New Ager-Turned-Christian Steven Bancarz Exposes Connection Between Psychedelic Drugs and Witchcraft

A former New Ager who became a born again believer in Jesus is explaining the link between the use of psychoactive substances and the occult.

In a video released on his YouTube channel Sunday, Steven Bancarz, who shared his remarkable testimony with The Christian Post last year, unpacked the spiritual darkness tied to the use of psychedelic drugs.

"Psychedelic drugs are a class of substances that interact with the seratonin receptors in the brain, causing an alternation in perception and sometimes resulting in visionary or hallucinatory experiences," he explained, the most common of which are LSD, DMT, mescaline, and Psilocybin mushrooms.

Pentecostal Preacher's Daughter Sues Restaurant for Rescinding Job Offer Because She Asked to Wear Skirt

A Pentecostal preacher's daughter has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi restaurant chain Georgia Blue for rescinding a job offer after she asked to wear a skirt instead of jeans due to her religion.

As a part of their modesty guidelines, some Pentecostal denominations, like the United Pentecostal Church, advise women not to wear pants. And Kaetoya Watkins, a Christian minister whose parents Sam and Carla Watkins lead the Archangel Healing Temple Church in Natchez, Mississippi, follows that modesty tradition.

Trip Lee: Stop Idolizing 'Cool Christianity' Over Reverence

Rapper-turned-pastor Trip Lee has a problem with today's focus on being a "cool" Christian. As Lee points out, "If we've been called to be aliens and strangers in the world, cool cannot be our ultimate gauge." He explains a more biblical approach in this short teaching.

Free lunches and Fresher's Week: How UK Christian Unions are stepping out to share Jesus

October is nearly upon us, and while some hearts might be downcast as the reality of autumn-soon-to-be-winter sets in, for one demographic the air is fraught with optimistic possibility.

It's 'Fresher's Week' for those embarking upon university for the first time: beginning their adult lives and heading on a new voyage of education, self-discovery or perhaps not doing much at all. Whatever university may have in store, in Britain there's often one constant – the Christian Union (CU). Fresher's Week offers a slew of opportunities, one of them being a chance to hear – for many, for the first time – what Christianity is all about.

Trump administration drops refugee cap to 45,000

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday it plans to resettle a maximum of 45,000 refugees in 2018, fewer than in 2017 and far fewer than the U.S. accepted in 2016.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had proposed earlier this month that 75,000 refugees – which was still a reduction of over 25 percent from the previous administration – be the goal for refugee admission next year.

“We implore the administration to show mercy and compassion for those seeking refuge, and to advance the American value of freedom through providing safe harbor to those fleeing tyranny and religious persecution,” the bishops’ executive committee stated Sept. 12.

Following reports that the administration was planning to reduce the refugee intake even more in the 2018 fiscal year, the State Department confirmed the number would be smaller on Wednesday.

Iran defies Trump and tests new ballistic missile

Iran has successfully tested a new ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) which it displayed at a military parade on Friday, state media reported on Saturday.

The test-firing of the Khorramshahr missile, which Iran said could carry several warheads, is likely to raise concerns in Washington.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attacked Trump's speech at the UN last week.

State broadcaster IRIB carried footage of the missile test without giving its time and location, including video from an on-board camera which it said showed the detachment of the cone that carries multiple warheads.

Why the future face of Christianity is African

African Christianity is set to become the face of the faith around the world. By 2050, 40 per cent of the world's Christians will be African, the African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI Forum) was told.

The Forum in Cameroon heard a clear call for Africa to strengthen its moral fabric. ABLI was also given a warning: 'Do not dilute Christ-centred, biblical Christianity.

Man who raped stepdaughter sought abortion ‘to hide what he had done’

A 34-year-old man raped his 15-year-old stepdaughter repeatedly for a year and sought to hide his crime by taking her to Planned Parenthood for an abortion.

The plan backfired, however, when the nation’s largest and most lucrative abortion conglomerate said it needed a biological parent or guardian to sign off on the minor’s abortion to comply with Utah law.

Nurse Fired for Calling Newborns 'Mini Satans'

Hospital administrators fired a nurse for calling newborns "mini Satans" and making rude gestures to the babies in the photos.

Jeanne Casey, spokeswoman for the Naval Hospital Jacksonville, said the incident is "outrageous, incredibly unprofessional, and cannot be tolerated," according to the Orlando Sentinel.
 
The Navy nurse posted the photo to SnapChat. She captioned the photo "How I currently feel about these mini Satans."

The nurse also posted videos of her dancing with the newborns.

Nigerian pastor to be hanged after setting church members alight

A Nigerian pastor is on death row after dousing several church members in petrol and setting them ablaze.

One congregant died as a result and Emeka Ezeuko, known as Reverend King by his followers, was sentenced on Thursday to death by hanging.

