Lots Of "Hope" At Hope
Here are some more photos taken during this week's revival meeting at Hope Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. For more info about this meeting see this previous post.
Click any photo to enlarge.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Equal Opportunity Saviour
The Lord worked at least two miracles during the revival meeting at Hope Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida this week. The miracle of salvation is always exciting for a church and for an evangelist too. The two that received Jesus Christ as their Saviour were males aged 18 and 74 and one was black and the other white. I mention the age and race of these men not for any negative reason, but to show that our Lord is an equal opportunity Saviour. He is willing to save anyone that believes in Him, no matter the age, color or gender (John 3:16, Romans 10:13).
Each service saw the altar filled with people taking up business with God. We also had at least one to rededicate their life to Christ!
The congregation of Hope Baptist was a blessing to me in that it includes various ages and races. It was wonderful seeing the diversity in the congregation and the oneness in worship, everyone coming together in one accord, to exalt the name of Jesus! I met so many nice folks during the meeting and they all made me feel right at home. I want to especially thank Pastor Tim Nelson for giving me the opportunity to minister at the church. He and Associate Pastor Mark Juen have a real heart for the work at this church and they have many unique ministry opportunities in this part of Jacksonville. Pictured above (left to right) are Pastor Tim Nelson, Pastor Abraham Lincoln Nelson of Home Garden Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Associate Pastor Mark Juen and "yours truly".
I also met someone that I used to listen to on the radio many years ago, "Big Jim" Godbold. Jim (pictured with me at right) was once a DJ with Jacksonville radio station WQIK and he attends Hope Baptist. We had a mutual friend in Frank Thies, who also worked at WQIK for years. Frank also served as the General Manager of radio station WBKF (now WJXR) in Macclenny, Florida. Frank gave me my first job in radio after I graduated from Lake City Community College in 1978. Frank is the one that dubbed me "James the Giant", a name that has stuck with me ever since. Frank Thies died a few years ago, but I still have a lot of fond memories of my time working for him. Jim and I had a lot of fun remembering old times and talking shop.
If you live in the Jacksonville area and don't have a home church, I hope you'll visit Hope Baptist Church. The church is located at 826 Reynolds Lane right next to Commonwealth Avenue. For directions or more information call (904) 387-5336.
What's Missing?
NOTE: If you have a good digital photo of a great church sign, send it to me and I may post it on this site.
Hot-button issue -- School orders 'Christmas' excised from posters
The American Family Association (AFA) says the FCA chapter at Glenelg High School in Howard County was told by the school's principal that signs posted by members around campus -- for their "Operation Christmas Child" project -- needed to be changed. He allegedly forced them to cover the word "Christmas" and replace it with "Holiday." School officials did not immediately answer a request from OneNewsNow for comment.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
China angrily denounces Olympic Games 'Bible ban' reports
BEIJING - China reacted angrily on Thursday to reports in the European press that the government would ban Bibles during next year's Beijing Olympics, saying it could not possibly be true.
The reports, one of which appeared in Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, were picked up by the Catholic News Agency and spread to U.S. media sites.
"The facts show that this news is a total rumour," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference. "The Chinese government has not come up with any such rule.
Read more of this story on Christian Today.
Read a related article.
China Bans Bibles from 2008 Olympics
China is banning Bibles from the Olympic Games next year allegedly for security reason, according to reports Tuesday.
The Bible is on a list of items – which include video cameras and cups – prohibited at the 2008 Summer Olympics, according to Fox News. This means Christian athletes will not have access to Bibles in their Olympic village housing.
Moreover, the communist and officially atheist country is banning all religious symbols at Olympic facilities in Beijing and warning visitors to not bring more than one copy of the Bible with them to China.
“The banning of Bibles and religious symbols by athletes in the Olympic Village by the Chinese government is evidence that it has not progressed to the level of civility that is worthy of hosting the international Olympic games,” the Rev. Dr. Keith Roderick, Washington representative for Christian Solidarity International, told The Christian Post.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Everybody's Talkin': Isn’t that Jesus?
