Religious persecution takes many forms. It is not always an “in your face” life-threatening situation.

It can be a more subtle, invasive form of discrimination. Persecution can take the form of a cloak-and-dagger operation when the swinging axe of an executioner would be far less effective.

This tactic of persuasion has been an oft utilized weapon in Satan’s toolkit. He deceived Adam and Eve right out of paradise with God, not by waging physical war against them, but by deceiving them and weaving lies which would lead them away from their Creator.

In an interview with Faithwire’s Billy Hallowell, founder of the KAIROS Company Johnnie Moore discussed the impact, growth and evolution of persecution across the globe and the different forms it is taking in various regions.

“I’m always clear when I’m talking about the subject … I have no intention of drawing a parallel between religious discrimination in the United States of America or in the West and people getting their heads chopped off in Western Africa, their whole lives and livelihood[s] being destroyed routinely,” Moore explained.

Pointing to the war that is waged against Christians in other parts of the world, Moore highlights the fact that persecution never starts out as open warfare against the cross. It evolves and gradually grows into physical violence.

While Moore clearly highlights the vast differences between various forms of persecution, he also shines light on the first of two distinct warnings for Christians on the formation and evolution of persecution. It takes root and slowly develops from the beginning stages into larger social structures of discrimination.

“When I’m in the most intensely persecuting places, the persecuted church always tells me, in some way, they’ll say something like, ‘It didn’t start like this here. It started with marginalization. It started with discrimination. It started with our children being treated differently in schools,'” he said. “And so, they always say, ‘Watch out for the early warning signs,'” warns Moore.

America is in these beginning stages that Moore describes.

Children and teachers are chastised and punished by public schools for displays of Christian faith. Even more glaring than persecution of displays of faith is the new reality that anyone who does not bow to the altar of the “pride rainbow” and LGBTQ ideology will be shunned, victimized and pushed out the door of public education, corporate positions and media.

That is the marginalization that is taking root in America.

According to the new American social standards, if you stand up for biblical principles, you are a bigot and therefore you must be silenced.

This marginalization blends seamlessly into Moore’s second observation.

He has noticed in areas suffering severe persecution there has become a mentality of “change your beliefs or else,” mirroring the present latter stages of cancel culture affecting Western nations today.

Moore states that the founding documents acknowledged the rights given by God that have protected America from such horrific persecution for so long.

“There is no parallel between the unrivaled religious freedom we enjoy in the United States of America and all of these other places and circumstances,” Moore said. “It’s the first clause of the first sentence of our First Amendment, and, under most circumstances, when it gets squeezed, it works its way up in our system, and it’s protected.”

Yet many Americans do not realize just how close they are to losing those rights.

All it would take is a Supreme Court that is filled with “activist” judges to allow the religious liberties Americans hold dear to be torn down in favor of the radical gender ideologies infecting the American justice system today.

Even as persecution ramps up, Moore continues to see examples of the church taking a stand for the cross and endure the storm of discrimination, even to the point of death.

“There were more martyrs in the last century than in the previous 19 centuries combined, most of that at the end of the 20th century,” explains Moore. “[The] situation’s really, really bad, and yet the church is so strong and all around the world in the most difficult places of the most difficult times I meet the most amazing Christians that walk off the pages of the New Testament into your life.

“The old adage that, ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,’ that’s true,” he added. “The strength of the church has made my own faith alive and it encourages me.”

As persecution accelerates its rampage across the globe in the devil’s ill-fated attempt at quashing the gospel message of Jesus Christ, there is strength and encouragement in the blood shed by believers that proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior, even to the point of death.

So, take courage in their faith, and the living Word of God. For the Creator of all things will give those who stand in faith the strength and peace to endure the attacks of the world until the time comes when Jesus returns for His church. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

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If You Liked ‘Jesus Revolution,’ the Next Movie Will Be Heavenly

If you think God has blessed the Christian movie “Jesus Revolution”—and He certainly has with a box-office take of $45 million in less than a month—then you might want to check out the next film from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company coming out in October.

The movie, titled “Ordinary Angels,” will star Hillary Swank and Alan Ritchson of “Jack Reacher” fame, is a true story “of a struggling hairdresser who single-handedly rallies an entire community to help a widowed father save the life of his critically ill young daughter” a Facebook post from Kingdom Story Company read.

