#christian ministry donate

[edbradyradio]

[papersquirrels]

One of my new projects in 2024 is making cards to donate to my church's hospitality ministry. This is by far the busiest group in our church--always cooking and gathering and taking food/clothes/etc. to those in need. Sometimes it's a family who is trying to scrape by, sometimes it's an elderly church member who can't get out anymore. They were really happy with the idea of including handmade cards to include in their packages.

I ordered two rubber stamps from TheStampMaker.com to use for these cards. The drawing is a hand-drawn sketch done by a church member decades ago and I just made up the sentiment stamp. The real challenge is trying to include both in a card (though I certainly don't need the sketch stamp for every card design). So far this is what I have and I'm really enjoying it :)

[aplaceintimes]

Ministry Funding Now Available at A Place in Time!

Discover your pathway to financial support through Ministry funding for individuals at A Place in Time. Our comprehensive assistance program empowers you to access the resources you need. From education to housing, we've got you covered. Find your opportunities and take the first step towards a brighter future. Don't miss out on this chance to transform your life. Join us at A Place in Time and seize the support you deserve.

[odinsblog]

This is definitely a trend for the hateful, christofascist, religious reich. Hobby Lobby did the same thing at previous Super Bowls.

It’s right wing, Islamophobic, homophobic, anti-abortion Christian nationalism, masquerading as “caring” religion.

The Servant Foundation: the power behind the ads

The $20 million "He Gets Us" campaign about Jesus - is funded by an influential donor to some of the most active and litigious Shadow Network groups working to undermine church-state separation.

The Servant Foundation

The Servant Foundation, also known as The Signatry, is behind the “He Gets Us” ad campaign that debuted during the 2023 Super Bowl. Over the next three years, the Servant Foundation plans to spend “about a billion dollars” toward this public relations campaign. They’ve hired a PR firm to address, in the firm’s words, the problem of “How did the world’s greatest love story in Jesus become known as a hate group?”

Of course, they’re the cause of their own problem – not only has the Servant Foundation funded hate groups, but the PR firm, Haven, has represented these organizations. Key Shadow Network members Focus on the Family and Alliance Defending Freedom are in their portfolio. ADF is a noted anti-LGBTQ hate group that has argued repeatedly in courts that religion, and specifically Christianity, is a license to discriminate; they have one such case pending before the Supreme Court right now.

The money trail

The Servant Foundation is one of ADF’s biggest financial backers. A recent exposé reports that, “between 2018-20, the Servant Foundation donated more than $50 million to the Alliance Defending Freedom and that those contributions “were among the five largest donations given out by the foundation in each of those three years.”

Other recipients of the Servant Foundation’s billion dollars in assets include:

Nearly $8 million went to Answers in Genesis, creationist Ken Ham’s fundamentalist ministry behind the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, an organization that has been championed by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a former ADF attorney.

Over $1 million was designated for the anti-LGBTQ Campus Crusade for Christ (rebranded as “Cru” since 2011).

$374,800 went to Al Hayat Ministries, an organization that seeks to “respectfully yet fearlessly unveil the deception of Islam,” and runs an Arabic-language Christian satellite TV station with the goal of converting Muslims to Christianity.

In 2020 alone, we found donations to prominent Shadow Network members American Center for Law and Justice, First Liberty Institute, and Liberty Counsel.

(continue reading)

[incorrect-jojolands-quotes]

announcement: please help the people of hawaii

In case you haven't heard yet, the state of hawaii is experiencing wildfires that have displaced several people as well as injured and killed others. Particularly, the island of Maui and the big island are experiencing such fires the most.

Needless to say, it's important to do what we can to help the people of Hawai'i who are suffering as a result of these fires. This may not be an entire list, but here are links I found so far to resources for those on the island who need help and donation options for those off the island.

I encourage those who are more experienced and familiar with how donations work and know about more places to donate for Hawaii to reblog with more resources and correct me if the links I provided are not suitable.

The official website for Lahaina Town has updated to provide resources for locals and news about the fires. Donations links are TBD.

The Maui Mutual Aid Fund is an ahupua’a based citizen disaster response team. They are collecting funds that will be distributed to the vulnerable affected by the fire.