Mike’s wife, Ginger Parks, sent a photo of the pumpkin to her cousin, Amanda Vernon, who lives south of Paoli. Amanda was skeptical about Mike’s purported work, but she later saw it for herself when it was displayed at Paoli’s Central Baptist Church during a Trunk-or-Treat event. When Amanda received the photograph of the Jesus pumpkin, she forwarded it to me and to her husband, Sam Vernon. Sam, in turn, teased that he wasn’t so sure he saw the widely perceived image of Jesus in the photo. He wrote a note to Ginger telling her it was the “most amazing carving of Barry Gibb I have ever seen.”
Read more of this story on Times-Mail.
Michigan Voters Nix Nativity Scene on Public Property
Read more of this story on FOX News.
The charter amendment failed by a 55 to 45 percent margin with 4,136 votes cast in total, according to unofficial results from the city clerk’s office.
Man ministered to 'America's Team'
EULESS, Texas (BP)--Hundreds of people, including dozens of players and representatives from Dallas' professional sports teams, crowded into First Baptist Church in Euless Nov. 6 to honor the life and legacy of longtime Dallas Cowboys chaplain John Weber.
Weber, 59, a deacon at FBC Euless, served as the Cowboys team chaplain for more than two decades. He died Nov. 1 in Dallas following a heart attack, and he was remembered by his family, friends and those he served as a gentle man with an eternal mission.
"John was a chaplain, a deacon, a staff member for Athletes in Action, a father, husband and grandfather," said John Meadon, the Euless church's senior pastor. "We are all here because we've been touched by John. We will never be the same."
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
Our Refuge And Strength
READ: Isaiah 31
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. —Psalm 20:7
In August 2004, Hurricane Charley brought fierce destruction to areas of Florida. During the storm, 25-year-old Danny Williams went outside to seek protection in one of his favorite places, a shed under the protective branches of a banyan tree. But the tree fell on the shed and killed Williams. Sometimes, the places we look to for security can be the most dangerous.
The prophet Isaiah warned Judah’s King Hezekiah of this truth. Hezekiah was a good king, but he repeated the sin of his father Ahaz by seeking security in an alliance with an alien power (2 Kings 16:7; Isa. 36:6). Instead, he should have been encouraging his people to trust in the Lord.
By seeking help from Egypt, Hezekiah showed that he had failed to learn from history. Egypt had been anything but an ally to Israel. Hezekiah had also forgotten Scripture. Amassing horses for cavalry units was against the divine constitution for the king (Deut. 17:16).
Ultimately, Hezekiah did seek help from the Lord (Isa. 37:1-6,14-20). And God miraculously annihilated the invading Assyrians (vv.36-38).
Judah made the mistake of valuing the strength of Egypt over the living God. May our trust always be in the name of the Lord our God (Ps. 20:7).
Trust in God and you will know
He can vanquish any foe;
Simply trust Him day by day,
He will be your strength and stay. —D. De Haan
No life is more secure than a life surrendered to God.
For similar resources, search these topics:
Relationships > Relating to God > Care/Protection
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Gospel shared during Wagoner funeral
But in the year before his death from cancer Oct. 28, Wagoner had a dream of more eternal significance, one in which he visited heaven.
"Heaven was more beautiful than anything you could ever imagine," Wagoner is said to have told family and friends. "What was so wonderful was there were so many people that I hadn't see for many years –- old friends and family, Momma and Daddy."
When someone asked if there were any surprises, Wagoner is said to have replied, "There was one. There were some people I expected to be there that I didn't see."
Jerry Sutton, senior pastor of Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, shared that dramatic story during his sermon at Wagoner's funeral, held Nov. 1 at the Grand Ole Opry.
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
Church leader plans Lego statue of Christ
Stockholm - A Swedish pastor has urged members of his congregation to help collect pieces of Lego - the famed plastic toy bricks - in order to build a statue of Christ, reports said on Monday.
Pastor Per Wilder believes 20 000 Lego pieces are needed to build the man-high statue, based on a model by Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen from 1839, the VLT newspaper said.
The original is made in white marble, so the challenge is to collect white Lego pieces for the planned statue in the Onsta Gryta church in the city of Vasteras, 100km west of Stockholm.
