Quenching Russia's Drinking Problem

The death toll was seven: a teacher, her husband, and five orphans with disabilities. They were returning home from a crafts fair last September when a drunk driver, traveling 125 miles per hour through the streets of Moscow, plowed into them as they waited at a bus stop.

Following his arrest, 29-year-old Alexander Maximov, who had been drinking for two days straight and had landed a DUI arrest two years prior, told investigators, "I always do what I want."

Under current law, a drunk driver will spend less than 10 years behind bars if convicted of manslaughter. But the public outcry after the accident caused lawmakers to call for life imprisonment as a maximum punishment when fatal car crashes are fueled by intoxication.

The national tragedy also stirred soul-searching among pastors, priests, and other Christian leaders. Could the church help solve the country's addiction to alcohol?

Europe has the world's highest rate of alcohol consumption. But Russia's consumption rate of 15.8 liters (or about 4 gallons) of pure ethyl alcohol per capita annually is even higher. It is exceeded in Europe only by Moldova (18.2), the Czech Republic (16.5), and Hungary (16.3). Working-age men are Russia's heaviest drinkers, consuming the equivalent of 155 half-liter bottles (or about 20 gallons) of vodka yearly on average.

Russia's drinking problem affects every facet of national life. There's the sheer fact of 30,000 deaths each year from alcohol poisoning. Russian moonshine, called samogon, as well as "surrogate alcohols" like antifreeze, perfume, and cleaning solutions, play a large role in alcohol-related deaths.

'Bridge Ministry' Gives Thanksgiving Dinner to Over 1,000 Homeless People Living Under Bridges

A Georgia pastor began a  small "bridge ministry" by feeding 50 homeless people who live under bridges and sharing the Gospel with them seven years ago.  However, last weekend that number grew to 1,500 people who were in need of a pre-Thanksgiving dinner that was prepared and served by hundreds of volunteers.
"It was amazing. We usually grow about 200 a year but it seems like there's more desperation in our nation today than there was a year ago," said Pastor Roger Gardner from the New Hope Worship Center in Augusta, Ga.,
Their outreach event was a part of their annual tradition to feed the homeless the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day as they believe that individuals who live in the streets should be embraced, not abandoned.
Each year, the effort requires three days of cooking and months of gathering donations. The ministry also gives the homeless brand new coats, with Gardner explaining that despite the fact that the homeless can get gently used items from other charity organizations in their same town, Bridge Ministry makes it a point to make those in need feel special for a day.

RELATIONSHIP QUOTES

Four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the other six deal with our relationships with people. But all ten are about relationships.

    Author: Rick Warren

Our society is filled with runaways, dropouts, and quitters. The epidemic of walking away has hit our land with effects as devastating as the bubonic plague, and it has destroyed millions of effective lives and relationships. We are so self-centred that we have ceased to lay down our lives for others. We have seen others faint or walk away and we have followed in their weakness. We have fainted when we could have persevered by exchanging our strength for His! With His strength, not only could we have kept on walking, we could have run!

    Author: Kay Arthur

Over-sensitivity is another trait at which generally marks the soulish. Very difficult are they to live with because they interpret every move around them as aimed at them. When neglected they become angry. When they suspect changing attitudes towards them, they are hurt. They easily become intimate with people, for they literally thrive on such affection. They exhibit the sentiment of inseparability. A slight change in such a relationship will give their soul unutterable pains. And thus these people are deceived into thinking they are suffering for the Lord.

    Author: Watchman Nee

Top 12 Evangelical Christians in Sports Today

Even if you stay home on Sunday to watch football, skip Tuesday night prayer meeting for the baseball game of the week, and miss Saturday's church retreat in favor of a pro golf tournament--chances are, you'll still hear about Jesus. Evangelical athletes populate the major sports, and many of them enjoy the chance to be outspoken about their faith--thanking God for that winning field goal, late-inning home run, or 18-foot putt.

