Israeli professionals are finding Jesus
09 Apr 2015
For 2,000 years it would have been shocking to claim that Jews can believe in Jesus! It is today no longer so uncommon to find Jewish people who believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised Messiah of Israel, and within a Jewish context. Still, these people are often disregarded by mainstream Judaism as confused or disillusioned. The Israeli Messianic online ministry ‘One For Israel’ has set out to demonstrate that Jewish people of the highest standing, and most certainly in their right minds, are indeed coming to a realisation that Yeshua is Messiah. On their facebook page One For Israel stated, ‘We are proud to announce our new project I MET MESSIAH. Dynamic video testimonies of Jewish professionals who met their Messiah!’ Over a period of ten weeks, the team, in partnership with Chosen People Ministries, interviewed 35 Jewish professionals who are today believers in Yeshua. Their video testimonies are online at::- imetmessiah.com.
‘Just moments ago, I left the field after the final meeting of the Gospel Campaign here in Douala, Cameroon. 370,000 people attended the four days of meetings, and many thousands responded to the Gospel. After I preached the Gospel and prayed for the sick, we heard wonderful testimonies. For example, a woman suffering from an issue of blood was healed. The lump in a woman’s breast vanished, and all pain left. A woman with multiple painful fibroids was healed and many more. After taking testimonies, I pronounced blessing after blessing upon the nation, the city, the economy, the churches and the people gathered. They received it with joy and great faith. We depart now with a confidence that something historic has taken place this week. Douala will never be the same again in Jesus name!’ Evangelist Daniel Kolenda, together with Reinhard Bonnke, Peter van den Berg and the whole Christ for all Nations team.
An anonymous donor has given £1.5 million in an ‘ordinary-looking envelope’ to Bath Abbey to help with its £18 million restoration scheme. The donation is the largest the Abbey has ever received from a private individual. The donor explained that the main reason behind the gift was that he was: ‘much impressed by the care and the consultation which has been put in by the Abbey, which is such a vital part of Bath's future.’ He continues by saying that: ‘This generation has a solemn duty to ensure the Abbey is fit and able to carry out its service to the city and the community for the next hundred years.’ The money will go to the Abbey's £19.3 million Footprint project, aimed at stabilising the building's collapsing floor and introducing an under-floor heating system using Bath's famous hot springs as an energy source. It will also improve the Abbey's visitor facilities.
France foils jihadist attack on Paris Church
23 Apr 2015
Top security officials in France say they've arrested an Islamic jihadist in Paris who was planning an attack on at least one church. In a press conference on Wednesday, the country's interior minister says the suspect - whose name has not been released yet - is a 24-year-old Algerian computer science student. He was arrested on Sunday after he shot himself by accident and called for an ambulance. That is when police found an arsenal of weapons and notes about potential targets in his car. Documents proved without any ambiguity that the individual was preparing an imminent attack against one or two churches. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manuel Valls reminded French citizens that the country was facing an unprecedented terrorist threat, saying ‘Terrorists are targeting France to divide us and our response must be to protect citizens and rally together as we face terrorism’. See also article 1 in the Europe section.
Victory in Lowestoft sex shop case
16 Apr 2015
Councillors in Lowestoft have rejected a licensing application for the opening of a Sex Entertainment Venue in the town centre. The case was supported by the Christian Legal Centre. This was the third licensing application for a Sex Entertainment Venue to be heard by Lowestoft councillors in a period of just 12 months. In February 2014, local residents expressed concern after a licence was granted for the opening of a sex club in the town, despite strong opposition from members of the Lowestoft community. After several months, it transpired that the proposed venue would no longer go ahead. However, in autumn 2014, a second application was made for the opening of a lap dancing club in the town centre, which was also rejected after residents, businesses and churches objected and three petitions were submitted. A third application was then made, this time for a sex shop in the town. But earlier this year, councillors rejected it after the Christian Legal Centre again supported local residents in opposing the plans.
Some startling facts are causing quite a stir among the Muslim population in Indonesia, amid all the news about Islam's gains around the world. In Indonesia - the most populous Muslim nation - 2 million Muslims are converting to Christianity per year. That's one new convert every 15 seconds. At this rate, Indonesia will be mostly Christian by 2035. Some Muslims are so alarmed they've created a video on YouTube to alert other Muslims to this menace and are trying to raise $2 million to start a TV station aimed at Muslim youth to keep them in Islam. Read the full story via the ‘More’ link.
Slovakia: Anti-Immigration attitude
01 Jul 2015
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Bratislava to express their anger. Police cars were vandalised . People held banners that read, Slovakia is not Africa, and one Arabic family, including a mother and baby in a pushchair, was pelted with stones. These protests come as the discussion on the influx of immigrants to Europe from war or poverty inflicted parts of North Africa is coming to a head. The European Commission proposed a solution which would see at least 40,000 immigrants resettled throughout the EU with certain quotas for each Member State. Slovakia would receive a quota of 700 immigrants. There is tension and disunity in the Member States on this issue. Many countries in the West such as Germany, France and the UK are feeling the impact of immigration. The EU has proposed that all Member States come together to solve this problem and take the weight off the most affected countries, but attitudes are much more defensive among the newer states.
Serbia: Political lessons we learn from Serbia
01 Jul 2015
Serbia - a war-torn country of 7.2 million people racked by broken economy and soaring unemployment and inflation. Just last year, the World Bank ranked the former Yugoslav territory 91st among countries surveyed on its annual report of ‘Doing Business’ assessment. That was the state of affairs inherited by the Generation X politician who became Serbia's newest prime minister. Yet in less than 14 months' he has made tough choices, reversed a record deficit of 7 percent GDP of the economy to near-break-even, and achieved economic growth. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, 45, took office in April 2014. Despite flooding that affected the country after his inauguration, he quickly worked with the parliament to institute economic reforms, including cutting pensions and public-employee wages and raising taxes. He pushed through laws allowing a flexible workplace and focused on attracting foreign investment. His actions quickly paid off and the results have been stellar. The country's GDP is forecast to grow next year. Serbia is currently in negotiations to join the European Union.