Gunman Kills 3 at California Biker Bar Near Saddleback Church; ‘PLEASE PRAY,’ Says Rick Warren

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August 24, 2023

Four people are dead, including a gunman, and six others wounded in a mass shooting incident that took place Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Cook’s Corner Bar in Trabuco Canyon, California, near Saddleback Church in Lake Forest. Saddleback’s parking lot served as a staging area for the Orange County sheriff’s mobile command post, and the church is holding a prayer service for the community tomorrow evening.

“We’ve had a mass shooting on the street of Saddleback Church,” founding pastor Rick Warren posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “PLEASE PRAY as our members minister to victims.”

“Our hearts just go out to the families and the people that have been impacted, and we’re praying as a church,” Warren’s successor at Saddleback, Andy Wood, told CBS News. “In fact, we’re going to have a prayer time together for the community this Friday evening at 7:00 p.m.”

Saddleback Church Ministers to Survivors

The shooting took place Wednesday evening as Cook’s Corner Bar was holding its weekly spaghetti night. The bar is a local hangout frequented by motorcyclists, and a live band was scheduled to play that night.

After officers received the first 911 call at 7:00 p.m., deputies responded within minutes. They fatally shot the gunman, who is believed to be a retired law enforcement officer and is said to have been targeting his estranged wife. One official estimated that as many as 40 people were present at the bar.

The gunman’s wife is reportedly in stable condition in the hospital. Two of the survivors are said to be in critical condition.

At 10 p.m. Wednesday, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced that the situation was contained, with four confirmed dead, including the gunman. Six people had been transported to hospitals with injuries, with five of them suffering gunshot wounds.

The sheriff’s department will hold a media briefing Thursday afternoon.

“We’re grateful to have the opportunity to be able to serve as the command center for local law enforcement as they’re on the front lines over at Cook’s Corner, and we’ve got some members from our church that are at the hospital now working to minister with families,” Wood told CBS. “We do believe prayer in these moments is one of the most important things that we can do.”

Thieves With No ‘Respect for the House of God’ Swipe 5-Ton AC Unit From Atlanta Church

By

Stephanie Martin

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August 24, 2023

The pastor and parishioners of Dixie Hills First Baptist Church in southwest Atlanta are hot under the collar—literally—because of a brazen theft. Someone recently stole a five-ton air conditioning unit from a locked metal cage on the church grounds.

The culprits have “no decency or respect for the house of God,” said Rev. Michael Sutton. “Any time you can steal from God, you’re a bold creature.” Replacing the unit, which cools the worship area, will cost about $10,000. “Who would do this to a church?” Sutton asked. “Who would do this?”

During these dog days of summer, the pastor said he’s especially concerned for the comfort and safety of elderly worshipers. Fans placed in the sanctuary “will not suffice,” he said. Like much of the United States, Atlanta has been sweltering under high temperatures, with the heat index often reaching triple digits.

Rev. Michael Sutton: ‘Thieves Don’t Stop Because We’re a Church’

After cutting through padlocks and protective caging, thieves snipped the AC’s copper wiring and hauled away the unit. They also snipped wires for two even bigger units, but ran off before stealing those. “They were trying to hurt us,” Pastor Sutton said of the thieves. “And I guess they saw an opportunity for more money.”

Although Sutton has made a plea for the return of church property, he said he realizes that’s unlikely. “Thieves don’t stop because we’re a church,” he said.

Sutton is warning other local pastors to lock everything down and to turn on security cameras “because the bandits are back.” Dixie Hills doesn’t have surveillance cameras, and no one had reported any suspicious activity.

If the criminals are caught, they could face additional federal penalties for violating the Clean Air Act. The EPA hands out steep fines for cutting refrigerant lines that release ozone-depleting chemicals.

The demand for copper leads to brazen thefts of AC units of all sizes, say experts. In addition to protective cages and security cameras, they recommend lighting, alarms, and security patrols to deter thieves.

Pastor: Thieves Should’ve Asked Us for Help

Pastor Michael Sutton said the church isn’t pressing charges and forgives the thieves. If those people needed money, he added, they should have requested help from the church instead of stealing from it. “We’re not here just to sit here and praise the Lord by ourselves,” Sutton said. “We’re here to help others… that’s our job. The church is no good if it’s not there to help the community.”

How Shannon Harris Kissed Biblical Womanhood Goodbye

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Kathryn Post

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August 24, 2023

(RNS) — When Shannon Harris stumbled into a conservative evangelical church and a marriage to Josh Harris (of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” fame) in her early 20s, she didn’t realize what she’d signed up for.

As the wife of a bestselling Christian author, purity culture celebrity and heir to the hugely successful Covenant Life Church, Harris had unknowingly agreed to a role that came with a set of expectations for women that, she said, included a lifetime of performance and perfectionism. Her dream of becoming a full-time musician? Impractical. Her maternity dress? Too revealing. Her posture in worship? Too subdued. Her prenatal yoga video? Too Buddhist.

A lot has changed since Harris was married in 1998. In 2018, Josh Harris disavowed and apologized for the harm caused by “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” and a year later he announced his departure from Christianity and the end of their marriage. For decades, Shannon Harris tried to stuff her beliefs, personality, passions and body into the prescribed “good Christian wife” blueprint—but could never quite reach the idealized standard.

“I did not understand that in my husband’s mind marrying a woman was something like checking a box on a to-do list…I do not think he fully understood he was marrying a woman with needs of her own,” Harris wrote about her marriage in her forthcoming memoir. “But this is what he was taught in his family and his church.”

Now, beyond the confines of her marriage and her church, Harris is embracing her whole self. Religion News Service spoke to Harris about “The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife,” which will be published by Broadleaf Books on Tuesday (Aug. 29). This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you come to write this book? And why now?

I was raised in a secular home, and when I graduated college I joined a conservative evangelical church in the Washington, D.C., area. That is where I stayed for the next almost two decades of my life. The book is an attempt to tell my story of that time. Every single part of my life was consumed and directed by the church. I liken myself to Alice in Wonderland; I think I’m just going to peek my head in and see what the church is all about, and then suddenly I tumble headlong into this other world, a place where things seem really amazing, but they also don’t always make sense. I’m told who to be, and who to become. I get married and I have a family, and then it all starts to crumble. The remainder of the book is me trying to make sense of things until I’m finally back home in myself. The answer to “why now” is: This is the length of time it took me to have those experiences, deal with the fallout and to heal.

