Megachurch Pastor James MacDonald: Focus on Jesus or End Up in a Ditch

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Megachurch Pastor James MacDonald: Focus on Jesus or End Up in a Ditch
James MacDonald (Photo: The Christian Post)

Dr. James S. MacDonald, senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, speaks at the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors Conference in New Orleans, June 18, 2012.

“The number one reason why Christians get in the ditch: We got our eyes off Jesus, and we got our eyes on people,” megachurch pastor James MacDonald told his Chicago-area congregation recently in a message entitled “New Power for the Distracted,” which can be seen here.

MacDonald delivered a message to attendees of Harvest Bible Chapel, a multi-site church that now stands at more than 13,000 people in seven different locations, that had one point: focus.

The Chicago-area pastor used a variety of examples to illustrate how Christians get into ditches during their walk with God, in the process losing their focus. MacDonald described a person whose name he couldn’t share, but someone whom his entire congregation knew. He described this unknown person as angry, negative, and isolated.

“This person is you, or me,” revealed MacDonald, “within five years, if we don’t take this content to our heart as a protection of our inevitable future.”

He warned the congregation that if they didn’t get this message right, that they would find themselves off the road of following Christ, and in a ditch, upside down with the wheels off. In more than 30 years of ministry, MacDonald said he knew plenty of people who loved Jesus, but didn’t focus their lives, which led them to a ditch that is very hard to get out of.

The pastor then explained how distractions lead us to not hear the voice of Jesus. He illustrated by asking a man by the name of Landon to talk on stage without a microphone in front of the congregation. Meanwhile, MacDonald walked away, ignoring him. MacDonald used the demonstration as an example of how apparent it is when a person isn’t listening because of distractions. He used the Apostle Peter as a specific example of a case of someone not hearing Jesus’ voice, as he cited the final verses of John when Peter was distracted with wondering who might betray Jesus. He misread Jesus to say that the Apostle John would never die, which isn’t what Jesus said.

Peter was beginning to tune out Jesus, MacDonald asserted. “Somewhere in there, Peter got off of the listening train.”

He drew parallels to humans losing sight of Jesus to when Peter began to sink while walking to Jesus on water and losing sight of Jesus when he saw the wind and the waves. “The moment you get your eyes off Jesus on anything else, you start to sink.”

Referring to John 21:21, he said that Peter asked, “Lord, what about this man?” in reference to who was going to betray Jesus, which was the equivalent to driving off the road and ending up in the ditch. He said that when people ask similar questions about other people, that that is a colossal distraction.

MacDonald started Harvest Bible Chapel with his wife, Kathy, and a small group of ministry partners in 1988. He also has a Bible-teaching television and radio broadcast ministry called Walk in the Word, and founded the church-planting ministry Harvest Bible Fellowship, which has helped establish more than 100 churches across North America.

In 2008, MacDonald was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and had to undergo 45 radiation treatments before his PSA levels dropped. He has been cancer free since 2009.

Source : Christian Post

Hillsong to Debut New Movie Trailer as Band Member Says Film Offers ‘New Perspective’ on Christianity

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Hillsong to Debut New Movie Trailer as Band Member Says Film Offers ‘New Perspective’ on Christianity
Hillsong (Photo: Courtesy/GraceHillMedia)

Joel Houston and Taya Smith rehearse for the Los Angeles Forum concert while filming Hillsong movie “Let Hope Rise”

Christian Post Report – Hillsong United’s Jad Gillies said recently that his band’s forthcoming film offers a ‘new perspective’ on what it means to be a modern-day believer. He also hopes the film can draw more people to the church.

On March 25, an exclusive new trailer of “Hillsong — Let Hope Rise” is set to be released ahead of the film’s premiere and Gillies shared his excitement.

“My hope is that the film gives people new perspective of what it actually looks like to believe in who Jesus is and what it means to live a life that reflects His acceptance and love,” the worship leader said.

The film chronicles the journey of the Australian worship band, which began in 1998 as a pastime for youth at church and has since grown into a global sensation. Gillies hopes the film can spark widespread interest in church service and worship.

“I hope it encourages those who have never been into a church that perhaps church could be a safe place for them, somewhere that they could feel at home, encouraged and inspired to do great things,” he shared.

The Dove Award-winning band is led by Joel Houston, the son of Hillsong founders and pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston. All 11 band members are either volunteers or employees of the church.