He denied all six charges against him, saying his victims were burnt by an electrical generator exploding, according to local media reports. The case has developed into a large-scale scandal in Nigeria with allegations of sexual abuse made against Ezeuko who made followers call him God or Jesus 'all the time'.

We need more politicians who are brave, Catholics in UK say

It’s a tough time for Catholics in public life, and not just in the United States.

Last week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) grilled Catholic lawyer Amy Coney Barrett on her religious views during a hearing for her nomination as a federal circuit court judge, in a line of questioning that “smacks of the worst sort of anti-Catholic bigotry,” theologian Dr. Chad Pecknold told CNA Sept. 6.

Across the pond, a Catholic member of Parliament in the U.K. faced his own round of hostile questions, during an interview on the morning show Good Morning Britain.

How to Win Your Battle Against the Spirit of Inadequacy

Pope Francis' threat to Donald Trump: 'History will judge your decisions'

Pope Francis issued thinly veiled threats to Donald Trump on Monday afternoon as an ongoing feud between the pair continued.

Asked about the president's plans to rescind DACA, Francis said those who support the separation of families through immigration laws are not 'pro-life'.

Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane returning from a five-day trip to Colombia, he said he hoped Trump 'rethinks' the decision to scrap the plan that allowed immigrants bought into the US as children to remain.

Christian Musician Fearlessly Calls Out Idols—Including Some in Your Church

Are lights, sound systems and pews just idols that stand in the way of authentic worship? Jimmy Needham's "Clear the Stage" issues a prophetic challenge to the church: "Jerk the pews and all the decorations too/ Until the congregation's few; then have revival."

'The mirror deceives!' Pope Francis implores youth to fight the 'illness' of narcissism

Pope Francis yesterday implored a youthful audience to turn away from the 'illness' of narcissism that produces only sadness. He encouraged young people to laugh at themselves and look outward to the needs of others.

'This culture that we live in, which is very selfish, (always) looking at yourself, has a very strong dose of narcissism, (of) contemplating oneself and ignoring others,' the Pope said yesterday according to Catholic News Agency.

Francis called out 'the sickness of the mirror,' which sees many drawn into a prolonged self-reflection that 'produces sadness, because you live worried about 'dressing up' your soul everyday to appear better than you are, contemplating to see if you are more beautiful than others.'

'Satanic' fake rosaries are bringing evil spirits into Catholic homes, says exorcist

An exorcist in the Philippines has warned against the circulation of fake 'Satanic' rosaries and crucifixes he said were designed to 'deceive Catholics...so that evil spirits will haunt them'.

Speaking on the Diocese of Novaliches' Radio Veritas programme 'Hello Father 911', Fr Ambrosio Nonato Legaspi, chief exorcist of the diocese's 'Libera Nox' department, warned listeners to 'be careful as the rosaries you might be using could actually be infested or cursed'.

According to the Philippines Catholic website CBCP News, Legaspi said the rosaries has been 'prayed over' by a group called the Illuminati and consecrated to evil, so anyone who uses them will be followed by evil spirits.

Mike Bickle Fires Back at Critics Who Call the International House of Prayer a Cult

After getting the question "Is the International House of Prayer a cult?", Mike Bickle has something to say. Watch his eloquent response here.

Francis Chan: How to Make Yourself Immune to the Mark of the Beast

Someday the whole world will face a decision: to take the mark of the beast or not. But nobody is going to make you take the mark; your heart's already made that decision way before that. Will you take the path of least resistance? Francis Chan breaks down Revelation's trickiest prophecy in this hard-hitting teaching.

Discarded Banana Peel Causes Racial Hysteria at Ole Miss

There is a raging controversy within the University of Mississippi's Greek Life community regarding race relations and bananas.

A Greek Life leader accidentally sparked mass hysteria after he placed a banana peel on a tree in the woods—because he could not find a trash can.

The Daily Mississippian reports that three black students found the banana peel.

"To be clear, many members of our community were hurt, frightened and upset," the interim director of fraternity and sorority life wrote in a letter obtained by the newspaper.

The president of one sorority told the newspaper that "bananas have historically been used to demean black people."

Vatican adviser slams Evangelical statement affirming marriage as one man, one woman

A high-profile Vatican adviser responded to a recent Evangelical statement affirming marriage between “one man and one woman” with his own statement affirming "LGBT people."

Rev. James Martin, a Catholic priest, author, and adviser to the Vatican on communications, tweeted a seven-point list of pro-homosexual affirmations in response to the Evangelical’s “Nashville Statement” that defended marriage between a man and woman.

Martin’s series of tweets were picked up by The Washington Post and published as a “counter-list” in an August 30 article titled “Seven simple ways to respond to the Nashville Statement on sexuality.”

In his list affirming “LGBT people,” Martin makes no distinction between “sin” and “sinner,” suggesting that same-sex attracted people, no matter what they do with their sexuality, are immune from God’s judgment and the judgments of others.