When you first began attending church as a young adult, what about it appealed to you?

It was wonderful at first, and I didn’t feel judged at first. There was a lot of what I call love bombing, but it was genuine. The church attracted wonderful, caring, vibrant people. I got involved with the music really early. I had not been there more than a year when I was getting my first opportunity to get to a recording studio. That actually was what I wanted to do with my life. So I thought, “Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I’m learning how to record!” That felt really good for a few minutes.

What kind of harmful theology did you encounter at the church?

My church and their brand of churches interpreted the creation story very literally. God created Adam, and then Eve. Women are second. God created Eve from Adam’s rib, so she’s not her own person. She’s been made from a piece of Adam. God gives Eve the job of Adam’s helper. She didn’t have her own purpose. And then, Eve is curious. She listens to the serpent and she trusts herself, and she becomes wise, and that’s seen as bad. She gets punished for her wisdom.

This theology puts a man in a higher place in the hierarchy. And it’s a male operating system. It’s run so men can succeed. So when I walked into my church, I learned my wisdom was faulty. My emotions and feelings are not to be trusted, and they’re not really true. On top of that, you have women being shamed for their bodies or their sexualities, constantly having to cover up to avoid tempting a man. All of these things together can damage a woman’s attunement to her body. What makes it so dangerous is that her alarm systems can be silenced and/or dismissed.

How did your courtship with Josh stop being about the two of you?

The moment my courtship started with Josh, it really did stop being about our relationship. It became about appearances. It became about getting purity right, because Josh had written this book on purity. It became about what C.J. and Carolyn (Mahaney), our pastor and his wife, needed it to be for the church. It became about making sure Josh did not, quote unquote, “fall” in any way physically. It was not about getting to know each other or exploring the relationship.

East Palestine Church Organizes Fundraising To Equip Residents With Air Purifiers

By

Fiona Andre

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August 24, 2023

(RNS) — Since a Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, in February, spilling about a million pounds of hazardous chemicals, the town’s 4,700 residents have been anxious about the toxic substances that may be present in their water, air and soil.

“People are still really nervous about the air and the water … especially young mothers; they are scared to death for their kids,” said Bob Helbeck, who leads the First Church of Christ in East Palestine.

This week, the church announced a fundraising drive to provide air purifiers to families and local businesses in partnership with the air purifying firm Germ Solutions USA.

Shortly after the disaster, the congregation began distributing air purifiers, equipping 500 families and 160 elementary, junior high and high school classrooms with the devices. The church hopes this fundraising will allow it to buy at least 2,500 more air purifiers.

After the disaster, some residents reported suffering from respiratory illnesses, nosebleeds, eye infections and rashes. Many families have left the town over health concerns, about 200, said pastor Helbeck, who has seen five church families leave the town since February.

The derailment led to a massive fire, and a week after the incident, authorities proceeded to do a “controlled burn” to prevent a potential cargo explosion. The operation released a toxic smoke that loomed over the town for days.

The Environmental Protection Agency, which conducts multiple monthly tests, claims toxins in the air remain “below screening levels.” The Ohio Emergency Management Agency continues to ensure East Palestine’s water contains no toxic substances associated with the derailment. Still, residents fear the consequences of prolonged exposure to toxins.

A recent test by Eco Integrated Technology found that East Palestine’s soil presented a level of dioxin, a toxic compound, 27,000% to 164,000% higher than usual. In March, an investigative team from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interrupted its surveillance operation when seven team members presented “suspicious symptoms.”

“If there is anything in the air, this will really help. And if there is nothing in the air, then it will reassure people,” Helbeck said about providing more air filters.

The initiative also aims to reassure visitors who might come to town, the number of which has dropped considerably after the incident, impacting local businesses’ activity. Many shops have decreased their business by about 50%, said Helbeck.

“People used to come in here to do shopping. And now they go 10 minutes down the road,” he said.

The church and Germ Solutions USA are raising funds through the organization “HelpEastPalestineOhio” and mentioned that for every air purifier bought with donations, Germ Solutions USA will donate one unit for free.

The devices can cover a 2,000-square-foot surface and are similar to the Food and Drug Administration Class 2 purification system used in hospitals. They kill 99.9% of contaminants in the air and on surfaces, including COVID-19 germs.

“It takes away the anxiety, if nothing else. It doesn’t hurt. … It does give peace of mind, and I think that’s the biggest thing right now,” said Helbeck.

This article originally appeared here.

Calvinist Activist Warns That White Nationalism Is Invading Reformed Churches

By

Bob Smietana

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August 24, 2023

Calvinist-activist-warns-that-white-nationalism-is-invading-Reformed- — Owen Strachan. Photo courtesy GBTS

(RNS) — Owen Strachan, a Southern Baptist seminary professor turned anti-woke activist, has spent years warning that liberals were undermining America’s evangelical Christian churches.

Now Strachan is taking aim at a new threat: “mono-ethnic Christian nationalism.”

In a series of recent posts on social media and in his newsletter on Substack, Strachan makes clear that the ethnicity in question is European American. He warns that Christian nationalism — or, as Strahan described it, “the unbiblical view that we must preserve white ethnicity to build a Christian nation” — has taken root in the Reformed wing of the evangelical church.

Strachan has singled out for disfavor Christian nationalist activists such as Andrew Torba, founder of the far-right social media platform Gab, and conservative internet influencer Matt Walsh, who describes himself in his X (formerly Twitter) profile as a “Theocratic fascist” and bestselling children’s author.

“By the minute, we are smoking out white nationalism — godless ethnocentrism — in Christian circles,” Strachan wrote in a series of posts on X. “By grace, we will fight this wicked ideology.”

Strachan, who is provost of Grace Bible Theological Seminary, a small school in Arkansas, and author of a popular book called “Christianity and Wokeness,” said he has been concerned for some time that racist and antisemitic ideas have been finding their way into conservative churches.

