Stowaway Plunges To Death From BA Plane

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Stowaway Plunges To Death From BA Plane

SKY News reports – A stowaway has died after falling from a British Airways jet onto a shop in southwest London.

He and another man are believed to have clung on to the passenger plane as it flew more than 8,000 miles from Johannesburg in South Africa to Heathrow.

The second man, aged between 25 and 30, is in a serious condition in a west London hospital after miraculously surviving the ordeal.

He was discovered alive by staff at Heathrow.

The victim died as the Boeing 747 came into land over Richmond at around 9.30am on Thursday.

63 Kew Road

NotOnTheHighStreet.com in Kew Road, Richmond

He reportedly landed on the roof of NotOnTheHighStreet.com in Kew Road.

A spokesman for the firm said: “Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found the body of male on the roof of the premises.

“The death is currently being treated as unexplained but early indications are that the body may be that of an airline stowaway.

“At this time there is no evidence to link the death to the discovery of a stowaway in the undercarriage of a plane at Heathrow Airport, however this is one line enquiry into identifying the deceased and the circumstances of his death.”

British Airways described it as a “very rare case” and said it is working with police in London and Johannesburg to establish the facts.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: “Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found the body of a dead man on the roof of a business premises.

“The death is currently being treated as unexplained.

“A post-mortem examination will be held in due course and inquiries are ongoing to establish the male’s identity. No arrests have been made.”

One flight expert said there were security questions to be answered.

Flight International magazine consulting editor David Learmount said: “If these two were neither airline nor airport staff and somehow managed to get on a flight then it becomes a serious security issue. Just how did they get (on the restricted) airside at the airport?”

There have been previous cases of stowaways falling from planes in the Heathrow flight path area in southwest London.

In September 2012, Jose Matada died after falling from the undercarriage of a Heathrow-bound flight from Angola on to a road in Mortlake, about a mile from Richmond.

The 26-year-old from Mozambique is believed to have survived temperatures of up to minus 60C for most of the 12-hour flight, an inquest heard.

He was “dead or nearly dead” by the time he hit the ground.

In July 2013, a suspected stowaway from Turkey was found frozen to death in the undercarriage of a BA jet from Istanbul to Heathrow.

He died after facing temperatures of minus 60C during the four-hour flight.

More …. on SKY News

Source : SKY News

Christian Pastor Faces Prosecution in the UK for ‘Islamophobia,’ Calling Islam ‘Satanic’ and ‘Spawn of the Devil’

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Christian Pastor Faces Prosecution in the UK for ‘Islamophobia,’ Calling Islam ‘Satanic’ and ‘Spawn of the Devil’

Islam (Photo: Reuters/Juan Medina)

Christian Post Report – A girl holds up a sign during a rally by members of the Muslim community of Madrid outside Madrid’s Atocha train station, January 11, 2015, in solidarity with the victims of a shooting by gunmen at the Paris offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, and against Islamophobia. The words on the birds read, “Peace, Respect, Love, Tolerance and Coexistence”.

A British pastor from Belfast, Northern Ireland, is set to be prosecuted at court for saying in 2014 that Islam is “satanic” and a religion that is “the spawn of the devil.”

The preacher, James McConnell, apologized after he was accused of Islamophobia, but is still facing prosecution, Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service said.

“I can confirm that following consideration of a complaint in relation to an Internet broadcast of a sermon in May 2014, a decision was taken to offer an individual an informed warning for an offense contrary to the Communications Act 2003,” a PPS spokesman said, according to The Guardian.

“That offense was one of sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive.”

The 78-year-old preacher reportedly made the controversial comments in a sermon at his Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle, but has since stepped down as pastor of the church.

McConnell said that he’s not going to be “gagged” in light of the PPS decision.

“The police tried to shut me up and tell me what to preach. It’s ridiculous. I believe in freedom of speech. I’m going to keep on preaching the Gospel,” he said.