The film is produced by Jonathan Bock of Grace Hill Media and Matthew Weaver and Ben Field. Phil Cooke of Cooke Pictures has been named as an executive producer along with Wayne Hughes Jr. and Greg Campbell of Cantinas Entertainment, who’s financing the project.

In Jan., Warner Bros. abruptly pulled the film from its distribution and Relativity Studios, the third-largest mini-major film studio in the world, will now distribute the project.

“We are excited to share ‘Hillsong — Let Hope Rise’ with moviegoers across the United States,” said Matt Alvarez, who’s overseeing the project for Relativity. “Chronicling this Christian band’s humble beginnings to their present day worldwide ministry is truly remarkable and worthy of their story being told on the big screen.”

In 2013, Hillsong United’s third studio album Zion peaked at No. 1 on Christian album charts in Australia, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Last year, the band scored its first-ever American Music Awards nod in the Contemporary Inspirational Artist category.

Houston, who’s co-pastor of Hillsong NYC, previously told The Christian Post that the band’s goal is never to write “cool” music, but rather to share the story of Jesus.

“I’m not trying to write songs that are cool or hip, or that keep up to date with whatever is out there on the radio,” he said. “We’re genuinely just trying to write songs that are honest reflections of a creative God and music that helps people connect with God.”

Hillsong, which is headquartered in Sydney, has churches around the world with more than 100,000 weekly attendees, including thriving congregations in New York and Los Angeles.

“Hillsong — Let Hope Rise” is set to be released soon.

Source : Christian Post

Sophie Turner Talks Playing Younger Jean Grey With ‘A Twist’ for ‘X-Men Apocalypse’ Movie

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Sophie Turner Talks Playing Younger Jean Grey With ‘A Twist’ for ‘X-Men Apocalypse’ Movie

English actress Sophie Turner, who was cast to star as the young Jean Grey in “X-Men Apocalypse,” has announced her version will be played with a twist.

Christian Post Report – “Games of Thrones” House Stark actress, Sophie Turner, who signed on in January to play a young Jean Grey in “X-Men Apocalypse” has said she will be playing her role with a different twist to the character that X-Men fans have come to expect.

Sophie Turner Reuters/File

English actress Sophie Turner who played the character Sansa Stark in HBO’s “Game of Thrones”

“Famke did it so well. I just want to kind of bring a bit more a naivety to her,” Turner, 19, told Digital Spy. “I can’t really say much. I’ll give her a little twist.”

Turner, who has her own massive “GoT” fanbase for her role as Sansa Stark in the last four seasons of the critically acclaimed HBO fantasy series “Game of Thrones,” says she feels comfortable with having a loyal fanbase, and hopes to make followers of the telepathic mutant proud with her portrayal.

With “X-Men Apocalypse,” due to hit theaters on May 27, 2016, there have been speculations over Jean Grey’s character returning after she made an appearance towards the end of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

While Dutch actress Famke Janssen has played the telepath in all three initial X-Men films, as well as cameos in “The Wolverine” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” she has not signed on for the upcoming mutant film, as the role called for a younger version of Jean Grey.

The film, a sequel to “Days of Future Past,” will see the return of James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert, and Evan Peters as Quicksilver.

Newcomers to the franchise will portray younger versions of the original X-Men, including Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler, and Oscar Isaac as Apocalypse.

Source : Christian Post

‘Glee’ Series Finale Spoilers, Plot Recap: Final Episode Review

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‘Glee’ Series Finale Spoilers, Plot Recap: Final Episode Review

After six seasons of great music, triumphs and tragedies, make-ups and break-ups, “Glee” ended its run with a two-hour finale which featured a flashback to how it all started, what became of the Glee club members in 2020, and an emotional tribute to Cory Monteith.

Glee Season 6 FACEBOOK/ Glee

Christian Post Report – FOX’s “Glee” Season 6

The episode opened with a flashback to 2009, which showed a bullied Kurt and later, Rachel and Kurt singing together. In the flashback, Mercedes cries after losing the first glee club solo to Rachel, so she runs and goes to a church to cry. A woman comforts her and predicts that she and Rachel will be very good friends one day.

