Latest News For General Discussion

‘Christianity has become another word for conservatism’: Why we should give Jesus — not churches — another chance

The latest census from Statistics Canada shows that just over one-third of Canadians have no religious affiliation, and that the number who identify as secular or atheist has more than doubled in 20 years. Religions such as Islam and Hinduism are growing, but there is a significant reduction within Christianity. In 2021, 53.3 per cent of the population followed various churches, down from 67.3 per cent in 2011 and a huge 77.1 per cent in 2001. This has led to many Christian leaders explaining…

Charisma Highlights: Prophecy: The Lord Says, ‘Do Not Be Distracted by the Shaking’

</p> <p><img width=”640″ height=”480″ src=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kinemetrics_seismograph_Wikimedia_commonsR.jpg” alt=”” title=”Kinemetrics_seismograph_Wikimedia_commonsR” srcset=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kinemetrics_seismograph_Wikimedia_commonsR.jpg 640w, https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kinemetrics_seismograph_Wikimedia_commonsR-480×360.jpg 480w” sizes=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 640px, 100vw” class=”wp-image-454794″/></p> <p> Following are snippets of the top stories posted on charismamag.com over the past week. We encourage you to visit the links to read the stories in full. Recently God spoke to me: “The nations are entering a period of intense shaking. Economies, societies, governments and institutions will all shake. Do not be distracted by the shaking, for in the midst of the…

Is Christianity really oppressive? | Voice – The Christian Post

By Clint Thomas, Op-ed contributor | Saturday, October 29, 2022 Today, terms like “oppressor” or “oppressed” are being thrown and bantered around like a hot potato. It’s the new victimology lexicon for all-things “diverse,” “inclusive,” and “equitable.” If one doesn’t like what is being said, just label it “oppressive” or “hate speech” and hopefully, the offending party will just shut up. The goal is no longer to just silence speech. The new goal is to force acceptance of any and all lifestyles regardless of…

Rep. Lauren Boebert: “You get to be part of ushering in the second coming of Jesus” – KKCO

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – During a Knox County GOP fundraiser, Representative Lauren Boebert claimed that they are part of the second coming of Christ. A group called the “Tennessee Holler” provided video of Boebert speaking at the fundraiser. Boebert rallied against President Joe Biden before telling the crowd to stand up in the “end of times.” “That’s not a time to complain, to bumble, or or to be dismayed or disheartened, but it is a time to rejoice. You get to be part…

Prophecy: The Lord Says, ‘I Am Repositioning God’s People for Revival’

Read Time: 3 Minutes 45 Seconds “There is a shift coming to America.” Those were the words God spoke to me after almost 100% of conference attendees spontaneously flooded to the altar in a meeting where I was speaking. “What just happened God? I asked, stunned. “There is a shift coming to the body of Christ. There is a shift coming to America and a shift to the world. I am repositioning My people for revival,” He stated. It was at a conference near…

How Much Power Do Christians Really Have?

Invisible Divides The invisible divide that’s shaping how Republicans and Democrats think about religion — and politics PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY SCHERER / GETTY IMAGES Welcome to Invisible Divides, a series exploring the profound differences in worldview between Democrats and Republicans. These beliefs about education, religion, gender, race, and political extremism align with partisanship — but run much deeper. Differences like these don’t just influence the ways Democrats and Republicans vote, but also how they think about their place in America. And they help…

Wokeness Is The Acid Dissolving Christianity

Take a look at this past Sunday’s sermon from a pastor at New York City’s ultra-left Riverside Church. Or rather, take a look at this clip from it: The homilist, the Rev. Adriene Thorne, says in the clip that the David and Bathsheba story centers David, not poor Bathsheba, and that David’s repentance doesn’t get him off the hook. She concludes by saying that the fact that Scripture calls David “a man after God’s own heart” says that God is a bad deity. This…

Prophecy: Never Fear Sickness or Disease That Runs in Your Family

</p> <p><img width=”618″ height=”340″ src=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Yount-praise-1.jpeg” alt=”” title=”” srcset=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Yount-praise-1.jpeg.webp 618w, https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Yount-praise-1-480×264.jpeg.webp 480w” sizes=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 618px, 100vw” class=”wp-image-454544″/></p> <p> Read Time: 1 Minute 27 Seconds I will never forget what God spoke to me when my life was hanging in the balance 19 years ago with a blood clot in the artery of my heart. “Son, if the enemy can attack you, I can outdo him.” I know that I’m being attacked by healing now and that healing runs in…

We Continue to Develop Christianity in the Chinese Context: Chairman of CCC&TSPM

With the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) being held in Beijing on October 16-22, the magazine “China Religion” rolled out a special topic named “Religious Work in the Past Decade”, inviting Party and government leaders, representatives of religious circles, and representatives of religious research teams to contribute articles on the topic. In the ninth issue of “China Religion” in 2022, Xu Xiaohong, chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), wrote an article “Ten Years of Sharpening a Sword: Continue…

Why Do Christians Not Celebrate Halloween?

