… Read More
—-
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.
Ukrainian City Remembers Jews on Holocaust Anniversary – Urban Christian News
The Ukrainian city of Lviv, once a major center of Jewish life in Eastern Europe, is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the annihilation of the city’s Jewish population by Nazi Germany and honoring those working today to preserve what they can of that vanished world.
City authorities honored recipients during a ceremony Sunday with 75 sculptured glass keys modeled by an American artist on an old metal synagogue key that she found at a Lviv market. The commemorations, including a concert amid the ruins of synagogues, come amid a larger attempt to revive the suppressed memories of the Jews who were once an integral part of life in the region.
“God forbid our city once suffered such a misfortune,” Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said at the ceremony. “Today we cannot even imagine for a moment the pain, humiliation and grief that thousands of Lviv’s people suffered in the last century.”
Iryna Matsevko, deputy director of the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe and one of the organizers, said it was the first time the western Ukrainian city has acknowledged the efforts in such an extensive way.
She said it comes amid a growing consciousness in Ukrainian society of the need to remember the Jews who were annihilated by Nazi forces during their occupation of Eastern Europe, which occurred with the participation of local people in some cases. The new efforts have included Jewish history courses at universities, new research by young Ukrainian scholars and grassroots efforts by local teachers and other volunteers that otherwise get little attention. Volunteers have also…
… Read More
—-
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Urban Christian News
Do Christians Show Mercy in Their Daily Life? What About Pastors?
Nearly two-thirds of Christians and about four out of five pastors believe that mercy influences their daily behavior, according to findings from a recent Barna Group study.
In a report released Tuesday, Barna found that 63 percent of Christians say mercy influences their everyday decisions, while 83 percent of pastors said the same.
“However, another four-in-10 Christians are less likely to characterize their words and actions as merciful. It remains part of their belief, but they either don’t really think about it that much, or it simply doesn’t influence their actions,” stated Barna.
“The apathy in this sizeable minority is reason for concern among a faith group that professes a commitment to a merciful God.”
For the research, Barna interviewed 1,502 practicing Christians via an online survey and 515 Protestant senior pastors via online and telephone surveys from April 12 – May 2, with a sample error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.
… Read More
—-
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.
Bishops raise age limits for trainee clergy in bid to boost numbers
Lifting previously-enforced age limits will enable people to train to become ordained ministers in their late fifties and early sixties.
Rev Tim Dakin, bishop of Winchester, told the Telegraph: “60 is the new 40.
“We’re living longer, we’ve got a lot of energy – I look at some of my episcopal colleagues and they’re still going like a bomb. They’re really hard-working, energetic people.”
The new programme being offered in his diocese enables trainers to do their training part-time locally, instead of traveling to a college to train full-time.
As a result, the number of people recommended for training in the diocese has risen from 14 two years ago to 21 this year, the bishop claimed.
The numbers have risen from 476 in 2016 to 580 this year nationally.
New guidelines mean dioceses can discuss with candidates what form of training they should do.
Figures show the number of people under the age of 32 applying to become Anglican priests has risen by almost a third over the past two years.
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.
Pray for FBC Sanlando Springs
Location: Altamonte Springs, Florida
Pastor: Mark Mitchell
Weekly Worship: 10:30 AM, Eastern
Fast Facts: In the early 2000s, FBC Sanlando Springs went through a church split and began to decline. After nearly 15 years of being in maintenance mode as a church, they are finally starting to see revitalization. The church runs in the 40s each week but has a great opportunity in the suburbs of Orlando where more than 250,000 people live within a 5 mile radius of the church. There are 159 people moving into the area every month. Pray that FBC Sanlando Springs will actively reach these people for Christ. Also pray for the church’s finances as they have had to cut pastoral staff salaries.
Website: FBCSS.net
“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.
If you would like to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form..
… Read More
—
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.
‘Any time I’m criticized for my belief in Jesus Christ, I just breath a prayer of praise’
In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Pence said: “The Bible says, ‘count it all joy’ when you endure trials of many kinds.
“Any time I’m criticized for my belief in Jesus Christ, I just breathe a prayer of praise.”
Pence has been mocked for his strong Christian views and beliefs a number of times.
American talk show host and comedian Joy Behar publically apologised earlier in the year claiming Pence had a “mental illness” as he believed Jesus speaks to him.
A book released this week, The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence by authors Michael D’Antonio and Peter Eisner labels the vice president as “the most successful Christian supremacist in American history”.
When told during the CBN interview that he’s been ‘under attack’, Pence replied: “‘I really don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.
“This is a nation of faith. We’ll continue to stand for the things that we believe in.”
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.
Nigerian church collapses on worshippers
It’s not clear how many casualties there are at St Paul Catholic Church in the Southern Delta state.
Sources in the community told the Nigerian paper Vanguard that the incident happened during the morning service.
Another church building collapse! While we may continue to send condolences and prayers, we all must realize these are symptoms of poor governance, corruptions and disregard for professionalism. Prayers will NOT solve this for us.
— OpenedMind (@PenEffect) September 2, 2018
The West African country’s former Vice President tweeted that his “thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of worshippers caught up in the collapse” of the church.
Structural failures have caused church collapses in the country numerous times.
