christianitytoday.com/women/2019/january/church-planting-your-plan-b-is-still-gods-plan.html By: Sandra Peoples In 2015, my husband and I moved from rural Pennsylvania and left a church we loved to do something risky—plant a new church in suburban Texas. Our vision for the church was to welcome people with disabilities. We see special-needs families as an unreached people group, since so many don’t attend […]
By: Frank Tunstall, D. Min. Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure as His crucifixion was only hours away. In that atmosphere, the Lord began to unfold what was then a whole new concept of worship built around the abiding presence of God. The disciples already knew what it meant to have the Holy […]
By Frank Tunstall The Holy Spirit overshadowed the Virgin Mary in the miraculous and sinless conception of Baby Jesus, with God as His Father (Luke 1:35). The angel Gabriel shared with Mary that her baby would be the Son of God. When the angel Gabriel made the announcement to Mary, she sought more information, giving […]
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/november/missionary-killed-north-sentinel-isolated-island-tribe-chau.html? John Allen Chau returned to the prohibited island even after being shot: “It’s worth it to declare Jesus to these people.” BY: KATE SHELLNUTT A 26-year-old American missionary was killed on a remote island off the coast of India, where he attempted to share the gospel with the most isolated tribe in the world. All […]
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/december/longfellow-carol-for-despairing-i-heard-bells.html Penned during the Civil War, Longfellow’s ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’ is a carol for our age. By: KRISTEN O’NEAL The word apocalypse in the Greek means “uncovering,” and 2018 has been a year of uncoverings, of pulling back the curtain to reveal the worst things that people can do to one […]
https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2018/fall-state-of-church-ministry/embodied-church-in-digital-age.html Should we cheer or moan when online churches perform virtual baptisms? By: Kara Bettis Virtual Reality Church’s first baptism took place in a 3D house with an underground pool and a massive billboard overhead proclaiming “A Special Baptism and Communion service.” Alina Delp, 46—portrayed as a purple, robot-like avatar—stood submerged in the water while […]
By: Frank Tunstall, D. Min. “All the believers were one in heart and mind,” recorded Dr. Luke (Luke 4:32). The lame man at the gate called Beautiful had been healed the day before. Shortly after the miracle, Peter and John had been arrested by the temple police and held overnight. The next morning at their […]
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/november/what-to-do-about-persecution-in-china.html?share=56xKkXi%2fdTPQjQCm3LBm6NPogOGXW4vm The [Chinese] government is removing crosses from their steeples and replacing them with the national flag. Inside, the crosses are being replaced with pictures of President Xi. Congregations must sing patriotic songs in worship. Parents can’t bring their children to church. CHINA CRACKS DOWN – AGAIN By: Mark Galli The tanks don’t always […]
“Their suffering does not go unnoticed by God, and so it should never go unnoticed by us.” Ed Stetzer christianitytoday.com/news/2018/september/china-bans-zion-beijing-house-church-surveillance-ezra-jin.ht Shut down after Sunday services, influential congregation had refused orders to install government face recognition surveillance cameras. WORLD WATCH MONITOR Christianity Today’s Jeremy Weber contributed to this report. Beijing authorities threatened to close Zion Church […]
www.churchlawandtax.com/blog/2018/july/abuse-claims-again-top-reason-churches-go-to-court BY: RICHARD HAMMAR Analysis of 2017 data also shows property disputes, zoning issues among the top problems. I do a litigation review every year for church leaders based on about 12,000 cases I read pertaining to religious organizations across all 50 states and the federal courts. I systematically categorize them by type to help […]