As the Anglican priest and theologian J. Davila-Ashcraft wrote for Christianity.com in 2021, some Christian people believe that Halloween is a Satanic holiday. In an op-ed for Charisma News in 2015, Jamie Morgan, a pastor of Life Church in Williamstown, N.J., wrote, “Setting aside a day to celebrate evil, darkness, witchcraft, fear, death, and the demonic brings disdain to God. Period. A Christian celebrating Halloween would be like a Satan-worshipper putting up a nativity scene at Christmas while singing, ‘Happy Birthday, Jesus!’ The two…

What South Asian Christians Do During Diwali | News & Reporting

Rivaling the scale of Thanksgiving or Christmas in the United States, Diwali has become India’s biggest holiday season. The Festival of Lights (also known as Deepavali) marks the start of the Hindu New Year and is the faith’s most important festival, celebrated for five days by more than a billion people in India—not only by Hindus but also by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists—as well as across the Hindu diaspora. The festival symbolizes for its devotees the triumph of good over evil, light over…

Christians Say Sayfo Martyrs Should Get Genocide Status

In the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, evangelicals laid down their lives for their Lord. Living in Nusaybin, once home to the ancient theological school of Nisibis, they were among the firstfruits of the Sayfo (“sword”) martyrs. Overall, modern estimates posit half a million deaths of Syriac-Aramean Christians at the hands of Turkish and Kurdish soldiers, concurrent with the Armenian genocide that claimed 1.5 million lives. Today this Christian community, still speaking the language of Jesus, seeks its own recognition. In June 1915,…

Prophetic Denialism: The High Cost of Ignoring the Warnings

The Seventh day Adventist Church has been tasked with a very specific mission. That mission, detailed in Revelation 14:6-12, was designed to rescue God’s people out of Babylon. Since its inception, the Spirit of Prophecy, illustrating the prophetic voice of the church, has spoken boldly and loudly regarding the fallen religious system of Roman Catholicism, and the work that would be done by apostate Protestantism in seeking to enforce religious dogma worldwide.  But something strange is happening to the prophetic voice within Adventism. In…

Prophecy Reveals the Lord is Stirring Up Holy Provocation

</p> <p><img width=”618″ height=”340″ src=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haynes-provocation.jpeg” alt=”” title=”freedom” srcset=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haynes-provocation.jpeg.webp 618w, https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Haynes-provocation-480×264.jpeg.webp 480w” sizes=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 618px, 100vw” class=”wp-image-454422″/></p> <p> Read Time: 1 Minute 44 Seconds The Spirit of the Lord is moving upon His people, stirring to a holy provocation. He wants us to be provoked at the status quo in our lives spiritually, to be provoked over the evil in the world that is intent to destroy everything in line with God’s design. I heard from the Spirit of…

Prophecy: ‘The Lord Says, “A Strange Plan Shall Begin to Unfold in Your Nation’

Read Time: 4 Minutes 38 Seconds The Spirit of the Lord says this day, “The stirring up of the waters and those at sea has begun. Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? I, the Lord thy God, shall hold them in derision as the nations plot and attempt to usurp at sea. However, I, the Lord God, shall break up the agreement of those who have made unholy, dark covenants with each other—their gods making agreements in the…

Does Christianity transcend all our political disagreements?

Americans are polarized by politics. Everyone recognizes that political differences in this country are deep and seem to be growing. The division is present everywhere, including in the church. Moreover, Christians don’t just disagree on political principles or on a number of political conclusions. Christians disagree on how Christianity and politics relate to each other in the first place. In an essay, it’s impossible to even begin to sketch a proper answer to such a massive topic, but maybe we can set a few…

Exorcisms: The Centuries-Long History of Expelling Evil

Since its theatrical release in 1973, The Exorcist, based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name, has served as the cultural touchpoint for an otherwise mysterious religious ritual. In reality, it’s only part of the most recent chapter in the long history of the spiritual practice that involves far more than a spinning head and green projectile vomit. “Exorcism is a prayer or ritual that is meant to remove the influence of demonic, evil power over a person,” says Stephen Okey,…

5 Books About Orthodox Christianity To Read During Orthodox Awareness Month

 (REVIEW) October is Orthodox Awareness Month. Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), a leading Eastern Orthodox student organization, dedicated the month of October to raise awareness of OCF in the Orthodox community and spread awareness of the Orthodox faith among non-Orthodox students on college campuses nationwide. The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States dedicated the first Sunday of October in recognition of Orthodox college students in their local parishes and financial support of OCF. This month OCF is holding virtual events, social media…

Christianity is rapidly shrinking in the US as more and more people are just not into religion

More and more adults identify as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.” A church in Indiana. Despite the beliefs of US founding fathers, Christianity has been at the forefront of the country’s social and political ideology. In the past 50 years, religious matters have become even more prevalent in American public discourse, spilling into virtually every aspect of society. But that may soon change. ADVERTISEMENT In the early 1990s, 90% of US adults self-identified as Christians. In 2007, the figure was 78%. Now, according…

Dutch MP Baudet distances from Christianity

The Dutch right-wing political leader Thierry Baudet has surprised many supporters by saying that Christianity is “for losers” and “lacks masculinity”. In the last couple of years, Mr Baudet attracted many voters because of his cultural Christianity.

American Crusade: Christianity, Warfare, and National Identity, 1860-1920

Americans are a religious people and, historically, we have been a Christian people (today, 64% of Americans identify themselves as Christians). When the nation goes to war, it should come as no surprise that civic leaders regularly call upon God’s help. These pleas do not always assume American righteousness. In his March 30, 1863 “Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day,” Abraham Lincoln observed that: it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to…

Myanmar’s Christians Fight for Peace

Angel Lamung had been in the public spotlight since she was a teenager. In Myanmar, she won beauty pageants, appeared in commercials, acted in movies, and sang pop songs. But last year, when news anchors read her name on the nightly broadcast and the state-run paper printed her photo alongside other popular celebrities’, the coverage was different. The government had put her on a wanted list. After the military overthrew the democratically elected leadership in Myanmar (also called Burma) in a coup in February…

22 People Share Why They Left Christianity

19. “My mom’s Polish, so my brothers and I are Catholic, and she and her whole side of our family have always exemplified the purest and most loving form of Christianity. I went to church all my life until my mid-20s, listening to BS I didn’t quite always agree with, but just sort of tuned out the iffy parts of sermons. I got a job with a Catholic organization working under a very difficult priest, who believed that we should be working full time…

