Justices Deny Bid from Dissident South Carolina Churches to Keep Buildings

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Justices Deny Bid from Dissident South Carolina Churches to Keep Buildings


Justices Deny Bid from Dissident South Carolina Churches to Keep Buildings


The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is preparing to reclaim control of more than two dozen properties worth an estimated $500 million after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal brought by a breakaway group of conservative Anglican congregations.


“We are grateful for the clarity that this decision offers, and hopeful that it brings all of us closer to having real conversations on how we can bring healing and reconciliation to the Church, the Body of Christ, in this part of South Carolina,” said the Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. “Skip” Adams III, bishop of the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, known as TECSC, in a statement.


In the same statement, TECSC Chancellor Thomas S. Tisdale Jr. said there would be no “immediate change in the physical control of the properties” because of the Supreme Court denial. However, the South Carolina Episcopalians and the parent Episcopal Church body have asked the state court to place the properties and assets under TECSC control and transfer ownership to both groups.


A spokesperson for the breakaway group, which calls itself the Diocese of South Carolina, acknowledged that the congregations and their 22,000 members might need to leave the properties if the Episcopal Church in South Carolina won’t work with them.


“We are preparing for all eventualities, including moving our worship and ministries from…

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Christian charity encouraging World Cup watchers to pray as they play

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Christian charity encouraging World Cup watchers to pray as they play

Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Mexico and Columbia are all on the Open Doors World Watch List of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian.

Christians in these countries often face rejection, isolation, denial of rights and freedom, or even violence because of their faith.

 

Peter Hopper, head of youth at Open Doors, told Premier News Hour: “They are Christians who are very often regarded at the best second class citizens, but then at the worst they’re often actively pursued, imprisoned, or even worse, just because they’ve chosen to follow Jesus.

Adam Davy/PA Wire

Saudi Arabia fans in the stands ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2018, Group A match at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

 

“What we want to try and do is shed light on the injustice that happens in a lot of the countries around the world. What we’d like to do is use this as an opportunity to pray as a body.”

Adam Davy/PA Wire

A Russia fan in the stands with a replica world cup trophy ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2018, Group A match at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

 

Open Doors have produced Pray while they play, a downloadable resource which highlights the injustice and persecution Christians face on a daily basis.

Country information and prayer points are available to download as cards along with…

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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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Church of England to work more closely with black-majority churches

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Church of England to work more closely with black-majority churches

Members of the CofE’s governing body will look at overhauling rules on ecumenical relations when they meet in York from July 6-10.

 

It will mean join worship, mission and ministry between the different denominations becomes much easier.

Dr Joe Aldred of Churches Together in England, who serves as an Ecumenical Representative for Pentecostals on General Synod and is a bishop in the Church of God of Prophecy, welcomed the change.

He said: “This is a great moment for relations between the Church of England and Pentecostal and .tic denominations and congregations, including many black-led churches, as we share the task of building the Kingdom of God in this country.

“In working together and worshipping together our churches have the potential to transform their neighbourhoods.”

Danny Lawson/PA Wire

 

Other issues on the Synod agenda include Cathedrals, NHS and safeguarding.

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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5 Interesting Resolutions Passed at the SBC Annual Meeting

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5 Interesting Resolutions Passed at the SBC Annual Meeting

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Is this what God looks like?

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Is this what God looks like?

A group of psychologists asked 551 American Christians what they think God looks like. The test subjects were shown hundreds of randomly varying pairs of faces and asked which of the two looked more like “the face of God.”

The composite shows a God who is white, young, and clean-cut.

Obviously, no one on this side of heaven can know what God really looks like. For instance, Revelation 4 describes him in symbolic language that expresses his holiness and awesome power but does not picture him in anthropomorphic terms. Our finite minds cannot comprehend his infinitude.

The interesting part of the study, however, was the degree to which people tended to believe in a God who looks like them. Caucasians imagined a white God, while African Americans pictured a black God. Younger people saw a younger God, while attractive people imagined a more attractive God.

As Voltaire noted, “In the beginning God created man in His own image, and man has been trying to repay the favor ever since.”