“Ordinary Angels,” which will debut on Oct. 13 and directed by Jon Gunn, tells the remarkable true story of Sharon Steves (Swank), who discovered a renewed sense of purpose in her life when she meets Ed Schmitt (Ritchson), a widower who is working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters.

Mario Murillo: Unprecedented Wave of Revival Coming From This Church

Mario Murillo says the minority communities in America are beginning to wake up, and that’s a double whammy for Satan and for those who belong to him.

In fact, Murillo says, it’s the Latino community that is going to lead a wave of revival in America that has never been seen before in the U.S.

“There is a major spiritual awakening going on,” Murillo told Charisma News’ John Matarazzo during an interview at the recent Fire and Glory Conference in Ocala, Florida. … There has become such a desperation now. … In fact, I’m going to predict right here, right now, that the wave of revival in the Latin churches in America is going to end up being the most forceful spiritual awakening that we have. It will transcend anything else.”

A Special Place in Hell’s Fire for Liars

Lies and liars seem to be everywhere.

Presidents and politicians have lied about their backgrounds, policies or qualifications. Former government officials have lied about “classified” documents. Job applicants have lied about college degrees or prior-positions held.

Modern liars lie—and without shame! School principals and school boards lie. Students lie. Musicians lie about melodies or chord progressions. Pharmaceutical companies lie. Manufacturers lie. Regulators lie. {eoa}

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Is the church in the West truly prepared for an increase in persecution? Shaking has started in our culture and it is revealing the hearts of men, left and right. Many prominent pastors you relied on to guide you in your walk have come out with mind-boggling scandals, false prophets are innumerable in a social media age and Christian-Judeo values are now looked down upon by many in today’s society.

“People are looking at what’s going on in the world. You know, God has allowed things to be shaken. People are looking for answers,” YouTube sensation Marcus Rogers says in an interview with Charisma magazine.

Rogers is the pastor at Firehouse Church in Chicago, Illinois, and is no stranger to the trying times the church is facing. Not only does he shepherd the flock at his church, but he also has a massive online presence where many look up to him for political guidance, cultural answers and discernment on Christian leaders.

“People wanted to know where did this guy come from,” Marcus says, referring to when he first started going viral on Facebook. He quickly realized the Christian haters online were going to pick him up for the denominational church he went to and his opinion or view on the smallest topics.

“You have to know what you have with God because religion will lie to you. That’s why we don’t have unity in the body that we should have because everyone is in their own box,” Rogers says.

Ephesians 4:1-3 says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, exhort you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called. With all humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another in love, be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Rogers has rubbed shoulders with other prominent leaders of ministries. He is often vocal about the mask many prominent Christians put on to appear a certain way to their followers. He encourages all followers of Jesus to test the spirit and know the ministry by their fruit.

“David knew who he was, that’s why he was able to step out to Goliath. Elijah knew who he was that’s why he said ‘come on you prophets of Baal’. So if you knew who you are and continue to go back to well, you’ll be okay,” he says.

Tune in to the rest of the interview with Rogers to hear his prophetic sense of the church in America and the coming collision God has shown him.

“Since I was in the army, the Lord showed me a collision is coming. In America, honestly, we’ve been blessed. I know people want to act like they hate this country but we have been blessed to be believers in America. You go to other countries they aren’t asking you what denomination you’re from, if you’re a follower of Jesus you will be persecuted,” he says.

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Shelby Bowen is an assistant editor for Charisma Media.

Cultures around the world are changing, and new challenges are being introduced that test the faith of Christians almost daily.

Will they continue living a life in service of Jesus Christ, or will they compromise their faith in a futile attempt to live at peace with the world?

Now, as countries like England are beginning to prosecute Christians for acts such as silent prayer, eight members of the U.S. government are sounding the alarm.

Leading the group was Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) who wrote to Rashad Hussain, the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. The letter warned of Christians facing an “existential threat” to their freedoms in the UK, “even freedom of thought.”

Recently, as Fox News reported, “A pro-life activist was arrested for the second time Tuesday for the ‘offense’ of silently praying in her head near an abortion facility in a so-called censorship or ‘buffer zone’ in Birmingham, England.

“Isabel Vaughan-Spruce’s arrest comes only weeks after the court cleared her of criminal charges for breaking a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which enforces a censorship zone around the abortion facility, according to an Alliance Defending Freedom UK press release.”

