The Underground -- ‘Blessings from above’ mark Reformation Day in Germany |
- ‘Blessings from above’ mark Reformation Day in Germany
- An interview with a machine gun preacher and a writer of stars
- This year’s White Ribbon Against Pornography focuses on harms of porn
- Casting Crowns’ 5th Studio Album: Come to the Well
- Germany’s autobahn churches
- India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution
- Faith-healing parents sentenced to 6 years
| ‘Blessings from above’ mark Reformation Day in Germany Posted: 01 Nov 2011 05:04 PM PDT
The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD – the German federation of Protestant churches) marked Reformation Day on 31 October with a soaring, whimsical approach to spreading Martin Luther’s message that the grace of God is available to all. Across the country, schools, student organizations and church groups organized “flashmobs” that launched “blessings from above” — paper airplanes with inspirational messages. Most flew their gliders from windows or other high vantage points simultaneously at 15:17 (3:17 pm) in recognition of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation on 31 October, 1517. At Humboldt University in Berlin, a flock of white paper airplanes glided from a high window and landed at the feet of students in the courtyard below. Each carried a message inside — “Wishing you good travel through the new semester” — or a verse from the Bible: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” “Many students in Berlin are not very conscious of their religious heritage and I think it’s a good idea to remind them,” said Julian Titze of the Evangelical Student Community (ESC) in Berlin, who took part in the flashmob. Reformation Day is a holiday in some German states, though not in Berlin. “It is a very important historical date, but its messages are also very important today,” said Pastor Christoph Roemhild of the EKD in an interview before the event. “Reformation Day reminds us that we are not self-made men. A lot of people don’t feel blessed. They strive for recognition to make themselves bigger. But we want to tell them God already recognizes them.” The date is also seen as an opportunity to maintain a commitment to keeping the Reformed churches in touch with the modern world. “The work of renewal did not finish in the 16th century,” the Rev. Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, said in a statement. “We do not simply belong to a tradition. As Reformed, we believe the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is a movement that continues to be renewed — always reforming.” For the EKD, activities like the Reformation Day flashmobs are a way to keep the message fresh and communicate with a younger audience. “We have to develop new ways to reach people … to surprise people that the church is different from what they would expect,” said Holger Dannenmann, a pastor for ESC, in an interview in Humboldt’s 18th century courtyard. Dorothee Lütz, studying for a master’s degree in philosophy, hurried to class at the end of her lunch break with a crumpled paper airplane in hand. “I saw it on the ground,” she explained. “It says, ‘Jesus loves you,’ and I thought that’s nice. It’s nice to be reminded of that.” Posts Related to 'Blessings from above' mark Reformation Day in Germany
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| An interview with a machine gun preacher and a writer of stars Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:42 AM PDT
After screening the movie, Machine Gun Preacher the night before, I was pretty intimidated to meet Sam Childers and writer Jason Keller in person. Childers (pronounced “Chill-dears), is a former drug-dealing criminal who now risks his life to save and take care of orphan children in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan, Africa. Keller is listed on the movie’s official website as the “go-to writer of muscular, character-driven projects.” I meet the two in a fancy downtown Seattle hotel – not the kind of place you’d expect to meet the machine gun wielding, Harley Davidson preacher and his macho friend. Instead of intimidation, they both great me with big smiles are hearty handshakes. Being the last interview of the day of a month-long tour, I ask them if they are getting tired of answering the same questions over and over again. Childers smiles and politely says that all of the interviewers ask the same questions but in different ways so the conversation stays fresh. Then I couldn’t help myself, so I ask, “What is the stupidest question you’ve been asked?” Keller speaks first. “What’s on your I-Pod?” Childers laughs and then adds one better, “Who is better looking, Sam Childers or Gerard Butler?” (Butler portrays Childers in the film). Childers shrugs his shoulders and looks horrified that anyone would rank him below Bulter. I like these guys. Machine Gun Preacher (MGP) is not a “Christian” film per se, but it is filled with spiritual truth and speaks about faith in a very realistic way. The