He felt the need to call out the trend earlier this month after a video appeared of Walsh saying that white Americans needed to have more children to save the country from outsiders. Strachan had already seen comments from Torba on social media, since deleted, saying that God created different ethnic groups with a purpose and that preserving them “is to preserve God’s creation and is therefore an inherent good.”

Andrew Torba in a 2018 interview. Video screen grab via Youtube/PAHomepage

Strachan called Torba’s comments “hot nonsense” that was nonetheless invading churches. (Torba declined to be interviewed for the story or to respond to Strachan’s comments.)

Once a rising star among Southern Baptists, Strachan (pronounced “STRAY-han”) is a former president of the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, an influential group that promotes complementarian theology — based on the idea that men and women have biblically circumscribed roles in the family and society. He also taught at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary before moving to Arkansas.

But in recent years, he has become best known for his stature within a corner of the evangelical world known for its love of stark Calvinist theology and dark-suited, bespectacled and bearded pastors, often tagged by evangelical insiders as “Theobros.”

Sean Feucht Event Sparks Political Controversy in Eastern Washington

By

Jack Jenkins

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August 24, 2023

(RNS) — The mayor of Spokane, Washington, is fielding criticism for participating in a controversial worship concert over the weekend, with detractors saying she associated herself with a Christian nationalist and neglected to respond to victims of wildfires raging in the region.

The “Let Us Worship” event was hosted by Sean Feucht, a conservative musician and activist who garnered a following during the height of the pandemic for hosting large, in-person concerts across the country to protest restrictions on worship services. During the weekend gathering in Spokane, Feucht was joined onstage by Pastor Matt Shea, a former state lawmaker who was kicked out of the state Republican caucus after an independent investigation found him guilty of domestic terrorism due to his involvement with the armed takeover of Oregon’s Malheur Wildlife Refuge in 2016.

According to footage Sunday (Aug. 20) shared on social media by critical attendee Joseph Peterson, Shea, who oversees On Fire Ministries, welcomed Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward to the stage at some point during the event. After asking people in the crowd to extend their hands, Shea launched into a prayer, asking God to provide a “blessing over the leaders you have chosen for this time” and insisting the Almighty encourage Woodward and other political leaders to “stand on the foundation, the rock of Jesus Christ.”

Shea added: “And no matter what anybody says around them, they will glorify and honor and praise you in every single thing they do.”

Feucht also prayed over Woodward, asking God to offer her and her team “revelatory wisdom and insight on how to steward what you want to do in this region.”

After a third person prayed, insisting the “government sits on (God’s) shoulders,” Woodward exited the stage, embracing both Feucht and Shea as she left.

Woodward’s appearance immediately sparked outcry. Critics questioned her association with Feucht and Shea as well as her decision to attend the gathering amid wildfires that swept through the region over the weekend, killing at least two and damaging dozens of homes.

According to FaVs News, local religious leaders were among those to express outrage at Woodward’s appearance. Among them was Mark Finney, pastor of Emmaus church in Spokane, who declared on Facebook that “when community leaders publicly fraternize with those who espouse hatred, racism, and violence, it validates toxic ideologies and makes them seem ‘normal’ to the watching world.”

Political figures also spoke out: Lisa Brown, a mayoral candidate who is running against Woodward, shared Peterson’s footage on X (formerly known as Twitter) and called on Woodward to disavow Shea, whom she described as “an anti-woman anti-LGBTQ extremist, associated w political violence.” Brown lamented that Woodward was “on the stage with (Shea) while fires rage in our county.”

Woodward eventually issued a statement distancing herself from both Shea and the event, accusing the pastor of choosing to “politicize a gathering of thousands of citizens who joined together yesterday to pray for fire victims and first responders.” She only attended the event, she said, to “join with fellow citizens to begin the healing process”—referring to the wildfires.

But Shea fired back on Monday evening, saying on X that Woodward had agreed to attend the event months before the blazes began and that the gathering “wasn’t for ‘fire victims.’”

5 Reasons Why Far Too Many Christians Don’t Share the Gospel

By

Greg Stier

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August 24, 2023

Over the course of the last 30 years of ministry, I’ve had the privilege of training millions of believers how to share the Gospel. During that time I’ve also talked to countless Christians about roadblocks and reasons why so many of them struggle to evangelize. I’ve narrowed these reasons down to five. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Short-Sightedness

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

In the midst of the mayhem of life, many Christians focus their eyes on the “here and now” of this world as opposed to the “there and then” of eternity. In the midst of all the craziness of work, school, family, fun, and even church, it’s easy to forget how important evangelism is.

Sharing the Gospel with others is the primary means God has ordained of rescuing them from the Hell they are headed to (Jude 1:23) and they hell they may be going through (Matthew 9:36) apart from Christ.

Heaven and Hell are real. Those who die without Christ will spend an eternity in Hell. Those who put their faith in Jesus, based on His finished work on the cross, will spend an eternity in Heaven. May this reality remind us to “fix our eyes” on what is unseen and inspire us to take evangelism seriously.

2. Fear

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20)

Evangelism is scary. I’ve been sharing the Gospel with others for 45 years now, and I still get nervous every time I open my mouth to declare it. Even the great apostle Paul got nervous. That’s why he asked the Ephesians to pray for him as he shared the Gospel!

But, I believe a little fear is good for you when it comes to evangelism, as long as it reminds you to depend on the Holy Spirit as you share Christ with others. The Holy Spirit is where our evangelism power source resides (Acts 1:8). He’ll give us the boldness we need to share the Gospel with those around us, as we fully depend on Him.

When it comes to evangelism, we must face our fears, count the cost, trust the Holy Spirit, and then open our mouths to “declare it fearlessly,” as we should.

3. Ignorance

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Many Christians don’t share the Gospel because they don’t know what the Gospel is. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul trained the Corinthian believers in the core message of the Gospel creed he, himself, had been trained to memorize. This pre-Pauline creed laid out the basic message of the Gospel. Paul trained the believers of Corinth to memorize it. This created what I have come to nickname “Gospel fluency” for these believers. When you’re fluent in the Gospel message, it’s much easier to explain.

