‘Stand up for Jesus’ – Businessman Will Pay $500 Fines for Chicago Churches that Defied Orders

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‘Stand up for Jesus’ – Businessman Will Pay $500 Fines for Chicago Churches that Defied Orders


‘Stand up for Jesus’ – Businessman Will Pay $500 Fines for Chicago Churches that Defied Orders

A Chicago businessman and former mayoral candidate says he will pay the $500 fines local authorities handed to three churches that held worship services Sunday in defiance of a statewide ban.

Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Philadelphia Romanian Church of God and Metro Praise International Church – all in the Chicago area – each were fined $500 for defying a statewide order limiting in-person church gatherings to 10 persons. All three churches say they can safely worship while following social distancing guidelines with reduced seating.

Willie Wilson, a 2015 and 2019 Chicago mayoral candidate, said in a Wednesday press release he will pay the fines. He criticized Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“Mayor Lightfoot and Governor Pritzker continue to intimidate the Church,” Wilson said. “… The first right guaranteed by the constitution is free exercise of religion. The governor and mayor continue to trample on our constitutional rights while hiding behind a Stay at Home Order that treats the church as non-essential.”

Wilson applauded the churches that “dared to worship” Sunday and also questioned why businesses are allowed to open while churches must remain closed.

“It is shameful that the church is discriminated against, while liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries and Home Depot [are] treated as essential…

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Belief in Heaven Is a ‘Malignant Delusion’ that ‘Devalues Actual Lives,’ Harvard Professor Says

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Belief in Heaven Is a ‘Malignant Delusion’ that ‘Devalues Actual Lives,’ Harvard Professor Says


Belief in Heaven Is a ‘Malignant Delusion’ that ‘Devalues Actual Lives,’ Harvard Professor Says

A Harvard University professor sparked an online debate Thursday after suggesting belief in heaven has harmed the coronavirus response by devaluing human life.

Steven Pinker, a professor of psychology at the school, made the comments on Twitter while referencing a Washington Post article that blamed evangelicals for the movement to a quick reopening of America.

“Belief in an afterlife is a malignant delusion, since it devalues actual lives and discourages action that would make them longer, safer, and happier,” Pinker wrote on Twitter. “Exhibit A: What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals.”

The comment drew more than 4,500 responses.

“It’s just the opposite,” one person wrote. “People who believe there is no higher power or no consequences in the afterlife are much more willing to commit crimes if they think they can get away with it.”

“My faith in God only increases my appreciation for the value, worth & purpose of each human life (mine included),” another person wrote. “This isn’t some sort of waiting…

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Gospel Music’s Bill Gaither Plans to Share the Gospel through His Partnership with the Game Show Network

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Gospel Music’s Bill Gaither Plans to Share the Gospel through His Partnership with the Game Show Network


Gospel Music’s Bill Gaither Plans to Share the Gospel through His Partnership with the Game Show Network

Gospel music legend Bill Gaither and his music group, Gaither Music Group, are partnering with the Game Show Network to bring original family-friendly programming, Bible question games and faith-based contestants to your television screen.

When the Game Show Network approached Gaither about working together earlier this year, Gaither knew it was a great opportunity to share the Gospel with people who may have never heard it. 

Although Gaither is known to many as a singer and songwriter, he also values bringing families and people together, qualities that made working with the Game Show Network a perfect fit. One of the things that captured the attention of Fran Shea, the Executive Vice President of the Game Show Network, about Gaither was his warmth and inclination toward family. In an interview with Christian Headlines, Shea – who is new to the Network – confessed, “I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before I got here.” Shea loves what Gaither brings to the table with his faith and positive attitude.

“We want people of faith to feel comfortable watching our shows,” Shea shared. In an exclusive interview with Christian Headlines, Gaither gives a glimpse of why he loves partnering with the Game Show Network and why people of faith should feel comfortable joining him in watching it.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re a…

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Mississippi Church Pushing Back against Lockdown Orders Is Burned to the Ground in Suspected Arson Attack

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Mississippi Church Pushing Back against Lockdown Orders Is Burned to the Ground in Suspected Arson Attack


Mississippi Church Pushing Back against Lockdown Orders Is Burned to the Ground in Suspected Arson Attack

On Wednesday morning, a Mississippi church was burned to the ground.

First Pentecostal Church in Holly Springs, Mississippi was engulfed in flames on Wednesday in what is believed to be an act of arson, Fox 13 reports.

Investigators noted that the church had been spray painted with graffiti following an explosion towards the front of the building.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves expressed that he was distraught over the incident.

“I am heartbroken and furious. In Mississippi, a church was just burned to the ground. They had been trying to open services,” Reeves tweeted Thursday.

