It’s Friday, May 29th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Chinese demolish “state-approved” church buildings
As the coronavirus outbreak in China has subsided, the Communists are persecuting Christians once again.
On April 27, thirty personnel demolished a house church in Jiangxi Province for being unapproved by the government.
A church member told the Bitter Winter Magazine, “The Communist Party’s persecution of house churches is increasingly severe. This is mainly because more and more people believe in Christianity.”
On April 17, officials disrupted the service of another house church in the area, telling them to disband or have their building confiscated.
Even state-approved churches are under attack now. On April 24, authorities started destroying a large church building in Shandong Province. Three other state-approved churches had their buildings demolished in recent weeks.
China bans Hong Kong secession, U.S. Senators object
Yesterday, China’s National People’s Congress passed a new security law over Hong Kong, banning secession and foreign interference in the administrative region and allowing Chinese forces to operate there.
Anticipating Communist China’s takeover of Hong Kong, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer has enough independence to qualify for its previous preferential trade status.
U.S. senators have introduced a bipartisan bill to sanction Chinese officials for undermining Hong Kong’s freedom.
Secretary of State Pompeo talks about daily Bible reading
Speaking of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, California Pastor Greg Laurie interviewed him last week, asking him how his Christian faith impacts his work.
Pompeo said he keeps his faith at the front of what he does and that he reads two books every morning: the Bible and intelligence reports.
LAURIE: “I wonder, Mr. Secretary, with the kind of Intel you deal with every day, the things that you are aware of that we as ordinary Americans aren’t aware of, that keeps you up at night? And how do you deal with potential fear and anxiety as a believer, and as a person in your position?”
POMPEO: “I have my earthly responsibility. And it’s true, that you’ve now talked about two books that I read every morning. So, I have my Bible sitting out and every morning I get a book filled with intelligence that talks about all the threats to Americans here at home and Americans all across the world. To juxtapose those two every day is sometimes hard to get your head around.”
LAURIE: “Wow!”
POMPEO: “I’ve managed to synthesize them to bring them together, knowing that the Lord gives me the capacity to work, to be diligent. I hope He’ll give me the wisdom and the perseverance that meet these challenges head on in a way that protects the American people.
“And then I go back to that most important Book every day as well and remind myself that the Lord is looking at over this world. As difficult and as challenging as these problems are that are presented to us by our adversaries around the world who want to do harm to America, I’m reminded that the Lord is watching us. That both heightens my sense of responsibility and also comforts me, gives me the strength and courage to continue on in the mission.”
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”
Eight states still prohibit worship in America
As of yesterday, eight states still prohibit religious worship or subject it to unequal treatment during the coronavirus lockdown, reports The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
The states include California, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
Two Illinois churches filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, asking for relief from the state’s 10-person limit on in-person services.
Planned Parenthood executives admit to selling dead babies
A new video by the Center for Medical Progress shows Planned Parenthood executives and directors giving sworn testimony last year that the abortion giant was taking the remains of murdered babies and selling them.
Undercover videos by CMP’s founder David Daleiden initially exposed Planned Parenthood’s illegal sale of body parts from aborted babies.
The latest video admissions from Planned Parenthood come from a court case they were bringing against Daleiden and his colleagues for the undercover footage, a case which the pro-life advocates lost. Now they owe millions of dollars to the murder giant.
Proverbs 17:15 says, “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”
COVID deaths down in New York and Texas
The governors of New York and Texas announced their states have seen the fewest number of coronavirus deaths this week since the outbreak began in March.
Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report last week, estimating the mortality rate of people with coronavirus symptoms to be 0.4 percent, much lower than previous estimates, but higher than the seasonal flu.
New York Stock Exchange trading floor reopens
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rung the iconic bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, reopening the trading floor for the first time in two months since the coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits still remains very high, but did decrease for the eighth consecutive week last week as many return to work.
Ecclesiastes 2:24 says, “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.”
What does The Worldview mean to you?
And finally, I’d like to share your story of what The Worldview newscast means to you. What sets it apart? Why do you enjoy listening to it? If you listen to it as a family, how do you incorporate it into your children’s education? And are there any specific stories that stand out to you?
When you email me at Adam@TheWorldview.com, please include your full name, city and state or country if you live outside America.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Friday, May 29th 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.