film is filled with stories of personal salvation, prayer, worship, and water baptism. I figure that in order for a film to be so honest about the Christian faith, one must be a believer. “Are you religious yourself?” I ask Keller. He points to Childers and says, “He says I am, but I don’t.” “Why do you say that?” I ask. “I believe in God and Jesus, but I don’t do any of the ritual stuff. I grew up Catholic but I don’t go to church on a regular basis.” Childers says matter-of-factly, “The bible says that those who believe will be saved.” Whether Keller wants to admit it or not, it is obvious that this journey has made a deep impact on him. Before typing a word of the script, Keller spent about a year researching, interviewing and even living with Childers and his family. During my interview, Keller is no less passionate than Childers is about the Angels of East Africa and Children’s Village ministries. I ask, “Why do you think that the Marc Forester (Producer and Director of MGP) thought you’d be the best for this writing job?” Childers speaks for Keller and tells me that he is known in the business as a script doctor and would be very good piecing all the parts together. You may not have heard of Keller before, but this won’t be the last. His next project to come to the screen is the still-untitled Snow White project that is starring Julia Roberts, Sean Bean and Lily Collins. He is also and working on another film, The Tomb, which is set to star Bruce Willis. MGP shows the good, the bad and the ugly about Childers past life. This includes drug use, swearing, and violence. It would make most people cringe to have their lives so exposed, let alone a minister of the cloth. I ask him if he was happy with the movie’s portrayal of him and if there was anything that he regretted being shown. He tells me that the movie tries to compact about 30 years of his life into 2 hours, so some scenes feel a little false to him. For instance, in the film, his character decides to give up heroin and the next scene we see him in church. Childers tells me that there was about four years between his giving up heroin and when he gave his life to Jesus as his Savior. He doesn’t like the idea that the film could give some the impression that his addiction just went away overnight. Another scene in the movie shows him, in a time of frustration, of going to a bar and drinking a lot. He tells me that that didn’t happen. He has visited bars, but he has been sober for 20 some years, so that scene was a little painful to watch. By and large though, he feels that they crew got the story right. I mention that at times, the film’s language is quite strong and asks if he regrets that. He tells me that it isn’t anything worse you hear in the real world. “Religous people worrry about that,” he says. His biggest concern isn’t worrying about what others think of him, but that the word can get out letting others know of the atrocities that are still happening in Africa and how they can help. To learn more about Sam Childers and his ministries, you may enjoy reading the book, “Another Man’s War.” Originally written in 2009, the book has been re-released with photos of the movie. You may also want to visit his website, MachineGunPreacher.org, where you can watch videos, and read stories from the orphan children themselves.
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| This year’s White Ribbon Against Pornography focuses on harms of porn Posted: 01 Nov 2011 11:34 AM PDT
Morality in Media kicked off its 24th annual White Ribbon Against Pornography week on Sunday. According to Dawn Hawkins, MIM’s executive director, this year’s WRAP week campaign events will feature testimony from people such as ex-porn stars, doctors, scholars, therapists, Internet safety experts and feminist leaders. To show their solidarity against pornography, this week thousands of people will wear white ribbons and attend WRAP events across the country. The major focus of this year’s WRAP week is how pornography harms society. The campaign runs until Sunday and will feature more than 20 events across the country designed to help people understand the problems that pornography can cause. “Pornography is bringing harm to all areas of society,” said Patrick Trueman, president of MIM. “It is destroying families and is the main contributor to the exploitation of women and children. Pornography is the gateway to the sex industry and the harm must end.” Author and radio host Teresa Tomeo said, “The evidence regarding the impact of pornography on children, women, families, and the institution of marriage continues to mount.” “That’s why the WRAP campaign is so important. Awareness is key in our efforts to make a difference in our media-saturated culture.” A major feature of this year’s WRAP campaign is the Be Aware: Porn Harms website. The site features online content such as videos and resources related to the WRAP campaign at www.PornHarms.com/beaware. “We will be streaming documentaries about the links between porn and human trafficking, hosting discussions with past porn performers, providing education on understanding pornography addiction and offering steps to keep children safe,” said Hawkins. Morality in Media is an organization that focuses on opposing pornography and indecency by educating the public about pornography. It has been the national sponsor of WRAP since 1987. Posts Related to This year's White Ribbon Against Pornography focuses on harms of porn
