Prayer News | Where Christians Pray Through the News

Prayer List: Mass Starvation Killing Hundreds of Venezuelan Children

Venezuelan selling food in 2012, before the oil prices dropped and the economy failed.

In a heartbreaking news article, The New York Times reports that in 2018 almost 400 Venezuelan children died from starvation at nine public hospitals following emergency room visits.

Dr. Livia Machado told The Times, “Never in my life had I seen so many hungry children.” Dr. Milagros Hernández describes the tragic conditions of her patients, “Children arrive with the same weight and height of a newborn.

Prayer List

* Pray for Venezuela’s starving citizens to receive the food and nutrients they need for physical health.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort the parents and siblings of children grieving the loss of family members.
* Pray for the physical, emotional and spiritual health of parents, doctors, nurses and other care givers struggling at this time.
* Pray for Venezuela’s political leaders to change their destructive economic policies or be replaced by politicians that will pursue policies that would rebuild the economy.

Unreached People of the Day



Thursday: Magh in Myanmar
Friday: Arab, Jordanian in Canada

Operation World Prayer Focus




Thursday: Global Hot Spots
Friday: The Church Worldwide

Birthday Prayer Lists


Have you prayed for the salvation of all your friends? Why not turn your Facebook friend list into a prayer list? It shouldn't take long to pray for each friend on their birthday.

Some Christians also pray for entertainers, politicians and media personalities on their birthday.

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Baptist Press

  • EDITORIAL: El Poder de la Oración
    Cristo tenemos el privilegio y la libertad de ir a Dios en cualquier momento que queramos. Como hijos de Dios podemos ir directamente a Dios y compartir con Él nuestras peticiones. La verdad es que no tenemos que usar un mediador para llegar a Dios. <br><br>En la vida Cristiana, reconocemos que Cristo es el camino para llegar al Padre y una vez que aceptamos a Cristo como nuestro Salvador, ya tenemos acceso al Padre.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 8:34pm -
  • FIRST PERSON: Christian, Feel Free to Love Politics
    Recovering an appropriate affirmation of politics and thus avoiding the aforementioned unintended consequences, will obviously require wisdom, discretion, and mutual respect. Yet, as God provides these essential ingredients for our work in politics, we'll find ourselves being salt and light in a consequential sphere for the benefit of our neighbors.<br>
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 6:24pm -
  • 'Rachel's Courage' evident at Little Axe homecoming
    The Oklahoma community of Little Axe greets Rachel Scott, a cheerleader who is battling cancer, returns by medical helicopter to present the homecoming game ball.<br>
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 4:35pm -
  • Bible Study: Fellowship with God
    This week's Bible Study is on fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit. He comforts us in our sorrows and counsels us in our situations. He also convicts us of our sin.<br>
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 4:09pm -
  • IMB worker Andy Leininger dies at 56
    Andrew (Andy) N. Leininger, who served as a Christian worker in the former Soviet Union for 22 years, died in his home state of Missouri on October 13, 2019. He was 56.<br>
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 3:32pm -

Berean Research

  • Benny Hinn’s Confession – Full Transcript
    Full statement from Benny Hinn, popular wealth-and-health Word of Faith preacher, on September 3, 2019, speaking to his followers during a Facebook Live broadcast: So it’s all about our brokenness, our old man, we call that the flesh must be broken, must be out of the way. And today, sadly, among a lot of circles, […]The post Benny Hinn’s Confession – Full Transcript appeared first on Berean Research.
    - 45 days ago 5 Sep 19, 2:57am -
  • By WHOSE Standard?
    Saints, you’ll want to pay close attention to how the Social Justice Movement has been worming its way into churches of all denominations, but especially into the pews of the Southern Baptist Convention. It’s as if leaders have forgotten that Jesus came as Savior to wipe away our guilt and shame, and are instead demanding […]The post By WHOSE Standard? appeared first on Berean Research.
    - 88 days ago 24 Jul 19, 3:16am -
  • Lou Engel ends “The Call” to usher in Billy Graham’s “mantle”
    Millions of young people around the world are being told that they can soon supernaturally receive the hovering mantle of evangelism from the late Billy Graham, and that this opportunity will be theirs on February 23. Please hear me, Christian, there is no “mantle” from any person dead or alive that we are to activate […]The post Lou Engel ends “The Call” to usher in Billy Graham’s “mantle” appeared first on Berean Research.
    - 28 Jan 19, 9:28pm -
  • Holding on.
    Discernment Ministry. What do you think of when you hear or read that term? Does your nose wrinkle a little? Does your upper lip curl in disgust? A lot of good, solid, caring, sheep-loving discerning writers are being told not to quit their day jobs due to the actions of a few. Whether those actions […]The post Holding on. appeared first on Berean Research.
    - 9 Oct 18, 2:21am -
  • Why we “Mark and Avoid”
    There is a growing trend to dismiss the Bible in a world that says, “you can’t believe a book that’s a couple thousand years old,” as Rob Bell has done. Bell recently made these statements and said that the Church is very close to embracing gay marriage. If you haven’t boldly marked false teachers, people […]The post Why we “Mark and Avoid” appeared first on Berean Research.
    - 5 Oct 18, 7:37pm -