“I have nothing against Muslims, I have never hated Muslims, I have never hated anyone. But I am against what Muslims believe. They have the right to say what they believe in and I have a right to say what I believe.”

He apologized for his remarks back in June 2014, and posted a statement on the Whitewell Tabnernacle website, saying, “I wish to apologise publicly for any distress I may have unwittingly caused.”

He also provided context for his initial remarks, and said it was meant to draw attention to how some followers of Islam have used doctrine as justification for violence.

“I have qualified my comments by reference to those who use their religion as justification for violence. As a preacher of the Word of God, it is this interpretation of the doctrine of Islam which I am condemning,” he added.

“I abhor violence and condemn anyone, of any faith, who uses religion to justify it.”

U.S. megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress also drew controversy earlier this year after he said that Satan delivered the religion of Islam to the prophet Muhammad, and claimed that following the faith will “lead you to hell.”

“It was Satan himself who delivered those delusions to those people to lead people by the millions away from God,” said Jeffress, who pastors First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

“Islam is a false religion that will lead you to hell. It is based on a false book that is based on a fraud. It was founded by a false prophet who was leading people away instead of to the one true God.”

The comments were made during a May 10 sermon titled “Christians in the Crosshairs.”

Source : Christian Post

A Volatile Comparison: ISIS and the Reformation?!

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A Volatile Comparison: ISIS and the Reformation?!

A Volatile Comparison: ISIS and the Reformation?!

Christian Post Report – MIAMI BEACH — A Middle East expert drew comparisons between the Islamic State and the Protestant Reformation at a recent Faith Angle Forum.

If there are any lessons about ISIS that can be drawn from what happened during the Protestant Reformation, Bernard Haykel said, those lessons are “terrifying.”

“If we’re embarking or are actually already in something like the Reformation in the Muslim world, then, you know, hold on because we’re in for a really wild ride with lots of violence,” he added.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-isis-is-similar-to-the-protestant-reformation-140470/

Source : Christian Post

The NBA’s Andre Iguodala: Champion for Christ

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The NBA’s Andre Iguodala: Champion for Christ

The NBA's Andre Iguodala: Champion for Christ

Christian Post Report – Andre Iguodala, the Golden State Warriors forward who won this season’s NBA championship with his team Tuesday night, along with the Most Valuable Player award, thanked God for the win and said the team is “full of believers.”

“(We’ve) got a team full of believers. We all say God has a way for you and a purpose for you,” Iguodala, 31, said after receiving the MVP honor. “I want to be just like Steph (Curry) when I grow up — just a God fearing man.”

Stephen Curry, the Warriors’ beloved point guard who received the regular season MVP honor, frequently honors God on and off the basketball court and usually points his fingers toward the sky after making big plays. In accepting the award in May, the point guard cited his faith as one of the keys to his success.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/nba-finals-mvp-andre-iguodala-thanks-god-for-golden-state-warriors-win-says-team-is-full-of-believers-140515/

Source : Christian Post

ISIS Holds 227 Assyrian Christians Hostage as World Watches Genocidal ‘Ethno-Religious Cleansing in the Middle East,’ Says Relief Worker

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ISIS Holds 227 Assyrian Christians Hostage as World Watches Genocidal ‘Ethno-Religious Cleansing in the Middle East,’ Says Relief Worker

Syria (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Christian Post Report – A Syrian refugee holds onto his daughter as he pleads to cross into Turkey at Akcakale border gate in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, June 15, 2015.

Over 200 Assyrian Christians remain captured by terror group ISIS despite the release of another hostage earlier this week, and despite the liberation of Assyrian villages that the Islamic militants had earlier taken over.

The Assyrian International News Agency revealed that 70-year-old Francois Sawa from the village of Tel Shamiram was released earlier this week, and is reported to be in good condition, joining dozens of others who have also sporadically been released. At least another 227 Assyrians are being held captive by ISIS after the terror group raided 35 villages on the Khabur river back in February.

The jihadists have asked for $100,000 for the release of each kidnapped Christian, or about $23,000,000 in total, which is more money than most in the region are able to pay.