Last year, we scanned the sporting world to come up with a gallery of some of the most dominant athletes and coaches working today. We present our list again this year, with changes reflecting one football coach's retirement and one quarterback's reemergence. Each of these men and women work hard, as their Bibles tell them, "to win the prize," both in their sports and in their faith.

Top 12 Evangelical Christians in Sports check slide

The Sunday Sport Dilemma

 

Increasingly Sunday sport is becoming an issue for Christian children and parents. More and more sport is being organised for Sunday mornings and this causes a clash with the traditional time for church. It is a problem for parents and pastors alike who find themselves torn between prioritising children’s spiritual growth whilst at the same time encouraging them in the sport they are evidently passionate about. They walk a tight-rope of difficult decisions between on one hand having children who do lots of sport but have no concern for Christ, and on the other hand children sitting in church resenting it because it is taking them away from sport! Does reorganising church to fit around sport send the wrong signals? If Sunday sport is where we find all the children and parents who aren’t Christians isn’t it crazy to disengage from it? What about our spiritual growth as a family, shouldn’t we all be at church together, rather than alternating who takes our daughter/son to the game? These are tough questions, it is a tough dilemma.

A Business Analogy

I have found an analogy from business helpful when it comes to understanding this idea of a turning point.

Suppose our sales people are seeking a new customer. They work hard to build a relationship and create a desire for that customer to do business with us. That process can take a long time. But nothing is ultimately accomplished until a particular event occurs – we get an order or a contract. That transaction is the turning point. Then, of course, we work closely with the customer to meet his requirements.
Success involves three distinct phases: preparation, the transaction and fulfillment.
I noticed there were similar stages in my spiritual journey. Initially, there was a period of preparation during which God was drawing me to himself. He showed me kindness – his love – as when I met Wendy. He allowed difficulties. He brought me to the end of my own resources. But he had a goal in mind. It was to “complete a contract.” It was to bring me to a place where I could trust him and release myself to his care.
From that point a new and deeply committed relationship began. I can say he has done everything possible to fulfill the commitment he made to me when I committed to him.
Let me tell you why I'm sharing my story.
I want to help others come to that turning point.

 Business success involves three distinct phases: preparation, 

the transaction and fulfillment. 

I noticed there were similar stages in my spiritual journey.
~John Beckett

‘Can You Explain What You Believe?’ New Christian Film to Promote Bold Defense of Faith

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – An upcoming film that challenges Christians to boldly defend their faith is generating considerable attention four months prior to its release.

God’s Not Dead, scheduled for release on March 7^th, is a creation of Pure Flix Entertainment—an Arizona-based Christian movie company. Pure Flix Entertainment has produced a number of well-known films through the years, including The Wager and Sarah’s Choice.

Already, the trailer for Pure Flix Entertainment’s new God’s Not Dead project has received 5 million views, according to the movie company. The film’s website explains that the plot of God’s Not Dead will center on a college student who faces the task of standing up to his ardent atheistic professor.

“Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), a freshman college student, enrolls in a philosophy class taught by an infamous and dictatorial professor,” the film synopsis says. “Dr. Radisson (Kevin Sorbo) demands that all of his students must sign a declaration that ‘God is dead’ in order to get a passing grade. Josh refuses. But, he needs to take this class to meet his academic requirements.”

The Treasure Within

 

Do you feel like you are lacking in life? Are you discontent with what you have? If you’re waiting for something good to happen in life or something to magically appear, then it’s best you know that it might not come. Not if you don’t know where to look for these things. If you think you can’t fulfill your dreams or do anything because you don’t have the right resources, the prophet has something to reveal to you.
“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?” Matthew 16:8-10
Everything that you need is already within you. The supply that you are going after is not outside yourself it is within. Most people look outside of themselves to find their treasure, not realizing that their treasure is on the inside of them. Once you discover that you will never want for anything another day of your life. That is by far one of the most revealing truths concerning you. Life is all about discovery and discovering God in you. There are things that I thought that I knew twenty years ago, that now I realize are really not as I thought. Supply happens when you tap into yourself and begin to recognize how valuable the gems and precious stones are on the inside of you.
Speak to a prophet and discover these gems within you. God’s Word for you awaits and is ready to reveal His plans for you.  Get your free written prophecy to know more about how to uncover the treasure inside of you. Imagine the things that you can do!

