It’s Tuesday, May 12th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
Muslims shoot Nigerian pastor, wife and 2 kids: All survive
A pastor and his family have been shot in northern Nigeria, according to World Magazine.
Morning Star News reports that Pastor Famonure, his wife, and two children were shot by Fulani Muslim militants in their home on May 5th. All four are recovering from their wounds.
Pastor Famonure is the director of a Christian high school called Messiah College in the Plateau State.
Muslims shoot at Pakistani Christian parliamentarian’s home
In addition, a Christian Pakistani parliamentarian’s house was shot up by four Muslim militants, after he pressed for more merciful treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan, reports International Christian Concern.
Khalil Tahir Sindu’s family have since moved to Canada, but he vows to stay working in the community.
Illinois Governor: No church service over 50 until COVID vaccine
Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker announced last week that churches will be held to the same standards as festivals, schools, and large gatherings for reopening.
According to the mandate, there will be no full services until phase 5 when a vaccine is made widely available, which may take 12-18 months, reports the Washington Examiner.
Listen to this exchange between a reporter and the governor.
REPORTER: “Can the governor provide more clarity to churches regarding holding services? Should they plan not to hold services larger than 50 people until their region has moved to phase five?”
PRITZKER: “In Phase Three, there can be gatherings, church gatherings, of 10 or fewer and Phase 4 of 50 or fewer. So, that’s the guidance that’s been given to me. I’m not the one providing that guidance. It really is what the scientists and epidemiologists are recommending.”
Oregon Governor: No church services over 25 until September
Also, Oregon Democratic Governor Kate Brown announced that large gatherings (more than 25) could not assemble until at least September, reports KGW.
Alliance Defending Freedom has successfully intervened for churches in four states, gaining access to drive-in services in Mississippi, Tennessee, Kansas, and North Carolina.
500 California pastors vow to resume services Sunday, May 31
Five hundred California pastors have signed a declaration announcing that they will resume in-person services on Sunday, May 31st.
And attorneys for the National Center for Law and Policy have written an accompanying letter to California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, declaring the governor’s orders unconstitutional.
The letter is authored by attorney Robert Tyler who is representing Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Pastor Jim Domen of Church United, Pastor Jim Franklin of Cornerstone Church, and Pastor Tim Thompson of 412 Church, and hundreds of others.
Governor Newsom has prioritized clothing stores, florists, and sporting goods stores over churches in the state.
Psalm 137 is a lament for the church. “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there, we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?”
3-day average COVID death rate down in U.K. and U.S.
Since April 11th, the United Kingdom’s 3-day rolling average on the COVID death rate has dropped from 1,100 to 500.
Meanwhile, since April 18th, America’s rolling average on the COVID death rate has dropped from 3,500 to 1,800. Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom produced a higher death rate per million than the United States — at a ratio of about 170-230% higher.
COVID deaths vs flu deaths and abortion deaths
Over three months, by some estimates, 286,330 people have died of the coronavirus worldwide.
According to an article published by the Journal of Global Health, between 250,000 and 600,000 people die of the flu each year, worldwide.
Also, that compares with 56,000,000 surgical abortions performed each year worldwide, not including the babies killed by the abortifacient forms of contraceptives.
Half of leisure, entertainment jobs have been lost
In the economic downturn, CNBC reports almost half of leisure and entertainment jobs were lost. Healthcare and education was the second largest losing category of jobs followed by professional services, retail trade, and manufacturing.
Wall Street 7-24 reports the hardest hits states to be Nevada, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. The states most protected are South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Maryland, Nebraska, Idaho, Iowa, and Colorado.
On the international scene, Bloomberg reports that the UK economy is heading for the worst GDP drop since 1706.
Social Security fund depleted by 2035, forcing 21% cut in benefits
Fox Business announced that the Social Security trust fund will run dry by 2035, and a trustee’s recent report looks at a 21% cut in benefits.
Send Ravi Zecharias a note of encouragement
And finally, as we reported yesterday, the bone cancer of Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias has now metastasized. He has been sent home from the hospital because “no options for further treatment remain.”
Ravi’s daughter, Sarah Davis, provided this update on RZIM.org. “While we are full of so many emotions, we are also at peace, resting in the truth that God knows all and sees all and is sovereign and good. I think of the great joy my dad will have and I am comforted.”
In the words of Philippians 1:23: “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”
You can send Ravi Zacharias a note of encouragement to let him know that you are praying for him at RZIM, 3755 Mansell Road, Alpharetta GA 30022. (For the correct spelling, visit our transcript at www.TheWorldview.com.) If you have been impacted by his ministry, please share that with him.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, May 12th in the year of our Lord 2020. 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.