Condemning Terror Attacks Is Not Enough to Save Christians, Persecution Watchdog Group Warns

Pakistani Christians (Photo: Reuters/Faisal Mahmood)

Christian Post Report – Members of the Pakistani Christian community attend a protest rally to condemn Sunday’s suicide attack in Peshawar on a church, in Islamabad, September 23, 2013. A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the 130-year-old Anglican church in Pakistan after Sunday mass, killing at least 78 people in the deadliest attack on Christians in the predominantly Muslim country.

Open Doors USA, a persecution watchdog group, has warned that world governments simply condemning attacks against Christians, such as the one on Easter Sunday in Pakistan where 73 people were killed, is not enough to save lives.

“Right now few leaders are offering more than condolences after major attacks on Christians,” David Curry, CEO of Open Doors, told the Daily Beast. “They need to go to the countries, meet with its leaders and people to find bipartisan ways to protect Christians and promote religious freedom to all.”

The attack in Lahore was carried out at an Easter fun fair park for families, and most of the victims in the suicide blast where women and children. A splinter group from the Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, has claimed responsibility and vowed that even more “devastating” attacks on Christians are coming.

World governments, including the administration of President Barack Obama, have condemned the terror actions and sent their condolences to the victims, with Obama urging Americans not to allow fear to get in the way of helping people.

“The United States condemns in the strongest terms today’s appalling terrorist attack in Lahore, Pakistan. This cowardly act, which targeted innocent civilians in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, has killed dozens and left scores injured,” Obama’s adminisration said at the time.

“The United States stands with the people and Government of Pakistan at this difficult hour. We send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Lahore as they respond to and recover from this terrible tragedy.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added: “Canada condemns the deplorable bombing in Lahore, Pakistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those killed or injured.”

Curry said that mere words are not enough to tackle the problem, however, adding that Western media often focuses too heavily only on attacks and victims in the West, rather than all over the world.

“I don’t believe most Americans have an accurate understanding of the real state of Christian persecution around the world,” Curry said.

As Curry previously told The Christian Post, the persecution of Christians has reached its highest level in modern history, with the rise of radical Islam being one of the very top threats to Christian lives and freedom.

“It’s going to continue, because all of the factors that drove the persecution of Christians into these regions are still in place, and they are gaining power. There are 43 groups around the world who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, and I think you’re going to see an expansion of these splinter cells persecuting Christians, because that is their stated goal,” Curry told CP.

Pakistani Christians have cried out for help following the attack, urging the Pakistani government to offer more protection.

“The government has proved it cannot keep people safe so the army should take over security,” said Pastor Shakil Anjum of the Children’s Chapel following the Easter Sunday bombing. “They have strengthened security at our churches but now terrorists are coming to public spaces to kill us.”

Other persecution watchdog groups, including International Christian Concern, have also warned that Christians are seen as “convenient targets” for Pakistani terrorists.

“Not only are they poorly protected by Pakistan’s security forces, they are also seen as an extension of the West in Pakistan,” said ICC regional manager for South Asia, William Stark, noting that promised reforms to protect Christians are yet to be enacted.

Source : Christian Post

Terror Group Behind Pakistan Easter Bombing Threaten More ‘Devastating’ Attacks on Christians

Pakistani Christians (Photo: Reuters/Mohsin Raza)

Christian Post Report – A member of the Pakistani Christian community holds a placard as he shouts slogans during a protest rally to condemn Sunday’s suicide attack in Peshawar on a church, with others in Lahore September 23, 2013. A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the 130-year-old Anglican church in Pakistan after Sunday mass, killing at least 78 people in the deadliest attack on Christians in the predominantly Muslim country.

The Islamic radical group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has threatened that even more “devastating” attacks against Christians are coming, following the Easter Sunday bombing at a fun fair in Lahore, Pakistan, which killed 73 people, mostly women and children.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban group, told NBC News during an interview published Monday that the extremists are planning “more devastating attacks that will target Christians and other religious minorities as well as government installations.”

Ehsan identified the suicide bomber who blew himself up in the Lahore attack as Salahuddin Khorasani, describing him as a martyr who “carried out the attack on the eve of the Christian festival Easter.”

