CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia Beach pastor John Blanchard is stepping down from his primary pastoral duties at Rock Church International, according to a statement from the church.

The announcement came just days after 8News reported SMS between Blanchard and undercover detectives posing as a minor, as well as a report from Chesterfield police, which provided new public information about the charges against the pastor.

“We’re seeing, I guess, good progress at Rock Church,” delegate Tim Anderson of Norfolk and Virginia Beach told 8News on Thursday. “In October, [the church] reported that once the charges here are dismissed, Nolle said Pastor Blanchard here will resume full pastoral duties at the church.

About a year after his arrest in October 2021, along with more than a dozen others arrested in a sexual sting in Chesterfield County, the charges against Blanchard have been dropped. The Chesterfield County Police Department (CCPD) report noted that Commonwealth attorney Stacey Davenport cited a “lack of evidence”.

However, the majority of cases against the other people arrested during this 2021 sting are still progressing.

On Thursday, Anderson obtained Chesterfield County court records, which detailed the nature of the charges against five defendants in the sting operation. He said these individuals each pleaded guilty.

“We also know from reviewing the files of these other five that the text messages are very similar to what Pastor Blanchard did,” Anderson said. “They are not identical. I mean, these are conversations, individual conversations. But they are similar. They’re asking for “QVs” and they’re asking for things that have words similar to the ones Pastor Blanchard knew, and all of these guys ended up at the target hotel where the police did their undercover operation. »

The text messages Anderson referred to were reported by 8News last week. They showed Blanchard responding to an ad authorities said they posted on “well-known prostitution websites.”

He first asked if the prostitute was available in Richmond, to which sleuths posing as a 19-year-old replied, “I’m a baby” and suggested they meet near a mall in Chesterfield. Later in the conversation, the detectives wrote, “What did you want so I know you brought the money”, to which Blanchard replied, “Qv please.”

According to the authorities’ notes in the police report, “QV” is a brief sexual encounter.

“I’m 17 if that’s not cool, I understand,” the authorities’ text read to Blanchard.

The police report pointed out that after undercover detectives sent a text message saying he was underage, Blanchard’s response became more reserved. But authorities said the pastor continued to the meeting venue where he was arrested.

“There’s certainly no idea what a judge or jury would say about guilt or innocence because we never had that opportunity,” Anderson said. “But if 15 other people have to do this exercise, then everyone should do this exercise, and if they don’t, there must be a very good reason; not the lack of evidence, no they didn’t identify themselves as minors until he [Blanchard] was in progress. »

8News contacted the Commonwealth Prosecutor’s Office last week after obtaining the text messages and the police report. The office sent a statement to Davenport on Thursday afternoon:

The conclusion of a case by order of nolle prosequi does not have the same legal effect as a verdict of not guilty. I am unable to comment on the adequacy of public statements made by other entities regarding this matter or any other matter in which my office is involved. Cases from the Chesterfield Police Department undercover operation in October 2021, which includes this particular case, involved a Chesterfield detective posing as a 17-year-old online. The interaction between the detective and the accused in each case was different. As a result, the evidence available for use in the prosecution of each case was different and the outcome of each case was different. Some of the cases had enough evidence to support felony convictions, and some did not. As ministers of justice, prosecutors are required to individually assess the strength of the evidence provided by the police in each case. The legal standard required for an officer to obtain an arrest warrant is simply probable cause. A prosecutor must have evidence that proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to support a conviction in court, and ethically cannot press charges in a case where the evidence does not meet this standard. Although this operation did not involve any actual children, we take all such cases very seriously and are always driven by our mandate to protect the safety of our community.

Following news that the charges against Blanchard were dismissed last month, Rock Church International issued a statement praising his innocence.

“The release of the police file reveals that there is definitely something different than innocence,” Anderson said. “The idea that there’s a ‘lack of evidence’ is really hard for me to accept as a lawyer, as a state delegate, as a community-minded person. There is certainly evidence, and there was certainly evidence of probable cause.

Rock Church International sent an updated statement this week, within days of the release of the text messages and the police report:

Rock Church encourages godly lifestyles by all its members and leaders in accordance with Bible principles. The Church condemns sexual immorality of any kind and in any form by its members and leaders and, in particular, holds its leaders to a high standard of responsibility for any lifestyle choices that may negatively impact the reputation of the Church or denigrate the character of the Savior whom it claims to represent.

Rock Church is committed to honesty and integrity in dealing with accusations or accusations of sexual misconduct or immorality among its leaders and will support any investigation arising from accusations of violations of this standard among its personnel and its leaders for the purpose of finding the truth and protecting its members, church families and their children, at all times.

At the direction of our legal counsel, we cannot make any statement or comment regarding the charges against Reverend John Blanchard at this time. We are all committed to walking in integrity and truth at Rock Church International and we will continue to take steps to do so. Pastor Blanchard has voluntarily stepped down as senior pastor and from all ministry functions until the current situation is fully resolved. During this season, Bishop Anne Gimenez will act as senior pastor and share the pulpit with Pastor Robin Blanchard.

As followers of Christ, we must remember that redemption, salvation, grace, mercy, and healing are all gifts given to the children of God. Although each must face their own convictions and consequences, our mission as believers is not to condemn, but to be agents of God’s love, healing, justice and reconciliation. . (Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”) If we are to walk in eternity with Christ, our position must be one of truth, love, faith, of mercy, justice and forgiveness.

Thank you for your prayers and support. The outpouring of love was overwhelming and we appreciated everyone who reached out to cheer us on! We ask that the privacy of the Blanchard family be respected as they navigate this difficult journey together.

• Pastor Timothy Kiamah has recently caused a stir on social media after boldly claiming that new CS Aisha Jumwa practices witchcraft
• In a viral video clip, the preacher from River of God Church referenced a video of Jumwa claiming they were summoning magicians to ensure election victory.
• Pastor Ng’ang’a came to Jumwa’s defense by calling out Kiamah for weight hunting to gain social media followers

Flamboyant Nairobi preacher Pastor James Ng’ang’a took a swipe at fellow preacher Tony Kiamah.

Aisha Jumwa asks for an apology

Pastor Ng’ang’a was reacting to comments made by Kiamah in a viral video claiming that the Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa practice witchcraft.

In the video uploaded, the wealthy preacher slammed Kiamah saying he knows nothing about witchcraft or sorcery.

Read also

Mike Sonko’s Daughter Saumu Mbuvi Meets CS Aisha Jumwa, Discusses Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

He said:

“Nimeona amesema Aisha Jumwa sijui ni mrogi…ni mganga. You stupid pastor, you stupid. Sasa unauliza Aisha Jumwa nini? I wish ni mimi nikuje nikung’oe meno.”

Ng’ang’a told Kiamah that he didn’t need to talk about black magic because he was not ordained, adding that Kiamah had not been saved.

“Wewe hata hujaokoka. Umeanza kutafuta followers are on Facebook.”

Jumwa’s libel suit

On Friday, November 11, TUKO.co.ke reported that Civil Service Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa asked Kiamah to apologize or she sue for defamation.

In a viral video, Reverend Tony Kiamah of River of God Church called CS “mrogi” in reference to a 2017 video in which the then lawmaker bragged about knowing powerful witches.

In the 2017 video, he is heard calling on magicians to bring out powerful charms so that the repeat presidential election on October 26, 2017 does not happen.

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In a letter of request through her attorney Danstan Omari, Jumwa says she came across a video clip on Lee Makwiny’s Facebook page where Pastor Tony Kiamah of River of God Church was heard saying;

“At this time, the head of the civil service of this country ni Mrogi na alikua has interviewed professionals of this country, some of them in Parliament na wakapisha mrogi, Aisha Jumwa ni Mrogi, there is evidence.”

Omari says the Man of God made false claims about his client without any evidence to back up his claims.

“It is clear that you have made various spurious allegations regarding the character of our clients and this can only be construed as a reek of malice since it has not been followed up with any evidence,” Omari added.

In the formal notice filed through the law firm Musyoka Mogaka and CO, Jumwa says that she is a mother of two children who look up to her and that defaming her reputation in front of her children is unfair and unjustified.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

CNN
—

An Illinois judge has ruled that the Atlanta-area prosecutor is currently investigating the efforts of supporters of former President Donald Trump to nullify the 2020 election did not provide enough evidence to prove that an Illinois pastor had to come forward as a witness in the investigation.

Rev. Stephen Cliffgard Lee, pastor of a Lutheran church in suburban Chicago, was allegedly involved in efforts to try to pressure a Georgia election worker into falsely admitting to voter fraud in 2020, according to reports. Fulton County court documents where District Attorney Fani Willis appointed a special grand jury to consider the matter.

Kendall County, Illinois Circuit Court Judge Robert Pilmer ruled in Lee’s favor earlier this week that there was “insufficient evidence to determine that Lee was material and necessary,” according to Lee’s attorney, David Shestokas.

“There is not a shred of admissible evidence that can be used in a courtroom,” Shestokas told CNN of the certificate filed by a Fulton County Superior Court judge for Lee to appear as a witness in court. the grand jury.

“If Georgia is trying to uphold the law, I think it’s appropriate for Georgia to uphold the law. And so far, at least on the record here in Illinois, Georgia has failed to follow the law,” Shestokas said.

Pilmer’s decision gave Fulton County an additional 30 days to provide additional information or evidence to reconsider.

A spokesperson for Willis told CNN they declined to comment on Lee’s case “at this time.”

Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman called 911 after Lee knocked on the front door of her home on Dec. 15, 2020. When a police officer confronted Lee in his car, he identified himself as a pastor who was before law enforcement and said he was “working with people trying to help Ruby,” according to police body camera footage obtained by CNN. “And also get some truth to what’s going on,” Lee told the officer. Lee has not been charged with any crime.

Freeman and his daughter, who testified before the House Select Committee investigating on January 6, 2021, were among the election workers whom Trump and his campaign had targeted with baseless claims that she was counting fake mail-in ballots in Fulton County.

Willis and his team have also lost a court challenge in September to force podcaster Jacki Pick to testify when a panel of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges noted that the deadline for her subpoena had passed. But court losses in Texas and Illinois were rare defeats for Fulton County prosecutors, at least among their publicly known witnesses. Judges in various states have widely ruled that foreign witnesses must appear before the grand jury.

