Displaying items by tag: Religion

The state of New York has agreed to pay $250,000 to a Christian adoption agency after trying to shut it down for its religious beliefs. The settlement ensures that New Hope Family Services can no longer be targeted for its faith-based policies of placing children solely with married, heterosexual couples. New Hope is a private religious ministry that doesn’t receive any government funding, their faith-guided services don’t coerce anyone, and do nothing to interfere with other adoption providers who have different beliefs about family and the best interests of children.

Campaigners say freedom of thought is being criminalised after MPs voted against an amendment to protect silent prayer and consensual conversations around abortion clinics. The amendment proposed to protect peaceful prayer and conversations was lost by 116 in favour to 299 against. Christian advocacy group ADF UK said that this is the first time that Parliament has voted to introduce in modern British history 'thought crime'. Nobody should be arrested, go to court and face these measures simply for holding a peaceful silent prayer in their own mind. The censorship zones around abortion clinics are intended to prevent the harassment of women using abortion services, but this new legislation removes ‘valid choices’ for those in crisis pregnancies and is ‘devastating’ for women and Christians.  MP Andrew Lewer said, ‘the clause leads us into the territory of thought crimes and creates unprecedented interference with the rights to freedom of speech and thought in the UK that would not be out of place in a dystopian novel’.

Neighbourhood Prayer Network is urging churches to apply for funding from the 'Know Your Neighbourhood Fund' of £30 million being allocated to 27 of the most disadvantaged local authorities. The government launched it with The National Lottery, Historic England and UK Community Foundations to increase the number of projects which help improve wellbeing and social connections. Recent research revealed that adults are more likely to report feeling lonely if they live in a deprived area and that areas with higher unemployment rates tend to have higher rates of loneliness. Loneliness can impact anyone at any time in any community, and the work of voluntary organisations to reduce isolation and loneliness has been in demand since the pandemic.

For three years no stable government has been established despite five elections. Currently a right-wing, religious government rules. But the opposition refuses to accept it. There are civil uprisings involving all sectors of society, even the military. Police usually crack down on right-wing and settler demonstrations. Now they are allowing protesters to shut down highways etc. Many say ‘Israel is being shaken to its very foundations’ and it’s getting worse daily. The conflict is a spiritual battle between secular and religious visions. Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion was never able to reconcile the opposing secular and religious sectors for Israel and finally gave up on the idea of formulating a foundational constitution or charter for Israel. He decided the state of Israel would be founded on the UN's general principles of human rights. Is Israel to be a state like all other nations, or does God have a different calling for Israel?

A research study found church growth requires active small groups, focused evangelism, and the integration of new believers. After the COVID-19 pandemic churches are finding it increasingly difficult to grow their small groups. The authority of scripture is foundational to churches’ discipleship strategies. 9 out of 10 U.S. pastors say scripture is the authority for their church and their lives. Even though pastors hold on to the authority of scripture, it is still increasingly difficult for them to move worship attendees into small groups where they’ll study Scripture. On average only 44% of churches current weekend worship attendees are involved in a small group, Sunday School, or a similar group that provides the relational glue that enables a local congregation to be a place where people love one another.

The new faith-based film Jesus Revolution opened last weekend and brought in $15.5 million - more than double the original estimate. The film tells the true story behind the Jesus Movement of the 1970s, including how Pastor Chuck Smith welcomed hippies looking for truth at his church. It gave birth to one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in American history and birthed the Harvest Christian Fellowship, in Riverside, California, which is now one of the largest churches in America. The church has sponsored its local SoCal Harvest event for three decades, making it one of the longest-running evangelistic events in the nation, attended by millions of people. Despite mixed critical reviews, the film has a remarkable 99% audience rating on the review aggregator and has earned a rare A+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences.

Preparations for King Charles III’s coronation are underway. A particularly symbolic ritual took place recently in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre when the Holy Oil that will be used to anoint the new monarch was consecrated by  Jerusalem’s Patriarch and the Anglican Archbishop. It was created using olives from the Mount of Olives and the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and perfumed with essential oils including sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, and orange blossom. The Holy Oil anointing is at the centre of the most sacred part of the Coronation ceremony when the Archbishop of Canterbury pours the oil into the Coronation Spoon and anoints the sovereign on the hands, breast and head. The tradition goes back to the Old Testament (the anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet). Anointing was one of mediaeval holy sacraments emphasising the spiritual status of the sovereign. The anointing ceremony is not expected to be shown on television, but under a canopy instead. 

Former DUP leader Arlene Foster has expressed ‘sadness’ that the Girl Guides organisation is to omit reference to God in campfire songs enjoyed by generations of girls. Girl Guides said the tradition of singing songs could have ‘references that have been hurtful to people’ and suggested groups could make changes ‘so everyone can join in’. The original version of Brownie Bells stated ‘Oh Lord, our God; Thy children call; Grant us thy peace; And bless us all; Goodnight.’ The altered version reads ‘Time for the end; our meeting’s past; Brownies is great; time flies so fast; Goodnight.’ A Christian Institute member said, ‘The Girl Guides and Scouts should remember that their founders, Robert Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes, were motivated by their faith. Erasing our traditions does not promote inclusion or diversity. Quite the opposite. I hope they reconsider this decision.’

Beginning at sundown on 22nd March over a billion Muslims around the world will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is their act of obedience and submission to God and an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Fasting is an act of faith and worship to  increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community (Ummah) affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before God. Throughout the day many go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Believing that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.

The death toll is tens of thousands. The devastation and trauma is palpable, after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook Turkey. Over several years, many foreign Christians have been expelled from Turkey. Most of those remaining are local Turkish believers, 0.5% of the population. Amid the suffering, Turkish Christians are helping one another and embracing Muslim neighbours with aid. In areas where rescue teams were slow to arrive, believers rushed in from other parts of Turkey to help. Their presence is opening doors to offer Gospel comfort. We pray for the grieving. We pray for the spiritually lost. Lord Jesus, break down deep-seated prejudices against Christianity. Move through your remnant church.