“I am your servant”

Reading Psalm 143 this week, I was struck by a thought I’d never considered before.

David prayed, “For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!” (v. 11). David was so certain God would answer his prayer that he then testified, “In your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul . . .” (v. 12a).

Now comes the new thought.

David ended his prayer with the words, “for I am your servant” (v. 12b). “Servant” translates the Hebrew ebed, meaning someone who is subordinate to a master or owner. Why would David think that the Lord was more likely to answer his prayer for protection if he was the ebed of God?

For this reason, I realized: a master is responsible for his or her servant. A good master provides security and provision, supplying the needs of the servant. So long as David remained the ebed of God, he could count on the…

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Church offices raided in Chile as part of sex abuse probe

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Church offices raided in Chile as part of sex abuse probe

The move came as Vatican investigators met with Chile’s attorney general to discuss co-operation into ongoing probes.

The surprise raids targeted the headquarters of Santiago’s Ecclesiastical Court and the diocese in Rancagua in the O’Higgins region, where 14 priests are accused of having had sexual relations with minors.

 

They came hours before two envoys sent by Pope Francis met with Chilean prosecutors, including attorney general Jorge Abbott, to co-ordinate their response to scandals that have discredited Chile’s church.

Last month all of the country’s 30-plus active bishops offered to resign over their collective guilt in failing to protect children from abusive priests.

“The commitment is to a greater collaboration between the institutions,” said Mr Abbott.

He added that church and civilian authorities are going to set up a system that will provide victims with the protection needed to come forward and freely lodge complaints.

Mr Abbott said prosecutors met some resistance in the Rancagua raid, though they were satisfied with the information seized in both operations.

He added that in the coming days prosecutors will ask the Vatican for any information it has related to the investigations.

Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago, said church officials “gave the prosecutor all the requested documentation”.

He added that they are “available to co-operate…

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volunteering, healthier diets among reasons why religious people live longer

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volunteering, healthier diets among reasons why religious people live longer

Academics from Ohio State University also believe that religious people handle stress better because they are more likely to pray and practise an attitude of gratitude.

Lead author of the study and a doctoral student in psychology, Laura Wallace said: “We found that volunteerism and involvement in social organisations only accounted for a little less than one year of the longevity boost that religious affiliation provided.

 

“There’s still a lot of the benefit of religious affiliation that this can’t explain.”

The research, published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, analysed the findings of two previous US studies which examined hundreds of newspapers obituaries.

One study, which looked at 1,100 obituaries from 42 US cities, found religious people tended to live five-and-a-half years longer than the non-religious.

The authors behind the new study combined results from different studies to try and establish whether volunteer work and social interaction explained why a gap in lifespans exists.

Laura Wallace added: “The study provides persuasive evidence that there is a relationship between religious participation and how long a person lives.”

Wallace and her team concluded that other contributing factors were religious rules and norms that shun practices such as drinking alcohol, using drugs and having sex with multiple partners.

In addition,…

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Is Our Denomination Dying? – Revitalize & Replant #045

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Recorded at the LifeWay breakfast during this week’s SBC Annual Meeting, this special episode of Revitalize & Replant examines the Southern Baptist Convention and its future, what it needs to change, and how the emphasis for health rests on the local church.

Episode Highlights:

  • In too many churches, we’ve become disunified and distracted because we’ve lost our focus on the Great Commission.
  • A denominational problem is ultimately a collection of local church problems.
  • 15 years ago, growth in our churches was easier. Today, the decline of cultural Christianity has made it much more difficult.
  • Church outreach needs to be effective and ongoing.

The six issues relevant to the health of the SBC that we discuss are:

  1. A perspective from 14 years ago
  2. The disunified and distracted church
  3. The disunified and distracted denomination
  4. The local church issue: the slow death of evangelism and outward focus
  5. The challenges of ministry training and theological education
  6. A future unknown

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a…

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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 14 June 2018 Devotional — You Reap What You Sow

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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 14 June 2018 Devotional — You Reap What You Sow

Topic: You Reap What You Sow [Joyce Meyer’s Devotional Thursday June 14, 2018]

Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. — Galatians 6:7

As God’s representative here on earth, your purpose is to do right and glorify God. When you do right, you bring God glory by manifesting His excellence in a tangible way.

