Kirk Franklin Wants to Sit With Sinners

Kirk Franklin (Photo: RCA Inspiration)

Christian Post Report – Kirk Franklin’s 11th studio album “Losing My Religion” was released Nov. 13.

Kirk Franklin is not interested in spending all of his time with Christians who believe they are perfect, the gospel music songwriter and producer wants to be in the company of sinners.

“I want to sit where the sinners are…the well sometimes make me sick. #randomthought #losingmyreligion,” Franklin tweeted.

The 46-year-old “Losing My Religion” recording artist wrote his social media post after pictures surfaced of him spending time in a recording studio with rap mogul Kanye West. The gospel music producer said he is frustrated with sitting around while lost souls are confused by the lifestyle of Christians.

“Ok…the point of my heart was the subculture of Christianity, where we just sit and go back and forth can be frustrating. The lost are dying and confused by our preaching but our living is not always the same,” he wrote. “I’d rather be trying to win them instead of arguing with ‘us.’ ..I’m tired of practicing, i want to get in the field and play.”

The concept of Franklin’s twelfth studio album “Losing My Religion” centers around urging people to rely more on relationship than the laws of religion.

However, the Christian artist is making it clear that there is nothing wrong with identifying your faith.

“I would never say that claiming you’re a Christian is wrong. I understand that there is a human aspect of being able to identify people whether it’s African American, Hispanic or Asian,” he previously told The Christian Post. “But the definition doesn’t define the relationship, meaning you can be married and still not know intimacy. You can be religious and not know relationship.”

To avoid any confusion, Franklin decided to use a parable to further illustrate his point.

“If you were drowning in a lake, I drove by you and saw you drowning…if I jumped out of my car and jumped in the water to save you, you’d be very appreciative wouldn’t you? When you saw me, you would always speak to me, you would always hug me,” he said. “Now imagine if you were drowning and I drove by. Instead of jumping in the water to save you, I stood on the side to yell ‘kick harder, breathe faster, Stay afloat!”

Franklin continued by asking, “if I did that, and I’m yelling the instructions to you would you be as appreciative?”

The minister of music likened religion to the person standing on the side of the lake and yelling instructions to a drowning individual.

“God sent His son to jump in the lake to save us. We’re so appreciative of Him nobody has to tell us to keep the law,” he said. “We automatically fulfill the law because of our gratitude for him jumping into the lake.”

For Franklin, it is important to promote the relational aspect of Christianity, because he remembers a time when he did not see a lot of God’s love in religion.

“There’s a lot of people like me who the system never introduced to the love of God. Knowing God as a loving father is very foreign to them,” he previously told CP. “I think most people in mainstream America, they don’t know God. There’s always more picket signs [saying] ‘God hates gays’ or ‘God hates abortion.’ But when have you seen a picket sign that says ‘Jesus loves you?'”

Source : Christian Post

Bieber Leads Fans to ‘Jesus Calling’

Bieber Leads Fans To "Jesus Calling"

Christian Post Report – Justin Bieber is encouraging his fans to start reading the Christian devotional Jesus Calling, which has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Bieber shared a quote from Jesus Calling, written by missionary Sarah Young, that includes two Bible verses from Psalms and 1 Corinthians, in which Christians are advised to trust in the Lord.

More than 1.1. million people have liked Bieber’s Instagram post and over 23,000 people have shared comments about the daily devotional’s message:

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/justin-bieber-daily-devotional-book-jesus-calling-instagram-purpose-album-156454/#wG1u8jobY8DzDcFm.99

Source : Christian Post

How Do Super Bowl 50 Advertisers Rank by Christian Consumers?

superbowl 50 (Photo: Reuter/Noah Berger)

Christian Post Report – A security guard stands watch outside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California January 27, 2016. The venue will host the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 on February 7. Picture taken January 27, 2016.

The Faith Driven Consumer group has recently released a scorecard of Super Bowl 50 advertisers based on their compatibility with American Christian buyers.

The scorecard, which has been posted on the Faith Driven Consumer website, rely on the group’s Faith Equality Index that judges corporate businesses based on their “full inclusion of the Faith Driven Consumer market segment as an equally valued, welcomed and respected community in [America’s] rich rainbow of diversity. “

Companies such as Axe Body Spray and T-Mobile received low scores of 11 and 19 out of 100, respectively, which is based on factors such as “Faith Compatible Corporate Actions” and “Public Commitment to Faith-Driven Consumers.”

Acura and Honda both received the top score among Superbowl 50 advertisers of 46 out of 100, with FEI explaining in the breakdown that Honda and Acura received 30/30 points in the Faith-Compatible Corporate Actions for showing respect for pro-life views on abortion, embryonic stem cell research and euthanasia, and on sexuality, gender, marriage and family, as well as promoting a wholesome image.

Pepsi received 38 points, Amazon got 32, Doritos was rated 27, Snickers scored 24, and Coca-Cola got 23. The NFL itself was scored  24.  For full list of Superbowl 50 advertisers’ score, click here.  

Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer, said in a press release that Super Bowl 50 is a “prime opportunity” for Americans to recognize and support brands that cater to the Christian consumer.

“This is a prime opportunity for all American consumers to recognize which brands specifically include faith-driven consumers in their diversity rainbow, compared with other communities those brands have specifically prioritized. As faith-driven consumers watch the ads on Sunday, they’ll choose the advertiser — or its competitor — based on their Faith Equality scores,” Stone said in a press release.

Along with their advertiser scorecard, Faith Driven Consumer has also developed an interactive shopping game that allows Christian consumers to find faith-compatible brands based on ten different categories.

Whenever a shopper matches one of the categories to a brand, they are entered to win a $25 Walmart gift card.

The purpose of the “Faith Driven Super Bowl Party Game” is to encourage Christians to shop faith-compatible brands in a fun, interactive way, Stone explained. 

“Millions of Americans will buy food, beverages, decorations, TVs and electronics, and other items for family Super Bowl parties. We’re encouraging our community to actively do business with the brands that score highest in welcoming them,” Stone, a certified brand specialist, said. “The game we created offers everyone —both in the consumer and brand communities — a fun way to interact, understand, and share Faith Equality Index scores.”

The Faith Driven Consumer group has offered its reviews on several different businesses, including airlines, banks, movie theaters, and more.

As stated on its website, the purpose of the group is to help Christians make everyday decisions based on their biblical worldview.

“[American Christians] make daily decisions based on our biblical worldview and see everything we do in the context of stewardship. Our heartbeat is to give honor to God with every choice we make,” the group states. 

Super Bowl 50 is set to take place this Sunday in Santa Clara, California, between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. 

Source : Christian Post

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

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?

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

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

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)

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

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