The post Billy Graham Devotional 20 June 2019 – Forgiveness in Marriage appeared first on Flatimes.
Sri Lankan Christians too scared to attend church
The series of targeted attacks by Islamic extremists killed more than 250 people and left 300 injured in churches and hotels across the country.
Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) have reported that many believers fear further violence despite an increase in security.
ACN spokesperson Citra Abbott told Premier: “The community is definitely scared. And not least because a number of the attackers remain at large and add to that the fact that the government failed to act on intelligence prior to the attacks.”
Concerns of religious persecution continues to grow within the Sri Lankan Christian community, following confirmation from the Supreme Court that the right to share your religion is not protected by the country’s constitution.
Ms Abbott said: “Military presence is actually huge, especially in churches. But people don’t trust the government because violence against Christians by Hindu and Buddhist extremists in any case, is by and large ignored by the government.”
She added: “In spite of the fear, the faith there is strong and many feel that their faith has been strengthened despite being either victims themselves in the attack or losing friends and family.”
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, an outspoken critic of the Sri Lankan government’s apparent failure to act on Indian government intelligence ahead of the Easter attacks, has…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
Pastor Arrested for Obstruction While Protesting a Drag Queen Story Hour at a Public Library
Police arrested a Spokane, Washington pastor for obstruction on Saturday after the man refused to move across the street from a public library to protest a library event.
Pastor Afhsin Yaghtin, of New Covenant Baptist Church, told police he was protesting the “Drag Queen Story Hour” event at the Spokane Public Library. He said he had the right to protest next to the building, CBN News reports.
“It’s an abomination to God for a man to dress up as a woman or a woman to dress up as a man and that might seem harsh to some people, but that’s what our faith teaches,” he told KXLY 4 News. “I just felt like, you know, I should be able to go inside. It’s a public space, and exercise my first amendment rights. My free speech, my freedom of religion and the police would not let me do that.”
A video captured the exchanged between Yaghtin and police where authorities told him to stand on the other side of the street to protest. Yaghtin refused because supporters of the event were rallying on the same side of the street as the library.
Yaghtin was arrested for “trying to enter the non-designated protest area.” He was released the same day.
Yaghtin was one of about 200 people protesting the library’s event. Several hundred also gathered in support of the reading.
A mother of four children, Tina Humphries told the local newspaper, The…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
Judges accused of ‘deep intolerance’ of Christians following ruling over same sex adoption comments
Richard Page lost his role on the bench in 2015 after 15 years of service for stating that a child up for adoption would be better looked after by a man and a woman rather than a same-sex couple.
He was also later stopped from returning to his position as a non-executive director of the Kent and Medway NHS Trust after expressing the same opinion during a BBC interview.
The then Justice Secretary Michael Gove and Lord Thomas said his comments to the media suggested he was “biased and prejudiced against single sex adopters”.
In the second judgement given on Wednesday morning, Mr Justice Choudhury upheld the finding that LGBT people suffer disproportionately from mental health illnesses and might be dissuaded from using the trust’s services because of the high profile coverage of Mr Page’s beliefs.
Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre who have been supporting Mr Page explained to Premier why she wasn’t surprised by the judgements “given the current climate in our nation, given the current climate in our culture and certainly in the culture of the courts”.
“There’s a reality that speaking out as a Christian, as Richard Page has done, means increasingly that we are being prohibited from the public space, prohibited from working and taking part in certain professions,” she said.
“And that’s exactly what has happened to Richard Page. He’s been pursuing…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
California Lawmakers Want to Control What Pastors Preach about LGBT Beliefs
Before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in California, Assemblyman Evan Low will propose a resolution, Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99, to dictate what religious leaders say about LGBT behavior or identities.
The measure asks that religious leaders “embrace the individual and social benefits of family and community acceptance” of LGBT people and that “conversion therapy” is “unethical” and leads to higher rates of suicide. It continues by explaining how the state hopes to protect children “against exposure to serious harms caused by family rejection and attempts to change sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The Legislature continues to state that “being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming.”
The resolution received nine “ayes” and two “noes” with one “no vote recorded.”
Among the critics of the bill are two former homosexual pastors, according to the California Family Council. Leaders in a ministry called Equipped to Love, Ken Williams and Elizabeth Woning testified against the resolution. “For us, walking out our faith with biblical conviction means life and hope. Our faith saved us from suicide and given us freedom to live with clear consciences,” Woning said.
Williams’ faith also saved him from depression. “For years, I believed that even…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
New Dean of Westminster appointed
The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle will succeed the Very Reverend Dr John Hall when he retires after 13 years at Westminster Abbey on All Saints’ Day, November 1.
