How to get young 'Christmas Christians' to engage yearlong

The problem of the “Christmas Christian” is one that’s troubled church leaders for decades. As a former youth pastor, I looked forward to seeing new faces in my youth group around the holiday season. However, once Christmas passed, those “Christmas Christians” disappeared.  Ninety percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, but it doesn’t translate into greater engagement with their faith the rest of the year. This is especially true for students, who are increasingly distancing themselves from their faith.

The problem of inconsistent church attendance is symptomatic of a greater issue – that young Americans simply don’t feel connected to their faith.

Trump Administration Investigating Ban on Christmas Decorations

Trump Administration officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have opened an investigation into MACO Management Company's ban of Christmas lights and yard displays at a 55 and older housing development in Missouri.

Liberty Counsel recently sent a demand letter to the MACO Management Company on behalf of residents at Grandview Estates, a HUD-subsidized residential complex. MACO Management prohibited residents from decorating their duplexes with outside Christmas decorations, including lights and yard decorations. Nothing in the lease agreement or regulations supported such a ban and residents have previously displayed Christmas lights and yard decorations for many years.

Excellence with Integrity: Four Reasons Why How You Do Your Job Matters

Throughout Scripture, it’s clear that how you do your job matters; the Bible has a lot to say about the importance of work and how Christians should conduct ourselves while performing in the workplace.

Colossians 3:23 reads, “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,” and Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Megachurch pastor steps away from pulpit because he feels far from God, tired in soul

The Rev. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, surprised his congregation earlier this month with an announcement that he is stepping away from his ministry for a season because he feels far from God, tired in his soul and needed to recuperate mentally and physically.

“From January 1 (2020) to April 1. I am walking away from every responsibility I have as pastor,” Wesley announced in his sermon on Dec. 1.

“You can’t pour out of an empty cup. It is very dangerous for your pastor to be on empty,” he told congregants.  “I need to take care of me.”

Louie Giglio's new children's devotional hopes to bridge the divide between God and science

Louie Giglio addresses the crowd at Passion 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia, from Jan. 1-4, 2013.

Passion City Church Pastor Louie Giglio's new installment of his bestselling children's devotional, How Great Is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science, encourages the next generation while bridging the divide between faith and science.
 
After reaching hundreds of thousands of children with the first set of devotions in 2017's Indescribable, Giglio now penned 100 additional devotions about God and science that will expand the curiosity of children with How Great Is Our God. The book includes scientific facts, photography, illustrations, and activities that cover topics such as, space and time, the human body, animals and more.

"I think that one of the best-hidden beauties of this little devotional is it really does tear down the divide, if you will, in some ways that people try to build up between God and science,” Giglio told a local media in a recent interview.

How to Know God Has Called You to Be a Seer Prophet

Are you a seer prophet? While all believers have the ability to see in the spirit, not all are seer prophets.

How would you know the difference? Jennifer continues in her Seer Dimensions series with more ways to discern the call to seership.

Practical Ways to Cleanse a Room of Demonic Activity

When you enter a hotel room, you can cleanse it from demonic activity.

I think we all enjoy our anointed homes that we have prayed over and where we have Christian music playing. I don't know about you, but I have cultivated an atmosphere of praise in my home. It is peaceful.

I enjoy being there in the presence of the Lord. In fact, sometimes it makes it difficult to leave my home to go out in the world.

However, as I travel for the kingdom of God, and as some of you travel for your work, ministry, vacation or holidays, how do we continue to protect the natural environment we have to live in and guard our souls when we are away from home?

Why Social Justice Should Be a Crucial Part of Your Evangelism Strategy

During his message at The Gospel Coalition's 2019 National Conference, Pastor Tim Keller argued that justice—advocating for racial minorities, the poor and the needy—needs to be an important part of the Christian lifestyle. He says the primary mission of the church is to call people to repentance and share the gospel message, but that if we do not show our love by our deeds, the outside world will not heed the message we preach.

"When the world sees Christians only evangelizing and not caring about society, not doing the Good Samaritan thing—when the world sees Christians only evangelizing, you know what they see?" Keller says. "They actually see people who just care about increasing their tribe, increasing their market share, increasing their power. Now that's not true, but from the outside, they don't have the Holy Spirit. What else are they going to think when they see you do evangelism and the church grows and grows and grows? They're going to say, 'They're just like every other business in the world, every other power block in the world, trying to get a bigger part of the market.' But when they see us evangelizing and pouring ourselves out for the poor and the needy, and caring about racial justice—when they see us doing both, as Christians, then I think, frankly, the preaching of the gospel makes a lot more sense to them."