Christian Headlines

Christian Post

Christianity Today

  • Syrian Christians Brave Insecurity to Stay Behind and Help
    Preemptive Love’s Jeremy Courtney says despite the Turkey deal, “This crisis shows no sign of letting up, and we can’t either.” Though most of the fighting has stopped for now, Turkey’s incursion on Kurdish-controlled northern Syria has left another humanitarian crisis in its wake.Local churches as well as Christian organizations like Open Doors and Preemptive Love Coalition have prioritized caring for the citizens who took the risk to stay behind and helping the displaced return.Last Saturday night, after three days of Turkish bombing, the Alliance Church of Qamishli met to make a decision. Would they flee for safety, or remain and help?To some degree they had no choice.Fadi Habsouna, a father of two, was injured when missiles hit his home and ruined his shop. His wife is in critical condition. His grandfather’s home was destroyed by a bomb. The pastor housed them in church-owned property, and decided to remain to assist the family, and others suffering similarly.The church agreed; only eight families would leave.“These are extremely brave people who want to be salt and light in their communities,” said David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, who relayed this story from his field staff. “They want to maintain the presence of Jesus and reach out.”Open Doors is better known for its advocacy work on behalf of the persecuted; Syria ranks no. 11 on its World Watch List of places hardest to be a Christian. Its local partners keep a low profile in order to provide on the ground assessment. But the crisis in Syria has driven them to humanitarian aid.It is not the first time. Following the rise of ISIS in 2014, Open Doors helped 150,000 Christians located in camps along the Turkish and Lebanese borders. Now their community hubs are providing food, medical care, hygiene kits, and temporary shelter in the northeast Syrian towns ...Continue reading...
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  • Global Outreach Opportunity: Ministry Among International Students
    A critical part of the broader diaspora movement of people is international students among us.This summer, 300 people gathered in downtown Toronto to be part of a conference on international student ministry, commonly referred to by practitioners as ISM. The event, GLOBAL CAMPUS: Babel or Pentecost, was one of the two largest and broadest ISM events in the history of Canada.Although uniquely collaborative, featuring several sponsoring agencies, the conference was led by the Association of Christians Ministering Among Internationals (ACMI), a networking body of ISM-engaged people in North America and beyond. Since 1982, ACMI has been holding these annual events for inspiring, learning, and networking among Christians engaged in ISM. ACMI has a robust history of drawing experienced practitioners of ISM who can learn from and network with each other.Gospel outreach among international students and scholars is one of the most sensible responses to Christ’s Great Commission in our day. The church can share the love of Christ among those whom God has sovereignly placed at nearby colleges and universities—without leaving our neighborhoods and in a cost-effective manner.These visiting internationals speak English and often desire friendship with Americans. They are bright young people who go on to positions of leadership or influence, and they tend to come from less-reached parts of the world.In the U.S. and Canada, around two-thirds of international students come from countries in the “1040 Window”—nations that don’t often issue missionary entrance visas. This phenomenon can be observed when viewing top-sending countries in international student data collated by the Institute of International Education in the U.S.We are truly enriched to have these visitors among us. They are diligent ...Continue reading...
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  • You Can Make A Difference and Change the Trend with Young Adults
    There are ways we can help twenty-somethings find their place in their faith community.In part because of Pew Research findings about “the rise of the nones” and what is happening as many western nations move into a pluralistic and post-Christian era, it is easy for people to begin thinking there is little they can do to turn the tide. For many, there is a sense that we are losing the next generation of young adults because of forces beyond our control—and that there is hardly anything we do which will make a real difference.However, in my dissertation research I examined what was helping and hindering twenty-somethings from staying engaged spiritually and finding their places in faith communities after graduating from college. Through that research, I realized there are key actions people who care about the next generation can take that will make a significant difference. What follows are a few of those ideas. I have also made the dissertation available for free online for anyone who wants to delve into the research more deeply.First, intentionally focus on their next transition. Most churches in the United States have Junior High and High School ministries. While resources for the next stage of life are not as prolific, if young people attend university, then there are thousands of campus workers from groups like InterVarsity, Cru, Navigators, etc., along with a wide array of denominational ministries that focus on helping them grow in their faith. There are also Christian colleges and universities across the country to help them develop as well.While many people doing ministry in those settings often feel like resources are lacking to adequately address the needs of students in their contexts, what struck me in the research was the profound dearth of resources and focus on the next leg ...Continue reading...
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  • Algeria Forces Christians Out of the Country’s Largest Churches
    The North African faithful are holding sit-ins and prayer rallies to protest a government campaign that’s shut down a third of Protestant congregations. The Algerian government shut down three churches this week, including the two biggest congregations in the North African country. Authorities forced Christians from their buildings and arrested some who continued to protest the crackdown.Members of the largest Protestant congregation in Algeria—the 700-member Church of the Full Gospel in Tizi-Ouzou—were warned their church would be sealed by the government this Wednesday. When they met for prayer and worship on Tuesday, the gathering was raided by the national guard.The crowd at the Church of the Full Gospel panicked as they were ordered to leave. Some refused and were forcibly dragged out. When leaders—including pastor Salah Chalah, head the Protestant churches in Algeria (L’Église Protestante d’Algérie), and pastor Tarek Berki—tried to intervene, they were beaten, Morning Star News (MSN) reported.The second-largest congregation, the 500-member Source of Life Church in Makouda, was shut down the same day, followed by 100-member Light Church (L’eglise Tafat) in Tizi Ouzou.At least 15 Protestant churches—out of only about 46 in the country—have been shuttered since January 2018, according to the Christian advocacy group Middle East Concern. The country, home to just 125,000 Christians, fewer than 1 percent of the population, ranks 22nd on Open Doors’ World Watch List.Christian congregations struggle to register with the government agency tasked with regulating non-Muslim worship, per a 2006 law. It never convenes and has not issued a single approval.When they’re shut down, the congregations are sealed with a wax seal and a notice is posted saying the buildings are not authorized for religious ...Continue reading...
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  • National Association of Evangelicals’ New President Hopes to Bring Together a Movement in Crisis
    Walter Kim, PCA pastor and former Park Street Church minister, becomes the first leader of color at the helm of the 77-year-old organization. As the evangelical label becomes more contentious and political polarization challenges the future of the movement, the namesake organization for evangelical Christians in the US has appointed a new leader.Walter Kim, a Presbyterian pastor with a background as a scholar and chaplain in the Ivy Leagues, was elected president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) at a board meeting Thursday.He’ll assume the new role in January, succeeding Leith Anderson, who is retiring after 13 years at the helm of the interdenominational network.Over the past few years, the NAE—which connects dozens of denominations, schools, and nonprofits and represents a constituency of millions of US churchgoers—has sought to remain a center ground for American evangelicals. Anderson and others have tried to keep the movement’s name from being hijacked as merely a political marker. It hasn’t been an easy job.Now Kim takes on these challenges, which have intensified during Donald Trump’s presidency. Christians are increasingly and explicitly asking what it means to be an evangelical today, with recent releases like Who Is an Evangelical? and Still Evangelical?, both brandishing giant red question marks on their covers.“The sheer number of books and articles on evangelicals and evangelicalism reveals that this movement is confronting an identity crisis. Yet, in this crisis there is genuine hope,” said Kim, who is also a board member for Christianity Today. “The NAE is uniquely positioned to draw people together, and I am eager to guide this labor. We seek a Spirit-filled renewal that demonstrates a winsome, thoughtful evangelicalism showcasing the truth and beauty of the gospel.”And ...Continue reading...
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Forum 18 News Service