AINA noted that all of the villages that ISIS had taken over have now been freed, but the terror group has left behind booby traps in homes and fields, and has destroyed many churches and houses.

Swedish newspaper InBlick added that the militants left behind messages sprayed on buildings that read “This is the Islamic State property.”

assyrian iraq christian (Photo: Reuters/Omar Sanadiki)

An Assyrian woman attends a mass in solidarity with the Assyrians abducted by Islamic State fighters in Syria earlier this week, inside Ibrahim al-Khalil church in Jaramana, eastern damascus March 1, 2015. Militants in northeast Syria are now estimated to have abducted at least 220 Assyrian Christians this week, a group monitoring the war reported.

“The implication being that, according to the Caliphate rules, when the Islamists have taken control of the area, they have the right to kill those who go in and claim the buildings. Those include, the actual owners who were sent to flee by the terrorists,” explained Nuri Kino, worker with the A Demand for Action group.

“The whole area had been sprayed with these texts.”

The relief worker said that over two-thirds of the indigenous Christian population in Iraq has been displaced since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, a situation he now sees being repeated in Syria.

“In February, in northeast Syria, in the so called Khabour area, 30 villages were drained from their Christian population by Islamist rampage. Over 220 of these people are still kidnapped by the Islamic State,” he said.

“There is a gradual ethno-religious cleansing in the Middle East. It started in Iraq and has now come to Syria and we do not know when it will happen in other countries. There is an ongoing genocide in these countries.”

Kano’s comments echo concerns voiced by Jean-Clément Jeanbart, the Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Syria, who said that Christianity is slowly dying in the war-torn country.

“In my country, Syria, Christians are caught in the middle of a civil war and they are enduring the rage of an extremist jihad. And it is unjust for the West to ignore the persecutions these Christian communities are experiencing,” Jeanbart said.

“What horrors must ISIS commit before the world will take greater action to stop the murderers?” he asked. “Syrian Christians are in grave danger; we may disappear soon.”

Assyrian refugees who have made it to Beirut, Lebanon, have shared of some of the atrocities their children were forced to witness.

“Our children saw many beheadings,” said Jack Zayya, referring to the actions of ISIS. “We were obligated to watch public executions. What kind of world is that for kids to grow up in? They were always scared.”

While there are several relief groups helping Assyrian Christians and other refugees affected by ISIS, such as the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization, the fate of the 227 kidnapped Assyrians remains uncertain.

Jeanbart argued that the international community needs to step up its efforts to provide “better protection and execute a more aggressive strategy.”

“In the case of the fighting in northeastern Syria, the capture of several hundred Assyrian Christians could have been prevented had the U.S. started its bombing raids earlier. The recent coordinated effort, that included Kurdish troops on the ground, proved effective in turning back ISIS, but for many Assyrians this help came too late,” the Archbishop reflected.

Source : Christian Post

Israeli Church Where Jesus Fed the 5,000 Burned in Arson Attack; Anti-Christian Graffiti Calls for ‘False Gods’ to Be ‘Eliminated’

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Israeli Church Where Jesus Fed the 5,000 Burned in Arson Attack; Anti-Christian Graffiti Calls for ‘False Gods’ to Be ‘Eliminated’

Israel (Photo: Reuters/Baz Ratner)

Christian Post Report – A nun looks at damage caused by a fire in the Church of Loaves and Fishes on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, June 18, 2015. Fire gutted part of the Church on Thursday and investigators suspected arson as a possible cause, a police spokesman said. The church, which Christians believe is where Jesus performed the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, lies on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and is a traditional site of pilgrimage in the Holy Land.

The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus is believed to have fed the 5,000, has been burned in an arson attack that occurred Wednesday night. Anti-Christian graffiti was marked at the site, with the words “May the false gods be eliminated” written in Hebrew reportedly found at the entrance.

