Saturday, March 3, 2018

'God Opened This Door for Me': The Hip-Hop Sound That's Breaking Ground for Jesus - CBN News Mengfei Li

'God Opened This Door for Me': The Hip-Hop Sound That's Breaking Ground for Jesus

March 2, 2018 CBN News Mengfei Li

While the sound of traditional Chinese instruments has enchanted one Chinese generation after another – there are more than 56 ethnic groups and tribes – today, young Chinese are embracing a new sound: hip-hop.

Taiwanese singer Xu Shi is passionate about this new music style. He is fascinated by the originality of hip-hop music and dance.

"Hip-hop originally started in Taiwan. Chinese people were fascinated by this type of new music and dance style. Today, it's rather popular among the younger generations in Taiwan and China. For us, it's a way to express our passion for music and dance!" said Xu.

Xu has also been part of a Chinese hip-hop dance music group for a while. As a rapper, he finds this type of music gives him something special.

"Young people today don't want limitation," he explained. "Chinese youth today build their own communities. It's something that binds them together. I produce my own music today, too. The dance and the music brings us happiness and peace."

Besides Xu, Chinese Millennials are beginning to see a beauty and attraction of hip-hop. They move their bodies according to the rhythm of the music. Their faces react to the songs. For them, it's an exciting act of expression.

Xu and his team are tapping into this passion for hip-hop to generate excitement about Jesus.

Bai Xue Chen, a Christ follower, has been teaching and dancing for a while.

"I have been dancing my whole life. All my skills and talents were given by Jesus. I don't want to take all the credit for my success today," said Bai.

As a dance coach, Bai has also brought the Gospel message into the studio.

"Sharing the Gospel with unbelievers can be done with many ways," he explained. "I prayed many times and asked God how I could use the talents to engage with the younger generations. He opened up this door for me. We pray together before each class. Hip-hop and Jesus are the perfect combination."

The team members believe God brought them together and equipped them with various gifts and talents.

"Sharing the stories of Jesus with the audience is challenging today," said troupe member Chen Zhi Qiang. "We have to find the right time during the teaching. And the Holy Spirit always provides the exact moments for me to tell how great our God is, what He has done in my life."

Students enjoyed what they heard and showed interests in knowing more about Jesus!

"I am 14; I am so excited to hear the stories from those teachers. Their stories about Jesus touched my heart," said one student.

Christian participants were deeply moved by the methodology of placing Jesus and hip-hop together.

"I am a Christian and a music fan," said one participant. "I can't believe the stuff they taught us. Their testimonies challenged me to be closer to God. Dance moves are awesome!"

There are only a few Christian rappers in the small town of Zhe Jiang, China. They are leading young people to something they find more fascinating and truthful.

They say they will keep rapping, keep dancing, keep singing, for one purpose — Jesus and His love for the Chinese people.

WATCH HERE: Chinese Hip-Hop

Anti-Semitic Incidents in US Rise Nearly 60% in 2017 - CBN News Tzippe Barrow

Antisemitic Rally, Ilustrative

Anti-Semitic Incidents in US Rise Nearly 60% in 2017

02-27-2018

CBN News Tzippe Barrow

JERUSALEM, Israel – A new study shows hate crimes against American Jews are hitting record levels across the United States.

According to the Anti-Defamation League's latest report, harassment, threats and vandalism targeting Jews rose by nearly 60 percent in 2017. It's the largest rise on record in a single year and the second highest since the ADL began tracking anti-Semitic incidents in America in the 1970s.

The report recorded 1,986 incidents, including bomb threats on Jewish institutions and schools, vandalism in Jewish cemeteries and physical assaults. It's the second highest number in 40 years and not one state was exempted from some type of anti-Semitic attack.

"A confluence of events in 2017 led to a surge in attacks on our community – from bomb threats, cemetery desecrations, white supremacists marching in Charlottesville and children harassing children at school," ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan A. Greenblat said. "These incidents came at a time when we saw a rising climate of incivility, the emboldening of hate groups and widening divisions in society."

