Saudi Arabia ranks as the second most difficult place to be a Christian on the Open Doors 2013 World Watch List. Due to the oppressive government, and persecution that is evident through society, the country ranks second only to the totalitarian regime of North Korea. Christ died for all, but many Saudi people do not know Christ – yet!
Today, in Mecca, the holiest Islamic city, the crowds are massive. The faithful have arrived to participate in a Hajj. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. The Hajj, or pilgrimage, is part of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims, if able, must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Those, who have and then return back to their homeland, are highly revered in their local communities. Many Muslims see the Hajj as the highlight of their life and believe that it will wash all their sins away. But, there are testimonies from Muslims, who have gone on pilgrimage, with an upright desire to obey God… instead God gave them a vision, telling them that they need Jesus. Continue reading “Open Doors – In The Name of Jesus – The Alpha and Omega”
The January-February 2013 issue of Christianity Today is dedicated to the amazing (and debated) phenomenon of the ‘Muslim followers of Jesus’ (‘insider movements‘ known by many names and is hotly contested by missions fundamentalists and some of the traditionalist churches in Islamic contexts).
Here is the testimony of the conversion of one such believer:
One night the only food my wife and I had was a small portion of macaroni. My wife prepared it very nicely. Then one of her friends knocked on the door. I told myself, The macaroni is not sufficient for even the two of us, so how will it be enough for three of us? But because we have no other custom, we opened the door, and she came in to eat with us.
While we were eating, the macaroni started to multiply; it became full in the bowl. I suspected that something was wrong with my eyes, so I started rubbing them. I thought maybe my wife hid some macaroni under the small table, so I checked, but there was nothing. My wife and I looked at each other, but because the guest was there we said nothing. Continue reading “Worshiping Jesus in the Mosque – An Incredibly Interesting Interview”
Pope To Ease Up On Jesus Talk | The Onion – America’s Finest News Source.
If HE has to do that, imagine what have to do all those ‘truth-loving’ Evangelicals around (as David Wells dearly calls them)! And if THEY take the ‘Jesus talk’ down a notch, what else are they all going to talk about? They would then have to get down to real life issues. You imagine what this could do to all their artificial and outdated constructs? No way, that won’t happen; not under Piper’s and Mohler’s watch.
(Author: David Hayward. Source: nakedpastor.)
Toxicitatea blogosferei evanghelice
Criticii lui Alin Cristea se declara oripilati de tupeul acestuia de se confrunta public cu personalitati ale lumii evanghelice, precum Daniel Branzai si Marius Cruceru. Ca unul care-i cunoaste foarte bine pe amindoi, eu unul nu le-as plinge de mila. Nu cred ca sunt atit de neajutorati incit sa aiba nevoie a le sari in ajutor „surorile” binevoitoare. Va asigur ca sunt capabili sa se apare si singuri. Iar daca n-au facut-o, cine stie, poate ca au ei motivele lor. N-ar fi mai bine sa-i intrebati pe ei decit sa presupuneti si sa va adunati pacate in mod inutil?
Voicu Bojan – Signs
Este vorba de textul unui oaspete, Voicu Bojan, care ne pune la dispozitie articolul lui aparut in numarul din aprilie 2009 al revistei Esquire.
Va invit la lectura acestui text inspirat, foarte adecvat pentru perioada Pastelui.
Lumea evanghelică este dominată de iconoclasm, deşi există, din fericire, şi excepţii, mai ales în luteranism şi anglicanism. Acesta este moştenit din teologia Reformei, mai ales pe filiera Calvin-Zwingli, şi se bazează pe o interpretare restrictivă a poruncii din Decalog care spune “să nu-ţi faci chip cioplit”.
Lumea creştină antică nu a avut însă asemenea constipaţii teologice. Pentru greci, mai ales, ca şi pentru alţi orientali, simbolul era esenţial pentru imaginalul religios uman.
Mark Driscoll Justin Fatica
Newsletter-ul săptămânal Sightings, editat sub autoritatea cunoscutului sociolog creştin Martin Marty de la University of Chicago Divinity School, tratează de această dată, sub “pana” (aş fi spus “tastatură”, dar este lipsit de poezie) lui Joseph Laycock, student la Boston University, un text în care analizează două încercări de emancipare a creştinismului american de sub efeminarea care-l domină în ultimele decenii.
Cei doi protagonişti sunt cunoscutul (şi controversatul) pastor evanghelic de la Mars Hill Church din Seattle, Wa, Mark Driscoll, şi Justin Fatica, un lider laic catolic, fundator al organizaţiei Hard as Nails.
Persona 
