Julie Roys talks faith, reporting, American Christian courage

-
0
Julie Roys talks faith, reporting, American Christian courage

By Jackson Elliott, Contributor Follow
Julie Roys

Journalist Julie Roys said she’ll never forget the moments when she discovered stories of abuse and corruption in the Christian world. But she isn’t bitter when she talks about these experiences and the pressure she’s faced from powerful evangelical leaders, and sometimes even friends, to cease her investigations.

In the past two years, Roys has led Christian investigative journalism in reporting on the sins of American church leaders. After reporting on financial mismanagement at Moody while working there, Moody fired Roys from her job as a radio host.

She then started her own investigative journalism site, The Roys Report, where she broke stories about allegations of financial malfeasance and bullying by James MacDonald at Harvest Bible Chapel, sexual misconduct allegations against Bill Hybels at Willow Creek, which he denied, and an alleged online sexual relationship involving the late Ravi Zacharias, along with other stories on leadership failures in church life.

“People honestly didn’t want to hear it,” Roys said about the stories she’s uncovered. “It’s like saying something bad about their grandmother. It may be true, but it’s too painful for them to hear it.”

When she talks, Roys chooses her words carefully, but as a writer does, not as a politician does. She wants to say things right.

… Read More

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

9 Reasons Young Church Leaders Want a Mentor

-
0

I’ve just recently started my 25th year as a seminary professor. Throughout those years, I’ve seen students and young pastors increasing and almost desperately want a mentor. Here are some reasons why:

  1. They take ministry responsibilities seriously. They take them so seriously, in fact, that they want a veteran leader to walk with them so they get “it” right.
  2. They’ve seen other church leaders get hurt in ministry. It’s far too easy to get hurt and remain in that pain when we’re fighting these battles on own—so these young leaders want someone walking with them to keep them focused.
  3. They see great value in learning about life from older leaders. Even if these young church leaders weren’t leaders, they would still want senior saints to walk beside them. They delight in learning from others.    
  4. The work of ministry can be frightening to them. Ministry is a life-and-death work. We minister to all kinds of people in all kinds of pain—and young leaders want guidance from others.
  5. They don’t want to do ministry alone. They believe without question that a plurality of leaders is the biblical norm—and that belief pushes them to lean on others. A mentor can be a source of great strength and accountability for them.
  6. They want to see faith lived out. The reality is that many church leaders have never seen a genuine, on fire, Holy-Spirit believer—but they certainly want to see it. A mentor’s faith can thus become another source of strength and encouragement.
  7. They have…

… Read More

—

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

قالب وردپرس

Biden Secured Fewer Evangelical Votes Than Hillary Clinton: Poll

-
0
Biden Secured Fewer Evangelical Votes Than Hillary Clinton: Poll


Biden Secured Fewer Evangelical Votes Than Hillary Clinton: Poll

A new post-election poll sponsored by the conservative grassroots organization Freedom and Faith Coalition (FFC) found that there was a “record turnout” of faith voters in the 2020 presidential election.

The poll, which was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies under FFC’s commission, was released on Wednesday. Findings show that 81 percent of self-identified evangelicals voted for President Donald Trump, which tied the total he received in 2016. On the other hand, only 14 percent of evangelicals voted for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

“Trump’s 81% of the evangelical vote tied his 2016 total, while Biden won the lowest share of the self-identified white evangelical vote ever received by a Democratic presidential nominee,” FFC explained in a statement.

“The post-election survey commissioned by FFC and conducted by Public Opinion Strategies also found that 31 percent of the electorate self-identified as conservative Christians, and these voters cast 87 percent of their ballots for Trump and only 11 percent for Biden.”

While Biden and his campaign sought to gain evangelical voters in the 2020 election, FFC founder and Chairman Ralph Reed told The Christian Post  that the reason most evangelicals rejected Biden was because they “are driven by principles,” “values” and “specific public policy positions,” not “partisanship” or…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس

Francis Chan on the ‘number one mistake’ US churches make

-
0
Francis Chan on the ‘number one mistake’ US churches make

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Reporter Follow
Pastor and author Francis Chan delivers remarks as part of the Q Commons event, broadcast internationally on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. | Courtesy of Q Ideas/Parker Young

Francis Chan has warned that the American Church’s “obsession” with church attendance has led to its current state of division and encouraged the Body of Christ to return to an emphasis on unity and love.