For the last 30 years we, at Dare 2 Share, have used a G.O.S.P.E.L. acrostic to help teenagers and adults alike gain Gospel fluency. When someone has mastered the message of the Gospel, it’s much easier for them to share it effectively with those around them. Think of these six sentences like six chords on a guitar. Master six chords, and you can play almost any popular song on the guitar. Master these six sentences, and you can master sharing the Gospel clearly and effectively.

5 Things God Never Said

By

R. Larry Moyer

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August 24, 2023

Misconceptions of God can be costly because they can be very defeating.

For example, it’s agonizing to me how many people think “cleanliness is next to godliness” comes from the pages of Scripture. If this is indeed a word from God, then homemakers have every right to feel guilty that their houses are not always tidy. In fact, depending on how far you carry it, people soon become more concerned about their furniture than they do their family.

And what about “God helps those who help themselves”? I’ve seen this used as a basis for many people thinking they can work their way to heaven. They therefore miss the biblical teaching that eternal life is free (Romans 6:23).

Here are five other misconceptions of God’s Word you’d be wise to spend a Sunday addressing.

In fact, I think you’d be wiser to give one Sunday to each of these. I assure you, these misconceptions of God are so rampant that you could easily spend a 30-minute message discussing each one. Most unfortunately of all, every single one of them in some way adversely affects our outreach to non-Christians.

1. If you don’t know the date you were saved, then you are not saved.

Unfortunately, evangelists have been the worst at propagating this first misconception. The fact is, there is a split second when a person goes from darkness into light. After recognizing you’re a sinner and that Christ died for you and rose again, you place your trust in Him alone as your only way to heaven.

However, just because you don’t know when that particular split second was doesn’t mean you aren’t saved. When Scripture gives assurance of salvation, it doesn’t go back to a date or a moment; it goes back to a fact.

Who are you trusting right now? If you’re trusting Christ alone as your only way to heaven, you are saved, regardless of when you crossed the line. After all, John 3:16 does not say, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and whoever believes in Him and knows the date should not perish but have everlasting life.”

This idea is critical, because if a person buys into this misconception, it’s a tremendous hindrance to their outreach for Christ. How can I talk to someone else about their salvation if I’m not entirely certain of my own?

True, some people come to Christ from a very sudden and dramatic experience, like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-39; he could have easily given you the date. And there’s no doubt the same thing was true of Paul the Apostle in Acts 9:1-22, 26-28; I’m sure he not only could have given the date, but he could have testified of the specific hour he trusted the Savior. But there are those whose conversion is not as dramatic. They may have been raised in a Christian environment where Christ was spoken about frequently. Certainly, at some point in time, they came to clearly understand their sinful condition and trust Christ, but they may not know exactly when the moment occurred.

Minister deeply to your people and free them by telling them that as long as they’re trusting Christ alone, they are saved, regardless of when they crossed the line.

WHY You Pray Is Just as Important as WHAT You Pray

By

Rusty George

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August 24, 2023

3 WAYS TO PRAY THE WHY WAY

You’ve taken their advice:

“Just pray about it.”

“It’s just talking to God.”

“Just start the conversation.”

So you do… And then you wait.

Is there something you are supposed to do after you say “amen?”

THE SHORT ANSWER IS… YES. AND THE FIRST ANSWER IS TO “ALIGN WITH THE WHY.” BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and when Jesus would model for them how to pray, he always included this one crucial phrase “Your will be done.”

These aren’t magic words, these are clarifying words. These are words that say “God, I’m praying because you know best, so here’s my laundry list… I know you’ll give me what I think I can handle.”

This is why we pray – to align ourselves with what God is up to in the world. And that is as important as what we pray.

HERE ARE 3 WAYS TO PRAY THE WHY WAY.

1 • FATHER, I TRUST YOUR WAYS ARE BEST.

In other words, here’s all I’d like to see you do. But I will trust that you know what is best. I wanted that car when I was 16, but I probably would have wrecked it. I wanted that date with that one girl when I was 20. But that probably would have been a mess. I wanted my kids to never get their heart broken, but that has lead her straight to you. Why do I pray? To tell you that I have my hopes and dreams, but I will trust your heart.

2 • LORD, GIVE ME YOUR HEART.

I have a deep seeded anger in my heart, a grudge, a resentment, God will you give me your heart for that person? Rather than praying for them to get what they deserve, may I see them through your eyes? Why do I pray? To see how God sees.

3 • GOD, ADVANCE YOUR KINGDOM.

Your kingdom come, your will be done is what Jesus prayed. Even if that means your path leads to a cross. Whatever it takes for more people to know that God loves them. For more people to find forgiveness and hope. For more people to find and follow Jesus. Whatever it takes God. Your kingdom first, before mine.

In the end, you may not get your “want”, but you’ll align yourself with God’s “why”. And this always brings more peace than what we want.

This article originally appeared here.

In a Digital World, Don’t Forget the Importance of Being Analog

By

Phil Cooke

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August 24, 2023

Over the years, our team at Cooke Media Group has coached and consulted with a number of what I would call “emerging ministries.” These are church plants, ministry, and nonprofit organizations that are just starting out or launching, and are desperate to get on the radar of potential donors, members, and the general public. In most of these cases, they rightly want to focus on their website, social media presence, online giving, blogs, and other digital platforms, thinking that’s the best way to reach people. To an extent, that’s correct. But in that effort, they often forget the importance of being analog.

The Importance of Being Analog

With small churches, ministries, and nonprofits, the first thing is to activate people, not platforms. Certainly, all the digital “stuff” is important, but my advice is:

Surround yourself with a small advisory team.

Inner Healing Prayer for Small Groups

By

Sean Buono

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August 24, 2023

The Word of God will forever remain as a testament to the powerful ministry of Jesus Christ. While His divine role as Lord and Savior will continue to impact this world until the earth passes on, His brief period of in-person ministry also gives us an inside look to the divine nature of who the Son of God is and how the Spirit can move within the physical realm. Through actions like teaching, casting out demons, forgiving sins, and conducting miraculous healings, Jesus showed us a tiny glimpse of what the kingdom of God can do when it intersects with our world. Yet apart from His miracles, we understand that many of Jesus’s actions were not conducted solely because of His divinity. For example, inner healing prayer.