Breaking Israel News said that two people suffered minor smoke inhalation while trying to control the fire, with firefighters called to the scene shortly after 4 a.m. local time on Thursday. Aided by volunteers, they managed successfully to put out the fire, which was started on the rooftop.

While the sanctuary of the church did not suffer much damage, the arson attack affected more heavily a number of offices, a storage room of books and an event hall. Wadia Abu Nasser, the Catholic Church’s media adviser in Israel, estimated that the cost of repairs will be in the “millions,” but said that “the emotional damage is worse.”

Arson attack on the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, on June 17, 2015. (Photo: ITN video screencap)

Arson attack on the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes at Tabgha, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, on June 17, 2015.

Lt. Shadi Halul, head of the Christian IDF Officers Forum, told Israel Army Radio that even if it is proven that right-wing Jewish extremists are responsible for the attack, it would be wrong to attach the blame to all Jewish people.

“If in this case Jewish zealots are fingered, then, first of all, they clearly don’t represent all the Jews. They’re criminals who should be in prison and not walking around freely,” Halul said.

“If they think this is how they can help themselves and strengthen their own beliefs then I just want to say, it only damages their beliefs and damages their justice, and the justification for their being here in this land.”

The Telegraph added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has enlisted the country’s domestic intelligence chief to investigate the attack.

“This outrageous arson attack against the church is an attack on all of us,” Netanyahu said, promising that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Matthew Gould, the British ambassador to Israel, added that the attack is “a disgusting act of disrespect at one of Christianity’s holiest sites.”

The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes was built in the 1980s, and sits on the site of fourth and fifth century shrines that are believed to commemorate the location of one of Jesus’ most well-known miracles.

Matthias Carl Benedictina, one of the church’s priests, noted that this was not the only attack against Christianity in the region. He revealed that there have been over 50 acts of violence against Christian institutions by extremist groups in Israel in the past three years, sometimes targeting cemeteries and other Christian property.

Source : Christian Post

Head Transplant Patient: ‘We’re Making Science’ – Sky Reports

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Head Transplant Patient: ‘We’re Making Science’ – Sky Reports

Sky Reports – Russian Valery Spiridonov suffers from a muscle wasting disease and is set to undergo the world’s first head transplant.

A man set to have the world’s first head transplant has told Sky News the operation does not worry him, adding: “We are making science.”

Russian Valery Spiridonov suffers from a muscle wasting disease and is today meeting an Italian neurosurgeon who claims he can perform a head transplant.

Dr Sergio Canavero wants to transplant Mr Spirodonov’s head onto another body as soon as 2017.

The proposal has been widely condemned by other doctors. Some have suggested the plan is an elaborate hoax.

Mr Spiridonov and Dr Canavero are speaking at the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons in Annapolis, Maryland.

 Video: How Head Transplant Could Be Done – Watch video on Sky website, see below

Dr Canavero has already outlined his strategy for the operation in the scientific journal Surgical Neurology International.

He will cool Mr Spiridonov’s head with ice to help the brain survive once it is removed from its old blood supply.

The head will then be cut off and reattached to the donor body in stages.

The biggest challenge will be fusing the spinal cord, something that has never been achieved before.

Video: Planned Op Is ‘A Publicity Stunt’ – Watch video on Sky website, see below

But Dr Canavero will drench the two ends of the cord in a chemical called polyethylene glycol, which may encourage the fatty sheath around nerve cells to stick together.

The blood vessels and muscles would then be stitched into place.

Mr Spiridonov would spend the next three to four weeks in an artificial coma to immobilise his head.

But, according to Dr Canavero, he should be able to walk within a year.

… Read more

Source : SKY News UK

This woman quit her job, paid her debts, and bought a house thanks to a side job that earns $9,000 a month

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This woman quit her job, paid her debts, and bought a house thanks to a side job that earns $9,000 a month

Business Insider reports – When Redd Horrocks needed a document reformatted in January 2013, she turned to Fiverr, a site that lets people pay others for tasks outside their expertise starting at $5 each.

