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BISHOP DONATES A KIDNEY TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A HINDU MAN

CATHOLIC BISHOP JACOB MURICKEN WILL DONATE HIS KIDNEY TO HELP A MAN WITH KIDNEY FAILURE. A bishop in India is leading by example during the Year of Mercy with an act of great generosity. Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop Jacob Muricken is donating his kidney to save the life of a young Hindu man, reports the Catholic News Agency.

Bishop Donating His Kidney to Save the Life of a Hindu Man

Bishop Muricken, 52-years-old and from the state of Kerala in southern India, says he has “no anxiety” about the surgery and that “it’s only a simple sacrifice for a fellow being.” Sooraj Sudhakaran is the 30-year-old who will receive the kidney. He is from Kottakkal, which is also in Kerala. Sudhakaran supports his wife and mother as his father died four years ago and his brother two years ago. He recently lost his job and sold his house to pay for dialysis treatment. He was diagnosed with kidney failure two years ago. Bishop Muricken is also helping to pay for some of the costs of the procedure, something else Sudhakaran is thankful for, in addition to, of course, a working kidney. Upon finding out that he would be receiving a kidney, he said, “it’s nothing less than God’s intervention.” While Bishop Murichen’s sacrifice is great, the idea is not originally his. In fact, he was inspired by the actions of Fr. Davis Chiramel, founder of the Kidney Federation of India, an organization which has arranged for more than 20 religious men and women to donate healthy kidneys to needy recipients. Fr. Chiramel donated his kidney seven years ago. In addition to saving and improving lives, the Kidney Federation of India also hopes to break down taboos against organ donation in the country. One of the stipulations of the organ donation is that somebody in the recipient’s family must be willing to donate in the future as well, if at all possible. Nobody in Sudhakaran’s family will be able to donate in the future, but the Federation is waiving the clause in this case. 

REF: worldreligionnews.

WHAT ARE THE MOTIVES BEHIND THE MUSLIM CONVERSIONS TO CHRISTIANITY IN EUROPE?

The past few months have seen large numbers of Muslim immigrants all across Europe converting to Christianity. Refugees in Germany, Netherlands, France, and Denmark have been getting baptized in the thousands with mass adult baptisms having happened in places like a local swimming pool in Hamburg, Germany. This has been a controversial issue with many people and leaders questioning the motives behind the conversions. Clergy in those areas have, however, stated that Christianity as a religion should be open to all, with no one allowed to judge the other.

What are the Motives Behind the Muslim Conversions to Christianity in Europe?

The speculations on why the trend has been on the rise have been quite a number. Personal testimonies from some of the converts have provided a different and touching perspective to the issue. Coming from nations like Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, the refugees have claimed they always lived in fear and gone through hell with some having been raped and so on. Some have referred to Islam as a “religion of violence and fear.” Conversion to Christianity is punishable by death in some of the Islamic nations and they might face death if they go back. Some claim to have converted after meeting very helpful Christians during their refugee journey who welcomed them with open arms. Seeing Christianity as a religion of love, a good number opted to convert. There are some exemplary examples like Mohammad Eghtedarian who was converted and later ordained as a curate at Liverpool Cathedral. He states that the church helping refugees in the development of their faith and also in the application process for asylum has been a major contribution to the increased number of conversions from Islam to Christianity. Mohammad faced persecution in the city of Shiraz in Iran after he and some friends were attacked leaving a Bible study class. He was lucky to have escaped and travelled on trucks and by foot through six European nations.

Some of the opposition to the conversions has been based on the fact that people believe that some of the converts only convert to improve their chances of gaining asylum. Countries like Germany take into consideration the fate of refugees if they go back to their nations and for those who have become Christians, they may stand to face death or stoning under sharia law. This is the same case even for victims of rape. In Netherlands however, conversion may end up being a hindrance to asylum as some of the liberal state churches are opposed conversions.  Currently, there are an estimated 90,000 Christians in Islamic nations like Iran, though the numbers have been estimated to be as high as 500,000 by a number of international human rights organizations. Whatever the motive being the conversions might be, refugees ought to be allowed freedom of religion and expression in whichever nation they are in.