The Georgian probe — sparked by an hour-long phone call in January 2021 from Trump to Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking him to “find” the votes necessary for Trump to win the Peach State – has continued to expand. It now covers presentations on unsubstantiated voter fraud allegations to state lawmakers, the fake voter schemethe efforts of unauthorized persons to access the voting machines in a Georgia county and a campaign of threats and harassment against junior election officials.

The special-purpose grand jury investigating in Atlanta returned this week after a roughly month-long hiatus for the midterm elections and two attorneys with ties to Trump said they appeared as witnesses this week and answered questions.

By Katy Savage

Grace Congregational Church in Rutland has a new pulpit leader. Reverend Terry Hanley took over Nov. 1 in place of husband-and-wife team Tracy and John Weatherhogg, who left the church about two years ago after 15 years of service.

After having interim pastors, Grace launched a nationwide search for her next full-time leader last January. Hanley, 58, was one of four candidates interviewed for the job.

“I think Terry brings a deep-rooted, personal commitment to his parishioners in his role,” said Grace Council Leader Brian Kerns. “I see him as a servant leader of Grace Church.”

Hanley, who is also a psychiatric nurse, has unique experiences with ministry in Vermont, Massachusetts and California.

“It can definitely tap into how the human brain works,” Kerns said. “He has a lot of rich experience ministering in different ways.”

Hanley has a lifelong commitment to the church. He grew up in Rutland and Killington and attended the Federated Church of Castleton, where his father was deacon and treasurer and his mother was Sunday school superintendent. After earning a degree in psychiatry from the University of Vermont, Hanley moved to Boston and was eventually ordained in 1997. Hanely accepted a full-time pastoring position at three churches in Massachusetts, one of which was a of storefront. a Bible study. Hanley also founded the United Church of Christ in Massachusetts.

“It didn’t continue, but it was awesome,” Hanley said.

Hanely went to nursing school, following in the footsteps of his wife Bonnie, who is also a nurse.

“I always wanted to be like Bonnie when I was growing up,” Hanley joked. “I embrace all of the art and science of nursing. It is a noble profession that overlaps with ministry.

Hanley took his first nursing job in California in 2006 to be near his sister and became a part-time prison minister.

“It’s nice to have a meaningful job,” Hanley said. “Both of my callings are simply part of wanting to do something that matters and using the life I’ve been given.”

Hanely returned to Vermont in 2014. He returned to the same church he grew up in and became an associate pastor with the Federated Church of Castleton. Hanley has also spent the past five years working as a psychiatric nurse at Spring Lake Ranch – a therapeutic community residence in the Shrewsbury Hills that helps people with mental illness and addiction recover.

“I never stopped missing Vermont,” Hanley said. “It’s the end of the road. This is the last place we want to be. We feel very comfortable here.

Hanley is a familiar face at Grace Congregational. He has been a member for a few years and has been a guest pastor several times. Her mother is also a deacon at Grace. “

As their search process (for the new pastor) began, I thought it was a good idea to get involved,” Hanley said.

This is Hanley’s first role as a full-time pastor in 20 years. He preached for the first time as an official pastor on Sunday, November 7.

“He has a very calm and level approach to him,” Kerns said. “He weaves stories. It’s plentiful and enjoyable. I joked with him that he set the bar pretty high on his first official day of preaching.

Kerns said the church had spent the past two years evaluating its vision for the future and that Hanley was the perfect candidate.

“I think he’s going to get to know people on a more intimate basis and really just tap into the people who belong to the church and figure out how we want to grow,” Kerns said.

For Hanley, the role is a dream job.

“It’s a surprisingly large operation,” Hanley said. “There is a lot to think about, a lot to pray for. I feel like I won the lottery here.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Sunday before the Renaissance Church of God in Christ hosted the funeral of Patrick Lyoya, Bishop Dennis McMurray stood before the congregation and clarified his mission.

“He said, ‘The world is coming to see what is happening, but our responsibility is to serve the Lyoya family. That’s what we’re here to do,” recalls Parris McMurray, quoting his father’s words. “’So if you’re an usher, make sure you’re serving the Lyoya family, not cameras and lights. If you sing, be sure to sing for the Lyoya family.'”

Bishop Dennis McMurray’s counsel that day reflected his own core values.

The senior pastor, who died Wednesday of cancerwas about people, not promotion.

“Yes, the lights had to be on, Reverend Al Sharpton had to come in, absolutely. But the focus was on the Lyoya family,” Parris McMurray explained.

Indeed, from the start of the service, Dennis McMurray asked the crowd to show their support.

“Clapping expresses your love for someone,” Dennis McMurray said. “’Can we give love to our mother and our father? We love you,” he said, his eyes focusing significantly on Patrick Lyoya’s parents.

“Can you all shout with me, ‘Mom, Dad, we love you!'” he said.

‘HEY, WHAT’S UP MAN? MY NAME IS DENNIS

Parris McMurray said his father made it a point to forge a personal connection with everyone he met, regardless of circumstance or position in life.

“When he introduced himself to people (at the store) just around the corner, he would never say, ‘Hello, my name is Pastor or Bishop McMurray,’ he would say, ‘Hey, what’s up, man? My name is Dennis. What’s your name ?’ “, explained Parris McMurray. “My father had a tremendous amount of caring, empathy and concern for others.”

Parris and his brother, Auston McMurray, sat down with News 8 a day after their father’s death to talk about his life and legacy.

Dennis McMurray founded the Renaissance Church of God in Christ in 1992.

Dennis McMurray was a ‘dynamic preacher and gospel teacher,’ his biography on the church website says.

The Muskegon Heights native served as an administrative assistant to the Bishop of the Western Michigan Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, conducted seminars and was a motivational speaker.

In October, Dennis McMurray was honored for his social activism and leadership for social change in the region with the GIANT award among giants. He has served on the Michigan Community Corrections Board, the National Board of Bethany Christian Services, Kent County Community Mental Health, and the Spectrum Health Executive Patient & Advisory Board. He has previously been honored with the GIANT Award for Religious Life and the Who’s Who Award in Black Grand Rapids by the Black Chamber of Commerce in Detroit.

He and his wife, First Lady E. Jean McMurray, recently celebrated their 36th birthday.

They met while students at Grand Valley State University and were blessed with three children, two boys: Parris and Auston, and a girl, ChaVon.

The Renaissance Church of God in Christ has just celebrated its 30th anniversary.

“He lived his life out loud, but not from a self-gain perspective. It was from a perspective of self-sacrifice. He gave himself to literally every person he met,” Parris McMurray said.

It was about a month after Lyoya’s funeral, Dennis McMurray’s sons said they began to notice a deficit in their father’s physical strength.

Dennis McMurray, 63, was soon diagnosed with a rare cancer.

He died on Wednesday, five months after the cancer was discovered.

His sons told News 8 that funeral arrangements would be announced soon.

As committed as Dennis McMurray was to serving people inside and outside the church, his sons say he was equally dedicated to his role as husband, father and grandfather.

‘GOD, FAMILY, COMMUNITY’

“He was a family man,” said his son, Auston McMurray. “It was God, family, community. He was completely present inside our house, and completely present outside our house. He had this duality of care that was unparalleled.

His sons say their father was able to give 110% in all areas of his life thanks to his level of organization and attention to detail.

“So organized. So well thought out and strategic in everything he did,” said Parris McMurray.

Dennis McMurray’s commitment to the family was exemplified on the day of Lyoya’s funeral, which coincided with a long-planned special event at his grandson’s school.

“My eldest son celebrated Grandparents Day at school that morning and (Bishop McMurray) said to everyone, ‘Give me 45 minutes.’ So he and his assistant went to my son’s school, spent 30 minutes, drank some punch, had a cookie and said “OK”. have a nice day. Paw Paw loves you,” Parris McMurray said.

In addition to his focus on family, church, and community, Dennis McMurray was a leader among urban pastors in Grand Rapids, particularly over the past three years as the community grappled with the COVID-19 quarantine, a 2020 summer riot and the April police murder of Patrick Lyoya.

“He was the driving force in keeping urban clergy connected. Late night zooms. Early morning zooms,” said Reverend Jerry Bishop of Life Quest, an urban church that describes itself as goal-oriented and performance-based ministry.

‘ENCOURAGE CONSUMED’

Bishop called Dennis McMurray “consummate encouragement”.

After learning of her death, Bishop said he spent 90 minutes reviewing the couple’s text exchanges.

“Over 90% of the text messages he sent me were just encouraging me. … Encouragement not to reduce my passion. Encouragement to stay connected. That was really what a lot of my pastoral colleagues needed during the three years, arguably among the darkest hours for our community. The uncertainty of COVID, the crisis and calamities during the riots, potential unrest in the days and weeks after the death of Patrick Lyoya,” said he declared.

Bishop has worked closely with him over the past few years, getting to know his mentor and friend on a deeper level.

“(Dennis McMurray) said something to me that still resonates,” Bishop recalled. “He said, ‘I’m going to get to know what makes you tick the way you do.'”

Bishop said McMurray’s death should remind people that “tomorrow is not promised.”

“I really believe in this transition season from Dennis; it should awaken many of us servants of the community to love (and) live better,” he said.

‘TELL THEM NOW’

Parris and Auston McMurray told News 8 that their father encourages people to fully accept their emotions.

“What we learned from him was to experience emotions and not be afraid, not get into this idea that men don’t cry,” Parris McMurray explained. “Cry. Feel the emotion. Cry tears of joy, tears of sadness. Either way, make sure you feel your emotions fully.

The brothers passed on their mother’s response to a neighbor who, upon learning of the pastor’s death, asked how he could help.

“My mom just said, ‘Pay it forward. Pay it forward, wherever you go, wherever you walk, every place you occupy, pay it forward: that same care and that same concern. …If there’s someone you need to tell you love, tell them right away. If there is someone you need to apologize to, apologize to them right away, be fully present and leave no stone unturned,” said Parris McMurray.

— Anna Skog of News 8 contributed to this report.

LIMA – In March 2020, government officials nationwide announced a lockdown that shook the country’s foundations. Schools moved to Zoom meetings; doctor’s appointments have become telehealth; and some churches have been asked to worship outdoors.