  • DONBAS: Luhansk: Community work, fines, property seizure
    A Baptist leader in Krasnodon hopes to overturn a punishment of 20 hours' community work when the case resumes at the Supreme Court in Luhansk on 21 October. Krasnodon court punished Pastor Vladimir Rytikov for leading an unapproved Sunday worship meeting which police raided in April. Another pastor was fined in October for leading worship in August, which police also raided.
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  • UZBEKISTAN: Muslim bloggers' sentences imminent?
    The Prosecutor asked Tashkent City Court to give 48-year-old Tulkun Astanov a five-year suspended sentence, and 44-year-old Rustambek Karimov a three-and-a-half-year jail term, with a verdict expected on or after 18 October. The two Muslim bloggers are being punished for visiting the state-controlled Muslim Board to discuss hijab bans and other restrictions on freedom of religion or belief.
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  • RUSSIA: Jehovah's Witness criminal cases - list
    Full list of 239 Jehovah's Witnesses across Russia facing criminal prosecution on extremism-related charges for exercising freedom of religion or belief. Of these, 33 are in pre-trial detention. Trials of 25 are already underway. Eight more have already been convicted. Raids, arrests and interrogations continue.
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  • TRANSDNIESTER: Conscientious objectors banned from leaving
    Three Jehovah's Witnesses returning to Transdniester to visit family were called up for military service in May, and banned from leaving. "I've been living with this uncertainty for nearly half a year, unable to leave, work or relax," Mikhail Yeremeyev told Forum 18. Proposed Alternative Service Law amendments would subjugate alternative service applications to the personnel needs of the military.
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  • RUSSIA: Jailings "equate peaceful believers with dangerous criminals"
    The jailing of six Jehovah's Witnesses in Saratov for up to three and a half years "equates peaceful believers with dangerous criminals", Jehovah's Witnesses complain. The Prosecutor's Office did not respond as to why it considered these men dangerous and should be jailed. A Khabarovsk court sentenced another man to assigned labour for discussing Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
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Get Religion