He added that Khorasani was trained in a remote region in Afghanistan before being brought over to carry out the deadly attack.

Ehsan denied that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has any links to the Islamic State terror group, which is active in Iraq and Syria, and explained that the target of its attacks are both Christians and representatives of the central government.

The same group has launched a number of bombings since splitting from the large Pakistani Taliban organization in mid-2014, and has claimed responsibility for bombing two Christian churches in Lahore last year.

The spokesman revealed that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar leader Maulvi Omar Khalid had been injured in NATO airstrikes in the Nangarhar province two years ago, and said that the Easter attack in Lahore was aimed at taking revenge against the government.

“We decided to teach a lesson to the prime minister Nawaz Sharif for launching military operation against us,” Ehsan said.

While Pakistan’s government has vowed to deliver justice for the victims and bring down the terror group, Muslim leaders around the world have condemned the terror attack, expressing “outrage” at the “inhumanity” of the slaughter.

“We strongly condemn the attack in Lahore and express our deepest condolences to the families of all the victims. We must join together to tell our clear horror of such acts of inhumanity,” read a letter by Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, the Mufti of Singapore, sent to the country’s Roman Catholic Church.

The mufti added, “it is unjustifiable to attack another human being just because they have a different faith,” and described the attack as “an act of inhumanity and an affront to the people who believe in the values of compassion and peaceful coexistence.”

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore insisted it is “outraged by such cruelty,” referring to the numerous attacks carried out by Islamic radicals across the world in recent weeks in places such as Istanbul, Jakarta, Syria, Ankara, Brussels, as well as in Lahore.

“Along with all Muslims and all the inhabitants of Singapore, we express closeness and solidarity to the families of all the victims of these senseless tragedies,” the Council stated.

Source : Christian Post

How Is the Stock Market Different From Gambling?

How Is The Stock Market Different From Gambling?

Christian Post Report – I have no problems with money market funds or other legitimate means of investing. Your question, one that I frequently receive, is to understand the difference between gambling and investing.

The difference between these two is vast but can be confusing, especially for those who don’t regularly engage in either, because there is risk in both.

At the heart of it, gambling is based upon chance, and all must lose for one to gain. But investing is based upon knowledge and all have the opportunity to win. Both involve risk, but only investing allows equal opportunity for all to benefit.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/is-investing-an-unbiblical-form-of-gambling-160486/#MjtBqrm10dLLFrIr.99

Source : Christian Post

Florida Pastor and Wife Adopt Baby Brothers Found on Trash Bag Pile Outside Ministry Office

Christian Post Report – A Florida pastor and his wife are in the process of adopting two homeless babies who were discovered by a ministry worker outside on a pile of trash bags wearing nothing but diapers.

With their own children aged 15, 13 and 8, Pastor Ronnie Stewart of Refuge Church in New Port Richey, Florida, and his wife, Krystal, thought they were finished raising toddlers and infants.

However, it became apparent last November that God had other plans.

Having planted the Church of God congregation over three years ago, Stewart told The Christian Post Monday that his goal for the church was for it to become a place of refuge for the troubled and underprivileged in the Tampa metropolitan area.

The church now serves as one of the largest Metropolitan Ministries feeding centers in the Tampa area, feeding around 200 to 300 people twice a week.

Metropolitan Ministries, an organization that provides clothing, food and housing for families and children in need in Tampa, came across a particular family that was discovered one night outside of the ministry’s Pasco County office.

As reported by a local Fox affiliate, Mark Purcell, the organization’s head chef, was leaving the office when he saw the two children — ages 6 months and 1 year-and-a-half — sitting on top of trash bags outside the office with their mother nearby.

The ministry discovered that the mother, father and the children were all homeless and living in a tent in the woods.

Stewart explained that the family had been attending the Metropolitan Ministries dinner feedings at the Refuge Church for about three weeks before he and his wife opened up their home to the children in despair.