Vandalism saw the largest increase in 2017, though most of the people who vandalized Jewish homes, businesses and community spots remain unidentified. In the first quarter of 2017, there were 163 bomb threats against Jewish institutions.

New York, California, New Jersey Massachusetts, Florida and Pennsylvania experienced the most attacks, presumably because they have the largest Jewish populations.

Incidents in schools from kindergarten through college campuses nearly doubled from the previous year.

"The consistent increase of anti-Semitic incidents against students of all ages is deeply troubling," Greenblatt continued. "We know that students do not always report when they are being bullied so for every incident that's reported, it is likely there's another that goes unreported.

Greenblatt said the ADL is committed to take its "No Place for Hate" program into more schools this year.

The ADL said its report includes both criminal and non-criminal incidents and was compiled from interviews with victims, law enforcement officials and community leaders.

Anne Graham Lotz Reveals the Stunning Prophetic Significance of Billy Graham's Death Date - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Anne Graham Lotz preaches at her father Billy Graham's funeral. (YouTube)

Anne Graham Lotz Reveals the Stunning Prophetic Significance of Billy Graham's Death Date

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

During her father's funeral, Anne Graham Lotz told the audience the prophetic significance behind the date of Billy Graham's death.

"When he died, that was something very strategic from heaven's point of view," Lotz said during her portion of the eulogy. "I know that before the foundations of the world were laid, Feb. 21, 2018 was the date that God chose to take my father home. Why?"

When Lotz researched the date, she discovered that Feb. 21, 2018, is the day Jews focus on the Scripture reading that deals with the death of Moses.

"Moses was the great liberator," Lotz says. "He brought millions of people out of bondage, slavery, got them to the edge of the promised land, and God took him to heaven."

After Moses' death, God raised up Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land.

"My father was also a great liberator," Lotz says. "He brought millions of people out of bondage to sin, and gets us to the edge of heaven, the edge of the promised land, and God has called him home. And could it be that God is going to bring Joshua into the promised land, lead us into heaven?"

In the New Testament, "Joshua" is translated as "Jesus."

"I believe this is a shot across the bow of heaven, and I believe God is saying, 'Wake up, church! Wake up, world! Wake up, Anne! Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming,'" Lotz says.

"Jesus said that when the gospel is preached to the whole world as it is today in this service, as it is through churches, missionaries, ministries, Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, 'When the gospel is preached, then the end will come.'"

After her eulogy-turned-sermon, Twitter was ablaze with praise for the woman Graham called the best preacher in the family.

Jessilyn Justice @jessilynjustice is the director of online news for Charisma.

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Friday, March 2, 2018

'Heartbeat Bill' Makes Huge Pro-Life Statement in This State - CBN NEWS

The Iowa Senate took a big step for pro-lifers. (Getty Images )

'Heartbeat Bill' Makes Huge Pro-Life Statement in This State

3/2/2018 CBN NEWS

A bill that bans abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat has just successfully made it through the Iowa Senate.

The "heartbeat bill" passed 30-20 Wednesday along Republican party lines.

A heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy, and this legislation would only allow abortions after that point to save a pregnant woman's life.

"Senate File 2281 gets at the very heart and soul of what it means to be an American, of what it means to be a person," state Sen. Amy Sinclair told the Des Moines Register.

The bill also states that a doctor who performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected and without a medical emergency could be charged with a Class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen called it "unfathomable" that the bill would not make exceptions in cases of rape or incest.

"There are no other provisions in Iowa code that say an Iowan cannot access medical care unless it is to prevent death," she said. "Under this Republican bill, you would force a child rape victim to have a baby, no matter how young she is. That is unfathomable."

Sinclair, the bill's sponsor, argued it's about protecting life, recalling hearing her son's heartbeat for the first time on an ultrasound and hearing her father's heartbeat fade as he died.

"In each of those cases I knew the heartbeat or the lack of one was the indication of another human being's life," Sinclair said. "Your government should actively support you and all other individuals with a beating heart in that very same endeavor."

The bill moves to the Iowa House next.

If the measure becomes law, it will likely face legal challenges from opponents who argue it violates US Supreme Court rulings that affirm women have a legal right to abortion.