Hollywood actor Ben Affleck opened up about his Christian faith while promoting his new film, “The Way Back.” 

“I go to the Methodist Church, [my] kids [are] baptized and I got introduced to Christianity a little bit later in life,” the Academy Award winner told Beliefnet.

Affleck’s ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, returned to church four years ago after filming “Miracles from Heaven,” and shortly after invited Affleck to attend service with her and their children. He has since kept to the faith.

In “The Way Back,” Affleck plays Jack Cunningham, a man who is down and out and searching for hope. He finds that hope when offered a job to coach basketball at his Catholic high school where he once excelled as a player. The movie is centered around his road to making amends with the people he hurt most by his destructive behavior as a result of alcohol.

In the interview, a newly sobered Affleck reflected on the “beauty” he’s found in the Christian gifts of grace and forgiveness.

“One of the things that I found most beautiful about it, and I struggle with my faith, I struggle with belief, but I do see there’s something enormously beautiful and elegant about the notion that we are all sinners, and that it’s our job to find our redemption, to find God’s love, to redeem ourselves, to live the best life that we can, to love one another, to not judge one another, and to forgive one another,” Affleck said.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Jeannie Law

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Welcome to The Reasons to Believe podcast, episode #167. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International.

Our Reasons to Believe Scripture Passage for today is 1 Corinthians 15:14-20. It reads, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

Our Reasons to Believe quote for today is from Spirit & Truth Fellowship International. It says, “The resurrection narratives bear unmistakable signs of being historically accurate. The earliness of these accounts, at a time when hostile witnesses were present, would have made a fabrication unlikely and dangerous. There is agreement on the main facts and great variety in the witnesses given, yet they are not a mere repetition of some standardized story with all the discrepancies worked out. Indeed, the accounts of Christ’s resurrection appearances are clearly independent of one another, as their surface dissimilarities suggest. Deeper scrutiny, however, reveals that these appearances are non-contradictory. Henry Morris writes: ‘It is a well-known rule of evidence that the testimonies of several different witnesses, each reporting from his own particular vantage point, provide the strongest possible evidence when the testimonies contain superficial contradictions that resolve themselves upon close and careful examination. This is exactly the situation with the various witnesses to the resurrection.’”

Our Reason to Believe powerpoint today is titled “The Resurrection, Part 20” from “The Handbook of Christian Apologetics” by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli.

The authors continue with the sixth part of this chapter subtitled, “Refutation of the Myth Theory: Six Arguments.”

2. External evidence:
“The disciples must have left some writings, engaged as they were in giving lessons to and counseling believers who were geographically distant; and what could these writings be if not the Gospels and epistles themselves? … Eventually the apostles would have needed to publish accurate narratives of Jesus’ history, so that any spurious attempts would be discredited and the genuine Gospels preserved.”
“There were many eyewitnesses who were still alive when the books were written who could testify whether they came from their purported authors or not.”
“The extra-biblical testimony unanimously attributes the Gospels to their traditional authors, … testimony from the Epistle of Barnabas, the Epistle of Clement, the Shepherd of Hermas, all the way up to Eusebius in A.D. 315….Theophilus, Hippolytus, Origen, Quadratus, Irenaeus, Melito, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Dionysius, Tertullian, Cyprian, Tatian, Caius, Athanasius, Cyril…. Even Christianity’s opponents conceded this: Celsus, Porphyry, Emperor Julian.”
“With a single exception, no apocryphal gospel is ever seen quoted by any known author during the first three hundred years after Christ. In fact there is no evidence that any inauthentic gospel whatever existed in the first century, in which all four Gospels and Acts were written.”

B. Proof that the Gospels we have today are the same Gospels originally written:
“Because of the need for instruction and personal devotion, these writings must have been copied many times, which increases the chances of preserving the original text.”
“In fact, no other ancient work is available in so many copies and languages, and yet all these various versions agree in content.”
“The text has also remained unmarred by heretical additions. The abundance of manuscripts over a wide geographical distribution demonstrates that the text has been transmitted with only trifling discrepancies. The differences that do exist are quite minor and are the result of unintentional mistakes.”
“The quotations of the New Testament books in the early church Fathers all coincide.”
“The Gospels could not have been corrupted without a great outcry on the part of all orthodox Christians.”
“No one could have corrupted all the manuscripts.”
“There is no precise time when the falsification could have occurred, since, as we have seen, the New Testament books are cited by the church Fathers in regular and close succession. The text could not have been falsified before all external testimony, since then the apostles were still alive and could repudiate such tampering.”
“The text of the New Testament is every bit as good as the text of the classical works of antiquity…. To repudiate the textual parity of the Gospels would be to reverse all the rules of criticism and to reject all the works of antiquity, since the text of those works is less certain than that of the Gospels.”

Purtill summarizes the textual case:
Many events which are regarded as firmly established historically have (1) far less documentary evidence than many biblical events, (2) and the documents on which historians rely for much secular history are written much longer after the event than many records of biblical events. (3) Furthermore, we have many more copies of biblical narratives than of secular histories, and (4) the surviving copies are much earlier than those on which our evidence for secular history is based. If the biblical narratives did not contain accounts of miraculous events… biblical history would probably be regarded as much more firmly established than most of the history of, say, classical Greece and Rome. (Thinking About Religion, pp. 84-85)

Lord willing, we will continue this topic in our next episode.

