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Wife of TB Joshua vows to continue his legacy after reopening church for Sunday services

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Wife of TB Joshua vows to continue his legacy after reopening church for Sunday services

The wife of a controversial Nigerian televangelist pastor is continuing his legacy, after reopening his mega church for Sunday services.

Evelyn Joshua, who has been appointed as her husband’s successor, recently led the first Sunday service at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) to take place in five months*7/11*  . 

Temitope Balogun Joshua *corr*, known as TB Joshua, who died in June, was known to SCOAN members as “the senior prophet” or “our dear father” and had a huge social media following as well as a significant international influence. 

The 57-year-old Pentecostal was called one of Africa’s 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazine’s The Africa Report and New African Magazine, but was not affiliated with the official Pentecostal church in Nigeria, and was blacklisted by the government of Cameroon in 2010.

The Guardian Newspaper told of how devotees of Joshua “spent long hours memorising hundreds of pages of his teachings, known as Quotable Quotes, which they believed to be the word of God”, with some “cutting themselves off from friends and family, foregoing marriage, education and conventional careers”.

Spiritual healing at SCOAN has been the subject of several media reports, including a mention in Time Magazine, an Associated Press interview and an article by Foreign Policy suggesting Nigerians tend to seek spiritual help due to insufficient medical facilities.

The BBC reported the mass outpouring of grief upon the colourful figure’s death, as well as people fleeing the church in Lagos, Nigeria, with cash, in-fighting over Joshua’s succession and “disciples” being evicted by Mrs Joshua when she took over.

Mrs Joshua, 52, who according to the BBC was not considered by some to be the successor her husband intended, is an ordained minister and was allegedly helped to the position of leader by her supporters obtaining a court order to make her a member of the church board.

She denies the eviction allegations. 
 

SOURCE: PREMIER CHRISTIAN NEWS

Two Kidnapped Missionaries Freed in Haiti

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Two Kidnapped Missionaries Freed in Haiti

Two members of a missionary group kidnapped in Haiti a month ago have finally been freed, leaving 15 Christians still in captivity.

“The two hostages who were released are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for,” stated Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) on its website. The Ohio-based group said it “cannot provide or confirm the names of those released, the reasons for their release, where they are from, or their current location.”

“We encourage you to continue to pray for the full resolution of this situation,” stated CAM. “While we rejoice at this release, our hearts are with the 15 people who are still being held. Continue to lift up the remaining hostages before the Lord.”

The group of 16 Americans and one Canadian was visiting an orphanage when they were kidnapped by 400 Mawozo, a powerful gang whose leader threatened to kill the hostages if demands for a million-dollar ransom per person were not met.

Christians in Haiti, both Haitian church leaders and other American missionaries, recently explained their concerns to CT about how the CAM workers could be released in ways that would embolden the gangs that have brought life in Haiti to a standstill.

Meanwhile, the consistently loving prayers of CAM supporters for the kidnappers themselves reveal three Anabaptist distinctives that other Christians should find both familiar and thought provoking, according to experts at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College.

“Our hearts cry, ‘Lord, how much longer must this continue?’” wrote relatives of the captives in a message posted by CAM. “And yet, as the saga stretches on and we reach deeper for grace and courage, we find in mining the depths some beautiful shining gems….” They cited “the preciousness of belonging to … the body of Christ,” the “prayers, Scriptures, and messages of encouragement coming from many,” and the “days of collective prayer and fasting.”

“We see the hearts of Christians around the world drawing together as prayers continue for our loved ones and their captors,” they wrote. “Although we long for the waiting to end and for our loved ones to be set free, we are nonetheless grateful for the treasures that we have found in this valley—gifts from our God and from His people.”

CT’s Quick to Listen podcast recently explored how Haitian Christians persevere through crises and whether God really wants missionaries to risk their lives.

SOURCE: CHRISTIANITY TODAY

This Nigerian Christian Girl Heard God’s Voice and Escaped Boko Haram – Here’s How He Directly Answered Her Prayer

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This Nigerian Christian Girl Heard God’s Voice and Escaped Boko Haram – Here’s How He Directly Answered Her Prayer

A Nigerian Christian girl credits God for allowing her to escape after being kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram. 

The Christian Post (CP) reports Joy Bishara was one of the 276 Nigerian girls who were kidnapped from their school located in Chibok in 2014. 

She recounted her ordeal during the International Christian Concern’s press conference announcing the 2021 Persecutor of the Year Awards Tuesday, according to the website. 