Gathering places across the region felt the tremor. Despite all the questions, many have found hope in an unseen substance: faith.

Now, two years later, believers have been reminded of the start of the pandemic and what life is like after.

test of faith

New Life Christian Ministries, led by Pastor Damian Tibbs, said many believers have experienced a test of faith like never before. He said that for many, the pandemic has revealed where their level of faith really is. Was their faith really greater than any fear?

“Some thought they lived by faith, but fear got the better of them,” Tibbs said. “I would say that kind of exposed the true level of faith of those who follow Christ, and that’s what fear does. Fear is a test of faith. We will all experience fear because we are not immune to it, but depending on your level of faith, this is how you will react.

Pastor Janet Wend, of Cornerstone Church Lima, said her church continues to share the message of Jesus Christ. Church leaders pointed their congregation to Jesus in the midst of any fear they might face.

“He told us that in this life we ​​will have tribulations, but rest assured, I have overcome the world,” Wend said. “We were constantly pointing people to Jesus and their faith in him. If you keep your eyes on Him, you will remain at peace.

The transition

When lockdowns were in effect, many switched to online church. According to Father Matt Keller, pastor of St. John’s Catholic Church in Glandorf, believers felt confused and hurt. Community members began to fail to come together and express their faith in God.

Churches like In Faith Ministries resumed meeting as soon as they could. Pastor Michael Lyons said they have made the necessary accommodations as they begin to meet again.

“The Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God,” Lyons said. “What we hear is what we tend to believe. We kept hearing how dangerous and deadly COVID was. That’s what people started to believe. My job was to let people know what God was saying.

faith over fear

A few local churches continued to meet during the pandemic and after, to be a safe place for those seeking answers.

Anástasis Church, led by Tyler and Hannah Perry, opened its doors eight months after closing. On November 1, 2020, the Perrys opened their doors to anyone wishing to worship.

Tyler shared that his congregation has grown and found hope in his faith throughout the pandemic. Community members felt thrilled to come together again after months of isolation. The pandemic has raised the fears of many buried or unrecognized people. The Perrys preached the message of peace and hope in Jesus Christ.

Anástasis Church took precautions but did not close the doors to those in need of belonging. Perry said the pandemic has created a lot of questions in many people’s hearts often wondering what’s next or how things will go. He has found that many have found healing, peace and hope after embracing a relationship with Jesus.

“I saw people who already knew God lean on Him even more,” Perry said. “Then I saw new people coming to faith in God. For people who already had faith, it got even stronger and people who didn’t have faith started exploring it. So many fear reigned during the pandemic.For Christians, faith is still the only option.

new believers

After a real storm in life, people start to assess where they are. After the pandemic, some believers experienced new depths in relying more on their faith, and some decided to believe again.

“One of the things that we found really cool is that the majority of our church grew not only from Christians who were looking for space, but also from people who were trying to figure out who God is,” Perry said. “We saw a lot of new converts to Christianity or people who grew up in church and didn’t really have a place.”

Mary Deringer of Wapak Church said just before the pandemic their senior pastor shared a message titled “This changes everything”.

“If we really put our faith in the resurrection, it really changes the trajectory of our lives,” Deringer said.

The previous message simply prepared the congregation for what was to come before they even knew it. Deringer said he noticed a significant increase in the number of believers, new and old.

To advance

Now that the churches are coming together fully again, many are beginning to live again after the storm, leaning on the one thing that has kept them above it all. Perry encouraged people to hold on to faith even in the temptation of fear.

“Having an emotion of fear isn’t bad,” Perry said. “But God didn’t design us to live in fear. He wants us to experience his peace and give up our control and give up the desire to dictate the outcome. The best way to find peace is to open our hands and say, “God, you do what you want to do in my life, whether it’s this pandemic or whether it’s our own personal battles or struggles.” My advice would be to relax, pray, and trust the One who knows what you need before you even ask.

New Life Christian Ministries hopes to continue to be a light and a shine to help those who face a trial or obstacle.

“The key is to show people he’s what we’ve been missing from the start,” Tibbs said.

Contact Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.

OAK PARK, Ill. (RNS) – A conference on the future of the country’s greatest religious tradition began with a bit of honesty. “Nobody knows exactly what an evangelical is,” said Joel Lawrence, executive director of the Center for Pastor Theologians, at the opening of the Reconstructing Evangelicalism conference on Monday, October 24.

The conference, which drew about 400 pastors and other church leaders to Calvary Memorial Church in suburban Chicago, was inspired by a recent trend among evangelicals and other Protestants to “deconstruct” the faith with which they have grown – examining core beliefs and often rejecting the conservative politics, sexism and racial divides for which evangelicalism has become known.

The question “What is an evangelical?” led to a lively, thoughtful, and sometimes pointed conversation during the conference’s opening panel on movement flaws and how to fix them.

Doug Sweeney, dean of Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, admitted that for much of the American public, the word evangelical is synonymous with MAGA-style politics. “That wouldn’t be one of my favorite characteristics,” said Sweeney, who argued that “evangelical” should relate more to theology than politics.

Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, who spoke in plenary on Monday evening, defined evangelicalism as a political and consumer culture. She said she’s long wondered if the most important thing to ask is, “Who isn’t an evangelical?”

“Who decides that? ” she asked.

Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, academic dean of Esperanza College in Philadelphia, said theological scrutiny among evangelicals is often “pretty ruthless.” Evangelical Christians from Latin America or other parts of the church outside the United States, she said, are largely ignored by American evangelical pastors.

“Why don’t you know their names?” she asked pastors at the conference. “Why don’t you quote them in your sermons? »

Condé-Frazier argued that any reconstruction of evangelicalism must include a more solid understanding of human sin. While evangelicals often focus on personal sin, they tend to miss how power can be abused by sinful church leaders or movements.

“Sin turns into a monster when you have power,” she said.

Malcolm Foley, who directs the Black Church Studies program at Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas, has advocated for a militant form of evangelism, which combines evangelism with social action. “It’s the only evangelism I think is worth talking about,” he said.

At the same time, Foley was skeptical about whether the word “evangelical” could be saved or reconstructed.

“The work and energy we would invest in reclaiming this term could also be used to love our neighbors,” he said. “Instead of needing to reclaim the term, just be people of the gospel. Be people who will invest in deep spiritual, economic, and physical solidarity as a church. They can call you what they If you live a life that testifies of the kingdom of God, I don’t care what you call me.

Sweeney countered that he was not yet ready to give up evangelism. A self-described “evangelical Lutheran” and member of a group called Lutheran Congregations on Mission for Christ, Sweeney summoned an image of the interfaith movement that evangelicalism aspires to be and which he said he hopes to continue to be a part of.

Yet if evangelism is to be rebuilt, various panelists said, it must be done with humility. Some evangelicals, several panelists said, see their movement as the last hope for Christianity in the world — an idea the panelists rejected.

In an interview ahead of his speech, Du Mez said many pastors at the conference want to be true to their beliefs and lead their congregations well — but outside cultural forces make that difficult.

“It’s a tough time to be a pastor,” she said.

Du Mez’s vision of evangelicalism as a consumer culture is based on observing churches growing by giving people what they want, which has recently included scorching conservative politics and culture war rhetoric. . Leaders who attempt to address racism, sexism or other social justice issues are pushed back from within the church and from social media.

She pointed the finger at evangelicals like Beth Moore, a popular Bible teacher who has been unwelcome at the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest evangelical group, for speaking out against sexism and abuse in the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

“If you step out of line, you will be punished,” Du Mez said.

Du Mez said many pastors are good-hearted and have a clear understanding of theology. But they often lack an understanding of the larger cultural factors that affect the country and their churches.

“One of my favorite virtues is the virtue of wisdom or prudence – understanding how the world works,” she said. “So when you pursue your goals, you do so in a way that will pay off. Because if you don’t properly understand how the world works, then good luck trying to live faithfully trying to bring about positive change. .

Lawrence said the conference, which continues through Wednesday and is be broadcast online, aims to spark respectful conversations about Christianity, its challenges, and the possibility of change.

“It’s not good for any of us if we don’t have these conversations,” he said.

Old and new street pastors in Torbay and South Devon were recognised.

It has been a long time coming for them with Covid delaying the appointment of new pastors and celebrating those who have now reached their 10th birthday.

The event was organized by Torbay coordinator Gill Hayllor, assisted by Newton Abbot coordinator Dixie Kendall-Dunn.

Guest speakers included Torbay MP Kevin Foster and Torbay Council Leader Steve Darling who have previously lived Saturday evenings with Torbay pastors as observers.

There were over 14 special people who received their 10 year certificates and awards. The last commissioning dates back to 2019.

The evening ended with a special award for retired coordinator Trevor Staverley who earlier this year also received the MBE for his work with pastors and other charities.

Pastors are back on the streets, despite some local rumors that Covid killed them – a Saturday night is never over until at least one unconscious person is taken to hospital because their drink was spiked or that someone has experimented with alcohol and some kind of drug.

A spokesperson said: ‘Rough sleepers are also being helped. I was in Newton Abbot one night and met five homeless people – the most I’ve seen in one night for over a year. We then look for a hot drink for them.

She added, “Young people love pastors. In the 10 years that I have been a pastor, I have never received abuse, just love, respect and thanks for all that we do.

“They are amazed that we are volunteers and don’t get paid for what we do, and that most of us are grandparents and seek to help where we can, because one of the people vulnerable could be our grandchildren.

“If we go home helping just one person get home safely, we also go home knowing we did a good job and are happy to be there.”

SUMTER, SC (WIS) — Churches across the country are tax-exempt, but that exemption comes with rules.

A WIS viewer has contacted the station to raise concerns about an Oct. 9 service at Jehovah’s Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter.

YouTube published by the church video shows Pastor Marion Newton discussing the importance of the vote during her announcements. After 30 minutes of the video, he then references a brochure. He said:

“I asked the ushers to distribute this leaflet on behalf of Citizens for Progress, it was this organization that was very active when the school board was not where we wanted to be. These are the names of the people we support. Of course, you have the freedom to vote however you want to vote. If you live in one of these zones, these 9 zones, and we have the candidate per zone. Please take one and let us put people on the board who care about our children and not personal means, okay? »

The viewer forwarded an email to WIS containing the flyer that appeared to be from the church. It features the names of nine candidates vying for the nine open seats on the Sumter County School Board, endorsed by Citizens for Progress.