Inner Healing Prayer for Small Groups

After all, many of the apostles and disciples went on to execute similar healings, exorcisms, spirit-filled teachings, and other power encounters that contributed toward the establishment of the early church. Rather, Dr. Terry Wardle postulates in his book Healing Care, Healing Prayer that Jesus’s ability to accomplish these moments of ministry was instead based upon the intimate relationship that He had with the Holy Spirit.

Our Role in Inner Healing Prayer

This spiritual truth is something that we can be excited about as well. Indeed, if the disciples were able to facilitate powerful moments such as these, then, by extension, we too have the same potential when we make efforts to minister alongside the Holy Spirit within our own respective ministries. One such ministry opportunity that we might be able to take part in is what Dr. Wardle describes as inner healing prayer, or where “a caregiver partners with the Holy Spirit and humbly positions themselves to be an instrument of His powerful touch.”

Calling vs. Career: Where Does Children’s Ministry Fit, Exactly?

By

Dale Hudson

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August 23, 2023

Calling vs. Career. Which label would you use for children’s ministry? I recently heard someone talking about their “career” in children’s ministry. Personally, I don’t believe ministry is a career. I believe it’s a calling of God.

Most people in ministry didn’t decide to make a “career” of it. Instead, God performed a supernatural work in their heart and invited them to give their life to reaching and discipling people.

That was my case. When I was 16, God began quietly whispering into my spirit that He wanted me to give my life to reach people. At first, I said “no way.” That wasn’t on my radar. And I definitely didn’t want to pursue it. But the “calling” continued to pursue me.

I’ll never forget the day I knelt down and said “yes” to God’s call. I told God I’d stop running away from His plan for my life and start running toward it. And if God has called you, I’m sure you remember that clearly too.

Even now, you may sense God calling you to give your life to reaching kids and families. You may be experiencing a burning-bush call from God about children’s ministry.

Calling vs. Career: Key Differences

A career is about the income. A calling of God is about the outcome.
A career is when you pursue finances and prestige, while a calling is when you pursue God.
A career comes from your plans. But a calling comes from God’s plans.
A career is about climbing the ladder. A calling is about climbing higher in your relationship with God.
Your career is about seeing how many people can serve you. Your calling is about seeing how many people you can serve.
A career is about increasing yourself. A calling is about asking Jesus to increase and for you to decrease.
You can change careers. But the calling of God is a lifetime commitment.
A career is about advancing yourself. A calling is about advancing the kingdom of God.

Someone once told me if you can do anything else besides ministry, do it. Get a career and run with it. But if God calls you to ministry, you’ll never be happy or fulfilled doing anything else. And it’s true. Some of the most miserable people I know ran from God’s call and pursued a career instead.

Canadian Pastor James Coates Awaiting Acquittal of COVID-19 Charges

By

Janna Firestone

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August 23, 2023

James Coates — Screengrab via YouTube / GraceLife Church of Edmonton

It’s been more than two years since the property of GraceLife Church in Alberta, Canada, was seized by law enforcement due to the church’s disregarding the government’s COVID-19 health orders. Pastor James Coates was imprisoned for preaching and holding worship services throughout 2020. Now, after two years of court battles, Coates is expected to be acquitted of all charges.

Coates has made international headlines with his story, his defiance, and his imprisonment. People have split, with some believing him a courageous saint and others contending his decisions risked the lives of others.

In an exclusive report by The Epoch Times, Coates said he had just received the news of his acquittal. He would take “time to process it all” before he could speak further.

After Two Years in Court, Pastor James Coates to Be Acquitted for COVID-19 Charges

Following a court decision on July 31 that “ruled public health orders issued in the province were invalid and enacted outside the powers of the province’s Public Health Act,” Edmonton Crown Prosecutor Karen Thorsrud said she didn’t have any further information or evidence to introduce into the case.

The recent court decision, made by Justice Barbara Romaine, “invalidated all public health orders issued by the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH),” which were “enacted outside of the powers of the Public Health Act, and were made by cabinet, not then-chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw,” reported The Epoch Times.

Thorsrud said in an email that she would “invite an acquittal from the court” and hopes the matter can be settled on Aug. 30 in docket court or in a non-docket courtroom.

Defense lawyer Leighton Grey said that Coates accepts the acquittal proposal. Grey also mentioned that the July 31 court decision is “going to expose the Alberta government to substantial civil liability.”

Grey said that “if governments exceed the limits of authority granted to them, the courts will declare the laws illegal or invalid.”

“That is a fundamental recognition of the rule of law, and that is what has been missing from Canadian jurisprudence for three years,” continued Grey. This decision tells government: “Your powers have limits. This is the first time that government overreach has been checked.”

Pastor James Coates and the Canadian Government

Back in 2020, Coates continued to preach and hold worship services in direct violation of the COVID-19 restrictions set by the Alberta provincial government. At the time, the church had around 400 in attendance. The number of congregants is said to have doubled following the arrest of the pastor.

‘I Accidentally Posted an Inappropriate Photo of Myself’—Dante Bowe Denies Instagram Post Was ‘Sexual,’ Provides Details of Maverick City Music Split

By

Jesse T. Jackson

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August 23, 2023

Earlier this month, Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Dante Bowe joined “The Afternoon Hustle with Amir Diamond” to discuss why the widely popular contemporary worship music collective, Maverick City Music, “paused” its relationship with him last September.

Maverick City Music was founded by Tony Brown and Jonathan Jay, who paired Bowe with singers like Brandon Lake, Chandler Moore, and Naomi Raine.

“Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values and beliefs,” Maverick City Music said of the split, “we have decided to put a pause on our professional relationship with Dante Bowe. Decisions like these are not easy because of the level of nuance, both professionally and personally, but we felt it necessary to address.”

The vagueness of Maverick City Music’s statement led fans to speculate as to why Bowe was removed from the group.

Some fans believed that Bowe’s departure was owing at least in part to a video he posted on Instagram, which showed him and some friends singing along to rapper/singer Bad Bunny’s “Después de la Playa” on a party bus.

