Sunday, May 6, 2012

SUNDAY EDITION (6): "The Christian Post" WEEK-IN-REVIEW May 6, 2012 Iyyar 14, 5772

obama
(Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Obama Kicks Off Re-Election Bid; Rips Into Romney

By Anugrah Kumar

President Barack Obama lambasted presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney on a range of issues including his economic policies, and defended his own record in office as he launched his campaign for a new term by holding public rallies in Ohio and Virginia Saturday.

Focus on the Family Withdraws Religious Freedom Measure in Colorado

By Paul Stanley

Focus on the Family Senior Executive Tom Minnery said the pro-family organization is withdrawing its ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment in Colorado that would prohibit the state from interfering with the religious freedoms of an organization or person.

US

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signs

Arizona Gov. Signs Bill Banning Funding for Planned Parenthood

By Anugrah Kumar

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed into law a bill that bans public funding of Planned Parenthood, a group that provides reproductive health services, including contraceptives and abortions.

Tim Tebow and his former coach Urban Meyer were reunited on Friday to share their thoughts on leadership at the live Chick-fil-A leadership event watched by 125,000 people across the United States.

An article profiling the life of a gay student published in the yearbook of a high school in Lenoir City, Tenn., is invoking strong reactions for and against it and might lead to protests during the upcoming graduation ceremonies.

Church & Ministries

John MacArthur

Evangelicals: We Must Stand Firm on Biblical Authority, Exclusivity of Christ

By Lillian Kwon

Evangelical theologians who firmly hold to the inerrancy and authority of Scripture are preparing to help fellow believers stand firm in their faith amid an increasingly hostile culture.

Dr. Ken Hutcherson, the pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, Wash., posted an announcement earlier this week that many close to him – including his wife – have known for years. Hutcherson revealed that he is the "gayest man I know."

Delegates of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church have voted down two proposals that would divest the denomination's funds from companies that did business in Israel.

A gay rights group staged a protest at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church Thursday after it failed to pass an amendment that would have changed the denomination's language regarding homosexuality.

Calvary Chapel movement founder Chuck Smith is considering his options for treatment of cancer in his lungs after doctors who initially recommended surgery are now against the procedure after air capacity test results were unfavorable.

Entertainment

F

American Idol's Fantasia Barrino Exonerated of $15,000 Theft From Church

By Christine Thomasos

Fantasia Barrino, American Idol season 3 winner, and her manager Brian Dickens, were recently exonerated from accusations that they took $15,000 from Harvest Family Church and failed to honor a scheduled appearance at the place of worship.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees closer and 12-time All-Star, tore his ACL and meniscus Thursday night before his team played Kansas City. Some observers have questioned whether Rivera will have to retire, but the Christian baseball star has said he is not questioning the Lord's plan.

Lecrae Moore, among a long list of artists popular for preaching the Gospel in rap, has released a video for his upcoming mixtape "Church Clothes." The video has apparently won approval from fans pleased to see the hypocrisy present in some churches, and its affect on unbelievers, brought center stage.

World

Francis Chan

Rick and Kay Warren, Francis Chan Urge Christians to End Orphan Crisis

By Alex Murashko

The focus on helping orphans worldwide needs to shift from simply perpetuating orphanages to equipping local churches in connecting children to parents, said leaders at the Christian Alliance for Orphans' annual summit this week.

Among the recent cases of most striking persecution of Christians around the world were new attacks in Africa and, notably, the arrest of an attorney who tried to come to the aid of imprisoned Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

Infamous German dictator Adolf Hitler, whose World War II concentration camps killed millions of people, believed himself to be the "incarnation of the spirit of good," according to a newly unveiled report.

China's Underground Christians Supported Blind Activist

Underground Christians in China were among those ...

Anglican Preacher Pulled From Pulpit After Advocating Traditional Marriage

An Anglican lay minister has been temporarily banned from preaching at a church in the U.K. after a service in which he advocated for the traditional definition of marriage upset some of those in attendance.

Nigerian Christians Defy Fear of Bloodshed and Continue Church Worship

Nigerian Christians have faced constant attacks ...

Colombian Judges Redefine 'Family,' Catholic Church Outraged

The highest court in Colombia has controversially ruled that the word "family" is not longer to be used only to address one's own kin or marriage, and the decision is causing serious backlash among pro-family groups.

'Offending' God, Quran or Muhammad Could Mean Death for Kuwait's Muslims

The Kuwaiti Parliament has approved a law that ...

Church of England's Search for New Archbishop Reveals Rifts Over Race?

With the search for a new leader for the Church ...

Tech & Biz

Official Image of the Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3's Answer to Siri Is S-Voice

By Vincent Funaro

Samsung debuted the long awaited Samsung Galaxy S3 at its "Mobile Unpacked" event that took place in London, England and also showed off the device's impressive new feature, S-Voice.

Uniting Christian worshipers worldwide, HeavenUp.com has officially launched Tuesday as the newest social networking site.

Religious websites might now actually be more of a threat to believers than pornographic pages.

iLounge editor Jeremy Horowitz reported some interesting news on the iPhone 5 this week.

Relinquishing Grace or Truth Actually Sacrifices Both

By Dan Delzell

When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in a garden which had boundaries. They were told to respect those boundaries and obey the truth. They chose to cross God's boundary line. The rest is history.

COLUMN

Politically Incorrect: A Badge of Honor

By Miles McPherson

miles mcpherson

It's that season. Super Political Action Committees are funneling lottery-sized sums of cash into political ads. Pundits on television are popping veins in heated "discussions" that wind up right back where they started. All joking aside, I can't deny how critical it has become in this day and age to be politically aware. Let me be clear, I didn't say politically correct.

