Oxfordshire vicar found guilty of spiritual abuse

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Oxfordshire vicar found guilty of spiritual abuse

Rev Timothy Davis, from Christ Church Abingdon, is said to have breached safeguarding procedures through an “intense” mentoring programme with the school boy who’s not been identified.

A tribunal, held at Southwark Cathedral, found that the frequency of contact between the vicar and the teenager had grown to inappropriate levels including contact via telephone.

It also heard how mentoring sessions were held in the teenager’s bedroom with the door closed – however no misconduct of a sexual nature was reported.

Davis was also found to have overused scripture in conversations with the teenager.

The guilty verdict on spiritual abuse is said to be the first of its kind.

A decision will now be made in regards to suitable punishment.

In a statement to Premier, the Diocese of Oxford said: “Abuse of spiritual authority and power falls far short of the obligations and duties of those in Holy Orders. Clergy are in a privileged position of trust in their congregations and communities. The professional guidelines to which they are bound make clear that this is a trust that they must not abuse.

“The findings of the tribunal show that, sadly, Tim Davis betrayed the trust of everyone involved in a youth mentoring program at Christ Church Abingdon. None more so than the young man and his family who offered their home and hospitality to him.

“The behaviour and actions of Tim Davis during this period are in no way reflective of acceptable church practice. We fully support the…

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Open Heavens 9 January 2018: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Do You Desire To Be Healed?

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Open Heavens 9 January 2018: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Do You Desire To Be Healed?
Open Heavens 9 January 2018: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Do You Desire To Be Healed?

Topic: Do You Desire To Be Healed? [Open Heavens 9th January 2018]

Memorise: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. – 1 Peter 2:24

Read: James 5:14:16 (KJV)

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 21-23, Revelation 8:1-12, Hymn: Sing Hymn 8: The Great Physician Now Is Here

MESSAGE:

It is unfortunate that many children of God are ignorant of the truth that healing is part of the package of redemption. Neglecting what is their inheritance in Christ, such people seek after inferior channels for relief. My prayer is that God will open your eyes to comprehend in your spirit the reality of healing through the stripes of Jesus. I thank God that the realisation of this truth was one of the earliest testimonies I experienced in my Christian walk. Before I met Jesus Christ and received Him as my personal Lord and Saviour, there was no month when I would not be attacked by fever. Any month I managed to escape breaking down as a result of fever, I would celebrate. However, when I met the Lord and He opened my eyes to His provision for healing, I grabbed it with both hands, and for many decades since, He has been my Healer.

What should you do if you desire to be healed? The Holy Spirit gives the answer in James 5:14:

“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:”

Prayer is the key here. Due to unbelief and unwillingness to pray, most people prefer other channels of healing, though very costly, to the healing that is freely provided through the stripes of Jesus. Beloved, if you desire to be healed of those sicknesses that have defied traditional and orthodox medicine, you must be ready to pray. Moreover, the truth is that more often than not, sickness is brought about by the sin of disobedience. For this reason, James 5:15 says,

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”

Disobedience to simple laws of hygiene can bring about sickness. Furthermore, failure to sleep properly, or working round the clock because you want more money, is disobeying the law of Sabbath (the law that governs taking a day of rest). In addition, according to James 5:16, if you desire healing, you must confess your faults to and pray for one another. There are lots of sicknesses and the diseases in the Body of Christ that have defied all manner of prayers and medication. This could be the result of holding grudges against anyone. We refuse to forgive each other because we don’t want to admit our faults against one another. Beloved, if you want to be healed, take note of what the Lord is telling you today, and the healing virtue of His stripes shall flow through your body to make you whole.

Prayer Point: Father, please let the stripes of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, heal all my infirmities without exception today.

Hymn 8: The Great Physician

1. The Great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!

Chorus:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest Name on mortal tongue;
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.

2. Your many sins are all forgiv’n,
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus;
Go on your way in peace to heav’n,
And wear a crown with Jesus.

3. All glory to the dying Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Saviour’s Name,
I love the Name of Jesus.

4. His Name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The precious Name of Jesus!

Open Heavens 9th January 2018, Daily Devotional 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


The Secret Connection Between ‘Lord of the Rings’ and the Book of Jonah .

