Monday, July 29, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Anti-Internet-porn campaign announced by UK's Cameron
LONDON (BP) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a
multifaceted campaign against Internet pornography that blocks in-home
access to images through search engines but allows individual residences
to maintain access upon request.
By the end of 2013 in Great Britain, pornographic images and prose will automatically be filtered by Internet providers for new customers, unless they opt in to receive them, and existing customers will have the option of activating "family-friendly" filters to their accounts, Cameron announced Monday (July 22) at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children London headquarters.
"I'm not making this speech because I want to moralize or scaremonger but because I feel profoundly as a politician, and as a father, that the time for action has come," Cameron said. "This is, quite simply, about how we protect our children and their innocence."
READ MORE AT THE BAPTIST PRESS
By the end of 2013 in Great Britain, pornographic images and prose will automatically be filtered by Internet providers for new customers, unless they opt in to receive them, and existing customers will have the option of activating "family-friendly" filters to their accounts, Cameron announced Monday (July 22) at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children London headquarters.
"I'm not making this speech because I want to moralize or scaremonger but because I feel profoundly as a politician, and as a father, that the time for action has come," Cameron said. "This is, quite simply, about how we protect our children and their innocence."
READ MORE AT THE BAPTIST PRESS
Monday, July 22, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
American street preacher arrested in London for ‘hate speech’
As crowds swelled in the streets of Wimbledon, London, to watch the famed tennis tournament July 1, Tony Miano stood
preaching out of his worn Bible to anyone who would listen. A former
Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, Miano now spends his time
evangelizing outside of abortion centers and on the street while
carrying a cross. He worked for Ray Comfort’s street evangelism ministry
until last year and writes for the blog Cross Encounters.
Last Monday afternoon, he preached on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, calling on people who have engaged in sexually immoral lifestyles—lust, premarital sex, and homosexuality—to repent.
After 25 minutes, local police cut Miano off and took
him into custody. An offended woman had called to complain about the
preaching and while street preaching is not illegal—Miano had been
preaching for a week already—his offensive message was.
Modesty: More than an Exterior Show
by Sunny Shell
There is much talk within the Christian community about modesty, yet, most of the focus seems to on the exterior appearance of a woman, rather than on what Christ said:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." ~Matthew 6:33
READ MORE AT SUNNY SHELL CPBLOG
There is much talk within the Christian community about modesty, yet, most of the focus seems to on the exterior appearance of a woman, rather than on what Christ said:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." ~Matthew 6:33
And again we find these wise words from the Scriptures, "but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." ~1 Peter 3:4The dictionary definiton for modesty is: the quality of being modest; freedom from vanity, boastfulness, etc.—regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc.—simplicity; moderation.
READ MORE AT SUNNY SHELL CPBLOG
Children's Ministry to Deliver 2 Million Christian Books to Filipino Students
By Alex Murashko, Christian Post Reporter
July 17, 2013|12:45 pm
A mass distribution of one million books to children in the Philippines as part of a larger campaign to reach two million Filipino children with the Gospel this school year has begun, say organizers at Child Evangelism Fellowship. The goal exceeds last year's success when 1.6 million children heard the Gospel.
"We are grateful for the outreach we have had in the Philippines so far and someday hope to teach in all 92,000 public schools and share the gospel with all of the 34 million Filipino children," said Harry Robinson, vice president of International Ministries for Child Evangelism Fellowship.READ MORE AT THE CHRISTIAN POST
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Worldwide Call for 40 Days Prayer, Fasting and Repentance 6 August 14 September 2013
UNANDERRA, Australia,
July 11, 2013
/Christian Newswire/ -- This call for a 40-day period of
prayer will end with an International Day of Prayer, Fasting and
Repentance on Saturday 14 September 2013. This day of repentance coincides with Yom Kippur, Israel's National Day of Atonement.
Warwick Marsh, one of the team from Australia who is organising this International call to prayer, said, "Our world is in desperate need. Of the 7.1 billion men, women and children alive today, only 2.2 billion call themselves Christian. Widespread sexual immorality, promoted by much of the media, is ruining marriages, families and our individual lives. The attack on marriage continues in our Western countries. Marriage redefined is marriage destroyed.
"Abortion is the leading cause of death in the world with an estimated 42 million unborn babies being killed each year. All this, and more, takes place in the context of a world that is in increasing turmoil. The time has come for a worldwide call for prayer and repentance."
David and Marilyn Rowsome, also members of the organising team said, "We believe it is time to humble ourselves before God, praying and fasting and repenting with fervency and urgency for ourselves, the Church and the nations. As the worldwide Body of Christ, let us come before God and cry out for healing, revival and transformation as it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
"Let us believe together for a harvest of at least a billion souls who find a living relationship with Jesus Christ. We encourage you to commit to this time of global prayer and pass this information on to your family, friends and networks."
