Displaying items by tag: Praise

Tyler Blevins, known as 'Ninja’, is one of the world’s most influential video-game streamers, with millions of followers across Twitch and YouTube. Recently, he made a bold faith statement during a livestream, declaring, 'Jesus is King’. This isn’t the first time Blevins has spoken about his beliefs. In 2019, he shared how doctors pressured his mother to abort him due to health concerns, but she refused, choosing life for him and his brothers. He calls her a 'saint' for that decision. During his recent faith discussion, Ninja encouraged respectful conversations about religion, urging people to listen rather than argue. He emphasised that faith should stem from a personal relationship with God, not fear. Blevins also highlighted the power of prayer, sharing how daily prayer has positively transformed his life. His core message is simple: love and respect everyone, regardless of their beliefs.

Larry Sanger, co-founder of Wikipedia, has publicly declared his Christian faith after decades of scepticism. In a blog post, he shared his testimony, revealing his journey from doubt to embracing the truth of the Gospel. Sanger’s scepticism began in childhood, leading him to question all religions. Though he engaged in internal dialogues with a 'supremely wise being’, he never considered it true prayer. However, marriage and fatherhood challenged his worldview, making him reconsider self-interest and secular ideologies. His disillusionment with aggressive atheism prompted deeper reflection. In 2020, he began reading the Bible extensively, gradually realising its reliability. Though there wasn’t a single conversion moment, he eventually prayed a sinner’s prayer, acknowledging God’s truth. He now affirms that Scripture withstands scrutiny, contrary to his earlier assumptions. His transformation has softened him, bringing significant change to his life. His testimony stands as a powerful reminder that truth, when sought with an open heart, leads to Christ.

Samuel Brownback, co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit, shared the testimony of a man in Nepal who encountered Jesus after a tragic accident. The man, a Hindu at the time, survived a devastating car crash that claimed his friend’s life. As he sought help, he said Jesus appeared to him, saying, 'I saved you, now you follow me’. This moment changed his life, leading him to become a devoted follower of Christ, boldly sharing his testimony in Nepal. Brownback highlighted similar life-changing encounters around the world and also recounted the painful reality of persecution, including a Ukrainian evangelical pastor who was murdered in front of his two sons. He believes that God is moving powerfully in troubled times.

Christians worldwide are invited to join the annual 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, interceding for revival during Ramadan. Prayer guides for adults and children focus on key Muslim-majority cities and are available online in 33 languages. Participants can also receive daily email prayer prompts. The initiative culminates in One Miracle Night on 27 March - a 24-hour global prayer event focused on 30 unreached megacities, calling for personal revival, revival in the local church, and revival across the Muslim world. Believers are encouraged to sign up, pray, and share this opportunity with their churches and networks, trusting that God will move in response to His people’s prayers.  

Dr Pamela Prince Pyle, an internal medicine physician and chair of Africa New Life Ministries, has witnessed many patients experiencing visions of Jesus and heaven in their final moments. Some, after days of unconsciousness, have suddenly called out 'Jesus!' before passing. Inspired by these encounters, she wrote Anticipating Heaven, a book combining spiritual and practical wisdom on preparing for death. Pyle emphasises that while miraculous healings don’t always happen, the greatest miracle is salvation. She urges families to continue speaking faith and truth to their loved ones, even if unconscious, as Jesus can still reach them. She contrasts two end-of-life experiences: terminal restlessness, marked by fear and darkness, and near-death awareness, where patients describe peaceful transitions, seeing loved ones, or preparing to 'go'. She also warns against euthanasia, preferring a God-ordained process of dying in faith, which can be a powerful testimony. Her book equips individuals and churches to approach death with hope, anticipation, and the assurance of heaven.

Author and speaker Jennie Allen is witnessing an extraordinary movement of God among college students across the USA. Through the UniteUs ministry, thousands are gathering for worship, repentance, and baptisms at different universities. Allen describes the revival-like atmosphere, where students confess sins, commit to Christ, and get baptised - often until the early morning. One young man, previously lost, told his friend, 'I need to go a new way’ after experiencing conviction and transformation. His friend, who had been praying for him, saw his prayers answered. These events are entirely student-led, with teams praying, fundraising, and organising the gatherings. At the University of Kentucky, students completed a 42-mile prayer walk around campus before the event, believing for revival. Allen, preparing for her own event Gather25, sees this movement as undeniably God-ordained: a miracle unfolding on campuses globally. She is in awe of what God is doing and urges believers to pray for continued awakening among students. See also

Kristie Higgs, a Christian school counselling assistant, has won a landmark UK Court of Appeal case after being fired in 2019 for expressing concerns on Facebook about LGBTQ+ materials being taught in her son’s CofE primary school. The court ruled her dismissal was unlawful discrimination based on religion and belief. Higgs had posted about the 'No Outsiders' programme, which included books promoting gender ideology. An anonymous parent complained, leading to her dismissal for 'gross misconduct'. The school argued she was fired for her language, not her beliefs, but judges ruled the termination was disproportionate. The ruling strengthens freedom of speech and religious expression in employment law, shifting the burden onto employers to justify such dismissals. Higgs, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, called the decision a victory for free speech and for Christians facing workplace discrimination. She hopes it will protect others from losing their jobs over their beliefs.

A new Times survey reveals that Generation Z is more pro-marriage and less engaged in casual sex than millennials. Only 23% of Gen Z respondents said their friends commonly had one-night stands, a steep drop from 78% of millennials twenty years ago. Additionally, fewer young people are engaging in unprotected sex outside long-term relationships, and internet pornography use appears to have declined. While some Gen Z individuals still question the need for legal marriage, others see it as a more serious commitment than past generations. Financial constraints remain a barrier, with lower-income individuals less likely to marry because the benefits system disincentivises marriage. Some argue that difficulties with dating apps and changing cultural values have made young people more likely to stay in long-term relationships rather than constantly seeking new partners. This shift could indicate a revival of traditional relationship values.

Egyptian authorities have released Christian convert Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, who spent three years in prison for discussing Christianity online. Abdo, a husband and father of five, fled Yemen after facing death threats for leaving Islam and sought asylum in Egypt. Arrested in 2021, he was detained for participating in a private online group about Christianity. His imprisonment involved multiple transfers, poor health, and a hunger strike in protest at his conditions. Abdo expressed gratitude for those who prayed and advocated for him, stating,'It isn’t right that a government should tear me away from my family for my faith’. Although released, his legal case remains unresolved. His son, Husam Baqi, condemned religious persecution, emphasising that freedom of belief should be a basic right. ADF International has submitted his case to the UN, calling his imprisonment a severe human rights violation. Stanford fellow Ayaan Hirsi Ali called his treatment 'grotesque’.

In Thailand, where less than one percent of the population is evangelical Christian, social media are proving to be a powerful tool for evangelism. Stephen Cox, part of an IMB team in Chiang Mai, has been using digital engagement to share testimonies of first-generation Thai believers who once sought fulfillment in Buddhism but found true peace in Christ. Recognising the shift from traditional evangelism to digital platforms, his team launched social media ads asking,'How can we pray for you? ' After national tragedies, including flooding in Chiang Mai and a tragic school bus fire in Bangkok, they created an ad addressing the world’s brokenness, linking to a gospel message and disaster relief resources. The results have been remarkable: the campaign has reached over 980,000 people, with 70,000 watching testimonies in full and over 500 reaching out to learn more. Churches in the USA funded the ads, while Thai believers followed up with those interested. Cox and his team continue to pray for many more to come to Christ through digital outreach.