| | UMC announces new date for General Conference that will tackle LGBT debate | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Monday, November 7, and today's headlines include the United Methodist Church setting a date for its next General Conference, a group of medical associations that have penned a letter urging child advocates in the medical community to embrace science rather than ideology, and an interview with "The Chosen" actress Elizabeth Tabish. | | The United Methodist Church has announced that its General Conference will be held on April 23–May 3, 2024, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. The conference was previously postponed multiple times in part over concerns about COVID-19. The event will be co-hosted by the Western North Carolina Conference and the North Carolina Annual Conference, Commission Chair Kim Simpson announced. The UMC was originally set to hold its next General Conference in May 2020, with the denomination’s contentious debate over LGBT issues being a key agenda item for the gathering. For the past several years, theological progressives have actively resisted the official UMC policy prohibiting the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and the ban on blessing same-sex unions. The legislative gathering was going to entertain measures aimed at allowing theological conservatives to form their own denomination and graciously leave the UMC. | | The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns required the denomination to postpone the event, which was initially rescheduled for autumn of 2021. However, in February 2021, the UMC Commission postponed the event until late August 2022. Then, in March of this year, they announced the legislative gathering would not take place until some time in 2024, effectively skipping the 2020 General Conference. The latest delay garnered backlash from theological conservatives, many of whom decided to go ahead and launch a new denomination, known as the Global Methodist Church, in May. Continue reading. | | P.S.Make sure to listen to "Generation Indoctrination," a CP original podcast series that takes a deep dive into the transgender battle. Episode Four: ‘A Nightmare’: How Transgender Chaos is Invading Law and Policy—and Threatening Parental Rights is out now—remember to give us a follow so you never miss an episode. Listen now on Edifi, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. Don't forget to give "Generation Indoctrination" a 5-star rating. |
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| Christians call for unity ahead of midterm elections | | INSIGHT Church Pastor James E. Ward Jr. and his wife, Sharon, hosted the National Prayer Altar service at the Museum of the Bible on Wednesday night where they called on Americans to set aside political or theological divides to unite before God ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. The apolitical event featured various pastors and policy experts praying for God to heal the nation and recognize His power, including Family Research Council's Jay Johnston and Concerned Women for America's Denise Cappuccio. "I believe we need to build an altar to stand in covenant position to do business with God for the plague and the tragedy we're seeing in our nation today to be averted," Ward said, adding, "We've come to boldly and prophetically declare that no matter who sits in the Oval Office, regardless of who controls the Senate or the House, ultimately, Jesus Christ is Lord of Washington, D.C., and He's Lord of the nations of the world." Read more. | | Medical associations counter calls to investigate critics of child sex change surgeries | | A group of medical associations has sent a letter to the American Medical Association, the Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics urging child advocates within the medical community to embrace science rather than ideology. Led by the American College of Pediatricians and the Catholic Medical Association, other signatories included the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, the Coalition for Jewish Values Healthcare Council, the Coptic Medical Association of North America and the National Association of Catholic Nurses, USA. The letter pushes back against an Oct. 3 letter that called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate "the organizations, individuals, and entities coordinating, provoking, and carrying out bomb threats of personal violence against children’s hospitals and physicians across the U.S." Noting that many of the signatories' members have experienced similar threats and intimidation tactics, the groups condemned all such violence and called out "evidenced-based" claims, writing, "There is a profound difference between eminence-based medicine and evidence-based medicine. We see ongoing active efforts to suppress any discussion of the merits of the existing data used to support gender-affirming medical interventions to adolescents seeking to alter the appearance of their body to conform to their perceived gender identity." Read more. | | Also of Interest... | | Chest reconstruction surgeries on trans-identified youth increase nearly 400% in 3 years: reportMarsha Blackburn joins wave of lawmakers demanding investigation into Vanderbilt Pediatric Gender ClinicUW hid concerns over puberty blockers in trans study amid media praise, leaked emails showAmerican Academy of Pediatrics denies accusations it pushes disfiguring surgeries for gender-distressed kids | | Life in prison for church elder who killed wife | | Robert Lee Harris, who served as an elder at Repairers Kansas City, a nondenominational church in Missouri, has been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 50 years for the killing of his 38-year-old wife, Tanisha, on Jan. 8, 2018, after less than two years of marriage. Overland Park police were called to an apartment in the 8000 block of Perry Street about a domestic disturbance on the day of the murder. Harris was found alone in the apartment. Several hours later, he called the police to report that his was wife missing. However, upon further questioning, officers became suspicious, and Harris admitted he had something to do with his wife's disappearance. Her body was later found in a field in Raymore. During his trial, several people gave testimony, including a man who said he was involved in an extramarital relationship with Harris. Read more. |