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| Casting Crowns’ 5th Studio Album: Come to the Well Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:42 PM PDT
On October 18, multi-award winning, contemporary Christian rock band, Casting Crowns, released their fifth studio album, Come to the Well, which has been continuously praised for having deep Biblical lyrics that will definitely speak to people’s hearts. It is not only an album with great melodies, rhythms, and tunes you’d love to sing along with, but it also contains compelling and heavily spiritual messages that will make a big impact on your Christian life. Us Christians aren’t meant to sit by the bleachers and just watch. God gave us an assignment, which was to share the gospel to nations, and make a difference in people’s lives through Jesus Christ. As the song says, “May the watchers become warriors, let the men of God arise.” That alone is enough to challenge people to fulfill the purpose that God had intended for them. Often we like pointing fingers at other people, failing to see our own faults. We need to be reminded that Jesus was a friend of sinners and He did not turn His back on us because of our faulty doings. This song can definitely serve as our daily reminder for that. According to Mark Hall, the main point of the song is that, “Jesus isn’t a life enhancement. Jesus is life.” Often we see Him as something that will make things better, things that we already have. Often times, we fail to realize that He is what we need, and not anything else. One fan said, “God uses Casting Crowns to spread His truth and love.” Most of them see the songs as challenging messages that will inspire you to be a better person through God. Posts Related to Casting Crowns' 5th Studio Album: Come to the Well
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| Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:39 PM PDT
Germans are famous for their love of fast cars. But for those needing a little respite from the country’s high-speed highways, autobahn churches offer a unique brand of peace and sanctuary for the modern traveler. “We seek to care for our guests fully — not just for their cars but also for their body, soul and spirit,” said Anna Isabell Strohofer, whose parents opened the ecumenical Light on Our Path Church ten years ago at the family-run Strohofer service station close to Nuremberg in southern Germany. “It was the aim of our family to create a place where drivers can recover mentally.” A family tragedy also played a role in the decision. “My mother’s brother died aged 18 in a car accident,” said Strohofer in an interview. “My family had always been very religious but this accident made our faith much stronger, and was also a reason to build the church: to remember him.” The church now draws all kinds of travelers from bus charters to long-distance truck drivers, and even hosts ceremonies where bikers come to have their motorcycles blessed. The tradition of roadside crosses and chapels where pilgrims and other travelers pray for divine protection on the road dates back to the Middle Ages, and seems very much alive at today’s autobahn churches. “Thank you for your protection over 5,000 accident-free kilometers home to my family,” wrote one visitor in the message book at the Protestant community and autobahn church at the village of Werbellin. “Thanks for this oasis on our path of life,” reads another. Still, the chance to pause and reflect that these “rest stops for the soul” offer is hardly a throwback to the past, say advocates, but caters to a very modern need. “What is new is the speed of life today,” said Guenter Lehner, of the Akademie Bruderhilfe-Pax-Familienfuersorg, a Christian insurance company that coordinates Germany’s 38 autobahn churches. “Now we need to slow down, to have a break during the journey because the cars are very fast, and life is very fast,” he said. The first autobahn church, the Roman Catholic Mary, Protection of Travelers, opened in 1958. It was intended as a monument to be seen from the road, opening just once a week for Sunday Mass. But drivers demanded more. “People started to visit it and rub their noses at the closed doors,” Father Wolfram Hoyer explained in an interview. “So the church was opened and people flocked in … They wanted simply to get out of traffic, to have a place where they could rest — psychologically, physically, religiously — and then drive on. So these are kind of spiritual filling stations.” Now, Hoyer says, supermarket-style automatic doors allow the faithful access 