Parrot praising God

This parrot lives beside a church... Listen and be blessed.

Rockets Rain Down on Israel

...After Killing of Top Jihadist

So far 150 rockets have hit the south and central regions of Israel, including the Tel Aviv area

The day began with air raid sirens across the northern Negev and the Greater Tel Aviv area.

Overnight, the Israel Air Force (IAF) had taken out Bahaa Abu al-Ata, a high-ranking Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza. Al-Ata was responsible for numerous attacks on Israel in recent months and years. He is also believed to have been planning further larger attacks against Israeli population centers.

The Islamic Jihad response was not long in coming. At 5:50 AM, the first air raid sirens sounded. The terror group openly declared that it was at war with Israel.

Soon after, the rocket fire began and then spread north. At first, they hit the cities of Sderot, Ashkelon, and Ashdod. By 7:00 AM, rockets were being fired at the central Israel towns of Rishon Letzion and Holon. All across the south and in the heavily-populated Greater Tel Aviv region, schools were closed and families were warned to remain near a bomb shelter. Most places of business also remained shuttered, and security officials banned any large public gatherings.

Israel’s surgical strike against al-Ata destroyed only the bedroom where the terror chief was sleeping.

By 8:00, more than 30 terrorist rockets had been fired into Israel. In Ashkelon, shrapnel fell near a sports field, and in Sderot, a residential building suffered a direct hit. There were no physical injuries, but a number of people were treated for shock. Around this time, the first rocket hit the Greater Tel Aviv area.

At 11:00 AM, Naftali Bennett was scheduled to take the post of Minister of Defense. The coming hours will reveal how the situation develops, though most are assuming that this new “round” of fighting could take a few days, and might develop into another major military operation in the Gaza Strip. Of course, whether or not it comes to that often depends on the number of casualties on the Israeli side.

By mid-afternoon, the number of rockets fired from Gaza had reached 150, while the vaunted Iron Dome anti-missile system had intercepted at least 60 of those rockets that it’s algorithms deemed most threatening.

Shock Missionary Move Announced Francis Chan

Moving to Asia to be a missionary

Pastor and author Francis Chan delivers remarks as part of the Q Commons event, broadcast internationally on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. | Courtesy of Q Ideas/Parker Young

“I’m going to come under this because I’m going to stand before Him one day and I’m going to be judged by Him, and I don’t want to be judged as a coward,” Chan concluded. “That’s the greatest joy you’re going to find in life, is when you understand you have a holy, holy judge for a Father who is rich in mercy and full of love for you and is knocking on the door.” 

Former megachurch pastor Francis Chan has announced he will be moving to Asia in order to become a full-time missionary.

Chan delivered the shocking news during a sermon at Azusa Pacific University on Wednesday, to the great surprise of those in attendance.

“A few months ago, we were in Myanmar and my wife and I and kids, we were just with a translator going from hut to hut in these slums, trying to explain to people who Jesus is,” he explained, according to the Christian Post. “These people had never even heard of Him. And the eagerness, the way they listened, seeing people get baptized — it was just like, wow, what do we do on a normal day that even compares to this?”

Chan went on to describe the moment that he and his wife knew they had to go. “As we got on the plane home, I was like, ‘Honey, I think it’s time to move,’” Francis explained, noting that he felt he had “been fishing in the same pond my whole life and now there’s like thousands of other fishermen at the same pond, and our lines are getting tangled and everyone’s fighting over stupid things.”

The pastor continued: “What if I heard of a lake that’s like a five-mile hike away, and no one’s fishing it. And they’re saying, ‘Man, the fish are biting — just throw a hook in there and they’ll go for it!’ Man, I’ll make that five-mile hike if I love fishing.”



Continuing with the same analogy, Chan went on to note that there were many things keeping him in the United States. “I’ll tell you what would keep me at the pond is. I built a house on the pond, and all my friends have houses on the pond. And we don’t even fish that much, we just go out, and we hang out, and we talk, and we play, and I don’t want to leave my friends.”


“But if my calling is to go fish, and there’s no one fishing over there, why wouldn’t I go?”

