It’s Wednesday, October 25th, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Missionary pilot finally allowed to return to U.S. from Africa
Praise God! An American missionary pilot was able to return home earlier this month after spending months in prison in Mozambique.
Officials in the African nation arrested Ryan Koher with Mission Aviation Fellowship last November on false charges as he was about to fly supplies to an orphanage. Thankfully, authorities released him back in March; however, they barred him from leaving the country.
On October 6th, a judge lifted the travel restrictions, allowing Koher, his wife Annabel, and their two children to come back to the U.S. for a time of rest and reunion with family.
While in prison, Koher had this testimony. He said, “I need not fear in the face of suffering because I am united with Christ. It is very comforting to me because I know He will be with me and has a purpose in it all.”
Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Hamas released two Israeli elderly women
On Monday, Hamas, the Muslim terrorist group, released two elderly Israeli women from among its hostages in Gaza after mediation by Qatar and Egypt. This comes just days after the release of two American women who were also hostages of the Palestinian Islamic group.
Hamas seized about 200 people during its October 7 attack on Israel. Since then, Israel sealed off the area and pounded it with airstrikes.
Over the weekend, the United Nations delivered the first humanitarian aid into Gaza since the conflict started.
German officials shut down Christian school
Alliance Defending Freedom International is representing a Christian school in Germany before the European Court of Human Rights.
Last month, the country’s education authorities shut down the Dietrich Bonhoeffer International School. The Christian school combined in-school and at-home learning for children. Homeschooling is illegal in Germany.
The school was named after Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who was killed by the Nazis in 1945 after a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer’s mother, Paula, kept her young children out of the German public school system, educating them at home instead.
Arkansas governor bans ridiculous “woke” language
In the U.S., Arkansas is banning government officials and departments from using “woke” language.
Last Thursday, the state’s Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order to keep so-called gender neutral terms out of official state business.
SANDERS: “In a moment, I’ll sign an executive order banning a number of all sorts of ridiculous words from state government documents. Those include words like ‘pregnant people,’ ‘laboring person,’ ‘birth giver,’ and several other nonsense terms that have cropped up in recent years.”
The order states, “Women are women; An XX chromosome is an XX chromosome. The science is clear and real. There are things only women can do, like perform the miracle of birth. Government should reject language that ignores, undermines, and erases women. Government should celebrate gender distinctions between men and women—not erase them.”
Lubbock, Texas becomes sanctuary for the unborn
On Monday, the county of Lubbock, Texas passed an ordinance to become a sanctuary county for the unborn.
The ordinance bans abortions, abortion drugs, and travel for abortion in the county.
This comes after the city of Lubbock passed a similar ordinance back in 2021. It was the largest city in the U.S., and the first one with an abortion mill, to pass such a measure.
Murders are down; Carjackings are up
The FBI released its 2022 crime report last week, and reported murders are down while carjackings are up.
Violent crime dropped 1.7% last year. In particular, murder and non-negligent manslaughter were down 6.1%. However, property crimes increased by 7.1%. Car thefts alone jumped by over 10%.
Violent crime also dropped in 2021 after a nearly 30% surge in 2020. Now, the violent crime rate is down below what it was in 2019 before the pandemic. Overall, violent crime is down significantly from its highs in the 1990s.
U.S. household wealth is up
And finally, U.S. household wealth is up significantly since the pandemic.
The latest Survey of Consumer Finances by the Federal Reserve found the median net worth of U.S. families increased 37% between 2019 and 2022. Adjusted for inflation, the median net worth came out to nearly $200,000.
The surge in net worth follows increases in the values of homes and stock market holdings.
Meanwhile, median income grew by only 3% and debt remained stable.
Overall, the median net worth of American families is up 78% since the Fed started surveying it in 1989.
Psalm 62:9-10 reminds us, “Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, October 25th in the year of our Lord 2023. 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.