Va. Ministry Opens First-Ever Church-Run Grocery Store to Provide Affordable Food to Needy

(Photo: Facebook.com / The Storehouse)Products are on display at The Vineyard Church’s The Storehouse in Hampton, Virginia.

A nondenominational church in Virginia claims to be the first church in history to open up its own nonprofit grocery store to provide its local impoverished community discounted groceries at up to three-quarters of the cost of regular grocery stores.

Last month, The Vineyard Church in Hampton hosted the grand relaunching of its nonprofit, The Storehouse. The Storehouse, which is located in the back of the church, exists with the purpose of providing affordable food and household necessities to many in the Hampton Roads area who don’t know where their next meal is going to come from.

Although The Storehouse first opened in October 2015, it was initially only a benefit available to church members, pastor Jacob Hopson told The Christian Post on Thursday. But as the store grew and Hopson and the church leadership got a better understanding of how to run it, the store was eventually opened up to the public.

“We went from once a month to every Saturday to doing it weekly. It went from doing it two or three days a week to doing it five days a week now and opening it up to the general public,” he explained. “We started off and saw that our members had about…

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Teens Open Heavens 18 May 2018 – A Backsliding Tongue

Topic: A Backsliding Tongue [Teens Open Heavens 18, May 2018]

Memorise: Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. – Colossians 4:6

Read: 1 John 2:15-17 (KJV)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Bible In One Year: 2 Kings 20-22, John 6:45-71

MESSAGE:

Today’s reading commands us not to love the world. It is possible to live in the world and not love it. It is possible to live in the world and not be defiled by worldly pollution and allurement. What are the worldly things you must avoid? You must avoid worldly language. Matthew 12:36 says one day, you will account for the misuse of your tongue. As a child of God, you are to speak like Christ, it is wrong for you to use swear words. It is wrong to say things that fan the embers of lust, greed or vengeance in someone. It is wrong for you to swear, no matter the situation. People should be able to take your word as the truth. Your tongue is not to insult or abuse anyone no matter how nasty or provoking they are.

Prayer Point: Ask God to give you the grace to watch your mouth.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Teen Open Heavens Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye’’

Hymn 7:

1. I am Thine O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Chorus
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.

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Sentence Upheld for Pastor in Algeria Stopped for Carrying Christian Literature

Sentence Upheld for Pastor in Algeria Stopped for Carrying Christian Literature



A case that began with police in Algeria stopping a Christian suspected of carrying Bibles in his car ended yesterday with a large fine for the church leader.

 

A judge in Tiaret, 600 kilometers (372 miles) southwest of Algiers, on Wednesday (May 16) denied pastor Nouredine Belabed’s appeal of a sentence of a 100,000-dinar (US$868) fine and payment of court fees under a controversial law that forbids “undermining the faith of a Muslim.” Belabed had received the sentence on March 8, including a three-month suspended prison term reduced from what had been a two-year prison term.

 

The 37-year-old father of three was traveling with a companion, identified only as 26-year-old Khalil, to Tiaret on March 14, 2015 when gendarmes stopped their vehicle, Pastor Belabed told Morning Star News. National Gendarmerie in Tiaret had contacted officers in Sidi Abderrahmane to report two suspects driving an Opel Zaphira coming from El-Bayadh toward Tiaret with Christian books on board.

 

“We went to El-Bayadh to see our Christian brothers, but also to answer the call of a man who contacted us to know Christ,” Pastor Belabed told Morning Star News. “I do not know him, but we are used to working that way. But once there, he called me to apologize for not being able to come. Back at a gendarmerie checkpoint at a junction, we were stopped to search the vehicle…

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Archbishop of Canterbury to leads ceremony for new terrorism memorial

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will attend the ceremony along with nearly 300 people who have lost relatives, friends and loved ones, as well as senior Government ministers.

Among the families expected will be survivors of the deadly Tunisian beach attack at Sousse in 2015, in which 30 Britons were killed.

 

The memorial, entitled Still Water, which was designed by Alison Wilding and Adam Kershaw.

Also present for the service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire will be Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans.

Paul Ellis/PA Wire

The Duchess of Cornwall lays flowers during a dedication service for the National Memorial to British Victims of Overseas Terrorism at The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

 

Mr Ellwood, whose brother was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing, was tasked in 2015 with delivering the memorial.

Its design, as an elliptical-shaped pool surrounded by woodland, was selected by an independent panel, in consultation with victims’ relatives, in 2017.

The memorial has no dominating symbolism but was chosen as it reflected the global reach of terrorism and the continuation of life.

Speaking ahead of the unveiling, Mr Ellwood said: “Today is a day when we remember the lives of those who were…

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Ohio Church Blesses Community by Paying for Gas of over 100 Families

Ohio Church Blesses Community by Paying for Gas of over 100 Families



An Ohio megachurch gave back to the community to celebrate its tenth anniversary. The Christian Post reports that the Victory Christian Center in Liberty Township, Ohio paid for the gas for the first 100 cars that came to the local BP gas station that day.


The church, which has eight campuses spread across Ohio and Pennsylvania, spent over $3,200 in gas for the 100 plus customers who came to fill up their vehicles. Lock P. Beachum Jr., the pastor of Victory Christian Center, along with local law enforcement and church volunteers, spent time blessing people at the BP station.