“We were all sleeping and my friend woke me up,” she said. “I looked at her and I went back to sleep. But she touched me and woke me up a second time so I listened and the ground was shaking and I can hear gunshots outside of the gate. Mind you, you have to walk about six minutes to get to our dormitory where we are sleeping from the campus area and that’s where the gate was.”

Bishara asked her friend what was happening and she replied, “The Boko Haram terrorist people are here.”

While the two girls were praying for God’s protection on their families, a man dressed in a soldier’s uniform came up to them. He told the girls to wake up the rest of the girls. 

A group of armed men gathered all of the girls together. Bishara said the men fired their weapons over their heads and saying “they would kill us and nobody would do anything about it.”

After the gunmen pillaged the school’s food supply, they set fire to all of the buildings on the campus. 

Bishara said the terrorists told the girls to sit under a tree. Then they told them, they “should all kneel down and say our last prayers.”

Instead, three trucks were driven up and some of the men told the girls, “Whoever wants to live should get into the truck.”

Choosing life, Bishara jumped into one of the trucks. As the truck started to speed away, it was then she “made a deal with God,” according to the CP. 

The girl told the press conference she asked God to “please allow me to see my family once more and I promise to follow you for the rest of my life.” 

Bishara said God answered her prayer just five minutes later. One of the vehicles a terrorist was driving, broke down and some of them decided to try to fix it.  This gave her an opportunity, but she said it was risky. 

“So it was just all scary and I was deciding should I jump, should I not and a voice in my head is battling with another voice saying, ‘If you jump, you’re going to die.’ And the other one is saying, ‘Jump,’ so I had to decide should I jump or should I not?” she reasoned. 

“I ended up coming to a conclusion that even if I jump and then I get injured or die, at least my parents will find me here or my corpse and bury me knowing I am dead, rather than to go with these people and never be seen ever again,” Bishara said. 

So she jumped out of the truck, landing flat on her stomach. She got up and started running and ran for the rest of the night, she said. 

“I believed that me praying was the cause of that car not moving,” she told ICC. “I was crying out to God to help, and He actually did help.”

“I believe the voice that was saying, ‘Jump down, you’ll be fine,’ was God’s voice,” she recalled.

Bishara ran all the way to a village where she found a couple of her schoolmates. They had also jumped out of the truck. She said they asked a farmer to help them and he drove them back to Chibok. 

The Nigerian girl came to the U.S. following her escape from the Boko Haram. According to Newsweek, Bishara graduated from Canyonville Christian Academy in Oregon and also attended Southeastern University in Florida. She even met with then-President Donald Trump at the White House in 2017. 

SOURCE: CBN NEWS

‘God Loves Them’: Christian Teacher Makes over 2,100 Desks for Children in Iowa

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‘God Loves Them’: Christian Teacher Makes over 2,100 Desks for Children in Iowa

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced many students to attend school remotely, a Christian teacher from Central Iowa got busy making desks for children in need of a proper workspace.

Nate Evans, who teaches at Des Moines Christian School in Urbandale, launched “Woodworking with a Purpose” last September when he realized that some students didn’t have a space at home to do their assignments. So far, he and his team have made over 2,100 desks.

According to Evans, the effort is “100 percent led by God.”

“I’ve always wanted to help kids … that’s why I became a teacher,” he told CBN News. “Education was my ministry. In the last year or so, God has truly revealed Himself to me.”

He noted that teachers were instructed to talk to students about the importance of having a personal place of study at home.

“As a public school teacher, we were told if they had an online class, they should have their own space,” Evans said. “I thought that was really unfair.”

Evans also recognized that it could be inconvenient for some children to have to do their homework at a kitchen table or on the floor.

“Having their own desk space would give them some sort of normalcy,” he stressed.

After much prayer and discussion with family and church friends, Evans founded “Woodworking with a Purpose” so that no child in his community would be without a designated workspace. According to the initiative’s mission statement, “our purpose is to serve God and others by building community, one piece of furniture at a time.”

In the first week of his newfound effort, Evans built 13 desks. A few weeks later, he made 200.

So far, Evans and his team have made 2,143 desks for children in Central Iowa and 13 hope chests for foster children.

Evans credits God for continuing to provide the finances and resources needed to complete the furniture pieces.

“The very first day I made up my mind to do this, I went to the store with about $300 to spend,” Evans said. “I spent about $300, and when I checked my Venmo that day, that’s almost exactly what I had collected that day. It was just meant to be that we were here to help these families.”

He also received a number of supplies that Iowa residents had donated to him, including a table saw, sanders, and a $500 gift card to Home Depot. A number of local businesses and lumberyards contributed supplies to the cause too.