Contrary to Woke Culture: Christianity NOT A White Man’s Religion

It’s almost surreal that someone has to write a book about Christianity being a religion for all races for all time, and for women just as much as men. But considering the culture of today of Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, the #MeToo era and a whole host of movements of vilifying Christianity as a tool of White male dominance, Christian apologist (meaning defender of the faith) Abdu Murray felt the need to set the record straight. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith…

Are the End Times near? How Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world

Journalist Elle Hardy remembers her astonishment at seeing a replica of King Solomon’s Temple rising over Sao Paulo. Allegedly built according to biblical specifications, this massive structure is located in a working-class district of the Brazilian metropolis. Star of David flags are ubiquitous in Sao Paulo, but the edifice modeled after the Temple is extraordinary. And while one might assume that the building is a place of Jewish worship, it’s actually a megachurch associated with one of the fastest-growing religions in the world: Pentecostalism.…

The End of the World is Nigh

In war, nothing is inevitable and not much is predictable. But the war in Ukraine has a direction that observers can see and that we should name. What began as a criminal Russian aggression against Ukraine has become a proxy war between Washington and Moscow. The two sides are locked in an escalatory cycle that, along current trends, will eventually bring them into direct conflict and then go nuclear, killing millions of people and destroying much of the world. This is obviously a bold…

Increasing ties between Christianity, right-wing nationalism

Kristin Kobes Du Mez: I think we see it certainly surfacing more. President Trump was very clear that he wanted to privilege conservative white Christians. He wanted to protect Christianity and a particular type of Christianity. And he very much used this rhetoric of us vs. them. He was not the president of all Americans. He was the president of his base, and he was going to promote them and privilege their ideas. And so, with that rhetoric, I think it became normalized and…

A prophecy come true | Cal Thomas

In 2015, when a Supreme Court majority ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that “state bans on same-sex marriage and on recognizing same-sex marriages duly performed in other jurisdictions are unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” I wrote that the Court had an obligation to tell us if there were any standards left when it comes to human relations. If it could come up with one, I wanted to know on what that standard was…

Is Christianity Still Relevant? (Video) – Cold Case Christianity

J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. He holds a BA in Design (from CSULB), an MA in Architecture (from UCLA), and an MA in Theological Studies (from Gateway Seminary).

QAnon, Christianity and Trump converge in Michigan

WARREN, MI — The crowd softened, a dramatic instrumental grew louder, and Donald Trump’s voice ascended into a monologue about “the radical left” leading America toward “destruction” and “Word War III.” “As long as we are confident and united, the tyrants we are fighting do not stand even a chance,” Trump said. “Because we are Americans, and Americans kneel to God and God alone.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may…

The importance of making virginity a personal choice within Christianity

John Chrysostom in his Major Treatises on Virginity argued that the first human beings were “adorned by virginity,” as they lived in a perfect and non-sexual state before the fall of humankind. Once the first sin occurred, this adornment ended, and all humans were cursed with disobedience and sinful desire, making all sexual intercourse bad. Today, Christian teachings generally assert that pre-marital sex is wrong but that after marriage a couple can have sex. In fact, most evangelical Christians are encouraged to get married…

End is near, new Bible prophecy books assert as market demand surges

Two noted Christian writers this week released new books claiming we’re at the end of time. Neither the Rev. Michael Youssef nor the Rev. David Jeremiah — both evangelical pastors with large television and radio teaching ministries — suggest it’s time to max out the credit cards. Still, each is unusually concerned about present trends. Each writer examines the so-called “Olivet Discourse” of Jesus found in the New Testament book of Matthew, chapters 24 and 25. The lengthy passage presents Christ’s answer to the…

How does Christianity decide the truth?

Overview: A worldview is important enough that it needs a rigorous critique. You don’t want to select one on a whim. How does Christianity decide what’s true? Reading Time: 4 minutes If you’re a Christian, would you be satisfied with a believer in another religion using the approach that you use to justify your Christian worldview? If that argument coming out of their mouth seems inadequate, what does that say about your own grounding? This is the next clue that we live in a…

Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Inappropriate Online Relationship

The Village Church pastor Matt Chandler announced on Sunday that he had an inappropriate online relationship with a woman and is taking an indefinite leave of absence from preaching and teaching. The relationship was not sexual or romantic, Chandler told his church, but the elders believed the frequent and familiar direct messages exchanged over Instagram were “unguarded and unwise” and “revealed something unhealthy in me.” Chandler said he agreed with their assessment and was grateful for the spiritual oversight. “We cannot be a church…

Wichita’s Finest: Valecia Scribner aims to reframe Christianity through activism, advocacy, acceptance

Note: This is the second in the web-exclusive series “Wichita’s Finest,” which highlights community leaders in Wichita. To read the first installment on USD 259 Equity, Diversity and Accountability director William Polite, click here. WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The first thing you notice is the smile. As you drive up to Woodland United Methodist Church, there’s Valecia Scribner, the pastor, standing on the sidewalk, waiting to greet you. She accompanies you inside and explains that it might be a bit toasty because of the…

Why the Left Hates Christianity

. . . and the Judaism which gave rise to it. The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of The Passion of St. John the Baptist today (August 29th). The Baptist is the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets — the forerunner of the Messiah, who is Priest, Prophet, and King, and in whom the Old Testament prophecies are completely fulfilled. But, significant to this post, and like Jesus, John was a Jew. We Catholics commemorate on this day how John lost his…

‘Christianity is the world’s most persecuted religion’

By Tony Magliano Making a Difference Imagine being at your parish church this Sunday celebrating the Eucharist. Just as your pastor finishes his homily, gunfire erupts from the back of the church. As you quickly turn around you see several armed men firing their weapons into the assembly. And with added horror, you see numerous fellow parishioners lying dead. Amid screams and cries, people rush toward the exits, running for their lives. Some escape, others are shot and killed. The assailants then proceed to…

