What Russia's Top Church Leader is Saying about Donald Trump - CBN News

What Russia's Top Church Leader is Saying about Donald Trump

CBN News 11-26-2016

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church believes President-elect Donald Trump is the only American politician to give Russians, and Christians, hope in the war against the Islamic State. 

Patriarch Kirill told Russia Today (RT) he is encouraged by the incoming president's strong position against ISIS. 

"Based on what Mr. Trump said in the course of the election campaign, we can see that he does have the intention to establish a dialogue with Russia, including first and foremost when it comes to combating terrorism," Kirill said. 

"That's good; it opens up new opportunities for cooperation, which is what I hope we're going to have in Russia-U.S. relations in order to tackle this," he added.

"I don't know him personally, and I don't know much about his life, so I can only judge based on his statements, which were in stark contrast to other politicians' stances. There was no hope in what others were saying, while Mr. Trump's words give us hope," he said.

Kirill also told RT that he agrees that Trump is not afraid to speak his mind especially during a time when Christians in America are being shut down by political correctness. 

"It seems as if political correctness is meant to limit Christians' freedom to practice their faith. For example, why should we use 'X-mas' instead of 'Christmas'?," he asked. "We're very wary when, under the guise of political correctness and universal rights and liberties, we glimpse signs of discrimination against the people who want to be open about their Christian convictions." 

As Russia's Vladmir Putin congratulated Trump on his election victory and later vowed to dialogue with the U.S. "on the basis of mutual respect," Kirill said it is important for Christians to continue to pray for the nations that are working to eradicate terrorism. 

"All that is left to us as Christians is to pray and, of course, work together with everyone, so that all the nations involved realize that collaboration is instrumental. We keep hearing that the coalition has its own approach, and Russia has a different stance. Well, now is the time when we can't have two conflicting positions any longer; we need to align ourselves with each other," he said.

Jeremy Lin (NBA Charlotte Hornets) Asks Fans to 'Pray for Global Christian Revival' - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Jeremy Lin (NBA Charlotte Hornets) Asks Fans to 'Pray for Global Christian Revival'

 3/11/2016 JESSILYN JUSTICE  charisma news

Jeremy Lin asked his fans to pray for revival around the world.

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Charlotte Hornets' Jeremy Lin asked fans to intercede for "global Christian revival" in his latest prayer request email.  

"Please pray for global Christian revival. Specific areas that I feel God has put on my heart are Asian-Americans in the U.S. who are lukewarm in their faith, the billions in China who don't know Christ and Taiwan/Hong Kong. I obviously care about many other places, but these are very near and dear to my heart!" Lin wrote.  

The Chinese government has been cracking down on Christian activity recently,amping up persecution against pastors who stand for faith. 

Evangelist Franklin Graham announced an international summit to defend the persecuted.  

"2015 was just reported in the media as the worst year for Christian persecution," Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. "More than twice as many Christians were killed for their faith than in the previous year—making it the worst in history since these statistics have been tracked." 

Graham met with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church last year to discuss the plight of Christians around the world.  

Kirill even bridged 1,000-year rift between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches when he and Pope Francis came together to raise awareness of persecution.  

"Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa, whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated," the two said in a joint statement.

But the two also believe, like Lin, that revival is possible. Kirill and Francis look to today's youth to bring about godly change. 

"Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (Matt 25:25), but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ's truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one's neighbor," according to the joint resolution.  

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Franklin Graham Launches Movement to Stop Christian Persecution - BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION CHARISMA NEWS

Franklin Graham Launches Movement to Stop Christian Persecution

3/10/2016 BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION   charisma news

Franklin Graham traveled to Russia last fall, where he met with leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, including Patriarch Kirill (second from right). (Courtesy/BGEA)

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Franklin Graham announced Wednesday that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will convene The World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians this October. It will be held in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 28-30 in cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church. 

"2015 was just reported in the media as the worst year for Christian persecution," Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. "More than twice as many Christians were killed for their faith than in the previous year—making it the worst in history since these statistics have been tracked."

Franklin Graham called Moscow "a fitting and meaningful location for this much-needed summit."

"No church in modern history has suffered more than the church in Russia. In the years under Communist rule, virtually all of the priests, pastors, and church leaders in Russia were imprisoned or executed by the Communists, and their graves are on the outskirts of Moscow and throughout the country serving as a reminder."

Franklin Graham visited Russia last fall. While there, he met with Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as evangelical leaders to discuss the persecuted church worldwide.

Franklin Graham cited a Feb. 16 interview with Patriarch Kirill, where the Patriarch said we need to "work together in order to save our society from de-Christianization. ... Christians are being squeezed out of public life."

Britain's Prince Charles, Franklin Graham added, has also warned that Christianity could soon be wiped out of the Middle East—its birth place—with all the torture, beheadings and imprisonment people there face as a result of their faith.

"The World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians will shed a global spotlight on this crisis," Franklin Graham wrote in his Facebook announcement. "We will bring delegates from around the world and will be able to join hands with people of other churches and denominations of the Christian faith to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and to hear firsthand reports of the suffering that is taking place.

"Will you pray with us for this historic summit?"

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Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, Prophesies Downfall of Europe Over Persecuted Christians - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow, Prophesies Downfall of Europe Over Persecuted Christians

2/17/2016 JESSILYN JUSTICE  charisma news

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Fresh off his meeting with Pope Francis, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill prophesied the downfall of Europe if Christian persecution persists. 

"Europe should not lose its Christian roots: de-Christianization of Europe is dangerous not only from the point of view of discrimination against Christians, it is also dangerous from the spiritual and cultural points of view," Kirill said, according to TASS.  

Kirill and Pope Francis met for the first time last week, bridging a millennium-long divide between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, to highlight the atrocities of Christian persecution.  

The leaders of two of the largest churches in the world issued a joint declaration to draw attention to the victims of anti-Christian violence.  

"Our gaze must firstly turn to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa, whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated," the two said in a joint statement. 

"Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed. It is with pain that we call to mind the situation in Syria, Iraq and other countries of the Middle East, and the massive exodus of Christians from the land in which our faith was first disseminated and in which they have lived since the time of the apostles, together with other religious communities," the statement continues.  

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ruled earlier this year the Islamic State persecution of Christians is, indeed, genocide, which is considered the "crime of crimes." 

But as the persecution spreads from the Middle East to portions of Europe, Kirill and Francis agree the hope for the future of the church rests in today's Christian youth.  

"Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (Matt 25:25), but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ's truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one's neighbor," according to the joint resolution.  

"Do not be afraid of going against the current, defending God's truth, to which contemporary secular norms are often far from conforming," Francis and Kirill said. 

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

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