Evans also bought 100 bookshelves and 400 books, which he distributed to families across Des Moines.

With the success of the program and the support of his wife and four kids, Evans told CBN News that he has bigger plans for Woodworking with a Purpose.

“My hope is to turn it into a ministry,” he explained. “I want it to be children seeing people acting through God to give them hope, to show them love. Show kids that God loves them through our actions. I’m hoping to inspire other people and branch out into other states to help other families.”

“I’ve always dreamt of being a minister,” he added. “I’ve wanted to be able to do those things. I see a lot of possibilities that God has in store.”

The response from families has been nothing but positive as many do not have the means to provide their child with a desk or bookshelf at home.

“So many people say the desks have changed their lives,” Evans concluded.

SOURCE: CHRISTIAN HEADLINES

‘I Felt God’s Presence’: Franklin Graham Credits Power of Prayer as He Leaves Mayo Clinic After Heart Surgery

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‘I Felt God’s Presence’: Franklin Graham Credits Power of Prayer as He Leaves Mayo Clinic After Heart Surgery

Evangelist Franklin Graham says prayer made all the difference during his heart surgery last Monday at Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic. 

“Thank you to everyone for your prayers—I know what a difference prayer makes! I was never afraid,” he wrote on a Facebook post. “I felt God’s presence throughout the entire experience and give Him the glory!”

Reverend Graham underwent specialized surgery last week to repair a heart condition known as constrictive pericarditis.
 
According to Samaritan Purse, the condition causes inflammation and hardening of the pericardium, the sac around the heart. The hardening compresses the heart and prevents it from working properly.

The CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) posted about his recovery on social media Tuesday.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to my doctors and the Mayo Clinic team for their excellent care and expertise,” he wrote. “The doctors say that I am doing really well and will be able to return to my normal activity and ministry schedule when I’m fully recovered. I will be recuperating for the next few weeks but am feeling better every day.”

According to BGEA, Graham has plans to kick off his “God Loves You” tour in the United Kingdom in May.

The tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges in the country, but Graham shared that bringing the Gospel message to the UK is pivotal. 

“So many missionaries came out of this country and have taken the Gospel around the world,” he said in an online video. “This country has changed so much in the last 20 or 30 years, but the needs of the human heart have not changed… there is that hole, that vacuum that only God himself can fill.”

Graham has teamed up with 2,600 churches in the UK to share the Good News of salvation through the cross of Christ. 

“I look forward to many opportunities around the world in 2022 to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invite people to put their faith and trust in Him,” he said.

SOURCE: CBN NEWS

Christian Developer to Create World’s First ‘Video Bible’ App for People with Dyslexia, Literacy Challenges

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Christian Developer to Create World’s First ‘Video Bible’ App for People with Dyslexia, Literacy Challenges

A new Christian Bible platform is currently developing the world’s first video Bible.

The Video Bible was founded by Dave Pillow, who intends to use the audio-visual platform to reach people who have trouble reading a physical Bible and children who are too young to read.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Pillow noted that The Video Bible is also intended for anyone who wants to add something “unique” to their intake of Scripture.

“We have a heart for the Church around the world. We have a heart for the Lord, and we felt called to this,” Pillow explained. “I think we want people to know Jesus better and that God loves them. We saw there was a need, and so we wanted to give people better access to God’s Word.”

Although no release date has been set, Pillow says that The Video Bible will be available as an app.

In the meantime, people can check out The Video Bible on its website and YouTube channel. Some of its content is also featured on the YouVersion Bible app.

Pillow shared that the resources The Video Bible has on its website and YouTube page are already proving to be valuable for people with dyslexia and literacy problems and those who simply prefer an audio Bible over a written copy.

“My neighbor said when you get older, it’s harder to concentrate. So, it’s helping her,” he explained. “This resonates with everyone. I think that in a video-driven world, it gives people the chance to engage the Bible in the way they address the media.”

Pillow pointed out that 75 million Americans, or 20 percent of the population, struggle with reading, and 35 million have dyslexia. Additionally, 54.1 million senior citizens find it difficult to read, and almost one-third of the nation’s population is limited in their ability to read the Bible.

“When your brain processes things differently, it’s hard to read the world. People with learning disabilities are often seen differently,” Pillow said. “God wanted them to see and interact with the world in a different way, and they should have the ability to engage and read God’s plan in His Word just like anyone else.”

“We have gotten overwhelmingly positive reactions on YouTube and on the website,” he continued. “I think when it becomes an app, it will grow even more communities of believers because people can come together and listen and watch together on phones and other devices.”