To hear his full remarks on the subject, watch the embedded video above.

How a False Prophet Can Still Give an Accurate Prophecy

Did you know a false prophet can actually give a correct prophecy? However, we still must not follow that prophet if the source of their power is demonic, says Pastor Joshua Reyes.

"False prophets and false prophecies are not the same thing," Reyes says. "A false prophet will either prophesy out of an evil and prideful heart or out of deception. The prophecy itself may be correct, but the spirit behind it is unclean, making the prophecy false because the source is tainted. Always consider the source of the prophetic word.

Did You Know Demons Strategically Monitor You?

You know the Christmas song that goes, "He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake"? Well, prophetic minister Kathy DeGraw says you need to be aware that demons are strategically watching you so they can tempt you.

"When we look at monitoring spirits, they are gathering what we say, what we do, how we act, how we behave, and they're reporting back to the demonic commanders," DeGraw says. "Demons are organized, disciplined and committed. I want you to think about them kind of as a military force."

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke Dies Saturday at 79

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, a German Pentecostal known for his mission work throughout Africa since 1967, died Dec. 7, according to a Facebook post. Bonnke founded the ministry Christ for All Nations, which has recorded "more than 77 million documented decisions for Jesus."

Bonnke reportedly passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, and the family asks, "in lieu of flowers, to please make a donation to Christ for all Nations – Africa Crusade."

Pope Francis’ letter on nativity scenes shares the story behind a beloved Christmas tradition

Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter Dec. 1 on the meaning and importance of nativity scenes, calling for this “wonderful sign” to be more widely displayed in family homes and public places throughout the world.

“The enchanting image of the Christmas crèche, so dear to the Christian people, never ceases to arouse amazement and wonder. The depiction of Jesus’ birth is itself a simple and joyful proclamation of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God,” Pope Francis wrote in Admirabile signum, meaning “A wonderful sign” in Latin.

Why This Businessman Upended His Life and Started a Christian TV Station

A Tampa-based businessman gave up his nice life in order to start a television studio for the glory of God.

In a video interview, Howard Conder, founder of Revelation TV in the UK, says God called him out of a comfortable life to follow him into the television industry.

"I was working in America having set up a music studio in Tampa, Florida in the 1980s," Conder says. "My children were in school, my family settled, and outwardly everything looked great. But in my heart, God was doing something. You know the way God works. Doors open, and other doors close. And suddenly you find yourself doing things you never expected. ... I saw the power of God and I saw the power of television and the good it could do, and I knew I could never go back to being a businessman ever again. God had began a work in me, and when He called, there was no way I was going to refuse Him."

Watch the full video bellow

4 Crucial Steps to Being an Emotionally Healthy Christian

We had received so many prophetic words in the years leading up to Bethel Music, words that should have prepared me for the growing pains of being a young leader in a powerful environment. But I didn't realize that when you're creating some­thing new, there's going to be some resistance, and people aren't always going to catch the vision of going to places we've never been.

I thought things were supposed to happen a certain way, and when they didn't, I became im­patient. I didn't let those prophetic words give me the patience I needed. We were devoting more time to the label, balancing our responsibili­ties at Bethel Church with requests to travel and lead worship, and preparing for our annual worship school.

We needed a break from the weight of it all.

Jenn and I decided to go have dinner with friends at a cabin up in the moun­tains. We were between Redding and the mountains when the text messages started flooding in. Some of the key artists and musicians from our team who were scheduled to help with the worship school had been booked by other church ministries.

All of a sudden, there I was in the same conversation I'd had so many times before. The frustration set in, and immediately I was livid.

Dinners, deliveries and drives: how some Catholics serve up Thanksgiving for the poor

As many gather for Thanksgiving each year around tables filled with food and family, the National Council of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul sets out to make sure that the poor and homeless will also experience a holiday filled with community.

“Society members work with people in poverty and the homeless 365 days a year. Our parish-based Conferences operate food pantries, dining facilities, and shelters year-round to help people in need with food and shelter,” said Dave Barringer, the National CEO of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Is the Magic in 'Frozen II' Safe for Your Children?