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  • A storm is coming. The torrential rains shall fall. The waters shall rise. The floods shall sweep away all wood, hay and stubble. The violent winds will blow away all that was built irresponsibly.

    A Word to Preachers: Are You Ready for the Storm?

    If not, then you may be guilty of the blood of men.



  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

    Is War With North Korea Biblically Justifiable?

    Scripture clearly tells us this. 



  • How to Quit Porn in 2018

    How to Quit Porn in 2018

    We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions we quickly break—Statistic Brain reports that less than 9 percent of people successfully achieve their resolution.



  • Strobel's simple message truly resonated, too, as it was sent just before Americans planned to celebrate Jesus' birth, with scores of people responding to his break-down of what non-belief truly entails.

    Why This Atheist Could No Longer Deny the Existence of God

    In the midst of the holiday…

    • …Read More

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

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    He Won Election Because ‘He Isn’t Normal’

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    (Screencap: Fox News)Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, (R) in a Fox News interview published on January 5, 2018.

    Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, decried and laughed at claims made in relation to the Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House book that suggest President Donald Trump is falling apart and is mentally unfit for office.

    “If there is a kernel of truth in this book, it is the charge that President Trump is not ‘normal.’ He isn’t normal, which is why the American people put him in office to begin with,” Jeffress told Fox News host Shannon Bream on Friday, specifically in response to a dozen of lawmakers reportedly receiving a briefing from Yale psychiatrist worried about Trump’s mental state.

    “The American people were tired of a normal that said we ought to accept sub-par economic growth, that we ought to accept ISIS as continuing reality, that our best days were behind us,” he added.

    “More and more Americans are grateful that the president isn’t ‘normal’ and has established a new normal for America.”

    Michael Wolff’s book, an instant bestseller hit, claims to be made of interviews with people close to Trump inside the White House, with the author suggesting that “100 percent of the people around…

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    Church warden facing jail after £30k theft

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    Church warden facing jail after £30k theft

    A church warden who’s been found guilty of stealing £30,000 from church accounts has been reportedly been told he could be jailed.

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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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    Tesla CEO Elon Musk Admits Electric Automaker Has Problems With Production

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    REUTERS/Beck DiefenbachTesla CEO Elon Musk speaks about new Autopilot features during a Tesla event.

    After years of optimism, Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears ready to confirm what critics have been suggesting for years: that the electric automaker has a problem. As delay compounded upon delay with regards to the Model 3, it was clear to everyone that the company’s 5,000 per week guidance will not be met in 2017.

    On Wednesday, the company confessed that its production processes are not working properly and in the last three months of 2017. As a result of this “production hell,” as Musk puts it, the company failed to make good on its promises to both customers and investors.

    Musk once promised that his company will be able to produce 20,000 vehicles in December alone. With the coming of the New Year, however, the actual numbers are in revealing that just 2,425 were produced, 1,550 of which were delivered to customers.

    Of course, this is the first time that Musk has overpromised on his company’s ability to produce cars. Ever since going public, the company has had trouble in meeting its self-imposed deadlines.

    The most famous of these concerns the self-driving car which Tesla promised back in 2015 was “only two years away.” Two years on and no such autonomous vehicle exists. To be fair, the company did sell vehicles with a feature called “autopilot” and have released constant updates to the software. However, it has yet to display the automated driving experience that the name implies.

    As for the company that made that promise, it appears to be struggling with even the basic aspects of car…

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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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    400-Year-Old Bible Survived Invasions, Fire and Even Being Used as Toilet Paper .

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    The incredible story of a 400-year-old Bible is set to be told at the National Library of Wales after the sacred book was discovered hidden away in the back of a church.
    The incredible story of a 400-year-old Bible is set to be told at the National Library of Wales after the sacred book was discovered hidden away in the back of a church. (BBC)

    We have an interesting story, well told, from .. . charismapodcastnetwork.com.

    The incredible story of a 400-year-old Bible is set to be told at the National Library of Wales after the sacred book was discovered hidden away in the back of a church.

