Displaying items by tag: Religion

Friday, 12 May 2023 10:13

60,000+ reached for Christ

A surprising surge of faith continues to spread among America's young people. It led to what some are calling the largest campus outreach event ever when 60,000+ students filled the University of Oklahoma's football stadium for worship and evangelism. The ‘Fill the Stadium’ event began when a graduating senior prayed a simple prayer: ‘God, what's next?’ The event sold out within days of its announcement. CBN News travelled to Oklahoma City to hear the sound of spiritual awakening rising in ‘The Cinderella City’. Students rallied for a time of worship with Kari Jobe and Chandler Moore, coupled with a concert from hip hop star Chance the Rapper. It won’t end here; this is the beginning. Many people are turning to Jesus and getting connected into small groups, campus ministries and churches. They will become disciples who multiply.

Published in Praise Reports

Christians across Britain have been given a call to action over plans by the channel island of Jersey to legalise assisted dying. Approved in principle by Jersey politicians in 2021, the move would involve allowing some terminally ill adults to die with medical supervision. ‘For Christians listening across the British Isles, this is something that should concern us and to be engaged with’, commented James Somerville-Meikle, a spokesperson for the Catholic Union. Although the island of Jersey is not part of the United Kingdom, it would be the first place in the British Isles to legalise assisted suicide. A public consultation has revealed that people do not want to see medical professionals or care homes forced to facilitate killing patients.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 12 May 2023 09:52

Ukraine: hope amidst muddled messages

Whole towns flattened into fields of dirt, brick, and branches. People emerge from underground shelters to search for food and relief supplies. One country sent tanks. One country didn’t. Russia is winning. No, Ukraine is winning. Reports coming out of Ukraine are muddled. Different narratives spotlight different elements of the war. Yet the ones who feel forgotten are the Ukrainian families huddled in basements. The local churches are stepping up with aid to places where news cameras won’t go. The Holy Spirit is sending believers with the hope and help of Jesus Christ. Pray for more Christians to arise as messengers of His hope to the hopeless. Ask God to strengthen the Church as it becomes the hands and feet of Jesus, meeting physical and spiritual needs. Pray for increased opportunities for Ukrainians to discover and follow Christ.

Published in Europe

500+ churches across Texas have left the United Methodist denomination, feeling it necessary for moving forward after it adopted an LGBTQ-friendly ideology, shown for example by the election of a second openly gay bishop in November 2022. A Houston pastor said, ‘I believe what scripture clearly teaches that human sexuality is a gift from God, reserved for a man and a woman in a monogamous marriage. That belief is not being upheld.’ Over 1,800 US churches have left since 2019 and joined the new theologically conservative Global Methodist denomination launched in 2022. Methodist churches in Bulgaria and Slovakia have also voted to do so. They have begun operations of an annual conference in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines. Also the United Methodists permit other beliefs about Jesus, allowing pastors to proclaim that Jesus might not be the only way of salvation.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 04 May 2023 22:33

Through God all things are possible

Country singing legend Dolly Parton recently said she always asks God to bless everything and everyone with whom she works, heralding the importance faith plays in her daily life. ‘My faith impacts everything that I do because I do believe that, through God, all things are possible. And I always ask God to bless everything that I do and the people that I work with and to bring all the right things and right people into my life and to take the wrong ones out.’ 

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 04 May 2023 22:29

Miraculously healed on live Zoom call

When a woman’s horse fell on her, the entire right side of her body couldn’t move. That night she felt a conviction to turn on Apostle Kathryn Krick’s live Zoom call. During the zoom ministry meeting she was calling on the name of Jesus and thought she had died and gone to heaven. ‘I could not move, I was paralysed, I couldn’t even move my arm. I was completely still and something was going on in my body. It was excruciating pain. And then God just healed my body.’ She was healed from her terrible injury. ‘As God took me up to the heavens, I thought I was no longer here in the earthly realm. I woke up, I could move.’

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 04 May 2023 21:44

Israel: ‘One Million March’

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Jerusalem in a show of support for the controversial judicial overhaul plan by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Local media estimated that the event, which organisers had dubbed ‘The One Million March’, drew only about 80,000 people. It was sponsored by the Premier’s conservative Likud Party and its far-right coalition ally Otzma Yehudit faction. Among many who chanted ‘The people want judicial reform’ was justice minister Yariv Levin, who spearheaded the push for the overhaul. The nation has been gripped by unprecedented nationwide demonstrations against the deeply divisive plan since its unveiling 16 weeks ago. Mr Levin told demonstrators that ‘more and more people understand the need for the legislation. We are in an unusual situation. There is an atmosphere where people try to paint a picture of the elected government not representing the people. Today we are protesting to show that it does.’

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 04 May 2023 21:40

Micronesia: tug of war

The Pacific nation of Micronesia, with 100,000 people in 607 islands, is currently caught in a political tug of war. Its location makes it a key vantage point for foreign policy. Beijing hopes to gain influence in an area of strategic importance. Yet more important than its earthly political state is the eternal state of Micronesian souls. They largely identify as Christian but cultural influences appear in their religious practice, including animism, magic, narcotics, materialism, and ancestor worship. Nominalism is high among the protestant churches and there is much cronyism among the leadership. One estimate states that 99% of the pastors in Micronesia were appointed with no theological training. The Micronesian church has many challenges, including consumerism influences from America, high delinquency and suicide among the youth, Mormon missionary activity, and the low availability of Bible translations.

Published in Worldwide
Thursday, 27 April 2023 22:23

‘Bibles For the World’ helps church planters

Bibles For The World president John Pudaite was asked for a million Gospels of John to equip church-planters for their ministry in India. He offered first to bring 80,000 copies to a conference organised for church-planting leaders. 800 people serving on the frontlines of Gospel outreach came to the conference. When the Scriptures arrived, just in time for the last night of the conference, they were met with an enthusiastic response. ‘It was just amazing. 80,000 Gospels of John, about 100 per church planter, and they were snatched up literally in minutes’, said Pudaite. ‘They were so excited to be equipped in that way. We are working hard now to fulfil their requests for a million Gospels of John before the end of 2023.’

Published in Praise Reports
Thursday, 27 April 2023 22:19

Jewish and Christian leaders at Knesset

Jewish and Christian leaders representing fifteen nations gathered at Israel's parliament, the Knesset, to discuss how scripture says the law of the Lord will come out of Jerusalem. Micah 4:2 says, ‘For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’ Knesset members from the Netanyahu coalition and the opposition addressed the gathering. Ohad from the Religious Zionist Party said, ‘The Bible is the core of the base and the core of our identity and of all Western civilisations. We all need to strengthen and deepen our relation, connection and knowledge of the Bible.’ Michael from the opposition National Unity Party thanked others for their commitment to the state of Israel. Dr Ruth Plummer added, ‘Today was such an important time for the Knesset members, the rabbis and Christian leaders to study the word of God together in the capital, Jerusalem. It was just beautiful.’

Published in Praise Reports
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