For more information:
www.
www.facebook.com/
Four Point Prayer Plan
Christian Newswire
Warwick Marsh, one of the team from Australia who is organising this International call to prayer, said, "Our world is in desperate need. Of the 7.1 billion men, women and children alive today, only 2.2 billion call themselves Christian. Widespread sexual immorality, promoted by much of the media, is ruining marriages, families and our individual lives. The attack on marriage continues in our Western countries. Marriage redefined is marriage destroyed.
"Abortion is the leading cause of death in the world with an estimated 42 million unborn babies being killed each year. All this, and more, takes place in the context of a world that is in increasing turmoil. The time has come for a worldwide call for prayer and repentance."
David and Marilyn Rowsome, also members of the organising team said, "We believe it is time to humble ourselves before God, praying and fasting and repenting with fervency and urgency for ourselves, the Church and the nations. As the worldwide Body of Christ, let us come before God and cry out for healing, revival and transformation as it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
"Let us believe together for a harvest of at least a billion souls who find a living relationship with Jesus Christ. We encourage you to commit to this time of global prayer and pass this information on to your family, friends and networks."
For more information:
www.
www.facebook.com/
Four Point Prayer Plan
- Pray for a worldwide outpouring of the Holy Spirit for revival and transformation of the nations of the world.
- Pray for a billion people to find Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
- Pray for an end to abortion and for God to turn back the tide of death and immorality that is sweeping the nations of the world.
- Pray for a multiplication of prayer, praise and worship to God across the world as never before, to bring great glory to God.
Christian Newswire
More Than 16,000 Churches Have Registered to Participate in 'My Hope America with Billy Graham'
In addition, thousands of individuals are being
equipped to open their homes and present the
Gospel in November
CHARLOTTE, NC, July 8, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- With four months remaining until the culmination of My Hope America with Billy Graham, the movement recently reached a milestone as more than 16,000 churches across the nation have signed up to participate. |
"In a world where the main focus of many
is the immediate and the material, it is truly remarkable to see so
many begin to turn their eyes and hearts to the eternal," said Preston
Parrish, vice president of the My Hope America evangelistic campaign. "People across the nation are praying and preparing for My Hope America, and we are eagerly anticipating what God will do as people put feet to those prayers."
Hundreds of preparation meetings, which
began last December, have been held in all 50 states. At these meetings,
pastors and lay church leaders have come together to learn more about
how to maximize this nationwide evangelistic outreach in their own
congregations. Meetings are still taking place across the country
throughout the summer. In addition to the meetings, thousands of
individuals have registered for the project and participated in the free
online training.
"I knew right away I wanted to be
involved in this endeavor," said Skip Heitzig, senior pastor of Calvary
of Albuquerque, after hearing Franklin Graham share the vision of My Hope America last year. "My Hope is such a natural method of sharing the Gospel and bringing people the life-changing message of Jesus Christ."
"My Hope is going to let us
know if our churches really care about lost people or if we just talk
about it," said Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist in
Albany, Ga., the well-known church behind the popular movies Fireproof and Courageous.
Catt set a goal for his church to have
150 participants in the project, but more than 200 have already signed
up. A church in Hagerstown, Md. – Tri-State Fellowship – saw their goal
of 50 registrants doubled when one third of its congregation registered
to participate in My Hope America.
"We are seeing stories like this in churches across the nation,” said Parrish. “But, the ultimate impact of My Hope America hinges on individuals identifying and praying for those people in their lives who need to know Christ."
About My Hope America with Billy Graham
My Hope America with Billy Graham
encourages participants to reach out to people they already know and
engage in meaningful conversation and connections as a catalyst for
sharing the hope and love found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
While one-on-one conversations will be the root of this relationship
evangelism outreach, there will be special evangelistic programs
available in a wide range of formats including TV, DVD and Internet that
people can share to reinforce the message. The programs will feature
life-changing testimonies and powerful messages from Billy Graham.
The first evangelistic program was released in March entitled Defining Moments.
It features the stories of three individuals--illusionist Jim Munroe,
NFL player David Tyree and musical artist Lacey Sturm--who found success
in their careers yet were still searching for hope. The second program
in the series – Lose to Gain
– was released in June. It follows the stories of skateboarder Brian
Sumner, comedian Michael Jr. and young professional Shannon Culpepper,
each searching for something this world ultimately couldn’t provide.
These programs, along with additional
programs under development including new footage of Billy Graham, will
serve as the evangelistic thrust behind the implementation of the
project in November.
For more information on My Hope America with Billy Graham, including preparation meeting dates, news articles and evangelism resources, visit www.MyHopewithBillyGraham.org.