—PRAYER—

Now, if you are listening today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Until next time, my friend, please keep in mind these reasons to believe. God bless!

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The Arizona House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill that, if enacted, would bar trans-identified athletes from competing in girls’ sports.  

On Tuesday, the House approved House Bill 2706, also known as the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” in a vote of 31 to 29.

Sponsored by 23 Republican legislators, the bill would require any interscholastic and intramural sports overseen by schools to designate boys’ and girls’ sports on the basis of biological sex.

“Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women or girls may not be open to students of the male sex,” reads HB 2706 in part.

“If disputed, a student may establish the student’s sex by presenting a signed physician’s statement that indicates the student’s sex based on an analysis of the student’s genetic makeup.”

Republican state Rep. Nancy Barto, who introduced the bill, said HB 2706 advanced fairness, given documented biological differences between the sexes.

“That is why we have separated male and female sports. And that is why women have been so successful in achieving greatness on the field, and all the benefits that go with it,” Barto added, according to ABC News.

“What has changed is Interscholastic policies allowing biological males identifying as females to compete on women’s teams.”

Democratic state Rep. Daniel Hernandez Jr. denounced the legislation on Twitter after the bill passed, calling it harmful to the state.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Michael Gryboski

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Life.Church Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel and pastor and innovation leader at Life.Church Bobby Gruenewald have been quarantined by health officials after being exposed to the coronavirus at a conference in Germany.

In a video titled “Something Different This Month,” Groeschel, whose church has 90,000 attenders at its 34 campuses spread over 10 states, broke the news to Life.Church members late Wednesday afternoon.

“You might notice that the background for this month’s video update looks a little different. Watch this video to find out why,” Groeschel said, revealing he taped his video from his home instead of the church’s headquarters.

“If it looks like I’m shooting out of my bedroom, the reason is it’s because I’m shooting out of my bedroom,” he said.

Groeschel said he and Gruenewald, founder of the YouVersion Bible app, were already on a plane headed home when they learned that someone at the three-day Willow Creek Germany summit had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

After sharing the news with a flight attendant, the pastors were met with health authorities once they landed.

“We decided to isolate ourselves for the full 14 days, no contact with anyone whatsoever,” Groeschel said.

“The good news is, I’ve gotten time to pray,” he added. “I’ve written sermon outlines through like, the end of May.”

In his video, he made sure people knew that he and Gruenewald would not be at church to prevent any possible spread of the disease, adding that both men felt “great.”

“We will not be at church, don’t worry. We’re going to stay completely away. We’re trying to do this out of an abundance of caution to ensure that everyone is safe,” Groeschel said.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Leah MarieAnn Klett

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As the Toronto Raptors celebrate this season as their 25th year in the NBA, celebrating right along with them is their Number 1 fan who has been with them since Day 1, public address announcer Herbie Kuhn.

Having survived every minute of the rollercoaster ride that ended with the Raptors winning their first NBA championship in 2019, Herbie says he never doubted that the team was going to survive the bad years and eventually thrive, because the Raptors had something no other NBA team had: a united, country-wide support on the homefront.

“I will tell you, we have basketball fans who are consistent and solid,” he says. “We had attendance numbers during the struggling years that other teams would have begged for, even those with winning records! We have the most amazing fans in the world. It’s a privilege to be part of this franchise.”

Herbie is fan first, announcer second. The Raptors have brought out all his emotions over the years, but especially so throughout last June.

“I have been reduced to tears many times, whether due to happiness or frustration,” he comments. “When game six of the finals was being played in Oakland, we had a whole bunch of people over to watch on TV. It got really loud at my house when the final buzzer finally sounded and we knew we were champions. Even though all day I really had had an unusual quiet confidence we were going to win this thing, I just stayed in my chair, buried my head in my hands and sobbed.

“It was such an overwhelming sense of release and relief in that moment.”

Besides caring about the players’ performances, Herbie also cares about the welfare of their souls. He is one of the Raptors’ co-chaplains who take turns offering a short sermon at a chapel service open to both teams right before Toronto home games. The players know they can come to him any time for prayer or counseling.

“I try to give them perspective on their true identity,” he says. “I tell them that regardless of the result out on the court, it doesn’t change who they are on the inside – a child of God.”

Herbie takes his role of chaplain seriously, and knows that he must set an example daily of what being a Christian looks like.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Jayne Thurber-Smith

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BANGKOK (AP) – The global march of the new virus triggered a vigorous appeal Thursday from the World Health Organization for governments to pull out “all the stops” to slow the epidemic, as it drained the color from India’s spring festivities, closed Bethlehem’s Nativity Church and blocked Italians from visiting elderly relatives in nursing homes.

As China, after many arduous weeks, appeared to be winning its epic, costly battle against the new virus, the fight was revving up in newly affected areas of the globe, unleashing disruptions that profoundly impacted billions of people.

