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Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages.
Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, and everything in between.
Here are just a few things that happened this week in Church history. They include the death of a controversial pope, the birth of an influential theologian, and the conversion of a revivalist preacher.
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WASHINGTON — Francis Chan is calling on Christians to be willing to give up their lives for Jesus and not compromise the Gospel by hiding behind otherwise good causes.
Speaking on the main stage Saturday night on the National Mall before tens of thousands assembled from all 50 states at America’s Tent of Meeting sponsored by Awaken the Dawn, Chan encouraged believers to be willing to lay down their lives for Christ and to not shrink back from being bold.
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Chan asked, citing the Words of Jesus in Mark 8:36.
“I’m promising you, if you try to save your life, you’re going to lose it, but you’re not going to regret it.”
Chan, 50, who leads We Are Church, a network of house churches based in the San Francisco Bay Area, mentioned that he has reached a point in his life where he’s getting rid of more and more stuff. And there is no point in trying to have it all, he said, and protect ones life from all possible forms of suffering.
“We live in a time when Christians are starting to change their theology because they’re ashamed of the Words of Jesus Christ, because it’s not popular,” Chan continued. “We can busy our lives with good things that aren’t the most important thing, and I feel like there’s a cop-out in Christianity today.”
Many are willing to care for the poor, fight human trafficking, and work toward racial reconciliation, he added, and he counts himself among such people. And those are all good, important, biblical causes, he said.
“But I’m just noticing that there are very few people who are spreading the Gospel,” he said impassionedly. “And I think I know why.”
“I’ve never been persecuted for feeding the poor. I’m applauded for that. No one’s persecuted me for my fighting [against] human trafficking. They applaud me for that. No one gets angry at me because I want unity in the Church, racial reconciliation or even reconciliation between denominations.”
Persecution comes, Chan said, when he shares the core truths of the Gospel that are not politically correct.
“When I tell someone that they are by nature an object of wrath, and that they have to stand before holy God and that there is no name under Heaven by which you can be saved except by the name of Jesus Christ. And when I call out sin for what it is in Scripture, I get persecuted.”
“And there are times when I am ashamed of the Gospel,” he admitted, “and I’ll cower and I’ll shrink back and I won’t say everything God calls me to say.”
Those other things are noble and godly, he reiterated, but it’s easy to hide behind them and refrain from sharing the Gospel.
“You will lose your life, you’ll lose your reputation,” he said, “And my stance on morality, in a city like San Francisco,” but I don’t want to be ashamed.
“But I don’t want to be ashamed of Jesus and His Words, because I don’t want Him ashamed of me when He comes.”
He pleaded: “All I want to do tonight is just beg you” to lay it all down for Jesus.
He urged the crowd to read the Bible for themselves, saying it’s impossible to read it cover to cover and think that there will be no judgement.
“Guys, it’s time for us to hurt again,” like the Apostle Paul who wrote of his “anguish” for those who did not know Jesus, Chan said.
“I know it’s not fun. But if we’re going to lose our lives the Bible says when you do that, that’s when you’re going to find it.”
The Americas Tent of Meeting will continue throughout the weekend and conclude on Monday.
Follow Brandon Showalter on Twitter: @BrandonMShow
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The Federal Government of Australia will bankroll the cost of Imbruvica, as it aims to lighten up the financial load of leukemia patients in the country. Imbruvica, a tablet that helps ease the symptoms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), costs up to $100,000 a year for each patient.
Starting Dec. 1, the cancer-fighting medicine will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), as the government reduces its cost to $38.80 each month. On the other hand, the price of the medicine will be reduced to $6.30 per month for CLL patients who have concession cards.
According to Bill Petch of the Leukemia Foundation, around 1,500 Australians are diagnosed with CLL every year, and what Imbruvica does is block the protein that triggers the growth of cancer cells. “[The protein] affects the white blood cells that normally produce antibodies that protect the body from infections,” said Petch, adding that the Imbruvica has been proven effecting in helping sufferers prevent further infections.
The effectiveness of the cancer-fighting medicine had been reportedly tested not just in Australia but also overseas, until it was formally registered in April 2015.
Earlier this week, the price drop on Imbruvica was officially announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, saying that it is a reminder of how keenly focused the Australian government is in fighting cancer. “It is one of 1,500 new drugs costing in total $7.5 billion that we brought onto the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since we came into office,” he announced.
Professor Stephen Mulligan of the Royal North Shore Hospital, who was intimately involved in testing Imbruvica, said the medicine could greatly help patients who had already undergone standard therapies but were not cured. He mentioned the Imbruvica has helped revolutionize the outlook for patients that were previously deemed hopeless.
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First aid trained staff were on the scene immediately and paramedics also attended within minutes but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers are working to establish the circumstances but the death is not being treated as suspicious, City of London Police said.
St Paul’s Cathedral, which was closed after the incident, said it was “deeply saddened” by the woman’s death.
It said in a statement: “Although robust procedures for emergency situations are in place at St Paul’s, and today’s response bore that out, it does not lessen the shock we feel as a close community, especially for those of us who witnessed and responded to this incident.
