Worship

Dr. Michael Youssef and his son Jonathan ministered God's love to a church of Iranian refugees on the second day of the Leading The Way Revival in Indonesia in one of the world's largest Muslim nations on Friday, with 300 people reportedly answering a call to commit to Jesus Christ at the event.

The refugees fled their oppressive government and wound up in Indonesia as a half-way point between free nations such as America and Australia, according to a press release.

They are currently in limbo and awaiting paperwork between the U.N. and Indonesian government, which can take up to three years, putting some in dire situations. more >>

A soon-to-be published study on World War II veterans found that those who had bad experiences of combat were more likely to pray and then attend church after the conflict.

Scheduled to appear online next week in the Journal of Health and Religion, the study was conducted by brothers Craig Wansink, professor of religious studies at Virginia Wesleyan College, and Brian Wansink, professor of consumer behavior at Cornell University.

Titled "Are There Atheists in Foxholes? Combat Intensity and Religious Behavior," the study found that as combat became more frightening, the number of soldiers who reported praying during those times increased from 42 percent to 72 percent. more >>

Two movements among Christian congregations in the U.S. today, churches with multiple locations (multisite) and leadership development (discipleship), continue to gain momentum as new innovations are being introduced. In addition, perhaps in an even newer development, a growing number of churches are intentionally developing a culture of generosity, an effort to help carry the gospel message outside the church, says the director of new media and technology for the Leadership Network.

"The multisite (one church, multiple locations) movement continues to gain momentum," Todd Rhoades, of Leadership Network, told The Christian Post via email. "We're seeing no slow down at all in the number of churches being involved in multisite ministry. In fact, we're seeing new waves of innovation in the movement itself: including international campuses, online campuses, the move from big cities to rural environments, and more churches partnering to redeem facilities and struggling churches through church mergers."

Rhoades, along with Leadership Nework, hosted a webcast conference on Tuesday called, Church Innovate North America. Guest speakers, which included pastors from around the country, spoke about multisite churches, leadership training, and generosity. more >>

Actor Chuck Norris has joined other prominent conservative leaders, including evangelical minister David Barton, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Pastor Greg Laurie, in naming September 11, 2013, a National Day of Prayer and Fasting, an idea introduced in mid-April by Joseph Farah, editor-in-chief of the conservative news website WorldNetDaily.

Norris, a self-proclaimed Christian and Republican, wrote on his nationally syndicated weekly column last week that he believes Americans need to turn to God now for guidance.

"WND Editor Joseph Farah and thousands of others across the land are calling up America's spiritual reserves, challenging our spiritual fervor and cranking up our spiritual warfare by also declaring a National Day of Prayer and Fasting – and on what better day than Sept. 11, 2013?" Norris, who made a name for himself as an action actor specializing in martial arts in 1980s American cinema, wrote in the recent column, which originated on WorldNetDaily. more >>

The West Coast has been ravaged by wildfires this week, and unfortunately, Fontana, California was no exception on Sunday with what appears to be a man-made fire.

Firefighters put out huge flames in a pallet yard within an industrial area of Fontana yesterday afternoon when tall stacks of the wood became giant bonfires.

Residents in the area reported hearing three or four small explosions before spotting a large fire, according to CBS Local News. It is believed that the fires were fueled by all the wood and possible propane. more >>

Montell Jordan, the R&B song writer and singer behind the 1990s smash "This Is How We Do It," left the music industry in 2010 to pursue his calling as a worship leader at Victory World Church in Georgia.

Jordan now focuses on preaching, teaching, and ministering to others through song. He also believes in "taking back the music," a point he expresses in his worship song titled "Shake Heaven."

"What I mean by taking back the music in that song is that there is a belief in Christianity that there is God's music and there is the devil's music," said Montell Jordan to The Christian Post. "We look at rap music and other forms of secular music like they belong to the devil. My thought process is that you don't have to be unsaved to be the person that makes rap music. I think that you need saved people who love the Lord to make [all kinds] of music." more >>