Currently, we are exposed to an environment that tries to erase the Christian color from young children. And it is a sad reality that talking about Christianity is dismissed as if it were an old and trite story from the previous generation, and rather, other substitutes, such as meditation or yoga, are recognized as a sophisticated and wonderful life.

So now is the time for Christians to rise up and regain the value of Christianity. It is time to boldly raise our voices against those who create cultures and trends that destroy the values and spirit of Christianity. Rather than following their culture and trend, we should be creators and leaders of the culture and trend that holds Christian values. To do so, we must first recover the tradition of listening to the Word and capturing it as our own, away from what we see and spontaneous stimulation within Christianity. We must not forget that the God we believe in is the one who speaks, and faith comes from hearing. There should be no tragedy that the next generation will die due to the current generation’s indifference.

“Hurricane Idalia has made landfall in Florida, bringing flooding and damage, and is now headed to Georgia and the Carolinas,” announced the United Methodist Committee on Relief Wednesday morning. “UMCOR is processing a grant for the  Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church for emergency supplies. … Please lift up all those affected by this storm, including first responders, with your prayers.”

Hours before the hurricane hit on Tuesday, leaders of New Hope Baptist Church in Zephyrhills urged their members to stay safe and pray for those in the path of the storm.

“Tonight, as we settle into our homes to ride out the storm, let us do the most important thing, beseech our Heavenly Father for His mercy. It was 11 months ago we faced Hurricane Ian and let us not forget God’s mercy to our congregation in that storm. Let us spend these precious hours together remembering such blessings as we ask God to protect us again,” the church said in an announcement.

(Full article at https://www.christianpost.com/news/churches-christians-respond-as-hurricane-idalia-batters-florida.html)

Oakdale Church of Olney, a congregation that has existed for over 200 years and has around 250 in-person attendees every week, voted to disaffiliate from the UMC in March.

As part of the disaffiliation process, Oakdale Church has to pay the UMC mission shares for the current year plus one year in advance, any unfunded pension liability, and 50% of the property’s assessed value.

Oakdale Pastor Kevin Baker told The Christian Post that because his church’s tax assessment is around $7.9, his congregation will have to pay approximately $4 million.

(Full article can be found at https://www.christianpost.com/news/maryland-church-that-left-umc-must-raise-4-million-to-keep-property.html)

“It’s kind of like it never happened,” Virginia Beach attorney and legal analyst Ed Booth told 13NewsNow about what the expungement means.

“When that record is run later by an employer, by law enforcement, by whoever, the information is not there. That’s what an expungement means, really,” he added.

Blanchard was among 17 men accused of solicitation of prostitution after an online sting operation by police on Oct. 29, 2021. The married father of two was charged with solicitation of prostitution of a minor and use of a vehicle to promote prostitution, which are felonies. He was arrested at a hotel where he was supposed to meet a detective posing as a 17-year-old girl.

(Full article can be found at https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-john-blanchard-gets-prostitution-charge-expunged.html)

I’ve often joked that sodas and fast foods are produced by diet companies. One feeds the other. They know that sugar is the number one ingredient to open our mouths and wallets. 

Sin is like sugar. It is sweet to the taste. It’s addictive. It’s in almost everything. And it gives an instant high with a kickback. 

(Full article can be found at https://www.christianpost.com/voices/many-christians-will-avoid-this-article-because-its-about-sin.html)