END TIMES

Will the World End in Your Lifetime?

By Jim Denison

mayan calendar

Twenty-two percent of Americans think the world will end in their lifetime. According to a recent Reuters poll, nearly 15 percent of people worldwide agree. The numbers range from 6 percent in France to 22 percent in Turkey and the U.S. What explains this phenomenon?

OPINION

Bigotry on the Ballot? No, Dishonesty in the Editorial

By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

The New York Times regularly promotes same-sex marriage in its editorials and news coverage. Even so, the paper's latest editorial serves as a display of how the argument for homosexual marriage is often pressed with what can only be described as undisguised intellectual dishonesty.

PASTORS

Five of the Most Difficult Challenges for Pastors

By Thom S. Rainer

Matt Chandler

It may be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Indeed, it may be an impossible job to do in our own strength. So I asked the question: What specific part of being a pastor is the most difficult for you?

COLUMN

Eight Ways to Tell That I Might Be a Pharisee

By Perry Noble

pharisee

I am a recovering Pharisee. I became obsessed with religious rules and legalism and forgot all about the grace that God had poured out on me through Jesus.

OPINION

New York and Christianity

By Eric Metaxas

Times Square

It's like the Sinatra song: If Christianity can make it there, it can make it anywhere. I'm talking about New York, New York, my home town.

RELATIONSHIP

Five Myths About Living Together Before Marriage

By Dan Delzell

marriage

So you think there are advantages to living together rather than getting married. Before you close your mind any tighter on the issue, check out these five myths:

LEGAL

A Double Mandate to Silence Religious Freedom

By Erik W. Stanley

Religious Freedom Sunday

The battle over President Obama's abortion pill mandate does not show signs of letting up any time soon, and it manifests itself almost daily in various skirmishes.

PERSECUTION

Christians 'Most Persecuted' Religious Group in the World, Says Expert

By Michael Gryboski

burma refugee

The head of a California-based evangelical religious liberty group stated Thursday that Christianity is presently the most persecuted religion on earth based on evidence gathered.

INTERVIEW

Is 'the Culture' Really the Church's Problem?

By Ginny Mooney

Ken Myers

Author Ken Myers doesn't believe "the culture" is the biggest challenge facing the Church today. Rather, it's the culture in the church that's the problem as many believers live not fully transformed by the Gospel.

CP BLOG

Miracles and the Laws of Science

By Christian Post Guest Voices

cs lewis

If this week I put a thousand pounds in the drawer of my desk, add two thousand next week and another thousand the week thereafter, the laws of arithmetic allow me to predict that the next time I come to my drawer, I shall find four thousand pounds.

TESTIMONY

Katie's Story

By Greg Stier

Dare 2 Share conference

I didn't really grow up in a Christian household. I had some things happen to me as a kid that no girl should ever have to go through. I got this idea in my head that I had to pay for being such a screw up.

COLUMN

The 10 Warning Signs of an Inwardly Obsessed Church

By Thom S. Rainer

Church

Any healthy church must have some level of inward focus. Those in the church should be discipled. But churches can lose their outward focus and become preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members.

OPINION

Pastors Who Preach Grace, but Need Grace

By Paul Tripp

Paul tripp

I was a very angry man. The problem was that I didn't know I was an angry man. My wife, Luella, knew that I was angry. My kids knew I was angry. But I didn't know. Luella was very faithful in bringing that anger before me with its resultant failures to love my family. She did it often and with much grace. But I would not listen.

CHURCH & MINISTRIES

Inside Church Planting: Outreach in an Unfamiliar Territory (Part 4)

By Jeff Schapiro

Bible

When most people hear the word "missionary" they probably imagine a Christian worker in a faraway land who is trying to adapt to a new culture while also trying to share the Gospel with the indigenous people. Church planters, in many ways, view themselves similar to that of a missionary because they have to know the people and the culture they are trying to reach in order to effectively share the message of Jesus Christ.

CP BLOG

A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars (PT 2)

By Book Stop

book cover

The Book Stop Blog is featuring excerpts from chapter one of A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars by Jonathan Merritt.

COUNSELING CORNER

Forgiveness: Who's Left Holding the Bag?

By June Hunt

June Hunt

While leading a Forgiveness workshop in Indiana, I asked attendees, "How many of you have had a huge struggle forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply?" Instantly, hands shot up across the room. Though my question came at the beginning of my session, it wasn't until the final 15 minutes that I looked out into the audience, made eye contact with a young man who'd earlier raised his hand, and asked him to join me on stage.

STATISTICS

Religion Census: Increase in Evangelicals, Mormons, Muslims; Decrease in Catholics, Mainline Protestants

By Napp Nazworth

Saddleback Church

A decennial census of U.S. religions in America was released Tuesday by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). The results show a dramatic increase in the number of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, and Muslims, a modest increase in the number of evangelical Protestants, and a drop in the number of Catholics and mainline Protestants.

WOMEN

Some Complementarians Deny Women More Opportunities Than the Bible Does?

By John Piper

John Piper

It's a delicate thing when you're not dealing with the clear, black-and-white issues of elder and non-elder. What kind of Sunday school classes they teach, what ages of boys they teach — those are ambiguities.

WORLD

Which Country Believes in God the Most, Least?

By Jeff Schapiro

A recently released report from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago shows which countries have the most, and the least, belief in God by population percentage.

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