REF: worldreligionnews.

Two Christians Who Changed the World You've Probably Never Heard Of

You may be able to name a number of famous Christians who changed the world. But Dr. Glenn Sunshine wants you to know the world-changers you may never have heard of.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/two-christians-who-changed-the-world-youve-probably-never-heard-of-opinion-164797/#v60WpOSWvoGBVvUA.99

Remembering. It's vital to our Christian faith. Remembering, as the Jews do, the miraculous works of Yahweh in history. Remembering Jesus' suffering and what He accomplished on the cross. And remembering the heroes of the faith who've gone before us.

An excellent example of this kind of remembrance is Hebrews 11. It's a veritable faith hall of fame. After extolling the astounding faith of figures like Noah and Abraham and Joseph and even Rahab the prostitute, the author of Hebrews has us where he wants us: Inspired.

So he begins chapter 12 with this charge: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses . . . let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/two-christians-who-changed-the-world-youve-probably-never-heard-of-opinion-164797/#v60WpOSWvoGBVvUA.99

Remembering. It's vital to our Christian faith. Remembering, as the Jews do, the miraculous works of Yahweh in history. Remembering Jesus' suffering and what He accomplished on the cross. And remembering the heroes of the faith who've gone before us.

An excellent example of this kind of remembrance is Hebrews 11. It's a veritable faith hall of fame. After extolling the astounding faith of figures like Noah and Abraham and Joseph and even Rahab the prostitute, the author of Hebrews has us where he wants us: Inspired.

So he begins chapter 12 with this charge: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses . . . let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."

That's the power of remembering God's servants who have gone before us. And that's why Dr. Glenn Sunshine writes his "Christians Who Changed Their World" columns at ColsonCenter.org. But Glenn doesn't focus in on the big names. He's on a mission to introduce the church to lesser known but equally significant heroes of the faith.

His latest column is about André and Magda Trocmé, two French Protestants who committed themselves to doing the right thing no matter the cost. And in 1940s France, the right thing to do was to save Jews.

The Trocmés lived in Le Chambon in Vichy France — a part of France not occupied by the Nazis, but run by the collaborationist French Vichy government. André was a Huguenot pastor and a committed pacifist.

After the defeat of France in 1940, André and Magda heard a knock on the door. It was a Jewish woman fleeing from the Nazis, desperately needing help. Magda tried to secure false papers for her, but the mayor was no help. He also warned Magda that if the Germans found out anyone was helping Jews, the entire village would suffer.

That only inspired Magda and André all the more. As Glenn describes in his column, "Pastor Trocmé began to exhort his congregation to shelter the 'People of the Book' who were fleeing Nazi persecution. He told them, 'We shall resist whenever our adversaries demand of us obedience contrary to the orders of the gospel.'"

Church members began volunteering to hide Jews. They also created an underground network to get Jews safely across the Swiss border. Vichy officials caught on and eventually tipped off the Germans — who searched Le Chambon and found nothing.

Finally, Vichy officials demanded that Trocmé stop his activities.

André was blunt: "These people came here for help and shelter. I am their shepherd. A shepherd does not forsake his flock. I do not know what a Jew is. I only know human beings."

Eventually, André was arrested and sent to a detention camp but was released after ten days. He spent the rest of the war underground. But Le Chambon's rescue operation continued.

What Glenn calls a "conspiracy of goodness" saved an untold number of Jewish lives. In fact, not one Jew was caught in Le Chambon during the entire war.

Why did these French Christians risk all to save Jews?

In a post-war documentary, one villager simply said, "We didn't protect the Jews because we were a moral or heroic people. We helped them because it was the human thing to do."