Christian Woman Pays for Man’s Groceries After He Steals Wallet

GUTHRIE, Okla. – A Christian woman from Oklahoma recently stunned a man who stole her wallet after she offered to pay for his groceries.
The situation happened earlier this month when Jessica Eaves, who serves as an outreach leader at First Christian Church of Guthrie, realized that her wallet was suddenly missing.
She had been shopping in her local grocery store and remembered seeing a man come up behind her. The next thing she knew, her wallet was missing from her purse.
However, instead of immediately calling the police, Eaves decided to do something bold: she tracked him down. But as she did so, an admonition from the Bible came to mind.

OK Woman Gives Thief Choice To Return Wallet, Offers Help

OK Woman Gives Thief Choice To Return Wallet, Offers Help

What My Wife Taught Me About Women and Power

Today is my wife’s birthday. She probably wouldn’t want you to know her age, but it’s the time it took the Israelites to get from the Red Sea to the Jordan River.
I still remember the first time I heard my now wife’s name, “Maria Hanna,” mentioned in conversation.
I had no idea how she would live up to her name.
Hannah, after all, was a weeping, trusting woman, who longed for the blessing of children…and who longed to see her children bless the Lord. Her faith brought about the prophetic voice (Samuel) through whom God would give us the house of David, the line of our Lord Jesus.
And “Maria,” of course, is the most renowned woman’s name in history, the name of our Christ’s mother. And I see much of the quiet, fearsome beauty the Lord praised in her also in the face of my bride.
Things didn’t turn out the way I planned my life. The Lord pulled me out of politics and rekindled a call to ministry. As husband and wife, we’ve lived together through some unbelievably happy (and one miserable) ministry experiences. We were together through infertility, miscarriages, adoptions, births and a lot more. Through it all she’s had the same quiet, gentle spirit.

Lecrae Featured in Billy Graham 'My Hope' Film

Billy Graham's "My Hope America" film "The Cross" will also feature stories from some of the biggest names in Christian music.

Former lead singer of the group "FlyLeaf" Lacey Sturm and Grammy-winning rap artist Lecrae share their testimonies in the 30-minute film.

CBN News spoke with Lecrae about being part of the historic event.

"Billy Graham is iconic, unwavering in the truth of the gospel and it's amazing to me how a man can stand firm for a very divisive and offensive truth such as the gospel and still be heralded around the world by believer and non believer alike," Lecrae said."I think it's a testament of God's grace and God is doing something amazing with him and has done something with him," he added.More than 25,000 churches have signed up to host "My Hope America" events, including some of the largest congregations in the country.

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Churches Standing for Fatherless on Orphan Sunday

Thousands of churches across America observed Orphan Sunday last weekend. It's a day meant to encourage Christians to consider adopting.

The campaign is getting a public boost from Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman. He and his wife, Mary Beth, adopted three little girls from China and lost one in a tragic accident.

The Chapman family has a ministry that offers guidance to people considering adoption. The ministry is called Show Hope, and it aims to help adoptive families face the unexpected challenges.

Jodi Jackson Tucker, the international director of Orphan Sunday, said adoption is one way Christians can care for needy children. Tucker has adopted five children.

"When you adopt a child, under the biblical view that is a covenant relationship that can never be broken," Tucker told the Associated Press.

To that end, she said it's important to make sure Christians adopt orphans for the right reason. And that reason is to offer them a committed, loving family.

Kerry Urges Nations to Fight Religious Persecution

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry marked "International Religious Freedom Day" by urging people and governments to speak out against religious persecution.

On Sunday, he said freedom of religion is a priority because it is essential to human dignity and individual liberty, and is "enshrined" in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The declaration states that people everywhere have the right to practice, teach, or even change their religion.

U.S. ambassador for International Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook resigned earlier
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