Indian Christian Man Publicly Shamed by Hindu Extremists for Allegedly Converting Locals

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Indian Christian Man Publicly Shamed by Hindu Extremists for Allegedly Converting Locals

<b>Christian Post Report</b> – School children listen to a speech by a Christian leader during a protest rally in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata August 29, 2008.” title=”<b>Christian Post Report</b> – School children listen to a speech by a Christian leader during a protest rally in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata August 29, 2008.” name=”jpg” src=”http://images.christianpost.com/full/86637/school-children-listen-to-a-speech-by-a-christian-leader-during-a-protest-rally-in-the-eastern-indian-city-of-kolkata-august-29-2008.jpg” class=”imgPhoto” width=”550″ height=”450″ /> <small class=(Photo: Reuters/Jayanta Shaw)

Christian Post Report – School children listen to a speech by a Christian leader during a protest rally in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata August 29, 2008.

An extremist Hindu group recently humiliated a Christian man in Uttar Pradesh, India, after accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity.

Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Jalaun District are currently searching for several members of Bajrang Dal, an extremist group that kidnapped Awdhesh Kumar Savita, alleging that he tricked Hindus into converting faith.

After being kidnapped, Savita was blindfolded as militants shaved his head and paraded him around town on a donkey. 

The 35-year-old Christian man had been accused of luring local residents to a town meeting, then forcing them to eat beef and stomp on photos of Hindu gods as a way of converting them to Christianity.

Savita has denied the claims, telling local media outlets that he “has been practicing Christianity for the last few years. But I have never insisted on converting anybody.”

Police were able to arrive at the village in time to save Savita from further humiliatation or harm, and authorities are now searching for the militants involved in the public shaming.

Nalin Kohli, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has condemned the recent attack, distancing his political party from hardline militants, although the two groups have been linked in the past. 

“We need to ensure that we arrive at some kind of thinking as to how we can prevent these incidents,” Kohli told IBN Live.

“With regard to the police, they need to take the strongest possible action and the guilty whoever it is, has to be punished for such barbaric crimes. We all have to be sensitive about our religious practices, our faith and not do anything which causes hurt to anyone. At the same time, no one can be justified to take law into their own hands,” Kohli added.

Savita’s wife, Rekha, has told local media outlets that the hardline Hindu group had fabricated its conversion accusations, suggesting that her family was being targeted for taking their 7-year-old son to a Christian hospital instead of a Hindu hospital.

Manoj Kumar, the police chief of the nearby Orai police station, told UCA News that allegations of Savita’s forced conversion practices are untrue.

“The complaint is not valid as preliminary investigation has proved that Awadesh Savita was not involved in conversion activities,” Kumar said, adding that “More arrests will follow in the coming days.”

The International Christian Concern [ICC] watchdog group has warned that Bajrang Dal and its umbrella group, the Sangh Parivar political party, have been seeking to cleanse India of Christians for the past few years. 

ICC pointed to one particularly alarming incident in 2014 when members of the Bajrang Dal group stormed a church in Sahakarinagar village and began beating its pastor and congregants during a Bible study.

These extremist Hindu groups are similar to the Islamic State terror group, the ICC said in a 2014 press release.

“Like Christians facing ISIS in Iraq, millions of Christians across India are facing persecution at the hands of radical Hindu nationalist groups,” the press release said, as reported by The Christian Post. 

“Without drastic change, this difficult situation will likely only get worse, as radical Hindu nationalist groups popping up across India have been given almost complete impunity under the new Hindu nationalist government led by [Bharatiya Janata Party]  and [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi,” the statement added.

Source : Christian Post

Pakistani Christian Father Tortured to Convert to Islam, Considers Suicide, but Refuses

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Pakistani Christian Father Tortured to Convert to Islam, Considers Suicide, but Refuses
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.

A Pakistani Christian man, a father of five, was reportedly threatened and psychologically tortured by Muslim coworkers who wanted him to convert to Islam, and even though he considered suicide, he refused to convert.