Attempts to contact Citizens for Progress were unsuccessful.

IRS the regulations state that churches can educate voters and encourage voting, but pastors cannot promote candidates at official meetings.

An IRS spokesperson declined to comment on the situation.

University of South Carolina political science department chair Kirk Randazzo said churches of all political persuasions have become more active in recent years.

“Churches are increasingly mobilized and engaged in politics and as someone who studies the Constitution, the notion that there is a separation of church and state is something that goes back to the founding fathers and seeing churches of whatever ideology push those boundaries, that’s kind of disappointing to me,” he said.

WIS showed the video to Randazzo.

“This is, I think, an example, albeit a very serious one, of churches across the ideological spectrum toeing the line when it comes to the separation of church and state,” he said. .

Newton told WIS he would need to speak to his attorney before commenting.

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Copyright 2022 WIS. All rights reserved.

The pastor of a church in Ormond Beach said surveillance video captured two people who had recently broken into their mailbox and stolen church donations and bills, the second time the mailbox to the church letters would have been damaged for weeks.

Surveillance video shows a brown-colored van pull up to the parking lot of Providence Church and pull up in front of the mailbox. Senior Pastor Tim Mann said the van was parked outside the mailbox for 10 to 12 minutes and eventually two people – a woman and a child, he said – got out of the van. The woman manages to open the mailbox, takes what’s inside, then leaves.

Ormond Beach Police confirmed they received a report regarding the damaged mailbox and stolen donations.

Pastor Mann said donations to the church were taken, along with bills. He said it was the second time their mailbox had been damaged in weeks. The first time, which happened in September, their surveillance cameras malfunctioned, but the second time it was caught on video.

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“After that, we put two heavy-duty security locks on the mailbox,” he said.

Pastor Mann said he reported the theft to the US Department of Mail Fraud and local law enforcement. He said he shared the video to hopefully identify the people in the video and to also alert the community to recent thefts.

During the Georgia Senate debate on Friday night, GOP candidate Herschel Walker denied the recent allegations that he paid for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion, and he challenged “pro-choice pastor” and incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock to reconcile the state’s high black abortion rate with his support for ” Black Lives Matter”.

“He told me Black Lives Matter,” Walker said of his opponent. “There are more black babies aborted than anything, so if black lives matter, why don’t you protect those babies?”

Walker was invited to address the explosive reportpublished by the daily beast last week from an unnamed woman who claimed that Walker paid for the abortion of a child they conceived together. “It’s a lie,” he said, before turning to Warnock’s unabashed support for abortion. Walker has repeatedly stated that he is pro-life. However, last week his son christian walker took to the internet to proclaim he was ‘done with lies’, condemning his father as a hypocrite for claiming to be a ‘family man’ even though he allegedly abandoned him as a child.

When asked if he would support any abortion restrictions, Warnock ducked and doubled down on his position. slogan defending the so-called right to choose: “A patient’s room is too small a place for a woman, her doctor, and the US government.” Warnock accused the “extremist Supreme Court” of stripping women of this essential freedom overnight.

Walker countered that his rival “didn’t mention there was a baby in that room as well.” Warnock’s analogy is further flawed, Walker argued, because he advocates government intervention to subsidize abortion at the federal level. “He’s asking the government to pay for it, so he’s bringing the government back into the room,” Walker said.

“I have a deep respect for life and a deep respect for choice,” Warnock said. He is a self-proclaimed “pro-choice pastor,” a position that many Christians find contradictory. Along with Republican Senator Marco Rubio, Warnock said he was a champion of life pushing legislation to tackle maternal mortality.

The story continues

Meanwhile, he accused Walker of being in favor of an outright ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. “I think it’s extreme,” Warnock said. However, the former NFL football player pointed out that Georgia pro life lawwhich prohibits abortion after fetal heart rate was detected, includes such exceptions.

Moderators asked Warnock to respond to a particular comment he made recently at a campaign rally when he was talking about abortion. “Even God gave us a choice,” he told the crowd. Without specifying during Friday’s debate, he reiterated: “Obviously God has given us a range of choices.”

The subject then turned to a recent report from Free Washington Beacon that Warnock Church owned a low-income building that forced out tenants for small unpaid rents during the pandemic, when many poor people struggled to find jobs and keep their homes. Walker repeated his recent pledge to “pay” the debts of residents allegedly evicted by the Ebenezer Baptist Church. “He won’t respond about kicking people out of the church,” Walker said.

“We did not evict these tenants”, Warnock insured the audience.

“It’s written in the newspaper!” . . . Senator, you did it! It’s good to tell the truth. Do not bear false witness! Walker replied. Warnock Church also reportedly paid him a housing allowance of $7,400 a month. The church owns 99% of the property that would have evicted the residents.

The couple also answered questions about election integrity laws, specifically the law that was passed in Georgia in 2021 and was immediately tagged the new “Jim Crow” by the Democrats. Recalling the record turnout for African Americans in 2022 after the law was enacted, Warnock insisted, “There is no doubt that SB 202 makes it harder to vote. He said the law makes it difficult for voters, especially minorities, to “use drop boxes” and shortens registration times. Walker responded that “SB 202 made it easier to vote and harder to cheat”.

Walker confirmed he does not believe the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. “President Biden won and Senator Warnock won, which is why I decided to run,” he said.

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Being a pastor is hard work. You are essentially running a small business in which you are expected to navigate the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of a multiracial, multigenerational, and multisociocultural collective of people who look to you for wisdom and guidance. It’s hard.

It’s so hard, in fact, that pastors shouldn’t be looking for ways to make it harder for themselves. But that’s what Fairview Baptist Church youth pastor Cory Wall decided to do anyway by distribution a sticker that reads “I ❤️ sexy youth pastors”.

My best friend lives in South Carolina and sent me this SS from her local mothers group and I…can’t. pic.twitter.com/Z3iw4bE8c1

— emily petrini (@emilykmay) October 6, 2022

Good grief. You know, with all the scrutiny over pastors over the past few years following numerous sex abuse scandals that have plagued many denominations, you’d think youth pastors would be very careful about this sort of thing. . In a lengthy blog post, Wall said he was just trying to poke fun at something called the “I ❤️ Hot Mom” ​​culture, which raises more questions than answers.

Initially, the church responded to the growing backlash via a private email, in which church leaders said Wall “understands this shouldn’t have been shared with the students,” which, well, , yes. We hope.

But in a follow-up message shared on social media, the church announced that Wall had been placed on administrative leave while a “thorough and complete” investigation took place. “We take this matter very seriously and want to be proactive as we move forward,” the post read. “Our primary goal is to always make our campus a safe place for everyone who attends.”

There’s a lot going on here. To name a few: A general church culture that often uplifts traditionally attractive people; the goofy antics of youth groups in which shock value and silliness are sometimes seen as substitutes for genuine spiritual growth; and a Christian culture that has sought to control American sexuality while neglecting its own safeguards. It looks like Fairview is trying to take this seriously, as it should. But deep introspection extends far beyond a single youth pastor or even a single church building.

The Dart – Pastor: “I like to see things grow”

Posted at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 9, 2022

A man and his son worked to pick up leaves and members from the Central Baptist Church parking lot near Meadowbrook Drive, near where The Dart landed on Thursday afternoon. Dressed in a t-shirt, blue jeans and a baseball cap, Ryan Thurman took a moment to rest in the shade and sit down on a sidewalk.

He was born in New Orleans but moved to Brookhaven when he was three years old. His family had roots in Brookhaven. Vacation Bible School is where he was born again when he made the decision to follow Jesus at the age of seven.

An alumnus of Brookhaven Academy, he went to Copiah-Lincoln Community College before going to William Carey University in Hattiesburg with his high school sweetheart Amanda Mitchell, now Thurman. She graduated in teaching and has been teaching for 20 years.

Ryan took a different path. He was led by the Lord to work in ministry and started as a youth pastor in 2003. He received his master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and worked as a student pastor at First Baptist Church McComb. Then in 2007 he was called back to Brookhaven and Central Baptist Church.

“I grew up in church and I grew up in a Christian home. I actually went to that church when it was still on North Jackson Street at the time,” he said. “I felt the call of the Lord at the age of 14 to serve. I followed him. I first ran away but gave up my freshman year at Co-Lin and followed him. continued since. I did not choose the ministry, it chose me.

Her son Mitchell Ryan Thurman was helping her clean around the church on Thursday and her daughter Ashlyn is 17. Her two children are enrolled in schools in Brookhaven. Each day, his walk begins with being faithful and obedient to the Lord, to his family as a godly husband and father, and to his flock.

His role with the church is to help equip the saints for ministry, Ephesians 4:11-12. The grace of God saved him and it is the same grace that allows him to be a pastor. People may not realize that pastoral duties lie behind the church pulpit on Sunday mornings.

Thurman said he was involved in the lives of people at his church. This could be by meeting them during the week over coffee. It’s a job that has no set hours and he’s always looking for better ways to serve.

Although seminary schooling helps, a person does not need to have a degree in religion or theology to serve others. He said God works in life to train and equip.

“A minister is perfectly prepared because he is going. The best teacher is the Holy Spirit when you follow the leading of the Lord He will teach and train,” he said.

In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors and fishing. A garden at home is where he spends his time six months a year, as he enjoys growing, cooking and eating vegetables.

“I like to see things grow. I think there’s a connection between gardening and watching things grow and watching people grow and how God makes us grow,” Ryan said. He is the master gardener. When we get to heaven as he calls us home, we will continue to work but it will be work of pleasure and joy. The correlation between watching things grow and enjoying the fruits of it often reminds me of how it makes us grow.

Although he enjoys gardening and the outdoors, people are the greatest creation created in the image of God, he said. The nature and the gardens will not last but her relationship with God and her Christian family will.

“The greatest investment as a man is in my family and this congregation. He will live long after my years,” he said. “When God calls you into a church to serve, you go there to stay. and you plant roots and develop relationships. I have been here for 15 years and He has not led me to pursue another field. We have had our ups and downs as a church and moved to this campus 12 years ago. We have seen victories and he has provided us every step of the way. It is a wonderful congregation. He blessed us. I’m blessed to be the pastor here.

albertaa province in western Canada, has created a new immigration pathway for Nigerian religious workers to gain permanent residency in Canada.

