional Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality, is back in court, facing charges of "hate speech." Räsänen, a parliamentarian with over 25 years of service, and Bishop Juhana Pohjola arrived at the Helsinki Court of Appeal this week to face the prosecution's appeal of their acquittal, said the human rights group ADF International, which is supporting the case. "Everyone should be able to share their beliefs without fearing censorship by state authorities. With God's help, I will remain steadfast," Räsänen told her supporters. The prosecution kicked off the proceedings with arguments against the defendants, focusing on a booklet written by Räsänen nearly two decades ago and stating that the content was "in

 By Haddy Fir - Posted at Insider Corner: Elon Musk’s platform, X , has revealed plans to collect “biometric information” from users as part of a new security feature within its premium subscription plan, priced at $8 per month. Formerly known as Twitter, the platform sent notifications to users on Wednesday, urging them to review the updated policy, effective from September 29. The revised policy includes explicit details about the collection of personal data, including employment history. With user consent, the privacy policy explains that “we may collect and utilize your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes.” Additionally, the policy outlines X’s potential use of personal data such as job history, education background, job preferences, skills, job search activity, and interactions. This information could be used to suggest job opportunities, share data with potential employers during job applications, help employers find suitable candidates, and d