The path of arresting people for silently praying is a dark one that promotes the policing of a person’s thoughts. That is dangerous, plain and simple.

As reported by Christian Today, “The letter from Roy and the other representatives called their arrests a ‘gross’ and ‘aggressive’ assault on individual freedoms.

“The UK is now on an unsettling path that could potentially result in existential threats to freedom of speech, freedom of religion and even freedom of thought,” they said.

The letter also highlighted the dangers that would arise should this type of legislation be passed on a national level.

“Even more disturbing, Parliament is considering legislation that would implement these anti-religious freedom censorship zones around abortion facilities across all of England and Wales, and recently rejected amendments to this legislation that would have clarified that silent prayer and consensual conversations cannot be construed as crimes,” it said.

“Arresting individuals for silent prayer is a gross, aggressive and needlessly escalatory assault on one’s fundamental freedoms.”

Removing the ability to pray in a “buffer zone” using the argument that pregnant women are being harassed is a sick tactic that certainly will not stay limited to those zones.

It is the same argument that the LGBTQ activists have used in the past, that they just wanted to live their lives free from harassment. Sounds reasonable right?

Except now if you do not actively promote and affirm that lifestyle, a person puts their entire livelihood at risk for standing on biblical principles over the LGBTQ lifestyle.

The war against prayer that has been going on for decades, ever since the Warren courts removed prayer from schools, will only increase.

Whenever Satan makes headway in his effort to hinder the Great Commission, whenever an inch is given, he will try and take a mile.

The path to outlawing prayer in certain parts of the public space will surely devolve into removing prayer from all parts of the public space, all in the name of stopping someone from being offended or harassed.

But the calling of the Great Commission is stronger than ungodly laws that seek to remove God from public spaces.

Jesus let His followers know that the world would stand against them, because it stood against Him first. But since He is greater than he who is in the world, Christians can stand strong in the knowledge that Jesus is with them even in the face of persecution or arrest. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on :

How Institutionalism Quenches Holy Spirit’s Gifts

The Southern Baptist Convention recently expelled Saddleback Church in southern California because of a woman on their staff who carries title of “teaching pastor.” According to Baptist Press, Saddleback was declared to “not be in friendly cooperation with the necessary credentials under the Southern Baptist Convention.”

This is an example of how “institutionalism” quenches the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit. “Institutionalism” is defined as “an emphasis on organization at the expense of other factors.” In the church, institutionalism always comes at the expense of the life of the Holy Spirit being freely expressed through all members of the body of Christ. An institutionalized church becomes captive to its own rules, regulations and order.

In her book, “In the Spirit We’re Equal 2nd Edition,” Dr. Susan Hyatt documents how every genuine revival in church history has led to the elevation of women. This happens because in revival the church tends to give more emphasis to the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit than to organizational and institutional concerns.

A Pastor’s Miraculous Supernatural Encounter on Skid Row

After serving in the Marine’s and facing traumatic events, one veteran fell into a life of drugs and homelessness. It was in his last moment of greatest despair that he had a supernatural encounter with God that radically altered the course of the rest of his life.

That man is Troy Vaughn, pastor and CEO of the Los Angeles Mission, one of the nation’s largest service providers to the homeless. His story is one of great heart aches—but also many triumphs.

“My father was found dead in a porta potty in the city of Inglewood in a park, with a needle in his arm,” Vaughn says in the Charisma magazine interview.

EXCLUSIVE: Two Knesset Members Propose Legislation to Outlaw Sharing the Gospel in Israel and Send Violators to Prison: Could it Become Law?

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL—Is it possible that the Israeli government this year could pass legislation making it illegal for people to share the Gospel message in the very land where Jesus was born, raised, preached, died, buried and rose from the dead?

Unfortunately, yes.

As Palm Sunday and Easter approach—the two most sacred days on the calendar for those who follow Jesus as both God and Messiah—two members of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) introduced a bill last week that would ban any and all efforts to tell people about Jesus. {eoa}

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Kidnapped from his home in Abalak, northern Niger in October 2016, longtime American Christian aid worker Jeff Woodke has been released from his captivity in “good condition,” his wife, Els, said on their website Monday.

The U.S. government informed Els Woodke Monday that Jeff had been freed after six-and-a-half years of being held by what the U.S. and Niger’s government long suspected were jihadists in the area of Sahel.

