by
David Mathis
|
February 21, 2013
The tension in the air can feel thick enough to cut with a knife. It
escalates to all-out war in some churches — the battle between living
local and going global.
With limited time and resources and energy in any given context, it
can feel like local mission and global missions are constantly vying for
attention, competing articles rather than one seamless garment.
On one side, we see the needs around us in our city and feel deeply
that proximity implies responsibility. God has called us to live on
mission right here in our locale, “reached” as it may be, but still very
needy. So many are lost in this city. On the other side, we ache over
the world’s 7,000 unreached peoples and feel deeply the summons to send
our best and give sacrificially and hold the ropes to get the gospel to
the peoples who otherwise have no access to it.
How do we decide which mission gets our best energies?
READ MORE AT DESIRING GOD
Friday, March 8, 2013
Study: Religious College Students With Religious Parents Less Likely to Drink
By Dayna Lovelady , CP Contributor
March 8, 2013|12:51 pm
Religious college students reported less alcohol consumption than non-religious students, which is partly influenced by how they see their parents handle stress, according to a new study by a Michigan State University professor.
With such an epidemic in binge drinking on many college campuses, Michigan State University professor Zaje Harrell performed the study that included 129 college students and 113 of their parents. Previous research has shown a significant relationship between religious coping and alcohol use, according to the study. Harrell set out to research how parental coping and religious behaviors influence drinking outcomes.Harrell said in an interview with The Christian Post on Thursday, "I saw that the students that used religious coping stated, 'you should not need alcohol to cope with stress.' They had a more conservative view of alcohol than students who were not religious."
Teen Born Without Nose or Eyes Inspires Masses
The news line on Drudge Report immediately got my attention: “Girl
Born Without Eyes or Nose.” But when I clicked on the link, expecting to
read about a just-born, severely handicapped baby, I found a very
different story—a story about a courageous teenager with an amazing
attitude toward life. One simple quote from her said it all.
Before I share the quote, let me introduce you to 16-year-old Cassidy Hooper, born without eyes or a nose. A child like this would be the perfect candidate for abortion in today’s society, especially since her condition is traced to “a rare birth defect that likely occurred during the first two weeks of gestation.”
READ MORE AT CHARISMA NEWS
Before I share the quote, let me introduce you to 16-year-old Cassidy Hooper, born without eyes or a nose. A child like this would be the perfect candidate for abortion in today’s society, especially since her condition is traced to “a rare birth defect that likely occurred during the first two weeks of gestation.”
READ MORE AT CHARISMA NEWS
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Broadway's Les Miserables' Child Star Performs for God
ATLANTA, March 6, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Every morning he wakes up looking up a verse for the day. Before every performance he prays and asks, 'Jesus meet me at the mic.' This is 10 year old Julian Silva, Broadway's Gavroche in Les Miserables' 2013 U.S. and Canada Tour, with his first performance at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, FL, March 5th.
Julian began singing at age 3 and truly surprised his parents when he was imitating the opera quartet Il Divo at age 5. Two years later his parents enrolled him in voice lessons. Said Maria Silva, his mother, about herself and her husband, "neither one of us sings...so it's a pure gift...we got him singing lessons to find his own voice."
Julian performed in local theater musicals, played in several productions and won Novemberfest Idol after 4 days of competing against contestants as old as 65! He played JoJo in Seussical the Musical at the Straz Center in Tampa where one of the directors encouraged Julian to try out Broadway.
"So off we went to Broadway where Julian auditioned for Mary Poppins. Although he did not get the part, he got the attention of the Casting Director who requested he audition for Les Mis," stated Daniel Silva, Julian's father.
January 2013, Julian was an acting finalist and the Overall Child Singer winner at the Actors, Model, and Talent for Christ SHINE Convention where he belted out "The Circle of Life" that wowed agents for 18 callbacks.