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and more autobahn churches continue to open across the country. Some, like Mary, Protection of Travelers, and St. Christophorus Himmelkron on the main route between Berlin and Munich — with a rocket-like spire and dedicated meditation room — are purpose-built. Others stood in the same spot long before the autobahn thundered past. All are clearly signposted from the highway, and the Bruderhilfe Akademie estimates they attract around one million visitors a year. “Everyone who drives ends up in autobahn churches,” Hoyer said. “From our message book, I know that we have had several Jews, several Muslims and people who say that they are not faithful — but they are in some way; they stop and pray or meditate.” Some believe the popularity of autobahn churches at a time when ordinary parish congregations are declining is not only the result of modern modes of transport but also a changing approach to worship. “Increasingly, people aren’t attracted to the religious service on Sunday but they need and they enjoy the silence of churches,” said Lehner. “I think this is a very modern use of churches.” Posts Related to Germany's autobahn churches
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| India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:28 PM PDT
Kerala, India, October 31 (Compass Direct News) – The government on Oct. 20 deported U.S. evangelist William Lee, blacklisted him and prohibited him from visiting India again after police arrested him on Oct. 14 for participation in a musical concert in Kaloor Stadium, Cochin and jailed him for allegedly violating terms of his visa by preaching, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). Lee participated in an in-door musical program organized by Faith Leaders Church of Lord, Tiruvalla. After three days in jail, the evangelist complained of chest pain and was admitted to a hospital. The Ernakulam magistrate’s court fined him 10,000 rupees (US$202). The GCIC condemned Lee’ arrest as selective, releasing a statement that, “The moral policing, sectarian violence and the selective arrest of Christian evangelists demonstrate very clearly a failure of secular institutions in India.”
Karnataka – On Oct. 17 in Sullia, South Kanara, Hindu extremists along the with village head exhumed the body of a Christian woman, alleging that Christians were guilty of an illegal burial. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that a pastor identified only as Moses V. conducted the funeral service of Asha Latha of Bethsaida Assembly of God Church on land he had bought as a burial ground. Just as the Christians had completed the ceremony and interned the body, the village head and about 100 extremists forced them to exhume the body and bury it elsewhere and complained to Sullia police. Officers arrived and took the pastor to the police station. As Christians buried Latha’s body on her land at Ivara Nadu, police questioned the pastor till about midnight, GCIC reported. He was released only after area leaders’ intervention, but on Oct. 18 police took him back to the station for further questioning.
Andhra Pradesh – Police on Oct. 16 detained Christians after Hindu extremists beat them and damaged a pastor’s car in Ramagudam. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that about 100 Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) barged into the evening youth meeting, beat the young Christians and took them to the police station. A pastor identified only as Suresh rushed to the station, but the RSS stopped him and damaged his car. After beating the pastor, the RSS members filed a false charge of forcible conversion, according to the GCIC. Pastor Suresh also filed a police complaint against the attackers, after which the youth leaders were released without charges. Karnataka – Police on Oct. 15 seized the passport of a pastor who runs an orphanage after he reported a missing orphan in Kadugodi, near Bangalore. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that Joseph Victor notified authorities that a 15-year-old girl at his Navajeevan Orphanage left the facility to attend a tailoring class. Police told him he could file a written complaint the next morning, and Pastor Victor sent his associate pastor and a clerk to the police station the next day to do so. While police made the Christians wait, the station inspector and sub-inspector went to the orphanage and demanded to know whether Pastor Victor had permission to operate the facility. After questioning, they took him to the police station. Detaining the Christians till evening, police and forced them to sign a statement that they themselves should search for the missing girl, demanded that they produce all documents for operating the orphanage and a house church and confiscated the pastor’s passport, reported the GCIC.
Andhra Pradesh – Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Oct. 15 accused Christians of forceful conversion and att |
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