The statement on the website read that Els “has expressed her profound thanks to the many people in governments and others around the world who have worked so hard to see this result. She praises God for answering the prayers of Christian everywhere who have prayed for this outcome.”

reported that Jeff Woodke was released outside of Niger, in a border area with Mali and Burkina Faso. He was then moved to Niger’s capital of Niamey for medical checks.

Niger’s Interior Minister Hmadou Adamou Soule told reporters that Woodke, along with French journalist Olivier Dubois, were released at the same time and were freed “from the hands of [JNIM],” an al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa.

A senior U.S. official said no ransom or other conditions were part of their release.

reported that Woodke had been living in the region since 1992 and was working for Jeunesse en Mission Entraide et Developpement, a branch of Youth With a Mission, at the time of his kidnapping. He ran several projects among the Tuareg and spoke the two main local languages, the website said.

His abduction shocked the Abalak community.

“This man lived among us for years, even when it had been difficult to accompany vulnerable populations … everyone knows his goodness,” Abalak’s Mayor Bilou Mohamed told World Watch Monitor in October 2016. {eoa}

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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – On Sunday, ALL ISRAEL NEWS was the first news outlet to report that two influential members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) have just introduced a bill to make it illegal for Israeli or foreign Christians to share their faith in Jesus with other Israelis, be they Jewish, Muslim, or of some other faith or no faith.

The bill was authored by Knesset Members Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher.

Both are ultra-Orthodox Jewish members of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) political party.

As a party, UTJ has seven seats in the 120-seat Knesset and is, therefore, a vital component of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 64-seat majority government.

If the bill were actually to become law, violators could be prosecuted and sentenced to “one year imprisonment” for explaining their faith in Jesus to an adult.

Violators face “two years imprisonment” if they discuss their faith with a minor under the age of 18.

However, the bill doesn’t only make it illegal to have a personal conversation about one’s faith with an Israeli.

It also outlaws the sharing of New Testament theology via online videos, online articles, social media, written literature and other forms of media.

[To read the actual text of the bill in English, please click here.]

[To read the text of the bill in its original Hebrew, please click here.]

EVANGELICALS REACT TO BILL AUTHORED BY KNESSET MEMBERS GAFNI AND ASHER

Evangelical and Messianic Jewish leaders in Israel are very concerned that this new bill could pass in the current political environment.

Why?

Because so many members of Netanyahu’s government coalition this time around are hardline Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jewish Knesset members who are aggressively seeking to impose policies based on their theological beliefs on all of Israel with the force of law behind them.

They are, therefore, concerned that the rights of religious minorities could be trampled.

That’s why they are looking to Netanyahu for help.

As we reported on Sunday, Netanyahu has long been a great friend and ally of Christians all over the world.

He routinely speaks to Evangelical Christian audiences at conferences, hosts an annual “Christian Media Summit” in Jerusalem for Evangelical journalists and loves to invite Christians from all over the world to come and tour the Land of Israel.

Netanyahu has also been a strong and unwavering defender of protecting the human rights of free speech, freedom of religion and freedom of conscience for all Israelis, including Christians.

What’s more, over the years Netanyahu and his center-right Likud party have consistently shot down any bills that would have threatened the rights of Christians here in Israel, even though they don’t agree theologically with Christians about who Jesus is.

Sources close to Netanyahu in the last 24 hours have told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that the prime minister would never allow this bill to pass.

However, major pro-Israel Evangelical leaders in the U.S. are asking the prime minister for more than private assurances.

Evangelicals are asking Netanyahu to make a formal statement opposing the Gafni-Asher bill and publicly promising that such a direct assault on free speech and religious freedom will never become Israeli law.

Here are the statements that have been sent to ALL ISRAEL NEWS since Sunday:

• “I love Israel for many reasons, including because it’s the only democracy in the Middle East. Religious freedom, including the right to change one’s beliefs, is at the very heart of any democracy. Given Prime Minister Netanyahu’s long-standing friendship and alliance with Christians and solid commitment to religious freedom and free speech, I pray that he will make it clear soon that this disturbing bill will never become law on his watch.” — Dr. Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and former President of the Southern Baptist Convention (2002-2003), largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. with 16 million members