  • newPost-Beto podcast: Yes, it's time for reporters to ask about 'freedom of worship' (again)
    First, an apology for a long delay (I have been on the road) getting to this important news topic — as in the hand grenade that Beto O’Rourke tossed, whether his fellow Democrats want to talk about it or not, into the 2020 White House race.I am referring, of course, to his LGBT-forum statement that the U.S. government should strip the tax-exempt status of churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious groups that defend — even inside their own doors — ancient teachings on marriage and sex that do not mesh with modernized doctrines.If you want to start a firestorm, that was the spark you would need in a nation bitterly divided on the role of religious faith and practice in the real world. Here’s the key quote: “There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for any institution or organization in America that denies the full human rights and full civil rights of every single one of us,” he said. …Will journalists keep asking about this or will that job be left to members of Donald Trump’s campaign advertising team? That was the topic we discussed during this week’s Crossroads podcast (click here to tune that in).To its credit, the team at Religion News Service did a basic follow-up report: “Buttigieg, Warren reject O’Rourke plan to link church tax status, LGBT policy.” Here’s a crucial chunk of that: “I’m not sure (O’Rourke) understood the implications of what he was saying,” said Buttigieg, an Episcopalian who is married to a man. “That (policy) means going to war not only with churches, but I would think, with mosques and a lot of organizations that may not have the same view of various religious principles that I do. “So if we want to talk about anti-discrimination law for a school or an organization, absolutely they should not be able to discriminate. But going after the tax exemption of churches, Islamic centers, or other religious facilities in this country, I think that’s just going to deepen the divisions that we’re already experiencing.” … In a statement to Religion News Service on Sunday, Elizabeth Warren’s campaign also pushed back on O’Rourke’s remark.So, for journalists who are paying close attention, it would appear that O’Rourke’s bold stance represents the left side of the Democratic Party, while Mayor Pete and Warren are trying to find a centrist stance.Reporters: What is the content of that center stance?
    - 9 hours ago 19 Oct 19, 3:55pm -
  • When is a Byzantine cross just a tattoo and when is it a reason to ask another question?
    On one level, this is a simple story about Culture Wars American in 2019.A trans woman, a regular customer, is eating dinner in a local restaurant in a corner of America — the upper Midwest — where liberal and conservative citizens regularly bump into one another.A pair of elderly locals is seated nearby and they make some unfriendly comments about the transexuals — not to the trans customer, but to their waitress. The waitress is triggered, when her boss insists that she serve these customers The woke NBC News double-decker headline outlines the outcome of this exchange in the marketplace of ideas: 'Morals over money': Waitress fired after refusing to serve transphobic customers "Turning a blind eye to hate is just as bad as saying the hateful things in my opinion," the waitress, Brittany Spencer, said.This is the stuff of shallow television news reports, of course. But here is the question that haunted a GetReligion reader: “Did anyone think to ask what's on her neck and what relevance it might have to morals??”The waitress, you see, is heavily inked and she has a large, prominent tattoo on her neck that raises some interesting religious issues.This tattoo includes a large Byzantine cross, of the style favored in Eastern churches — Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic — in Slavic lands and elsewhere.But the cross is upside down.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 8:40pm -
  • Friday Five: Elijah Cummings, Kurdish evangelicals, Tree of Life, viral forgiveness, open marriages/NYT
    It’s not religion news per se, but for those interested in the future of American journalism: Poynter.org reported this week on signs pointing to USA Today phasing out its print edition.Amazing.But come to think of it, I don’t open those free copies that I receive at hotels as often as I once did.Anything that affects the health of major American newspapers will, ultimately, affect their ability to cover tricky, complicated subjects like religion. So would changes at USA Today affect Gannett newspapers everywhere, including funding for religion news coverage? This is worth watching.Anyway, let’s dive into the Friday Five:1. Religion story of the week: In case you missed my post Thursday, faith was a major part of the life of powerful Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland, who died this week from complications from longstanding health challenges. He was 68.Some major news organizations — including Cummings’ hometown Baltimore Sun — nailed the religion angle.However, at least one major national news organization failed to do so.Check out my post.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 4:30pm -
  • Looking for a tough group to interview? Try doing cold-call visits with the Amish
    Julie Zauzmer seems to be the Washington Post’s down-in-the-trenches reporter these days who gets to slog about places like rural West Virginia, Concord, N.H. and Virginia Beach to get interesting stories outside the Beltway.Must say I appreciate it when journalists get off the phone and go on the road. Her latest is based out of Lancaster County, Pa., where there’s an effort going to get the reclusive Amish to sign up to vote for President Donald Trump in 2020.There’s only one problem. Amish folks aren’t hot on being interviewed. Read the beginning of the piece: MANHEIM, Pa. — In 2016, when more than 6 million Pennsylvanians voted in the presidential election, the state’s 20 pivotal electoral votes were decided by a margin of less than 45,000 voters. Pennsylvania is home to more than 75,000 Amish people, and most who are eligible don’t vote. For two Republican operatives, those two numbers add up to one major opportunity — to convince the traditionally reluctant Amish to come out to the polls, where their votes might be tremendously influential…What they came up with was a group called the Amish PAC, which hopes to keep Pennsylvania — always a vital swing state — Republican in 2020. Amish people tend to align strongly on policy with Republicans, who share their opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. But making voters out of the Amish, who forgo television and the Internet and believe fiercely in the separation of their religious community from government intrusion, may be a steep goal.No kidding.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 1:09pm -
  • Obituary of powerful Congressman Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland haunted by religion ghosts
    There’s sad, sad news today in the world of politics: the death of powerful Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland.The Associated Press obituary — which will be the one many thousands of Americans read — captures key highlights of Cummings’ prominent life.Yes, those highlights include clashing with President Donald Trump: BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a sharecropper’s son who rose to become a civil rights champion and the chairman of one of the U.S. House committees leading an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, died Thursday of complications from longstanding health problems. He was 68. Cummings was a formidable orator who advocated for the poor in his  black-majority district , which encompasses a large portion of Baltimore and more well-to-do suburbs. As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Cummings led investigations of the president’s government dealings, including probes in 2019 relating to Trump’s family members serving in the White House.But read the full AP report, and it’s clear that something is missing.Holy ghosts, anyone?AP offers hints of a potential religious influence in Cummings’ life, including here: It steeled Cummings to prove that counselor wrong. He became not only a lawyer, but one of the most powerful orators in the statehouse, where he entered office in 1983. He rose to become the first black House speaker pro tem. He would begin his comments slowly, developing his theme and raising the emotional heat until it became like a sermon from the pulpit.Hmmmmm. Why might Cummings’ oratory have resembled a sermon?
    - 2 days ago 17 Oct 19, 8:38pm -

Mission Network News

  • Somalia sees bloodiest terror attack in country’s history
    https://www.mnnonline.org/news/somalia-sees-bloodiest-terror-attack-countrys-history/Somalia (MNN) -- Over 300 people were killed in Somalia's bloodiest attackThe post Somalia sees bloodiest terror attack in country’s history appeared first on Mission Network News.
    - 17 Oct 17, 4:00am -
  • Emergency medical flight gets conjoined twin infants to life-saving surgery
    https://www.mnnonline.org/news/emergency-medical-flight-gets-conjoined-twin-infants-life-saving-surgery/DRC (MNN/MAF) -- Conjoined twins saved through ministry’s medical flightThe post Emergency medical flight gets conjoined twin infants to life-saving surgery appeared first on Mission Network News.
    - 17 Oct 17, 4:00am -
  • Christmas short-term mission opportunities!
    https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christmas-short-term-mission-opportunities/Int'l (MNN) -- Short-term mission trip opportunities this ChristmasThe post Christmas short-term mission opportunities! appeared first on Mission Network News.
    - 17 Oct 17, 4:00am -
  • The faces and stories behind World Food Day
    https://www.mnnonline.org/news/faces-stories-behind-world-food-day/International (MNN) -- On World Food Day, ministry spotlighting long-term solutionsThe post The faces and stories behind World Food Day appeared first on Mission Network News.
    - 16 Oct 17, 4:00am -
  • State elections draw near in India, spark anti-Christian sentiment
    https://www.mnnonline.org/news/state-elections-draw-near-india-spark-anti-christian-sentiment/India (MNN) -- Christians are being watched closely The post State elections draw near in India, spark anti-Christian sentiment appeared first on Mission Network News.
    - 16 Oct 17, 4:00am -