Read more of this story on IOL.
Mystery Worshipper to secretly assess Midland churches
Churches throughout the Midlands are preparing for the visit of an unannounced visitor to their pews - the Mystery Worshipper.
Dozens of researchers are set to descend on a secret list of churches on Sunday 13 January - reporting on the comfort of pews, warmth of welcome, length of sermon among other things.
Read more of this story on Christian Today.
November Newsletter Now Online
The November 2007 Edition of the James Croft Evangelistic Association Newsletter is now available. This edition contains articles, podcast and video information, a cartoon and lots of photos. Check it out and share the link with your friends.
If you would like to receive e-mail notifications when the latest newsletter is online, simply type your e-mail address in the box below. You will receive a validation link within minutes in your e-mail. To activate your subscription just click the validation link when it arrives.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Hope Baptist Church Sign
Hope Baptist Revival ServicesNOTE: If you have a good digital photo of a great church sign, send it to me and I may post it on this site.
Poll About Prayer
Our Blog Poll (#17) this week is about prayer. You can cast your vote in the left-hand column of this site. Voting will end on Saturday night.
California School District Approves 'In God We Trust' Classroom Displays
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Trustees of the largest high school district in the country voted 4-1 Monday night to mandate displays bearing the nation's motto — "In God We Trust" — and other historical documents in over 2,300 district classrooms and offices.
The display of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights will be included in the posters approved by district trustees in Bakersfield, Calif. Monday night.
Kern County High School District trustee Chad Vegas initially proposed the measure as a way of promoting patriotism. But the idea sparked a contentious debate.
Read more of this story on FOX News.
Billy Graham to mark 89th birthday with thoughts of heavenly reunion
World-renowned evangelist Billy Graham will mark his 89th birthday on Wednesday, by expressing his gratitude for his health, his family and the ongoing hope of being reunited with his wife Ruth in Heaven.
Since the passing of his marriage and ministry partner of nearly 64 years on June 14 this year, Graham said he has been surprised at the depth of his grief, but simultaneously encouraged by the commensurate magnitude of God's grace.
"At times, I feel as if part of me has been ripped out, and in a sense that's what has happened, because Ruth was such an important part of my life," he said. "But my faith gives me great comfort, and I can't imagine going through something like this without strength that only the Lord can provide.”
Read more of this story on Christian Today.
Drinks firm enlists Jesus to sell spiritual water
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - A drinks company is banking on some divine help in a new venture -- selling spiritual water in bottles featuring Jesus and carrying prayers -- despite warnings this promotion could backfire.
Spiritual Brands Inc, a start-up company from Florida, is hoping to make a splash in the competitive bottled water market, worth over $11 billion a year in the United States alone, with its new Spiritual Water.
Available in 10 varieties, one flavor "Balance" features a picture of Jesus on the front with The Lord's Prayer on the back in both English and Spanish while "Focus" carries a likeness of the Virgin Mary.
Read more of this story on Reuters.
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Thank You For This Food
A 4-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before a big dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip.
Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, "If I thank God for the broccoli, won't he know that I'm lying?"
Better Yet
READ: Philippians 1:19-26
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. —Philippians 1:21
Sir Francis Bacon said, “I do not believe that any man fears to be dead, but only the stroke of death.” Woody Allen said, “I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
It’s not death that’s so frightening. It’s the dying that scares us. As Paul faced imprisonment and the prospect of dying in a jail cell, he shared his view about life and death: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). What a perspective!
Death is our enemy (1 Cor. 15:25-28), but it does not possess the finality that so many dread. There is something waiting for believers beyond this life—something better.
Someone has said, “What the caterpillar thinks is the end of life, the butterfly thinks is just the beginning.” George MacDonald wrote, “How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.”
I love this paraphrase of Philippians 1:21, “To me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet!” (TLB). During our physical life, we have opportunities to serve Jesus. But one day, we will actually be in His presence. Our fear will melt away when we see Him face to face.
That’s the “better yet” the apostle Paul is talking about!