With Frozen II likely to take over the box office this weekend, families across the U.S. may be wondering whether Disney's animated sequel is safe for their kids. After all, both the original movie and the sequel heavily feature and discuss magic. Despite this, Movieguide®'s Dr. Ted Baehr believes this film is appropriate for any children "4 and up."

In a video review of Frozen II, Baehr explains, "This is really an acceptable movie. The way you deal with the enchanted forest and some of the magic—now the magical thinking gets superseded by the end of the movie by the Christian redemptive content. The good triumphs over all the bad. But you may want to talk to your children first."

Faith May Be the Exact Key to Living Longer, Research Shows

If you are in Los Angeles and hop on the 10 Freeway heading east for about 69 miles, you will eventually come to a town of 23,000 people, called Loma Linda—Spanish for Beautiful Hill. If you get off at Anderson Street, you will immediately notice two things. One, the sprawling university medical center with the same name as the town. Their mission: "continuing the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ." The other is the prevailing presence of the Seventh Day Adventists. It is the largest community of those practicing this Protestant-based religion in the country; about 7,000 attend the university's campus church.

Candidly, despite its pretty Spanish name, unless you need to get gas, you will likely keep heading down the road. At first glance, there is nothing particularly remarkable about Loma Linda, California. However, if you know anything about the area, you will know that this is the only place, within our U.S. borders, where people live, on average, about a decade longer than the rest of us, many hitting 100 years of age.

How to memorize Scripture

I had the privilege of living in the Holy Land for four years where I earned two master’s degrees at Jerusalem University College. During my stay I was able to do some really amazing things like meeting my wife Sarah, walking around the Sea of Galilee, living with the tent dwelling seminomadic Bedouins in the desert, and being part of evangelism teams throughout all of Israel. But the most impactful experience I took away was being able to rub shoulders with Jews and Christians who are really serious about memorizing Scripture and gleaning from them the three main techniques of how they and those who went before them went about memorizing.

Memorizing is hard, especially for us in the west who live in a copy, paste, Facebook, Tweet, file and forget world. It might be hard for you to conceive of 8-year-old children that had all 150 Psalms memorized! But memorizing the Word of God is so important to our spiritual life and it is achievable with discipline, prayer, and hard work.

Are children a curse or a gift?

A recent open letter from the Alliance of World Scientists began this way: “We declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world…that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency.”

The letter is filled with urgent language and what the authors consider irrefutable proof that human beings are destroying the planet.

And, they offer their prescription. In addition to emissions reductions, renewable energy, and carbon taxes, the authors think it’s time to say “no” to children.

Alasdair MacIntyre: True friendships are rare, but possible

For Aristotle, the definition of perfect friendship was so narrow that precious few could achieve it.

In order to have a perfect friendship between two people, Aristotle said that both must be models of goodness and virtue, willing the good of the other and loving each other for their own sake.

He also thought these levels of virtue and goodness could only be achieved by a narrow slice of the population: namely, the Greek male elite. Women, non-Greeks, productive workers, and slaves were, in Aristotle’s mind, unable to achieve the levels of virtue and goodness necessary for such friendships.

'Wake-up call': Anglican Church of Canada may cease to exist by 2040, says report

The Anglican Church of Canada will run out of members by the year 2040 if its current rate of decline continues, according to a recently released report.

The Rev. Canon Neil Elliot gave a presentation last Saturday at the ACC Council of General Synod on the statistics for the members of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

This white supremacist renounced his ideology after someone showed kindness

One of the most fascinating outcomes of the recent controversy surrounding Ellen DeGeneres and President George W. Bush (you can read our take ​here​) is a discussion about the “limits” of kindness. ​In an ​article​ for Vanity Fair, cultural critic Laura Bradley argues that there are instances where “unconditional kindness” may not be appropriate, especially when “one person has historically believed other people should not have the same basic rights as another.” Actor Mark Ruffalo put it this way, tweeting: “Sorry, until George W. Bush is brought to justice for the crimes of the Iraq War, (including American-lead torture, Iraqi deaths & displacement and the deep scars—emotional & otherwise—inflicted on our military that served his folly), we can’t even begin to talk about kindness.”

One big question, then, simmering beneath all of this, is this: should kindness have limits?

Cardinal O’Malley to US bishops: Ask for grace at St. Peter’s tomb

In St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday, Cardinal Sean O’Malley asked American bishops to pray for the grace to make a profession of faith, hope, and love at the tomb of St. Peter before meeting with Pope Francis.