Daniel Silva said, "A few weeks after SHINE we received a call that they were casting Julian as Gavroche in the Broadway Tour for Les Mis. This was all God's timing because Julian matured and learned so much during Shine."
Young Julian says about his faith in God, "I am truly honored to be chosen and sent to GO and be the light...Christ."
With such passion for singing, acting and being an ambassador for Christ, he will surely impress the audience during the tour when he sings Do You Hear the People Sing? and Look Down, two Gavroche songs in the popular 19th century story.
With fatherly pride, Daniel Silva said, "he is having such great time and has been doing his best to share the gospel with his fellow cast members." That's exciting!
Christian Newswire
The Bible Proved Scientifically Accurate by NASA Discovery
ORLANDO, March 4, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- In 2004 astronomers using NASA's, Spitzer Space Telescope, probed the dusty disks that surround young stars to look for the earliest signs of the formation of planetary systems. What they discovered coincides with Genesis description of Earth's formation.
For generations the statement at Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth proved to be formless and waste," has made no logical sense to Bible scholars or scientist until these revealing discoveries were made.
According to data scientist gathered from a proto-planetary disc surrounding the star system CoKu Tau 4 in the Taurus constellation, planets like Earth form in darkness from leftover waste and debris from their central star, coinciding with Genesis description of earth being formless and waste at some stage in its early development.
When you review NASA's data on this process and compare it to Genesis brief description of Earth's formation, the Bible's description is amazingly accurate in view of the fact that the Hebrew word translated 'day' (yom) can mean various lengths of time, not just a 24 hour period.
NASA's findings also revealed that as a planet matures inside its dusty cocoon it gradually sucks up all the dust between it and the sun. The early stages of this process correspond to the statement at Genesis 1:3 for day one. "Let there be light." (Diffused light).
Only in the later stages of planet formation would direct light from the already existing sun, moon, and stars be visible from the earth.
This data corresponds to Genesis 1:16 for day four when viewed in the context of the Hebrew language. "And God proceeded to make ('a*sah') the two great luminaries...., and also the stars." (the Hebrew word 'a*sah' does not mean to create, but rather to accomplish, bestow, or bring to completion).
NASA's data clearly shows that earth formed from dust left over from the sun prior to day one. It confirms that light emerged slowly, some diffused light by day one, full light by day four where the sun, moon and stars became visible, in the exact same fashion described in Genesis.
The common perception of the Genesis account has been; the earth was created first, and the sun, moon, and stars, were created on day four. Spitzer's discoveries unravel this long time mystery, and remove much confusion about Genesis, proving the Bible to be scientifically accurate when read in the context of its original Hebrew language. More Details....
Christian Newswire
Top Christian Singer Kari Jobe Joins with Exciting Film 'Not Today' to Fight Human Trafficking
NOT TODAY Launches in Theaters Nationwide April 12
"Not today is definitely a movie that you have to see." -- Kari Jobe
YORBA LINDA, Calif.,
Feb. 27, 2013
/Christian Newswire/ -- Grammy-nominated and Dove
Award-winning Christian recording artist Kari Jobe -- along with an
impressive list of global partners -- is lending her support to the
exciting new film NOT TODAY in the fight against human trafficking.
"Not today is definitely a movie that you have to see." -- Kari Jobe
Gripping, entertaining and ultimately redemptive, NOT TODAY helps audiences put a human face on the worldwide problem of modern slavery and exploitation.
"We all have to play a role and do our part to fight against the plague that affects 27 million people and growing," Jobe said. "It's so incredibly dark, and I feel a responsibility to do what I can. Most of these victims are girls like me, and I can't imagine what life would be like in that place."
Produced by Friends Media, NOT TODAY features rising star Cody Longo (Hollywood Heights, Fame, Make It or Break It) as Caden, a spoiled SoCal rich kid partying in India. On mean city streets, he's oblivious to the so-called "untouchables" until a young girl sold into slavery draws him into the world of India's outcast Dalits. In the struggle to find her, Caden finds himself and his faith re-energized. Also featured in NOT TODAY: John Schneider (OCTOBER BABY, Smallville, The Dukes of Hazzard), Shari Rigby (OCTOBER BABY, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Cassie Scerbo (Make It or Break It, Hot in Cleveland).