Death?—Christ said not death;
He called it sleep;
A vast awaking, a new day breaking,
A bright way taking, with visions deep. —H. Frost
For the Christian, the fear of death will give way to the fullness of life.
For similar resources, search these topics:
Christian Life > Personal Crisis > Death
Monday, November 05, 2007
Christian students, faculty forced to don Muslim garbs
Students and teachers at a primary school in England were forced to dress up as Muslims to celebrate a belated Muslim festival although most were Christians.
All 257 students and 41 teachers at Rufford primary school in Lye, England, were ordered to wear traditional Muslim dress in an effort to promote multi-culturalism, reported the Daily Mail newspaper this week.
It is said that in the entire school only two staffs were Muslims – a part-time teacher and an assistant teacher.
Read more of this story Christian Today.Ending the curse
ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--"Schools try hard to foil fans' curses," a recent USA Today headline stated atop an article on efforts at several colleges to dissuade sports patrons from using profanity at games.
According to the report, a growing number of America's institutions of higher learning have become concerned about the frequent use of vulgar words and phrases by fans at sporting events, most of which is directed at referees as well as at opposing teams and their fans.
Many of the concerned schools are utilizing public service campaigns to try to persuade fans to police their own language. However, at least two schools have taken more stringent steps in an effort to stop foul language at sports venues.
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
Afraid Of The Dark
A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom.
The little boy turned to his mother and said, "Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark."
The mother smiled reassuringly at her son. "You don't have to be afraid of the dark," she explained. "Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you."The little boy looked at his mother real hard and asked, "Are you sure he's out there?"
"Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him," she said.
The little boy thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, "Jesus? If you're out there, would you please hand me the broom?"
Alan Jackson's 'Precious Memories' Wins Inspirational Country Album of the Year
NASHVILLE, Nov. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- Alan Jackson's Precious Memories wins the Inspirational Country Album of the Year and Josh Turner was selected as the Mainstream Country Artist of the Year at the 13th Annual Inspirational Country Music Award Show (ICM awards). Other big winners include, Del Way, winning Entertainer of the Year with Sonya Isaacs taking home Female Vocalist of the Year and Tommy Brandt receiving Male Vocalist of the Year for the second straight year.
Read more of this story on Christian Newswire.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Blog Poll #16 Results
Our Blog Poll #16 question was, "Do you believe gambling is a sin?" and the results are:
- Yes 9 (69%)
- No 2 (15%)
- Unsure 2 (15%)
Here are the results of Blog Poll #15.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
WWTG, November 2007
Edition: Vol. 2, No. 4
File Size: 19.8 MB
Length: 40 min. 34 sec.
Program Features:
- Ghana Update: Evangelist Raphael Adjei Kingbi, JCEA Ministry Coordinator (e-mail), gives an update on his ministry activities in the Teshie-Accra Region. The weekly prayer session is still held each Monday and you can add your requests to our list via e-mail. Ralph and Mavis' child "Junior Ralph" is growing up quickly and an update is given given by the proud dad.
- Interview: Eddie Swimmer, co-host of Spirit Word radio ministry and an internationally known Indian Hoop Dancer (e-mail). Eddie shares about the radio ministry that is directed to Native Americans, and tells how he uses dance in praising the Lord and a tool in witnessing for Jesus. The interview also features a couple of the Spirit Word programs. Eddie also serves as a deacon at Cherokee Baptist Church, is a performer in Unto These Hills, and is an assistant manager at The Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Eddie also has a role in the PBS special "Colonial Williamsburg: Emissaries of Peace" that will air on November 8, 2007. For more information about the Spirit Word radio ministry call (800) 543-1090.
- Message: Control Burn (Part 1) by Evangelist James Croft is taken from 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 in the Holy Bible.
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May God richly bless you for your prayerful and financial support!
Friday, November 02, 2007
Jacksonville Services Begin Sunday
I will begin preaching revival services this Sunday, November 4th at Hope Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. The Sunday services will begin at 11am and 6pm. The meeting will continue Monday thru Wednesday, November 5-7, 2007 at 7pm nightly. The church is located at 826 Reynolds Lane in Jacksonville, Florida. For more information call Pastor Tim Nelson at (904) 387-5336. Please be in prayer for these services.