In 2016, at least 160 worshippers were killed when the roof of a church in the city of Uyo, in Akwa Ibom state collapsed.
In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
Some users responded to the news by sharing their frustration of unsafe buildings.
It is not yet clear what caused the Catholic church to collapse.
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.
‘I saw God’, says Beatles star Paul McCartney
The Beatles star said the experience – which came after he had taken drugs – had given him the “sense” that there was “something higher”.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “I once took a drug, DMT… And I saw God, this amazing towering thing, and I was humbled.”
Describing the encounter as a “clue”, rather than a life-changing moment, he added: “It was huge. A massive wall that I couldn’t see the top of, and I was at the bottom. And anybody else would say it’s just the drug, the hallucination, but… we felt we had seen a higher thing.”
Dimethyltryptamine – or DMT – is a class A hallucinogenic drug, which means users are likely to experience a distorted view of objects and reality and it can cause hallucinations.
The 76-year-old singer, who is due to tour his new music, also told the paper of the moment he believed his late wife Linda had “come back to give me a sign” after her death.
Describing seeing a white squirrel in the country, he said it was a “great moment”, and added that he had allowed himself to believe that lost loved ones were “looking down” on him.
Sir Paul, who in July returned to Liverpool to perform in the Cavern Club for the first time since 1999, also spoke of teaching rapper Stormzy – who is a Christian, how to play the piano.
He told the paper: “He’s looking to advance his music. As a rapper, I thought he’d have words down, but there…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
Leading Catholic school closes after damning sex abuse report
Lawyers representing former students of Ampleforth College (pictured above) in North Yorkshire alleged the college, which St Martin’s Ampleforth prep school is a part of, turned a blind eye to offending over many years.
According to The Times, the prep school’s building was put on sale with a guide price of £3.5m.
The pupils of the school – which has been based at Gilling Castle since 1930, will be transferred to a new junior house at the main school.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) investigated whether Ampleforth College and another Catholic school, Downside in Somerset failed to protect pupils from predators.
It’s highly critical report found that monks at Ampleforth College and Downside hid allegations of “appalling sexual abuse” against pupils as young as seven to protect the church’s reputation.
Allegations stretching back to the 1960s encompassed “a wide spectrum of physical abuse, much of which had sadistic and sexual overtones”, the report stated.
One alleged offender at Ampleforth abused at least eleven children aged between eight and twelve over a “sustained period of time”, but died before police could investigate.
“Many perpetrators did not hide their sexual interests from the children,” the report found, allowing abusers at Ampleforth to prey on entire groups of pupils both outdoors and indoors.
“The blatant openness of these…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
Love: A Principal Ingredient in Marriage (Part 4) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Topic — Love: A Principal Ingredient in Marriage (Part 4)
Dear Reader,
For the past few weeks, we have been looking at love and marriage. We have seen God’s involvement in the marriage institution and love as the first principle of marriage. Last week, I taught you mutual submission in love. To conclude this series, I will be showing you some of the ways you can increase your love for your mate.
Communicate effectively
Effective communication is the basis for a fruitful and lasting relationship. Lack of effective communication is the reason for so much tension in many marriages and homes. It can be said to be the “mortar” that cements the marital relationship. A wise man said, “If you talk together, you stay together”, and I believe it is very true. You know, marriage is about living together!
Spend time together alone
This issue is time — who gets it? How we spend our time reveals what is really important to us. Successful couples spend time together. They pray together. They read the Bible together.
Touch each other
Successful couples touch each other. They hug, squeeze, embrace, pat, hold hands, put arms around each other, and endeavor to sit close enough to touch when sitting anywhere together.
Encourage each other with words
Encouragement is the food of the soul. We all need to be lifted up when we are blue, but the successful couples go another step –they create a positive environment. They verbally affirm each other at every opportunity. They try to catch each other doing good things “right.” They pass along compliments others make about their mate.
Unconditionally accept each other
Unconditional love and acceptance form a crucial foundation in successful marriages. Happy couples don’t feel like they have to perform to be loved. They don’t feel like they will be rejected, if they don’t meet a set of standards. Jesus accepts us just as we are, and smart mates accept others they are too.
Be committed to each other
Successful couples have a commitment to their love life. The word “divorce” is not uttered, no matter how upset one becomes. They have an agreement on how to “fight fair” under peaceful conditions. They try to let the little irritations go. They make an active commitment to want the best for their spouse, to help him or her grow as a person. They learn to quickly give and receive forgiveness.
Laugh with each other
An antidote for boredom in marriage is lively humour. If your mate tells a joke, laugh, even if he isn’t so funny to others. Look at the funny side of life. If you are positive, looking for humour in difficult things– you will enjoy life more.
Make each other your top priority After God, but before others, make each other your top priority. Don’t let anyone — not even your children, and especially parents — come between you.
Be each other’s best friend
Happy couples commit to spend time together as friends. They share secrets with each other. They enjoy each other’s company. They realize they are the only ones who are really in this “together.” Don’t forget couples are “one flesh.”
You need the grace of God upon your life to be able to express your love to your mate. This grace can only be accessed by those who are the children of God. You become a child of God by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).
With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
“Please click HERE to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo”
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
The post Love: A Principal Ingredient in Marriage (Part 4) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo appeared first on Flatimes.