• “For the past 75 years, Israel has been an island of democracy, religious freedom, and stability amidst the raging seas of war, revolution, religious hatred, intolerance, and even genocide in the Middle East. Nowhere have followers of Jesus been safer in the Middle East more than in Israel since its modern founding in 1948. But I must say that I quite concerned by the introduction of this new bill in the Knesset that would make it illegal for Israelis who follow Jesus from talking about Him and the New Testament with fellow Israelis, punishable by prison time. This is a grave threat to democracy and to fundamental human rights, including religious freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience. I call on the 60 million Evangelicals in the United States – and many others around the world – to join me in praying that the bill is stopped. Let’s pray particularly that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who has always been a true friend of Christians – will act wisely and quickly to prevent such a law from passing.” — J. Kenneth Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Commission

• “As an Evangelical leader who deeply loves, publicly supports and strongly advocates for the relationship, I am appalled at the idea of Christians being prosecuted for sharing their faith. In Matthew chapter 28, in what is widely known as ‘The Great Commission,’ Jesus commanded us to share our faith, which we must do with love and respect. Christians in the United States are counting on Prime Minister Netanyahu and Knesset members to reject this bill, which is a violation of the human rights of our Brothers and Sisters in Israel. This kind of oppressive policy would be more indicative of hardline Muslim regimes than the democratic Jewish state. Please don’t violate Christians’ right to religious freedom.” — Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, the largest conservative Christian women’s organization in the U.S. which more than 500,000 members

• “Never in history have so many Christians – and people of faith – had access to the holy sites in Israel as they have in the modern State of Israel. This is because of Israel’s sacrosanct commitment to religious freedom as a democracy. I am sure this will not change and it must not change. At the heart of religious freedom is God-ordained freedom of choice, the freedom to believe, not believe, or to change one’s beliefs” — Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Church in Orange County, California, and a member of the White House Faith Advisory Committee (2017 to 2020)

• “A key pillar for all presidential hopefuls in the first in the nation Caucus state, Iowa, is their alliance and steadfast commitment to standing with and blessing the nation of Israel. Thousands of Christians journey to the Holy Land every year to celebrate their Faith and to showcase their commitment to this special and shared Land, Israel. Genuine faith is not imposed but, instead, embraced freely. Israel understands this more than most which is why the Knesset and all leaders of Israel should vigorously champion true Religious Liberty.” — Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO, The FAMILY Leader, the leading faith-based organization in Iowa

This is a developing story – for more updates, please subscribe to the ALL ISRAEL NEWS free daily email updates. {eoa}

This article originally appeared on ALL ISRAEL NEWS and is reposted with permission.

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Joel C. Rosenberg is the editor-in-chief of ALL ISRAEL NEWS and ALL ARAB NEWS and the President and CEO of Near East Media. A New York Times best-selling author, Middle East analyst and Evangelical leader, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife and sons.

With the weakening of American influence across the world, one key player is stepping up to form alliances that continue to push forward the end times prophecies of the Bible: China.

Working to establish stability in the region, China has helped broker a deal to re-establish a diplomatic relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two largest powers in the Middle East.

This is a monumental win for China and Iran, as it diminishes the Trump administration’s Abraham Accords and helps solidify Chinese influence among the Middle East’s power players.

It is being reported by Iran that the Saudi government has also extended an invitation to China for a state visit, though no details of such a trip have been revealed.

Talking to Fox News Digital, Middle East expert and senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Behnam Ben Taleblu shared who are the winners in this deal:

“The Chinese are keen to actually make this look like a zero-sum—the Chinese win, America loses,” Taleblu says. “They want to have the impact of this agreement do things for them in the policy space.

“That means the slow erosion of the U.S. force posture in the region, the slow erosion of the order in the region,” he added.

Following the Biden administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, there has been a power vacuum and lack of leadership that saw instability surge throughout the region.

Now, China is stepping in to offer such stability to its two largest trade partners in the region.

There are two stark losers in the formation of the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia: Israel and the U.S.

“Iran is trying … to break out of this land of isolation that the Abraham Accords had imposed on it by saying to the world, ‘I beat Jerusalem to Riyadh,'” Taleblu said, noting that Saudi Arabia has not yet signed on to normalize ties with Israel. “It’s trying to downgrade or devalue the Abraham Accords and counter its expansion.”

End times expert Michael Snyder warned that the deteriorating U.S. influence is going to bring profound consequences, and time is proving him right.

“U.S. relations with China have been steadily deteriorating for quite some time, but the Biden administration seems absolutely determined to make them even worse,” Snyder says.