There's one fascinating element to this story that I only want to hint at because I'd love for you to read it yourself. The French Protestants, known as Huguenots, were themselves victims of savage persecution by the French Catholic monarchy during the 16th and 17th centuries. One method of survival they used played a major role in the Trocmés rescue of the Jews. You've got to read about it. Come to BreakPoint.org and click on this commentary.

And to receive future articles by Dr. Glenn Sunshine on Christians Who Changed Their World, subscribe to our weekly "Christian Worldview Journal" newsletter. That too, is at BreakPoint.org.

REF : Christian Post.

What You Need to Know about Church Growth in Iran

My thanks to Kathy Norquist, EPM staff member, for sharing this report on the persecuted church in Iran. Our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ are carrying on a long tradition of God’s people: “Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison… destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:35–38).

May we do what Scripture commands us to do: “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). —Randy Alcorn

Iran has the fastest growing church in the world. However, the moment an Iranian says “yes” to Jesus, persecution begins.

Eternal Perspective Ministries recently had the privilege of a visit from an Iranian pastor, Matthew, and his wife Anahita, representing Elam Ministries. Matthew spent 14 months in prison (45 days in solitary confinement), and Anahita spent 34 days in solitary confinement in a 5 x 9 foot empty cell.

When I asked Matthew about the hardest part of his persecution in prison, he said two things: the isolation from people and concern for the people of his church. “It wasn’t easy,” he said, “but I had a really good time with God.” When they were being interrogated, it would last from morning to night with loud voices and cursing. They were told many lies, including that all their friends had returned to the Muslim faith. The interrogators pressured them to do the same and to give up names of fellow believers. Then there would be days and days of no contact with the outside world. Matthew saw the sky once in 45 days.

The Iranian government is now saying they can’t stop the church in Iran, so their goal is to slow it down. They’re doing this with visits from the security police, the worst form of government intrusion, which often leads to arrests and imprisonment. When Anahita was approached by the security police, she told us, “I was not afraid of them. I had complete peace.”

When asked, “Why are people drawn to Jesus from the Muslim faith?”, Matthew and Anahita responded, “Because Jesus’s love is a different kind of love. Jesus offers forgiveness. Jesus loves you as you are.”

Also, because there is such a thirst for God’s Word in Iran, Elam is raising money to print 200,000 more Bibles this year. Many Iranians testify to the importance of reading the Bible in their journey to faith. Bibles are also vital for discipling the ever-growing number of new believers. If you’d like to support this ministry and participate in their matching grant, you can donate online.

Elam Ministries has put together helpful information on “Praying For Christian Prisoners in Iran” as you intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This article was originally published on epm.org. Used with permission.

Kathy Norquist works in Ministry Development for Eternal Perspective Ministries, and is also on the EPM's Board of Directors. She was Randy’s executive assistant from 1997-2015, and was also previously one of his secretaries when he was a pastor.

REF: crosswalk

Love Your Neighbors... Even When They're 'Better' Than You

Christians may be tempted to see themselves on a moral high ground with their secular friends in the valley below … but the truth is we’re all in the valley. The thing that separates Christians from non-Christians is not behavior or morals it’s grace. It’s grace that you understand the gospel, grace that you have salvation, and grace that you are convicted when your behavior is not Christ-like. Though you may have some acquaintances or friends whose behavior is questionable or dangerous, chances are you also have several non-Christian friends and neighbors who are genuine and kind, good parents, and they may even share many of the same values and morals as you.

Jen Pollock Michel, author and blogger, has written an article for The Gospel Coalition titled The Myth of Moral Superiority: When You’re No ‘Better’ than Your Agnostic Friend. When comparing yourself to your non-Christian friend, she implores us to remember:

“‘None is righteous,’ the apostle Paul writes in Romans 3:10. Even the most morally upright person, Christian or non-Christian, falls short of God’s glory.

…The gospel doesn’t make me better. But it does make me eager to admit my debts and deficits, grateful to receive God’s good gifts from whomever’s hand they come.”  

Michel gives an example from her church service in which the pastor humorously states, “It is the practice of Christians throughout the centuries to publicly and privately confess their sins to God—which might seem strange, considering that we are better than everyone else.”