At a glee club meeting, they all talk about Finn and were on the verge of voting him out of the club, but then the New Directions start talking about how nice he really is. We also get a repeat of the pilot’s “Don’t Stop Believing” number, with Finn and the rest of the group, and we’re all reminded how the club began.

Back in the present day, the New Directions win the nationals. Three months later, the Superintendent announces that McKinley High would now become a school exclusively for the arts. Will Schuster is named the new principal of the school, and once he accepted the job and walked into the rehearsal room, all the glee club members burst into applause.

Sam is appointed as the new head of the glee club. Meanwhile, Mercedes gets to open for Beyonce’s world tour. Five years later, she headlines her own tour.

Elsewhere in 2020, Sue is the Vice President of the U.S. and Becky is the head of her security team. Will is still the principal of McKinley High, and he has three children with Emma.

Kurt and Blaine also have a child of their own, and it turns out that Rachel agreed to be their surrogate. As for Rachel, she’s married to Jesse St. James, and she finally wins her very first Tony Award and in her speech, she dedicates it to Will.

The entire group reunites at McKinley High auditorium, and Sue announces that it will now be named the Finn Hudson Auditorium. All the Glee members, past and present, come out on stage to celebrate Finn and sing One Republic’s “I Lived.”

The episode ends with a final shot of Finn’s picture next to a plaque dedicating the Finn Hudson Auditorium, with the words “See the world not as it is, but as it should be.”

Source : Christian Post

Dragon Ball XenoVerse DLC 2 for PS4, Xbox One Release Date and Details Revealed

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Dragon Ball XenoVerse DLC 2 for PS4, Xbox One Release Date and Details Revealed

Only a month has passed since “Dragon Ball XenoVerse,” a video game for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC was released in February 2015. To date, the game has reportedly shipped 1.5 million copies worldwide.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse YouTube/Screenshot

On March 17, Namco, the game’s developers, made available the first set of Downloadable Content for the game. Immediately after DLC 1 was released however, Namco came out detailing the contents of the second DLC pack, in what is seen by observers as building up the momentum for the game. According to a report in iDigital Times, Namco published more than 30 screenshots of its next DLC last March 20, “giving fans a glimpse at everything from new characters to the various special moves coming to DBX later this year.”

The second set of downloadable content, which is scheduled to be released sometime before the end of March in Japan, is reported to be introducing four new characters to the game’s roster. The next round will supposedly add “Eis Shenron, Mira, Nuova Shenron and Towa, along with costumes inspired by both of the ‘Dragon Ball XenoVerse’ antagonists.” The game already has a long list of characters, but this is not stopping Namco from adding some more. It is not yet known when DLC Pack 2 will be made available outside of Japan.

DLC Pack 2 will also “introduce a new Master (Pan), along with new Parallel Quests, new Time Patrol Quests and half a dozen new Z-Souls from the various “Dragon Ball” characters.” Players will also have access to “24 new special moves for their custom fighters.” One of the new features of the video game is the ability of players to create their own characters. Players can customize their character’s race, gender, head, build, voice and clothing. Screen shots were also shared in the iDigital Times report.

The game is the 15th “Dragon Ball” game released on home consoles. Unlike previous games, which were based on the original “Dragon Ball” storyline, “Dragon Ball XenoVerse” features “an entirely new story featuring the player’s custom character.”

Source : Christian Post

Fast and Furious 7: Paul Walker Death Still Raw, Vin Diesel Gives an Emotional Tribute at Screening

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Fast and Furious 7: Paul Walker Death Still Raw, Vin Diesel Gives an Emotional Tribute at Screening

Vin Diesel just became a father of three with the birth of his child last Monday, March 16, but the actor went straight from the hospital to the first California “Furious 7” screening on Wednesday, March 18, to honor his co-star and close friend, the late Paul Walker.

Christian Post Report – “I had to come from the hospital, and I had to introduce the first screening in California where the whole franchise started,” Diesel told the audience.

Furious 7 Facebook/ Fast and the Furious

Vin Diesel gives an emotional tribute to the late Paul Walker

The 47-year old was overcome with emotion as he spoke about making the latest movie, and he told fans how he and Walker, who he sometimes called Pablo, usually spent time together at the premieres of previous “Fast and Furious” films.

“As you know this was a very personal and important film to us, every time when I saw the movie at the premiere, Paul Walker and I would go off to the side, and he would always tell me, ‘Vin, the best one’s still in the can’. Well, I hope tonight, you’ll let Pablo know that this, this is the best one for you guys,” he said.

