Pastor Warren Asks SBC to Return to Their Roots; Remember, Repent, Return to Things We Did First

 Pastor Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church, announced yesterday the release of a third video in his series, "SBC at the Crossroads," in which he addresses the decline of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) , the Religion News Service website reports today (June 9, 2023). 

Available at SBCStand.com, Warren challenges that when you observe and listen to Baptists today, it's clear that many are unfamiliar with the roots of the denomination.

Warren urges Southern Baptists to "remember, repent, and return to the things we did at first."

Father, Son Killed in High School Grad Shooting; Five Others Injured in Shooting, 2 Suspects Held

An 18 -year-old, who just graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University campus high school in Richmond, and his father were killed in a shooting yesterday, the Yahoo News website reports today (June 7, 2023).  

Tameeka Jackson-Smith told NBC News  her son, Shawn Jackson and her husband, Renzo Smith, 36, were killed in the shooting, which left five others injured, according to police. 

The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, faces two counts of second-degree murder, Richmond's interim police chief, Rick Edwards, said at a news conference. A second person who was taken into custody was also involved, he said. 

Chris Christie Jumps into 2024 Presidential Race;Ran in GOP 2016 Race, Quit Early Due to Poor NH Showing

Former N.J. Governor and 2016 presidential candidate Chris Christie filed his paperwork today for another White House bid, The Hill website reports today (June 6, 2023). 

Christie suspended his last campaign in February 2016 after finishing sixth in the N.H. primary.

Despite having been allied with Trump at times in the past, Christie has become a harsh critic.

Have You Considered Doing Missionary Work? Many Resources Exist to Guide You in the Process

 If you are considering doing missionary work, but don't know where to start, there are many resources available to guide you in the process, the Christian Post website reports today (June 5, 2023).

Health care can be a challenging piece to the  puzzle, but Medi-Share can help.

Medi-Share believes you shouldn't have  to sacrifice your health care wile serving overseas. It offers affordable, reliable solutions to missionary members, and can save up to 50% or more on their health care costs both at home and internationally.

Christians in Syria Risk Turkey Genocide Attacks; Turkey Tries to Kill All Christians, Kurds in Syria

 Christians in Syria continue to face "genocidal" attacks not only from jihadists inside the country, but also from Islamist-affiliated ,NATO member Turkey, the Worthy News website reports today (June 3, 2023). 

The NGO Genocide Watch issued a Genocide Emergency  Alert  after Turkey carried out attacks against Kurds and Christians in northern Syria last November. 

"These military attacks by Recep Tayyip Erdogan's regime are part of a wider Turkish policy of annihilation of the Kurdish and Assyrian (Christian) people in northern Syria and Iraq," Genocide Watch said.

Drop in Antisemitism in Europe May Be Due to Zelensky; Recent Survey Shows He May Affect Antisemitic Cut

 A new survey measuring antisemitic attitudes across 10 European countries, includes a surprising finding, the Religion News website reports today(June 2, 2023)

.As arguably the world's most famous Jew, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may also be contributing to a decline in antisemitic attitudes not only in Ukraine but also in neighboring Poland to the west, and Russia to the east.

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In the Eastern European countries of Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia, where vicious stereotypes of Jews have historically been higher, there was a marked decrease in antisemitic attitudes since 2019, when the survey was last fielded. 

Pope Slams Birth Control, IVF in New Family Compact; Upset Italy's Birthrate Has Declined

While maintaining its stance against IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), the Vatican issued a new document May 30, 2023, sounding an alarm about declining birth rates and touting alternatives to methods of artificial reproduction the church sees as morally unacceptable, the Crux website reports.

The text also reiterates the Church's traditional opposition to contraception, despite  speculation in some quarters that Pope Francis might be rethinking the teaching of St. Paul VI in his 1968 encyclical "Humanae Vitae" condemning artificial birth control.

Called the Global Family Compact, the document is an initiative of the Political Academy of Social Sciences and the Vatican's Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life consisting of four main action points, and was accompanied by a message from Pope Francis.