It’s Wednesday, July 20th, A.D. 2022. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Egyptian Muslims vandalize homes & shops of Christians
Last month, crowds of Muslims vandalized the homes, shops, and vehicles of Christians in Egypt.
The attack occurred after the government legally recognized the Church of Michael the Archangel. It was built in 2003. Christians have been waiting for years to get it legally approved.
Local Muslims believe no churches should be built or repaired.
Since 2018, officials have approved over 2,400 unlicensed churches. However, Christian communities and churches continue to face suppression in the country.
Egypt is ranked 20th on the Open Doors World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
32 million Bibles distributed last year
The United Bible Societies reports that 32.6 million complete Bibles were distributed last year. That’s up 5.5% from 2020. An additional 5.1 million New Testaments and 132 million Biblical selection writings were distributed.
Twenty percent of the complete Bibles were downloaded from the internet. Digital Bibles are playing a more important role in distribution especially in crisis regions.
Horst Scheurenbrand with the German Bible Society said, “Apart from Europe, more full Bibles were distributed on every continent than in the previous year. This is a good sign after the significant decline the year before.”
Micah 4:2 says, “Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Slovenia bus company censored pro-life ads
Slovenia’s Equality Body found a state-owned bus company discriminated against a pro-life group by removing their ads.
The ads shared statements like “We love Life!” “You are not alone,” “Step out of Silence” and “I mourn my child.” The bus company agreed to carry the ads in 2018, but took them down a week into the campaign for being “intolerant.”
The pro-life group welcomed the decision in their favor after years of litigation.
Alliance Defending Freedom noted, “Censorship of pro-life messages is an increasing problem across Europe.”
Bible readers more likely to be neighborly
A new chapter from the State of the Bible report found that people who regularly read the Bible are more likely to demonstrate neighborliness.
This Scripture-Engaged demographic was also the most likely to report behaviors consistent with loving God and loving other people.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
U.S. confidence in gov’t schools at all-time low
Gallup reports that Americans’ confidence in the public schools is near an all-time low.
Only 28% of U.S. adults say they have high confidence in the public schools, down from 41% in 2020 and 62% in 1975.
Confidence levels were similar for adults with and without children.
Hero rescues five people from burning home
And finally, a pizza delivery driver is being hailed a hero after rescuing five people from a burning home.
Nick Bostic, age 25, was driving by the house in Lafayette, Indiana, just after midnight on July 11, when he saw a house on fire. Bostic ran inside before firefighters had arrived. He woke up four of the five children and helped them get out.
When he learned there was a six-year-old girl still inside, he went back to rescue her. Bostic found her, but couldn’t find his way back to the door because of the thick smoke. So, he broke open a second-story window with his bare hands, jumped out with the girl in his arms, and then carried her to safety.
Bostic had to be taken to the hospital, but he is on the mend now. The doctors had to remove significant soot from his lungs.
He explained his injuries.
BOSTIC: “The front of my hand, it’s cut up pretty bad, possible severed tendon. And the bottom of my hands are blistered like I grabbed something hot. I recalled seeing flames through the window as I was punching it out.”
Nick Bostic said the pain was worth it and that God used him as His instrument that night.
BOSTIC: “This temporary pain, oh yeah, it’s so worth it. It’s worth every bit.”
He embodied 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 which says, “Love is kind. It is not self-seeking.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, July 20th, in the year of our Lord 2022. 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.