“I really believe there are some serious mistakes we made in the U.S. [that have] led to the church being in the state that it’s in right now: Super divided, and the reputation of evangelical Christians in the U.S. has never been worse,” Chan, the bestselling author and former California megachurch pastor, said during a Zoom meeting with 150 church leaders from all around the world.

“I mean, you just say that word and it’s just like a cringing. It’s just an assumption that it’s some politically driven group that they want nothing to do with. It’s never been this bad.”

According to Chan, the “number one mistake” churches in the U.S. make is being “obsessed with church attendance.”

“We panicked and thought, ‘we’ve got to do everything we can to get as many people as we can there,’” he…

… Read More

—-

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

One reason the polls were wrong: Why the answer is so significant for our national future

-
0
One reason the polls were wrong: Why the answer is so significant for our national future

(Adobe Stock)

We are still waiting for final results from Tuesday’s election, as President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden both have pathways to the White House. As states continue to count votes, legal challenges related to the election loom as well.

While we wait, I’d like to address a question many people are asking: Why were the polls so wrong again? Prior to the election, one poll gave Joe Biden a seventeen-point lead in Wisconsin; yesterday, his lead was 0.6 percent. Another poll had Mr. Biden with a five-point margin in Florida and four points ahead in Ohio; the president won Florida by three points and Ohio by eight. 

A political science professor notes, “Whatever the final result, there appears to have been a broad and systematic error in predicting the election outcome.” One explanation is social desirability bias, also known as the “shy voter” theory. It holds that Trump supporters were less likely to tell pollsters their political preferences. To the degree that this is true, it betrays something fundamentally wrong about our nation. 

According to a recent survey, 62 percent of Americans say they are afraid to share their political views with others. Clearly, we have crossed a dangerous line of essential civility. 

Why my father enlisted in the Army 

As I note in my latest website article, our nation is experiencing a season of deep divisiveness. We are angry not just at candidates we oppose, but at their supporters as well. 

In years past, national threats unified us. I remember packed churches in the days following 9/11 and my parents’ and grandparents’ stories about American patriotism during the Great Depression and two world wars. When the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor, my father volunteered for the Army, a decision that nearly cost him his life. But for the rest of his life, he was proud to have served and proud of the nation he served. 

Many hope that our nation can find…

… Read More

—

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Denison Forum.

قالب وردپرس

Postcard from Colorado’s Chapel-on-the-Rock – The Christian Post

-
0
Postcard from Colorado’s Chapel-on-the-Rock – The Christian Post

By Dennis Lennox, CP Contributor Follow
St. Catherine of Siena Chapel, also called the Chapel-on-the-Rock, is located about 20 minutes from Estes Park, Colorado. | Dennis Lennox

This Roman Catholic chapel in the mountains of Colorado has arguably the most picturesque of settings.

The St. Catherine of Siena Chapel was built atop a rocky crag in the shadow of Mount Meeker, which at 13,916 feet is the second-highest summit in Rocky Mountain National Park. More commonly called the Chapel-on-the-Rock, it is part of Camp St. Malo, a Roman Catholic retreat in Boulder County.

The simple interior of the Chapel-on-the-Rock. | Dennis Lennox

The chapel’s founder, Monsignor Joseph Bosetti, was inspired by the words of Matthew 16:18 (“Upon this rock I will build my church”). That is the same passage of scripture cited by the Roman church as the biblical basis for its universal authority.

Architect Jacques Benedict, who graduated from the famed École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, designed the cruciform-shaped edifice in a rustic style influenced by Romanesque Revival architecture. It was built between 1934 and 1936 by a local contractor with the help of Italian American craftsmen at a cost of $15,000.

Most remarkably, the chapel has survived floods and fires, including the recent East Troublesome Fire that caused mass evacuations of the surrounding area.

If you…

… Read More

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

Answering Kids’ Hard Questions During Uncertain Times

-
0

It always happens at the least convenient times. Kids ask questions that you just didn’t see coming. One minute they will be telling you about Paw Patrol and the next they will be asking a deep question about the Trinity. 

In the days we are now in, our children are overhearing conversations containing deeply divided opinions about the pandemic and politics. Naturally they will have questions. 

Their questions could be deep and theological such as, “Where did God come from?” They could be questions you aren’t ready for such as, “Where do babies come from?” or “What does fill-in-the-blank mean?” Kids can ask questions that can shock you, such as, “Is there really a God?” or “How do we know that Jesus was real?” During this season, they may ask pointed questions about political views they have heard from others.