“There was graffiti on the lot which read ‘Bet you stay home now you hypocrites.’ What is this pandemic doing to us? We need prayer for this country,” he wrote.

Thomas More Society senior counsel and lawyer for the church Stephen Crampton told Fox News on Thursday that the church parking lot had been spray-painted with the following message: “I bet you stay home now you hypokrits.”

Prior to the incident, the church had been…

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‘The Empire Strikes Back’ turns 40: A lesson in faith from a Jedi master

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‘The Empire Strikes Back’ turns 40: A lesson in faith from a Jedi master

The wax figure of Star Wars hero Yoda for the London Madame Tussauds in the wax museum in Berlin, Germany, 02 February 2015. (Jens Kalaene/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Yesterday marked the fortieth anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The sequel proved to be a definitive turning point in the saga, and it still holds up well today.

Debuting three years after the first Star Wars film, Empire helped give the series a level of depth and direction that would propel the Star Wars saga to unprecedented heights.

And while the greatest plot twist in cinematic history (you’re free to disagree if you feel like being wrong) is perhaps the movie’s most iconic moment, Empire is filled with dialogue and sequences that remain both thought-provoking and entertaining. In rewatching the film yesterday, what stuck out the most to me was a specific interaction between Yoda and Luke during the latter’s training.

After Luke’s ship sinks to the depths of the swamp and the fledgling Jedi proves unable to haul it back to the surface, he walks away sullen and distraught. Yoda then brings the ship back up with ease to Luke’s amazement.

Afterward, the young man turns to the tiny, green Jedi master and says simply, “I don’t believe it!” to which Yoda responds, “That is why you fail.”

A familiar faith lesson

That interaction is reminiscent of Peter when he encountered Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22–33). Any confidence Peter had in his ability to fulfill Christ’s instruction quickly vanished when his own doubts and insecurities became the primary determinate of his perspective.

He took his eyes off of Jesus and quickly sank amidst the seemingly impossible task he’d been given. And when they got back to the boat, Jesus simply asked “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

How many times has that exchange happened in your walk with the Lord?

Perhaps the words were different, but, more times than…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Denison Forum.

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Christian Organization Calls for Cancellation of PBS’ LGBTQ Pride Month Miniseries, TV Broadcast

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Christian Organization Calls for Cancellation of PBS’ LGBTQ Pride Month Miniseries, TV Broadcast


Christian Organization Calls for Cancellation of PBS’ LGBTQ Pride Month Miniseries, TV Broadcast

A Christian group is clamoring for PBS to break its ties with an upcoming series that will highlight LGBTQ+ life in America.

In honor of Pride Month, PBS will release a miniseries of six short episodes PBS Voices YouTube channel. The series will be called Prideland.

The first episode will be released on May 26 with one new episode being added to the channel each week thereafter. The last episode being released on June 30.

Along with the web series, a one-hour TV special will broadcast on PBS on June 12.

The miniseries and the broadcast are hosted by openly gay actor and singer Dyllón Burnside.

The special will observe the lives of LGBTQ+ people living in the United States and will specifically focus on the attitudes of Southerners toward the LGBTQ+ community. The series will include personal stories.

CBN News reports that The American Family Association (AFA), a Christian organization, created an online petition calling for PBS to cancel Prideland.

The petition by AFA asserts that PBS’ involvement with the show is an “unjust attack on Christianity and a mockery of the Bible and God’s design for human sexuality.”

AFA noted one episode specifically, episode 2 of series, titled “An Openly Gay Pastor’s Journey to Acceptance in the Bible Belt.”

In the episode, PBS introduces an openly gay minister at a small church in Jackson, Mississippi who “was offered the…

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What a time capsule from 1915 contained: The power of loving God with all your heart

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What a time capsule from 1915 contained: The power of loving God with all your heart

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero views contents from the Memorial Amphitheater memorabilia box in the Memorial Amphitheater Lower Chapel at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, April 29, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser/Arlington National Cemetery).

A copper box was recently removed from the century-old amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. It had been sealed in 1915. Among its contents were a signed photograph of President Woodrow Wilson, copies of Washington’s four newspapers, a tiny American flag, a Washington city directory, and a Bible wrapped in brown paper and tied up in a red string.

The time capsule, officially called a “memorabilia box,” had been placed in the original cornerstone for the amphitheater in 1915. The structure was not completed for five years. When the cemetery celebrated the amphitheater’s centennial, the box was opened. 

Cemetery command historian Steve Carney noted that the box is a chance “to reflect on, what was the world like in 1915.” He noted: “Within three years, the United States is a completely different place. We’ve seen the horrors of World War I, and we’re in the midst of the Spanish influenza. . . . What a different place and what a different memorabilia box that would have been if it was placed in 1920.” 