“We hold also in our thoughts those visitors within the cathedral at the time.
“We think and pray especially at this time for the woman who died, and for all those who were close to her and who loved and cared for her.”
The cathedral will open as normal on Thursday.
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Well, this is a bit of a Labor Day surprise! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their third child, the palace has confirmed in a statement. Yes, that’s right, our Will and Kate—parents to Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two—will be adding to their family.
The announcement was made early Monday morning via a press release from Kensington Palace: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child. The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.”
Kate, as was the case for her first two pregnancies, is suffering from severe morning sickness, and she will not be attending an event on Monday that had been on her schedule. “As with her previous two pregnancies, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum,” continued the statement, “Her Royal Highness will no longer carry out her planned engagement at the Hornsey Road Children’s Centre in London today. The Duchess is being cared for at Kensington Palace.”
There was a bit of foreshadowing for the news, as Kate joked with William, during their tour of Poland in June, after receiving a teddy bear (designed for a newborn) as a gift, “We will just have to have more babies.”
People notes that Kate is “understood to be less than three months pregnant,” and that the statement was made at this early stage due to her morning sickness. (When she was pregnant with Charlotte, Kate also was taken care of at Kensington Palace.)
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: Vanity Fair
Josh Duboff
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“Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law.”
For over 50 years, these words have been enumerated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)—one of the international community’s commitments to protecting the life of every human being. But these words—and the protection they help provide—are currently under attack.
As we recently informed you, the U.N. Human Rights Committee is trying to rewrite the definition of the “right to life.” The U.N. Human Rights Council has a draft General Comment on Article 6 of the ICCPR, which contains concerning and problematic language that alters the current interpretation of Article 6’s protection of the right to life.
Each U.N. treaty has a series of “general comments” attached to it. “These cover a wide range of subjects, from the comprehensive interpretation of substantive provisions, such as the right to life or the right to adequate food, to general guidance …” However, before a draft General Comment is adopted by the Human Rights Committee, stakeholders, such as Member States and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), are invited to submit comments on the draft which express support or concerns, as well as suggested changes. So, we did just that. Through our European affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), with consultative status at the U.N., we submitted comments (English | French) addressing the danger the current draft poses to the right to life.
As we informed you before, paragraph nine of current draft places restrictions on the rights of State parties to regulate abortion stating that “States parties must provide safe access to abortion,” and forbidding States from “introducing humiliating or unreasonably burdensome requirements on women seeking to undergo abortion.” Paragraph 10 is also concerning, as it provides contradictory interpretations regarding the duty of State parties where suicide and euthanasia are concerned: “States should take adequate measures, without violating their other Covenant obligations, to prevent suicides, especially among individuals in particularly vulnerable situations. At the same time, States’ parties [may allow] [should not prevent] medical professionals to provide medical treatment of the medical means in order to facilitate the termination of life …”
Our submission points out that the current language of paragraph nine allows Article 6 of the ICCPR to be interpreted in a way that requires States to broadly guarantee a woman a “right” to abortion. Furthermore, the current language of paragraph 10, far from providing a right to life, instead creates a “right to die” and an obligation on the part of State parties to assist in—rather than prevent—suicide. Both paragraphs nine and 10 interpret Article 6 in a way that is contrary to the original intent. Article 6 was written to protect life—not provide a “right” to kill or die.
In addressing these concerns, our submission suggests several changes to the current draft:
Regarding paragraph nine, the ECLJ invites the Committee to recognize the objective fact that the life of every human being starts at his/her conception and to remind the States parties of the commitment they have undertaken to prevent abortion. A possible wording could be similar to the one used in the provisions on death penalty or on suicide. By analogy, with the provision related to death penalty found in paragraph 54, the ECLJ makes the following proposal: “Abortion cannot be reconciled with full respect for the right to life, and its prevention is both desirable and necessary for the progressive development of human rights and enjoyment of the right to life”; or by analogy with the provision on suicide found in paragraph 10: “States’ parties should take appropriate measures, without violating their other Covenant obligations, to prevent resorting to abortion, especially among individuals in particularly vulnerable situations.” …
Regarding paragraph 10 on assisted suicide and euthanasia, the ECLJ asks the Committee to assert that assisted suicide and euthanasia “in the sense of the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit, must always be prohibited”, according to the wording adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
While the Human Rights Committee has the final say in the draft General Comment that is ultimately adopted, our work in addressing concerns and firmly standing for a true right to life is extremely important. We believe that every human being does indeed have an inherent right to life—and we fight aggressively every day to ensure that right is not diminished or infringed upon.
For the original article, visit aclj.org. 
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Related topics: Abortion | ACLJ | Caucus Issues | Charisma Caucus | Pro-Life
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LifeWay research recently released a study of financial issues in the church. Today, we discuss these three issues and ways churches can better prepare themselves financially.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The three financial realities we cover in this episode are:
Midwestern Seminary is interested in helping you get to the field faster. And they’re serious about training leaders for the church. That’s why they’ve created the all-new Accelerate Program. In Midwestern’s Accelerate Program, students earn both Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Divinity degree in just 5 years of intensive study. That’s a B.A. and an M.Div. at the same time. This innovative residential program combines rigorous academic training with practical ministry preparation, resulting in one of the most effective programs around, so that you can pursue your ministry calling as soon as possible.