Claros serves as prophecy center after Christianity, new finds reveal

In the ancient Greek sanctuary of Claros on the southwestern shores of Türkiye’s Izmir, one of the most important pagan sacred places of Ionia, game boards and forked cross motifs belonging to the fifth-seventh century A.D. have been found. The new discoveries prove that Claros, which is said to have been abandoned after the spread of Christianity, actually preserved its function for many years. According to historians and archaeologists, Claros was one of the three prophecy centers, along with Delphi and Didyma, in modern-day…

Prophecy: A Time of Restoration and Healing as We Enter Jewish New Year 5783

Over the past couple months, much has been taking place in the nations and in the realm of the Spirit. The Lord told me in August the nations would reach a boiling point. We have been at a crucial tipping point. A tipping point is a point at which a very significant change occurs; a decisive moment. Rapid change and realignments are being accelerated in the nations and across the board. We are in a time where we’ll continue to see a changing of…

Christianity and science don’t need to exist in conflict

Rev. David Wilson Rogers For many years two ideological perspectives have been cast as enemies of one another. One chose to demonize the other because it dared to challenge long held and deeply believed belief systems regarding the other. Over time, the hatred toward one by the other has ebbed and flowed. Regrettably, in times it has become violent and even deadly. Yet, the true tragedy is that both need each other in spite of the fact that mistrust and closed minds have reached…

Why Theologians Aren’t as Excited About Chinese Christianity’s Growth as Sociologists

On March 1, the Chinese government enacted wide-ranging restrictions on religious communication, teaching, and evangelistic efforts conducted online. Now, only religious groups with government approval can carry out such activities. Various media outlets around the world shared this news, which is unsurprising. When we think or talk about Christianity in China, its social impact and implications for issues such as human rights and China’s international relations—rather than its pastoral and theological developments and challenges—have received disproportionately large attention in the Western press in the…

Not even CHRISTIANS take Christianity seriously

Overview: If Christians actually believed it, they wouldn’t cry at funerals. They’d expect prayers to be answered. They wouldn’t insure churches. And they’d take their religion seriously. Reading Time: 4 minutes Think about what it would look like if Christians took their Christianity seriously. Really believed it. What would that look like? Do we live in a world with a god? It doesn’t look like it (part 1 here). Let’s continue our survey with the next clue that we live in a godless world:…

Relationship with God, not rules, define Christianity

Rev. David Wilson Rogers In so many ways, the church has done itself – and Jesus Christ – a grave disfavor. Somewhere along the line, we took Jesus out of our faith and replaced him with a set of rules, doctrines, and rigid definitions of what fidelity to Christ looks like. On one level, a distinct framework of fidelity to the Gospel serves a very valuable purpose in the life of a believer. “Do this, and don’t do that,” are simple ways of defining…

Israel Prophecy: The Enemy is Stirring an Unimaginable Conflict

</p> <p><img width=”618″ height=”340″ src=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Eckstein-Israel-independence.jpg” alt=”” title=”” srcset=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Eckstein-Israel-independence.jpg 618w, https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Eckstein-Israel-independence-480×264.jpg 480w” sizes=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 618px, 100vw” class=”wp-image-450344″/></p> <p> </p> <p><iframe title=”Israel Prophecy: The Enemy is Stirring an Unimaginable Conflict” width=”1080″ height=”608″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/KJFFqAgykmU?feature=oembed” allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”>[embedded content]</iframe></p> <p> A cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants took effect late Sunday in a bid to end nearly three days of violence that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis, according to NPR. But…

Chinese Christians Survived Discrimination in Indonesia

When Christians around the world today think of Indonesia, the first thing that may come to mind is “the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.” However, Indonesia is a culturally and religiously diverse country. Christians are an estimated 10 percent of Indonesia’s population of 210 million, putting Indonesia in the upper third of countries with the largest numbers of Christians. Today, millions of the Chinese diaspora community live in Indonesia (estimated numbers range from more than 2 million to more than…

Prophecy: Jesus Said These Events Are Indicators of His Imminent Return

Rumors of wars, monkeypox, escalating tensions, division and confusion are all running rampant across the world stage right now at a rate that is unprecedented. Military analysts are saying that we are now entering into World War III, and we are looking at the destabilization of global economies. Monday night, President Donald Trump announced a raid on his Mar-A-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. “These are dark times for our nation,” Trump wrote. Americans nationwide are continuing to wonder. “This sort of move requires…

Editorial: Orbán at CPAC: Beware the misuse of Christianity

Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, spoke Aug. 6 at CPAC Dallas. At first blush, this doesn’t seem to matter to a publication like the Baptist Standard. But given what he said about Christianity and its role in the world, his words matter a great deal. For those who don’t make a habit of memorizing acronyms or keeping up with political events, CPAC here stands for the Conservative Political Action Conference. It’s sort of a big deal. In fact, it’s worldwide, with conferences in…

A NC high school football coach is converting kids to Christianity

Reading Time: 3 minutes When the Supreme Court ruled that a public high school football coach was allowed to pray silently after games (even though he was actually showboating at midfield for effect), the question in the minds of many church/state separation advocates was how far other coaches would stretch that decision. How would they subvert the new rules so that they could keep converting kids to Christianity? In the case of Sherman Holt, the new head football coach at Swain High School in Bryson…

Prophecy: God Is Bringing About Swift Turnarounds

In the month of August, God is bringing swift turnarounds so that your hard places will become a wide-open field. God is bringing about divine connections in order to strengthen the body of Christ. He is releasing faith for radical generosity, divine strategy to champion others and solutions for meeting the needs of the disenfranchised. This month, draw close to the Holy Spirit and listen to His whispers. He will guide you as you take bold steps of faith and meet you in your…