“I was poking around to see what else was on offer and saw people did voice overs,” she says, “and I was doing that here and there for audio book companies, so I signed up.”

Horrocks, who was trying to pay off $24,000 of credit-card debt on her $52,000 salary as a stage manager for a circus-production company in Las Vegas, had been doing the occasional voiceover since college when a friend asked her to narrate his video game in the English accent she had from growing up in the UK.

On Fiverr, she started offering 125 words for $5. During her first week on the site she got an order. Over the next few months, more orders started trickling in to the tune of $300-$600 a month, up to $1,000 a month in the summer of 2013.

In March of 2014, she revamped her page with a new video, one that she contracted out to another person on Fiverr.

“That was like turning on a light switch,” Horrocks said. That month, she made $3,500, and her side gig kept growing.

In September 2014, she realized she was making more through the site than she had been making at her full-time job, and she gave four months’ notice. Using the money from her side gig to cover her living expenses, Horrocks began diverting her paychecks into her savings and bought the house she and her fiancé had been renting for a $15,000 down payment two weeks before she left her job.

Now, Horrocks is debt-free, typically earning $9,000 to $11,000 a month (before taxes) from voiceover gigs she finds through Fiverr. While she uses a few other sites to promote her work, she credits about 98% of her income to the site, and is the primary breadwinner for her household while her fiancé is working part time and in school to pursue a new career path. So far, her largest project has been $1,000.

Redd horrocks studio photo

Redd HorrocksHorrocks editing in her home studio.

She works about 30 hours a week, recording out of the studio she installed in her home, for clients who need everything from voicemails to audiobooks to narration for explainer videos.

“I really like that I don’t have any idea what I’ll be doing when I start work that day,” she says.

“Every day is different. I can have a small voicemail project or a 20,000-word project, and I interact with people all over the world. I can choose to get work done early or work on projects right before they’re due. If I want to go out to dinner with friends, I just get all the work done and go out.”

What does she advise people who want to follow a similar career path?

“It’s definitely worth taking the time to figure out what you’re strong at,” she says. “Choose what you want to do carefully to make sure that you stand out and provide an excellent product. It’s better to be really great at one thing than to scatter among different categories.”

She says not to get discouraged if you don’t start making money right away.

“It’s all about patience and time,” Horrocks says.

“It does take time to build your clientele and reputation — it took me about a year to really build a brand, and that’s about excellent customer service, providing quality work on time, a strong follow-through, and building client relationships. It’s about finding something you’re excellent at and starting from there.”

…. Read more

Source : Business Insider UK

‘Bringing Up Bates’ Sneak Peek at New Episode: Erin’s Cooking Secrets Revealed

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‘Bringing Up Bates’ Sneak Peek at New Episode: Erin’s Cooking Secrets Revealed

Bates (Photo: Courtesy of UP)

Christian Post Report – The large Bates family, focus of the reality television series “Bringing Up Bates.” The program is scheduled to debut on UP TV on New Year’s Day 2015.

A sneak peek at Thursday’s episode of “Bringing Up Bates” reveals Erin’s method for making dinner in the Bates family household that includes 19 children.

Season two of UP’s hit reality season kicked off earlier this month with Gil and Kelly Jo Bates and their large brood on their unique celebration of “I love you day.” This week, fans can get a glimpse of dinnertime in the Bates family, starting with Erin’s contribution.

“Erin, for the longest time, was the worst cook ever,” Tori Bates, 7, shares in the first look at this week’s episode. “But she kinda had a genius little plan. She never cooked until she got married, and now she’s like the best cook ever.”

Also chiming in, Zach joked that Erin’s cooking often ended up in flames.

“We did have a rule when Erin cooked at the house — when Erin cooked, we would say, when the fire alarm goes off, dinner is ready,” the eldest Bates son quipped.