Two degrees in five years – all in one program: Accelerate at Midwestern Seminary. Take the next step by visiting mbts.edu/accelerate.
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Find out more about Vanderbloemen Search Group by visiting WeStaffTheChurch.com.
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Who Moved My Pulpit?
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Solomon’s Pools, three ancient reservoirs located in the West Bank near Bethlehem, which provided water to Jerusalem during Jesus’ earthly lifetime, are to be restored.
According to ChristianToday.com, the restoration project is being funded by the U.S. and will cost $750,000.
The pools were reportedly commissioned by Herod the Great and built around the time of Jesus’ birth. Some believe one of the Solomon Pools was where Jesus healed the blind man, as described in John 9:
“’Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing” (John 9:7).
The pools used to be vibrant hubs of activity in the ancient world, but have since fallen into disrepair.
The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem is allocating the funds for the renovations in hopes that the pools will become popular tourism sites.
“This project is about more than just protecting history. It is about protecting the lives and livelihoods of the people living here today,” said U.S. Consul General Donald Blome.
Blome added that the restoration of the pools would be in keeping with President Trump’s agenda for Israel and Palestine: “[Trump] has made it clear that a necessary element for the achievement of peace would be unlocking the full potential of the Palestinian economy.”
Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Russ McCabe
Publication date: October 11, 2017
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Razer has been a household name when it comes to gaming with its logo almost omnipresent in every eSport event. Now, the San Diego-based company is planning to release its own smartphone following its acquisition of Nextbit earlier this year.
In an interview with CNBC last month, CEO Min-Liang Tan confirmed the news that they are in fact building a mobile device. And, like many of their products, these will be marketed specifically to gamers.
Min-Liang Tan seems eager to leak the device after he recently appeared in a photo with Mobile at Razer (formerly Nextbit) Senior Vice-president Tom Moss. Upon closer inspection of Tan’s pocket, a glimpse of what appears to be a smartphone sporting the company’s logo can be seen.
So what will this upcoming “gamer” smartphone look like? To find out, one must take a look at Nextbit’s Nextbit Robin smartphone as well as Razer products in general.
The Nextbit Robin, prior to being launched, was started on Kickstarter like many other promising tech projects. It was marketed as “Cloud-first” where it utilizes cloud storage to store data which are not used for a long period of time.
The device proved somewhat successful despite a few issues. However, sales were halted after Razer acquired Nextbit in January of 2017. It was during this time that rumors of a “gamer” smartphone began to spread.
The smartphone will likely follow the footsteps of the Razer Edge (tablet) and Razer Blade (laptop) in that it will be made with gaming as the main priority. This means high-end specs typically seen in flagship models, even on a number of first-party apps that improve mobile gaming.
The company might also retain the Nextbit Robin’s “Cloud-first” feature in its smartphone in some way. One possible use of the cloud is to store game data which can often be limited by the internal memory. It is also likely that the phone will utilize Google’s Android operating system rather than put in the resources to develop their own. Lastly, expect a black and green motif to be used given the company’s fondness for the color combination.
With mobile gaming slowly becoming a real industry, it’s not surprising for an industry leader like Razer to tap into this new wellspring. If the success of their gaming notebooks and tablets used as a guide, the future looks promising for the upcoming gaming smartphone.
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David Millican told Premier he’s among those who voted for Ealing Council to introduce a Public Space Protection Order. It stops groups from protesting within a certain distance of the building.
In this case, it stops Christian charity Good Counsel Network.
Millican said: “I’m sure they are praying, however the general experience of what I’ve seen myself is women who are arriving and who have just left the clinic are confronted by very often quite a large group of people standing there making their views known, there are very graphic photographs.”
However, Claire McCollough from the charity has denied the claims.
She told Premier the group has been wrongly accused: “This so something that’s completely against our code of practice.
“I have been presented with no evidence to suggest that they are.
“Marie Stopes has two cameras on its door and its gate and we are there five days a week every week of the year therefore they must have thousands of hours of footage showing us doing these things, but I’ve seen none of it.”
While the charity claims the its freedom of speech has been threatened, Millican also said the clinic’s clients have also had their freedom threatened.
He added: “This is a discussion about people’s right to undertake a lawful activity visiting a clinic.
“Pro-life people should be free to express themselves but not in an inappropriate way.”
Following this resolution, the council will work on making it illegal for the group to meet outside Marie Stopes.
But McCullough said the charity will stand firm.
She told Premier: “Good Councel Network is still in front of the clinic today and will continue to offer help and assistance to women there as long as it’s legal for us to do so.
“And when it becomes illegal for us to do so we will fight that in court in every possible way that we can.”
Listen to David Millican speaking with Premier’s Tola Mbakwe here:
Listen to Claire McCullough speaking with Premier’s Tola Mbakwe here:
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