Pope Francis visiting a changed Ireland

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Pope Francis visiting a changed Ireland

More than 90 per cent of people were Catholic, now it is down to less than 80%.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) said a dramatic fall in the birth rate has been accompanied by an increase in the proportion of children born outside wedlock.

 

The marriage rate has dropped and more are opting for civil rather than church ceremonies.

More have taken advantage of education opportunities.

Living standards for some have soared, Dublin is among the most expensive cities in Europe due to price inflation in housing, but the problem of homelessness has worsened in recent years.

In 1979, 2.7 million people turned out to greet John Paul II and heard him warn of the danger of growing materialism and secularism in a changing world.

Those phenomena have continued apace, in common with much of Western Europe.

Maynooth College, where aspiring clerics study, was once one of the world’s busiest and helped send Irish missionaries around the world to spread the faith.

The number studying for the priesthood has reduced substantially over recent decades, with the average age of a priest around 70.

Social values have also changed, demonstrated by a series of popular votes for liberalisation, which passed despite religious opposition.

In 1995 Ireland decided by referendum to allow divorce.

Subsequent history has disproved contemporaneous claims that it would lead to husbands deserting their…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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Surprise: World’s Most Committed Christians Are in Africa, Latin America… and the U.S., Survey Finds

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Surprise: World’s Most Committed Christians Are in Africa, Latin America… and the U.S., Survey Finds


Surprise: World’s Most Committed Christians Are in Africa, Latin America… and the U.S., Survey Finds


The world’s most committed Christians reside mostly in Africa, Latin America and the United States – the latter being an outlier among wealthy nations, according to a new Pew Research Center report. 


Pew examined 84 countries with large Christian populations and asked self-identified Christians a series of questions to gauge their commitment to their faith. In 35 of those countries, “at least two-thirds of all Christians say religion is very important in their lives,” Pew reported Aug. 22. Among those 35, all but three countries reside in Africa or Latin America. The three exceptions are the United States, the Philippines and Malaysia. 


The data reflects the “broader pattern of Christianity’s ‘march southward’ from wealthy countries to developing ones,” the Pew report said. 


The U.S., though, is an “outlier” among wealthy countries in its commitment among self-identified Christians, with 68 percent saying religion is very important in their lives. Among European countries, it’s: 


  • Greece, 58 percent. 


  • Spain, 30 percent. 


  • Italy, 23 percent.


  • France, 12 percent.


  • Germany, 12 percent.


  • United Kingdom, 11 percent. 


Ethiopia has the world’s most committed Christians, according to Pew, with 98 percent saying their faith is very important. In the Philippines, it’s 91…

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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

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Churchgoer appointed new Australia Prime Minister

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Churchgoer appointed new Australia Prime Minister

The 50-year-old overcame Peter Dutton, who was the key challenger to incumbent PM Malcolm Turnbull, to win a leadership ballot by 45 votes to 40.

 

He is expected to be sworn in by Governor-General Peter Cosgrove after Mr Turnbull officially resigns.

Born in Sydney in 1968, Mr Morrison has been Australia’s treasurer – the equivalent of the UK’s Chancellor – since September 2015.

He was first elected as an MP in 2007 when he won the seat of Cook, located in the southern suburbs of Sydney.

Known to be a regular churchgoer, after last year’s referendum on same-sex marriage, he would back a new “religious protections” bill to support churches who didn’t want to offer gay weddings.

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.

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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InterVarsity Launches ‘2030 Calling’ to Plant Christian Fellowships at 2,500 US Colleges

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InterVarsity Launches ‘2030 Calling’ to Plant Christian Fellowships at 2,500 US Colleges

(Photo: InterVarsity)Students participate in an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Bible study on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship has launched a “2030 Calling” — an initiative to bring Christian fellowships to all major college campuses in the United States in the next 12 years.

As students across the country are returning to campuses this fall, the inter-denominational, evangelical Christian campus ministry announced its new initiative on Monday to bring Christian ministries to all 2,500 U.S. college campuses that have over 1,000 students by the year 2030.

According to the ministry, about 53 percent of those 2,500 schools do not have a known campus ministry presence.

“Our deep conviction is that every student at every university and every faculty member at every university deserves an opportunity to hear the Gospel in a compelling, passionate and personal way from somebody that they know,” Greg Jao, Intervarsity director of external relations and senior assistant to InterVarsity President Tom Lin, told The Christian Post. “The best way to do that is to make sure that there is a campus fellowship at every one of those places.”