This was revealed in a press release from the Province of Alberta titled “New Immigration Pathway for Religious Workers.”

In making this change, Alberta will join other provinces in expanding its provincial immigration program to accept applications from religious leaders who meet the pastoral and spiritual needs of their communities.

What they say

The statement said: “Religious professional newcomers are now eligible to apply under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, Alberta Express Entry Stream and Rural Renewal Stream to work with religious organizations and settle permanently in the province.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said religion is crucial to his community. He said, “Religious faith is central to the lives of many Albertans. The spiritual health of our society is driven by diverse faith communities, all of which share a commitment to serving the common good, especially the most vulnerable.

He added that “the worship of many faith communities depends on clergy and religious workers from abroad, but so far there has been no clear path for religious workers to gain residency in Alberta. These changes will align Alberta with the policies of several other provinces and underscore the critical role religious workers play in the health of Alberta communities.

Kaycee Madu, the Minister of Labor and Immigration, reiterated the importance of religion in the provision.

He said, “Many cultural communities in Alberta rely on spiritual leadership to help them maintain their connection to their roots and prepare for future challenges. Facilitating the coming of spiritual leaders to Alberta is an important step in recognizing the needs of immigrants and helping them settle in our province.

What you should know

• If they meet the requirements, Nigerian religious workers can apply for the program through the Alberta Opportunity Stream, the Rural Renewal Stream or the Alberta Express Entry Stream.
• The Alberta Opportunity Stream is for temporary foreign employees already working in Alberta who have a full-time job offer in a suitable occupation from an Alberta company.
• Individuals with a community-supported job offer to work in one of Alberta’s Designated Rural Towns are eligible for the Rural Renewal Stream.
• The Alberta Express Entry Stream allows Alberta to nominate suitable candidates from the federal Express Entry system who have strong ties to Alberta or who work in an occupation that contributes to the economic development and diversification of the province.

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Ken and Traci Saunders’ two long-haired Chihuahuas are an important part of their family. Riley, 11, is black and white and acts like an energetic pup despite his age, while Rosco, 6, is light brown and more temperamental.

As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Hampton, the couple wanted their pets blessed at the church they have frequently attended since moving to the Pittsburgh area in 2006 after retiring from the military .

“We are faithful members of the church and the love our pets show us, especially when I come home from work and they are so excited, that’s why we love our pets so much,” said said Ken Saunders.

On October 1, the Reverend Jennifer Soltis, the pastor of the church, blessed half a dozen dogs to celebrate the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of creation and animals. The church also collected bags of pet food, treats and litter to donate to Animal Friends of Pittsburgh’s Chow Wagon pet food bank.

While Soltis said attendance was lower than normal due to the rain, she was still glad people showed up to thank their dogs. This is the second time she has performed the blessing at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Nativity, but she has done so before at other churches she has served. At a rural church, Soltis added that she once blessed a pet goat and rabbit.

“We have it to give thanks for creation and give thanks to God for our animals, especially our pets who are very dear to us,” Soltis said. “And just to thank our pets because pets mean a lot to people.”

Soltis first led a prayer, thanking all creatures “who feed and serve us and those who befriend, enrich, entertain and protect us.” She also thanked God for pets, vets, vet techs, animal shelters and adoption organizations.

“Help us to be true friends with all animals and to know that we are all creatures of your love,” she said.

Soltis then blessed each dog individually, including Riley, Rosco, a border collie, a husky and even a photo of someone’s dog.

“We’ve been coming to church here for years, and missed the last pet blessings, so we wanted to make sure we came today,” Traci Saunders said.

Please come join us at the relevant Christian Baptist Church on October 2, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. as we celebrate the 22nd birthday of our Pastor and First Lady, the Reverend and Mrs. William O. Hickman III.

The Reverend Rosetta Stewart, pastor of First Baptist Church, Covington will be the guest pastor and the choir of Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church will provide the music for this celebration.

Reverend Stewart was the daughter of the late Deaconess Leatha Stewart and the late Deacon Dennie Stewart. She was educated in the Covington public school system, graduating from Covington High School (Class of 1968) and the former Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (Class of 1970. After leaving Covington, Reverend Stewart graduated her bachelor’s degree in psychology (class of 1975), a master’s degree in international relations (class of 1981), and completed her doctoral studies, all from the University of Maryland in College Park, Md. Divine intervention led her to Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC, where she received her Master of Divinity degree (class of 2003).

Reverend Stewart was licensed to preach in 2003 and received her ordination certificate in 2004 from the Metropolitan Baptist Church (formerly of Washington, D.C.) under the pastorate of the current Senior Servant, Reverend Dr. H. Beecher Hicks , Jr.

In 2018, Reverend Stewart became the associate pastor of First Baptist Church under the pastorate of Reverend Willie Cannon. Pastor Stewart became pastor of the historic First Baptist Church in 2021.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Some Jackson pastors say it’s high time for elected leaders to put aside their political differences and fix the city’s water.

On Monday, EPA Administrator Michael Regan met with about two dozen pastors in the capital, where he asked their views on the ongoing water crisis.

The event was hosted by the New Hope Baptist Church, and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and several city staff were in attendance.

New Hope pastor Dr. Jerry Young said Monday’s meeting was a good first step in bringing leaders together. He paraphrased basketball great Michael Jordan saying, “You can win basketball games with pure talent. But if you want to win a championship, you have to have a team… We have to have a team approach to this.

Young says he wants to hold a series of meetings with church, city and state leaders to come up with “a comprehensive plan for how we move forward, not trying to get carried away, but doing what we have to do.” been elected – take care of the people’s business.

“If people aren’t big enough to approach it from that perspective, then we’re going to have to do the next best thing, which is to identify other people to lead us, who have the capacity, so to speak. , to exercise enough humility so that we can create that kind of cooperation in this community,” he said.

Young echoed the concerns of many in the community, who called on Lumumba and Governor Tate Reeves to work together to resolve the crisis, which at its height left more than 150,000 people without clean water.

On Sept. 13, for example, the council passed a resolution urging the mayor to “cooperate fully with federal and state authorities…to bring Jackson’s water and sewer system to full and sustainable functionality.”

And a week earlier, residents of the Bel Air neighborhood had told them to “grow up, come together and find a solution” to the problem.

The crisis began on August 29, after equipment failures at the OB Curtis water treatment plant cut off water service for tens of thousands of customers. Several state agencies were deployed to help fix the problem, and water service was restored a few days later. A state-imposed boil water advisory was lifted on September 15.

During the emergency, the mayor, governor and his aides traded numerous barbs on everything, including daily updates on whether the two had “dueling press conferences.”

A day after the boil water advisory was lifted, Reeves even told an audience in Hattiesburg that it was a “great day not to be in Jackson.”

Young, who is also president of the National Baptist Convention, says Jackson’s water crisis and the back and forth between top state and city elected leaders are a symptom of a larger problem of division affecting the entire state.

“Everything is division. It’s us against them. It’s Republicans versus Democrats. It’s black against white. It’s white against black. It’s men against women,” he said. ” It is what it is. And the truth is, in the final analysis, if we don’t come together as a community to address these issues…and if we don’t find leaders who can lead us at this level, I’m afraid the results.”

Young says it’s time for the faith community to help bridge the gap. “That’s why I call together pastors, black and white, Jewish and Gentile, Protestant and Catholic,” Young said. “I believe it’s time for the church to stand up and be the church, and give moral authority to this state, to this city, to this county.”

Monday’s meeting, he said, was a good first step in achieving that goal. However, Young warns that the problem will not be solved overnight. “I think that starts us on this road,” he said. “Progress isn’t always about speed. Often it is a matter of direction.

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Copyright 2022 WLBT. All rights reserved.

“I felt like if they liked me, they could keep me, which made me want to be careful in order to fit in with the church culture,” Cohen said. “So I decided that, for my first sermon, I would ask the church to either nod, raise your hand, or say ‘amen’ out loud when I asked them for one. I told them that it would let me know three things: 1) they heard and agreed with what I was saying, 2) they told me to keep going, and 3) they were still awake.”

The members responded to his requests.

“To my surprise and delight, when I asked for that first ‘Amen’, I got a loud response from almost everyone,” Cohen said.

One of the best things about being the pastor of 268 Spielman Highway Church, he said, is how warm and welcoming people are, especially to members of other races.

“Although the congregation is predominantly Caucasian, they have shown my wife, son and granddaughter nothing but love from the day we walked through the door. My wife is Jamaican and she says people here have been more welcoming than other churches, which were predominantly African American,” Cohen said.

Cohen said the church’s sense of humor is also a big plus.

“Although I am deadly serious about salvation, I like to crack jokes during my sermons,” he said. “It keeps people awake.”

Recently, while giving Communion, Cohen noticed that the cups were filled to the brim.

“So in case you spill any on your clothes, don’t worry, the church will cover the dry cleaning bill,” he said. “But I didn’t approve that last message with the deacons, so I might get in trouble. .

“At first when I came here I thought it was great that they all liked my sense of humor,” he said. they all had a great sense of humor as well. It’s one of the ways they show love to each other.

Cohen said her path to Christianity was not what most Christians experience.

“Essentially I took the scenic route,” he said. “In fact, I was raised as a secular Jew whose parents did not believe in God. I ended up becoming a Buddhist in college, majoring in Eastern religion at Columbia University in the 1980s.”

Then, in 1993, he had a life-changing encounter with God, he said.

“I went to a large charismatic church in West Haven, which is now called Vertical Church. I went there because I wanted to impress a woman I wanted to date. I didn’t know what God had in store for me,” he said, adding that he noticed everyone at the church was doing the same things at the same time.

“We all prayed together, sang together, read the Bible together,” he said. raised mine. But I thought everyone had their hands up. The next thing I knew was that the pastor called me to come before him to give myself to the Lord in front of a thousand people.”

He said he was affected by his experience at church.

“I only raised my hand because I had tingles all over,” he said. “Although it was, apparently, the Holy Spirit, at the time I was so skeptical that I thought they had pumped chemicals through the air vent, which made me feel like Par here.”

