Power of Love: MSNBC Reporter Overcome by Charleston Crowd Singing Gospel Songs during Shooting Suspect’s Arraignment

Aimee Herd : Jun 22, 2015 : YouTube.com, MSNBC

…They’re singing a Gospel song?… and you heard from the family members …of those who were lost… You can see the outpouring of support for this community; it goes all the way down the street…”

EDITOR’S NOTE: What an incredibly powerful testimony of God’s love and forgiveness the people of Charleston are showing the world! It’s obviously having a great impact on secular media who expected the worst, and instead, found themselves covering the message of the Gospel being lived out in front of them. Thank you Charleston. -Aimee Herd, BCN.

(Charleston, SC)—While covering the arraignment for Charleston shooting suspect, Dylann Roof, MSNBC reporter Thomas Roberts suddenly choked up as he described the inspirational scene before him at a vigil which took place at the same time.

Roberts seemed astounded as he reported how the shooting victims’ family members had spoken one-by-one to the 21-year-old suspect, telling him they’d forgiven him for killing their loved ones.

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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.

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What Many Congregations are Now Doing on Sundays in Support of Persecuted Christians in the Middle East

Aimee Herd : Jun 1, 2015 : Ashley Webster, Inwook Song – Fox News

It’s a way of sending persecuted Believers the message that “we’re standing with you on this—you’re not alone.”

Many Christian Believers are exchanging their good Sunday clothes for a symbol of support for fellow Believers in the Middle East who are being persecuted for their faith. (Photo via Facebook)

Congregants are donning orange apparel, the same color as the jumpsuits ISIS terrorists have forced the Christians to wear before beheading them.

According to a Fox News report, it’s a trend that was made popular by a handful of Christian leaders, including Rev. Patrick Mahoney who runs the #OrangeJumpSuit project.

Speaking to reporters, a churchgoer in Dumont, NJ—John Estrada—said, “The reason why I am wearing an orange shirt is to represent the Christian brothers and sisters that are being persecuted.”

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At Closing of Empowered21 Global Congress, Samuel Rodriguez Urges Christians to Stand Up for Their Faith; Warns ‘There’s No Such Thing as Comfortable Christianity’

May 25, 2015 –The Christian Post – Leonardo Blair

Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, tells Spirit-filled Christians at the Empowered21 Global Congress to stand up for their faith at the Jerusalem Pais Arena in Israel on Sunday May 24, 2015.

In a high-energy parting shot to a gathering of several thousand Spirit-filled believers at the closing session of the Empowered21 Global Congress in Jerusalem, Israel on Sunday, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Samuel Rodriguez warned that “there is no such thing as comfortable Christianity” and urged the group to use the power God gave them to declare Him to the world.

“When you are filled with God’s Spirit everything changes. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you are able to do what you were not able to do before. The Spirit came down and Peter did what? He raised his voice…Listen carefully, religion makes us complacent while revival makes us courageous. Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity,” he warned.

Preaching from Acts 2:14 highlighting the reaction of the Apostle Peter after the initial descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Rodriguez urged the believers to “be filled, stand up, and raise your voice.”

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Baylor University Scholars Say Reports About Imminent Death of Religion Have Been Greatly Exaggerated; Faith Is Growing, Not Dying, In America and Around the World

May 11, 2015 – Baptist News Global – Ken Camp

Conference speakers highlight statistics and trends showing that in the U.S. and around the world, faith is on the rise.

Reports about the imminent death of religion, the rise of secularization and the growth of atheism largely ignore facts or rely on faulty research, scholars from Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion said during a recent conference.

Reports emphasizing the rise of “nones” and the massive flight of Millennials from organized religion greatly exaggerate — and sometimes misinterpret — hard data, said Byron Johnson, distinguished professor of the social sciences at Baylor and founding director of the Institute for Studies of Religion.

“There’s a story some people want to report — that religion is on life support — but it’s just not true,” he asserted.

Surveys that report Millennials have left the faith of their parents often really mean they have stopped attending church for a few years or identify with a nondenominational church rather than a Mainline denomination — not that they have abandoned Christianity, he said, pointing to findings from the Baylor Religion Survey.

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Persecuted Christians in Middle East send Powerful Salvation Letter to ISIS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5O6Fyl_-Bc

Bethany Blankley : May 4, 2015 : Charisma News

“Love is coming after you! …An army comes, with no tanks or soldiers. But an army of martyrs faithful unto death.

The world is talking about you. Your apocalyptic dreams and spectacular sins are now awakening the Middle East. In your holy war, come to holy ground.

Come, children of Abraham, come. The people of the cross gather at your gates with a message:

Love is coming after you!
Like a rush of wind grazing over the Pacific,
From hills of the Mount of Olives to the desert winds of Jordan,
From the cedars of Lebanon to the silk roads of the East,
An army comes. With no tanks or soldiers,
But an army of martyrs faithful unto death,
Carrying a message of life.
The People of the Cross
Come to die at your gates.
If you won’t hear our message with words,
Then we will show you with our lives
Laid down.

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After Devastation and Death, Nepali Church Returns to Worship

May 06, 2015 – Baptist Press – Susie Rain

Members of a small Kathmandu church gather at an alternate place of worship one week after their building was damaged in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal on April 25. IMB Photo

The small Nepali congregation started worship Saturday (May 2) right where they left off the previous week — singing.