Opinion | Ron Sider Was a Model for Christians Committed to Justice

Sider’s faith led him to reject the political bundling and ideological categories of our moment. But though he was a unique and important leader, he was not — and is not — alone. It’s critical to understand that Sider represents an entire movement. He helped build this movement, to be sure, but his work was institutional and relational. It always involved others. Today, when what it means to be an “influencer” is bound up with individual, personal branding, a striking part of Sider’s legacy…

Russell Moore named Christianity Today editor, Lynn Vincent to lead World Magazine

(RNS) — Two of the most influential evangelical Christian magazines in the country named new leaders this week, hoping to set a new direction for the publications in tumultuous times. Russell Moore, the former Southern Baptist ethicist, was named editor in chief at Christianity Today. Lynn Vincent, a motorcycle-riding Navy veteran and New York Times best-selling author, was recently named executive editor at World Magazine. Moore takes over editorial leadership from president and CEO Tim Dalrymple, who assumed dual roles following the departure of…

Christianity Under Siege in Nicaragua

The persecution of Christians has been a common occurrence across much of the Middle East and China, but an equally virulent persecution is taking place not far from American shores with minimal global attention. Nowhere is this more evident than under the regime of Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega. The Catholic Church has been a common target of contempt and accusations of undermining the leftist regime despite a history of liberation theology and pro-left activism in Nicaragua. The Sandinista revolutionary-turned-dictator Ortega, who returned to power in…

Prophecy: Angels Will Shoot Arrows of Fire to Ignite Revival

</p> <p><img width=”618″ height=”340″ src=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Flaming-arrows.jpg” alt=”” title=”” srcset=”https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Flaming-arrows.jpg 618w, https://charismamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Flaming-arrows-480×264.jpg 480w” sizes=”(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 618px, 100vw” class=”wp-image-449338″/></p> <p> God’s glory is breaking through! The Scripture says, “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you,” (Isaiah 60:2, ESV). I recently had a conversation with Ashley Gronholm, whom God is using in healing, miracles, signs and wonders. She shared with me how…

Christianity was a major part of Indigenous boarding schools – a historian explains

Posted Aug 1, 2022, 10:24 am Brenda J. Child University of Minnesota/The Conversation During a weeklong trip to Canada, Pope Francis visited a former residential school for Indigenous children in Maskwacis, Alberta, on July 25, 2022. The Ermineskin Residential School operated between 1895 and 1975 in Cree Country, the largest First Nations group in Canada. As at many boarding schools set up to assimilate Indigenous children, students were punished for speaking their language and sometimes experienced abuse. According to the National Centre for Truth…

What is ‘progressive Christianity’?

I was recently asked to debate whether “progressive Christianity” (henceforth PC) was “another religion” (meaning, a religion other than Christianity) based on critical statements I had previously made about this so-called “progressive” version of the faith. The problem was that the professor who invited me to debate him defined PC differently than I did. In fact, he denied that my definition of PC was valid. In short, I claimed that the “progressive Christians” I had interacted with affirmed the validity of same-sex “marriage,” supported…

Christianity is not partisan

To the Editor: During the past several weeks, a seemingly coordinated series of increasingly vitriolic letters to the editor have appeared in The Smoky Mountain News. One specific letter, titled “Religion doesn’t belong in schools” by Ms. Cory was shocking to me, as well as to many other readers of The Smoky Mountain News. Though many of the points seemed gratuitously inflammatory, the anti-Christian remarks specifically stood out to me. It was stated, “religion doesn’t belong in schools.” I’m not sure if Ms. Cory is aware,…

Ex Lady Gaga Fan Staten Harry Rebrands to Promote Christianity Instead – Out Magazine

Put your paws…er, I mean…Psalms up, Little Monsters! By Bernardo Sim July 19 2022 11:12 AM EDT Put your Psalms up. Staten Harry went viral for his adorable videos as a young kid lip-syncing to Lady Gaga. However, he has now shared newer videos reading the Bible and promoting Christianity, making it clear that he’s no longer a supporter of Mother Monster. Harry wrote below one of his recent videos: “March 28th used to be a VERY demonic day for me because it’s Lady…

What Banner on Boston Church Says About Decline of Christianity

On the front of one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in the country, the Church of the Covenant in Boston, hangs a large banner on which is written: “And God said … “Protect Abortion Access 4 All “Ensure Black Lives Matter “Honor Bodily Autonomy “Defend LGBTQ+ Rights “End Voter Suppression “Turn Guns into Plows “Abandon Fossil Fuels “Provide Sanctuary “Abolish Prisons “Disarm Hate “Speak Truth “Breathe “In other words … “Love” If you needed one example of how destructive leftism has been…

What is Progressive Christianity? – The Stream

I was recently asked to debate whether “progressive Christianity” (henceforth PC) was “another religion” (meaning, a religion other than Christianity) based on critical statements I had previously made about this so-called “progressive” version of the faith. The problem was that the professor who invited me to debate him defined PC differently than I did. In fact, he denied that my definition of PC was valid. In short, I claimed that the “progressive Christians” (henceforth, PCs) I had interacted with affirmed the validity of same-sex…

Opinion: Christianity out of the barrel of a gun

Jean Stimmell, retired stone mason and psychotherapist, lives in Northwood and blogs at jeanstimmell.blogspot.com. Religious beliefs have varied enormously over the centuries around the world, including in the U.S. today, where articles of faith differ radically between individuals. Ordinarily, one could argue this is good, that our breadth of views validates the complexity of the topic, proving, once and for all, the grand and sacred mystery of life. Having a breadth of views is admirable, but it becomes disastrous when different dominations feel compelled to…