Jao explained that the 2030 Calling is strategic because “today’s college students represent the…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

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$120 million cannot buy happiness

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$120 million cannot buy happiness

Tim Cook will become $120 million richer today when he receives 560,000 shares of Apple stock. But he should beware: prosperity is no guarantee of happiness.

Writing in the New York Times, Jonathan Rauch notes: “Real per capita income has more than tripled since the late 1950s, but the percentage of people saying they are very happy has, if anything, slightly declined.”

Why?

A Harvard study tracked a group of men for close to eighty years. The bottom line: loving relationships are the key to happiness and health. It was not money or status but strong interpersonal relationships that led to the greatest life satisfaction.

This news should not surprise Christians. We know that we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and that our Creator is relational by nature. He relates to himself as Father, Son, and Spirit. And “God is love” (1 John 4:8), an attribute that requires someone to love.

Here’s the question: With whom should we most seek a loving relationship as the key to happiness? The answer may surprise you.

A personal confession

I was led to faith in Christ through a bus ministry. A church in my Houston, Texas, neighborhood enlisted volunteers to knock on doors, inviting people to ride their bus to church. In August 1973, they knocked on my apartment door. My brother and I came to Jesus as a result.

I will be eternally grateful for evangelical churches that emphasize evangelism and practical ministry. But I was active in church life for years before I began realizing that Jesus wanted to be more than my Savior and Lord–he wants to be my friend. He wants an intimate, personal, loving, daily relationship with me. He wants to be a “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

How is it possible to have such a relationship with the Son of God?

The fact is, you and I can know Jesus better than we can know anyone else. Here are three reasons this miraculous statement is true.

One: Jesus loves us unconditionally.

Our…

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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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Church schools accused of racial discrimination following government report

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Church schools accused of racial discrimination following government report

The study titled ‘Secondary school choice and selection’ suggests black families are 68 per cent more likely to choose a church school than white families.

Despite that, it states: “If a white child and a black child apply for a single remaining seat at a Church school in London, the black child is less than half as likely to be admitted.”

 

The findings contrast with different reports which suggest Catholic schools are more diverse than the national average with a fifth of UK black children attending them.

The Accord Coalition campaigns against the admissions policies of faith schools claiming it leads to discrimination and division.

Responding to the findings of the government report, chair Rev Stephen Terry said: “The Department for Education should be credited for shinning a light on how religiously selective admission policies are a significant source of socioeconomic disadvantage and on the especially under-reported problem of indirect racial discrimination.

“Schools selecting by faith is not only leading to religious division, but driving it on the grounds of economic background and race too.”

Premier has contacted the Church of England and is waiting for a response.

The Catholic Education Service declined to comment.

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…

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All-star gospel line-up for Aretha Franklin funeral service

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All-star gospel line-up for Aretha Franklin funeral service

The service will be held at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on 31 August, and also expected to perform are Jennifer Hudson – who will play Aretha in an upcoming biopic, Fantasia, Chaka Khan, and Aretha Franklin’s son Edward.

Proceedings will reflect Franklin’s strong gospel roots, and the Aretha Franklin Orchestra and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir will also be on the programme.

 

The Queen of Soul’s father was a minister and her Amazing Grace album is one of the most popular gospel LPs in history.

Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File

 

She died of pancreatic cancer last Thursday aged 76.

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.

 

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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Why Some Interim Pastorates Are Successful When Others Are Not

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Podcast Episode #461

SUBSCRIBE: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play • iHeart Radio

Pastoral transition happens all the time. Today we discuss what makes for a successful interim pastorate and how InterimPastor.University can help.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

  • Interim pastors need to help give a church hope.
  • No one person is indispensable to a church or organization.
  • Not providing clear updates to the church about a pastor search can be demoralizing to the congregation.
  • Grace, love, and hope are the three primary ingredients of a successful interim pastorate.
  • Effective interim pastors set the next pastor up for success.

The seven keys to a successful interim that we discuss today are:

  1. Scope has been clearly defined.
  2. The interim pastor is truly trained and equipped.
  3. The interim pastor is a continuous learner.
  4. Communication is clear and open with the congregation.
  5. The interim pastor shepherds and loves the congregation.
  6. The interim pastor makes tough calls before the pastor arrives.
  7. The interim pastor leaves when it’s time to leave.