Confession is a way to give ourselves a reality check. Confession reminds us that we’re not called to out-do others with our morals, but instead we’re called to follow Jesus humbly and share the news of His grace with others.

Michel writes,

“We don’t have to be better than our non-Christian neighbors and family, friends and colleagues. We just have to be the forgiven and the faithful, willing to proclaim the gospel even to the “good” people who earnestly strive to follow their moral code.”

Michel continues, “To be a Christian is to relinquish self-will and moral self-confidence.”  For it’s “amazing grace that saves the wretch—as well as the respectable.”

To read Michel’s full article please visit The Gospel Coalition.

Crosswalk Contributor Kathy Howard shares this in her article Should Christians be the Morality Police?:

“Sometimes Christians get so distracted by cultural skirmishes we lose sight of our prime directive. A quick reminder of God’s purpose for Christians in the world will help us better determine how we should respond to our culture’s changing values: 

· We are “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). 

· We are God’s priests, declaring His praises to the nations (1 Peter 2:9). 

· We are Christ’s ambassadors, imploring the world to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).”

She advises, “Let us be seen as for Christ, not as against the world.” 

REF: Christian Headlines.

3 Ways to Make the Church More Effective

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. – Matthew 5:15

To be a Christian means to stand in witness for Christ. All of us, no matter our background, are called to share the Good News with the people of our world (Mark 16:15). It’s a huge responsibility, a great honor, and a noble calling. Unfortunately, Christians aren’t always skillful when it comes to sharing the gospel. With all the changes taking place in modern society, many believers are questioning the Church’s effectiveness in leading others to Christ.

Ed Stetzer is one such Christian. In a recent column for Christianity Today, Stetzer proposed that churches needed to change their methods if they wanted to continue reaching communities. As an example, he pointed to the use of pathways,

Consider How to Use Pathways

Pathways transitions people away from apathy into groups where they’ll provoke one another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). We need to help people live as agents of God’s mission. Sometimes you have to stop doing good things to do the best things. That’s always a hard call, especially for churches. Churches that refuse to budge on inerrancy of Scripture should be commended. Churches that confuse inerrancy with methodology should be corrected.

That tendency can be applied to aspects of ministry that have outlived their usefulness. We need clearer systems and processes that lead people from passivity to activity in involvement in the mission of God and serving one another.

Whitney Hopler, another voice on Christian transformation, takes a more introspective approach. She advises Christians to change their attitude on worship, which she believes has grown stale over the years. She writes,

Receive the Gift of Worship Gratefully

“Since it’s only through God’s love and power that you and the others in your church can offer yourselves as living sacrifices to God through worship and experience the profound blessings of encountering God through worship, be thankful. Keep in mind that gratitude is the foundation of worship as a church community.”

Finally, Nick Hall, the founder of PULSE and author of Reset, believes we all need to be more like Jesus. Too often the gospel becomes entangled in politics, social issues, or personal egos. Jesus, on the other hand, was concerned about people, and that meant stepping into life’s messes. In a section of Reset he states,

Put Others above Yourself

“If we spend time with Jesus, then we will naturally be driven to do the things that Jesus did. In other words, if you tell me you’re hanging out with Jesus every day and yet there is no desire in your life to share your faith, or love those he gave his life for, then we should probably dig a little deeper to find out what version of Jesus we are talking about.”

The gospel message will never change, but as Ed Stetzer suggested earlier, perhaps its methods should. We live in a culture which views the Church with increasing fear and suspicion, and the old systems of ministry are no longer working. If we continue to hold on to bad strategies, the strength of evangelism will only weaken. Now is the time to let our lights shine, so let us renew our efforts to share the Good News with all people.

REF: Christian Headlines

Report Reveals Christian Songs are ‘Unrelentingly Cheerful’

A recent report has revealed that today’s popular Christian music is decidedlymore positive than negative.