    The leather-bound 1620…

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

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    Tim Tebow Gives Inspiring Talk at Recent Passion Conference

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    Tim Tebow Gives Inspiring Talk at Recent Passion Conference


    Tim Tebow Gives Inspiring Talk at Recent Passion Conference


    Over 32,000 students attended this year’s Passion Conference, and Christian athlete and celebrity Tim Tebow spoke at one of the conference’s sessions.


    Tebow discussed his personal history and testimony. He told the story of how his parents were given advice to abort him, but they trusted God throughout the pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy, though initially malnourished, baby.


    God was certainly with the Tebow family as Tebow grew to be strong both physically and spiritually.


    Tebow also shared with the audience why, as a football player, he would often write a Bible verse under his eyes as a way of stepping out in faith. What began as a small, personal representation of faith, however, quickly turned into a nationwide phenomenon as 94 million people watching the football game ended up googling John 3:16 which Tebow had printed below his eyes.


    “The God that we serve is just so much bigger than that, and He can take the games we’re involved in, the jobs we have, the things that we’re doing, and He can transcend them to be so much more than that….He can take the little things that we do, when we step out in faith, when we step out in courage, when we just decide it’s okay to be a little bit different….but watch how God uses that in your life and the people around you, because I know he’s used it in my life a lot.”


    To listen to Tebow’s entire discussion…

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

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    Megachurch stands by pastor who admitted to sexually assaulting teenager

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    Megachurch stands by pastor who admitted to sexually assaulting teenager

    Andy Savage, a leader of Highpoint Church in Memphis Tennessee, admitted involvement in inappropriate behaviour with Jules Woodson, after she detailed the incident in her blog last December.

    Posted on the church’s website, his official statement reads: “As a college student on staff at a church in Texas more than 20 years ago, I regretfully had a sexual incident with a female high school senior in the church.

    “I apologized and sought forgiveness from her, her parents, her discipleship group, the church staff, and the church leadership, who informed the congregation.”

    He said he “took every step to respond in a biblical way” and resigned from ministry.

    He added that he “accepted full responsibility” for his actions and “was and remain very remorseful for the incident and deeply regret the pain I caused her and her family, as well as the pain I caused the church and God’s Kingdom”.

    Lead pastor Chris Conlee also responded to the sexual assault in a statement below Savage’s on the church’s website.

     

    He said: “This information is not new to me or to our leadership.

    “As one of my closest friends and partners in ministry, I can assure you that I have total confidence in the redemptive process Andy went through under his leadership in Texas.

    “On behalf of the elders, pastors, staff, and Trustees of Highpoint, I want to affirm that we are 100 per cent committed to Andy, Amanda, and their family and his continued ministry…

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    Elon Musk Pitched Donald Trump On SpaceX Mission To Colonize Other Planets

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    SpaceXElon Musk shared his vision for a Mars city at the 2017 International Astronautical Congress in Australia.

    Business wass booming for SpaceX in 2017 with a string of successful launches and the development of a new heavy duty rocket slated for testing this year. However the recent bombshell book “Fire and Fury” revealed more of the private space firm’s goals that goes beyond being NASA’s workhorse.

    In his book, author Michael Wolff revealed that Musk tried to pique Donald Trump’s interest in colonizing other planets shortly after he was elected. One scene described a meeting at Trump Tower where then-president-elect Trump was taking meetings with tech titans like Musk and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

    “Elon Musk, in Trump Tower, pitched Trump on the new administration’s joining him in his race to Mars, which Trump jumped at,” Wolff wrote in his tell-all book. Musk obviously wants to keep his company front-of-mind with regards to the broad scope of national space exploration.

    In response to the recent revelation, a spokesperson from SpaceX indirectly confirmed that the conversation did happen. However, it wasn’t about Elon Musk personally getting to Mars – which has been Musk’s dream – but rather “making humans multi-planetary” which is the company’s mission, a goal which Musk has been very vocal about saying it was “high time that humanity went beyond Earth.”

    “Should have a moon base by now and sent astronauts to Mars,” Musk tweeted back in December. “The future needs to inspire.”

    His proposition probably didn’t fell on deaf ears as the President Trump has previously expressed interest…

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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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