It’s Thursday, May 13th, A.D. 2021. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Chinese Communists criminalize house church leaders
International Christian Concern reports that Chinese Communist authorities have been harassing and criminalizing house church leaders in the country over the last month.
They targeted pastors from Guiyang Ren’ai Reformed Church, Shanghai Lancun Zhongyue Church, Beijing’s Zion Church, and Early Rain Covenant Church.
Not only that, China has also begun to expand its persecution of Christians outside the mainland into places like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Christianity grows exponentially in persecution and pluralism
A new study published in the journal entitled “Sociology of Religion” found that over the last decade Christianity has flourished in the most unlikely of places.
The study found that Christianity actually grows and strengthens in contexts of pluralism and persecution while it declines in contexts of recognition and privilege.
The study found the fastest-growing Christian populations include Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Madagascar, Liberia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola. Most of these countries have little to no official support for Christianity.
The fastest-declining Christian populations include the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, Albania, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, Lithuania, and Hungary. Most of these countries do support Christianity.
Acts 5:41-42 says of the Apostles, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
Hamas fired 1,000 rockets into Israel which retaliates; 59 people dead
Violence erupted between Israel and Hamas this week after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with Israeli police on the Temple Mount. Hamas has fired over 1,000 rockets into Israel since Monday.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes, killing the Hamas commander in Gaza City. At least 59 people have died so far.
It’s the worst violence since the 2014 Gaza War.
Republicans oust Liz Cheney from leadership
Yesterday, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives ousted Rep. Liz Cheney from her position as the House Republican Conference chair, the third-highest position in the House GOP leadership.
Cheney, who is known for her continual public criticism of President Donald Trump for claiming fraud in the 2020 general election, spoke to reporters.
CHENEY: “I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office. We have seen the danger that he continues to provoke with his language. We have seen his lack of commitment and dedication to the Constitution. And I think it’s very important that we make sure, whomever we elect, is somebody who will be faithful to the Constitution.”
25th Texan city becomes Sanctuary for the Unborn
Abernathy, Texas became the 27th city in the nation and the 25th in Texas to become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.
The city council unanimously passed the Sanctuary for the Unborn ordinance on Monday before a large crowd.
The ordinance outlaws abortions within the city limits, unfortunately with some exceptions.
American church attendance, on-line and in-person, is down
The recent State of the Bible 2021 USA report found church attendance online and in-person fell 3% compared with June 2020.
Overall, 44% of adults have attended a church service in the past six months. Despite being down 15%, Generation Z, those born between the 1990s and the 2010s, was still the most likely age group to report church attendance in the past six months.
Nigerian Christian boy, who immigrated to America, wins chess title
And finally, a 10-year-old Nigerian Christian boy, who fled persecution to New York City with his family, is now America’s newest chess master.
Tanitoluwa Adewumi, known as Tani, broke the 2200 rating barrier last weekend during the Fairfield County Chess Club Championship tournament.
Tani previously won the 2019 New York State K-3 scholastic championship while his family was living in a homeless shelter.
Tani shared with NPR how he felt when he won the chess title.
TANI: “I was very happy that I won, and I got the title. I was very happy with myself. I really loved that I finally got it.”
REPORTER: “Aside from chess, I know, um, the last time we had you on NPR, you had just won the New York State Championship. And your life was totally changing because when you started all this, your family had relatively recently arrived in America. Y’all were living in a shelter. What is life like now for you and your family?
TANI: “It’s better outside, but I thank God for everything that He’s done for our family.”
Psalm 113:7-8 says, “[The Lord] raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes—with the princes of His people.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, May 13th, in the year of our Lord 2021. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.