November 18, 2019 (Morning Star News) – A Christian in Iran convicted of conducting evangelistic activities began a mandated two years in exile this month in a remote area on the border with Pakistan, sources said.

As part of a larger prison sentence delivered in 2013, Ebrahim Firoozi, 33, was sentenced to two years in exile in Sarbaz, a frontier town on the Iranian-Pakistani border known for its isolation and prevalence of Islamic militant groups.

The sentence, which will expose the convert from Islam to extended periods of danger and isolation, was meant to keep him “from having a positive influence on people and to stop him from fellowshipping with the people in the Tehran area,” a source at advocacy group Middle East Concern (MEC) told Morning Star News.

Released from Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj on Oct. 26, he was ordered to report to Sarbaz following a brief period to order personal matters. Firoozi, whose mother died while he was in prison, arrived in Sarbaz on Tuesday (Nov. 12).

Having found housing in “a remote desert town out in the middle of nowhere,” he was said to be looking for work.

Firoozi n August 2013 was convicted of charges of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic,” “launching and directing evangelism” and “running a Christian website” He was sentenced to a year in prison and the term of exile.

While serving the prison…

A pastor in Mexico was shot and killed while sitting at a stoplight in Juarez over the weekend.

According to KTSM News, Salvador Atilano Galaviz Morales, a pastor and well-known musician, was in the car with another man who was also injured. His condition and identity have not been made known.

Morales pastored an evangelical church in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, which is five hours south of Juarez. He was also known for posting worship songs on YouTube. Police currently have no suspect or motive for the murder.

But his death comes in the wake of increasing violence in Juarez pushed largely by competing drug cartels. More than 1,200 people have been killed in Juarez this year. Earlier this month, the El Paso Times reported that a “deadly night of revenge” occurred in the city propagated by the drug cartel, Los Mexicles. The evening of violence was intended to distract officials who were planning on search the Cereso No. 3 prison in Juarez.

“As we have all witnessed in the last hours, a wave of violence has been unleashed throughout the national territory. Of course our city is being affected by these acts of revenge among criminal groups,” said Juarez Mayor Armando Cabada.

The newspaper also reported a teenager confessing to at least six murders in the city. He was allegedly paid $180 by cartels for each murder.

Christians have also been targeted in these attacks,…

Seven in 10 Americans think President Donald Trump was “wrong” to ask a foreign leader to investigate potential corruption involving the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, who is a 2020 Democratic hopeful. The poll, conducted by ABC News-Ipsos and released Monday, also found that a narrow majority of respondents believe he should be removed from office.

Trump’s July request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is at the center of the House Impeachment Inquiry, which resumed public testimony today. House Democrats allege that Trump used the power of his office to make military aid to Ukraine contingent upon investigating the Bidens. Trump maintains the federal aid was never withheld and his only motivation in requesting an investigation into Hunter Biden’s appointment to the board of directors of a Ukrainian energy company was to root out corruption.

The survey, conducted after the first round of public testimony, asked respondents “When it comes to the recent impeachment hearings, which of the following statements comes closest to your point of view?”

Fifty one percent said Trump was both wrong and deserved to be impeached and removed from office, while 13 percent said what the president did was wrong but not impeachable, and another 6 percent thought his actions were wrong, and that he should be impeached by the House but…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped to the mic this weekend on Face the Nation after Republicans claimed President Trump had not been given the opportunity to state his case during the ongoing impeachment inquiry.

“The president could come right before the committee and talk, speak all the truth that he wants if he wants,” Pelosi said. “He has every opportunity to present his case.”

She continued, according to CBN News: “If he has information that is exculpatory, that means ex, taking away, culpable, blame, then we look forward to seeing it.”

After the interview, Trump fired back on Twitter: “Even though I did nothing wrong, and don’t like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea & will, in order to get Congress focused again, strongly consider it!”

….that I testify about the phony Impeachment Witch Hunt. She also said I could do it in writing. Even though I did nothing wrong, and don’t like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea & will, in order to get Congress focused again, strongly consider it!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2019

Pelosi also condemned Trump for allowing the process to continue, comparing him to former President Richard Nixon, who resigned before the House could vote on impeachment.

“But it’s really a sad thing,” she said. “I mean, what the…

Over the weekend, Kanye West surprised inmates in Houston, Texas with gospel-filled worship services.

“This is a mission, not a show,” he told the audience, as reported by CBN.

Ahead of his conversation with Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church in Houston, West visited the Harris County Jail and performed for both the men and the women from his ‘Jesus is King’ album. Around 200 male prisoners showed up to the service, lifting their hands and singing along. As the gospel choir sang, the rapper embraced the men in orange jumpsuits and led them in prayer.

The women experienced the same service after the men. Many of them were in tears as the choir sang over them.

“It really was like a worship service,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales. “Very uplifting not only for the inmates that are in here—you can see some who were down on their knees in prayer—to even some of our teammates who were brought to tears.”

Although the jail hosts several faith-based events, Gonzales said West’s appearance was the largest to date.

Public Affairs Director for the Sheriff’s Office, Jason Spencer, attended the event and tweeted pictures of inmates on their knees.

“Say what you want about the man, but Kanye West and his choir brought some light to people who needed it today at the Harris County Jail,” he said.

Say what you want about…

The Salvation Army expressed disappointment in a “corporate partner” Monday after Chick-fil-A announced it would no longer donate to the ministry and instead would give money to other homeless and hunger charities beginning in 2020.

The move by Chick-fil-A has angered fans and sparked pushback from some of its most well-known supporters, including from Mike Huckabee, who said in a series of tweets the company had “betrayed loyal customers” and “surrendered to anti-Christian hate groups.” 

In Aug 2012, I coordinated a national @ChickfilA Appreciation Day after they were being bullied by militant hate groups. Millions showed up. Today, @ChickfilA betrayed loyal customers for $$. I regret believing they would stay true to convictions of founder Truett Cathey. Sad.

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) November 18, 2019

Chick-fil-A donated $115,000 to the Salvation Army and $1,650,000 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 2018, according to a tax form released Monday. 

But Chick-fil-A said Monday that beginning in 2020, its Foundation would donate to Junior Achievement USA, Covenant House International and local food banks. It is part of a new strategy to “deepen its giving to a smaller number of organizations working exclusively in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger,” according to a press release. 

LGBT…