Reps Move Against Education Minister, Restores CRK As Independent Subject In School Curriculum

By a unanimous voice vote, members of the House of Representatives at plenary on Tuesday jettisoned the Buhari’s government policy which subsumed Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK in Civic Education as a compulsory subject in the Secondary School curriculum.

This followed a motion titled “Call to make Civic Education an optional instead of a compulsory subject for Senior Certificate Examination”, filed by Hon. Beni Lar from Plateau State. The members after an exhaustive debate on the motion agreed that the policy was incongruent with the spirit and letters of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on the provision of religious liberties.

The members agreed that students with the inputs of their parents at formative years should be taught the religious subjects of their choice in school. Essentially, the House while pointing out that the policy makers erred ab initio also agreed Islamic Studies and CRK should be taught independently and separately in the spirit of the constitution.

It will be recalled that the issue recently became a subject of controversy whereupon tempers flared.

"Christians Should Support Gospel Artists Even If Their Private Lives Are 'Questionable - Popular gospel singer Marvin Sapp

Popular gospel singer Marvin Sapp, who's also founder and senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Centre Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, stirred controversy online when he suggested that Christians should buy the music of gospel artistes even if their private lives are questionable.

  Sapp's comment comes in the wake of the success of rapper Jay-Z's much publicized "4:44" digital-only album which was certified platinum, with sales of 1 million copies in the U.S., less than a week after its June 30 release.

"'Jay-Z's album went platinum and it hasn't even been released to the masses yet! It went certified platinum just on tidal! Coming to Apple and all other outlets next week! What is that saying?'" Sapp said he was asked in a post to his more than 2 million fans on Facebook .

Church Unity: Catholic, Protestants Sign Accord on Justification Doctrine

A worldwide coalition of Reformed churches representing approximately 80 million Christians has signed onto an ecumenical statement with the Roman Catholic Church to "overcome divisions" from the time of the Protestant Reformation.

The World Communion of Reformed Churches  signed, last week, a "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" with Catholic, Lutheran, and Methodist leaders  at a church in Wittenberg, Germany. According to a WCRC press release, "The declaration stated that mutual condemnations pronounced by the two sides during the Reformation do not apply to their current teaching on justification."

According to the agreement, which was originally signed by the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation on October 31, 1999, Catholics and Protestants "are now able to articulate a common understanding of our justification by God's grace through faith in Christ."

"It does not cover all that either church teaches about justification; it does encompass a consensus on basic truths of the doctrine of justification and shows that the remaining differences in its explication are no longer the occasion for doctrinal condemnations," states the Joint Declaration in part.

Kingdom Men Laments Christians Role In Agitation For Nigeria Break-up, Drags Prof Anya To Roundtable Talk

A  Christian group, under the  umbrella body of  The Kingdom Men, has  lamented  the role of Christians and their active participation in what it called the increasing rise in the call  for the separation of the country Nigeria as a nation.

 

In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday, group  said it is  particularly concerned that Christian men are actively joining in the ethnic card playing role; becoming ethnic champions on social and traditional media and even in private discussions.

Submitting that its concern stem from its status as  God’s accountability officers, the group which has Ambsaasdor Chrsitopher Kolade as its Patron among other men said "even if it could be argued that armies are dominated by men, we forget that women and children are normally the majority of victims and casualties of wars that we cause! And we forget that it is our responsibility as family heads and leaders to protect them."

In the statement signed by Rev Remi Akanno, the Kingdom Men  lamented that  "Our nation, Nigeria’s continued existence as one indivisible entity is being threatened. Separatist agitations are on the rise.

Pastors Slammed Over Infertility Message As Prof Says "In 30 Years People Won't Have Sex to Make Babies"

Within three decades sexual intercourse will no longer be necessary to conceive a child. Instead, parents will choose from a range of embryos made with their DNA in a laboratory, a Stanford professor claims.

Hank Greely, who directs Stanford Law School's Center for Law and Biosciences, believes that although the reproductive technology already exists to create life outside of the womb, over time the process will become less expensive, as Quartz reported.

When many embryos are created couples will be able to choose which ones they want and screen out the embryos that carry potential for diseases, he said.

Greely also believes that parents will one day be able to select the hair and eye color for their children, and eventually even more complex traits like intelligence.

Megachurch Founder Dies Months After Wife Suffered Grave Illness

The late Bishop Frank Summerfield, founder of the Word of God Fellowship Church and Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Bishop Frank Summerfield, founder of the Word of God Fellowship Church and Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina, has died. He was 67.

In a statement posted to the church's website, Word of God Fellowship said Summerfield died Sundaymorning but did not provide any details on his cause of death.

"Bishop Summerfield transitioned from labor to reward on Sunday Morning, July 2, 2017," the church said.

Pastor who defrauded me of N918 million was my `errand boy’, Titi Atiku tells court

Titi Atiku, wife of former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku, told an Ikeja High Court that Akpan-Jacobs, the pastor who allegedly defrauded her of N918 million, was her “errand boy”.

Mrs. Atiku made this claim while being cross-examined on Wednesday by Amos Ibe, the defence counsel to Akpan-Jacobs.

“I paid N49 million for the land used as the premises of THA Shipping, my partner Fred Holmes never contributed to the buying of the land but he contributed to the building of the property.

“The N49 million was given to Akpan-Jacobs to purchase the land, but did not know who he bought the land from.

“He never contributed a dime, he was just like an errand boy,” Mrs. Atiku said.