Chan, the best-selling author of “Crazy Love,” hit the headlines back in 2010 after announcing that he would be resigning from his position as senior pastor of Cornerstone Church — a 6,000 member congregation in California which he himself founded.

Speaking to the Relevant Podcast in September 2018, Chan said he “got tired of hearing [his] own voice,” and felt as if the congregation was relying on him too much instead of seeking God for themselves.

Chan and his family are set to move to Asia in February of next year.

Churches can boost revenue through preaching and teaching

Show thee the money: churches can boost revenue through preaching and teaching

Talking money at church can be a scary prospect for ministers but overcoming that fear may bolster overall congregational health, according to a new survey of American churches.

The National Study of Congregations’ Economic Practices (NSCEP) found that fellowships that engage in frequent, transparent conversation around receiving, managing and spending money often create giving cultures that multiple income streams.

But it isn’t easy for many clergies.

“They talk about this being something they were unprepared for in their education, so they didn’t have training on budgets and stewardship and finance in seminary,” said David King, director of Indiana University’s Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, which produced the study.

The survey highlights the benefit of taking up the subject. It found that 48 percent of the 1,231 American congregations studied from 2014 to 2017 experienced an increase in revenue during that period, compared to 35 percent that reported a giving decrease.

Congregations established after 2000 saw membership and income rise 66 percent and 69 percent, respectively. Black churches also reported strong gains in both attendance, 62 percent, and giving, 59 percent.

Catholics, at 56 percent, and mainline Protestants, at 38 percent, led among those who experienced declines in giving, the report said.

King spoke with Baptist News Global about other key findings in the report, and about the congregational attitudes they uncovered. His comments follow here, edited for clarity.

Were any of the findings particularly surprising to you?

The financial health of congregations is not quite as bad as we might have thought. We hear of scarcity and closings, and that is the case for many. And the narrative oftentimes is one of rising religious disaffiliation, which is about individuals. But we focused on institutions and we saw a slightly different story: 39 percent of congregations are growing; 38 percent are declining in the number of participants, and many others are holding steady.

Millennials are said to reject traditional tithing. Did the study bear that out?

We don’t know too much from this study about how Millennials are giving in general. Most congregations are not made up of just one demographic. Most arguments for giving don’t strike the connection point Millennials are looking for. They and the next generation want to be connected. Just doing their fair share or contributing to the overall mission of the congregation doesn’t motivate them as will a particular cause. While there is no one way that inspires everyone, we may need to reassess and reimagine how to motivate people to give.

Is the revenue decline among Catholics and mainline Protestants mostly driven by membership decreases?

Catholics and mainliners are declining in numbers and in revenues, Catholics the most strongly – in both numbers and revenues. Mainline churches were declining in numbers but less so in revenues. Catholics are often more dependent on general offerings and often don’t talk about pledge campaigns.

Why are newer churches doing so well with giving?

If newer churches are bringing in non-churched people, there may be an open imagination among them for participating in congregational life through giving and volunteering. There is a newness to it. A lot of newer churches are probably willing to ask because it’s part of the DNA of a new venture, so they can be flexible in establishing those traditions. If you are a more historic congregation, it may take longer to rebuild or expand giving traditions – but it is doable.

How has that been doable according to your research?

Congregations that have multiple forms of giving – such as text-to-give or a mobile phone app – are more likely to be growing. Second, those who are talking about money regularly, teaching about giving, specifically talking about higher levels of transparency in congregational finances and budgets – they are growing more than those who talk about it just once a year.

How can clergy and lay leaders push past the off-limits attitudes around this topic?

There is this taboo, a sacred-profane divide where money is considered to be worldly and we are supposed to be talking about spiritual things.  I think it’s often a nervousness and anxiety.

That’s where transparency and honesty are important. Knowing what’s happening allows these types of congregations to be out front on these issues. Lay people are hungry for conversations on these kinds of topics. They want guidance for themselves and their families on how to teach their kids about personal finance and how to share with others. That opens the door to other kinds of streams.


By Jeff Brumley
Jeff is assistant editor for Baptist News Global. He is based in Jacksonville, Fla.