“They very often called me ‘kafir’, which means unfaithful, and they threatened me that they would resort to false accusations of blasphemy if I refused to convert to Islam,” said Patras Hanif, the Pakistani man who was the victim of abuse, according to Fides News Agency.

Hanif, who worked at a construction site in Multan, in Punjab, faced violence and harassment from fellow workers who wanted him to abandon his Christian faith, which at one point even drove him to consider suicide.

The father turned to Christian lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, however, who has taken on a number of persecution cases in the Muslim majority country.

“Extremism, hatred, motivated only by a different faith, preconceived hostility: this is the suffering Christians in Pakistan go through. Islamic extremist groups would like to eliminate Christianity and other religions,” Gill said.

“This extremism is the cause of the exodus of religious minorities in Pakistan. Political leaders and Muslim religious leaders should publicly discourage these attitudes and start a more ambitious program of religious harmony, recalling that all citizens have equal rights and dignity,” the lawyer added.

There have been several cases of violence and murder by Islamic mobs against Christians in the country over the past several months. Earlier this week, the son of a Pakistani Christian servant recalled the brutal beatings that his father endured at the hands of police in the town of Gujranwala, trying to get him to confess to a crime he didn’t commit, which eventually led to his death.

Another Christian father in the town of Sialkot Tehsil in Punjab was shot to death by unknown gunmen in January, which prompted Christians to take the streets in protest against what is being investigated as a “terrorist attack.”

“An investigation is under process and will be extremely vigorous. So far the motive of the killer is unknown, this may even have been a small scale terrorist attack. The police authority is committed to find the killer and we hope to have success as it happened in broad daylight,” investigating officer Mohammed Masood told British Pakistani Christian Association officer Shamim Masih.

Women and girls have also been subjected to harassment and violence, particularly by Muslim men. Earlier in January a 17-year-old Christian girl was killed after she and her friends rejected the sexual advances of drunken Muslim men in Lahore, Defence Colony. The rejection caused the Muslim men to turn violent, and crash their car right into the girls.

“How dare you run away from us, Christian girls are only meant for one thing, the pleasure of Muslim men,” one of the men reportedly said.

Source : Christian Post

Will Evangelicals Lift Cruz Above Trump?

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Will Evangelicals Lift Cruz Above Trump?

Will Evangelicals Lift Cruz Above Trump?

Christian Post Report – Evangelical voters were the major reason for Donald Trump’s defeat in the Iowa Caucus, according to polling experts.

Monday evening saw U.S. Senator Ted Cruz gain first place in the Iowa Caucus, with Trump getting second, and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio nabbing third.

According to voter polling data compiled by Edison Media Research for National Election Pool and various media organizations, 64 percent of Republican caucus-goers were evangelical.
Of that number, 34 percent went for Sen. Cruz, 22 percent went for Trump, and 21 percent went for Sen. Rubio.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/iowa-evangelical-voters-cruz-trump-caucus-156571/#TCwFhFUud3rVASjY.99

Source : Christian Post

Gettys to Host Historic 1-Day Global Music Event With Thousands of Churches Worldwide

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Gettys to Host Historic 1-Day Global Music Event With Thousands of Churches Worldwide
Christian Post Report – The Getty’s ‘Joy-An Irish Christmas’ on stage shot of Keith and Kristyn Getty

Thousands of churches and mission agencies on every continent (except Antarctica) will unite in song later this month to sing the powerful hymn, “Facing a Task Unfinished.”

The nearly 100-year-old song, recently remixed by world-renowned contemporary hymn writers The Gettys, will act as an anthem to raise awareness about Christian persecution worldwide.

“Facing a Task Unfinished” was written by China Inland Mission worker Frank Houghton as he reflected on the the Great Commission and the scripture Matthew 24:14 as dedicated his life to sharing the Gospel with people in China.

“Facing a task unfinished, that drives us to our knees.

A need that, undiminished, rebukes our slothful ease.

We, who rejoice to know Thee, renew before Thy throne,

the solemn pledge we owe Thee to go and make Thee known,” the song states.

