NewLife Faith New - May 8th
Compiled and Edited by Stan Hunt
Anglicare is helping people who have experienced family, domestic or sexual violence in Southwestern Sydney. Anglicare and CatholicCare work with existing services that provide short-term and crisis support.
The new program with Federal Government funding, aims to fill a gap in services for victim-survivors. It will work with people needing longer-term recovery and healing support. Andrew Ford Anglicare Chief Executive for Community and Mission says they want to help the thousands of people affected to get back on their feet.
Experience shows again and again the journey toward healing and recovery can take time, he says. The service is culturally appropriate, accessible, inclusive and available at no cost for a period up to two years.
According to Sydneyanglicans.net, statistics show there were around 5,200 domestic violence-related assault offences in the region for the year to June 2023. Clients can phone or go online to complete a self-referral.
Source: Sydneyanglicans.net
Indonesia’s government has decided that nearly 10,000 residents will be relocated permanently after massive eruptions of the Ruang volcano. Smoke, lava, and volcanic gasses began spewing out of the fiery 725-meter-high Mount Ruang on Ruang Island in mid-April, posing a growing threat to locals and air traffic.
Christians told Worthy News they are concerned about the situation’s impact on churches. Though Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim nation, there are at least three Pentecostal churches of the ‘Pentecostal Church in Indonesia’ denomination in the area.
Christians have been holding prayer services following the volcanic eruptions in a nation where believers have also reported persecution by Muslim extremists in several areas. Volcanic explosions occurred again last week, sparking evacuations and airport closures due to concerns about those living nearby and air traffic in the area.
Source: Worthy News
A pro-life faith-based movie has ascended into Netflix’s global Top 10 list and has soared to No. 1 in multiple countries. For the week ending April 28, Lifemark (PG-13) tallied 3.5 million views worldview. The movie was produced by legendary faith-based filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick.
It follows the story of a teenage boy whose birth mother reaches out to him on his 18th birthday. Eventually, he travels to meet her while accompanied by his adoptive parents. Stephen Kendrick describes Lifemark as an “inspirational family-friendly movie” that promotes the “value of life in the womb.”
It includes life-affirming messages about adoption and abortion. Mr Kendrick told Crosswalk they are hoping the film will not only save lives, but also inspire a lot of Christians to support adoption in their local communities.
The Kendricks’ next film, The Forge, will be released in theatres on August 23.
Source: Crosswalk
An evangelistic festival has been held by the “New Generation of Evangelists” in El Salvador. The evangelistic organisation emerged from a vision of the late Luis Palau in response to the growing need to equip and raise up the next generation of evangelists.
The El Salvador event included preachers from the Luis Palau Association and the Reid Saunders Association. The event also featured performances by local music artists and a BMX style bicycle show that amazed children.
During the week leading up to the festival, evangelists participated in events with various social groups. There were Gospel meetings with the police, firefighters, businessmen and professionals, women's meetings, activities with school children, and soccer tournaments.
The Christian Daily reports Festival attendees not only experienced good music and good news, but also received special gifts. Lucky door prizes included soccer balls, and electronic equipment.
Source: Christian Daily International
At first glance, it looks like a colourful children’s Bible. But Open Bible Stories from unfoldingWord is much more. Dane Skelton with unfoldingWord says this tool is helping to raise up Bible translators around the world to bring Scripture into their own heart language.
Open Bible Stories is 50 carefully chosen Bible stories from creation to Revelation, designed by a team of Bible translators, theologians and Bible teachers. The stories are theologically accurate, but they are not Scripture.
That reduces the anxiety for many first-time translators about working directly with the Word of God, Mr Skelton says. He told Mission Network News they use Open Bible Stories as a “translation primer”.
It helps people learn the necessary tools, techniques, and concepts that they will eventually use in creating a full Bible translation, he says. Open Bible Stories gives the learning Bible translators a basic survey of the whole Bible.
Source: Mission Network News
Dr Phil has weighed in on the importance of the Church in society. Phil McGraw who hosted TV’s “Dr. Phil” for over 20 years, believes God wants him to speak out against the “woke mob” attempting to re-write the truth.
He told the Christian Post the church brings cohesion to the family unit bringing practical and spiritual values. We’ve got some strange ducks out there peddling all kinds of alternatives to God and religion,” he says.
If father and mother are married and the family goes to church, he says, that's the best shot we have for children growing into a lifestyle that will be drug-free, alcohol-free, abuse-free and divorce-free.
Dr Phil has released a new book in which he is passionate about speaking out against the “woke mob”. In the book he lays out principles for societal survival and urging families to have a prayerful relationship with the Heavenly Father.
Source: The Christian Post