Cardinal O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, and the other bishops from New England are in Rome for an ad limina apostolorum visit — a pilgrimage to “the threshold of the apostles” — in which they are meeting the pope and curial officials to discuss the state of their dioceses.

In his homily in the crypt of the basilica, O’Malley touched upon some of the problems currently affecting American Catholics.

Leaving Christianity: Christian leaders offer some antidotes but it's not that simple

Growing up, Essie Horn wasn’t much different than many young girls raised in an evangelical Christian home.

She attended church, sometimes Presbyterian, other times nondenominational, with her family, in addition to receiving her K-12 education at a small Christian school. Her college education took place at a small, private Christian college located in the hills of Tennessee, where she felt her faith “really grew” after she grasped her “own depravity and grace.”

“I considered myself a Christian my whole life,” she recalled.

But as Essie entered adulthood, something shifted.

How to Pray Huge Prayers—And See Dramatic Results

For years, even as a pastor, Brian Phipps found it difficult to pray for big things in his life. He wanted to influence the kingdom in a big way, but didn't know how to pray it into existence.

What he discovered was that he needed simply to follow the message of obedience in Luke 16:10 of "he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much."

In UN address, Holy See voices support for ceasefire in Yemen

A nationwide ceasefire is essential to ease the suffering of the people of Yemen, which has been in a civil war since at least 2014, said the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. on Tuesday.

“Children are starving; access to clean water is scarce; the economy continues to struggle severely; those who cannot flee the front lines of war remain cut off from basic supplies and humanitarian workers are impeded to operate in some areas,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, describing the situation in Yemen.

Priest in N Ireland urges pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion

A priest in Northern Ireland has exhorted pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion, and Catholic voters not to vote for pro-choice candidates or parties, after legislation expanding abortion access in the region took effect this week.

“To be publicly pro choice-abortion is irreconcilable with being a faithful Catholic. Therefore, such persons should not approach the Holy Eucharist. If they do so, they are committing the mortal sin of sacrilege,” Fr. Patrick McCafferty, parish priest at Corpus Christi in Belfast, said in an Oct. 21 Facebook post.

'Belief in Genesis ... incompatible with human dignity,' British tribunal claims

In the novel “Bleak House,” Charles Dickens introduces us to Harold Skimpole, a man who seems charming and reasonable but is quickly revealed to be a mooch and a parasite. Skimpole lives comfortably off of his friends. Even worse, he believes he’s entitled to the standard of living his friends provide, giving no thought at all to what it took to make his life comfortable in the first place.

Western culture is Skimpole-like. In other words, we take ideas such as freedom and human dignity for granted, without ever stopping to think about where those ideas came from in the first place.

Just ask Dr. David Mackereth who, for 26 years, worked for Britain’s National Health Service, mostly in Accident and Emergency wards. By all accounts, he was an excellent doctor.

Hillsong Pastor Explains Why You Should Let Your Child Trick-or-Treat, Despite Warning: ‘Spiritual Darkness Is Surrounding Everything’

It’s that time of the year again. Christian parents everywhere enter into a discussion of whether or not to allow their kids to go trick-or-treating.

Nathan Finochio, author and pastor at Hillsong Church, is tackling the topic this year, arguing that the word of God allows Christians to redefine everything.

Questions raised as Satanic Temple asks to hold meeting at Naval Academy

US Naval Academy.

As an outside group is asking to hold “satanic religious services” at the U.S. Naval Academy, questions have arisen as to its actual motives for doing so.

The Satanic Temple (TST), a group recognized as a church by the Internal Revenue Service, has threatened legal action against the U.S. Naval Academy if Midshipmen are not allowed to hold “satanic services” on campus as members of other religions are allowed to do.

When Demons Dare to Manifest in Your Church

Many pastors today are alarmed when Christians manifest with demons in their church. Others escort them to the back so they don't disrupt the service. But what would Jesus do?

Watch this video and sound off.

Muslim-majority UAE commits to rebuilding 2 churches destroyed by ISIS in Iraq

Father Thabet Habib evaluates the inside of a burned out church right in Karamles, Iraq right after the town's liberation from the Islamic State in October 2016.

The Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates announced plans this week to help rebuild two Christian churches destroyed by the Islamic State and said it's the first national government in the world to help rebuild Christian churches in postwar Iraq.