For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.
Corresponding With God
NOTE: If you have a good digital photo of a great church sign, send it to me and I may post it on this site.
October 2007 Podcast Downloads
| Episode | Guest | Oct. 2007 Downloads | Total Downloads |
|
| 3 | 439 | |
| Dr. Harold Hudson | 2 | 489 | |
| Jack & Ali | 2 | 488 | |
| Dr. Sterling Huston | 3 | 596 | |
| Evangelist Bobby Brindle | 1 | 606 | |
| Howard Butzer | 1 | 516 | |
| Ruth H. Westgate | 2 | 377 | |
| Chaplain (Maj.) | 2 | 240 | |
| Junior Combs & Southern Joy 2006 National Quartet Convention Group Talent Competion Winners | 5 | 291 | |
| Paul Braun Samaritan’s Purse | 12 | 190 | |
| Rev. | 15 | 234 | |
|
| 20 | 193 | |
| Chris Maslin | 54 | 163 | |
| Total Downloads | 122 | 4822 | |
Follow these links for more information about Walking with the Giant:
RSS Feed/Download Page
Program Information
iTunes Link
RSS Feed/Download Page
Program Information
iTunes Link
Pager Problem
One of my friends works in the customer service call center of a national pager company. There, he deals with the usual complaints regarding poor pager operation, as well as the occasional crank caller demanding to be paged less often, more often, or by more interesting people.
The best call came from Bubba, who repeatedly complained that he keeps being paged by "Lucille."
He was instructed that he would have to call her and tell her to stop paging him.
"She don't never leave no number, so I can't call her back," he said.
After three such calls, someone thought to ask how he knew it was Lucille if she didn't leave a number.
"She leaves her name," was the reply.
After establishing that the customer had a numeric-only pager, the light bulb came on.
"How does she spell her name?" the service rep asked.
"L-O-W-C-E-L-L"
Another technical problem solved.
Liberty Counsel launches 'friend or foe' Christmas campaign
The fifth annual campaign is part of an effort by Liberty Counsel and other pro-family groups to defend attacks on Christmas celebrations. As part of the campaign, Liberty Counsel will publish a "naughty and nice" list, which lists retailers who either censor or celebrate Christmas. Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver says the premise is simple.
"Our theme is that we will be the friend of those entities that do not censor Christmas, and a foe of those that do. We will educate and, if necessary, litigate to make sure that Christmas is not censored from either the public square or from the private retail market," he says.
Read more of this story on One News Now.NOTE: Feel free to post your comments below.
Membership resolutions adopted by numerous So. Baptist churches
NOTE: Feel free to share your thoughts on this issue by clicking "comments" below.
A Southern Baptist pastor from Florida is encouraged that more churches are adopting resolutions dealing with church membership issues.
Last summer, Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, proposed a resolution for the annual Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) meeting. The resolution urged churches to emphasize biblical teachings on church membership, and to lovingly correct members who no longer attend. That resolution never made it to the floor; however, local Baptist associations in Florida -- and nationwide -- have adopted similar resolutions.
According to Pastor Ascol, biblical principles of active church membership have been forsaken in churches throughout the SBC. He believes church attendance is a measurable indicator of a person's relationship with Christ.
Read more of this story on One News Now.Thursday, November 01, 2007
Top Video Downloads: October 2007
Here are the 5 most downloaded videos from Walking With The Giant Videos for the month of October 2007:
NOTE: These stats do not include views on YouTube, GodTube or GospelTube.
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View top video downloads for September 2007.
October 2007 Top 5
The 5 most viewed blog posts on this site for the month of October 2007 are:
Oak Grove Baptist Sunday
On The Winning Side
California public school district sued over community service policy
Storytime
Posters showing Jesus washing bin Laden's feet pulled from malls
NOTE: These stats do not include views by those that came directly to this site through means other than the RSS Feed.
Scary Halloween Video
This is 3'10" tall Evangelist James Croft attempting to tell a very scary Halloween story. To be honest, it's more corny than scary.