“We typically don’t go to the church on a Friday but I was doing some tile in the church throughout the day,” Stewart explained. “The family was kind of camped out under the awning by the front doors. One of the little boys just started putting his face on the glass by the doors and he was looking at me and I let them in and asked them if they would like to come in while I do the tile.”

“A lot of concerns had come out with people in the congregation,” Stewart said. “We took those babies in that night because it was going to storm. We told the parents we would meet them back at the church the very next day. We did that and said, ‘if you ever need us again, just let us know. We would be more than willing to open our home.'”

Stewart said that his wife gave both the boys baths that night as they were pretty dirty and not in the best condition.

“The very next day, they were there for the feeding ministry. We brought the two boys Saturday morning, so we let them stay in the church with us through the day and prayed with them and really tried to talk with them about every option,” Stewart said. “That night was the feeding at 5 o’clock. We were on the way out of the facility when they asked us to take the boys home because of the stormy conditions. Without hesitation, we agreed to it. Just thinking that it was another night of them off the street.”

That night, the couple prayed and began to contemplate what the plans were for the children and what they could do to help the family.

“We went the very next day for Sunday service and our plan was for them to come to church and we would come to church and bring the boys. We brought the boys a bunch of clothing and loaded them up on food and formula,” Stewart recalled. “After service, I went down to see my kids and my wife, and I was on my way out to my car and the family made their way to me and they said, ‘Pastor, can you come over here?”

View article on single page
Next Page
Pages: 12
Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith

Source : Christian Post

Gospel Singer Earnest Pugh Exits Megachurch Ministry to Pursue New Veteran Non-Profit

Christian Post Report – Gospel singer Earnest Pugh Leaves mega-church and starting a new initiative, 2016.

One of gospel music’s leading performers, Earnest Pugh, stepped down from his megachurch position to pursue a new philanthropic initiative.

Pugh recently announced that he was leaving his position as worship pastor at Houston’s Lighthouse Church.

With his latest hit, “Trade It All,” continuing to climb the Nielsen BDS Gospel Recurrent chart and currently ranked at No. 5, the singer said he and his pastor of many years agree that his season of serving in the church is over.

“Pastor Keion Henderson and I mutually agreed that seasons have changed,” said Pugh in a statement shared with The Christian Post. “I am moving on to pursue some dreams that have laid dormant in my heart for years. Our joint efforts of laboring in the vineyard at Lighthouse have been fruitful and we believe God’s best is yet to come for all involved parties. To God be the glory for the wonderful things He has done, is doing and will do to advance the Kingdom through our lives and ministries.”

The Memphis, Tennessee, native has said that one of his dreams is to launch a non-profit organization for veterans. His new non-profit, Vet Rocks, will set out to assist women combat veterans. This ministry was inspired when he met a female veteran living in a Houston shelter.

The initiative will commence in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 21, with a string of Thanksgiving festivities that week, including an “Oh Give Thanks” concert featuring an impressive bill of national recording artists. The organization has partnered with sponsors to give away vouchers to 250 veterans and their families to purchase Thanksgiving dinners.

“Women are the most underserved population of U.S. veterans,” Pugh, who was an active-duty Army soldier for 15 years, said. “These women have served and have great needs. The objective is to be a rock and stone of help to veterans who have served their country and now need to be served themselves.”

At the end of that weekend, Pugh will celebrate his 50th Birthday Gala at the Renaissance Potomac View Hotel with an A-list guest list of friends and celebrities.

Pugh is also embarking on a 50-city tour as part of his journey to 50 years of life and over 20 years in the gospel music industry. The tour will take the “Rain On Us” and “I Need Your Glory” singer around the globe.

The gospel singer will be keeping busy with his other responsibilities, including host a radio program, be a music business university professor and lead worship at various conferences and churches.

“I’ve been working tirelessly for years so I’m going to lay low for a minute and focus on this next season in my life,” he concluded. “I have literally been employed in some musical capacity at a church since I was 18 years old. Now, I feel like it’s time for a shifting of focus to impacting our community in other ways than just pulpit ministry. I am ready to put my hands to the plow and make a global impact.”

For more information, visit: www.earnestpugh.com

Source : Christian Post