By the 1930s, the song encouraged 200 missionaries to set sail for China and spread the Good News of the Gospel. Their efforts contributed to what mission experts believe to be the greatest growth of Christianity in the history of the world — an estimated growth of over 80 to 130 million people.

Hoping to do the same in this day and age, popular husband and wife duo, Keith and Kristyn Getty, have teamed up with OMF International to introduce the missions hymn to a new generation. Traditionally based on the Samuel Wesley hymn, AURELIA (The Church’s One Foundation), the couple paired the hymn with a new chorus (seen below).

“We go to all the world

With kingdom hope unfurled

No other name has power to save

But Jesus Christ The Lord”

On their website the award winning Getty’s said they pray that the song will continue to serve as an anthem for “rising up to face the unfinished task and going to all the world to proclaim salvation in Jesus’ name.”

In recent years Christian persecution has progressively gotten worse. Open Doors 2016 World Watch List documented an unprecedented escalation of violence against Christians, making 2015 the most violent and sustained attack on the Christian faith in modern history.

Those alarming statistics is what maintains Keith’s devotion to sharing the Gospel and bringing awareness to global missions. In an interview with The Christian Post he reveled that seeing the darkness of persecution in the world and the ongoing work of missions groups, such as OMF, motivates him and his wife.

“The older I get, and the more aware I become to the reality of the culture we live in, the more I become increasingly determined to continue doing what we’re doing,” he said. “In the aftermath of Kristyn and I doing the new version of “Facing a Task Unfinished,”  we actually decided to postpone our spring tour and just do a two-week tour in June, simply because the need for songs is too great right now. There are more Christians in the world now than ever before and yet we need deep believers if we are going to survive, never mind flourish, never mind change cultures.”

To be a part of this global movement on Feb 21, churches are encouraged to register their involvement at www.gettymusic.com/facingatask.

Source : Christian Post

John Piper, Paul David Tripp on Facing the Spiritual Battle With Weight Loss

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John Piper, Paul David Tripp on Facing the Spiritual Battle With Weight Loss

Christian Post Report – Pastor John Piper speaks on “The Plundering of Your Property and the Power of Hope” at Passion City Church, Atlanta Georgia, January 18, 2015.

For many people, maintaining a proper weight and a healthy relationship with food is a constant struggle. In an audio message shared Tuesday on his website, DesiringGod.org, Pastor John Piper, chancellor of the Minnesota-based Bethlehem College & Seminary, talks with pastor and author Paul David Tripp about food and weight loss. The pastors say the battle to lose weight isn’t just physical, it’s spiritual.

“The physical side of weight loss will happen in a lot of different ways for various people,” says Piper. “But there’s a spiritual dimension to weight loss that we all need to be aware of.”

Tripp, who has lost 40 pounds, says fad diets don’t work because they don’t address the spiritual root cause. “You can’t starve yourself forever. It is not healthy to eat packaged frankenfood forever. It is only when your heart is properly satisfied with God that you now have the power to say no to other things that would tempt you to go there for satisfaction.”

Tripp argues that there should be a limit to the satisfaction that believers derive from food. “It is a sweet thing that God created a pleasurable world of food. But that pleasure of food is meant to be a finger that points me to God. It is not meant to be the thing that satisfies my heart.”

Weight gain starts out as a gradual, imperceptible thing, until it amasses into something noticeable. Tripp adds that weight gain is often brought on as “the result of the pleasure of food having too much control over the way you think about a good evening or a good day or a good week.” The pastor further explained that he had to change his own “patterns of gluttony” and his relationship to food and eat what he should for his physical maintenance.

The result was a 40 pound weight loss that the pastor has maintained for four years. “For me, it was not about weight, though that was an issue, as much as living in a more appropriate way.”

Tripp’s son’s wedding is what led him to reflect on his weight gain. As he began to change his eating habits he noticed how hungry and “impoverished” he felt. “But I wasn’t really hungry,” says Tripp. “It was just that I was so used to loading my body with so many more calories than I actually needed. And it was going through that hunger that really alerted me to the fact that food had been too much present in my life.”

“It is not just that I eat different things, but the lifestyle of my heart toward food has changed.”