Dr Hoyle, 61, is currently Dean of Bristol and chairs the Church of England’s
College of Deans.
He will be installed as the 39th Dean of Westminster on November 16, overseeing the spiritual life of Westminster Abbey and leading the Abbey community, which includes 350 staff and 400 volunteers.
Dr Hoyle said: “Westminster Abbey is a wonderful place. It reminds us of our past, speaks of our present identity as a nation and a monarchy, and sets before us the kingdom we can be under God.
“It is a huge privilege to be given the opportunity to work there.
“Dr John Hall is completing an immensely distinguished ministry as Dean.
“Succeeding him, it will be important to sustain the Abbey as a place of pilgrimage and outstanding worship.”
Dr Hall said: “It has been, for me, an immense pleasure and privilege presiding over the worship and mission of the Abbey.
“I wish Dr Hoyle every joy and success in his leadership of the Abbey community.”
Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar under the jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter subject only to the sovereign.
Dr Hoyle’s appointment was approved by the Queen following an open application process.
He studied history and then theology…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
‘Please Don’t Kill Our Baby!’: Father Begs Pregnant Partner Not to Abort Their Child in Heartbreaking Video
A video posted to social media over the weekend shows a father crying out to the woman carrying their baby as she entered an abortion clinic.
The heart retching video shows a man, identified only as Tyler, begging the woman – Abby – not to abort their child as she walked into an abortion clinic ironically called Hope Clinic for Women.
In the video, Tyler can be heard screaming out, “Please don’t kill our baby! Abby! Don’t kill our baby,” before bursting into tears.
In a subsequent video showing Tyler sitting in a parking lot sobbing, he mutters that he is a good father to the kids she already has at home. As he sat with his head in his lap, he said, “I’m such a good Dad. I took care of her kids, too. And the other guy she’s let back in her life doesn’t even take care of his own kids.”
According to Life Site News, the videos were first posted to Facebook by John Ryan – a social worker and pro-life advocate – on June 14.
Ryan shared Tyler’s story in a written post along with the videos noting that Tyler and Abby – who was 12 weeks pregnant at the time the video was taken – had planned to have the baby she was now ready to abort.
Ryan wrote, “Fathers (sic) Day weekend nightmare. This father is kneeling at the doors of this abortion mill crying out hysterically for the life of his child….
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
Giant puppet of Britain’s first saint displayed at St Paul’s Cathedral
The 35-mile route will take in some of London’s most stunning parks, waterways and views.
Rev Canon Kevin Walton, Canon Chancellor at St Albans Cathedral said: “St Albans to London is one of the busiest commuter routes in modern Britain.
“In this route we are offering a different kind of journey – away from the stress and busyness of modern living, and rediscovering our spirit and cultural roots as we tread the way from our vibrant capital to the home of Britain’s first saint.”
It’s hoped the route – which was designed in five stages – will “boost the physical and spiritual wellbeing of those who may struggle to find the time in their busy city lives to undertake other pilgrimages”.
Each stage of the journey is easily accessible via public transport.
St Alban is said to have been a Romano-British citizen who lived in the Roman city of Verulamium.
He died for his faith around 300 AD, close to the spot where St Albans Cathedral now stands, after giving shelter to a Christian priest fleeing persecution.
Partakers of the walk will be encouraged to reflect on his positive human qualities.
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
Not Just Churches: Camps Are Also Prone to Child Sexual Abuse
(RNS) — Day and overnight camps are a staple of summer, a welcome relief for working parents.
But they can also present opportunities for sexual predators.
Last week, Noah Paradis, 19, a staffer at a LifeWay camp in Arizona, was arrested on five counts of inappropriate touching.
The abuse allegedly took place during CentriKid Camp, which was held at the Bison Ranch Retreat Center in Overgaard, Ariz. Paradis is accused of abusing two children at the five-day, four-night camp for third through sixth graders.
Paradis was being held in the Navajo County Jail in Holbrook on no bond as of Monday (June 17). He is a Georgia resident.
The camp is a ministry of LifeWay, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. This year, LifeWay anticipates more than 122,000 children from 40 states will attend one of its summer camps or mission projects.
“We are heartbroken for the victims and the victims’ families,” said LifeWay acting CEO Brad Waggoner. “Our primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of all our camp participants. We are grieved that someone representing LifeWay would behave in this manner and abuse their position of authority with a child.”
The arrest on Thursday came one day after the SBC ended its annual meeting, dominated this year by discussions on countering sexual abuse in churches. It passed…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.