One way you can bring Him glory is in the way you treat people. There are many practical ways you can be a blessing to others. You can build others up by giving them a compliment. You can express your appreciation and acknowledge people by giving them a pat on the back or writing them a note of encouragement.

You can also take advantage of opportunities to listen to people and lend a helping hand when they need it. You can believe the best of others and offer forgiveness to those who have offended you.

I encourage you to treat everybody with love and respect. You will not only glorify God, you will also receive blessings by reaping what you sow.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to sow seeds of Your love and kindness today. Make me aware of the needs of others, and show me opportunities to offer encouragement, appreciation, forgiveness, and respect. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

The Family: God’s Delightful Place (Part 2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

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The Family: God’s Delightful Place (Part 2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic — The Family: God’s Delightful Place (2)

Dear Reader,

It is another wonderful week to bring God’s Word your way again, today. I shall be exploring on the topic, God’s Interest & Involvement in the Family

Remember, God is interested in the family set-up. Whatever is good is God. Whatever is not good is not God. God saw that everything He created was good; including the family.

Look around the world today, the family is currently facing one of its greatest attacks, more than at any other time in history. More than ever before, the family needs the help of God from the troubles, woes and calamities that befall it daily. God’s Word says:Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man(Psalm 60:11).

We have sought for help from man – traditional, political and spiritual places, only to find out that the help man claims to render is grossly inadequate. Man is still looking here and there in search of lasting solutions to the problems encountered in marriage. The Psalmist shows us the secret of an enduring solution from the above scripture.

God’s help is always available to us. It can reach you, no matter in what area of family life you desire it. I believe it is coming your way right now via this teaching. The degree of problems you have experienced in your marriage notwithstanding, God’s help is actually all you need.

Although it is your responsibility to build your home, the ultimate builder is God (Hebrews 3:4). Whatever is built outside Him, therefore, has no future. In 2 Chronicles 26, we are told the story of King Uzziah, how God helped him against his enemies. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwell in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims (2 Chronicles 26:7).You need God’s help much more than ever before in your family.

Uzziah had a stable government, because God helped him against his enemies. That is the same way I believe God is going to help you to combat your enemies (barrenness, poverty, confusion, etc.) in your marriage. As help comes to you from heaven, these enemies will all bow to you, in Jesus name!

In the story of creation in Genesis chapter 1, God saw everything He spoke into existence. But when it came to the issue of marriage, he didn’t just speak it into existence, He was practically involved in instituting it. God’s Word says: And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man (Genesis 2:18,21-22).

Since He is Almighty, God could have simply said, “Let there be marriage” or “Let there be family life”, and marriage would have been instituted. But the Bible says, “He took.” Even though it’s not explicitly stated, I strongly believe God must have come down physically into the Garden of Eden, to have been able to remove one of Adam’s ribs, while he was asleep.

Whatever was strong enough to cause God to leave His throne in heaven must be very important. “He took”, because something very important was on the way for man. Rather than taking the rib from Adam’s side, God could have simply commanded the rib to come out. But He did it to show how dear the marriage institution is to Him. Therefore, it should be precious to you and me also. Not only did God take the rib from Adam’s side, He made a woman out of it, and brought her to Adam. These are action words that connote God’s physical involvement in establishing the family. God’s whole intention for instituting marriage is to take shame away from the life of man. God’s Word says: And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25).

God showed His interest in marriage by personally fashioning the woman and delivering her to her husband. It is, therefore, untrue to assume that the union of a man and a woman in marriage is man’s idea, or a cultural and traditional affair.

Therefore, to enjoy God’s best in your marriage, you must make Him the centre of your home. You must be ready to give Him top priority, recognizing Him as the foundation for a successful marriage. The problem with many couples is that they push God aside, and yet expect to enjoy divine benefits. They ignore the Word of God, which I call the “manufacturer’s manual”, and expect the product (marriage) to function perfectly. But it is impossible! God’s Word says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3).

God is the foundation for success in the home. When the foundation is faulty, no matter how righteous you may be, your home cannot stand. 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.

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