Opinion | American Christians in the Political Arena – The New York Times

To the Editor: Re “On Far Right, Devout Efforts to Get Elected” (front page, July 9): Separation of church and state was a foundational precept of the American Revolution. And that wasn’t because all the founding fathers were freethinkers or agnostics. One thing they all knew, after centuries of religious wars in Europe, was that theocracy was not what they wanted. At this hour of stress and flux, illiberal demagogues instinctively sense that they can make inroads to the chambers of power by using…

Christians strip down at nudist community

Outside the small Texas town of Elsa, a sheet metal fence too tall to see over surrounds a few acres of prime Rio Grande Valley land. In front of the compound’s drab, gray gate, bright orange letters spell out “Nature’s Resort.” The gate opens to reveal a seemingly ordinary community. RVs and small homes line the roads, péntaque and pickleball courts offer residents recreational spaces, and the front office acts as the community’s nucleus. Nothing looks amiss, except that is, for what’s missing —…

PASTOR’S PEN: What CHRISTianity is not

If you want to describe something, you can do it positively by telling what it is and negatively by what it is not. You can say the game of cricket is like baseball in that it has a ball, a bat, fences, two teams, you hit the ball after it is thrown and you catch the ball for an out. However, cricket has no gloves, diamond, foul lines, bases (wickets), pitcher (he’s a bowler), one man bats until he is out, a ball hit…

Was the US founded on Christianity? | Other Opinions

Some would argue that, yes, our country was founded on Christian principles. They fear that secularism will be our nation’s downfall. But secularism was in fact a basic principle of the founding fathers. James Madison was private about his own religious convictions but was a champion for religious liberty. He was insistent that government should not legislate what one should or should not believe. Benjamin Franklin, in his autobiography, described himself as a “thorough deist.” Deism is the belief in a supreme being based…

More on “Christianity and Equity”

In the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Christianity and Law, Paul Miller and I are contributing a chapter on “Christianity and Equity.” We’ve just posted a substantially revised version of the chapter. The new version has less coverage of Aristotle, but it adds a section on equity in the Hebrew Bible, has a bit more on canon law and the Magisterial Reformation, and has new sections on the early modern Chancery and post-seventeenth-century developments. You can read the new version here. One thing we found but…

What Is the Relationship between Judaism and Christianity?

Since I teach courses in comparative religions at Biola University and through Reasons Institute, people sometimes ask me what I think about the relationship between the biblical religions of Judaism and Christianity. And in that specific context, I’m also asked about Messianic Judaism. In fact, some time back I was contacted on social media by a Messianic Jew who is very supportive of the science apologetics ministry of Reasons to Believe but is critical of historic Christianity overall. In fact, the person expressed a…

What Happens if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned? Key Questions and Answers

A leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade describes a United States not seen in half a century, in which the legal status of abortion is entirely up to the states. If the draft, from February and published Monday night by Politico, ends up being similar to the court’s final opinion, expected next month, reproductive rights will be rewritten almost immediately. If Roe were overturned, would abortion become illegal everywhere in the U.S.? No. Individual states would decide whether and…

Christianity Is Under Trial With the “Praying Coach”

This week, the trial of football coach Joseph Kennedy will be heard at the U.S. Supreme Court. Kennedy was fired after he repeatedly prayed at the 50-yard line after football games. According to Kennedy, he was saying a prayer of thanks for his team’s performance: “That’s where I made my commitment to God before I even took the coaching job. There on the field of battle.” The case against Kennedy is that his public prayer was violating the first amendment’s disestablishment clause—otherwise known as…

The Rise of Pentecostal Christianity Current Affairs

Elle Hardy is a journalist who has reported from all over the world and written for GQ, Foreign Policy, Business Insider, and Current Affairs. Her new book is Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity is Taking Over the World. The Sunday Times says Hardy is a “first-class reporter. Beyond Belief makes for an often gripping story full of twists and turns.” The Telegraph calls it an “elegant account” and says that Hardy is an engaging usher around the Pentecostal world. The Irish Times calls it…

The Roe Leak Spotlights America’s Crisis of Credibility

As I write this, pro-life Americans don’t know whether to celebrate, and pro-choice Americans don’t know how to protest. That’s because all of us are looking at the news—a leaked-but-not-yet delivered majority opinion from the United States Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade decision from almost 50 years ago. For years, many of us working in the pro-life space have anticipated the day that the Supreme Court would announce the repeal of Roe v. Wade. Years ago, when my team and I were…

A Christian view of the coming Temple

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the focus of ongoing Bible history and prophecy. This is the center of the world, where Abraham offered up his son Isaac, where King David purchased land and where his son Solomon built the First Temple. It is also where Jesus cleansed the Temple and a poor widow gave an offering of two copper coins that Jesus said was greater than all the most extravagant donations.  Ancient biblical Mount Moriah is Jerusalem’s most recognizable landscape— to the Jews…

Arlin Sanford’s newly released “Thy Kingdom Come: Thy Will Be Done” is an engaging fiction with a grounding in prophetic scripture

“Thy Kingdom Come: Thy Will Be Done” from Christian Faith Publishing author Arlin Sanford is a fascinating tale of Jesus’s return and what becomes of humanity during the end days. MEADVILLE, Pa., May 3, 2022  /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — “Thy Kingdom Come: Thy Will Be Done”: a compelling look into prophecy. “Thy Kingdom Come: Thy Will Be Done” is the creation of published author Arlin Sanford. Sanford shares, “Signs of the times are pointing to the reality of these being the last days. Bible prophecies are…

The Positive Impact of Christianity

Perhaps you have heard of Lee Strobel, the Chicago Sun Times journalist who set out to prove Christianity was not true. Ironically, in the process the atheist became a believer, and eventually a pastor. Their backgrounds are not identical, but John S. Dickerson shares several things in common with Strobel. He too was an award-winning journalist. He also wanted to discover whether Jesus was who Christians claim he is, but he wanted to also know if Christianity has improved the world. His research eventually…

