“Bring Your Pieces to Church” Sunday

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clipped from americanvision.org Imagine the following scenario: At church this Sunday, while reviewing the list of announcements and upcoming events for your church, your pastor added, “Oh, and don’t forget: on Sundays we have our regular target practice. Make sure to bring your rifles. Make sure to bring your pieces to church.” Absurd, right? Not so. It used to be the American way. For example, a 1631 law in Virginia required citizens to own firearms, to engage in practice with them, and to do so publicly on holy days. It demanded that the people “bring their pieces to the church. We are further brainwashed into thinking (and feeling) that guns are somehow dirty and evil, and that Christians should have nothing to do with them. In this view, we have departed from the Scriptures, Christian legal history, as well as America’s Christian history. But we should also begin to exercise our inviolable rights. Every able Christian should own a firearm, and each should seek instruction and training in how to use them.

Turkey's Christians Emboldened after Martyrdom

clipped from www.cbn.com INSTANBUL, Turkey - Three years ago, a brutal slaying of three Christians in Malatya, Turkey, shook believers there. Many believed the murders would stop the gospel in the Muslim nation. But a small, vibrant Christian community has worked to ensure that doesn't happen. The Malatya incident was perhaps the most tragic and brutal murder of Christians in modern-day Turkey. The horrifying attack has left its mark on the evangelical community. Pastor Carlos Madrigal says many Turkish believers have received threats over the years, but they never expected to see such an act of violence against fellow believers. Now, they're much more aware of the risks of being Christian in a Muslim-dominated society. Risking Lives for Faith Originally from Spain, Madrigal fought with the Turkish government for years to win recognition for his evangelical church. It was the first time the Turkish government allowed a foundation to provide legal covering for churches.

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City that banned Bible studies has Judgment Day

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clipped from www.wnd.com Officials in Gilbert, Ariz., today told WND in an e-mail that the changes apparently were in the works even as the city continued handing out warnings. "This is a community with patriotic citizens who study and defend the Constitution," Vice Mayor Linda Abbott said in the e-mail. "We understand the importance of maintaining religious freedom." Then the church obtained a written letter from Mike Milillo, the city's senior planning, providing confirmation: "The assembly activities associated with the church, including Bible studies, church leadership meetings and church fellowship activities are not permitted." Mayor John Lewis called it "unfortunate" that the council didn't know what employees were doing. "Gilbert is known as a family-oriented community and our faith groups are a vital part of our town. We want to keep it that way," he said. The announcement said there was "overwhelming support" on the council to "expedite changes in the code."

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