Weekly briefing: Trump acquitted, call to love at prayer breakfast, coronavirus death toll rising |
| Official White House Photo/D. Myles CullenPresident Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the 2020 National Prayer Breakfast Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. |
|
| We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: |
| Impeachment trial over: Senate acquits President Trump |
| Donald Trump is now the third president in U.S. history to survive an impeachment challenge. The U.S. Senate acquitted Trump on Wednesday of the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. |
| The following morning while at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump called his political opponents “dishonest and corrupt” and accused them of doing “everything possible to destroy us” and in turn, “hurt our nation.” |
| 68th National Prayer Breakfast: ‘Contempt is tearing our societies apart’ |
| During Thursday’s National Prayer Breakfast, keynote speaker Arthur Brooks lamented that the nation is facing a “crisis of contempt and polarization.” |
| He reminded citizens that Jesus called on His followers to love their enemies. |
| “How do we break the habit of contempt? Some people say we need more civility and tolerance. I say, nonsense. Why? Because civility and tolerance are a low standard. Jesus didn’t say, ‘tolerate your enemies.’ He said, ‘love your enemies.’ Answer hatred with love.” — Brooks |
| The call to love came days after Trump delivered the State of the Union address, after which Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tore up an official copy of the president's speech. |
| Read about 11 guests who were recognized and honored at the State of the Union address |
| Coronavirus death toll surpasses 600; pastor calls for urgent prayer |
| The coronavirus has now led to over 600 deaths, with more than 31,000 people worldwide now infected. |
| A Chinese pastor in Wuhan — the epicenter of the deadly outbreak — penned a letter, calling it a “test of our faith.” He urged Christians to pray for those affected. |
| “Christians are not only to suffer with the people of this city, but we have a responsibility to pray for those in this city who are fearful, and to bring to them the peace of Christ.” — Wuhan pastor |
| Dirty Dozen List of entities that help perpetuate sexual exploitation |
| The National Center on Sexual Exploitation released its 2020 “Dirty Dozen List.” It includes major corporations and one state that are complicit in perpetuating sexual exploitation. |
| NCOSE called out Visa, Amazon and TikTok, among others. |
| “Right now there are mainstream companies that are normalizing pornography, facilitating online sex trafficking and grooming, selling sex dolls and incest materials or promoting eroticized child nudity books. A culture that accepts these things will continue to create more victims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking than can ever be rescued.” — Haley McNamara, NCOSE vice president of Advocacy and Outreach |
| In case you missed it: |
| Read Iranian Christian details how regime shut down her church |
| Read What is the future of the Intelligent Design movement? |
| Pray for: |
| Family of 18-year-old seminarian Micahel Nnadi, who was kidnapped and killed in Nigeria |
| New releases |
| Sheila WalshSheila Walsh's new book, "Praying Women: How to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say," releases February 4, 2020. |
|
| Albums: |
| I Still Believe: The Greatest Hits by Jeremy Camp (Feb. 7) |
| The Sound of Freedom by JJ Weeks (Feb. 7) |
| Books: |
| Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe by Craig Groeschel (Feb. 4) |
| Praying Women: How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Sheila Walsh (Feb. 4) |