UAE has expanded its collaboration with a United Nations initiative called Revive the Spirit of Mosul. The initiative is an international effort to reconstruct Iraq’s once second-largest city ravaged by the Islamic State’s reign of destruction in the Nineveh region. 

According to a press release, a new agreement reiterating UAE’s support for the initiative was signed at the U.N.'s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris on Sunday.

Partaking of God's Holiness

Our outward behavior, regardless of how good it is, does not bring us holiness. Apart from the Spirit of Christ within us, we have no capacity for holiness on our own because God's holiness flows into us through the Spirit of Christ. Holiness from God facilitates our good outward behavior. This implies that our primary objective is to open ourselves up to be partakers of God's holiness (see Hebrews 12:10-15). Holiness comes from trusting in God (Psalms 86:2). Our trust in Jesus Christ brings us His Spirit; and we cannot bypass trusting in the Son in order to receive God's holiness because it flows into us through the Spirit of His Son.

4 Things You Must Do if You Want to Hear Holy Spirit's Voice

If we want to know the purpose for our life, we must go to the source—to the God who created us. God's Holy Spirit is the one who reveals His mysteries to us, and if we are hungry to discover our purpose, He is willing to disclose it. He will show us the truth of who we are and the reason for our existence.

There is a significant difference between the process of "discovering" something and the process of receiving revelation. Discovering involves acquiring knowledge through studies, research, experiments, statistics and so on. It also refers to seeking out what is unknown. Receiving revelation, on the other hand, is a supernatural process in which our spiritual senses are opened to God and our understanding is enlightened.

UN set to elect slave state to human rights committee

United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland, home of the UNHRC.

Mauritania, the west African nation where slavery remains a widespread practice, is expected to be voted on to the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee on Thursday.

According to its website, the UNHCR is “an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.”

Do Most 'Christians' Need Deliverance?

I came across some Barna Research statistics that were absolutely shocking.

In this video, I share those statistics and pose a serious question: Do most Christians need deliverance from lying spirits and doctrines of demons? With these beliefs, are they even saved?

5 Ways to Spot a False Prophet

Some Christians fear that if we accept revelation beyond the Bible, we are open to false prophets. This is a valid concern, but we hope that some examples will help give some context for real versus counterfeit words from God. Here are five key ways to recognize false prophets:

Vatican City security head resigns after confidential memo was leaked

Pope Francis and Domenico Giani walk together on Oct. 13 at the Vatican.

The head of the Vatican City State’s national police force has resigned, after a confidential internal memo was leaked to the press that announced the suspension of some Vatican officials and employees and restricted their access to the Vatican.

The suspended officials were connected to an Oct. 1 raid of some Vatican offices, part an unspecified investigation overseen by a prosecutor, called the “promoter of justice” in the Vatican City court system.

Anything that threatens Communism is a target, Chinese human rights advocate says

Chen Guangcheng speaks at the Catholic University of America, Oct 9, 2019. Credit: Catholic University of America

 A Chinese human rights activist and former political prisoner has called for renewed focus on the country’s practices of mass detention, religious oppression, and reports of organ harvesting.
 
Speaking at an event Wednesday, Chen Guangcheng told listeners at the Catholic University of America that there is no doubt about the Communist regime’s determination to hold onto power by any means necessary.

“Human rights have declined and today are very bad,” Chen said of the current situation in China. The ruling Chinese Communist Party is “afraid of losing power,” he said, and so “anything that threatens its power will be a target for violence.”

US attorneys ignoring Trump's orders to prioritize religious liberty

Repeatedly, during his campaign for President in 2016, President Trump promised to protect religious freedom, gaining broad support from both the evangelical community and conservative Catholics in the process.  And repeatedly, during his presidency, President Trump has taken actions showing that he takes that promise seriously.   In the last few weeks, liberals were demanding that the President make climate change the focus of U.N. meetings in New York, but President Trump chose instead to make religious liberty his focus at the September 2019 meetings.

Seventeen months ago, we at Public Advocate decided to check into whether the perpetual bureaucracy — aka the Swamp — was implementing — or ignoring — President Trump’s religious liberty reforms.  Here is what we found.

Over 200,000 Students to Proclaim Jesus on Football Fields Across USA

Fellowship of Christian Athletes' student-led events focusing on prayer, worship and a commitment to Bible reading are set for Wednesday, Oct. 9, on 500-plus fields nationwide.

