It’s Wednesday, November 20th, A.D. 2019. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus.
By Adam McManus (adam@theworldview.com)
Chinese Pastor to Face Trial Without Representation
Early Rain Covenant Church Pastor Wang Yi has been in custody since December 9, 2018. He is expected to officially start his trial soon.
However, the Chinese government recently fired Wang’s lawyer and has yet to appoint a new attorney for him, prompting the presumption that he will therefore be forced to represent himself at trial, reports International Christian Concern.
Please pray for Pastor Wang and the other members of the Early Rain Covenant Church who are currently imprisoned.
Vietnamese Christian music teacher gets 11-year prison term
Nguyen Nang Tinh, a 43-year-old Christian music teacher in Vietnam, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of “propaganda against the state” in Vietnam’s north central province of Nghe An, reports International Christian Concern.
Authorities arrested Tinh on May 29 over posts made to a Facebook account that Tinh claimed he was not affiliated with. On September 17, police officially closed the investigation and set a court date for a month later. On November 17 Tinh officially was sentenced by the courts.
Last year, Vietnam passed a cybersecurity law that would require social media sites to remove any content requested by the government. With at least 128 political prisoners in jail, approximately 10% were jailed over alleged Facebook posts.
Christian host to Chick-fil-A: “Please do not cave in to LGBT activists”
Christian talk show host Michael Brown made a Christian appeal to Chick-fil-A after the restaurant chain revealed that they would no longer financially support the Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes which are two groups that call homosexuality a sin.
Brown wrote, “As a leader in the Church, and speaking on behalf of many followers of Jesus, I am submitting this appeal to the ownership and management of Chick-fil-A.
“Please do not cave in to LGBT activists and their allies. Please do not capitulate to the pressure of the radical left. Please do not throw the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army under the bus. Please reverse your decision to no longer fund these important Christian organizations.”
Brown asked, “Do you remember when millions of Christians stood with you when the radical left called for a boycott of your fine company? Do you remember when they turned the boycott into a “buycott”?
“These same Christians are scratching their heads today. They are wondering why the company they love so much now feels the need to satisfy the demands of people who despise many of the common values we hold dear.
“Why cater to the haters? Do you think they will hate you less?”
Acts 5:29 says, “We must obey God rather than man!”
You can express your disappointment with Chick-fil-A in 3 ways. First, call their headquarters at 1-866-232-2040. That’s 1-866-232-2040. Second, sign a petition urging Chick-fil-A to reverse course which we have linked in our transcript today at www.TheWorldview.com.
But most importantly, consider making a special trip to the local Chick-fil-A near you, ask to speak to the manager, and politely explain why you object to Chick-fil-A’s decision.
31 million Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving
The top industry group for U.S. airlines predicts that the Thanksgiving Day travel period will break records, reports TheHill.com.
A record 31 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines globally over the upcoming period, according to Airlines for America. That total represents 3.7 percent more people than 2018 during the same travel period.
Kanye West: “God’s been calling me for a long time”
And finally, in less than 24 hours rapper Kanye West’s Jesus Is King “Sunday Service” concert at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has been viewed more than a million times on just Facebook alone as the event continues to draw high praise, reports the Christian Post.
WEST: “I know that God’s been calling me for a long time and the devil’s been distracting me for a long time.”
One of those distractions was pornography which he was exposed to at the tender age of 5.
In a prior interview, West said, “Playboy was my gateway into full-on pornography addiction. My dad had a Playboy left out at age five, and it’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life from age five to now, having to kick the habit. It just presents itself in the open like, ‘It’s OK.’ I stand up and say, ‘You know, it’s not OK!’”
WEST: “When I was in my lowest points, God was there.”
Psalm 139:7-10 asks, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”
He explained that we need to be as bold for Jesus as the world is for its corrupt values.
WEST: “We get constant advertisements for strip clubs and other things like that. But then we bring up the name of Jesus. We’re told to be quiet. ‘Quiet that down.’ I feel that I’m standing up and drawing a line in the sand and saying ‘I’m here in service to God.’”
Kanye West made it clear who is the real super star.
WEST: “I was a superstar, but the only superstar is Jesus.”
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, gave his reaction on Fox & Friends Monday morning.
GRAHAM: “I always like it when God works in a person’s life and changes them. And Kanye’s is a life that’s been changed by the power of Almighty God and it was his faith in Jesus Christ. I’m just thrilled with what’s happened in his life.
“Who would’ve thought that he would’ve been in a church? And who would’ve thought a year or two ago, that God would be using him to touch another generation of young people with the gospel of Jesus Christ?”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, November 20th in the year of our Lord 2019. 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.