Maverick City Music said in its statement that the group had no desire to slander Bowe, whom they called a “brother in Christ,” expressing their “full commitment and unwavering support as he continues to navigate his path forward.” Maverick City Music said that everyone is in need of “God’s grace, and our hope is that we all pray and give him the same opportunity to grow in Christ as we give ourselves.”

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that Bowe publicly addressed why Maverick City Music parted ways with him.

While asking what caused the split, Diamond said that when he heard the news, he thought, “Well, what did [Bowe] do?” Diamond specifically asked if Bowe had posted sexual videos of himself or if Bowe had “beat on somebody.”

Bowe admitted, “I accidentally posted a photo of myself that was like, inappropriate, but it wasn’t like a sexual photo.”

However, Bowe said that the photo wasn’t the real reason Maverick City Music removed him. Instead, Bowe claimed that Maverick City Music parted ways with him because he had started doing solo work apart from the group.

Pastor Greg Laurie: ‘The Second Coming Is Different From the Rapture’

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 23, 2023

Pastor Greg Laurie, who has been preaching a series titled “The End of the World,” recently addressed Jesus’ Second Coming, explaining how that event will be different from the Rapture. Laurie is an evangelist and the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a church with multiple locations based in Riverside, California.

Jesus’ Second Coming “is the answer to the prayer that the church has been praying for 2,000 years,” said Laurie, referencing the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. Verse 10 says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

The Rapture. You probably have heard this term. It is a real event that could happen at any time. Some would say, “You can’t even find the word, ‘Rapture’ in the Bible!”.

To the point, you can’t find the word, ‘Bible’ in the Bible! Nor can you find the word, ‘Trinity’in the… pic.twitter.com/qBzVy2J8aS

— Greg Laurie (@greglaurie) August 22, 2023

Greg Laurie Explains Elements of the End Times

Before starting his sermon, preached Sunday, Aug. 20, Greg Laurie gave the church an update on Harvest’s relief efforts in Maui, an island in Hawaii recently devastated by wildfires.

The pastor said that Harvest is working with Samaritan’s Purse to bring aid to the area and added that this weekend he would be speaking to Harvest’s campus, Harvest at Kumulani Chapel, in Maui.

Laurie’s sermon on the Second Coming is part of a series he is doing on the End Times, where he is offering a view of the end of the world based on dispensational theology. He displayed a timeline on the screen behind him, showing End Times events in order of their occurrence as Laurie understands them: the Rapture, the rise of the Anti-Christ, the 7-Year Tribulation Period, the Battle of Armageddon, the Second Coming, Jesus’ 1000-Year Reign, and the New Jerusalem.

“I think your very reaction to this idea that Christ could come back is a spiritual barometer as to where you are at,” said Laurie. If the thought elicits joy, that’s a good sign. If people feel dread, that’s not. We should respond in agreement with John at the end of Revelation when he says, “Amen,” to Jesus’ statement, “I am coming soon.”

“There’s sometimes confusion about the Rapture and the Second Coming,” said Laurie, explaining that the Rapture is when Jesus descends from heaven and resurrects bodies of believers who have already gone to heaven. Scriptures that speak to this idea include 1 Thessalonians 4, John 14, Matthew 24, and 1 Corinthians 15. No one knows precisely when the Rapture will occur, but it will take place before the seven years of tribulation.

“The Second Coming is different from the Rapture,” said Laurie. The Rapture will occur before Christ judges the world, while in his Second Coming, Jesus returns with judgment. Laurie emphasized that judging people is not God’s “sweet spot,” that is, it is not something he loves to do. In fact, during the period of tribulation, God will give people constant warnings to repent before facing his judgment.

Another difference between the two events is that the Rapture occurs before the tribulation, while the Second Coming takes place at the end of the tribulation. At the Rapture, Jesus comes for his people, but at the Second Coming, he returns with his people. And the Rapture is when Jesus comes like a thief in the night, but the Second Coming is when “every eye” will see his return. Moreover, the people of earth will respond to Jesus’ Second Coming with sadness and weeping.

‘Sound of Freedom’ Surpasses $175 Million in Box Office Sales, Beating ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Mission: Impossible,’ and ‘Transformers’

By

Dale Chamberlain

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August 23, 2023

“Sound of Freedom” continues to prove itself a box office hit, surpassing $175 million in domestic sales.

At the time of this article, “Sound of Freedom” has earned $178,085,077 in domestic box office sales, which is more than several other highly anticipated films this year, including “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Creed III,” “Fast X,” and “The Flash.”

The film is roughly $9 million away from overtaking “John Wick: Chapter 4” for the No. 9 spot on the list of 2023 box office leaders.

Distributed by the faith-based Angel Studios, “Sound of Freedom” centers on the story of Tim Ballard, a former U.S. federal agent who rescued child sex-trafficking victims in South America. Ballard is played by Jim Caviezel, perhaps best known for portraying Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ.”

The theatrical run of “The Sound of Freedom” has not been without controversy, in part because Caviezel, the film’s star, has expressed his belief in conspiracy theories associated with QAnon in recent years—and even during the course of promoting the film.

Since some QAnon conspiracy theories allege that secret cabals of liberal elites collude to kidnap children, critics have argued that the plot of “The Sound of Freedom,” which revolves around saving children from sex trafficking, is a dog whistle to fringe groups on the far right.

The film’s makers have denied such claims, arguing that the story is a faithful adaptation of real-life events.

Shortly after the film’s release and the subsequent backlash from left-leaning media outlets, some audiences began reporting issues with their viewing experiences, which included complaints of faulty air conditioning and poor sound quality, leading to speculation that AMC was sabotaging the film.

As online controversy began to swell, Angel Studios heads spoke out to defend AMC, pointing out that the issues experienced by “Sound of Freedom” viewers were common challenges for theaters, particularly during summer months. The studio urged viewers to be patient and kind when interacting with theater employees.