Episode Sponsors

The ministry landscape is changing, and the need for biblical training is more necessary than ever. It’s time to get your Master of Divinity degree. The M.Div —Midwestern Seminary’s flagship degree program — is the primary track for ministry preparation. At just 81 hours, the Midwestern M.Div offers a complete foundation for full-time ministry leaders, offering everything you need, and nothing…

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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 24 August 2018 Devotional — Free to Fly

CM Editor
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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 24 August 2018 Devotional — Free to Fly

Topic: Free to Fly [Joyce Meyer’s Devotional Friday August 24, 2018]

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. — Isaiah 61:1

Love offers people both roots and wings. It provides a sense of belonging (roots) and a sense of freedom (wings). Love does not try to control or manipulate others.

Jesus said that He was sent by God to proclaim liberty. As believers, that is what we are meant to do also—to free people to fulfill God’s will for their lives, not to bring them under our control.

Have you ever seen parents push their children to do things they do not even want to do just to meet the frustrated desires of their parents? Have you ever seen a person who is clingy and emotionally smothering to a new friend, because he is afraid to lose that person? Both of these examples bind rather than set free.

That is not the way true love works. Love does not try to gain personal satisfaction at the expense of others. Love will always proclaim liberty. When we love God, and when we love others, we will excitedly allow the people in our lives to follow God’s plan—not our plan—and see who they can be and what they can accomplish in Christ Jesus.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to truly love the people in my life, allowing them the freedom to truly be the best they can be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

The post Joyce Meyer’s Daily 24 August 2018 Devotional — Free to Fly appeared first on Flatimes.

MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 24 August 2018

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TOPIC: Offences and Forgiveness (Mountain Of Fire And Miracle Ministries Friday, 24 August 2018)

FIRE SCRIPTURE: Matthew 18:15-17

MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:22

The MESSAGE:

The Adamic nature in human race has made offending one another and keeping the offence in order to pay back, the way of life. We cannot expect that offence should not come from a brother or a sister because he or she is a Christian. What we need to remember is the charge that Jesus gave us to forgive as often as we are offended, because we offend God from time to time and He keeps forgiving us.

You should live in the reality of the fact that your brother or sister in Christ is not perfect and he or she is capable of offending you. Offence comes when your brother or sister misses the mark of your expectation. If you are offended because your brother fails to meet your standard in something particular, you should go to him. We must be careful to note here that this refers only to something personal as indicated by the phrase ‘against thee’. It does not say that you should take up the cause if it is against someone else. It must be something which affects you and you alone.

Your brother or sister may be totally unaware of the thing he has done to disappoint you. If you refuse to see him about it, you may continue to harbour feelings against him, which would be harmful to you. The injured person must privately go to the one who offended. Instead of telling others, go and reprove him. This should be a once and for all action. The purpose of going to him is to win him. If you do not make him aware of the problem, he will continue sinning to his own detriment. The approach of the injured is redemptive… if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained the brother. The Christian standard is that the offender needs to amend his way and apologise for his wrong doings. If the offending person does not heed to the reproof of the injured person, he must be given a second opportunity to ‘shape up’ in the presence of other witnesses (Matthew 18:16). If this reproof is also rejected, it should be brought before the church or the governing body of the church (Matthew 18:17). The church is then given authority to deal with such a person as if it were a heathen, and no more a brother. He is a troublemaker and not a man of peace. Others must know what he has done so that they can be careful with him henceforth. He should not be allowed to handle any responsibility in the church until he fully repents of his unchristian behaviour. Continuing to harm a brother is inadmissible in the church and taking revenge must not be practised by anyone. Let go and move on.

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
WE ARE NOT IN HEAVEN YET, SO OFFENCE WILL COME; BE READY TO FORGIVE.

PROPHETIC WORD:
May the power to let go of offence, rest on you.

PRAYER POINTS:

MORNING
1. Unforgiving spirit, the Lord rebuke you, come out of my life and die, in the name of Jesus.
2. Spirit of humility, fill my life to overflow, in the name of Jesus.
3. Hardness in my heart, I bring the blood of Jesus against you, break and loose your hold, in the name of Jesus.

EVENING
4. I shall not take revenge against my brother, no matter how painful it may be, in the name of Jesus.
5. Holy Spirit, fill me with unconditional love for my brethren, in the name of Jesus.
6. The power to let go of all offences against, enter me now, in the name of Jesus.
7. I commit myself to daily flush out all offences and grudges from my heart, in the name of Jesus.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional HERE

MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

The post MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 24 August 2018 appeared first on Flatimes.

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