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? For more information visit Do You Know?
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May God richly bless you for your prayerful and financial support!
Two Halloween Articles
Halloween: The Unpopular Christian Story
Spooky costumes, chocolate candies, and glowing pumpkins were not always what Halloween was all about. Unknown to most Americans, Halloween also has a Christian background despite its deepest roots being decidedly pagan.
Halloween is short for All Hallow’s Eve and marks the night before All Saints’ Day. Christians, in an effort to counter pagan rituals to death and evil spirits, created an alternative tradition – All Hallow’s Day on Nov. 1.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Christianity and the Dark Side
Over a hundred years ago, the great Dutch theologian Hermann Bavinck predicted that the 20th century would "witness a gigantic conflict of spirits." His prediction turned out to be an understatement, and this great conflict continues into the 21st century.
The issue of Halloween presses itself annually upon the Christian conscience. Acutely aware of dangers new and old, many Christian parents choose to withdraw their children from the holiday altogether. Others choose to follow a strategic battle plan for engagement with the holiday. Still others have gone further, seeking to convert Halloween into an evangelistic opportunity. Is Halloween really that significant?
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Most Popular Bible Verses Revealed
Some 37 million online Bible references were surveyed and then ranked by popularity to create a website that makes searching for scriptures easier.
TopVerses.com ranked every Bible verse by popularity and published the results on its website, which launched this month. Instead of starting in Genesis, the ranked search shows popular verses first. It found that 87 of the top 100 verses are from the New Testament.
Read more of this story on The Christian Post.
Two Kingdoms
READ: Matthew 22:15-22
Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. —Matthew 22:21
In a report in USA Today, Rick Hampson wrote: “The young generally don’t have the old-time political religion. They look at voting and see a quaint, irrational act.” One graduate was quoted as saying, “I don’t care enough to care about why I don’t care.” I wonder if this is how we as Jesus-followers sometimes view our civic responsibility!
The insights of Jesus in Matthew 22 helped His followers think clearly about their civic duty in the world. The Jews were required to pay taxes to the Roman government. They hated this taxation because the money went directly into Caesar’s treasury, where some of it supported the pagan temples and decadent lifestyle of the Roman aristocracy. They may have questioned whether they even had a civic responsibility to Caesar. Jesus reminded them, however, that they had dual citizenship. They lived in a world with two kingdoms—Caesar’s kingdom (human authority) and God’s kingdom (spiritual authority). They had responsibilities to both, but their greater responsibility was to God and His kingdom (Acts 5:28-29).
As followers of Christ, we are commanded to cooperate with our rulers, but we are called to give God our ultimate obedience and commitment.
We live today as citizens of two worlds,
And this demands a duty to fulfill;
But greater far should be our heart’s desire
To honor Christ and always do His will. —Hess
Government has authority, but God has ultimate authority.
For similar resources, search these topics:
Christian Life > Our World > Human GovernmentsAppeals court lifts ban on praying in Jesus' name
INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--An appeals court panel apparently has given the OK for prayers mentioning Jesus' name in the Indiana state legislature to return, tossing out a lawsuit Oct. 30 that had garnered national attention two years ago when the prayers were ruled unconstitutional.
The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals is a victory for social conservatives, although the justices avoided dealing directly with whether the prayers violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, as the lower court had ruled.
Instead, the majority ruled that the four Indiana residents who brought the lawsuit lacked standing because they had "not shown that the legislature has extracted from them tax dollars for the establishment and implantation" of a program that supposedly violates the Establishment Clause.
Read more of this story on Baptist Press.
Book dispels myth that the Bible is illegal in schools
An Oklahoma children's and youth evangelist has written a new book to counter the false claims that the Bible is illegal in public schools.
Bob Heath of Tulsa heads the group Kids for Christ USA. He says the biggest and farthest-reaching lie of the past 44 years is that the Supreme Court decision disallowing mandatory prayer and Bible-reading resulted in the Bible being banned from public schools. He says groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the media, and even some churches have spun this decision to make people believe the Bible is illegal.
Read more of this story on One News Now.
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