ETERNAL FLAME NEWS: Aug 31, 2012

Friday, August 31, 2012

Harvest America Estimates 272,000 Attended Christian Outreach Event

Leaders at the Harvest Crusades estimate that 272,000 people attended the ministry's first-of-its-kind evangelistic event last Sunday that included those inside a nearly full baseball stadium in Southern California and others watching a live webcast feed at more than 2,400 host locations throughout the U.S.

The numbers for Harvest America, which included the Gospel message by Pastor Greg Laurie, do not include those individuals watching on two Christian TV channels, listening on more than 600 radio stations, or viewing on a personal computer, tablet, or smart phone.

More than 18,000 responded to Laurie's invitation to profess their faith in Jesus Christ.
"That would make last Sunday the largest single presentation of the Gospel in American history! Praise God! When we add our Saturday totals (Harvest Anaheim), it means that we reached 312,000 people in live attendance over the weekend, with more than 22,000 making professions of faith," Harvest officials said.

"When we add the Internet viewing audience our total number of people who watched either live in person or on the Web [is] over 400,000! These numbers don't reflect how many people – potentially in the millions – that also viewed or listened to the event live on television and radio."
Out of the more than 2,400 host sites that participated, over a 1,000 of those included churches where those attending and making professions of faith could experience having a trained counselor such as those provided at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., come alongside and offer encouragement and suggested next steps.

Anti-Poverty Activist: American Church a 'Sleeping Giant' on Poverty Issue

An anti-poverty activist who is a leader in an international organization focused on eliminating poverty believes that American churches are a "sleeping giant" on the issue.

Jason Fileta, director of Micah Challenge USA, told The Christian Post that while American churches do much to fight poverty, their voice on the issue needs to be heard.
"I think that the American church is almost a sleeping giant that needs to be awakened because American Christians are powerful enough to elect a president," said Fileta.
"Whoever our leader is, whoever ends up being the leader we want them to know that this matters deeply to us."
Fileta believes that American churches do much good on the issue of combating poverty, noting the many benefits of "mission trips" that provide a "very personal response that also includes giving."
"I think that the church at large in America has done well to respond with financial support, prayer, and relational support," said Fileta. "I do believe though that as a church we have not yet used our powerful collective voice to influence power structures."

World’s Wealthiest Woman Tells People to Stop Envying the Rich & Work Harder, Gov’t Officials Flip Out

Australian mining tycoon Gina Rinehart on Thursday was heavily criticized by her government for saying people who want to be successful should stop being jealous of others, “spend less time drinking,” and work harder, AFP reports.

Assorted members of Australia’s government called her comments “insulting.”
Wait, “insulting”? What did multi-billionaire Rinehart say?

“There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire,” she wrote in an article for an industry magazine.
“If you’re jealous of those with more money, don’t just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself — spend less time drinking or smoking and socialising, and more time working,” she added.

“Become one of those people who work hard, invest and build, and at the same time create employment and opportunities for others.”

Suggesting that those who work harder, tend to get ahead in life isn’t exactly an outlandish assertion.
Rinehart also criticized what she referred to as “socialist” policies that have hurt the poor and recommended Australian politicians to lower the nation’s minimum wage and taxes.
“The terrible millionaires and billionaires can often invest in other countries… maybe their teenagers don’t get the cars they wanted, or a better beach house or maybe the holiday to Europe is cut short, but otherwise life goes on,” she wrote.

“The millionaires and billionaires who choose to invest in Australia are actually those who most help the poor and our young. This secret needs to be spread widely,” she added.

READ MORE

11 Churches Unite To Support Bible History Classes At Hixson Middle And High Schools

Pictured with high school teacher Mr. Bryan Osborne (back row, center) are a few of his students (left to right): Spencer Waites, Kindall Billingsley, Corynne Schannuth and Jae Yoo. Bible history classes at both schools are voluntary, for-credit and funded entirely through private contributions to the Hamilton County Department of Education.

A diverse group of 11 Hixson churches have come together to support the Bible history program in their local public schools.

The “Hixson Gathering,” scheduled for Sept. 16, from 6-7:30 p.m., will feature a community meal, prayer service and fund-raiser at the Hixson Middle School gymnasium, 5681 Old Hixson Pike.

Organizers hope to raise enough money to fund the cost of two full-time Bible history teachers at Hixson Middle and High schools. Proceeds will be directed to the schools through Bible in the Schools, a local nonprofit organization.

“I would love to say ‘thank you’ to the Hixson community for helping us to offer such a wonderful program in our schools,” said Hixson Middle School Principal LeAngela Rogers. “The teen years are a time of unprecedented growth socially, physically, emotionally and morally. Bible history classes contribute not only to their academic achievement but also to character education, as students develop into their own person,” Rogers said.