About the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
The Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association (BGEA) proclaims the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
throughout the world by every effective means available. From its
headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., the BGEA directs a wide range of
domestic and international ministries, including: large-scale festivals
led by evangelists Franklin Graham and Will Graham; The Billy Graham
Library; The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, located outside
of Asheville, N.C.; SearchforJesus.net, an Internet evangelism project
reaching thousands of people for Christ online; and many others through
print, television, telephone, radio and the Internet. For more
information, please visit www.billygraham.org. Get news updates on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/BGEAnews.
MEDIA INFORMATION:
An online press kit with downloadable graphics is available on DropBox. You can access it via this link: http://bit.ly/
Christian Newswire
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Lecrae speaks of hip-hop's relevance
NASHVILLE (BP) -- Rap music, as hip-hop artist Lecrae Moore puts it, is a
vocalized expression of hip-hop culture that permeates all ethnicities
and racial boundaries. Christians should embrace being missionaries in
today's culture, Lecrae said, rather than isolating and creating an
alternative subculture.
The Grammy Award-winning artist, ministry leader, producer and actor -- who uses only his first name as his stage name -- spoke about his art and ministry calling on "The Exchange," a weekly LifeWay Christian Resources' webcast. Eric Geiger, LifeWay's vice president of church resources, interviewed Lecrae for the segment.
"The urban culture sees [hip hop] artists as modern-day philosophers -- people they take their cues from, learn different things from," Lecrae said.
READ MORE AT BAPTIST PRESS
The Grammy Award-winning artist, ministry leader, producer and actor -- who uses only his first name as his stage name -- spoke about his art and ministry calling on "The Exchange," a weekly LifeWay Christian Resources' webcast. Eric Geiger, LifeWay's vice president of church resources, interviewed Lecrae for the segment.
"The urban culture sees [hip hop] artists as modern-day philosophers -- people they take their cues from, learn different things from," Lecrae said.
READ MORE AT BAPTIST PRESS
Young Alabama Preacher Becomes Pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church at 19 Years Old
Courtney Meadows, Preaching Since the Age of Six, Believes He's Been 'Called' by God to Ministry
By Nicola Menzie , Christian Post Reporter
July 9, 2013|1:53 pm
Courtney Meadows, currently 19 and preaching since the age of six,
was finally able to answer his calling when he was installed as pastor
of First Missionary Baptist Church in White Hall, Ala., during a recent
and well-attended Sunday service.
"I can honestly say, there has never been a time when I couldn't imagine myself preaching," Meadows told the Montgomery Advertiser. "I always make this statement: If I'm not preaching, life is not worth living for me, because I know that's what I've been called to do."
Meadows couldn't help but smile, and the congregation laugh with him, when the presiding bishop mentioned during his installation service the New Testament requirement for a church leader to be the husband of one wife and manage his children — "when the time comes," the bishop added.
READ MORE at the CHRISTIAN POST
"I can honestly say, there has never been a time when I couldn't imagine myself preaching," Meadows told the Montgomery Advertiser. "I always make this statement: If I'm not preaching, life is not worth living for me, because I know that's what I've been called to do."
Meadows couldn't help but smile, and the congregation laugh with him, when the presiding bishop mentioned during his installation service the New Testament requirement for a church leader to be the husband of one wife and manage his children — "when the time comes," the bishop added.
READ MORE at the CHRISTIAN POST
Being
the wife of a pastor for 40 years has had its share of challenges that
thankfully we learned to navigate, especially early in our marriage.
We
were 28 years young with two small children when Jimmy accepted the
call to lead Trinity, which made for several very difficult years for
our marriage and family. I know our struggles are not unique to ministry
couples—far from it. So when Jimmy asked me to write for the
July-August issue of Ministry Today, I knew I wanted to share
some of my own experiences and story in an honest letter to pastors’
wives. (If you’re a pastor reading this, you’ll likely gain some real
insight into your wife’s journey.)
What follows are
some specific lessons—sometimes learned in hard ways—to encourage you
that you are not, and never have been, alone.
Marriage and family are prime targets for Satan, especially pastors’ marriages. When
we began MarriageToday, we were actually going though the toughest
times of our lives and marriage. We began to recognize that marriage and
family are the areas Satan attacks the most. If you’re a pastor’s wife,
you need to grasp that Satan wants to destroy your family even more
than the church.
Understanding how God sees me gives me the freedom to be myself.
I knew I was not the typical “pastor’s wife.” I didn’t teach or have
any musical abilities. Our church never put pressure on me to be
anything more than Jimmy’s wife.