It started the journey that took him to Burlington, where he is now the church’s designated pastor for at least the next year, he said.

“Although none of us know exactly what God has in store for us, I hope to pastor this church for years to come,” Cohen said. “They’re so loving and welcoming. The worst thing about them is that they keep complimenting me, telling me how awesome I am. I try to tell them it’s all about Jesus and seriously mocking my humility, and dangerously close to making me think ‘it’s all about me’.”

Cohen said he made the allusion in the audiobook he released on Google Play last year, “That’s Not All About You! The Secret Joy of Practical Humility.”

Parishioners said the church is changing for the better.

“Reverend Cohen has only been here a few months, and I can already see a change in the church,” said member Jan Minor.

“Since he came here, he has added a new dimension to our worship,” said Deacon Paulette Evans. “Before, we were a quiet church. Now we like to say ‘Amen’ when he asks us.

She was referring to the three “amens” that Cohen requests from his congregation as he delivers his weekly sermon.

“I come from a church that worships in the African American tradition,” Cohen said. “It’s a very different style of worship than what they’re used to here in Burlington.”

At first, he said he was reluctant to bring too much of his African-American preaching habits to Burlington.

“At first I was afraid to ask a predominantly Caucasian Congregational Church in New England to say ‘amen’ when I asked them for one,” he said. “I had seen some of their services online and hadn’t heard a glance from the congregation. Yet I wanted to be myself. And even though I wasn’t going to preach call and response, shouting and dancing in the spirit in the pulpit like I did at Friendship Baptist Church in Hamden, I really wanted to bring some of that energy to my sermons in Burlington.”

Cohen can be reached at 203-671-8737. The Congregational Church of Burlington holds services on Sundays at 10 a.m. and a prayer service at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, followed by a Bible study at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend.

By Linda Bordoni

Pastori Dentro. Chiesa, società e persona” (“Pastors within: Church, society and person”) is the title of Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco’s book which has just been published by Pauline Books & Media in Italian.

Expressing his joy at being asked to write the preface to the book, Pope Francis says the Cardinal’s reflections stem from his considerations and reflections during his second term as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

He expresses his satisfaction for the author’s attention to subjects such as education, the family, poverty and politics, “with the intention of bringing them back to their original principle”: the announcement of Jesus .

“Faced with the ongoing anthropological change, which concerns not only the European context, but also, more generally, the whole world”, says the Pope, the path is and remains education in the faith, to rediscover “the person”. , beginning with the mystery of Christ.

He adds that these pages are not just a tribute to history, but a guide to how bishops are called to read the signs of our times.

The bishop – the pastor – he says, must strive to look at his brothers and sisters in the Lord with an attitude of service and knowing that his life “does not belong to him because it is given to God”.

“The pastor must proclaim the Word of God and incarnate it in the church and in the personal life,” writes the Pope, noting that in this proclamation, and the path that follows, lies the true joy of the shepherds who carry “the ‘sheep smell’. , who live in the midst of their herd and are “fishers of men”.

The Pope appreciates the title of this volume which, he says, suggests that bishops are “inner pastors” and he calls on them to always fix their gaze on those who are hurt and excluded.

Cardinal Bagnasco, he continues, has succeeded in showing us that the Church is a living, breathing organism, and not just a bureaucratic organization to which some would like to reduce it.

Concluding the preface, Pope Francis praises the literary work for the help and guidance it offers to all of the Lord’s pastors, and notes that reading is recommended not only for bishops and their collaborators, but also for lay people and for Christians who feel “distant” because it helps “to stimulate reflection and to live our time”.

BENTON HARBOR – The only way to end gun violence in Benton Harbor is for every resident to take ownership of the problem and work to stop it.

That’s what Pastor Taurus Montgomery told teens Monday at the Stand With Us Teen summit on gun violence at the Joel E. Smilow Teen Center in Benton Harbor.

“You have to say to yourself, ‘I want something different in my community,’ and you can do that even as a young man, as a young woman in high school — as a teenager,” he said. at the event, which was hosted by Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan. “You can make a difference. … There is nothing more powerful than a young black girl and a young black boy doing something good in our community.

One way to make a difference is to speak up, he said.

“We must have the courage to speak the truth,” said Montgomery, pastor of the Harbor of Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Benton Harbor. “If you see something, say something.”

Montgomery said he grew up in Mobile, Alabama, watching his father punch his mother in the face and kick her on the steps.

“I saw these things at a very young age and I thought that was how you resolved conflicts when you were dealing with someone who had a problem with you,” he said. “…Violence is a learned thing. When you see it so much, you get used to it.

He said he started carrying a gun, dealing drugs and robbing people when he was 12.

Like many children who grow up violent, Montgomery said he was angry all the time and had communication problems.

But while at university he said he went to all the free advice they had. He said it was because he was determined to break the cycle of violence that children learn from the adults around them.

“We have to heal our pain,” he said. “Hurting people, hurting people.”

After Montgomery’s speech, club members posed questions to the panelists, who included Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad, Benton Harbor Director of Public Safety Dan McGinnis, Retired State Trooper of Michigan, Maurice Burton, and Chief Judge Mabel Mayfield of the Berrien County Trial Court.

Mayfield said the local justice system is working to help families by making plans to build a juvenile justice family services campus.

Muhammad said the city partnered with Kinexus last summer to provide jobs for more than 100 city youths. He said he was working to develop more partnerships so that even more young people can have jobs and internships next summer.

“Youth are the most important resource and asset of the community,” he said.

Montgomery said her church is hosting a Stop the Violence tour, which began in July, where volunteers serve Benton Harbor area residents with food and play games with them. He said tours were continuing and attendees did not need to be members of his church to volunteer. For more information, visit www.harborofhopepmc.org/stoptheviolence.

LONDON, UK (WBTV) – A former employee of Billy Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization is out on the streets of London today, tending to those coping with their emotions following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Mike Freeman trained in North Carolina for disaster relief.

“I was with the Billy Graham organization, and I was doing Samaritan’s Purse and doing international relief work,” Freeman said.

This week, Freeman is in London as the coordinator of a group of street pastors. They spoke to the thousands of people who lined up to view the Queen’s coffin inside Westminster Hall.

‘We’re with street pastors and response pastors and it’s a ministry that goes out into the streets and we’re around people, mostly listening to their stories and that’s what we’re doing in London at the moment, going into the queue and listening to people. Freeman said. “Quite often for them to line up for that lying state it brings more emotions to the forefront of maybe their past losses and they want to talk about it and we’re a listening ear with compassion we have time to do it, and then we can encourage them to continue and if we have the opportunity, we can also share the faith with them.

Just before leaving on Sunday morning, Freeman and another group of street pastors stopped to pray near Westminster Abbey where the funeral will take place on Monday.

“People say you know I queued 12, 15 but I queued twice as long just for the privilege of paying homage to the Queen which is really great because it helps personally and also as a nation we respect for what was in our lifetime our greatest monarch.

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Sand Springs pastors showed up at Friday’s Sand Springs football game to support students who are mourning the loss of their friends.

They said the community has overcome tragedy before and they are here to help them through it now.

Michael Wilson and Jordan Stowe are the leaders of the Local Church Network and are no strangers to lending a helping hand to those in need.

“I think as a believer in Jesus and a follower of Jesus, that is our number one calling and our goal is to be close to the broken hearted. The scriptures tell us that God is close to the broken hearted and we want to be like him,” Wilson said.

Both are pastors and said times of crisis are when the community needs to rely on each other the most.

“The hope is that your reminder, of a tragedy, we’ve seen great things happen,” Stowe said.

Wilson said members of the Local Church Network are immediately ready to help in the event of a tragedy. That’s what happened when he got the call about the crash that killed the Sand Springs students on Thursday.

“We don’t have a lot of information, but just be ready to serve. Clear your schedules. Be prepared for whatever you have to do with your schedules. No task is more important than what is happening in our community right now,” Wilson said.

On Friday night, they went to the back door before the game at Charles Page High School to pray and offer their support to everyone in any way they could.

“It’s a breath of fresh air to be part of a community that isn’t too quick to care about our people, care about our neighbors, love our neighbors, and be there for when they hurt. “Wilson said.

Wilson and Stowe said their doors are always open with any church in Sand Springs.

WATERTOWN — The Watertown United Methodist Church will hold an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 305 Main Street in honor of Rev. J. Michael Cobb, newly appointed pastor of the congregation. The event will include a tour of the church‘s historic Victorian Rectory located at 329 Main St.

Reverend Cobb brings a strong commitment to finding innovative ways for the church to serve the Watertown community in the post-pandemic environment. At a time when many people are struggling or feeling disconnected, he wants to reinvent the ways the church can help bring people together.

The church strives to live the spirit of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors” that drives the United Methodist tradition. In this spirit, the church invites the public to join us for the open house on Saturday and the weekly service on Sunday at 9:15 am.

All are invited to meet Pastor Michael and learn more about the church and its vision for the future. Refreshments will be served.

The vision of Watertown United Methodist Church is to nurture individuals and families in the Christian life and equip them for ministry and service beyond the church.

Those who want more information can visit WUMCct.orgor call 860-274-3785.

While on a church mission in Bangkok, four Korean American teenage girls from Southern California find a hidden camera in their hotel bathroom. They realize that the camera, labeled “Property of Seoul New Christian Church“, must have been installed by their own pastor and chaperone. man of godwho now plays at the Ashby Stage, talks about what happens next.

man of godShotgun Players, Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., until October 2

This fascinating premise, inspired by a real incident, could lead a playwright in many wrong directions. But award-winning playwright and screenwriter Anna Ouyang Moench (Apple TV’s Breakup) effectively connects the story with nuanced humor and pathos. And she faithfully recreates the attitudes, thoughts and speech patterns of adolescent girls.

During the 90 minutes of entertainment without intermission, we get to know the four students. Each embodies a different type of personality. There is the rebellious, contrary Mimi (Lauren Andrei Garcia), innocent and naive Samantha (Alexandra Lee), intelligent, studious Jeans (Joyce Domanico-Huh), and the religious and devoted Kyung-Hwa (Sharon Shao), with a heartbreaking story. Each actress excels in her role and brings sparkle to the production. Sharon Shao, with the most multifaceted role, has the best opportunity to shine, and she does.