While The Video Bible offers a new way of engaging with the Scriptures, Pillow stressed it is not meant to be a replacement for the written pages of God’s Word.

“Absolutely continue to read your handheld Bible,” he contended. “The audio Bible doesn’t replace the written Bible. It enhances it. It’s an additional way to connect to God.”

The Video Bible, which is a crowdfunded collaborative initiative, has garnered support from multiple Christian groups, including Biblica, YouVersion and The Gospel Coalition.

SOURCE: CHRISTIAN HEADLINES

DC Church Offers Free Gas to 250 Drivers, 8 People Come to Christ

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DC Church Offers Free Gas to 250 Drivers, 8 People Come to Christ

Last Saturday, members of a Washington D.C. church filled the cars of 250 people with free gasoline and led eight people to Jesus Christ.

At the event, titled “Gas on God,” members from the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church (GMCHC) served their community by putting $20 of fuel in motorists’ vehicles. The event was held at a local BP gas station.

“We are still in awe of how the Lord moved through our Gas on God event!” the church said in a Facebook post. “What a blessing it was to serve 250 people from our community by pumping and paying for their gas! Plus 8 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior! It was truly a great day!”

Kristal Woodhouse, Calvary’s Executive Pastor, explained in a video that the special event was an extension of the church’s preexisting outreach program.

“This is such an extension of what we do every week for Giving Tuesday – the food, the toiletries, the laundry detergent, the pampers, the formula,” she explained. “But gas is just as much of a necessity. You gotta get to work, you gotta get to a grocery store, you gotta get to childcare, you gotta get to daycare, you gotta get to church!”

According to CBN News, church volunteers spent three hours pumping gas at the BP station on Saturday. The event drew such a large turnout that D.C. police had to step in to redirect traffic.

Danny Amenu, an assistant manager at the BP, told the Washington Post that the event “couldn’t have come at a better time.”

While some church members fueled gasoline into people’s cars, Tamar Shaw took it a step further and asked if anyone needed prayer. In turn, she witnessed four individuals accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. By the end of the event, eight total people decided to dedicate their lives to Christ.

“The free gas got them here. But this is still ministry,” Shaw contended.

“We want to be intentional in serving the community and touching lives in many different ways,” Dr. Susie C. Owens, co-pastor of GMCHC, explained. “Jesus instructed us to care for our neighbors and to love them. This is a sign of that, and we hope we’ve in some way changed their lives.”

SOURCE: CHRISTIAN HEADLINES

Queen Elizabeth says the Church has provided hope amid pandemic

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Queen Elizabeth says the Church has provided hope amid pandemic

Queen Elizabeth thinks the church has provided hope amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The 95-year-old monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and she believes that people have been able to lean on their religious beliefs to help them through the health crisis.

In a statement delivered by Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest son, at the national assembly of the Church of England, the monarch said: “Of course, in our richly diverse modern society, the well-being of the nation depends on the contribution of people of all faiths, and of none.

“But for people of faith, the last few years have been particularly hard, with unprecedented restrictions in accessing the comfort and reassurance of public worship.”

The Queen also praised the church for adapting amid the pandemic, with services moving online as places of worship were ordered to close.

The monarch – who wasn’t able to attend the event in person, after suffering a back sprain – said: “For many, it has been a time of anxiety, of grief, and of weariness. Yet the Gospel has brought hope, as it has done throughout the ages; and the church has adapted and continued its ministry, often in new ways, such as digital forms of worship.”

During her statement, the Queen also addressed the absence of her husband Prince Philip, who passed away in April at the age of 99.

She said: “It is hard to believe that it is over 50 years since Prince Philip and I attended the very first meeting of the General Synod.

“None of us can slow the passage of time, and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings.”

SOURCE: PREMIER CHRISTIAN NEWS

Holding on to a miracle – Kate Garraway prays in church for husband Derek

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Holding on to a miracle – Kate Garraway prays in church for husband Derek

The TV presenter Kate Garraway says she believes in the power of prayer and is holding on to the hope of a miracle. 

The 54-year-old was visiting a church for the first time since her husband, Derek Draper became ill with Covid in March 2020. The former political lobbyist and psychotherapist spent more than a year in hospital and suffered multiple organ failure and sustained damage to his liver and pancreas. He returned home in April but requires round the clock care.

Speaking as part of a BBC Two series called ” Walking With……” she found herself inside a small village church in the Cotswolds:

“I haven’t been to Church since Derek got sick. We used to go regularly. Derek is a faithful Church goer, but we haven’t been inside one since.

“It does feel like there’s an incredible sense of peace, and it makes me feel quite emotional actually.