Source : Christian Post

‘Miracles From Heaven’ Movie Reveals Family’s Powerful Testimony of God’s Healing (Interview)

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‘Miracles From Heaven’ Movie Reveals Family’s Powerful Testimony of God’s Healing (Interview)

Christian Post Report – Actors Jennifer Garner and Kylie Rogers star in Columbia Pictures’ film “Miracles From Heaven,” 2016.

At the tender age of 5, Annabel Beam was diagnosed with antral hypomotility and pseudo-obstruction motility disorder, a rare incurable condition that resulted her being admitted to the hospital serveral times each year. But a life-threatening fall and a trip to Heaven in 2011 changed everything, and now her miraculous recovery and experience is headed to the big screen in “Miracles From Heaven.”

“Miracles from Heaven” is set to prove that there is hope in times of struggle and darkness and an even greater hope awaiting in Heaven.

God’s power to perform miracles in people’s lives every day, as the testimony of Annabel Beam reveals in the film about one girl’s miraculous healing after a tragic fall.

While climbing a hollowed-out cottonwood tree with her sister a branch gave way, sending young Annabel 30 feet head first deep into the tree, trapping her inside. After an all-night rescue mission an emergency fire crew harnessed Annabel out of the tree and rushed her to the hospital in an emergency medical helicopter.

Kicking off a slew of miracles, her fall left no injury and healed her disorders. Furthermore, Annabel revealed that while she was unconscious, she visited Heaven, saw relatives and met Jesus.

Christy Beam, Anna’s mother, tells the supernatural story in the book, Miracles From Heaven, and a film of the same name, which will hit theaters across the country on March 16. The film stars A-list actress Jennifer Garner as Christy, Martin Henderson as Christy’s husband, Kevin, and Kylie Rogers as Anna.

The following is an edited transcript of Christy’s interview with The Christian Post in which she shares the family’s frightening plight, Anna’s miraculous healing and their new found ministry to share hope with others ahead of the film’s release.

CP: Miracles From Heaven started as a book and now it’s a movie, how amazing is that for you and your family?

Christy: It is so very amazing! It is such an honor that our story is being used to offer hope to so many. I receive messages from all over the world that the book has changed someone’s life. I cannot wait to see and hear the results after people see the movie.

CP: People sometimes have a hard time believing that all things happen for good, can you briefly walk us through your thoughts and emotions from when Anna had the fall up to when she was pronounced healed?

Christy: After the fall I was just so grateful for the miracle of her walking away without any injury. I was often thanking God for his unending hand of mercy and protection for Annabel. It took me a while to come to accept that she really was healed — the fear of accepting she was healed — and it just being coincidence or a fluke terrified me. It came to a point there was no denying the reality of Annabel’s healing.

CP: While Anna was stuck in the tree you and your family prayed, what can you tell people about the power of prayer?

Christy: I can tell you that God absolutely hears each and every one of our prayers! At times I more cried out to God than prayed, but He knew my heart and He knew my anguish. Once I accepted the hard to believe reality that God loves Annabel more than I do, I felt we had a common bond in prayer.

Source : Christian Post

TD Jakes Partners With Inspire Properties to Release New, Interactive Bible App

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TD Jakes Partners With Inspire Properties to Release New, Interactive Bible App

Christian Post Report – Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potters House preaches about the trauma of making transitions in life at the Woman Thou Art Loosed conference at MegaFest on Aug. 30, 2013, in Dallas, Texas.

Megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes has partnered with Inspired Properties to create an interactive Bible app that allows users to explore Scripture while also engaging with Christian music, prominent speakers, Bible studies, and more.

The T.D. Jakes Ministries Bible App, available through iTunes for $19.99, includes access to live-streamed services from The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, keynote speakers from Christian conferences like ManPower and Woman Thou Are Loosed, and Christian music.

Users of the new product will not only be able to read the Scripture but also hear a dramatic narration of various biblical stories.

Jakes said in a statement that the purpose of the app is to provide accessibility for Christians, especially in the 21st Century.