Amid the girls trying to figure out what to do with the pastor, we hear of some clever and funny comments about what troubles teens: school, sex, Instagram, self-esteem, parents, and God. The girls are in middle age where Samantha takes her beloved stuffed animal, but Mimi curses a blue streak and makes jokes about the sexual behavior of tourists in Thailand. “It’s the place where the weird German sex fiends come to have fun with little boys dressed as little girls,” she says. Under the intelligent direction of Michelle Talgarow, the teenagers talk to each other, shout and move on stage with realism and enthusiasm.

But what about the pastor? We’re rewarded with fantastical scenes of each character’s dream revenge against their attacker. Young Samantha fights the pastor (Chuck Lacson) with a samurai sword. The sword is huge compared to the miniature knife she had earlier suggested the girls use to kill their pastor. They take out his kidneys and sell them, Jen, the budding medical student, fantasizes.

But when the pastor finally appears at the end of the play, things are different. The girls’ bravado vanishes in the sad recognition of their weak position. This dramatic, dialogue-free scene appears to take about 10 minutes to complete as the girls and audience silently assess the truth of their helplessness. It’s a dark and realistic ending, but we know these girls learned a lesson. They will not be submitted in the future.

man of god runs 90 minutes without intermission at Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley, through October 2. Proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend in-person performances. General admission ticket prices are $23 to $46. Tickets for ages 25 and under: $7 with discount code MADTIX. Community tickets for those in financial difficulty: $15 with discount code COMMUNITY. Shotgun also has live performances on September 15 and 22, as well as video-on-demand (with closed captioning) from October 5-16. There is a special haptic tour and performance for blind and visually impaired customers on September 18. Reservations are encouraged. More information can be found at the Shotgun Players website.

On Friday, the pastor and first lady of the Rue Austerlitz Baptist Church were devastated following an early morning fire at their church.

Shortly after getting a new roof after being damaged by Hurricane Ida.

Reverend Sherman Washington, pastor of Austerlitz Street Baptist Church, said: “My heart hurts. It’s part of my heart and my soul, but we’re going to bounce back.”

The Washingtons were emotional that services this Sunday would have to be canceled.

“It happened so fast. I really can’t believe how quickly the church caught fire. Smoke and everything was coming from everywhere,” First Lady Cynthia Washington said.

Cynthia said they were trying to turn on the lights when they noticed billows of smoke coming out of the shrine and then a huge ball of fire coming out of a pipe.

“Smoke was coming out of the wall. He said ‘Cynthia, get out.’ And we both ran away,” she said.

The couple said, thankfully, no lives were lost. Unfortunately, the fire occurs about two weeks after getting a new roof. One year after Hurricane Ida caused damage.

“We just put a $100,000 roof on the building, not even two weeks ago. Now we’re facing another problem. But we’ll be fine,” Sherman said.

He said the church has been in existence for 168 years and in his family for at least 70 years. It is therefore not for him to know if they will rebound or not.

“It could have been worse. God is good. We’re just grateful for what he left us…And we’ll build from here,” Sherman said.

The Washingtons said that if Sunday services are canceled due to building damage, when the power is in, they said they will hold a service inside an area of ​​the church that does not was not damaged by the fire.

Stay with WDSU for updates.

NC Baptists mourn the sudden and unexpected death of a beloved pastor who was active in ministry and community life through a variety of leadership roles.

David Richardson, pastor of Peace’s Chapel Baptist Church in Kittrell, North Carolina, died suddenly on September 6 after suffering a pulmonary embolism following an extended hospital stay due to an infection. He was 41 years old.

“My David went to be with Jesus last night and got the ultimate healing we prayed for,” Richardson’s wife, Becky, wrote in a Sept. 7 Facebook post. “He was able to spend a few hours at home last night before this happened and I was able to be with him before he lost consciousness. He had a pulmonary embolism. He passed away peacefully and I am grateful that he was able to come home even if it was only for a few hours.

A pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage of an artery in the lung. They are often caused by blood clots that travel through the blood to the lungs.

Richardson had served as pastor of Peace’s Chapel Baptist Church since September 2020. Additionally, he was the current chair of the Granville County Schools Board of Education. Richardson was first elected to the school board in 2016 and then re-elected last spring.

Richardson has also served in various leadership positions with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. He currently served as chairman of the state convention meetings committee, which plans the annual NC Baptist meeting each year.

In July, Richardson and the committee announced that “On a Mission Together” would be the theme for this year’s annual meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

NC Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker describes Richardson as a humble servant of the Lord.

“David served his local church and fellow North Carolina Baptists with infectious humility and joy,” Unzicker said. “His presence will be missed by so many, but we are not crying without hope. David loved to point others to his Savior, Jesus, and so this is exactly where we will seek comfort during difficult days. Your NC Baptist staff pray for the Richardson family, Peace’s Chapel Baptist Church and all who mourn with them.

Richardson also served two terms as a state convention board member. He first served from 2006 to 2010 and then again from 2016 to 2019. Richardson has also served on the state convention’s executive committee and business services committee.

“He was the epitome of a faithful servant,” said John Butler, director of operations for the state convention. “No matter what you ask him to do, he says, ‘OK.’ He had a heart to serve.

Angela Kilby said Richardson was the first person she met after being elected council secretary in 2019.

“I remember his kind, gentle spirit and servant’s heart,” Kilby said. “During his service as a member of the board of directors and executive committee, he exemplified the heart of God for people and modeled a Christian spirit for others.”

Prior to becoming a pastor at Peace’s Chapel Baptist Church, Richardson served as associate pastor and church administrator at First Baptist Church in Creedmoor, North Carolina for more than 11 years from March 2008 to June 2019. He served as also twice served as Acting Pastor of First Baptist Creedmoor. .

“He was the best supporter a pastor could have,” said James Shellywho served as senior pastor of First Baptist Creedmoor from 2013 to 2018.

Shelley praised Richardson’s administrative skills and credited him with helping to expand First Baptist Creedmor’s preschool ministry to more than 130 children.

“David was an excellent administrator, planner and resource person,” said Shelley. “But even more than that was his heart for missions, evangelism and special projects. He studied the scriptures and loved to dig deep and learn. He was blessed with his wife, Becky, who shared the ideals of his kingdom. Pastors are blessed when they have a companion like Becky.

David Hermann first met Richardson when they were both involved in youth ministry in 2007. Herman, who is now senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Creedmoor, North Carolina, said it was the start of a “deep friendship” that lasted 15 years. .

“David was a friend of pastors,” Herman said. “He was my greatest confidant. We talked about life and ministry almost every day. He was a dear friend and fellow pastor who served in the trenches.

Herman said Richardson has worked together on a variety of missions and ministry efforts through their local Baptist fellowship. Herman said Richardson was a “big fan” of encouraging others to serve in various leadership roles in ministry at the local, regional and state levels.

In addition to his other leadership roles, Richardson was currently treasurer of the Flat River Baptist Association at the time of his death. Over the years, he has served on the finance committee and executive committee of the association, as well as director of discipleship training, vice moderator and moderator of the association.

“David was the glue that held the Flat River Baptist Association together when we were without a DOM (director of missions) for several years,” said Gus Gillespiewho became Flat River’s Associative Mission Strategist (AMS) in September 2019. “He had institutional knowledge and a willingness to work to do the work that helped us through this season.”

Prior to becoming Flat River’s AMS, Gillespie worked with Richardson in the local school system. Gillespie retired as associate superintendent of Granville County Schools in 2017, about a year after Richardson was first elected to the school board.

Gillespie said Richardson was highly respected in the community as a pastor and school board member.

“Although he was well known, he was also modest and humble when praised,” Gillespie said.

As news of Richardson’s death spread, tributes from pastors and other ministry leaders also grew on social media.

NC Baptist President Michael Parduepastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, called Richardson “a faithful pastor and friend.”

“David Richardson will be greatly missed,” Pardue said in a statement to the Bible Recorder. “He was a caring pastor, a thoughtful congress leader and a humble public servant in his community. I appreciated the constant encouragement he gave me over the past two years as we served North Carolina Baptists together. He had become a true friend.

Pardue and Unzicker were among several North Carolina Baptist leaders who preached at a revival conference Richardson hosted at Peace’s Chapel Baptist Church last spring. The revival also included Seth BrownNC Baptist Director of Convention Relations, and Jordan Willardpastor of First Baptist Church in Weddington, North Carolina

“It pains me to talk about David in the past tense,” Willard wrote in a Facebook post. “But I will always remember David as a kind, gentle, and loving disciple of Christ, a devoted husband, a strong leader in church and community, and a faithful preacher of the gospel.

“The world needs more David Richardson, but heaven is richer now that he is home.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – This story will be updated with information about Richardson’s memorial service. Chad Austin is editor of the Biblical recorder.)

I told her that I wanted to marry her so that the spell on her family wouldn’t come on her. I also told him that I would help sponsor his education. She said there was no problem. I knew that if I didn’t tell her that, she wouldn’t agree to sleep with me.

This was the confession of a 48-year-old pastor, Michael Abiodun Rabiu, who was arrested by detectives from the Ogun State Police Command not only for desecrating a 12-year-old girl (names withheld ), but also for impregnating her.

State Police image maker SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the arrest, had said that Pastor Michael, as he is affectionately known, with a church in Oluwo, Owode Egba, in the area of local government of Obafemi Owode, had the girl as a member of the choir of her church before her number.

Nigerian Tribune has learned that the mother of the victim joined the church following a spiritual problem which led to the death of the daughters she had before the defiled daughter.

The PPRO said police were told the mother had taken the suspect’s daughter to the suspect’s church for spiritual deliverance to prevent her from suffering the same fate as her late sister.

“On the fateful day, the pastor, a father of three, asked the victim’s mother to send him a special prayer, but upon reaching it, the pastor took her to a room in the church and had with her a carnal relationship that culminated in pregnancy,” SP Oyeyemi said.

The report is said to have prompted the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Owode Egba Division, CSP Olasunkanmi Popoola, to send his detectives to the scene where the pastor was promptly arrested.

When questioned, Pastor Michael, who confessed to the crime, blamed it on the devil, admitting that the girl had not known any man before having sex with the JSS 2 student.