Phil Vischer, Part 1: How Pastors Can Guide the Creatives in Their Churches

By

Jessica Mouser

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August 23, 2023

The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast · Phil Vischer, Part 1: How Pastors Can Guide the Creatives in Their Churches

Phil Vischer is an animator, writer, voice actor and director who is known for co-creating VeggieTales alongside his friend Mike Nawrocki and for voicing dozens of VeggieTales characters, including Bob the Tomato. In 2012, Phil and his friend, Skye Jethani, launched the “Holy Post” podcast, which has since expanded to become a diverse media resource that helps believers live faithfully in our increasingly post-Christian culture.

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Key Questions for Phil Vischer

-Do you have any current projects you’re working on in kids media?

-What are your thoughts about the current state of the creativity of Christian media?

-What should pastors and church leaders say to the creatives in their church who want to use their talents for God?

-What made you get into commentary in and around Christian spaces?

Key Quotes From Phil Vischer

“I had this kind of amazing pedigreed evangelical legacy/history that had a heavy focus on: What’s the big thing you’ve done for the kingdom? You know, how much impact have you had for the kingdom? So I kind of grew up with this kingdom impact mindset.”

“I grew up with filmmaking and computers and ministry, and so wouldn’t you know it, I made the first computer animated ministry.”

“The first VeggieTales video came out two years before ‘Toy Story.’ So we were two years ahead of Pixar in terms of getting something into the market.”

“At one point there was a survey that said one-third of American homes where young children are present have purchased at least one VeggieTales video.”

“It’s just hard to make money in kids media these days for anyone. And then if you put the constraint of, it’s kind of religious, that just shrinks the funding possibilities down even further.”

“My personal theology did not change, but I looked back and thought, ‘You know, with VeggieTales, did I just spend 10 years trying to persuade kids to behave Christianly without actually explaining to them Christianity?’ And that was the motivation for ‘What’s in the Bible?’”

Are Aliens, UFOs Real? Astrophysicist Reveals Why These ‘Terrifying’ Things Might Not Be What They Seem

By

Billy Hallowell

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August 23, 2023

Aliens UFO — Photo credit: Miriam Espacio / Unsplash

Are aliens real? Do UFOs really exist? These questions, once relegated to the confines of conspiratorial enterprises, are now legitimately being pondered among some scientists, academics — and even in the halls of Congress.

It’s an issue Dr. Hugh Ross, an astrophysicist and apologist, has long researched and explored.

“I became a UFO expert, but not on purpose,” he recently told “Billy Hallowell’s Playing With Fire” podcast. “I was an amateur astronomer before I became a professional astronomer.”

Ross eventually found himself handling UFO reports at universities, exploring claims people made about aliens and unidentified phenomena. And he came to some fascinating conclusions.

“About 99% of what people would report to me as UFOs, I could explain as natural phenomena, a hoax, or secret government military activity,” Ross said. “But there’s a 1% residual that falls in a different category, and these would be UFO phenomena.”

Listen to Ross explain the nature of these alien encounters and what he’s observed:

He said these reports violated physics, yet there was purportedly evidence indicating they were “real phenomena.” Ross said many scientists won’t look seriously at these claims, as they’re not open to the possibility of “non-physical reality.”

“But, as a Christian, as a believer in the inerrancy of the Bible, I do believe in the existence of non-physical reality,” he said. “Because the Bible tells us God created two different species of intelligent life — one that’s constrained by the physics of the universe, and one that is not.”

With humans in the material realm and angels in the spiritual, Ross said new possibilities emerge when understanding claims of alien life and UFOs.

Rather than literal space creatures, Ross believes alien encounters are actually spiritual manifestations.

Citing details from claims of space crashes, landings, and supposed extraterrestrial encounters, the scientist said there’s never any debris and artifacts left behind — a fact he finds notable.

“If it was a physical craft crashing into the earth, you’d be able to recover some debris and artifacts,” he said. “But the fact that you see a crater, and melted snow, and damaged vegetation, means [it’s] something real.”

As for the human reaction to these encounters, Ross also noted they are “never beneficial” and interactions are “always deleterious.”

“The best you’re going to come away from with one of these encounters is recurring, terrifying nightmares,” he said. “Worst case scenario, you get killed.”

Reports of alien encounters also mirror what some have experienced during claims of demonic activity, he said. From going into trances to engaging in automatic writing, Ross believes the parallels between possession and purported interactions with extraterrestrials cannot be ignored.

Conservative Cardinal Predicts Synod on Synodality Could Lead To Schism

By

Claire Giangrave

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August 23, 2023

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Cardinal Raymond Burke, a former American archbishop and Vatican official who is considered the de facto leader of Catholic conservatives, has written in the preface to a new book that Pope Francis is risking confusion and even schism in leading the upcoming Synod on Synodality in Rome.

“Synodality and its adjective, synodal, have become slogans behind which a revolution is at work to change radically the Church’s self-understanding, in accord with a contemporary ideology which denies much of what the Church has always taught and practiced,” Burke said in his preface to “The Synodal Process Is a Pandora’s Box: 100 Questions and Answers.”

The book, available online and published by a conservative organization called Tradition Family and Property, was co-written by José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo de Izcue, both South American scholars and activists. It is the most recent expression of dissent about the synod, called by Pope Francis three years ago to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability in the church.

In a statement released Tuesday (Aug. 22), TFP explained the rationale behind the book, saying that “despite its potentially revolutionary impact, the debate around this synod has been limited primarily to ‘insiders,’ and the general public knows little about it.”

After three years of consultations with Catholics around the world on topics ranging from power structures and women’s roles to combating sexual abuse, bishops and lay Catholics will gather in Rome in October under the rubric of “Synodality: Communion, Participation and Mission.” Among the items on the agenda, drawn from the concerns raised by Catholics in diocesan forums, are inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics and female leadership.

“The Synodal Process Is a Pandora’s Box: 100 Questions and Answers” Courtesy image

Those topics have convinced conservative Catholics that the synod is a Trojan horse that will lead to changes in Catholic doctrine on questions of morality and sexuality.

The 110-page book, in a question-and-answer format, addresses the “serious situation” brought on by the synod, Burke wrote in the foreword. It should concern all Catholics “who observe the evident and grave harm” that it has brought on the church. The word synodality, the cardinal added, is “a term which has no history in the doctrine of the Church and for which there is no reasonable definition.”

