Hillsong worship leader Marty Sampson says he loves Christian community despite backlash after doubts over faith

In a post on Instagram Sampson said: “My message to you is one of love. Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, by the love you have for each other. No judgment. No condemnation. We are all humans, all cut from the same cloth.”

Sampson went on to say that even though Christians “don’t all agree on many different doctrines” they can still display love to one another.

He said: “Love covers a multitude of sins. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love never fails.”

 

 

A number of high profile Christians have spoken out against the artist for a (now deleted) post in which he renounced his faith in God online.

It comes a just a few weeks after Christian author Joshua Harris, author of ‘I Kissed Dating Goodbye’ announced he was no longer a Christian on social media.

In an interview with Fox News, CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham explained why he thought the two men had walked away from their faith: “They weren’t real Christians. They were young. Their faith wasn’t very strong. They might have been atheists. They hate God. And they just wanted publicity”.

Sampson later clarified that he had not completely lost his faith but that his belief was on ‘shaky ground’.

After being criticised for using his influential platform to steer people away from faith in God, Sampson responded with another post saying: “It was only when the Christian media and Christian celebrities…

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Virginia Bans Christian Realtor from Writing ‘Jesus Loves You’ in Emails

Virginia Bans Christian Realtor from Writing ‘Jesus Loves You’ in Emails



A Virginia real estate agent filed suit last week after a state board prohibited her from including Bible verses or Christian-themed messages on her email signatures or business website.


Hadassah Carter was a licensed real estate agent in 2017 when the Virginia Real Estate Board filed a complaint against her for her faith-themed messages in her public correspondence, according to the lawsuit


Specifically, her email signature read, “For Faith and Freedom, Jesus loves you, and with God all things are possible.” Her website included this message: “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.’ John 3:16. I am available to you when you need me.”


Both messages, the board said, violated the Virginia Fair Housing Code, which states the “use of words or symbols associated with a particular religion” shall be “evidence of an illegal preference.” 


The board reached an agreement with Carter’s employer that prevented her or any employee from posting religious statements on any communication or advertising material. Although Carter resigned, her employers warned her the board had said it would track her license and would “file another complaint against her if she re-adds her previous religious statements to her communications and website,” the lawsuit…

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Hillsong worship leader in hospital with brain aneurysm

The singer was taken to hospital straight after Sunday’s 8am service at the Hills campus site in Sydney.

She then underwent nine hours of brain surgery and Hillsong church are asking people to pray for her recovery.

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel and it can cause sudden agonising headaches, a stiff neck, sickness and pain when looking at light.

 

 

Chelsea Taylor had a ruptured anuerysm but is now thought to be out of ICU.

In an Instagram post, Brooke Ligertwood, who wrote ‘What a Beautiful Name It Is’ posted: “Please pray for Chelsea, one of our beloved Sydney team. This is her leading worship at church on Sunday – she was rushed to hospital shortly afterwards, has since come through a major surgery and needs our prayer. This girl is very dear to our hearts.”

 

 

Hillsong Creative posted on Sunday: “She’s a worshipper, a lover of Jesus and one of the purest hearts ever – and tonight she could do with your prayers. She has just come through a 9 hour brain surgery and we are believing for no more bleeds complete healing and miracles in Jesus name – we are not out of the woods by any means – tonight she is in ICU but we believe in Jesus, his resurrection power and for hope to appear (@zellataylor and all your family we are on your team). #iloveus #ourpeople #praylikeshesyourstoo”

Hillsong worship leader Matty Crocker, who wrote the song Oceans, posted: “I am…

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Judges reject appeal over ban on abortion prayer vigils

Three leading judges dismissed an appeal against an earlier ruling that restrictions imposed by Ealing Council in west London on protests, including prayer, outside a Marie Stopes clinic (below) were “justified”.

The authority was the first to create a buffer zone in April 2018 following demonstrations.

It imposed the public spaces protection order (PSPO) following reports of “intimidation, harassment and distress” for women using the facility in Mattock Lane, Ealing.

 

Following the ruling, family planning organisations urged the Government to consider national legislation to create buffer zones outside every abortion clinic in the country.

Marie Stopes UK’s managing director Richard Bentley said: “From the day it was introduced this PSPO has protected the wellbeing of everyone coming to our west London centre.

“But ultimately, a PSPO is not an adequate response to what is a national problem, leaving most clinics across the country defenceless.

“It is time for the UK Government to end the postcode lottery of harassment and legislate for safe access zones outside all registered abortion care providers in the UK.”

Google Maps

 

Clare Murphy, director of external affairs at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service said: “We welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision.

“However, the harassment and intimidation of women and abortion clinic staff…

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South Carolina Town Lifts Ban on Worship Services Being Held in Civic Center

South Carolina Town Lifts Ban on Worship Services Being Held in Civic Center



A South Carolina town has lifted its ban on the holding of worship services at its local civic center. Local authorities in Edisto Beach decided to scrap the new rules after being put under pressure by a federal lawsuit filed by a local church.


Around 40 members from Redeemer Fellowship of Edisto Island filed an agreement Monday which ended the lawsuit and allowed worship services to continue once again in the civic center. The suit was originally filed in May after the Edisto Beach City Council ruled that the Edisto Beach Civic Center must not be used for “religious worship services.”


“Defendant Town of Edisto Beach covenants that it will treat ‘religious worship services’ on equal terms with other community groups and uses in its Civic Center policies, including its Facility Use Guidelines,” the agreement reads, according to documents released by Alliance Defending Freedom.


The town agreed to issue the congregation with $3,112.85 in compensation and must also pay the group’s legal fees which amounted to some $50,000.


“We commend Edisto Beach for lifting its ban, which was inconsistent with the town’s own statement that it welcomes ‘civic, political, business, social groups and others’ to use its civic center,” ADF Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb explained in a statement.


“Its previous policy that singled out one form of…

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Should we expect perfection from our public figures?

It’s a familiar story: A public figure faces charges of doing something inappropriate years or even decades ago. It could be a serious moral failure, a youthful indiscretion, or a public-policy decision that seems out of step with the times today. 

Accusations like these can provide a glimpse of a previously unknown character flaw. Or, even if true, they could be a relic from a different time in the person’s life, before admitting a mistake or learning an important lesson.

“We have a real tension in our culture between wanting to hold people accountable for past actions and the belief that people can change their behavior over time,” University of Texas psychology professor Dr. Arthur Markman said. “We often encourage people to adopt a growth mindset and to engage in constant learning and development. But people are often cynical about public figures (like actors and politicians) and often believe that their private behavior is a better view of their character than their public statements.”

The “gotcha” culture of politics

This summer, rival candidates peppered Joe Biden with questions about his record in the Democratic presidential debates. Biden has a long history of public service, having joined the Senate in 1973 and served there until 2009, when he became vice president under Barack Obama. One question in the debates centered on an op-ed Biden wrote for a small-town Maryland newspaper in 1981. “That was a long time ago,” Biden responded.

Dr. Darrell Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement at the Hendricks Center at Dallas Theological Seminary, said that there is a “gotcha” culture in politics, where leaders make sport of catching their partisan rivals in mistakes. “It leaves little inclination to be gracious or give another any benefit of the doubt,” he said. “Another factor is that sometimes changes in view are not motivated by conviction but by political expediency.”

Last fall,…

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