SOURCE LINK

British Editorial urges non-Jews to not vote for Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn

UK Jewish paper publishes editorial urging non-Jews not to vote for Jeremy Corbyn

The United Kingdom’s Jewish Chronicle published a front-page editorial message to non-Jews expressing Jewish concerns about Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn possibly becoming prime minister.

“Putting oneself in the shoes of another person, or another group can be difficult. But we believe it is important—and urgent—that you do that,” the paper said, citing a recent poll that found 87 per cent of British Jews consider Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to be an anti-Semite.

“Throughout his career, he has allied with and supported antisemites such as Paul Eisen, Stephen Sizer and Raed Salah. He has described organisations like Hamas, whose founding charter commits it to the extermination of every Jew on the planet, as his ‘friends.’ He has laid a wreath to honour terrorists who have murdered Jews. He has insulted “Zionists”—the word used by antisemites when they mean ‘Jew’ because they think it allows them to get away with it—as lacking understanding of ‘English irony.’ ”

That is why we are seeking your attention. If this man is chosen as our next prime minister, the message will be stark,” the editorial concluded.

Meanwhile, two former Labour Party MPs are telling voters ahead of the country’s election on Dec. 13 to support current British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and stop Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn from becoming prime minister.

Ian Austin, who left the party in February over claims that it failed to do enough to tackle anti-Semitism, said in an interview with BBC Radio 4 on Thursday, “I think Jeremy Corbyn is completely unfit to lead our country. Completely unfit to lead the Labour Party. … It’s really come to something when I tell decent, traditional, patriotic Labour voters that they should be voting for Boris Johnson in this election. I can’t believe it’s come to this, but that’s where we are.”

Austin also said Corbyn “always picks our country’s enemies” to side with, adding that the Labour Party has “been poisoned with anti-Jewish racism under his leadership and it is a complete and utter disgrace.”

Former Labour MP John Woodcock expressed the same sentiments by saying, “The choice to keep Jeremy Corbyn away from Downing Street, to stop him getting his hands on the levers of national security and defence, has to be to vote Conservative in this election, and that’s what I’ll be doing as well.”

One day earlier, Labour MP Tom Watson announced his resignation as the party’s deputy leader, a decision that the Jewish Labour Movement called “shocking and saddening” since Watson was “a strong ally in the fight against anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.”


SOURCE LINK

Creating Space for The Weak

THE VERSE MOST CHURCHES IGNORE

In America, cultural Christianity has led to some serious problems. As a result, Christian America has become more and more post-Christian America.  One of the greatest reasons for our fall is our unwillingness to obey one particular verse in the Bible.  “Accept the one whose faith is weak….” – Romans 14:1.

By failing to include and disciple those without faith along with our impatience with those new to faith, we have caused people with genuine doubts and issues to give up or no longer come to us for help.

Too often Christians have been seen as judgmental and an increased pressure to embrace a facade to look like a “good Christian” has been cultivated.  As a result, churches have been tempted to operate under more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Many who follow Christ want everyone to have it together or at least act like they have it together.  In the end, people who struggled with their faith or struggled with sinful choices have felt a need to go in one of two directions:

• Hide their struggles and never get help.
• Embrace their struggles and leave the church.

The antidote to this slide away from faith is to follow Paul’s command to the Roman church to “Accept the one whose faith is weak….” – Romans 14:1.  Romans challenges the church to create space for those weaker in faith; this exemplifies the love of God and the missional essence of the church.

JUST CONSIDER, WHAT IF…?

• What if churches followed through on Paul’s direction to the Romans to accept those who are weak?
• What if churches allowed people to belong before they believe?
• What if churches communicated to the world in words and in action to truly “come as you are”?

Accepting the weaker person and creating the space for the unbeliever to be among us is difficult and challenging.

The realities of including the weak more intentionally in our church family have multiple facets:

• Struggling people don’t often think of the church as their go-to place to find healing.
•  For those who are part of the community, people who are struggling are messy.
• Hurt people hurt people.
• Many of the “more mature” people who follow Christ are looking for a church community in order to hide from the struggles and broken people of the world.
•  “More mature” Christ-followers give money to be “fed” rather than looking for ways to invest in skeptics and new believers.

  CONSIDER MORE OF THE PASSAGE:

“Accept the one whose faith is weak…. without quarreling over disputable matters….