“The key to biblical understanding is accessibility,” Jakes said. “It’s critical to get bibles in the hands of the people in an easy, user-friendly way so that they may experience its power to transform lives in a personal way. Technology allows the Word of God to be experienced fully against the backdrop of the digital language.”

The app was introduce to the general public on January 21 after having a successful run with The Potter’s House congregation in December 2015. Since it was introduced late last year, the app has received over 10,000 downloads.

Dr. Antipas L. Harris, associate professor of practical theology & ministry at Regent University, praised the T.D. Jakes Ministries Bible App on The Potter’s House website, saying the product takes advantage of modern technology to make the Word of God more accessible.

“The 21st century presents us new technology for innovative means of communication.  Bishop T.D. Jakes once again, has broken the mold! His new Bible aid joins a rich Christian tradition of Bible translators and missionaries,” Harris said.

“The Bible app makes the Word of God more easily accessible to this generation. Indeed, the Word has become like one of us and has made its residence in modern technology,” he added.

Jakes has previously encouraged Christian leaders to take advantage of modern technology to reach a greater audience, telling those in attendance at the 2014 International Pastors and Leadership Conference that their leadership is pointless if they are not seeking to make a change.

“If God gave you two or five talents and He comes back and you still have what he gave you, you didn’t lead […] if you’re not making any change, you’re taking up space,” Jakes said during the 2014 conference that focused on technology, church infrastructure, and leadership.

Along with Jakes, several other Christian leaders have hopped on the new wave of faith-inspired technology. Rick Warren, lead pastor of Saddleback Church, has received positive feedback for his Purpose Driven Life Devotional App, and Pope Francis brought the Catholic Church into the digital age through his mobile Missio app and The Pope App.

Source : Christian Post

Donald Trump and Pope Francis Are 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Nominees

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Donald Trump and Pope Francis Are 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Nominees

Christian Post Report – Donald Trump and Pope Francis are among the nominees for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, experts confirmed Wednesday.

Along with Trump and the pope, the names of two other candidates have been released, including the Afghan Women’s Cycling Team and Nadia Murad, who escaped Islamic State captivity and is now an activist for rape victims.

More names are expected to be released throughout the month of February, and members of the five-person Norwegian Nobel Committee can submit their own votes for candidates after their February 29 meeting.

According to Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of Oslo’s Peace Research Institute, Trump was nominated for the outstanding award by an anonymous U.S. politician just days before the February 1 deadline.

Harpviken, whose institute analyzes the most probable winner of the prize, told The Telegraph that he had received a letter confirming the U.S. presidential candidate’s nomination.

Although Trump has received criticism for his frequently fiery rhetoric against the U.S. Muslim population, the letter describes Trump’s approach as “a threat weapon of deterrence against radical Islam, ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – ISIL], nuclear Iran and Communist China,” adding that the presidential candidate uses “vigorous peace-through-strength ideology.”

Harpviken added to The Telegraph that while he must keep the identity of Trump’s nominator secret, he can confirm that the letter is valid.

“I have committed not to reveal the identity of the nominator, but what I can say is that the nominator has shared a copy of his nomination letter directly with me, that the nominator has a position which gives him the right to nominate, and that I consider it valid,” Harpviken, an expert on the Nobel Peace Prize, told the media outlet.

Although the pope has been a strong contender for the Nobel Peace Prize for the past two years, he has repeatedly implored the committee to select a different recipient, suggesting there are those who have achieved greater social change than himself.

Francis, who has received the backing of Nobel Laureate Desmond Tutu, has been championed as the “people’s pope” for his work reforming the Catholic Church in the 21st Century, making it more accessible and appealing to younger generations and moderate Catholics.

Late last year, the pope privately met with the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, the 2015 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, calling them “architects of peace” for their work rebuilding Tunisia’s democracy after the Jasmine Revolution in 2011.

Although Pope Francis and Donald Trump are making international headlines for their nominations, world leaders have called on other candidates to be considered for the prize.

Audun Lysbakken, leader of Norway’s Socialist Left Party, told The Associated Press that she nominated Yazidi activist Nadia Murad for the award to call attention to the international issue of sex slavery.