Some sports stories can unfortunately take on a negative focus, as headlines pinpoint matters such as locker room unrest, player indiscretions or holdouts on salaries.

But the national and international story of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' (FCA, www.fca.org) Fields of Faith is laser-focused on the positive—that God is good all the time and that He is raising up a young generation to see the world transformed by His Son, Jesus Christ.

Virginia law requiring ultrasound before abortion upheld by federal judge

A pregnant woman getting an ultrasound scan.

A Virginia law requiring women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion and for there to be a waiting period has been upheld by a federal judge.

An additional measure holding that only physician can perform the procedure was also upheld.

Two other disputed laws — one of which mandated all second-trimester abortions to be carried out in a licensed outpatient hospital and the other requiring abortion clinics that perform first-trimester abortions to meet the same criteria as general and surgical hospitals — were struck down, multiple reports say.

After Vatican raid, 5 officials and employees suspended

An Italian news magazine has reported that five Vatican employees have been suspended following an Oct. 1 raid of offices within the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.

An Oct. 2 internal memo from the government of the Vatican City State conveyed that the five employees have been “suspended from service.” The memo was published by L’Espresso.

Prophecy: New Deliverance Technologies Revealed to Combat Demonic Resistance

Abortion rights activists try to burn Mexico City cathedral

Amid a demonstration Saturday urging the legalisation of abortion, activists tried to set fire to the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.

Students Around the World Pray Together for 'See You At The Pole'

This year's "See You At The Pole" prayer rally is set for Wednesday, Sept. 25. It's an event organized and led by students around the world.

According to the SYATP organization's website, it's just about one thing—prayer.

Public school students are urged to pray at 7 a.m. Wednesday around their school's flagpole.

The theme for the event is a Bible verse found in the Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 7:14.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

The event is a part of the Global Week of Student Prayer held from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.

Other private or home-school students will pray in unique ways, places and times all during the week.

'Fastest-growing church' has no buildings, no central leadership, and is mostly led by women

For the last few years, researchers have credited the underground church in Iran as the fastest-growing Christian church in the world. It has unique characteristics that defy comparison with churches in America and Europe, and in the opinion of some who know it well, the church in the West could learn by studying it.

“The fastest-growing church in the world has taken root in one of the most unexpected and radicalized nations on earth,” according to “Sheep Among Wolves,” the outstanding two-hour documentary about the revival that has taken place inside Iran. “The Iranian awakening is a rapidly reproducing discipleship movement that owns no property or buildings, has no central leadership, and is predominantly led by women.”

Biblical Secrets to Shatter Your Financial Misery

Do you find yourself struggling monthly to make ends meet? Wealth Codes coach Rob Saunders says you don't have to live such a mediocre existence.

It's all a matter of biblical wisdom. In the Bible, Jesus talked more about money than he talked about salvation and grace. And when you understand and choose to practice the Lord's way of doing business, you will experience the abundance that exceeds all you can ask or think, dream or imagine.

5 Things You Need to Know About Depression, Mental Illness

Many know all too well the debilitating effects of mental illness. We do a great disservice when we tell those struggling to "just get over it and think positive thoughts" or "read your Bible more." Although positive thinking (the right kind) is biblical, and it's crucial to meditate on God's Word, one cannot simply turn depression, anxiety and hopelessness on and off like a light switch. But on the flip side, there are factors that contribute to mental anguish. After many years of praying with, talking to and counseling thousands of people, I've found five factors that stand out that may cause mental pain. (Watch the short video here outlining these same points.)

1. Chemical imbalances and other physical factors can cause mental illness. Medication has a place, such as when neurotransmitters and hormone levels need assistance. In the same way that diabetes needs to be treated with insulin, some struggling with emotional pain may need medication, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but medication doesn't always fix the problem. Often, it complicates it. Before jumping immediately on the medication bandwagon, consider the next four points. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, but we can look at a combination of things that may be adding to mental anguish.

Edward Snowden brands advancing AI ‘greatest danger’ for future

A bus passes by a poster of Edward Snowden, a former contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA), displayed by his supporters at Hong Kong's financial central district during the midnight hours, while Snowden is engaged in a live chat online believed to be in Hong Kong, on June 18, 2013.