Christianity is a force for love and compassion, not a symbol of narrow morality

A recent letter writer (“Christian parents need to assert themselves in public school instruction,” April 20) refered to herself and unnamed others as “we Christians,” as if all who call themselves “Christian” are in lockstep with one another on the issues of the day, let alone how they understand Christ Jesus. That just isn’t so, and perhaps it never has been. It seems when something is represented as “Christian” these days, it is less as a trust in Christ Jesus of the Scriptures than…

The Positive Impact of Christianity

Perhaps you have heard of Lee Strobel, the Chicago Sun Times journalist who set out to prove Christianity was not true. Ironically, in the process the atheist became a believer, and eventually a pastor. Their backgrounds are not identical, but John S. Dickerson shares several things in common with Strobel. He too was an award-winning journalist. He also wanted to discover whether Jesus was who Christians claim he is, but he wanted to also know if Christianity has improved the world. His research eventually…

Ukraine in Prophecy: The Jeremiah Factor | Guest Contributor

Even before the Russian invasion, the Lord had begun to show me Ukraine in the prophecies of Jeremiah. The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” Jeremiah 1:11–12 This almond tree will help us unlock Jeremiah’s prophecies about Ukraine. One of the things we know about almond blossoms is…

How Revelation Gives Wisdom and Hope in Difficult Days

In these difficult days marked by deep divisions, deadly diseases, and societal decay, we need discerning wisdom and dogged hope. There’s often more heat than light in our social media feeds and news cycles, which offer vast oceans of drama and worry but with tiny islands of wisdom and hope. As Jeffrey Bilbro writes, “We don’t just need the media to cast a more piercing light; . . . we need to reevaluate the light we rely on to understand our times and discern…

Antizionism in American Christianity

Israel is now a far more prominent player on the world stage than its size suggests. As The Times of Israel’s Diplomatic Correspondent, I’m well aware that Israel’s security, strategy and national interests are always scrutinized and have serious implications. It takes balance, determination, and knowledge to accurately convey Israel’s story, and I come to work every day aiming to do so fully. Financial support from readers like you allows me to travel to witness both war (I just returned from reporting in Ukraine)…

Letter: Will court give preference to Christianity?

After every football game a coach in Bremerton, Washington runs to the bench and brings out his prayer rug, unfurls it on the field and then kneels down on the rug and prays a Muslim Prayer to Allah.  He is joined by many Black Players from his team and the opposing team in the religious ritual.  People are of course outraged at this violation of the Constitution. But wait, that isn’t how it happened.  As explained in the New York Times without mentioning the…

Can Christians be sex-positive? These church leaders think so.

Placeholder while article actions load Jo Neufeld, a 40-year-old living in Manitoba, Canada, used to feel that she was sex positive despite being Christian. Then, about 10 years ago, she started following Twitter accounts like those of Kevin Garcia, a gay pastor based in Atlanta, and other Christians who talked openly about sex. WpGet the full experience.Choose your planArrowRight Neufeld said the accounts introduced her to “ideas around God wanting pleasure for us” and helped her to reconcile her Christianity with her sex positivity:…

The death of Christianity –

In the New Testament book of Acts of the Apostles, we find this statement: “These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too…” Acts 17:6. Of course, at the time, they had not turned the entire world upside down, but it must have seemed so to the communities that were being impacted at the time. And, while the early Christians were limited in how far they could travel, Jesus did instruct his followers to “go into all the world” and…

No, Western Christians Are Not In Exile

If you attend a mostly white, evangelical church in the 2020s, you have probably been told by your pastor that you are an “exile.” This is not by accident. He or she has been taught to imagine himself, his flock, and the church in our country as exiles from our worldly culture. At its heart, this modernized exilic framework grieves secular shifts in Western culture and laments the loss of place the Christian church once had in our society. It equates our situation with…

How has Christianity provided a sense of community for Afghan refugees?

An Afghan woman who fled the country has said that she is “free now” to worship, as she celebrates her first Easter in the UK. Pari moved to the UK a few months ago, following the Taliban taking control of the country in August 2021, to join her husband, Ghul Zaman, who has lived in the UK for several years. Ghul Zaman and his wife Pari (Danielle Desouza/PA) The couple’s names have been changed to protect their identity. Her husband is Christian and whilst…

Penance and plague: How the Black Death changed one of Christianity’s most important rituals

Confession, circa 1460/1470. Artist unknown. Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images The 14th century is known for catastrophe. By midcentury, the first wave of plague spread through a Europe already weakened by successive famines and the Hundred Years War between England and France. And crises just kept coming. After the first wave, which has come to be called the Black Death, the disease returned at least four more times before 1400. All the while, fresh conflicts kept erupting, fueled in part by…

Cross Walk sheds light on the darkest hour of Christianity

NORTH EAST — Twelve feet tall and 200 pounds and every man from Restoration Tabernacle’s Sons With A Testimony took a turn carrying the cross on Good Friday. Starting at the parking lot of the North East barrack of Maryland State Police the men’s group from the church on Pleasant View Road in Port Deposit began walking along Route 40 heading to Perryville to make the turn onto Route 222 and head toward their congregational home. This was the seventh year the church hosted the…

Why the Cross Is Essential to Christianity

When archaeologists dig through the ruins of antiquity, they have one certain way to identify a place of Christian worship. They look for a cross. When they find it painted on a wall, carved into stone, or even worked into a floor plan, they know they’ve found a church. Since the beginning, Christians have identified themselves with the cross on which Jesus died. And whether it’s carved in wood or etched on our hearts, the cross is the chief symbol and defining reality of…