Murad is now an activist for sexually abused women after she escaped captivity by the Islamic State.

“We want a peace prize that can awaken the world to the fight against sexual violence as a weapon of war,” the Norwegian lawmaker said in a statement.

Previous recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize include teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai in 2014, children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi in 2014, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 2013.

Source : Christian Post

Richard Dawkins Criticized for Sharing Pro Neo-Nazi Propaganda Tweet

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Richard Dawkins Criticized for Sharing Pro Neo-Nazi Propaganda Tweet

Christian Post Report – Well-known atheist and best-selling author Richard Dawkins speaks to supporters during the “Rock Beyond Belief” festival at Fort Bragg Army Base in North Carolina, March 31, 2012.

Well-known atheist Richard Dawkins faced criticism this week after he accidentally tweeted pro neo-Nazi propaganda.

The controversy began when Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, tweeted the cover of a fake book that mocked social justice politics.

The image, posted to Twitter on Monday, shows a photoshopped cover of Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, with the new title “The Social Justice Delusion.”

A photoshopped image of the book cover’s back includes a description mocking the tenants of social justice politics, with the conclusion: “eat [expletive] and die. All I ever asked was to be left alone.”

A caption accompanying the image read: “For those who- inevitably- won’t get it, this IS a joke. But like most good jokes, it’s also serious.”

Dawkins deleted the tweet shortly after its posting when multiple social media users drew attention to the digital barcode on the back of the book cover.

As several people pointed out, the barcode belonged to a pro neo-Nazi book entitled, We Must Secure the Existence of Our People and A Future For White Children.

Dawkins had evidently retweeted the book image but failed to realize that the barcode accompanying the fake book belonged to neo-Nazi propaganda.

The famous atheist, who is known for his combative language, then sought to defend his actions when asked by fellow tweeters why he shared such an image.

“@RichardDawkins Hi Richard, are you aware you tweeted a link to Nazi propaganda (via QR code)? I see you deleted the tweet,” Rob Price asked of Dawkins, to which the author, speaker and activist responded: “Yes. That’s of course why I deleted it.”

Dawkins has been criticized for offensive, controversial tweets in the past, receiving a rash of condemnation last week for poking fun at feminists and extremist Muslims, while also implying that Muslim men condone rape as consensual.

A YouTube video shared by Dawkins shows a cartoon feminist and a cartoon Muslim extremist singing a duet together, in which they impy that their “ideologies are essentially the same.”

The video ends with the Islamic extremist asking the feminist: “So do you mind if I rape you now?”

“Don’t be silly; it’s not rape when a Muslim does it!” the woman replies.

Dozens of social media users had strong reactions to the cartoon, accusing Dawkins of comparing feminism to Islamic extremism.

The video proved so offensive to some that the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism [NECSS] announced it would be dropping Dawkins as their keynote speaker for an upcoming event.

“We have taken this action in response to Dr Dawkins’ approving retweet of a highly offensive video,” the conference said in a statement. “We believe strongly in freedom of speech and freedom to express unpopular, and even offensive, views. However, unnecessarily divisive, counterproductive, and even hateful speech runs contrary to our mission and the environment we wish to foster at NECSS.”

Despite widespread backlash, Dawkins sought to defend himself, tweeting: “Criticising SOME feminists is not the same thing as criticising ALL feminists. Please tell me that’s obvious. Some is not all. Or even many.”

Source : Christian Post

Carolina Panthers’ Jerricho Cotchery on His Christian Faith in the Locker Room and Playing in the Super Bowl (Interview)

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Carolina Panthers’ Jerricho Cotchery on His Christian Faith in the Locker Room and Playing in the Super Bowl (Interview)
Christian Post Report – Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (82) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys strong safety Jeff Heath (38) during the third quarter of a NFL game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. Nov 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA.

The NFL’s Carolina Panthers are getting ready to play in the franchise’s second Super Bowl. Their team is filled with high-character players on and off the field. Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery recently joined Christian Post contributor Bryce Johnson on his syndicated UNPACKIN’ it radio show to talk about his faith and the team’s exciting season.

