After almost 200 years in the Big Apple, the American Bible Society is moving to the city of Brotherly Love.
The ABS sold their New York headquarters for $300 million dollars and announced a move to the history center of Philadelphia, an area called “the most historic square mile in America.”
“We are thrilled that we will be starting a third century of service headquartered here in Philadelphia,” said American Bible Society President and CEO Roy Peterson. “Home to America’s first hopes as a new nation, Philadelphia is now home to a very bright future for American Bible Society.”
The group said the sale of the New York building was intended to provide funding for further ministry outreach.
“The 1865 Broadway property has served us well for nearly 50 years. The decision to sell the property was made to unlock the value of the site to further the mission of American Bible Society,” ministry’s Board Chairman Pieter Dearolf said earlier. “As we approach a third century of mission, we are laying the groundwork for the next 100 years of inviting people to experience the life-changing message of the Bible.”
The first president of the ABS, Elias Boudinot, was a Philadelphia native.
“Philadelphia is a place where businesses and nonprofits receive a warm reception,” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter was quoted as saying. “On behalf of the City of Philadelphia, we’re honored to welcome American Bible Society to its new home.”
Officer Rafael Ramos, murdered at the hands of a madman on Saturday, was remembered as a man with a deep commitment to the church and a passion for ministry.
Ramos, 40, had been working to become a chaplain and was just hours away from completing the New York State Chaplain Task Force at the time of his death.
“Ralph Ramos was a long-standing member of 14 years at Christ Tabernacle. When he was not working, he was highly involved in our church. He served as an usher, was part of our marriage ministry and life group ministry. He and his family are well loved throughout the congregation,” said Rev. Adam Durso of Christ Tabernacle Church.
“Ralph was definitely a family man. He always talked about his kids and how well they were doing athletically and academically. He loved his church and family. He leaves behind his wife, Maritza, and two sons, Justin and Jayden, plus a host of family and friends. This is a tragic loss for us as a church, but we are committed to Maritza, Jayden and Justin to give them what Ralph gave us week in and week out.”
The daughter of Eric Garner, the man who died after a chokehold incident with the NYPD, reached out to the son of Ramos after Jayden Ramos posted a tribute to his father on Facebook.
“It hit my heart because I know what it feels like with this upcoming season and you don’t have your father around,” Emerald Garner wrote to Ramos. “I know firsthand what you’re feeling.”
Our recent trip to Israel and New York City with Rabbi Jonathan Cahn to visit the Harbinger sites was truly one of the highlights of my life and a high point in the life of this ministry. Rabbi Cahn presented some amazing teaching in the Holy Land as well as undeniable facts about the history of our nation, how it was birthed, and now, sadly, its inevitable decline. Continue reading →
Rick Warren spoke to a group of church planters and told them that building a church is more important than drawing a crowd.
“You must be very careful how you build. Some build with gold, silver, precious stones even wood, hay and straw but the day will come when fire will reveal the quality of your work and if what you build survives, you will receive a reward,” Warren said on Thursday of the three-day conference.
“The success of your ministry isn’t about size or speed, regardless of those ‘large church lists.’ God isn’t going to judge you based on those things because those are human measurements.”
Warren said that church planters are too preoccupied with church trends or what is “currently in or hip.”
“I could show you how to get a crowd but a crowd isn’t a church,” Warren said. “Most church planters spend an entire year planning the first service and none planning the second.”
Warren said more than anything church planters need a pure heart and clear purpose.
Sunday marked the sixth straight year that churches participated in the “Get Back To Church” Sunday event where those who had walked away from the church were invited to “come home.”
Churches across the country reported significant upturns in attendance as a result of the event.
“We had a wonderful service in Yuba City, CA,” wrote Greg Mansur on the event’s Facebook page. “Very high attendance, several visitors, many returned we had not seen in a while, and there was a tremendous spirit of fellowship and unity … Just a tremendous day. Appreciate all the tools and support from the BTCS team!”
“Second Baptist Church in Barnwell, South Carolina had an amazing worship service today!! We had an overflow of attendance with several visiting friends and family … a jam packed weekend! Beautiful…awe inspiring,” another poster wrote.
