Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
In today's edition:
Dr. Henry Morris Is Home with the Lord
After a series of minor strokes in recent weeks, Dr. Henry Morris, founder and president of the Institute for Creation Research was peacefully ushered into the presence of his Creator, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, February 25, around 6:30 p.m. He was 87 years old. Henry Morris was considered the "father of the Modern Creation Movement," authoring well over sixty books on Biblical Creationism, Scientific Creationism and commentaries on the Bible. His most recent work was the New Defenders Study Bible (released last month) which contained several thousand additional annotations. Dr. Morris was a brilliant scholar and theologian who was used by God in many marvelous ways to launch and encourage the Modern Creation Movement on a global scale. But for those who had the privilege of working with Henry Morris, he was a gentle, humble and faithful servant of God who modeled what it means to finish well as he consistently looked unto Jesus and ran with patience the race that was set before him (Hebrews 12:1-2). Plans for a memorial service are being arranged for Thursday, March 2 at
Blackaby Challenges N.C. Baptists to Answer God's Call
Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God, spoke with characteristic certainty about what it means to be called of God during the North Carolina Baptist Men annual convention and missions conference February 24-25. According to the Biblical Recorder, Blackaby focused on John 15:16: "You did not choose God, but God chose you." Blackaby said Christians should not seek to "discuss things" with God when sensing His call, but to simply obey, remembering that God is God and they are not. Thousands have "cancelled the call of God in their lives because things didn't work out," Blackaby said. God knows all the circumstances of our lives, and may even cause some of them for the purpose of bringing us to Him, Blackaby said, citing several personal experiences. In a second sermon, Blackaby said a significant prayer life is essential for those who want to be more like Jesus. "The average Christian is trying to be like Jesus, but we can't do that," he said. Christ must live out His own life in us, thus our job is to let Christ live in us, not just try to be like Jesus. That must come through prayer, he said. Prayer has significance beyond our own lives, Blackaby said. Whatever happens in the nation will be the direct result of the prayers of its people, he said. If we don't see our prayers answered, it is evidence that we have departed from God.
New International Inter-Agency Website for
A new website dedicated to mobilizing and facilitating prayer for
Communication Resources, a leading publisher of communication materials for churches, announces the launch of The Wired Word, a weekly e-mailed Bible study discussion guide focusing on a wide variety of current events — from new movies, TV programs and contemporary culture to natural disasters, war and much more. The service is designed to help adult Sunday school teachers and small group leaders prepare stimulating lessons and discussions that link Scripture passages to topics in the news, with minimal preparation time. Each Thursday, a weekly discussion guide arrives in the recipient’s e-mail inbox, providing a brief summary of a topic in the news that week — sometimes even the same day — along with links to additional information. Then, a “big question” is put forth, challenging participants to ponder the relationship between the news event and relevant Scripture. Several Scripture verses drawn from both testaments help participants see how the news fits into a biblical context. Additional questions for consideration, along with a closing prayer, provide the discussion leader with everything needed to prepare for and conduct lively, engaging Bible study sessions that appeal to a wide variety of age groups.