“I think there’s something very powerful in prayer, whatever form it takes for you. For me, a classic prayer – I believe to God – is a very special thing.”

She told viewers they could “likely guess what she was praying for” as she held back tears and went on to pray for her husband.

Since Derek, who’s also 54, returned home, the broadcaster has taken on the role of his primary carer.

During filming for the programme, she travelled through the Cotswolds between Painswick Beacon to Great Witcombe side and said:

“It’s hard because the person I wanted to give me a hug is the person that can’t – and that’s Derek.

“There’s something about coming here and reminding yourself that you can feel the countryside wrapping its arms around you and giving you love back. I feel very grateful for today.”

The broadcaster also revealed she uses mindfulness to help cope since Derek fell ill:

“I was doing a lot of mindfulness and trying to create some space in my head when it feels life is quite overwhelming.

“It’s much easier to do when you’re somewhere like this. It is much easier to hang on to the hope of a miracle. A great sense that anything can happen.”

SOURCE: PREMIER CHRISTIAN NEWS

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: One of Northern Ireland’s most senior politicians on the future of the country and how his leadership is grounded by his Christian faith

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Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: One of Northern Ireland’s most senior politicians on the future of the country and how his leadership is grounded by his Christian faith

The man who could become the most senior politician in Northern Ireland has told Premier how his approach to politics and leadership is grounded by his Christian faith.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson took over the leadership of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) earlier this summer after previous leader Arlene Foster stood down and her replacement Edwin Poots lasted just three weeks in the job.

As a serving MP in Westminster, Donaldson is unable to take over as Northern Ireland’s First Minister but will look to stand down from his role as an MP in order to take up the national role next year.

Donaldson, who has served as an MP for almost 25 years is unashamed about talking about the role his Christian faith plays in his life.

Speaking as part of Premier Christian Radio’s Nation’s Day focusing on the Church in Northern Ireland the Republic of Ireland, he described how it impacts his working life day to day.

“My approach to politics and leadership is grounded in my Christian faith and I think that each day, I’m reminded of the strength of that faith and how it helps to sustain me in the challenges and decisions that I face on a daily basis.

“I have a motivation and a desire to help people. To meet them at their point of need. That is very much at the heart of my politics – being able to do things that can transform the lives of others and can bring about change.”

The title of party leader or First Minister wasn’t something Donaldson ever aspired to but he says he’ll use it to help Northern Ireland become a better place.

In his wide ranging interview he spoke of his concern over the diminishing voice of the Church when it comes to politics in Northern Ireland.

“I think increasingly, church leaders do find it difficult to speak out in public, and to give a faith based perspective on social issues. 

“I do think that the influence of the Church has diminished as a result and whilst the Church remains strong in and of itself, I think that increasingly in many parts of the United Kingdom, we are seeing the Church in retreat from the public square, perhaps reticent about engaging in public debate on these issues.”

In recent years Northern Ireland has seen significant changes on things like abortion and same sex marriage. While many within the Church spoke out against changing legislation, Donaldson feels their voice is quietening.

“I think that if we want to talk about a tolerant, and inclusive society, there has to be room for people of faith, there has to be room for the Church to express its view and to do so freely. 

“I think freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental building block of our nation and it concerns me at times that perhaps the Church feels under pressure to comply and feels under pressure, not to be salt and light in our society.”

The politician is urging Christians to not give up and offers a simple solution when it comes to influencing politics.

“I believe that prayer is a very powerful thing. I think prayer is probably the most important thing that the church has available to it. 

“I often encourage Christians to intercede in prayer on these issues and to give prayerful support to those of us who are involved as Christians in the political process. I think the Church has a continuing role to pray for those in authority over us – indeed the Bible commands us to do this.”

Donaldson has taken on the role of DUP leader at a significant moment for the country. Not only is it coming to terms with the effects of the Covid pandemic, it’s also battling the repercussions of Brexit.

Despite the challenges, he feels confident over the prospects of his country.

“When I think of the journey we’ve been on in Northern Ireland, I think the mountains we’ve already climbed are higher than the ones in front of us and the peace process in particular, has seen this place transformed, for the better.

“My approach to all of this is one of hope, I am hopeful for the future of Northern Ireland. Yes, we have big challenges in front of us but I think we’re in a better place than we were during the 30 dark years, that we call the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and I think we have a duty to build a Northern Ireland, that is better for the next generation and I want that to be my legacy and the legacy of my generation – that what we hand on to the next generation is better than the Northern Ireland we inherited.”

SOURCE: PREMIER CHRISTIAN NEWS

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