Diesel also reminded the audience that others have to wait a little to see the film, so it’s important to keep the story line quiet and not spoil it for everyone else.

At one point, the actor’s mood became somber.

“This was a labor of love. It was in some ways the hardest movie that I ever had to do because the relationships you see on film are so real, when the tragedy happened, I lost my best friend, I lost my brother,” he continued.

“Tonight,” said Diesel, before taking time to compose himself. The audience offered their support by telling Diesel that they love him, and one audience member shouted, “You’ve got family here Vin.”

“Oh I love that, thanks for being my family,” Diesel continued. “Thanks for always taking care of us, thanks for believing in us. You know what’s most important in life …This is our gift to you, but more importantly, it’s for my brother there.”

“Furious 7” premieres on April 3.

Source : Christian Post

Mother of Coptic Christian Beheaded by ISIS: I Thank God He Kept Faith, Died for Cross

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Mother of Coptic Christian Beheaded by ISIS: I Thank God He Kept Faith, Died for Cross
21 coptic christians beheaded isis (Photo: Reuters/Muhammad Hamed)

A girl holds up a poster with pictures of the 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians beheaded by Islamic State in Libya, as they gather in a gesture to show their solidarity, in front of the Egyptian embassy in Amman February 17, 2015.

Christian Post Report – The mother of an Egyptian Copt who was among the 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS in February said she is thankful that her son kept his faith until the end.

Milad Makeen Zaky’s mother described her son’s faith and bravery in a video posted on Christian ministry International Christian Concern’s Facebook page last week. ICC recorded the video in Upper Egypt shortly after ISIS released the video of the beheadings on Feb. 15. In the ICC video, Zaky’s mother called her son a martyr and expressed that she is proud in how he carried himself in the face of adversity.

“I thank God that my son kept the faith and died for the cross, because he was the son of Christ from his birth, not my son,” said Zaky’s mother. She continued in the short video by talking about her son’s upbringing in the church, and his personal journey abroad because he had struggled to find work in Egypt, which ultimately led him to Libya.

“From his childhood he was going to Sunday school, reading the Holy Bible, attending the prayer meetings in the church community,” she told the camera.

While some might see the words of Zaky’s mother as an act of defiance in the face of danger, Todd Daniels, regional manager for the Middle East sector of the ICC, told The Christian Post that he thinks the exact opposite.

“The testimony of hope in the midst of suffering is a testament to the value of the faith for which her son died,” said Daniels via email on Monday. “This is the message the world needs to see, what the Christian world needs to see.”

According to Daniels, like Zaky’s mother, the families of the other 20 victims take great pride in the faith that their loved ones maintained until the end.

Zaky, along with 20 others, was beheaded at an unknown time on a beach in Libya, but the video of the beheading was released last month. Zaky was a part of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority. In the video entitled “A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross,” all 21 Christians were pushed to the ground and beheaded after a short speech that included a reference to Osama bin Laden.

For months, ISIS has been terrorizing people overseas in an effort to convert others to Islam. They have kidnapped, assaulted and killed thousands. The group has disfigured women by pouring acid on them, used mentally challenged children as suicide bombers and cut off the hands of women who were caught using their cellphones. They have routinely recorded videos of mass beheadings and released them via social media for the public to see.

Source : Christian Post

Will the Cleveland Browns Appear on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’?

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Will the Cleveland Browns Appear on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’?
Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns/NFL

Will the Cleveland Browns be the next team featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks?

Christian Post Report – The Cleveland Browns appear to be the frontrunners to appear on the HBO series “Hard Knocks” later this summer. Hard Knocks follows one team through their Training Camp and pre-season and is a must-watch show for many NFL fans. It is widely popular with NFL head coaches and front offices, so much so that the NFL implemented rules to compel teams to participate in the program.

Only teams that have a new head coach, playoff games in the last two years, or have participated on the program in the last decade are exempt from being forced to participate. For 2015, that means the NFL could force the Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and St. Louis Rams to participate.

Of all those teams, the Browns have the most interesting storylines, especially if they trade up in the draft to get a new young QB to pair with Johnny Manziel and veteran Josh McCown. They are a team trying to find their way, and that always makes for interesting TV.