The victim’s mother said she found out about the pregnancy very late as her daughter hadn’t started her period before, making it difficult to find out until she was seven months pregnant.

State Police Commissioner Lanre Bankole had ordered the transfer of the suspect to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution after his conclusion.

Nigerian Tribune interviewed the suspect. Below are excerpts:

“I am from Ikorodu, Lagos State but have been in Owode Egba, Ogun State for 13 years. I am married and have three children – two from my first wife and one from my new wife. I am a deliverance pastor and the founder of the church for which I am responsible. I started deliverance ministry about 13 years ago, but I was called about 25 years ago.

why i was arrested

“In the line of daughters, there is a god called ‘tánràn’. He is a serpent god. The god had already taken children born before her, so that’s what brought her and her mother to me for deliverance.

“I had noticed that the spell was meant to manifest in the girl’s life, as death issues were always discussed with her.

“When she was brought to me, I advised her mother to take care of her quickly spiritually so that she wouldn’t lose her too. I asked the girl to come for deliverance for seven weeks, and she started coming every Wednesday after school closed.

“About a week before the end of the deliverance sessions, when we finished the daily prayers, I don’t know how the devil came to make me have sex with her.

“I told her that I wanted to marry her so that the spell on her family wouldn’t come on her. I also told him that I would help sponsor his studies. She said there was no problem. I knew that if I didn’t tell her, she wouldn’t sleep with me.

“She’s a young girl and I found out she was a virgin so I couldn’t penetrate her easily, I got stuck on the way but I ejaculated inside her. She left afterwards and continued in as a member of the church choir.

“I discovered a change in her about six months later. I didn’t give her any medicine to take but I was so scared to tell her mum. At that time her mum noticed her swollen belly and thought that it was the spell that was at work inside her, it was because those of her deceased siblings used to swell before they died.

“This prompted her mum to take her for an ultrasound where it was discovered that she was seven months pregnant. Her mum brought the issue to me and I confessed to her that I was responsible for the pregnancy. J started caring for her until she naturally gave birth to a baby boy (name withheld).

“At that time, many people had known each other in the city. I also told my wife and she accepted it as a cross that she must bear. She didn’t argue with me.

Expressing his regret, the pastor said he had thought about killing himself since the incident happened because it was a shameful act on his part, but he was advised against it.

“I almost became paralyzed in the arms and legs. I thought about the age of the girl and I made fun of God’s name and I was so ashamed,” he said.

Reason why I separated from my first wife

“She was very stubborn and tough. She was so angry that she was trying to break things on my head. And I’m the easy-going type who doesn’t like trouble. I also didn’t want to die prematurely. That’s why I filed for separation when we couldn’t resolve our differences. She remarried and I also decided to take another wife two years ago. She is 25 and has a nine month old baby for me.

He also said that one of his pastors took over the church of about 150 congregations in his absence.

Ironically, the girl’s mother, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, said she was not ready to have a case with the pastor as he has been treating her daughter well since the pregnancy became known.

“I have been going to the pastor’s church for 12 years. And he likes me and my family. He supported me in times of tribulation. I know what happened is the work of the devil. I lost two children to strange deaths, as they swelled up and died within a month of the illness.

“I dreamed of my daughter and told the pastor about it. He also came to tell me about the vision he had of my daughter. He said she would need to come for prayers and delivery.

“About seven months after the prayers, I noticed that she looked swollen like it happened to her late sisters. I was afraid the same thing had happened to my daughter, so I took her to the hospital. That’s where I was told she was pregnant.

“I asked her about the person who got her pregnant and she said it was the pastor. I went to meet him and he admitted it was him.

“Since he didn’t deny ownership, all I was thinking about was supporting my daughter throughout so she could give birth safely.

“Since the pregnancy was detected by the CT scan, the pastor has done everything necessary to get my daughter to the antenatal clinic and prepare for her delivery. He bought everything needed and took care of her financially.

“Since she gave birth too, he has been taking care of her and the baby. And he has also changed her school and paid her school fees to where she is now.

“I accepted what happened as fate. I’m not ready to make a case with him. It wasn’t me who reported him to the police, nor was it my daughter.

Pleading for the pastor to be forgiven and acquitted, the girl’s mother said: ‘There is no one to help me take care of my daughter and her baby except the pastor, which he does very well. .

“I am 47 years old, I am a widow and without parents. I sell bread and I don’t earn 500 naira in a day. How to survive without it? Currently, there is no one to sponsor my child’s education. There is no one to help me. »

She also said her daughter was 14, not 12 as is believed, revealing she was born on July 22, 2008.

The girl, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, said she did not tell anyone that the pastor forced her to have sex.

“He told my mother that I had to come to church for the deliverance prayer. We had been going through the sessions for weeks when one day, after prayer, he asked me to go to the living room, take off my dress and lie down.

“It was when he slept with me. He begged me not to scream in pain when he noticed I was a virgin. I didn’t know I was pregnant because I hadn’t had my period before sex,” she explained.

She also pleaded for her son’s father to be released and allowed to care for her and her baby.

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Men from the Ogun State Police Command arrested a 38-year-old General Overseer of Beloved Chapel, Agbado in the Ifo Local Government Area of ​​the state, Pastor Israel Adebayo, for allegedly desecrating a 14-year-old member of his church (name withheld).

State Police Public Relations Officer SP Abimbola Oyeyemi revealed this in a statement on Sunday.

Oyeyemi said the pastor whose church is located at No. 9 Iyaniwura Street near Owonikoko Street, Agbado area of ​​the state was arrested following a complaint lodged at the headquarters of the state. division of Agbado by the mother of the victim.

This follows the arrest of another pastor a few days ago in the state of a similar allegation.

Oyeyemi said the victim’s mother reported that the incident happened while she was traveling for treatment for a certain illness.

The PPRO added that the mother said her daughter, who happened to be a member of the church choir, went to church and the pastor lured her to his room and forcefully had a relationship. carnal with her.

He said: “Upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer from Agbado Division sent his detectives to the scene, where the pastor was promptly arrested.

“During the interrogation, the pastor who admitted having defiled the victim pleaded for forgiveness.

“According to him, his family and that of the victim are so close, but he did not know how and why such a thing happened to him.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was allegedly arrested a long time ago, but the victim’s mother thwarted the move because she did not want to offend her pastor.

“But when the victim has been continuously bleeding from her private part since the incident in October 2021. She had no choice but to allow the police to intervene.

“The victim, who claimed the pastor was the first person to sleep with her, is currently recovering in hospital.”

The PPRO, however, said Police Commissioner Lanre Bankole ordered the case transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He said the commissioner had also warned parents to stop covering up anyone who assaulted their daughters indecently, regardless of their proximity to those people, because they could also face aggravated felony charges.

Pastor Bisi Adewale said that many Nigerian pastors are hurting and need to create personal time to heal from all the disappointment, stress and other challenges in ministry.

The cleric said so on Thursday, alongside his wife Yomi, when speaking to reporters at a three-day international ministers’ family conference scheduled for September 15-17 at RCCG Maranatha Parish Gbagada. .

The conference is labeled “Great Family, Great Church.”

Pastor Adewale, who is also the founder of FAMILY BOOSTER MINISTRY, a non-denominational home affairs ministry, said the conference was born out of a desire to deepen the lives of pastors and church leaders.

He shared stories of how he and his wife recently met pastors who confessed to not enjoying their marriages despite providing solutions to other people’s marriages.

Pastor Adewale said:

“Pastors are special people, they are the ones most Christians call first whenever they need help, they are consulted for almost everything, they have to act as marriage counselors, financial advisers, psychologists , Trauma Healing Experts, Guarantors, Lawyers, Accountants, Health Experts, Fathers, Pillars, etc.

“They are consulted for almost all problems by everyone. Often decried on social networks and stabbed in the back by their own, they are seriously needed every day by the same people who harm them.

“They stand by people when they get married, stand by them if they can’t get pregnant, assist them if they’re pregnant, call them at 1 a.m. when they’re in labor, collect funds in case of complications requiring surgeries, name the baby, nurture the baby spiritually until youthful age, marry the young, care for them if the marriage turns into trouble or hits the rock , bury the elderly who die, support bereaved families. Despite all of this, they are still vastly undervalued, underappreciated, unappreciated, unacknowledged, abused, slandered, hated, and underpaid.

“The pains of pastors are many, many the subject of bitter gossip in the Church, but they should not be angry but keep smiling while they suffer.

“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Where do pastors go when they need help? WHO speaks to them when they are down? Who will help them if they have a marital challenge?

“Most pastors are lonely, sick and poor, but work 24/7, some without holidays or rest time. More than 70% of ministers say they don’t have a close friend or someone to talk to when they need it.

“Our findings at FBM have revealed that many pastors, church leaders and ministers go through many challenges which they find difficult to discuss with anyone. For some of them it is their marriages and battles emotional, for others they are deep health issues and some need new knowledge to carry out their ministry.

“We are also finding that the majority of pastors’ wives are unhappy with the state of affairs at home. While many children of pastors turn against their parents and many young people turn their backs on the Church.

“As such, it has become necessary to assist and stir up conversations about Pastor’s HEALTH, MARRIAGE, FINANCES AND FAMILY LIFE, in order to help strengthen these men and women who care the needs of others in building our society, that’s why FBM has brought together experts who can dissect the issues that affect pastors and their families.

Yomi Adewale, for his part, confirmed that Tony Akinyemi, Albert Aina and Mike and Gloria Bamiloye were among the conference speakers.

She noted that the conference was a mission from God for her and her husband, Pastor Bisi Adewale, to ensure pastors and their wives have a fulfilling ministry and a fun marriage.

According to Yomi, some of the contents of the conference include the following listed below;

– How to win and retain young people in the Church
— Ministry: Building stronger churches as a couple in ministry
— Emotion: inner healing for injured pastors and their wives
— Marriage: How to Maintain Strong Marriages in Ministry
— How to Build a Better Marriage in Your Church
— 54 pillars of marriage success
— What Every Couple in Ministry Should Never Do
– Marriage and ministry finding a balance and much more.

For more information on the conference, the public is invited to contact [email protected]08056457013 or 08068312004.