PE News

Persecution Blog

  • Missionary Pilot Shares The Rest of the Auca Martyrs' Story
    Growing up the home of missionary parents in Ecuador, Gene Jordan has always known the story of five men—Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian—who gave their lives in the jungle to reach an isolated Indian...      Related StoriesVOM Radio: "When We Say Yes to God"Nate Saint Memorial School: End of an Era"Holy, Holy, Holy" in a Sudanese Prison 
    - 24 Jul 17, 4:06pm -
  • After Arrest, "I Was Terrified"
    “Dr. Andrew” is working to share the gospel in the Middle East, but he hasn’t always had a heart to share Christ’s love with Muslims. Growing up in a nominal Christian family, Andrew was harassed by Muslims his whole life....      Related Stories"Holy, Holy, Holy" in a Sudanese PrisonPetr Jasek: God Opened the Prison DoorMiddle East Christians "Standing in the Fire" 
    - 27 Jun 17, 10:07pm -
  • Being a True Vessel for God's Use
    “Brother Matthew” is a pastor and church planter in South Asia, working among Muslims to share the gospel. After threats against his life and an attack on his brother, he was encouraged by family members to leave his country. He...      Related StoriesVOM Radio in Central Asia"Holy, Holy, Holy" in a Sudanese PrisonAfter Arrest, "I Was Terrified" 
    - 7 Jun 17, 4:56pm -
  • VOM Radio in Central Asia
    "Tanya" is a Christian worker in Central Asia, living and ministering in a country where she must always be cautious about what she says openly and who she says it around. Listen to hear how Christians in the former Soviet...      Related StoriesBeing a True Vessel for God's Use"Holy, Holy, Holy" in a Sudanese PrisonPetr Jasek: God Opened the Prison Door 
    - 9 May 17, 7:17pm -
  • Nate Saint Memorial School: End of an Era
    The end of an era comes next month. In August 1985, I clutched my mom’s hand and squeaked my rubber flip-flopped way down the gravel path from the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) “base” to the cinderblock Nate Saint Memorial school....      Related StoriesMissionary Pilot Shares The Rest of the Auca Martyrs' StoryVOM Radio: "When We Say Yes to God" 
    - 27 Apr 17, 8:14pm -

Religion News Service

  • newDecision time begins for Amazon bishops as synod enters final week
    VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The synod's final recommendations to the pope could have profound impact not only on the Amazon but the entire church.The post Decision time begins for Amazon bishops as synod enters final week appeared first on Religion News Service.
    - 4 hours ago 19 Oct 19, 8:42pm -
  • newPhotos of the Week
    (RNS) — This week’s gallery includes Arbaeen in Iraq, followers of indigenous goddess Maria Lionza in Venezuela and more.The post Photos of the Week appeared first on Religion News Service.
    - 22 hours ago 19 Oct 19, 2:40am -
  • Trump-drunk tweets touting Paula White book reshape what we expect of SBC pastors
    (RNS) — It is healthy for evangelical leaders to want to influence the president, but when appeasement of Trump extends to promoting someone many Christians would call a false teacher, they risk their reputations.The post Trump-drunk tweets touting Paula White book reshape what we expect of SBC pastors appeared first on Religion News Service.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 9:41pm -
  • Working groups at the Vatican’s Amazon synod push for married clergy
    VATICAN CITY (RNS) — The groups considered everything from the ordination of women as deacons to the creation of a separate rite for the region.The post Working groups at the Vatican’s Amazon synod push for married clergy appeared first on Religion News Service.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 9:14pm -
  • In this Latino LA neighborhood, Jews commemorate an ancient biblical holiday
    LOS ANGELES (RNS) — More than a dozen people gathered Sunday (Oct. 13) in Boyle Heights — a working-class Latino neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles that was once a thriving Jewish enclave — to observe the biblical holiday of Sukkot. It has been more than 30 years since this tradition was celebrated in this community.The post In this Latino LA neighborhood, Jews commemorate an ancient biblical holiday appeared first on Religion News Service.
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 8:34pm -

Today's Creation Moment

  • THE END IS FEAR
    Remember when Bible-denying cartoonists mocked evangelists carrying “The End Is Near” signs? Today, the people holding those signs are not Christians but are climate-change alarmists … and anyone who dares laugh at them will be persecuted for being a science denier and often a whole lot worse. The signs now read “The End Is Near in 12 Years”, and there are many people – especially politicians – who are touting it to gain power, redistribute wealth, undermine capitalism and take away our way of life. Nothing must stand in their way – not even the freedom to make our own decisions regarding the car we drive, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the words we speak and even the thoughts we think. Do the research and you’ll see that such alarmists are not peddling truth. They are peddling fear, and, judging from how many people believe the hoax, they are indoctrinating millions of people into their environmental faith, both in America and around the world. Children, in particular, are exposed to this end-of-the-world scenario, kids who are too young to analyze the data and come to a rational conclusion. When Christians, on the other hand, frighten children by....
    - 31 days ago 18 Sep 19, 2:28pm -
  • Recurring Donations