Bryce: We know there are teams in the NFL with talented players, but they don’t necessarily click as a team. However, this Panthers team has lots of talent, but also appears to be really team-minded. It’s on the same page … really likes each other … and you’ve called the team special. So, how do you describe the uniqueness of this team?

Jerricho Cotchery(Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)Carolina Panthers receiver Jerricho Cotchery addresses the media at press conference prior to Super Bowl 50 at the San Jose McNery Convention Center. Feb 2, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA.

Jerricho: I think we’re one. We’re just a selfless group of guys that genuinely want to see the next man succeed. When you’ve got a bunch of guys like that you’re going to end up with a special group, and we truly have that.

We have guys that are willing to work and enjoy being around each other — that enjoy those informal moments where we get to sit down and have those conversations about anything. It’s been a pleasure to be around this group. It was no different last year when we were 3-8-1. It was still a pleasure to come into work because of the guys this organization has brought into this locker room.

Bryce: Have the players created this culture, or is it a combination of the coaches also creating it? Is it intentional or is it that guys just naturally get along and click?

Jerricho: I think the organization has identified guys that they want to be in this locker room and that they want to represent the Carolina Panthers. They are Ron Rivera guys — guys that put the team first. The coach talks about the team all the time. It’s about the team — it’s not about one individual.

Guys have truly bought into that and everyone feels like their part of this thing. That’s a special thing and you have to have a special coach in order to make that happen. Coach Rivera has done an excellent job, and the staff he has working for him are doing a great job as well.

Bryce: The other aspect of it is the faith side for a lot of these players, and yourself included, so what role has that played in some of the unity of this team and the deeper relationships that exist in that locker room because of the common thread of your beliefs and faith?

Jerricho: Faith always plays a role in the strong group of guys we have on the team. When you have that solid part in there, there’s always that go-to group — especially in those moments that you have to deal with off the field.

I know people see these men on television and forget that they are regular people. They don’t get to understand and see what guys are actually going through in their lives, so being able to be in those relationships through our faith has been a good thing for all of the guys — even the guys not part of the faith because they get to see us live it out day to day.

Bryce: That’s huge for sure! What has God been personally teaching you throughout this season? What’s something that’s been on your heart throughout the year?

Jerricho: That as a Christian everything is always about grace. Not only when you are first saved, but throughout the entirety of your life — your growth as a man, as a husband, as a father, and even as a football player. It’s all about grace.

Being undeserving is an understatement, but I am truly thankful for it and appreciate every moment. I thank God for everything that He is doing.

Bryce: What role do you have as being one of the veterans in the locker room, and being a husband and a father, when not all of the guys are at that stage of life? What is that dynamic like from your perspective — wanting to represent being a good husband and father for some of the younger players?

Jerricho: That’s at the center of everything I do. At the end of the day, being a Christian is my agenda … it’s a heavenly agenda.

I just want to make sure that I represent God the right way before these young men, so that they can see what a husband looks like, what a man looks like, what a dad looks like, and have God glorified from that. So I won’t do anything to put a stumbling block before them as far as how they are to see God. When they see that, it’s a wonderful thing … and guys gravitate toward that. There are always those opportunities.

I don’t necessarily try to detach the things that I say from the things that I do because I believe when you’re married you can’t detach those two from each other. Whatever they see me doing, they are able to match it up with my words and able to see a complete picture of what God represents … and it makes sense for them.

Bryce: Thank you for sharing your heart today, Jerricho. We wish you the best. Thank you so much for joining us on UNPACKIN’ it!

You can listen to this and other UNPACKIN’ it interviews here: Podcasts.

Bryce Johnson is the host of the nationally syndicated sports and faith radio show, UNPACKIN’ it. As the president of UNPACKIN’ it Ministries, his vision is to daily impact sports fans everywhere. Bryce interviews well-known and faithful sports figures about their lives on and off the field while also giving a Biblical perspective on intriguing stories in sports.

Source : Christian Post

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