It’s Tuesday, May 19th, 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
YouTube has restored Coronavirus and Christ audio book
Over the weekend, YouTube pulled John Piper’s audio book, Coronavirus and Christ, but it was back up as of last night.
Chaplain in trouble for sharing Piper’s e-book with other chaplains
In a related story, last week, 22 military chaplains sought to “discipline” and possibly court-martial a senior army chaplain for sending nearly three-dozen other chaplains an email containing a copy of the e-book, Coronavirus and Christ.
(You can get the paperback version here).
Col. Moon H. Kim was accused of “subscrib[ing] to the ultra-conservative/Reformed/evangelical Christian theology of John Piper.” Once again, the rub seems to be Piper’s reference to the sin of homosexual intercourse as warranting “specific judgment” of God, as referenced in Romans 1. (p. 71)
However, twenty members of Congress have issued a signed-letter urging the Secretary of Defense to protect Colonel Kim’s religious liberties and others who wish to express their “religious beliefs.” The letter was initiated by Representatives Doug Collins (R-GA), and Doug Lamborn (R-CO), reports Fox News.
Pastor John Piper referred to Romans 1, which states: “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; . . .Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Nepalese pastor arrested for teaching prayer can heal COVID-19
Another pastor from Nepal has been arrested for teaching that prayer could heal COVID-19, reports Morning Star News.
Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya has been moved to Dolpa Jail, where human rights abuses are more common. Please pray for Pastor Acharya.
17-year-old Leah Sharibu still in captivity
And, speaking of prayer, let’s not forget to pray for Leah Sharibu. She just turned 17 last week.
Sharibu is the only schoolgirl still in captivity of the 100 kidnapped three years ago by the Muslim terrorist group Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria.
“Despair deaths” in America have doubled
Drug overdose deaths in America have averaged at 70,000 the last three years. In addition, 88,000 people die from alcohol-related incidents and another 46,000 people commit suicide per year.
Despair-related deaths are estimated to top 204,000 this year, over twice the number of people who have died from the Coronavirus.
The rate of “despair deaths” per 100,000 people has doubled in the United States since the year 2000, according to a report from the US Congress Joint Economic Committee.
America needs God.
Ephesians 2:12-13 says, “That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Judge blocked Democratic NC Gov’s limit of 10 in church service
A federal judge blocked the Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s mandate to limit in-person church services to just 10 people.
Judge James C. Dever III referred to the tighter restrictions for churches, noting that the governor “appears to trust citizens to perform non-religious activities indoors (such as shopping or working or selling merchandise) but does not trust them to do the same when they worship indoors together.”
Also, Liberty Counsel has announced that the case against Rodney Howard-Browne, the pastor in Florida who was charged with violating COVID-19 orders, has been dropped.
Japan is enduring a recession
And finally, the third largest economy in the world has slipped into recession, which is technically defined as two successive quarters of negative GDP growth.
Japan registered a 3.4% slip in the first quarter of 2020, after a 1.9% contraction for the 4th quarter of 2019. This is the 4th recession for Japan since 2007.
The nation’s debt to GDP ratio increased from 135% to 250% over 20 years, decreasing the odds of any real recovery from recession in the future.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Tuesday, May 19th 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.