When former President Donald Trump warned that recent conflicts with Russia, Ukraine and China have brought the world closer to World War III, Snyder fully agreed with that assessment.

“Trump was right on target with that statement,” Snyder says. “In my entire lifetime, the United States has never been closer to an apocalyptic war than it is right now. It appears that we could end up fighting Russia and China at the same time, and that sort of a nightmare scenario will not be good for any of us.”

Except now China is shoring up allies in the Middle East, one of which is determined to exterminate the nation of Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran—Persia—is a major player in end times prophecy within Ezekiel 38.

The Bible says nations will rise against the Lord’s chosen in Israel and make war against them, and eventually the Lamb Himself.

Iran has been calling for the eradication of the “Big Satan” and “Little Satan” (U.S. and Israel) for decades now, and with Chinese and Russian support, it will be emboldened to act on those threats.

With a stable Middle East aligned with world powers like Russia and China, Israel may soon find itself losing favor with its neighbors who have signed the Abraham Accords who do not wish to face the wrath of a unified Middle East.

While the leadership of the United States military focuses on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives within its ranks, Russia and China are preparing for war.

Yet even the true Satan knows that nothing moves forward in human history without the Lord’s knowledge and guiding hand.

He tells believers what is going to happen before the End of Days in His Word. To be as prepared as possible for the coming times, all Christians must do is read the Word and proclaim it across the globe, saving as many souls as possible with the redeeming knowledge of Jesus Christ. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Emergency crews responded to a church fire in Burlington, New Jersey, Monday night. The blaze was so intense it lasted until Tuesday morning.

The fire that consumed the Fountain of Life Center began just after 6 p.m. according to authorities.

More than 150 firefighters from both New Jersey and Pennsylvania arrived on scene to combat the rapidly spreading fire.

Originally classified as a 3-alarm, the fire grew rapidly into a 5-alarm, then the intensity of the flames was upgraded again into a 8-alarm blaze.

Thankfully, no injuries have been reported at this time.

“It’s a devastating loss,” Russell Hodgins, a senior pastor, told Philadelphia’s KYW-TV.

“The church is not brick and mortar, the church is really the body of believers,” Hodgins said. “God will help us through this, and I believe the church will be stronger than ever.”

It took only a few short hours before the entire roof of the church collapsed.

“Even though this building could not be saved, they’ve done everything they can to save our school building, which is attached through a link to the church,” Hodgins told WPVI.

Pastor Matthew Boudwin lamented the loss of the church as “incredibly tragic.”

“This is my entire life and the community here really means everything to me,” he said, as reported by WPVI.

The Fountain of Life Center is a staple in its community.

According to the church’s website, it provides to the neighborhood “a multi-purpose, 120,000-square-foot facility with a preschool, basketball courts and a fitness center.”

While no charges have been filed, the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on :

A Prophetic Warning to Americans, from the Underground Church

There is a Satanic lullaby here in the West. A very subtle droning lullaby that is causing the church to drift asleep. That’s how one Iranian woman described the American church when her family moved here before deciding to return to Iran.

The simmering pressure and intensity in the underground church kept their faith alive and real, in a way that started to diminish in the lukewarm churches in the West.

That woman, along with two other women leaders in the underground church in Iran felt the Spirit of God placed an urgent prophetic message on their hearts to share with American Christians.

Wood Uses Scripture to Defend Saddleback’s Position on Women Pastors

Andy Wood isn’t about to apologize for Saddleback’s Church stance on appointing women to positions of authority in his church.

Wood, who took over as lead pastor at Saddleback last fall for founding pastor Rick Warren, says that, despite the fact his church was expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention in February for its decision to hire a female pastor—his wife, Stacie, as a teaching pastor—Saddleback will continue to stick to what God’s Word has to say on the subject.

In a recent video on the church’s YouTube channel, Wood pointed out several Scriptures in God’s Word that proved that women indeed were allowed to take on such positions in the church.

Mike Signorelli: Deliverance from Demonic Influence is Overdue and Happening Now

The act of deliverance from demonic activity can be unsettling for many, especially if they do not understand what is taking place and its spiritual significance.

There are many passages in the Bible that discuss the casting out of demons and the physical manifestations of them inhabiting a body.

Demons attacked the sons of Sceva in the book of Acts and beat them while possessing a man. They cried out when they recognized Jesus in the synagogue in Luke chapter 4. {eoa}

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