- See more at:
http://ministrytodaymag.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/women-in-leadership/20189-an-open-letter-to-pastors-wives?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+delicious%2Fgqlf+%28Christian+Headlines+Top+Headlines%29#sthash.sWem3WAT.dpufFriday, July 5, 2013
CALL TO PRAYER: 5 summer prayer action steps
PALATINE, Ill. (BP) -- We've entered the dog-days of summer (July and
August) -- this often oppressive and sweltering time of year that
coincides with traditional summer slumps in church attendance as
families scatter for summer vacations and other summertime activities.
But our need for prayer is never greater. Here are five suggestions to make your dog days of summer sparkle with spiritual freshness:
Family table time -- Ask each church family to use at least one family meal each week to pray for their neighbors, whether those who live nearby, people they work with or fellow students. Keep a log of the names and needs of those the Lord leads toward in prayer. During a Sunday morning service in August, ask families to come prepared to share their prayers and God's responses.
Schedule a church picnic -- Before the festivities begin, ask every family to form a circle and to pray (facing inward) for the church, its spiritual health, its ministry vision and its evangelistic effectiveness. Reverse positions to face outward and pray for the community, its needs, its leaders and the church's influence on it.
READ MORE at Baptist Press
But our need for prayer is never greater. Here are five suggestions to make your dog days of summer sparkle with spiritual freshness:
Family table time -- Ask each church family to use at least one family meal each week to pray for their neighbors, whether those who live nearby, people they work with or fellow students. Keep a log of the names and needs of those the Lord leads toward in prayer. During a Sunday morning service in August, ask families to come prepared to share their prayers and God's responses.
Schedule a church picnic -- Before the festivities begin, ask every family to form a circle and to pray (facing inward) for the church, its spiritual health, its ministry vision and its evangelistic effectiveness. Reverse positions to face outward and pray for the community, its needs, its leaders and the church's influence on it.
READ MORE at Baptist Press
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Billy Graham Team Consoling Community Where 19 Firefighters Died
By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter
July 2, 2013|12:58 pm
Members of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team were sent out to Prescott, Ariz., to offer support to a community grieving after 19 firefighters lost their lives on Sunday in a scorching wildfire that continues to rage through the region.
"Our hearts go out to the families of those firefighters as well as the fire station," said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham RRT. "Firefighters are like brothers."READ MORE at the CHRISTIAN POST
Learning From Young Atheists: What Turned Them Off Christianity
By Eric Metaxas , Christian Post Contributor
July 2, 2013|10:10 am
It's something most Christian parents worry about: You send your kids off to college and when they come back, you find they've lost their faith. The prospect of this happening is why many parents nudge their kids towards Christian colleges, or at least schools with a strong Christian presence on campus.
But in many ways, the damage has been done long before our children set foot on campus. That's the message from a recent article in the Atlantic Monthly.My friend Larry Taunton of the Fixed Point Foundation set out to find out why so many young Christians lose their faith in college. He did this by employing a method I don't recall being used before: He asked them.
READ MORE at the CHRISTIAN POST
Loss of 19 firemen in Arizona prompts chaplains' deployment
Posted on Jul 1, 2013 | by Tobin Perry
YARNELL, Ariz. (BP) -- After an out-of-control, lightning-induced fire in Yarnell, Ariz., killed 19 firefighters on Sunday, Southern Baptists are mobilizing disaster relief chaplains to walk alongside grieving families to offer spiritual support.
The deaths represented the worst firefighting tragedy in Arizona's history, the Phoenix daily Arizona Republic reported.
As of Monday morning, Arizona Southern Baptists had connected with local churches near Yarnell and were determining the needs of the impacted families. Chaplain teams are already on the way to the disaster, said Larry Hyde, the disaster relief director for the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention.
"Our response to hurting families is to help hurting people, not to make Baptists out of them," Hyde said. "We're just out there to support people's needs and share the love of Jesus at a time when their lives are falling apart."
READ MORE at BPNEWS.NET
YARNELL, Ariz. (BP) -- After an out-of-control, lightning-induced fire in Yarnell, Ariz., killed 19 firefighters on Sunday, Southern Baptists are mobilizing disaster relief chaplains to walk alongside grieving families to offer spiritual support.
The deaths represented the worst firefighting tragedy in Arizona's history, the Phoenix daily Arizona Republic reported.
As of Monday morning, Arizona Southern Baptists had connected with local churches near Yarnell and were determining the needs of the impacted families. Chaplain teams are already on the way to the disaster, said Larry Hyde, the disaster relief director for the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention.
"Our response to hurting families is to help hurting people, not to make Baptists out of them," Hyde said. "We're just out there to support people's needs and share the love of Jesus at a time when their lives are falling apart."
READ MORE at BPNEWS.NET
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