The larger-than-life family became an immediate sensation upon its debut on Up TV in January and remains the highest-rated series in the history of the network. As season two continues, fans will watch as the Bates family encounters major milestones, such as Michaella and Brandon’s engagement in Washington, D.C. and the couple’s plans leading up to their recently announced Aug. 15 wedding in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Season two will also see Erin’s challenging first pregnancy as well as the joyful birth of baby Carson, who will be featured prior before the birth of Alyssa and John’s first child, Allie Jane. During the season finale, the Bates family will head to Dolly Parton’s theme park, Dollywood, where they will make their singing debut.

“Bringing Up Bates” airs on UP TV at 9 p.m. ET on Thursdays. Watch the sneak peek of Thursday’s installment below.

‘Bringing Up Bates’ Sneak Peek At Tonight’s Episode: Dinnertime Chaos

‘Bringing Up Bates’ Sneak Peek At Tonight’s Episode: Dinnertime Chaos

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Source : Christian Post

Bishop T.D. Jakes Promises Believers a Life-Changing Experience at MegaFest 2015 (Video)

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Bishop T.D. Jakes Promises Believers a Life-Changing Experience at MegaFest 2015 (Video)

Christian Post Report – Bishop T.D. Jakes Says MegaFest Combines Church, Worship and Fun!

Megachurch pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, says attendees of this year’s MegaFest are in for a “mega experience” and shared why the festival is so dear to his heart.

In August, Jakes will kick-off the three-day revival in “Big D” as tens of thousands from around the world are expected to attend. Since launching in 2004, MegaFest has grown to become one of the largest faith-based multi-day festivals in the United States with organizers saying it has so far reached nearly 1 million people worldwide.

“It’s very, very dear to my heart because I think it creates an atmosphere that people of faith need,” Jakes told The Christian Post. “To come into an environment that is designed for people of faith that still has church and has worship and all of that, but also has fu n— [such as] comedy shows so you can bring your kids or your grandmother too.”

The festival will incorporate other Jakes initiatives including Woman Thou Art Loosed, ManPower, FireCode Mega-Youth and Destiny World Mega-Kidz.

“We’ve got concerts that they can come out and enjoy; we’ve got empowerment sessions and they can strengthen themselves and their career, so it’s one stop shopping,” he shared. “We’ve got something for all ages — teenagers, young adults. And particularly with so many single parents today, to have your values reinforced in your kids right before they take off to school, that’s a good thing!”

TD Jakes (Photo: Courtesy of T.D. Jakes Ministries)

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.

The evangelical leader recently announced the addition of Tyler Perry (as his famous Madea character) to his impressive lineup of speakers, which also includes internationally-acclaimed pastor Joyce Meyer and Australian activist Christine Caine.

“You know, I try to bring in fresh voices and fresh words,” said Jakes. “It’s something we really pray about (to get the right person) because the speaker has a lot to do with the atmosphere at the event.”

Meyer and Caine, both leading figures in the evangelical world, will join the likes of Bishop Tudor Bismarck, R.A. Vernon, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams and Jakes’ wife, pastor Serita Jakes, at the three-day event that will run Aug. 19-23.

“… To get Joyce Meyer was not easy, we’ve been working on that for a while to find an open date on her calendar but she agreed to come,” he said. “Christine Caine is absolutely amazing, she’s going to do an incredible job. R.A. Vernon is going to be speaking to the men, Bishop Tudor Bismarck is going to be speaking to the men, and then [there’s] singers from all over the place, it’s going to be incredible.”

In 2013, festival attendees hailed the event on social networking sites and one uplifted Twitter user described her experience as “life changing.”

“Oh absolutely,” Jakes replied when asked if changing lives is something he set out to do when he launched MegaFest.

“I don’t think that people can afford to come to experience what they had at home. Today, these are discretionary dollars and if you’re going to travel, you want to have a mega experience. And so, the whole MegaFest is we want life changing experience. We do alter calls, we work with people who are coming back to Christ, we have ministers to sharpen their gifts and skills. We only have it every other year, so we want you to be buzzing it for two years.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MEGAFEST CLICK HERE.

Source : Christian Post

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