A surprise came when the capsule was removed and a strange container was found sitting next to it. In the 1990s, when the capsule was moved to its present location, there was some extra space beside it. Workers took the opportunity to add a mini time capsule of their own. They gathered their business cards and wrote some notes, then they looked for a container. 

“What they found was an empty Peter Pan peanut butter jar,” conservator Caitlin Smith said. “It was sort of a rush job. But you can understand the impulse to add your name to history.” 

Items are shown that were removed from the Memorial Amphitheater memorabilia…

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When the Vision Stops | Church Answers

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By Sam Rainer

Not every church leader will face a vision-crushing blow. But they exist. They hurt like a heavy-weight sucker punch. You didn’t see it coming, and it was hard like an Acme anvil. Church leaders (especially us pastors) can overreact. We can cry wolf when it’s just sheep around. There are cases, however, when one event jars everything loose, when something unforeseen grinds the church to a halt. The vision stops. No one moves.

How do you respond when your church experiences collective blackout? How do you lead when you’re shell shocked with everyone else? When it’s impossible to think about a new vision, what are the immediate next steps?

For any leader shepherding followers through a major crisis, the first step is to care for people. When a bomb hits, most of your people will not know what to feel. When people are numb, they’re not thinking about the future. No one wants to see a beautiful vision painted when the canvas has vomit on it. This caring process is a cleaning process. Forget about grand plans and get on your knees and scrub. Sometimes it’s all you can do to shepherd people.

Once the air clears, the next step is to describe reality. People don’t stay numb forever. They become angry. And confusion only exacerbates anger. It’s a mess. Don’t deny it. You’ve got to wake up people to present reality. Be real. Be honest. Explain what happened. Even if confidentiality prevents full disclosure, be clear in what you can describe. Clarity helps people…

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Eight-foot deep sinkhole opens in Rome, revealing ancient paving stones used in the streets around the Pantheon dating back to 27BC

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Eight-foot deep sinkhole opens in Rome, revealing ancient paving stones used in the streets around the Pantheon dating back to 27BC

An eight-foot-deep sinkhole opened up on a street in front of the Pantheon in Rome, revealing several ancient paving stones dating as far back as 27BC.

The sinkhole is 10 feet long and opened unexpectedly on an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon on a cobblestoned street in the Piazza della Rotunda, near the Pantheon’s front steps.

The area had been closed to the public at the time so no one was injured, but during tourist season the event could have caused much more damage.

The paving stones below the surface appear to have been used in the streets around the Pantheon when it was first built, and which were subsequently paved over after a series of reconstruction projects in the first century AD.

According to a report in the Smithsonian, city officials had been aware the ancient paving stones were present below the surface but decided against any larger excavation project, fearing it would be disruptive.

The paving stones were unusually well preserved because they were mostly surrounded by pozzolan, a type of dirt with significant amounts of silicon dioxide that absorbs excess moisture and can help prevent rot.

The paving stones themselves were made from travertine, a common building material in ancient Rome used in the Coliseum and many of the city’s triumphal arches, which was easily sourced from quarries outside the city.

Sinkholes have been a common phenomenon in Rome, with over 100 openings recorded in 2019, and 175 in 2018.

They’re caused by the destabilizing combination of the region’s sandy soil and layers of old ruins that much of the modern city was built atop,…

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Father Who Encouraged Abortion Forfeited His Parental Rights, Court Rules

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Father Who Encouraged Abortion Forfeited His Parental Rights, Court Rules


Father Who Encouraged Abortion Forfeited His Parental Rights, Court Rules

A Georgia father forfeited his parental rights to his biological child when he, among another things, encouraged the mother to get an abortion, the state’s Supreme Court ruled this week.

The 6-3 decision allows a couple, Lance and Ashley Hall, to proceed with the adoption of an unnamed three-year-old boy they have had custody of since he was born in 2016, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The biological mother, Jeannie Mathenia, became pregnant in 2016 after a “one-time sexual encounter” with the biological father, Joshua Brumbelow, the court said.

The case began when Brumbelow filed for parental rights on Aug. 23, 2016, several weeks after the child was born (July 10, 2016). By then, Mathenia had legally surrendered her rights, and the child was living with the Halls, who have had exclusive custody of the boy. 

A trial court ruled against Brumbelow. The Georgia Supreme Court, in its May 18 decision, agreed with the lower court. 

“Having made a factual finding that Brumbelow did offer to pay for an abortion, the trial court was authorized to weigh that fact as strong evidence of abandonment of Brumbelow’s interest in parenting the child,” the Supreme Court ruled. “Importantly, the trial court found other evidence it deemed probative of a determination of abandonment – particularly, Brumbelow’s initial denial of paternity and the lack of action on his part…

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