Rejection of Ahiara Bishop ‘disgrace’ to Catholic Church — Priest

A Catholic priest, Philip Jamang, has described the rejection of Peter Okpalaeke by some members of Ahiara Diocese, Mbaise, in Imo, as a “disgrace” to the Catholic Church.

Mr. Jamang, parish priest of Church of Assumption, Chongo Pyel, Jos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was particularly wrong for some priests to support those against a Bishop appointed by the Pope.

“Their action is strange; it is an insult never heard of in the Catholic Church,” he said on Monday in Jos.

Ahiara Catholic Diocese has remained without a Bishop, more than four years after the death of its pioneer Bishop, Victor Chikwe, a Rt. Rev., after the rejection of Mr. Okpalaeke, who was appointed and consecrated in 2012.

Kirk Franklin: Cheating on My Wife Would Be Like Cheating on God

After 20 years of marriage, Kirk Franklin says being unfaithful to his wife would be comparable to cheating on God, and advises men not to cheat on their children and the Kingdom of God in search of something "newer."

"Men can be dumb at times, and want what's newer, fresher, or what our other 'head' thinks is better. But to fail Tammy is to fail God. To cheat on Tammy is to cheat on the Kingdom, my children, and even you. Those who trust me to chase Christ with everything I got," Franklin said, according to BET. "I'm not perfect, but I'm still in love with Tammy."

The 46-year-old gospel music recording artist, songwriter and producer revealed that the pair met when they were young. Although Tammy came from a good family, Kirk did not and was challenged to change by his future wife.

"She's a prime example of how a good woman can change a man without breaking him down. She didn't compromise her standard but helped me reach it," Franklin recalled. "Every song you've heard over the last 20 years, she wrote it. She was every lyric, every key change spelled her name."

1400-Year Old Church Discovered on UK Holy Island, Where Conversions of Pagans to Christianity Began

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient seventh century church on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in the U.K., believed to be the site where monks began England's mass conversion from pagan traditions to Christianity.
"This latest discovery of a potential church building on the Heugh cements Holy Island as one of the most significant early medieval sites in Britain," said Conservation Manager Sara Rushton, according to an article in MailOnline on Tuesday.

"It is incredible to think that we have uncovered two very significant buildings associated with the early Christian foundation of the priory that provide tangible links to both St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert," she added, referring to the early Christian monks.

The church in question is believed to have been built in the same time period as a monastery in 635 A.D. The small rectangular building, where the church once stood, was apparently built just a few feet from a cliff edge.

Online Sermons Causing Low Church Attendance?

Skye Jethani.

Declining church attendance is partly because of basic economics and a Christian media-saturated world, which has unfortunately communicated that the time and place for worship does not really matter, according to author Skye Jethani.

In a Friday Signposts podcast interview with Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Skye Jethani, author of What's Wrong With Religion: 9 Things No One Taught You About Faith, explained why he believes that amid the many conversations among Christian leaders about declining church attendance, the economic factors are being ignored. Moore engaged the author having seen a string of tweets Jethani has posted outlining some of his thinking on the subject.

"Every time there has been an adjustment in communication technologies it has deeply affected the church," Jethani said, adding that another major adjustment is currently underway with digital communications and the plethora of podcasts and Internet resources tailored for Christians.

Busola Eleyele Eyes New Career Chapter, Plans All Gospel Track s Album

In what has been described as the beginning of a new phase  in her flourishing  musical career, inspirational singer ,  Busola Oke popularly known as Eleiyele, TRN has authoritatively gathered has commenced work on  an all gospel album.

According to sources close to the  singer, she commenced  work on the All gospel work after wrapping up on a 12 tracker billed for release later in the year.

"Busola has come of age as far as this music thing is concerned and her priority now is to balance whatever she is doing musically with giving back to her source which is God and the Church.

"She is of the belief that she has been able to meet the needs of her fans generally over the years, she also feel strongly that an aspect of her career must be seeded to the source of her talent as a musician.

"She observed  too that the worrisome  daily global occurrences require that every instrument of the gospel should be alive to their responsibilities and spread the message of Salvation and Busola doesn't want to be found wanting in the end time crusade and the  task to prepare the Saints for the coming of Jesus Christ."

Gospel Reage Player, Buchi Narrates Salvation Testimony

On the 30th of December in the year 1992, I walked into the office of a young pastor of a predominantly youth ministry, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, agitated in my spirit. I had a few questions to ask him.

I was not sure he or anybody else would have the answers but it was time for me to speak out to someone. I feared that I would explode if I didn’t.

The turbulence within had become unbearable. The young lady at the church office reception (Miss Tolu Doherty) didn’t think it was such a good idea because the pastor was praying and preparing for an end-of-year all-night service for the following day.

Disappointed, I turned and walked towards the exit but just then, I heard the lady call out: “Pastor says you should come in." The experiences and circumstances leading up to that day are difficult to abridge, but here’s my effort.

Evangelist Launches 50,000 Teenagers to Share Gospel

Teens today face a host of challenges that were unimaginable to past generations, especially as the culture now even calls into question what it means to be male or female. But one Colorado evangelist is not deterred and is empowering tens of thousands of them with the Gospel.

"Henry David Thoreau said that 'for every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, one strikes at the root,'" Greg Stier, founder of Dare 2 Share, told The Christian Post. "What I tell people is that it really is a sin issue, and we need to attack that and the only thing that can attack that, just as in our lives, is the Gospel of Christ."

"And so if I meet somebody who is transgender, I share the Gospel. I don't deal with the transgender issue" right then, he said.

Stier believes Christians oftentimes "do it backwards" by dealing with and trying to fix the issues in trying to "win our culture back." But it can't be done through "polemic debate or through politics," he stressed.