Jerusalem Bishop: ‘There is a real escalation in anti-Christian violence’

Lucinda Borkett-Jones Christian Today Features Editor 22 June 2015

A Catholic bishop in Jerusalem has said the arson attack on an historic church near the Sea of Galilee last week is symptomatic of the growing threat of anti-Christian violence from extremist Jews.

Thursday’s attack on the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, in which two people were treated for smoke inhalation, is the second time the church has been targeted in the last 18 months. Last April an altar and a cross were also desecrated.

Bishop William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, told Aid to the Church in Need: “There is a real escalation in anti-Christian violence: from a small fire which leaves little damage, to a bigger fire, and finally to an arson attack which is intended to produce major damage and even killing,” he said, adding: “We are allowed to ask: What will come next?”

The bishop acknowledged that the violence was likely perpetrated by “a very small and aggressive group”.

(more…)

Continue ReadingJerusalem Bishop: ‘There is a real escalation in anti-Christian violence’

Iranian Muslim Interrogator Surrenders Life to Jesus Christ Thanks To Witness of Christian Prisoner

By Leah Marieann Klett (news@gospelherald.com) Jun 09, 2015

Open Doors is encouraging Christians in Iran to be brave and continue their ministry work despite ongoing persecution. The organization is also urging Christians worldwide to pray for and support believers in Iran, and for the persecution to subside.

An Iranian interrogator known for persecuting religious minorities surrendered his life to Jesus Christ after a Christian woman locked in solitary confinement shared the Gospel with him, Open Doors USA reports.

Noushin, a house church leader in the predominantly Muslim country, was arrested for her faith and forced into solitary confinement for three days.

“I wasn’t ready to go to prison,” she told Open Doors. “I knew it was a dirty place, a place where people are tortured and locked up in solitary confinement. I was afraid that I would be so fearful that I would give up all the names of the members of house church. I even feared that I would deny my faith if they tortured me.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingIranian Muslim Interrogator Surrenders Life to Jesus Christ Thanks To Witness of Christian Prisoner

The Only Comment on Dylann Roof’s FB Photo Will Bring You To Tears

By Benny Johnson | - 2oth June 2015 Dylann Roof committed a heinous act on Wednesday night, killing nine at a church in Charleston. His ominous Facebook profile photo is…

Continue ReadingThe Only Comment on Dylann Roof’s FB Photo Will Bring You To Tears

China Sees an Explosive Growth In Christianity

June 14, 2015 BreakPoint – Eric Metaxas

In 1992, Bei Cun, considered to be one of China’s leading avant-garde writers, did something that really shocked his readers and admirers: He converted to Christianity.

But given the explosive growth of Christianity in China, it shouldn’t be all that surprising.

If you haven’t heard of Bei Cun, that’s okay. Neither had I, probably because his work hasn’t been translated into English. I only learned of his story because my BreakPoint colleague and friend Roberto Rivera recently read Philip Jenkins book, “The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South,” which tells Bei’s story.

After becoming a Christian, Bei wrote what Jenkins calls a “Kafkaesque story” entitled “The Marriage of Zhang Sheng.” In it, the protagonist, a scholar, opens a Chinese-language Bible and happens upon Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.”

The passage leaves Zhang’s “intellectual assumptions in ruins.” Bei, just like his literary creation and hopefully his readers, interprets it as pointing out “the failure of relying upon mere human ideologies that neglect God.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingChina Sees an Explosive Growth In Christianity

As West Moves Toward Secularism and Irrelevance, Africa and Asia Embrace Christianity

By Isaiah Narciso  Jun 06, 2015

Christianity’s stronghold was historically based in the United States and Europe. However, while many in the West embrace secular values at their own peril, countries in Africa and Asia have become to embrace Christianity.

According to Dr. Susan Berry of Breitbart, the church is thriving in Africa and Asia while its decline continues in the U.S. and many parts of Europe. John L. Allen Jr. of Crux reported back in October 2014 on that shift.

“[African bishops] no longer regard themselves as junior partners in Catholicism Inc.,” Allen wrote. “This time, they’re ready for the board room.”

Allen observed that when liberal German bishops tried to push their agenda, including a “more compassionate tone overall on sexual morality” and a more permissive position on “giving Communion to Catholics who divorce and remarry outside the Church,” the African bishops pushed back hard on those concepts.