Former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden warned that continued advancement of artificial intelligence could lead to more pernicious policing of people around the world through the creation of a “permanent record” of their life.

The warning comes ahead of the release of Snowden’s book, Permanent Record, set for release on Tuesday.

Pope Francis to visit Thailand and Japan in November

The Vatican confirmed Friday that Pope Francis will travel to Thailand and Japan in November with stops scheduled in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Pope Francis will visit Thailand Nov. 20-23 in commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the Vatican Mission to Siam in 1669. The pope will then travel Nov. 23-26 to Japan, where the theme of his visit is “Protect all life.”

Arizona M.D. Reveals: 4 Weird Signs You'll Live Past 100

At some point, one question has crossed everyone's mind:

"When am I going to die?"

And while none of us have a magic crystal ball...

What if there was some scientific way to know for sure?

Well, one Arizona doctor may have just cracked the code.

Why Your Christian Marriage Doesn't Have to Be Boring

As a counselor, I have helped many people grieve many different events or realities in their lives. In grief counseling, the model for grief comes from Elisabeth Kübler Ross, who studied people dying. She identified the grief stage as: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, sadness and acceptance.

The very first stage of grief is shock. Shock is kind of visceral feeling throughout one's body. When you genuinely hold tightly to an idea and a truth comes against that idea, you can experience shock. It can feel like disconnection or pain or numbness depending on the intensity of what you are grieving.

New study ‘finds genetic links to same-sex behavior’: 3 facts you need to know

LGBTQ advocates have long sought evidence for the claim that same-sex sexual attraction is genetically conditioned. “God made me this way” is a common claim.

If it could be proven that same-sex sexual attraction is inherited, many would find it even easier to liken homosexual persons to racial minorities and castigate those who affirm biblical sexual morality as prejudiced and homophobic.

We should therefore not be surprised by the way a new study of same-sex sexual behavior is being reported. “Research Finds Genetic Links to Same-Sex Behavior” headlines the Wall Street Journal. The New York Times headlines the story a bit differently: “Many Genes Influence Same-Sex Sexuality, Not a Single ‘Gay Gene.'”

If these headlines were all you read, you’d assume that the “God made me this way” claim has finally been proven. The opposite is actually true.

Christian authors blast Amazon for banning their books, selling pedophilia titles

Christian authors who once identified as gay or lesbian are highlighting the double standard Amazon is applying by removing their books from the platform while continuing to sell titles that promote pedophilia.

Restored Hope Network Executive Director Anne Paulk and pastoral counselor Joe Dallas both saw their books removed from the retail giant. Amazon told some authors that their books, which detail how Jesus transformed their lives and sexual identities, were in "violation of our content guidelines."

Paulk, the author of Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women Who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction, said in a statement to local media on Thursday that she's not surprised books like her's and Dallas' have been banned by the retailer.

“But it is literally criminal what the site still offers for sale,” she said.

Nigerian priest killed as car set ablaze

A Catholic priest was killed in Nigeria this week when the car he was driving was set ablaze.

Fr. David Tanko was traveling within the Jalingo diocese of Nigeria, near the country’s border with Cameroon, when he was attacked Aug. 29. The priest was traveling to a “peace meeting” of local clergymen to discuss a conflict between the local Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups.

“We received the news of his death with shock. This is sad. The diocese is mourning,”  Bishop Charles Hammawa of Jalingo told local media.

“We have been preaching peace and making efforts to bring both parties in crisis in the area to a roundtable discussion,” the bishop added.

Shiban Tikari, chairman of Taraba State Council, told local media that a Tiv militia carried out the attack.

Hammawa encouraged a peaceful response to Tanko’s killing.

“Our basic concern now is to give him a befitting burial,”  the bishop said.

“We don’t want any group to go on reprisal. Going on reprisal will only worsen the situation.”

The bishop announced a Vigil Mass for the priest on Monday, Sept. 2; and burial the following day at the diocesan cemetery in Jalingo.

Death row inmates appeal to North Carolina Supreme Court, citing racial bias

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

The Supreme Court of North Carolina is set to hear the case of six death row inmates who say a repealed state law should still allow them to be resentenced to life without parole, since they were able to successfully demonstrate that racial bias was a factor in their death sentences.

The court is scheduled to hear arguments Monday and Tuesday in the cases of four death row inmates who briefly were resentenced to life without parole when state legislators approved the Racial Justice Act in 2009, the AP reports.