Two dozen voices gained momentum, clapping hands, dancing and raising their faces to heaven in song: “Still I will love You and spread Your love to the people.”

The congregation breaks into prayer, for this is the moment when the song was interrupted by Nepal’s 7.8-magnitude earthquake a week earlier, on April 25.

They shed tears and cry in reliving the moment together: … The congregation grabbed hands and crouched against an inner wall of their fourth-floor room. Someone prayed aloud and others joined. The pastor, Rajaan Tamang*, looked up and saw the outer wall shaking. He looked over his shoulder and saw a crack form across the wall where they had sought shelter. He knew that if they didn’t get off the fourth floor, they all might die. They lurched down the stairs and gathered in the field outside. A few moments later, a building across the street crumbled and killed seven people. They were safe and together….

A lone voice gently leads the Kathmandu congregation back to the present by finishing the song: “Heaven has seen me. The cloud of testimony is surrounding me. Soak me with Your anointing power.”

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The Real Reason the Pentecostal Movement Keeps Growing

Charisma News – 2/4/2015 Ed Stetzer

There are parts of the globe where the greatest church growth is happening through the Pentecostal movement. One of the most frequently asked questions is: “In a world where the church seems to be declining in many areas, how they are bucking the trend?”

There is never one reason why a movement succeeds. But some factors rise to the surface. Pentecostals will say they are growing because the Spirit is moving in a powerful way. I get that, and actually would affirm that as part of the reason, but from a sociological perspective, other things are happening and worth exploring.

I was recently asked (by Pentecostal leaders) what some sociological reasons might be. So following that meeting, and in this brief post, I want to explore how the beliefs of Pentecostals actually promote and produce growth compared to other more “mainstream” groups.

Pentecostals Value Their Shared Experience

From a statistical perspective, Pentecostals tend to be less “nominal” than other believers. The reason is often obvious—the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

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Political Commentator Glenn Beck Wonders Why ‘No One’ in U.S. Cares for Christians’ Plight in Middle East

By Isaiah Narciso (news@gospelherald.com) Apr 21, 2015

Conservative political commentator Glenn Beck brought up a controversial issue on Monday, asking why Christians in the United States haven’t done more to help their fellow brethren, who are being persecuted in the Middle East.

In a report filed by Erica Ritz of The Blaze, Beck looked at how American Christians reacted when they defended the “religious freedom” rights a pizza parlor in Indiana. He then noticed how little attention was paid in the U.S. to Christians being persecuted across the Middle East.

“Why does no one care?” Beck said. “When we talked about a Christian pizza parlor just the other day, Christians responded in large numbers. … Here people are getting executed. Shouldn’t the response be exponentially greater when Christians are literally being beheaded and crucified, children being raped and killed every single day?”

Beck then shared a graphic video released by the terror group known as ISIS murdering Christian captives in Libya. (more…)

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Guest Speaker Pastor Wally from USA at CTFM this Mother’s Day

Dear friends & family in Christ, Pastor Wally Magnangal from Christians in Crisis, based in the USA, will be ministering God’s prophetic Word and praying for people at CTFM in…

Continue ReadingGuest Speaker Pastor Wally from USA at CTFM this Mother’s Day

Pakistani Christians Commemorate Victims Of Terror Attack, Say Jihadists Will Never ‘Push Back’ Their Faith

By Leah Marieann Klett (news@gospelherald.com) Mar 18, 2015

Hundreds of Pakistani Christians on Tuesday held prayer services to commemorate the victims of two Taliban suicide bombs in the city of Lahore, refusing to let terrorism silence their faith.

On March 16, suicide bombers affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban launched attacks against two churches conducting Sunday morning services in the predominantly Christian city of Lahore, killing at least 14 people and injuring 70 others. Although police said that the bombers were stopped by either worshippers or security personnel, the attackers still managed to detonate their explosives.

Christian leaders from across Pakistan  country attended the funeral for the victims following two days of violent protests by the community members against the blasts. According to Reuters, the Pakistani government had called in 5,000 police and paramilitary rangers to control the law and order situation in the region, where violent clashes between Christians and Muslims erupted. Several protesters were killed and about a dozen wounded in the clashes.

Speaking on Tuesday, Manual Mani, a pastor attending the funerals, said the act of terrorism would not stop Christians from practicing their faith within the country. “I would like to tell these terrorists if they think that they can push us back from our faith, they are deadly, entirely, very much at fault,” he said.

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In 35 Years, Majority of Christians will be in Africa & South America

4, April 2015 – DAVID MASCI  – Pew Research Center, FactTank

The global Christian population has been shifting southward for at least a century and is expected to continue to do so over the next four decades, according to new demographic projections from the Pew Research Center. Overall, the share of Christians in the world is expected to remain flat. But Europe’s share of the the world’s Christians will continue to decline while sub-Saharan Africa’s will increase dramatically.

Nearly half of the world’s Christians already reside in Africa and the Latin America-Caribbean region. By 2050, according to the Pew Research study, those two regions will be home to more than six-in-ten of the world’s followers of Jesus, with just a quarter of Christians living in Europe and North America.

This was not always the case. In 1910, for instance, Europe was home to roughly two-thirds (66%) of the world’s Christians, with North America a distant second with 15%.

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Pr Daniel ministering in QLD over Anzac weekend 24-26 April

Dear friends & family in Christ, Pr Daniel will be ministering in Townsville & Ingham, QLD this Friday 24th, Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th April over Anzac weekend. You may…

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