Friday, August 10th, in the year of our Lord 2018
By Jonathan Clark
Anniversary of Two Genocides Against Iraqi Christians
August 7th, 2018 marked the anniversary of two genocides against Iraqi Christians, one in 1933, the other in 2014 under ISIS.
The World View spoke to Claire Evans of International Christian Concern about the 1933 massacre that prompted Dr. Raphael Lemkin to coin the term “genocide” and raise awareness.
“The environment was very politically complex, and there were a number of different moving pieces, but the result was that at least 3000 Christians were killed, beginning on August 7th, and it lasted over a period of several days. The reports of what actually happened are really quite graphic and brutal.”
Evans said that Iraqi Christians have handled the intense persecution in different ways.
“Every person, they handle it differently. If you think about it in terms of generations, since 1933, that would be the age of grandparents who lived through this and experienced it. The older generations, at least the ones that I’ve interacted with, they are very resilient and very focused. They have this perspective of, ‘We’ve been through this before. We’re going to survive this again. This is just a way of life.’ Which is really sad in a way if you think about it, that people would become so used or accepting that this is the way of life; so that’s a very tough thing to deal with. There’s also a number of people, who, this is their first time they’ve experienced it, and they’ve really struggled with it. You have some; the pain is just so much and so deep that they can never think of returning back to their home.”
Please pray that our church family in Iraq would know the promise of Isaiah 61:3: “the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
Church Is Exploding in Spain
A report by the Spanish Justice Ministry earlier this year found the number of evangelical churches in the country has grown to over 4,000 last year, from 1,400 churches in 1993.
Máximo Álvarez, head of In Depth Evangelism in Spain, said, “A church-and-a-half is being planted in Spain every week, six churches a month, that is, 82 churches a year.”
Argentina Votes Abortion Down
As God would have it, international pressure on Argentina to legalize abortion failed yesterday.
After 16 hours of debate, Senators voted 38 to 31 against a bill allowing unborn babies to be murdered in the womb up to 14 weeks, reports Life News.
Currently, abortion is only allowed in Argentina in cases of rape, or if the mother’s health is in danger.
Entire Willow Creek Elder Board, Pastor Resign over Hybels Sex Scandal
The entire elder board of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois — including executive pastor Heather Larson — announced yesterday that they are resigning over the Bill Hybels sex abuse scandal.
Missy Rasmussen, one of Willow Creek’s female elders, said in a statement, “While Bill Hybels was our founder and pastor, he was human, broken, and self-admittedly sinful. We believe that his sins were beyond what he previously admitted on stage, and certainly we believe that his actions with these women were sinful. … He resisted the accountability structures we all need.
“We, as a board, know Willow needs and deserves a fresh start, and the entire board will step down to create room for a new board. This board replacement process will start promptly and proceed in waves to ensure an orderly transition, with all current Elders leaving by the end of the year.”
The resignations follow new accusations against Hybels, made by Pat Baranowski, who told The New York Times on Sunday that while living and working with the Hybels family, Hybels repeatedly undressed her, groped her, and engaged inappropriately with her.
Chaplain in Hot Water for Not Recognizing Homosexual Unions
The United States Army charged Chaplain Scott Squires with dereliction of duty last week for telling a lesbian soldier he would not recognize homosexual unions for religious reasons.
You can join a petition organized by the American Family Association to support Squires, linked in our transcript today at theworldview.com.
California Pushes More Immorality; God Sends More Fires
California lawmakers are considering multiple pro-death measures.
Senate Bill 320 would require public universities to offer free or low-cost medical abortions to students. And yesterday, Senators passed Senate Bill 282 which legalizes aiding, advising, or encouraging assisted suicide, reports Life News.
Meanwhile, God’s fires continue to burn in the state of California. The Mendocino Complex Fire in Northern California covers over 300,000 acres, the largest wildfire in modern California history.
Woman Leads Marine Corps Platoon
First Lt. Marina Hierl is now the first woman to lead a Marine Corps infantry platoon of 35 men in combat exercises, reported the New York Times yesterday.
Also, the U.S. mid-term elections this week have brought a record number of women nominated for U.S. House seats and governors’ offices, including former Michigan State Rep. Rashida Tlaib set to be the first Muslim woman elected to Congress.
Isaiah 3:12 says, “My people—infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. Your guides mislead you and they have swallowed up the course of your paths.”
“In God We Trust” in Tennessee Public Schools
As children head back to school in Tennessee, a new law requires all public schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust.”
You can thank Republican Governor Bill Haslam for signing the bill in April by calling (615) 741-2001.
GOP Congressman Delivers Prayer Cards
Republican Congressman Mike Bost of Illinois and his wife Tracy deliver about 100 prayer cards a month to the White House from people around the country through Frontline Family Ministries, reports CBN News.
It began when Tracy set up a P.O. Box for people in their district to send prayer notes and Scripture to President Donald Trump.
While at a bill signing, Trump told the Bosts, “Prayer cards! . . . We use those. . . It’s amazing that people are willing to put these together.”
Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for . . . all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
You can write a brief prayer and include a Scripture for President Trump on a 3×5 index card. Send it to: Encourage Prayer Movement, P.O. Box 134, Murphysboro, Illinois 62966.
Close
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Friday, August 10th in the year of our Lord 2018. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.