Here are my basic guidelines when answering tough questions:

  1. Don’t panic. When we panic, we communicate that it isn’t safe to ask questions. We want to be the safest place for that child to turn. Take a deep breath and prevent yourself from saying, “Why would you ask that?” or “How could you think that?” or “Why would you be thinking about that?” 
  2. Clarify what they are actually asking. Do you remember the show “Everybody Loves Raymond?” One of my favorite episodes was when the daughter asked, “Why are there babies?” The dad flips out and prepares himself to answer, only to find out that she wasn’t even asking what he was…

… Read More

—

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

قالب وردپرس

Initial Reports of Kidnapped Nigerian Pastor’s Release Found Untrue

-
0
Initial Reports of Kidnapped Nigerian Pastor’s Release Found Untrue


Initial Reports of Kidnapped Nigerian Pastor’s Release Found Untrue

Nigerian Reverend [Polycarp] Zongo of the Church of Christ in Nations is still being imprisoned in the Islamic State West African Province in Nigeria, despite previous reports they had freed him, The Christian Post reports.

The Khalifah Army, an Islamic Terrorist group in the region, released a proof of life video in October.

The video is in Nigerian, but it was reportedly considered proof to Christians around the world that the pastor was alive. However, it wasn’t proof the pastor was released.

Most of the rumors surrounding the pastor’s release came from the Islamic State West Africa Province themselves, according to Morning Star News.

Morning Star News claims they got news of the pastor’s supposed release from his church, the Church of Christ in Nigeria. The Christian Post reports that Christians around the world celebrated his release.

It is unclear where the rumors started, but Para Mallam, the head of the Nigerian Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation stated, “We have been sold fake news. Unfortunately, we fell for it. We believed that maybe there was some truth in this. You can imagine the harrowing pain his wife and children and friends are going through right now. “The source of the rumor would provide a clue as to whether the rumor will be worse for him or better for him.”

Nigeria has been ravaged by war in Boko Haram. The Islamic State West…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس

Carl Lentz fired from Hillsong due to moral failures

-
0
Carl Lentz fired from Hillsong due to moral failures

By Charity Gibson, CP Contributor Follow
Carl Lentz speaks at Hillsong Church NYC in this photo dated January 2020. | Facebook/Hillsong Church NYC

Hillsong founding pastor Brian Houston sent out an email to church staff and members of Hillsong East Coast on Wednesday afternoon, announcing the termination of Hillsong NYC’s lead pastor, Carl Lentz.

In a statement, which was sent to The Christian Post by Hillsong, Houston revealed that Lentz’s termination was due to “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”

Members of the Hillsong NY staff revealed to CP that they were currently “processing” the news.

“I know this will come as a shock to you, but please know that this action was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl,” Houston, whose church has locations worldwide, wrote in the email.

“Please understand that it would not be appropriate for us to go into detail about the events that led to this decision. However you can be assured that this decision was made in order to honor God and pastorally care for you, our East Coast family, Pastor Carl and his family.”

… Read More

—-

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

Jerry Falwell Jr. Sues Liberty University for Forcing Him to Resign, Damaging His Reputation

-
0
Jerry Falwell Jr. Sues Liberty University for Forcing Him to Resign, Damaging His Reputation


Jerry Falwell Jr. Sues Liberty University for Forcing Him to Resign, Damaging His Reputation

Jerry Falwell Jr., the former president and chancellor of Liberty University, has filed a lawsuit against the college.

According to PR Newswire, in a complaint filed in the Commonwealth of Virginia Circuit Court for the City of Lynchburg, Falwell claims that Liberty University, the college founded by his father, Dr. Jerry Falwell, “injured and damaged his reputation” and forced his resignation.

Liberty University has declined comment on the lawsuit.

Falwell Jr. says statements from the school seemed to support the false claims an individual had made against him and seemed to be part of a plan by the Lincoln Project, a political group aimed at keeping Trump from reelection.

The Lincoln Project has denied any part in the allegations.

The complaint also alleges that Liberty University officials accepted the false claims of Falwell without investigation to force his resignation and “to tarnish, minimize, and outright destroy the legacy of the Falwell family and Mr. Falwell’s reputation.”

“Other than God and my family, there is nothing in the world I love more than Liberty University,” Falwell Jr. said in a statement. “I am saddened that University officials, with whom I have shared so much success and enjoyed such positive relationships, jumped to conclusions about the claims made against my character, failed to properly investigate…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

قالب وردپرس

1...565758...3,894Page 57 of 3,894