 

According to RelevantMagazine.com, the data for the study was collected by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, a site operated by ESPN which specializes in analyzing data using math.

 

The analytics specialists at FiveThirtyEight recently decided to analyze how upbeat modern Christian music is. Consistent with what many fans have acknowledged, contemporary Christian music was found to be “unrelentingly cheerful.”

 

Those analyzing the data “took a look at the last five years of Billboard’s year-end top 50 Christian songs” to find “pairs of concepts across the entire collection of lyrics (life and death, grace and sin, etc.) and calculated the ratio of positive to negative words.”

 

The analysts then looked at specific words such as “grace” and “sin” and measured how many times each were used in popular Christian songs.

 

They found that Christian songwriters use “grace” 2.5 times more than “sin,” “life” eight times more than “death,” and “love” seven times more than “fear.”

The study also found that, compared to Christian music of the 1800’s, today Christian music was much more positive. Although older hymns and Christian songs still were positive and upbeat overall, they contained more references to sin, judgment, sorrow, and darkness than contemporary Christian songs.

REF: Christian Headlines.

Light up your world and turn your device to a super bright flashlight

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High School Graduates Defy Atheists and Recite Lord's Prayer

A graduating class from Ohio decided to defy a district decision to remove the Lord’s Prayer from the graduation ceremony and instead, the senior class recited it themselves.

 

According to Fox News, the senior class at East Liverpool High School made the decision just moments before the ceremony.

 

The district had banned the students from singing the Lord’s Prayer after the Freedom From Religion Foundation complained that the Lord’s Prayer violated the Constitution and promoted religion.

 

“The school district’s decision devastated the entire community -- especially students in the high school’s esteemed music program,” said Todd Starnes, in a column for Fox News.

 

The singing of the Lord’s Prayer was a 70-year-old tradition for the high school.

 

“It breaks my heart,” choir director Lisa Ensinger told me. “Our students are really sad.”

 

Then, just before the ceremony, the graduates began discussing the district’s decision.

 

“The class thought it was wrong that we were being forced to remove it,” senior Bobby Hill said.

 

As the valedictorian finished his welcome, the seniors began to recite the Lord’s Prayer.

“I was very proud to see the youth, our future leaders, decide to stand up for what they believed in,” said Hill’s father. “I can’t lie—I teared up.

 

“I’ve always taught my two boys to stand up for what you believe is right,” Mr. Hill said. “The same lesson my parents taught me. It doesn’t matter if it’s over religion or something else – take a stand.”

REF: Christian Headlines.

Chewbacca Mask Woman: 'I am a Follower of Jesus Christ'

In an interview with Buzzfeed, Candace Payne, who recently rose to stardom due to her live Facebook video laughing while wearing a Chewbacca mask, said that the secret to her joy is having a relationship with Christ.

Buzzfeed’s Alex Kantrowitz interviewed Payne while she was in San Francisco visiting Facebook’s headquarters, which she was invited to do after her video received over 137 million views. 

Kantrowitz asked Payne about the joy she shows in the video to which she responded, "When you really know who you are, you don't have to impress anybody ... you can laugh at yourself, and it's OK.”

"It's tough for a lot of people to get there. So what do you think helped you get there?" Kantrowitz asks as a follow-up question.

Payne then held nothing back and revealed that she is a follower of Christ: 

"I have unashamedly said from Day 1 that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. And I think sometimes, we have painted a broad paintbrush on Christians to think that we're very narrow-minded, that we're bigoted, and that we're haters. And that's really not who we are.”

"But the truth is that my relationship with Jesus Christ has completely made me who I am because He's told me who I am,” she continued. “ And once you know that you're loved by God – and not just a god, but the God that created everything – your whole life changes. You don't have to impress anybody else, because you've got the one opinion that matters."

Payne, along with her husband and two children, are involved in their church, and Payne has been involved in leading worship since she was 14 years old. 

"We have a heart for our local church and just being obedient to God in the way we raise our kids and love our friends," Payne told the Christian Examiner.

REF: christian headlines.