“Cleveland would provide an array of intrigue after a limp 2014 season followed the tame Atlanta Falcons,” Kevin Patra wrote for NFL.com. “From the interest surrounding first-round quarterback Johnny Manziel — who will be fighting for a starting job and has spent time in a treatment facility this offseason — to general manager Ray Farmer’s wayward texting scandal last season, the plotlines are thick and intriguing before pads ever hit.”

He goes on to point out that Head Coach Mike Pettine could become the star of the show. Pettine is not afraid to speak his mind. Pettine was also a member of the New York Jets coaching staff when that team appeared on the show a few years ago. If the Browns wind up being the featured team, this season could be one of the more interesting seasons of the show.

Source : Christian Post

Greg Biffle Upset With His Roush Fenway Racing Team: ‘We’re Dying a Slow Death’

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Greg Biffle Upset With His Roush Fenway Racing Team: ‘We’re Dying a Slow Death’
Greg Biffle reuters.com

Greg Bifle has some harsh words about the sate of his #16 race team

Christian Post Report – Greg Biffle is a driver used to running for championships. He has won a championship in the Craftsman Truck series and the Xfinity series. He has finished the top 10 in Sprint Cup series points 10 times in his career. However, for much of the 2014 season and early on in the 2015 season, Biffle’s #16 Roush Fenway Racing team has struggled. Biffle has not won a sprint Cup series race since 2013 and has not won multiple races since 2012. When the team unloaded at the Auto Club Speedway this weekend for race there, Biffle had some strong words.

“This is unacceptable, We’re dying a slow death. We need to start showing up for the weekend closer to where we need to be,” Biffle told NBC’s NASCAR Talk Friday. From those comments alone it appears that Biffle is frustrated with the current state of his race team.

“You want to unload off the truck and be in the top 10 or top 15. Granted, we were much better yesterday when we were (17th) and 14th in the final practice on speed, so we got it better,” he clarified before Sunday’s race. “You just feel crushed when you’ve worked so hard and everybody’s put so much effort into it – and then we come here and come off the truck with that kind of speed. That really crushed us. That was a blow to us that we ended up in that position off the truck.”

Roush Fenway Racing has lost a lot of talent the past few years. Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards specifically and going further back, Kurt Busch and Mark Martin. Biffle resigned with the team this past off season and has driven from Roush in all three of NASCAR’s top national divisions.

Now it appears this is a team struggling to get a handle on the new rules package, even though they’re running the same engines as the winner of Sunday’s race, Brad Keselowski.

Source : Christian Post

Adrian Peterson Wants Out of Minnesota, Will Star NFL Running Back Get His Wish?

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Adrian Peterson Wants Out of Minnesota, Will Star NFL Running Back Get His Wish?
Adrian Peterson reuters.com

RB Adrian Peterson may try and force his way out of Minnesota

Adrian Peterson believes he needs a fresh start with a NFL team. It some ways, that is an understandable reaction to what has gone on for the star running back, but he needs to fully realize he is in this position because of his own behavior, not anything his employer, the Minnesota Vikings, have done. The team has said they will not release him nor should they; it is their job to protect their asset and get fair market value for him if he does not wish to play out his contract there.

The team, Peterson, and his agent have had meetings likely trying to find a way to work out the situation, but Peterson’s public comments about those meetings have not been very productive. Those meetings have since ended, and there is no word yet if Peterson is demanding a trade. This will likely lead up to a hold out by Peterson until he is given an outright release or the Vikings find some value for him on the trading market.

Peterson’s displeasure with the team stems from being placed on the Commissioner exempt list and how the team handled his eventual suspensio, Will Brinson of CBSsports.com reported. He told the team he wants to play for Dallas, but he is signed to a massive contract that makes all of this that much harder to work out.

“We know Peterson is disgruntled, but he isn’t publicly saying why. It could be that he wants a new deal that gives him guaranteed money beyond 2015, something the contract he signed in 2011 will not provide him,” Matt Vensel wrote for The Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Peterson may have other issues, Or maybe he really does want out, as has been speculated by national media.”

“But the reality is he is under contract with the Vikings through 2017, and the team still plans on keeping him around this season. That’s why the reports a couple of days ago that said that Speilman told Dogra that Peterson will not be released should have been met with intense eye rolls,” he continued.

Source : Christian Post

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