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself…

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  – Romans 14:1, 15:1-6

CONSUMER CHRISTIANITY

It appears consumer Christianity is not an issue only in America. Paul challenges the Roman Christ-followers to “bear with the failings of the weak and not please ourselves.”  Our human default is towards selfishness and pleasing ourselves.  Our American default is to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” more than anything else which leads to a consumer Christianity. The way of Jesus is to build up others – no matter how weak they may be.  As spiritually-minded people, another way to say this is that we need to join the mission of Jesus and His Church.

Unfortunately, we have misconstrued this word: “Church.”  The Church is not a building. The Church is not a service on Sunday. The Church is not an institution. The Church is not a religion.

We’ve been tricked and confused by distorted views of the Church. Additionally, the stereotype of the world religion known as Christianity often does not represent Jesus well.

• Rather than loving others, religion judges others.
• Rather than inviting others in, religion excludes others who look differently or make different moral choices or believe differently.
• Rather than acknowledging our need for God’s love and forgiveness, religion reeks of hypocrisy and pride.

Instead, the true meaning of the word “Church” literally means “the called-out ones.” The Church is the community of people who follow Jesus!  The Church are those who give up their entire lives to follow Jesus. We are set apart from the world by our behavior and sent out into the world to bring new life!

We are wounded, healers!

There is a universal church – everyone on the planet who follows Jesus and there are local expressions of the church like Gateway.  If you follow Jesus, you are part of the Church!

Erwin McManus, our pastor in Los Angeles, used to say: “The Church is not here to meet our needs. We are the Church, and we are here to meet the needs of the world!”

THE TRUE CHURCH

How differently would the world view the Church if we chose to live as we were created to live – loving and serving and meeting the needs of the world around us?  The Church’s mission is to advance Jesus’ invisible kingdom. His invisible Kingdom is advanced through the faith, love, and hope expressed by those who follow Jesus!

We do not advance the Kingdom of Jesus through violence, arguments, protests, posts on Facebook or tweets on twitter.  We advance His Kingdom through a willingness to lay down our lives to love others as we exemplify Jesus by living godly, holy, and selfless lives.  We do this not so that God will love us. He already does! We do this in response to His love – out of gratitude for His love!

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

• Evaluate:  When are we or our ministry leaders operating out of religious tendencies and obligation as opposed to a relationship?

• Invite a friend skeptical of faith to attend a Sunday service. Ask him or her to share what elements resonated and what elements were off-putting and not helpful.

• Challenge your leaders to evaluate their ministry areas to consider if they are creating space for those who are weak in their faith.

• Challenge your leaders to evaluate how they are challenging and helping Christ-followers in fully following Jesus rather than succumbing to cultural Christianity.

Written by Eric Bryant is the pastor at Gateway Church in South Austin, a professor with Bethel Seminary, author of Not Like Me: Learning to Love, Serve, and Influence Our Divided World, creator of churchgrowthworkshop.com, and founder of ericbryant.org

First published by SEND INSTITUTE

Word of Grace to you

Hear God’s Word of Grace to you

“And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness…”(Acts 28 vs 2). That is the Focal Scripture of Streams of Joy Devotional Today.

Today’s Focal Scripture introduces the people Paul encountered when he escaped from the shipwreck. He ran into the midst of barbarous people. The barbarous people were non-Jews and were said to be unlearned and uncivilized. They could be hostile and mean. So, Paul found himself in the midst of uncivilized and hostile people.

Friend, hear God’s Word of Grace to you: Every ‘Barbarian’ in your destiny will turn around and show you kindness. Every person who seemed poised to cut short your destiny will turn around and work in your favor. The same enemies who have been plotting your downfall will serve as servants that will push you to the next level. People who have a history of being hostile to everyone will show you kindness.

The same people who have vowed to keep you miserable and uncomfortable will soon become caring and loving; the same people who have vowed to make you cry will turn around to make you laugh with joy.

Dearest Beloved of the Lord, the ‘barbarians’ will show you kindness in this season in Jesus name!

Pray with me, “Lord, may every ‘barbarian’ in my destiny turn around and show me kindness in Jesus name”.

Have a Restful day!