With a 2013 Grammy nomination for her hit CD Where I Find You, Jobe recently recorded the song What Love Can Do, produced by multiple Dove Award winner and Grammy nominee Ed Cash. The song and accompanying video offer Jobe's personal support for NOT TODAY. No newcomer to the fight against human trafficking, Jobe is performing now with Chris Tomlin's Burning Light's Tour, which also features Louie Giglio, whose 2013 Passion conference focused on the subject as well.
SEE AND HEAR KARI JOBE SING 'WHAT LOVE CAN DO' (vimeo.com/58742283)
Along with Jobe, an impressive array of ministry partners have pledged to promote the film.
"Our Christian faith compels us to lift our hands up with conviction and stretch our hands across with compassion," said Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference Hispanic Evangelical Association. "NOT TODAY moves us to reconcile sanctification with service, faith with action and righteousness with justice. Whether it's creating a firewall against a caste system that does not recognize the image of God in every human being or lifting a clarion call against human trafficking, NOT TODAY is more than a movie. NOT TODAY stands as a clarion call to do justice in the name of Jesus."
Global partners like NHCLC advance the film's important message through their worldwide networks of supporters. Additional NOT TODAY partners include:
- Dalit Freedom Network
- Operation Mobilization India
- Operation Mobilization USA
- International Justice Mission
- IMB (International Mission Board)
- Focus On The Family
- Salvation Army Vision Network
- YWAM (Youth With A Mission International)
NOT TODAY premieres across the nation April 12 in these markets:
- Los Angeles (Orange County), Calif.
- Houston, Texas
- San Diego, Calif.
- Dallas, Texas
- San Jose, Calif.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Seattle, Wash.
- Denver (Littleton), Colo.
- Washington, D.C.
- Nashville, Tenn.
- Portland, Ore.
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Virginia Beach, Va.
- Atlanta, Ga.
- Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Akron, Ohio
- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- West Palm Beach/Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
For interviews, contact: Michael Conrad Michael@Lovell-Fairchild.com 214-616-0320
Christian Newswire
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Teaching Intelligent Design goes on trial in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments in late
February in the case of a science teacher fired for talking openly with
students about his Christian faith and theories of Intelligent Design.
John Freshwater taught at a middle school in Mount Vernon, Ohio, for 20 years before the school board accused him of teaching Christian beliefs in class during discussions of evolution and homosexuality. The board also accused him of insubordination because he refused to remove a Bible from his classroom.
READ MORE AT BAPTIST PRESS
John Freshwater taught at a middle school in Mount Vernon, Ohio, for 20 years before the school board accused him of teaching Christian beliefs in class during discussions of evolution and homosexuality. The board also accused him of insubordination because he refused to remove a Bible from his classroom.
READ MORE AT BAPTIST PRESS
Google, Twitter, and Facebook Leaders Tell Christian Media to Embrace Tech Giants
By Alex Murashko , Christian Post Reporter
March 5, 2013|7:01 am
NASHVILLE – Top leaders from Google, Twitter, and Facebook made it clear that it's best that traditional media embrace the three Internet tech giants, they said while speaking at the annual National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville on Monday.
Guest speaker Claire Diaz-Ortiz, Twitter's social innovation leader, said that while her company was doing some analytics, just three years ago "we started to see that Bible verses were doing really well.""Someone would tweet out Bible verses and 500 people would immediately re-tweet it," Diaz-Ortiz said. "People of faith were really engaged with these Bible verses. Religious content on Twitter is incredibly engaged. You can look at a pastor such as Andy Stanley and see that he will tweet something out and get more reaction and more engagement than famous celebrities like Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber with 50 times as many followers."
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