The family of Ethan Hallmark of Midlothian, Texas, whose four-year battle with terminal cancer before succumbing to his illness late last month at age 13, was made public through video, and has released a clearly different message than the one Brittany Maynard is giving in video in which she shares her desire to end her life on her own terms, drawing national attention.
Kerry and Chris Shook, New York Times bestselling authors and pastors at Woodlands Church in Houston, Texas, are challenging church leaders across the United States to schedule a national "Be the Message Sunday," during which they will shorten their services and sermons to pack meals for people in Ebola-stricken countries.
While most within the Southern Baptist Convention applauded the opportunity to openly discuss how Christians should respond to the growing cultural and political acceptance of gay marriage during a three-day conference hosted by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, most in the LGBT community tracking the event were not so pleased.
Day one of a three-day conference hosted by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Commission discussing how Christians should react to the ongoing battle between those framing the homosexual lifestyle debate as a civil rights issue and those supporting what they believe to be biblical moral values, including traditional marriage, featured plenty of fireworks – most happening online through social media.
Having personally attended more than 200 concerts and seen about 150 performers and performing groups, the Hillsong United event was the best I've ever witnessed. From the spectacular sound, lighting and staging, to the crowd participation – the experience was powerfully moving, and a time of corporate worship beyond words. Let's just say it was the largest and loudest "choir" I've ever heard.
On one side of 34-year-old Anthony Dever's stage production company are clients like Guns N' Roses, Alice in Chains, and Dixie Chicks. On the other side of the company, named DPS Inc, are renowned Christian worship music teams such as Jesus Culture and Hillsong.
The award-winning short film "Crescendo" was released on YouTube Tuesday and its producer said that he hopes the pro-life themed movie becomes "the most watched film in history over the next 12 months."
The Evangelism Study Bible, scheduled for release next week, features thousands of notes, devotions, tips and other features that will help believers overcome fear and guilt and make them confident and joyful witnesses for Christ, publishers said.
Although Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, is now denying she knew about the city's attempt to subpoena the sermons and correspondence with their congregations of five pastors, one of the pastors at the center of the battle says the mayor herself initiated the action in response to a legal battle over a non-discrimination ordinance known as the "Bathroom Bill."
Joni Eareckson Tada, an internationally known advocate for the disability community who has been a quadriplegic more than 47 years and is a breast cancer survivor as well, has made a plea to terminal cancer patient Brittany Maynard who plans to die through physician assisted suicide to rethink her decision.