    - 10 Apr 19, 5:10pm -
  • Radio Archivo
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United Methodist News Service

World Magazine

  • newmrz101919
    Image: Section: CartoonsDate to Publish: Saturday, October 19, 2019 - 08:45 to Monday, November 18, 2019 - 08:45
    - 12 hours ago 19 Oct 19, 12:46pm -
  • newNo ceasing
    No ceasingSyriaTurkeyMiddle EastMinistryCharityWarChristian aid groups and monitors in Syria report devastating fighting and war crimes following the U.S.-orchestrated cease-fireWarMindy BelzTwenty-four hours after Vice President Mike Pence shook hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to inaugurate a five-day cease-fire in northeastern Syria, bombs and artillery fire rained on the town of Ras al-Ain in defiance of the agreement.On Friday morning the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) attacked, said David Eubank, director of Free Burma Rangers. Eubank said on Friday his medical team was at the front line to help evacuate the wounded, but the FSA had blocked the team’s access. (On Saturday, Turkish forces allowed a medical convoy to enter Ras al-Ain and evacuate 37 wounded, Eubank later confirmed. His team was part of the convoy, along with International Red Cross and Kurdish Red Crescent.)Turkey, after invading northeastern Syria on Oct. 8, is relying on proxies from the Free Syrian Army and Syrian National Army militias to battle the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Turkish militias began with Syrian army defectors fighting in a civil war against the regime of Syria President Bashar al-Assad. But they have grown into armies of transnational jihadists, funded and trained by Turkey since 2016, and largely composed of al-Qaeda militants.Turkey’s defense minister announced it had seized control of Ras al-Ain (“Sere Kaniye” in Kurdish) last week, but fighting has continued and hundreds were reported wounded inside the city. On Thursday just as Pence arrived in Turkey for four hours of talks before announcing the cease-fire, Turkish militias blew up four ambulances trying to ferry wounded civilians away from the city. From the ambulances they captured four medics and executed them on the road and wounded five other medics, according to aid sources not identified for security reasons.Nearly 300,000 residents have fled the fighting, and at least 400,000 others are without water in Hasakah, according to the United Nations. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that Turkey’s militias had initially prevented a convoy from the Kurdish Red Crescent and the Free Burma Rangers from entering Ras al-Ain to provide aid. It said it expected casualties to rise due to the high number of wounded who can’t access medical care. AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis Smoke billows from a fire in Ras al-Ain on Friday. A handful of Christian-led aid groups remain in northeast Syria, despite pullbacks from major aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders. Partners Relief and Development, which established medical clinics across the region following the 2017 liberation of Raqqa from the Islamic State group, has set up 38 kitchens to feed fleeing civilians. It also has set up additional distribution points for handing out blankets, pads to sleep on, and other items. In a Facebook post Friday, the Michigan-based group reported, “There is no cease-fire and there isn’t even a pause in the violence.”Founder Steve Gumaer told me despite lethal shelling by Turkish forces, his teams were pressing forward to help the displaced and victims of violence. Earlier this week heavy rocket fire trapped the group’s aid coordinator, a Syrian Christian, inside a wedding chapel near Hasakah. He was trying to distribute blankets and mats to fleeing residents. “He was pinned down by what looked like ISIS fighters,” said Gumaer.He estimated hundreds of civilian deaths this week and confirmed the targeting of medics and hospitals serving residents: “We are watching the gains in this region get torpedoed after working so hard toward stability and peace.” Free Burma Rangers Wounded evacuees from Ras al-Ain on Saturday Many towns and cities in Syria’s northeast—starting with Raqqa, which ISIS dubbed the capital of its caliphate—fell to ISIS beginning in 2013. On-the-ground fighting led by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and SDF with U.S.-led coalition air support eventually liberated all the territories. Like Ras al-Ain, some have now fallen to Turks.But the SDF hasn’t given up. Its units fought to regain control of the M4 highway, a crucial east-west artery, after an Oct. 12 ambush there by Turkish-backed militias. The attack killed at least nine civilians, including the 35-year-old head of the Future Syria Party, Hervin Khalaf. Party officials with Khalaf had worked closely with the United States since the party’s founding in 2018, and many regarded the Kurdish Khalaf as a champion of Christian and Yazidi rights.According to an autopsy report, fighters repeatedly shot Khalaf at close range. The report said her legs and jaw were broken, and the skin of her scalp pulled out. A video posted on Twitter showed her bloodied body lying in gravel with booted fighters stomping on her.Amnesty International on Friday charged Turkey’s military and the militias it backs with “a shameful disregard for human life, carrying out serious violations and war crimes.” The organization said it had “damning evidence” of Turkey launching unlawful attacks in residential areas that have killed and injured civilians.The U.S. Congress this week also condemned Turkey’s invasion, with the House passing a resolution, 354-60, opposing President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from northeast Syria and calling on Turkey to cease the invasion. Republicans voted 2-1 in favor of the resolution, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other key leaders.That directly contradicts the diplomatic effort by Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who pressed Erdogan for a temporary cease-fire contingent on the withdrawal of Kurdish-led forces in Syria’s northeast. “The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow for the withdrawal of YPG forces from the safe zone for 120 hours,” Pence said. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Vice President Pence speaks during a news conference with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after their meeting with Turkish President Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday. A joint statement Friday from European and American leaders further underscored the Trump administration’s isolation over the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces and greenlight the Turkish invasion. The statement, issued by the chairs of foreign affairs committees in Germany, France, Britain, the European Parliament, and the U.S. House, condemned “in the strongest terms” the Turkish offensive as “a military aggression and a violation of international law.”That could set the stage for a reckoning within NATO, which counts Turkey a leading member. The North Atlantic Treaty requires consultation among members to settle international disputes before armed attacks across borders, something neither the United States nor Turkey appear to have complied with.—This story was updated with information about the medical convoy allowed to access Ras al-Ain on Oct. 19. SyriaFeatures