Much ado about Good Friday: Why it’s so important in Christianity

The weekend that ends Christians’ Holy Week is upon us, and it starts with Good Friday. It’s on this day that, according to the Gospel, Jesus was crucified and died for the sins of man, leading to his eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday. While many faithful Christians might already know, it does seem a bit odd to name the commemoration of the death of your savior “Good” Friday, doesn’t it? Vicar Eric Heinrich of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Norwich was able to help break down…

Prophecy Pros podcasters help Christians understand End Times, eschatology in new book

By Nicole Alcindor, CP Reporter | Wednesday, April 13, 2022 Prophecy Pros podcasters Todd Hampson and Jeff Kinley, known for their thoughtful, biblically-sound views on hot-button issues like the End Times, have released a book detailing the answers to 100 questions on the foundations of biblical eschatology. The book, titled The Illustrated Guide to Tough Questions About the End Times, was written based on information shared on their podcast. The two podcasters told The Christian Post they conducted extensive research to answer the questions,…

Jesus lives; Christianity is ‘the only true religion,’ pastor says

“Christ Carrying the Cross,” by Hieronymus Bosch, c. 1510 When I was growing up, I do not think I ever heard one person say to me that he did not believe that Jesus literally came back from the dead. Nor have I ever taken a survey to find out how many people do not believe the fact that Jesus rose from the dead after being completely deceased for three days. Easter Sunday is just a few days away, so it is important that we…

‘Now There Is No One’: The Lament of One of the Last Christians in a Syrian City

On Christmas Day, Michel Butros al-Jisri, one of the last Christians in the Syrian city of Idlib, didn’t attend services, because the Islamist rebels who control the area had long since locked up the church. Nor did he gather with friends and relatives to celebrate around a tree because nearly all of his fellow Christians have either died or fled during Syria’s 10-year civil war. Instead, Mr. al-Jisri said, he went to the city’s Christian cemetery, which no one uses anymore, to sit among…

Webinar to look at “The Materiality of Armenian Christianity: Gospel Books as Sacred Objects”

Konrad Siekierski The Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), and the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center will present a webinar with Konrad Siekierski on “The Materiality of Armenian Christianity: Gospel Books as Sacred Objects” on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 7 pm (Eastern) / 4 pm (Pacific). The webinar will be accessible live on Zoom (registration required) and on NAASR’s YouTube Channel. Konrad Siekierski is a PhD candidate in the Department of Theology and…

Brookings Register | Criticism of Christians off base

Rev. Carl Kline began a recent column, “Sometimes Jesus isn’t enough,” in a curious critique against Christians who simply “go to Sunday school from day one, sit through church services week after week,” but then fail to “truly engage the world of reality around us…” (Register 11-22-21). “How can followers of Jesus do this?,” Kline scolded, “How can they act this way?” These glaring deficiencies, according to Kline, are evidenced by church-minded Christians not committing themselves to “the Jesus Model” and the “Mahatma Ghandi”…

The 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Follow Jesus in 2022

A thousand more Christians were killed for their faith last year than the year before. A thousand more Christians were detained. Six hundred more churches were attacked or closed. And Afghanistan is the new No. 1, according to the 2022 World Watch List (WWL), the latest annual accounting from Open Doors of the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian. “This year’s findings indicate seismic changes in the persecution landscape,” said David Curry, president of Open Doors…

Afghanistan became most dangerous place on earth for Christians following Biden withdrawal: watchdog

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Christian persecution watchdog says that Afghanistan has become the “most dangerous place on earth” for Christians following the Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from the war-torn country.  “For the first time ever, Afghanistan is the most dangerous place on the planet to be a Christian,” according to a statement from Open Doors outlining its 2022 World Watch List. “The World Watch List is a definitive, comprehensive research-based report that ranks the top 50 countries where it is…

Wondrium’s “The Triumph of Christianity” Explores Religion’s Rapid Growth

By Jonny Lupsha, Wondrium Staff Writer Christianity began in a polytheistic and Jewish Rome and expanded exponentially. However, at the same time, early Christian practices were even more varied than they are now. The Triumph of Christianity reveals how it “went viral.” </p> <p><img width=”1024″ height=”555″ src=”https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hands-Feature-1024×555.jpg” alt=”Hands open for prayer” class=”wp-image-162014″ srcset=”https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hands-Feature-1024×555.jpg 1024w, https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hands-Feature-300×163.jpg 300w, https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hands-Feature-768×416.jpg 768w, https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hands-Feature.jpg 1209w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”/></p> <p>Christianity eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Photo Rachata Sinthopachakul / Shutterstock In modern times, Christianity is…

Christians Are Going Back to Church—But Maybe Not the Same One

Houston Northwest Church suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. By the time its flooded facilities were finally rebuilt a couple years ago, the congregation was only back at full capacity for six weeks before services were shut down by the pandemic. As the church endured one setback after another, senior pastor Steve Bezner has seen the flock ebb and flow. “About a third of our congregation worshiping in person are new faces,” he said. His church currently draws 1,600 attendees each week,…

Christianity and ‘The Great Resignation’

In an early 1960s television sitcom all but forgotten except by strange people with a fixation for old television sitcoms, there was a character of the best friend of the lead who was, in the parlance of the time, played as a “beatnik.” This character was a “free spirit” who wore a goatee (something unusual for the time) and marched to the tune of his own bongo drums. Nothing bothered this character unless someone mentioned a certain four-letter word. If that word was uttered,…

Christianity produces generosity

The Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth that God loves a cheerful giver. But studies show that the best formula for cheerful giving turns out to be love for God. The American Bible Society recently released findings from their annual State of the Bible survey that interviewed participants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The study showed that practicing Christians are far more generous than the rest of the American population: Americans who identify with a Christian tradition and attend…