(more…)

Continue ReadingAs West Moves Toward Secularism and Irrelevance, Africa and Asia Embrace Christianity

The Fall of Constantinople and Islam’s Treatment of Christians

The Fall of Constantinople and Islam’s Treatment of ChristiansJune 4, 2015 – Ralph Sidway

May 29 was the anniversary of the conquering and desolation of the great Christian city of Constantinople by the forces of Islam in 1453. The below historical descriptions of the pillaging and destruction by the Muslim invaders is remarkable for its similarity to the actions of the Islamic State and other jihadi groups today, and vividly illustrates the historical continuity of Islam’s treatment of Christians and other non-Muslims.

This continuity is the result of specific commands in the Quran, melded with the example of Muhammad, which gives Islam its inherently supremacist and warlike nature and mandate, to make the whole world submit to the rule of Allah.

The early twentieth century saw 4 million or more Orthodox and Eastern Christians martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ during the Armenian Genocide, which actually was part of a larger holocaust committed by the Turkish Muslims during the period from 1894-1922.

Now we see a new wave of genocide committed by Muslims against Christians at the start of the twenty-first. Historical continuity reveals much about Islam, its purpose, and its adherents

(more…)

Continue ReadingThe Fall of Constantinople and Islam’s Treatment of Christians

Fatherhood: The Most Important Job a Man Can Have

6/12/2015 Shawn A. Akers – Charisma News

Most dads wouldn’t want to readily confess their failures as a parent. It’s simply not in our nature to admit that we’ve made mistakes that have negatively impacted our children.

Author Gregory W. Slayton says the good news, however, is that dads don’t have to continue to pay for those mistakes. In his book, Be a Better Dad Today: 10 Tools Every Father Needs, Slayton wants to remind men—especially with Father’s Day approaching—that God continually gives us grace to move forward and to strive to be the Godly dad that your children need.

“I think we all struggle. I know that I’ve been a failure at times too,” Slayton says. “The good thing about it is that you can make a mistake, ask for forgiveness, get up and keep going. You really can be a better dad. You may say, ‘I’m terrible at this.’ But, you cannot give up. The only failure that occurs is when you give up.”

You may have said, or constantly say things to you children that you regret. You may have been inconsistent in disciplining your children. Perhaps you resorted to bribing your child to get a desired behavior. Or, maybe you allowed your “busy” schedule to intrude upon the quality time you should have been spending with children.

(more…)

Continue ReadingFatherhood: The Most Important Job a Man Can Have

Christians in China Stand Up to Government Tyranny: Restore Crosses After They have Been Removed

June 09, 2015 -Robert Marquand – Christian Science Monitor

A group of Protestant churches in China’s Zhejiang Province are staging an unusual tryst with local authorities who have knocked down the cross from atop their churches: They are fighting back and restoring the traditional symbol of Christianity.

In some cases, the often elderly evangelical resisters in 16 churches around the cities of Lishui and Fuyang have persistently replaced the cross three times in a single day. So far, the restored crosses – some of makeshift raw lumber – remain.

Such civil disobedience is part of a mostly polite but intensifying standoff between the faithful and party authorities in the wake of a state campaign to target Protestants in the place where their numbers are growing and their churches are visible.

A number of churchgoers who have conducted late night and early morning campaigns to reaffix the cross say they are acting out of conviction and aren’t afraid. One man, Zhao Lizhong, who tried in early May to defend the Pinguan church in Lishui, has not been heard from since police escorted him from the site.

(more…)

Continue ReadingChristians in China Stand Up to Government Tyranny: Restore Crosses After They have Been Removed

Should the Church be involved in politics? – by Ps Daniel Nalliah

Dear family & friends in Christ,

I am sure everyone of us has asked the above question, “Should the Church be involved in politics?“

The simple answer is YES.

For many years, I was a strong believer, like many Christians, that the Church should not get involved in politics. Unfortunately, I believed in this lie for more than half of my Christian life, as the devil very cleverly deceived me.

But thank God that I had a major paradigm shift, when in Saudi Arabia on 21st July 1997 at 3.40am, Jesus appeared in my house and spoke to me for 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Just 40 minutes from Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Jesus very clearly spoke to me with His audible voice and said, “Your time here is over. I am taking you to Australia and you will go into many parliaments and be a voice for the voiceless speaking in My name.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingShould the Church be involved in politics? – by Ps Daniel Nalliah

Uncut video footage of Reclaim Australia Rally in Melbourne

Dear friends & family in Christ, You may click the following link to watch 1 hour of uncut video footage of Reclaim Australia Rally in Melbourne. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt8aaKafDgs&list=PLPfMEAJBsnA2YbGrsTFgwtVSzlLQOX1gO Please note that…

Continue ReadingUncut video footage of Reclaim Australia Rally in Melbourne

Great meetings in Casino, NSW / “Jacob’s Tears” documentary at CTFM this Sunday 2nd August

Dear family & friends in Christ,

1) We praise and thank God for His mighty presence at the meetings in Casino, NSW.