Beachum shared with The Christian Post that, in all, the church ended up helping 112 customers. “I actually heard about a couple of people who cried,” he said. “They were just so blown away of this act of kindness. Our church is in a distressed area, so [for] a number of folk just being in the situation of life that they are in, that [meant a lot]. It equated to 30 dollars.”


Beachum went on to share how the church’s act of kindness inspired others:


“One of the folk that got the free gas, they said, ‘Thank you for the incredible blessing. I feel so blessed that I want to give some money to the ministry,'” Beachum said. “We took that money that they gave us to the ministry and we put it towards more gas. So we ended up servicing 112 cars rather than 100 cars that was planned.”


Victory…

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Pope 'making history' with Chile abuse summit

The Vatican investigator sent to take testimony from Chilean sex abuse victims has said the Holy See is "making history" with Pope Francis’s emergency summit of the Chilean hierarchy.

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Pro-life Progress: 27 US Cities Identified as ‘Abortion Deserts’

Pro-life Progress: 27 US Cities Identified as ‘Abortion Deserts’



A new study found that some 27 cities could be identified as “abortion deserts,” where the nearest abortion facility is more than 100 miles away.


“What these abortion promoters call ‘abortion deserts,’ we call ‘Abortion Free Communities,’” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “These cities prove that women do not need abortion and can get along just fine without it. In cities where there are no clinics marketing abortions to women, abortions decrease – sometimes dramatically — meaning more babies have a fighting chance at life. That should be good news to everyone.”


The study, conducted primarily by the University of California San Francisco, identified Corpus Christi, Texas as the largest abortion free community in the U.S. The city has a population of more than 324,000.


The second largest abortion free community, Fort Wayne, Indiana has a population of 260,326. The other cities in the top 5 are all Texas cities: Laredo, Lubbock and Amarillo.


“The truth is that these cities do not have abortion facilities for two reasons. First, there is not the demand for abortion to support a facility. Secondly, many of the 27 communities have active and determined pro-life activists who have worked tirelessly to pass pro-life legislation and educate the communities about the horrors of abortion. Their work has saved countless lives, and they should be…

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As UK technology investment increases, how can tech be for the glory of God?

Tech Nation released findings today that showed that in 2016 UK digital tech investment reached £6.8 billion – 50% higher than any other European country. 

They found that the UK is a world-leader when it come to investment in technology, digital skills and also creating services which were needed in their environments. 

James Doc, co-leader of the Christian technology community Kingdom Code, spoke to Premier about how technology is already being used for the glory of God. 

He first explained why ‘compassionate technology’ – that done to help people – is increasing: “It’s easier to see now the needs (of a community) because we’ve got so much better communication via this technology – the needs become more apparent and more obvious.”

James said that because technology is now so ubiquitous and easier to understand, society finds it: “easier to draw the connection between the needs and the technology.”

He added that technology is now cheaper to produce and make and explained two examples where he’s seen digital creativity meet the needs of people: “There’s this great product called ‘Two come together’, which is helping people with marriage counselling… this app basically helps a couple work though their marriage together.”

He described another piece of tech that is being created by a Christian: “I was having a coffee with someone a month ago and…

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Seeds of Destiny 18 May 2018 by Pastor Paul Enenche: The Consciousness Of The End – Key To Being Serious In Life

Topic: The Consciousness Of The End – Key To Being Serious In Life [Seeds of Destiny Friday May 18, 2018]

Scripture: But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 14:10

Thought For The Day: Living with the end in mind is ending well in life.

Yesterday, we saw that an unserious approach to life makes a person a casualty in life. That is to say, those who do not take life seriously, life, in turn would not take them seriously.

Now, it is important to note that one of the keys to being serious in life is cultivating the consciousness of the end of life in mind.

Today, many people live without the consciousness of their end in mind; they live without the consciousness of eternity and as a result, they drink, smoke, fornicate and do all manner of evil things mindlessly. If you ask them to give their lives to Christ, their response would be, “Leave me alone my friend.”

You see, being conscious of the end makes you behave cautiously on earth.

Do not squander the opportunities coming your way now in a hurry. As a young man, you may be full of energy now but if you fail to use your energy to maximize your life, and if Jesus tarries to come in fifty years’ time, you would discover that your energy today is no longer there.

And above all, understand that a time would come when everyone would report in eternity. Living with the end in mind is ending well in life.

Beloved, my counsel is, always remind yourself that everyday draws you closer to eternity; every sun rise draws you closer to your sunset. When you remember this, you will live with wisdom, thoughtfulness, productivity and impact on earth without regrets.

Remember this: Living with the end in mind is ending well in life.

Assignments:
1. Always have the consciousness of the end in mind.
2. Deploy yourself maximally to fulfil destiny.

Prayer: O Lord, I ask for the grace to be conscious of the end always. Help me never to waste my life, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DESTINY CAPSULES (PART 4).

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 22:1 to 23:29, John 10:1 to 21, Psalm 115:1 to 18, Proverbs 15:18 to 19

Amazing Fact: The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, but it is also 400 times closer to Earth—so from Earth, the moon and the sun look about the same size.

Today In History: 18/05/1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed emperor by the French Senate

Quote: Take the Word of God seriously. Culled from THOU ART MY BATTLE AXE by Dr Paul Enenche.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Seeds of Destiny by Pastor Paul Enenche“

Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities

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