Scott Evans, CEO of Outreach, Inc. which started the “Get Back To Church” initiative, says the event started with 600 churches in 2009 and now is the largest such event in the country.
“We believe in this day because we know it helps people invite others to church. Back to Church Sunday really got its start from research that showed 82% of people said they would attend church if someone they knew invited them, but only 2% of church members were inviting others to come with them,” said Evans in a statement.
I know so many of God’s people who are weary. I don’t mean to sound down, because I’m not, but I have been – and you have been too. It’s not possible to live in this world at this time without feeling the effects of some of its pressures. Everywhere we look, everywhere we turn, there is evil all around us and it wears on us. And, if we don’t watch out, we can be overtaken by the sheer force of it.
Not only are we dealing with the effects of the world’s woes, but most of us are dealing with an unusual effort to bring us down in one way or another – be it finances, relationships, our health, our families, or any number of other life crises. Continue reading →
The president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is calling out a man who is telling people that he is killing babies through abortion as a “ministry.”
Dr. Willie Parker, a former medical director for Planned Parenthood, has been performing abortions (including late term abortions) at a clinic in Jackson, Mississippi. He has been leading the fight against the state’s law requiring better health care standards for abortion clinics and for doctors to have admitting rights at hospitals if they perform abortions.
Dr. Parker claims that he is doing “abortion ministry” by killing babies for women who don’t want to become mothers. He compares himself to the good Samaritan of the Bible and even had a newspaper feature championing his “abortion ministry.” He said he can’t understand why people think he might not be a Christian.
“The protesters say they’re opposed to abortion because they’re Christian,” Parker explained. “It’s hard for them to accept that I do abortions because I’m a Christian.”
Southern Baptist ERLC head Russell Moore says that people question Dr. Parker as a Christian because he’s killing babies for profit. He also says Parker’s claims that he’s like the “good Samaritan” are flawed at the core.
“That would be true, of course, if the Samaritan in Jesus’ story had euthanized the neighbor, to put him out of his misery. Of course, he didn’t. Instead, the Samaritan took the neighbor on as his own kin, nursing him back to health and caring for him, a picture that looks a lot like what many of the pro-life churches and organizations Parker dismisses are, in fact, doing for women in crisis and their babies,” said Moore.
“We can pray that this abortion doctor hears and receives that sort of mercy that transforms the direction and purpose of his life. We can pray for a ‘come to Jesus’ moment that puts him on the right side of the Jericho Road.”
Private moments made public – they happen a lot in large families, and it helps to keep a sense of humor when it does! One such moment happened recently when I was going about my daily business with routine household tasks, thinking the house was empty. I was meditating on the Lord and all that He has called Jim and me to do, and I guess I was talking to myself when I heard a voice from the other room:
“Mom, who are you talking to?
“Mom, is there somebody in there with you?” Continue reading →
A Portland, Oregon children’s ministry is coming under fire from a group of citizens who object to kids being told that all human beings are sinners who need salvation through Jesus Christ.
Portland residents are attacking the Portland chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship over their voluntary summer camps in the area. The CEF teaches children as part of their camps that everyone, including them, are sinners and that because of Jesus Christ our sins can be forgiven.
Some of the “never mention sin” group have started a group called Protect Portland Children to harass parents into not taking their children to CEF events. The group was founded by an anti-Christianist who aims to keep the group from not only speaking to children at camps, but keep the group from having Bible study groups at area schools this fall.
The group says that they’re not saying anything that hasn’t been said for 2,000 years.
“The message of the gospel, teaching of the core Christian tenets of the Christian faith that have been taught for 2,000 years in the Bible is what we’re teaching,” CEF Vice President Moises Esteves said. “There’s nothing new here.”
Most of us want our lives to count for something good. When you are a Child of God, your life on this earth takes on a greater cause than just accomplishing something in the natural. A Child of God is not satisfied with worldly accomplishments – a Child of God wants to store up treasures in Heaven where moths and rust cannot corrupt them.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 Continue reading →