As Pr Daniel and his team arrived in Casino, as usual it started to rain.

They stayed on a farm and had a wonderful time.

The presence of God was so real at every single meeting.

People were greatly blessed as they sat under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

One lady stated, “I felt like my engine was revving, but I was going nowhere. Thank you Ps Daniel, through you, God has now brought clear direction and hope.”

We praise and thank God we were able to start a monthly RUA prayer meeting in Casino to pray for Australia.

You may click the following link to watch a short video interview with RUAP National President Daniel Nalliah, a local farmer from Casino, NSW and a RUAP candidate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UDMkBWmBFQ&feature=youtu.be

2) We’re very pleased to announce that Hugh Kitson, founder and director of Hatikvah Films, based in Jerusalem, will be showing a short version of his new documentary “Jacob’s Tears”, which is presented by Lance Lambert, at CTFM at 30 Star Crescent in Hallam at the 10am worship service this Sunday 2nd August.

(more…)

Continue ReadingGreat meetings in Casino, NSW / “Jacob’s Tears” documentary at CTFM this Sunday 2nd August

University of California-Berkeley student’s article about why she left Islam pulled from school paper over fears for her safety

June 12, 2015 – By Robert Spencer

I saw the piece when it first went up in the Berkeley student newspaper, marveled that it was published at all in such a place, and had planned to post an excerpt at Jihad Watch, but it was gone before I got a chance. Now we know why: there are concerns for the safety of the student who wrote it, and such concerns are entirely reasonable, given the fact (however often denied by dishonest Islamic apologists in the U.S.) of Islam’s death penalty for apostasy. The article was also noteworthy for the author’s frank admission that “yes, Islam does allow men to have four wives and sex slaves” — truths also often denied by Western Islamic apologists. In any case, “free speech” Berkeley ought to be in an uproar over the fact that this student is under threat, and the student paper ought to be filled with avowals of her human rights and declarations of how she must and will be protected. However, Berkeley ain’t what it used to be, if it ever was.

Terrorism Works, part 924,103: “Student’s Anti-Islam Article Retracted Due To ‘Safety’ Risk,” by Austin Petersen, Libertarian Republic, June 8, 2015:

An opinion piece written by a student at the University of California-Berkeley explaining her decision to leave Islam has been pulled from the school newspaper’s website over fears for the author’s safety.

The opinion piece, titled “On Leaving Islam,” recounted the personal story of the narrator (whose name we will withold) growing up a devout (though moderate) Muslim in Pakistan, but later abandoning the faith as she learned more about the world.

(more…)

Continue ReadingUniversity of California-Berkeley student’s article about why she left Islam pulled from school paper over fears for her safety

Kurdish Courage: ISIS’ Evil Crushed This City, but Not Its People

Kurdish Courage ISIS' Evil Crushed This City, but Not Its PeopleGary Lane : Jun 8, 2015 : CBN News

“We really sacrificed and our uprising was not only for the people of Kobani, but for people everywhere.”

Kobani, Syria—[CBN News] As the Iraqi military struggles with ISIS, it could learn a lesson from Kurdish troops. In Syria, the Peshmerga helped free the city of Kobani, with help from American airstrikes.

CBN’s Gary Lane joined CBN Humanitarian and Disaster Relief workers as they brought help to the ravaged city of Kobani.

They were shocked by what we saw. Much of the town has been destroyed. The effort to drive ISIS from Kobani left much of this area just devastated.

But slowly, people are coming back. The town now has a population of about 20 percent of what it was once before.

(more…)

Continue ReadingKurdish Courage: ISIS’ Evil Crushed This City, but Not Its People

Andrew Bolt article about the recent Reclaim Australia rallies

Dear friends & family in Christ, You may click the following link to read an excellent & accurate news media article from Andrew Bolt about the recent Reclaim Australia rallies.…

Continue ReadingAndrew Bolt article about the recent Reclaim Australia rallies