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| I see thousands of holy fires across America | | Despite the darkness currently at work in America, there are "thousands of fires burning brightly," Dr. Michael Brown writes. Brown discusses key revivals throughout America's history and the transformative power people experience when they encounter the true and living God. "May we be found ready and waiting when the Spirit moves, and may we prepare the way even today by deepening our devotion in prayer, in worship, in the Word, in compassionate outreach and service, in personal repentance, and in expectation and faith," Brown writes. Read more. | | Why the Church needs deep teaching | | In this op-ed, Christian author and apologist Robin Schumacher reflects on the importance of studying the Bible and lists four reasons the Church needs to engage in in-depth biblical teaching. "As C. S. Lewis so well said: 'Christ wants a child’s heart, but a grown-up’s head,'" Schumacher concludes. Read the list here. |
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| Insider Tips from the CEO of Hobby Lobby | | David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby and an unlikely leader, grew his company from a $600 start-up to an $8 billion company that gives 50 percent of its profits away to fund initiatives all over the world. He blazed his own path in business, drawn not from business gurus but from the pages of Scripture. | | In this inspirational book, David Green challenges talented leaders with hearts committed to Christ to consider this question: | | What if God wants to use you to do a new, even greater work? Read more. | | |
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| Small town pastor using the metaverse to get people back in church | | Pastor Jason Poling is challenging traditional perspectives on church attendance by experimenting with using the metaverse to make disciples and bring them back to in-person congregations. Christian Post Senior Features Reporter Leonardo Blair shares his experiences attending Poling's Cornerstone Church of Yuba City for six months through Alt Space VR as part of ongoing research on the metaverse church before heading to an in-person gathering. Blair, who defines the gathering as "more like a reunion" with fellow metaverse participants, explores concepts such as fellowship, discipleship, the importance of a physical presence, and what VR experiences could mean for the future of evangelism. Read more. |
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| 'Duck Dynasty' stars talk modesty | | During the latest "WHOA That's Good" podcast, Sadie Robertson Huff and her mother, Korie Roberston, discussed modesty and how judging people for what they wear could lead them away from the Church. The "Duck Dynasty" stars shared how it can be a challenge to be modest at a time when "less is definitely more" is trendy. The duo reflected on how judgment from those in the Church can equate to shaming, citing Romans 14:13-23, which discusses not passing judgment on others but also making sure not to be a "stumbling block" to another brother or sister in Christ. "It's also really dangerous to dress super provocatively. And there are a lot of consequences that do come with that. So I do think you have to be wise," Huff explained, adding, "I don't want people to notice me—outside of my husband—sexually. I want people to notice me because I'm smart or funny or kind or joyful, those kinds of things." Read more. | | WATCH: Actress shares how "The Chosen" opened her up to the Gospel | | Actress Elizabeth Tabish says she was once a skeptic when it came to the Bible, but portraying Mary Magdalene in the hit series "The Chosen" has opened her up to the Gospel. Tabish shared how the series' focus on telling the stories of the women in the New Testament made the Gospel more relatable, particularly Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus, which resulted in her being delivered from demon possession and PTSD. The actress, who called the series' impact on her "life-changing," explained, "It made me revisit the Gospels, and after playing out these stories ... these stories of healing and Jesus' messages of love and these parables that are embedded with so much truth and love and really esoteric meanings, it's intense stuff and really beautiful. I feel like every time I've gone to churches I almost feel like I'm missing out on so much of the depths of the Gospels. So, I feel like ‘The Chosen’ has opened that door for me. And in my own life, to be able to have the joy of being part of this show has opened up my hope and my heart in ways I wasn't expecting." Watch the full interview here. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! -- CP Editors |
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