The U.N. health agency urged all countries to “push this virus back,” a call to action reinforced by figures showing there are now about 17 times as many new infections outside China as in it. To date, the virus has infected nearly 97,000 people and killed over 3,300. 

“This is not a drill. This is not the time for giving up. This is not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a daily briefing in Geneva. “Countries have been planning for scenarios like this for decades. Now is the time to act on those plans.” 

As Chinese manufacturers gradually reopened their factories,  anti-virus barriers went up elsewhere. 

In Italy, the epicenter of Europe’s outbreak, workers in latex gloves pinned “closed” notices on school gates, enforcing a 10-day shutdown of the education system. Italy’s sports-mad fans are also barred from stadiums until April 3.

A government decree that took effect Thursday urged the country’s famously demonstrative citizens to stay at least 1 meter (3 feet) apart from each other, placed restrictions on visiting nursing homes and urged the elderly not to go outside unless absolutely necessary.

That directive appeared to be widely ignored, as school closures nationwide left many Italian children in the care of their grandparents. Parks in Rome overflowed with both young and old, undercutting government efforts to shield older Italians from the virus that hits the elderly harder than others. Italy has the world’s oldest population after Japan.

“It’s an absolute paradox!” said Mauro Benedetti, a 73-year-old retiree called upon to watch his grandson. “They tell us to stay home. How can we help our kids and grandkids at the same time?”

“Grandparents are now at risk,” he said.

Italy’s death toll climbed Thursday to 148, and its confirmed cases to 3,858. 

Iran, which has registered 107 virus deaths, also closed schools and universities and introduced checkpoints to limit travel between major cities. Iranians were urged to reduce their use of paper money.

Amid the string of bad news, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged state television to offer “happier” programs to entertain those stuck at home. 

“I urge all artists, scientists, psychologists and all who can bring smiles to people’s faces, come into the social media,” he said. 

Brian Hook, the U..S. special representative for Iran, said the United States offered humanitarian assistance to help Iran deal with its outbreak but “the regime rejected the offer.” He said the offer would stand.

Virus fears also affected the joyful Indian celebration of Holi, in which Hindu revelers celebrate the arrival of spring with bursts of color, including bright powders smeared on faces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders said they wouldn’t attend Holi events and the Holi Moo Festival in New Delhi was canceled. 

In the United States, where 11 have died from the virus, hundreds of people were placed in self-quarantines due to cases in a New York suburb. A school district north of Seattle with 22,000 students announced it would close for up to two weeks because of coronavirus concerns.

Off the coast of California, a cruise ship with about 3,500 aboard was ordered to stay put until passengers and crew could be tested because a traveler from its previous voyage died and another one was infected.

Financial markets remained volatile, as investors continued to weigh the size of the epidemic’s dent on the global economy. The U.S. stock market was down more than 3 percent in Thursday afternoon trading. Analysts say more yo-yo moves on global markets are likely as long as the number of new infections continues to accelerate.

The OPEC oil cartel called for a deep production cut to keep crude prices from falling further as disruption to global business from the coronavirus slashes demand from air travel and industry.

Oil ministers from the 14 OPEC countries decided at a meeting Thursday to push for a cut of 1.5 million barrels a day or about 1.5% of total world supply.

Across the globe, travelers faced ever-greater disruptions, as countries sought to keep the virus out. But South Africa confirmed its first case Thursday, becoming the seventh African nation to report infections. Britain and Switzerland reported their first coronavirus deaths.

“The virus doesn’t care about race and belief or color. It is attacking us all, equally,” said Ian MacKay, who studies viruses at the University of Queensland in Australia. 

The outlook for the travel industry was increasingly grim. The International Air Transport Association said the outbreak could cost airlines as much as $113 billion in lost revenue. The struggling British airline Flybe collapsed Thursday amid sinking demand.

Australia banned travelers from South Korea who aren’t Australian citizens or permanent residents, following similar bans for China and Iran. 

Indonesia announced restrictions on travelers from parts of Iran, Italy, and South Korea after previously banning those coming in from China. The United Arab Emirates warned its people not to travel anywhere abroad.

Germany’s Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Swiss said they will cancel all flights to and from Israel for three weeks starting Sunday after Israeli authorities announced tough restrictions on travelers from several countries because of the new virus.

Palestinian officials closed the storied Church of the Nativity in the biblical city of Bethlehem indefinitely, weeks ahead of the busy Easter holiday. 

Japan said visitors from China and South Korea would face a two-week quarantine at a government facility and be barred from public transit. Sri Lankans arriving from Italy, South Korea and Iran will be quarantined at a hospital once used for leprosy patients. 

In South Korea, with the highest number of infections outside China, exports of masks will be prohibited beginning Friday and people will be limited to buying two masks a week.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to express condolences over the health crisis.

In China, where hospitals were releasing hundreds of recovered patients, officials reported 139 new infection cases and 31 more deaths. Overall, China has reported 80,409 cases and 3,012 deaths, and authorities say about 6,000 people remained hospitalized in serious condition.

A state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping was postponed. It was to have been the first for a Chinese leader since 2008.

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