    - 24 hours ago 19 Oct 19, 1:23am -
  • King James angers his subjects
    Basketball star LeBron James waded into the international controversy over the NBA’s relationship with China this week. At a news conference Monday, the player known as “King James” to his fans, said Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey’s now-deleted tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters earlier this month was “misinformed” and “uneducated.”“Yes, we do have freedom of speech,” James said in response to a question about Morey. “But at times, there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you’re not thinking about others, when you only think about yourself.” He said Morey’s tweet could have harmed others “not only financially but physically, emotionally, spiritually.”James did not specify which “others” could have gotten hurt by Morey’s tweet. The protesters whom Morey was supporting have endured police brutality as they try to stave off China’s increasing limits on their freedom in the semi-autonomous territory.U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called James’ concern about the welfare of individuals “garbage.” He tweeted that “people ARE being harmed—shot, beaten, gassed—right now in Hong Kong.”Hawley, who recently returned from Hong Kong, challenged “King James” to come down from his throne: “LeBron, are YOU educated on ‘the situation’? Why don’t you go to Hong Kong? Why don’t you meet the people there risking their lives for their most basic liberties.”Hong Kong protesters expressed their outrage by burning and stomping on the Los Angeles Lakers player’s jersey and chanting profanity directed at him. James has since tried to “clear up the confusion” with a pair of tweets. He said he wasn’t “discussing the substance” of the Hong Kong protests but explaining how people should count the costs before vocalizing a thought or acting upon a decision.Protesters in Hong Kong pointed out the hypocrisy of James’ statements given the fact he frequently uses his public platform as a stage for social advocacy. “Our Lives Begin To End The Day We Become Silent About Things That Matter,” he tweeted in 2018.William Mok, a 36-year-old office worker and protester in Hong Kong, reminded the NBA of its supportive history for human rights activism.“Please remember, all NBA players, what you said before: ‘Black lives matter,’” Mok said to a cheering crowd. “Hong Kong lives also matter!”Another protester, 26-year-old marketing director Aaron Lee, had a more pragmatic response. “He was being honest, financially,” Lee said. “LeBron James stands for money. Period.”But James and the NBA might eventually find their pandering to China was not worth the trouble. Forbes contributor Dan Reed pointed out that China has a history of partnering with U.S. companies for as long as it takes to learn the secrets of their success and then casting them aside: “James and the rest of the NBA may learn, soon enough, that the mine in China that they think will yield them endless riches really contains only fool’s gold.” Associated Press/Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision Robert Forster at the ArcLight Theatre in Los Angeles Forster remembered as cool, lovely, and kindActor Robert Forster died of brain cancer on Oct. 11, the same day his latest movie was released on Netflix. He was 78.Forster possessed the talent to don the hat of virtually any character, and he left remarkable impressions on people with whom he had little interaction. He played a key supporting role in the newly released Netflix movie El Camino, a standalone continuation of the hit A&E drama Breaking Bad.Forster appeared in just one of the 66 episodes of the original Breaking Bad, but his performance left the show’s creator and director, Vince Gilligan, starstruck. “He was one of the coolest people I’ve ever met,” Gilligan told Entertainment Weekly. “He reminded me of my dad. He always did.”Others in Hollywood made similar remarks about their time with Forster. Breaking Bad stars Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston described him as a “beautiful” and “lovely” man, respectively.His performance as Max Cherry, a bail bondsman in pursuit of love in the 1997 movie Jackie Brown, earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. He also played the disappointed and frustrated father of Lee Strobel in the 2017 movie The Case for Christ. Strobel was an atheist journalist for The Chicago Tribune who became a believer while on a mission to disprove Christianity. The real-life Strobel tweeted this remembrance of Forster after his death: “After filming [the] scene for The Case for Christ in which my dad told me he didn’t love me, actor Robert Forster stayed in character as my dad, put his hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye and said, ‘I’m so sorry.’ It was such a kind and healing moment.” —L.S. Associated Press/Photo by Mark Humphrey Lauren Daigle at the Dove Awards in Nashville on Tuesday Entertainment notesViolence at the home of actor Ron Ely, who starred in the 1960s TV show Tarzan, ended with the death of his wife and son on Tuesday. Cameron Ely, 30, allegedly stabbed his mother to death before police shot and killed him in a confrontation outside the family’s house in Hope Ranch, Calif.Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle, who has found crossover success on pop radio, dominated the Dove Awards on Tuesday. She won artist of the year, album of the year for Look Up, Child, and song of the year for “You Say.”In Muse last month, I noted that DreamWorks’ Abominable “sounds like little more than visually dazzling tourism ad for China.” Sure enough, controversy arose this week over how the film pandered to the communist government. A map in one scene shows China controlling a disputed area of the South China Sea. Vietnam pulled the movie from theaters because of the map, and Malaysia has censored the scene. —Lynde Langdon Image: Deck: The NBA’s biggest star infuriates some by coddling ChinaCategory: Culture & ArtsKeywords: MediaSportsInternationalChinaHong KongProtestBasketballTelevisionObituariesEntertainmentMoviesCrimeMusicSlug: MediaArticle Title: King James angers his subjectsAuthor: Loren SkinkerDigital Branding: MuseHide from Archive?: 0
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 8:40pm -
  • What adults want over what children need
