Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
A new study shows that half of American pastors worry about preaching on hot-button social issues—like abortion and LGBTQ issues—worried they might offend someone.
Pastor Corey Brooks, Pastor Michael Youssef and Pastor Ron Lewis open up on Fox & Friendsabout the pressures facing worship leaders around the nation after the Barna Group published the results earlier this year.
While the majority of pastors agree their job is to help Christians have biblical beliefs about specific issues, many feel added pressure from outside and within the church and are struggling to figure out how to communicate in the public sphere.
Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
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The producer of "The Trump Prophecy," a faith-based film about a man who said he heard from God in 2011 that Trump would one day be president, says Facebook has "almost been abusive" in seeking information from the production company, which was just trying to place an ad on the site.
Facebook is blocking ads from the production, which is a partnership between ReelWorks Studios and private Christian school Liberty University's cinema department, alleging it is too "political."
Facebook did not return Fox News' request for comment.
"The name 'Trump' requires a reaction. Unfortunately people try to come up with a conclusion before they know what the story is about. We're not doing political ads but that's what we're being accused [of]," Rick Eldridge, the film's producer and financer from ReelWorks Studios, told Fox News.
However, Eldridge said the movie does include reflections from several different world leaders answering questions about what it means to "make America great again" and what the current administration means for Israel and world peace.
When "Prophecy" producers tried to appeal the ban of their ads, Facebook responded by saying "the text and/or imagery you're using qualifies as political, based on the definition we're using for enforcement."
"I know issues with Trump are often charged, but if you watch the movie it's not really about Trump as much as the events that occurred leading up to the election," said Stephan Schultze, the film's director and head of the cinematic arts department at Liberty.
Unlike the book it is based on, which gathers the accounts of retired firefighter Mark Taylor and Mary Colbert talking about Trump prophecies, Eldridge said the movie only focuses on one prophecy from Taylor: that Trump would become president and impact the relationship between America and Israel.
One of the more controversial claims Taylor has made, that is not included in the movie, is that President Barack Obama will be charged with treason and that Trump will release cures for cancer and Alzheimer's disease that the pharmaceutical industry has kept secret.
While the film's producers say the film is not political, Facebook blocked its ads for this very reason.
"We think it's going to help unite this world but that's a message Facebook doesn't want us to tell," Eldridge, who has also produced "Four Blood Moons" and "The Ultimate Gift," said.
According to Schultze, 63 students, in addition to some faculty members, at Liberty gained "real life, real hands on experience" working on the film. The class runs like a real production, he said. Each student has two roles, as they help with every aspect of the film.
"In the six years since its inception, we've done five movies – two of which have gotten national theatrical release," Schultze added.
Liberty's state-of-the-art facilities were part of the reason Eldridge was excited to partner with the Christian school.
"We didn't debate religion. We didn't debate politics. We just told a story and everybody had a good time with it," Eldridge said.
But one student didn't want to be associated with the movie, so that student worked on another project.
Outside of the department, however, a petition started by an anonymous person who said they are a Liberty student expressed outrage through a Change.org petition, demanding the school to "cancel" the "heretical film project," though it is unclear how many of the 2,000-plus signees are affiliated with the school.
Last year, LU President Jerry Falwell, Jr. called the actions of a few LU graduates threatening to forgo their diplomas as "grandstanding" and a "joke" to protest Trump's commencement address.
Eldridge said he hopes the film gives people a better understanding of what to pray for based on the Bible verse 2 Chronicles 7:14.
"I think the story is really at its core about prayer and it's about calling our nation to prayer," We are a divided nation in a lot of ways, but when you look at leadership,... when you look at it from a biblical perspective, we are called to pray for our leaders...whoever is in authority over us."
The faith-based film will be released in 1,000 select theaters nationwide on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4.
But I've got 55,000 reasons to believe they may be wrong.
Passion 2017, a Christian conference, kicked off with that many millennials packing out the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for one reason—to be the generation that says yes to the call of Jesus.
You won't see this story trending on Twitter or Facebook because these young adults were not looting or rioting in the streets, but they are making a difference.
They came from 90 countries and more than 1,600 colleges—and several of them happened to be my friends.
Dalton Glasscock, of Wichita, Kansas, told me "millennials are ready to carry forward the baton of faith."
He said the conference was an indicator of "revival" and "a mountaintop experience that should give hope to the millions of Christians across this country and world."
Passion began 20 years ago as a Bible study in Texas started by Louie and Shelley Giglio as a way to reach college students.
And to celebrate, they gave a few gifts to the 18-25 year-olds, including early copies of The Jesus Bible and a surprise visit from country singer Carrie Underwood.
Passion literally gave students an out-of-this-world perspective when NASA astronaut and former Passion attendee Shane Kimbrough addressed them from on board the International Space Station. He shared about reading the story of Jesus' birth from the station on Christmas day—the first time it's been done.
Louie and Shelley had an incredibly inspiring afternoon discussion with Katherine and Jay Wolf, the authors of Hope Heals. The book tells the story of Katherine's recovery from a stroke.
"This year was the best because, I felt like I was able to relate on so many levels with dealing with pain and suffering, how to cherish it and use it for good, even when it hurts," said Megan.
"Everyone spoke about the cross, and how our pain relates to Christ, how to let God use it for his glory, even when we don't see the good in it!" she added.
Students also heard from Christian powerhouse preachers and speakers Christine Caine, Beth Moore, John Piper, Francis Chan and Levi Lusko.
And if the speakers weren't enough, the worship was powerful; led by Passion Band, Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Crowder, Matt Redman, Jimi Cravity and Hillsong United.
Seeing a stadium of millennials singing their hearts out and lifting their hands in worship wasn't all, though.
As a Passion veteran, my friend Shaina Morrow, a student ministry director from Curtis Lake Church in Sanford, Maine, went for the first time as a leader —no longer a student.
"Regardless of fashion trends, social media, politics, speakers and music genres, Passion will always be focused on Jesus," adding that "Passion rallies around a cause every year."
Passion partnered with Compassion International, a Christian humanitarian aid child-sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world, in an initiative called "Make History Together."
Sure enough, they made history. The students sponsored every child on the waiting list in the countries of Rwanda, El Salvador, Indonesia and Tanzania. Just to give you an idea of how many little ones that is, in Rwanda alone, there were 2,013 children. They also sponsored some of the children in Bolivia.
How incredible is that? Passion played a video of children on the waiting list in Rwanda getting the news of their sponsorship. The joy on their faces was priceless.
"My husband and I committed to sponsoring a little girl named Agnes who lives in Tanzania, and it already has made an impact on our lives—knowing we are giving her a better future. Millennials are cause-driven, and when you combine a focus on Jesus and a chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves, this generation responds," Shaina said.
A stadium full of millennials just gave poor children all across the world food and clean water, medical care, education, life-skills training and spiritual guidance. An act Dalton says can only be explained by the power of the gospel.
"Personally, I am always blown away by the way each communicator has an incredible love and knowledge of scripture," Shaina said. "It has challenged me to commit to knowing Jesus and Scripture more. As Ben Stuart said in our group, 'we exist to know God and make Him known.' That was the biggest challenge that I will take away from Passion 2017."
So, in the heart of Atlanta, thousands of young people stormed out of a stadium, not to loot or riot in the streets, but to bring the light of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to their campuses, their communities, and to our world.
As one of the speakers, Christine Caine, put it on her insta-story: "Millennials love Jesus," and I've got 55,000 reasons to prove it.
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