Burke wrote that synodality leads to “confusion and error and their fruit — indeed schism,” citing a movement in Germany known as the Synodal Path, in which church leaders participated in a consultation with lay and religious Catholics in the country between December 2019 and March 2023. The German process also addressed female ordination and the blessing of same-sex couples, among other issues.

“With the imminent Synod on Synodality, it is rightly to be feared that the same confusion and error and division will be visited upon the universal Church. In fact, it has already begun to happen through the preparation of the Synod at the local level,” Burke wrote.

The only way to uncover the “ideology at work” within the Vatican and “undertake true reform,” Burke wrote, was to turn to the “unchanging and unchangeable doctrine and discipline of the church.” He praised the book and its authors and entrusted to the Virgin Mary his prayer that “the grave harm which presently threatens the Church be averted.”

Burke served as archbishop of St. Louis in the early 2000s, making headlines for advocating denying Communion to politicians who support abortion rights, before being tapped to head of the Vatican’s Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, overseeing judicial and disciplinary matters for the Holy See. He was also formerly the patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to the Congregation of Bishops, giving him influence over the selection process for diocesan leaders.

The cardinal has been a vocal opponent of Pope Francis’ vision for the church. When the pope issued his 2016 apostolic exhortation, “Amoris Laetitia,” which opened the door for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist, Burke and three other cardinals questioned the decision in a public letter known as dubia, or doubts. Burke has been an unabashed critic of efforts in the church to promote the welcoming of LGBTQ faithful.

This article originally appeared here.

More Than 100 Chaplains Urge Texans Not To Hire School Chaplains

By

Jack Jenkins

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August 23, 2023

(RNS) — More than 100 chaplains signed a letter urging local Texas school boards to vote against putting chaplains in public schools, calling efforts to enlist religious counselors in public classrooms “harmful” to students and families.

The letter comes just days before a bill allowing public schools to hire school chaplains becomes law in Texas, the first state in the country to pass such a measure. The legislation, which had been pushed by activists associated with Christian nationalism, gives the state’s nearly 1,200 school boards until March 1 of next year to vote on whether to employ chaplains.

The letter was organized by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and Interfaith Alliance as well as local advocacy group Texas Impact.

The chaplains who signed the letter, released Tuesday (Aug. 22), bemoaned the lack of standards for potential school chaplains aside from background checks, contrasting it with the extensive training required for health care and military chaplains.

“Because of our training and experience, we know that chaplains are not a replacement for school counselors or safety measures in our public schools, and we urge you to reject this flawed policy option: It is harmful to our public schools and the students and families they serve,” the letter read.

While chaplains who operate in multi-faith environments are generally barred from proselytizing, the Texas bill, SB 763, outlined no such condition, leaving each school district to answer the question on its own.

“There is no requirement in this law that the chaplains refrain from proselytizing while at schools or that they serve students from different religious backgrounds,” reads the letter.

Signers of the letter are members of an array of Christian denominations, including the Presbyterian Church (USA), United Methodist Church, Disciples of Christ and Seventh-day Adventist. Some are part of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Several other signers identified as Jewish, Buddhist or Unitarian Universalist.

“Texas Impact’s member faith traditions recognize the unique value of chaplains in some of life’s most challenging situations, and that’s why they insist on rigorous training and oversight of chaplains under their commission,” the Rev. Franz Schemmel, Texas Impact board president and pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Weatherford, said in a press release.

Last month, another letter sent to school boards by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation raised similar concerns about the bill, which they called unconstitutional.

Besides leading to “religious proselytization and coercion of students,” the July letter charged, chaplains “are generally affiliated with specific religious denominations and traditions. In deciding which chaplains to hire or accept as volunteers, schools will inherently give preference to particular denominations, violating the ‘clearest command’ of the Establishment Clause: ‘(O)ne religious denomination cannot be officially preferred over another.’”

Texas state Rep. James Talarico speaks on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives on May 24, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Submitted photo

As SB 763 made its way through the Texas Legislature in May, state Rep. James Talarico, a Presbyterian-minister-in-training, repeatedly challenged the bill and linked it to Christian nationalism. He also expressed concern about the bill’s champions: the National School Chaplain Association, an arm of a Christian missionary organization that has previously expressed a desire to convert students and school officials to Christianity.

Julie Pickren, a member of the NSCA’s board who was elected to the Texas State Board of Education last November, appeared in a video on social media, since deleted, in which she celebrated the idea of chaplains proselytizing to school children.

“There are children who need chaplains. For the pastors in here, you already know: We have a whole generation of children that have never stepped foot one day inside of a church,” Pickren said in the video.

This article originally appeared here.

Saddleback Church Ministers to Survivors

Rev. Michael Sutton: ‘Thieves Don’t Stop Because We’re a Church’

Pastor: Thieves Should’ve Asked Us for Help

How did you come to write this book? And why now?

When you first began attending church as a young adult, what about it appealed to you?

What kind of harmful theology did you encounter at the church?

How did your courtship with Josh stop being about the two of you?

1. Short-Sightedness

2. Fear

3. Ignorance

Here are five other misconceptions of God’s Word you’d be wise to spend a Sunday addressing.

1. If you don’t know the date you were saved, then you are not saved.

THE SHORT ANSWER IS… YES. AND THE FIRST ANSWER IS TO “ALIGN WITH THE WHY.” BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

HERE ARE 3 WAYS TO PRAY THE WHY WAY.

1 • FATHER, I TRUST YOUR WAYS ARE BEST.

2 • LORD, GIVE ME YOUR HEART.

3 • GOD, ADVANCE YOUR KINGDOM.

The Importance of Being Analog

Inner Healing Prayer for Small Groups

Our Role in Inner Healing Prayer

Calling vs. Career: Key Differences

After Two Years in Court, Pastor James Coates to Be Acquitted for COVID-19 Charges

Pastor James Coates and the Canadian Government

Greg Laurie Explains Elements of the End Times

Other Ways To Listen to This Podcast With Phil Vischer

Key Questions for Phil Vischer

Key Quotes From Phil Vischer

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