    The lower house of the French Parliament overwhelmingly passed a measure this week that mandates the national healthcare system cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) for single women and lesbian couples. The current system allows assisted reproduction for infertile heterosexual couples only.Proponents argue women have a right to bear children regardless of their marital status or sexuality, but French pro-family groups contend the new legislation treads on the rights of children by denying them a relationship with their father.The National Assembly voted 359-114 on Tuesday to approve the measure, which was part of a broader bioethics bill. It gives all women in France under age 43 paid access to IVF, egg freezing, and fertility medication.The legislation, part of a campaign pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron, now heads to the Senate for debate. If it passes, France will join 18 of 28 European Union countries that allow single women and lesbian couples to use donor sperm to create children.Tens of thousands of opponents demonstrated in Paris on Oct. 6, chanting “Liberty, Equality, Paternity,” a play on the French motto, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”“The family, with a mother and a father, is an ecosystem that needs protecting,” demonstrator Christian Kersabiec told the Agence France-Presse news agency.The conservative group La Manif Pour Tous (Protest for Everyone) argued the proposal makes fertility treatments a response to an adult’s desire for children instead of a treatment for medical infertility. Although the pending legislation would allow children conceived with donor sperm to learn their father’s identity after they turn 18—current law in France offers sperm donors strict anonymity—opponents stress that doesn’t solve the problem of children born and raised without any personal or legal connection to their biological fathers. (The law would allow birth certificates to list only a mother or two mothers.) They also contend the measure will eventually lead to the legalization of surrogacy in France, a natural next step when same-sex male couples argue they have a right to children, as well.“I believe we are going too fast and we’re not thinking about the consequences of this law,” said demonstrator Monique Brassier. “We are heading toward a commercialization of the human being, a commercialization of procreation, and that scares me.”The United States has no federal laws governing who can participate in assisted reproductive technology. Although states have traditionally established parentage by biology or adoption, some states are moving toward “intent-based parenthood” determined by who plans to raise the child regardless of their biological connection.Another French group opposed to the measure, La Voix des Sans Père (The Voice of the Fatherless), denounced the legislation in a presentation before the UN Human Rights Council last month. The group’s president, Emmanuel Le Pargneux, pointed out that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states a child has the right from birth, as far as possible, “to know and be cared for by his or her parents.”The proposed measure is an effort to “dominate life by controlling the whole process of procreation,” said Claire de La Hougue, a research fellow at the European Center for Law and Justice. She argued the legislation ultimately changes the foundation of parenthood, ignoring the interests of children to satisfy the desires of adults: “After wanting to separate sexuality and procreation to have sexuality without procreation, we now want procreation without sexuality.” Associated Press/Photo by Rebecca Boone (file) The Idaho State Correctional Institution Sex-change surgery in prisonThe 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week partially lifted a stay on a ruling that could force the state of Idaho to pay for sex-change surgery for a transgender inmate convicted of rape, the Idaho Press reported.In August, the 9th Circuit ruled in favor of Adree Edmo, a transgender inmate who sued the state. Judges placed the ruling on hold while Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court, but attorneys asked the 9th Circuit last month to partially lift the stay so Edmo could undergo presurgical procedures. The court granted the motion on Oct. 10.Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, contends Edmo does not need the surgery, which would waste taxpayer dollars. A prison psychiatrist testified last year that he did not recommend the surgery because Edmo, a convicted male rapist who identifies as female, had other uncontrolled mental health challenges, including depression and alcohol abuse. Other critics argue sex-change surgery is an ineffective and harmful treatment for gender dysphoria. —K.C. Saving milk for babiesBreastfeeding moms in Northern California rallied last week to power their breast pumps and save their breast milk, which was threatened by Pacific Gas and Electric’s planned blackout in the region to help prevent wildfires. Lactation consultants at one Oakland hospital handed out free manual pumps. Women used adapters to pump in their cars, stored breastmilk in friends’ freezers, and bought dry ice to keep breastmilk cold in coolers, The New York Times reported. —K.C. Image: Deck: Pending legislation in France would let women intentionally create fatherless childrenCategory: Family & SocietyKeywords: FamilyChildrenSurrogacyInternationalFranceFertilityAgingTransgenderismPrisonsCriminal JusticeSlug: FamilyArticle Title: What adults want over what children needAuthor: Kiley CrosslandDigital Branding: RelationsHide from Archive?: 0
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 5:45pm -
  • Explosion targets Afghan mosque
    An attack on Friday in eastern Afghanistan killed 62 people and wounded 36 others, provincial officials said. An explosion caused the roof of a mosque in the Nangarhar province to collapse. The Taliban and Islamic State are both active in the area, but no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the violence in a statement.Is an end to the war in sight? The 18-year war is killing record numbers of Afghan civilians. More than 2,500 died in the first nine months of this year, according to a United Nations report released Thursday. U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban’s top negotiator in Pakistan earlier this month. But U.S. officials said he was only following up on negotiations from September and not restarting the U.S.-Taliban peace talks.Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in World Tour about how terror attacks kept many Afghans from voting in the most recent elections.Image: Category: InternationalArticle Title: Explosion targets Afghan mosqueKeywords: InternationalAfghanistanMiddle EastTerror attacksAuthor: Rachel Lynn Aldrich
    - 1 day ago 18 Oct 19, 4:45pm -

World Watch Monitor