Ron Phillips, pastor of Abba’s House, is one of several Hixson pastors leading the joint effort. “President Andrew Jackson said the Bible ‘is the rock on which our Republic rests.’ No one is truly educated without a knowledge of Scripture,” Phillips said.

“The Bible is the most influential book ever written. It has shaped and transformed lives across several millennia, and it must surely be a valuable part of any well-rounded education,” said Robert Johnson, senior pastor of Hixson Presbyterian Church, another sponsoring church.

There is no cost to attend the dinner, but reservations are required by calling Bible in the Schools, 423 648-0500. A children’s program for grades K-5 will be provided by Student Venture following the dinner portion of the evening’s agenda. For more information, visit BibleintheSchools .com /hixson.

Created Equal Interview with Code Pink at Planned Parenthood Rally

Tampa, FL – August 30, 2012 – Code Pink, the radical pro-abortion group, joined other abortion supporters at the Planned Parenthood "Women are Watching Rally against the RNC” at the GOP Convention in Tampa on Wednesday. Watch the interview with one Code Pink activist dressed up in a costume resembling a women's particular private part (WARNING: VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED - IMAGES ARE DISTURBING). After watching the video clip, join us in praying for the members of Code Pink and those who misguidedly support abortion.

Obama Calls for Amendment Limiting Free-Speech Rights

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama endorsed a constitutional amendment that would restrict the free-speech rights of political activist groups by overturning the Supreme Court decision in the landmark Citizens United v FEC case that granted First Amendment rights to corporations.

“Over the longer term, I think we need to seriously consider mobilizing a constitutional amendment process to overturn Citizens United,” Obama wrote during a question and answer session on the website Reddit on Wednesday.

“Even if the amendment process falls short, it can shine a spotlight of the super-PAC phenomenon and help apply pressure for change.”

In its decision, the Supreme Court said that the government could not restrict the free-speech rights of organizations during elections, striking down key provisions of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.
That law restricted how much money independent political organizations could spend and banned them from engaging in election-related speech 60 days prior to a general election.

In his concurring opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the government was arguing for direct censorship of political speech, asking the court to allow the banning of books, pamphlets, and any other type of speech the government deemed necessary.

“The Government urges us in this case to uphold a direct prohibition on political speech,” Roberts wrote. “It asks us to embrace a theory of the First Amendment that would allow censorship not only of television and radio broadcasts, but of pamphlets, posters, the Internet, and virtually any other medium that corporations and unions might find useful in expressing their views on matters of public concern.

READ MORE

Good News for the Good News Club: Child Evangelism Fellowship Wins Legal Victory in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 31, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Minneapolis Special School District No. 1 must reinstate the Good News Club, sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship, in its after-school program, ruled the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit yesterday. The federal appeals court determined that the school district engaged in viewpoint discrimination when it ousted CEF for offering "enrichment programming from a religious perspective."

"We are extremely grateful for this decision and look forward to the opportunity of serving interested students at the Jenny Lind Elementary School," said Mr. Tom Levanos, executive director of operations for CEF.

This ruling overturned the decision by a lower court which misinterpreted the 2001 Supreme Court decision in Good News Club v. Milford Central School. The Supreme Court decision actually upheld the free speech rights of the Good News Club. According to the Court, "there is no logical difference in kind between the invocation of Christianity by the Club and the invocation of teamwork, loyalty, or patriotism by other associations to provide the foundations for their lessons."

Minneapolis Special School District No. 1 removed the GNC from its after-school program in 2009 based on the concerns of a newly-hired site coordinator who overheard a prayer and reference to Jesus Christ during a GNC meeting. The GNC had been meeting at the school, after school hours, using the same activities of prayer, Bible lessons and games, without objection since 2000. As a result of the school district decision, the attendance at the popular GNC plummeted from 47 students to 5 by 2010.

Through the years, the number of court cases involving discrimination against GNCs has steadily decreased as the Supreme Court ruling has become more well-known, said Mr. Matt Staver, of Liberty Counsel, who represented CEF before the federal appeals court. Still, there are challenges each week that are resolved without litigation. Few of these challenges bear the marks of overt hostility towards religion. According to Mr. Staver, most cases are the result of misinformation about the First Amendment and are usually resolved without litigation. When litigation has been necessary, Liberty Counsel has won every case.

Contact: Melody Bentley,
571-274-6058 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 571-274-6058 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Child Evangelism Fellowship

Christian Newswire