Hawai'i Community Foundation has created the The Maui Strong Fund. This fund has been used to provide resources for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and is now used to help those affected by the wildfires in Maui.

New Life Kahuku Inc. is a non-profit Christian Church based in Kahuku that set up a donation fund for the people of Lahaina Town. Proceeds will be used to provide food and other supplies to those in need.

The Maui Humane Society is asking for supplies such as food, kennels, and more to help their current and potential influx of animals that will be displaced as a result of the fires. The website has a donation button, and the organization are asking for foster parents to take in an animal as well.

The Maui Food Bank is working to help provide food for those affected by the wildfires. They are asking for donations to provide for the hungry during these dangerous times.

[thegreenleavesofspring]

By the way, when I say that the American church has FAILED, this is what I'm talking about:

The email I sent to Focus on the Family a couple weeks ago, identifying information redacted:

Hello,

My name is [redacted] and I followed a link to one of your website's articles - about Biblical discipline - and saw the massive donation solicitation banner at the top of the website, saying any donations would go to families in need.

My mother is very much in need.

She is 61 and severely disabled, mentally and physically. In 2016 she had a stroke, which type has a 70% death rate and of the remaining 30%, the vast majority never recover any cognitive or physical function. She is a medical outlier in that she recovered both - through odds so astronomical it is a blatant miracle she survived at all - to some degree. But now her cognitive abilities are declining, as well as her mobility and eyesight: she is effectively 100% disabled.

She is also currently undergoing an eviction since she can no longer pay rent. She had planned to move into her car, but earlier this week it had an oil/engine failure that will require about $7,000 of work to repair. Her insurance would pay for it, save that she has a $1,000 deductible she cannot afford.

She gets $914 a month in disability.

I am a single mother of three boys five and under; my husband has walked out on us and does not pay child support and I cannot get any legal division to enforce it. I make $1,000 a month, and also do not own a car or have any sort of transportation. I order her groceries online and try to get small expenses for her when I can, and that is the most aid I am currently able to offer.

Right now she just needs her car repaired. But we do not have $1,000 for that deductible.

We have spent weeks calling every phone number and resource in the area and even the state. The churches send us to the government, the government sends us to the NGOs, the NGOs send us to the churches. No one helps.

Your website claims you help families. I looked under the "get help" tab and found nothing of any use, hence this email.

Will you help my family?

Sincerely,

~~~~

I got this in return:

Dear [Redacted],

Thank you for writing to Focus on the Family. Your willingness to share your concerns means a lot to us, and we want you to know we care about you, your dear mother, and your children. 

Our hearts are heavy after reading about the serious financial problems your disabled mother is facing right now. We’re especially concerned to hear that her car has broken down and she has no place to call home. Though we realize you’ve already asked for assistance from churches and a number of organizations, we recommend you contact the Salvation Army. You can visit their website at: Salvation Army: Housing and Homeless Services. We’d also like to mention three more online sources of information: National Coalition for the Homeless,  2-1-1 Get Help,  Catholic Charities USA. We can’t guarantee that they will be able to provide the help you need, nor can we say with certainty that they consistently uphold Christian values and ethics. Nevertheless, we think it would be worthwhile to find out what services are available. Please note that our mentioning these organizations should not be taken as an endorsement by our ministry.

Be assured we’re praying for the Lord to comfort your mother, provide for her many needs, and lead her to a safe place to live. We’re also asking God to surround you and your three young sons with caring people who will offer their support and help you in practical ways. 

Along with praying for you, we invite you to call the Christian counselors on our staff if you think it might be helpful to discuss your concerns with caring professionals. They might be able to offer additional suggestions and useful referral information. To reach them, please call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) any weekday between 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. (MT). Someone on our staff will ask for your name and phone number in order to arrange for a counselor to return your call as soon as they’re able. This service is available at no cost to you.

[Redacted], we understand you contacted our ministry because you saw a banner on our website indicating that all donations to our ministry are used to help families in need.  In order to provide clarification, we need to explain that the purpose of our ministry is to respond to the spiritual, emotional, and psychological needs of individuals and families. We do this by praying, providing books and other resources, airing broadcasts that address the serious issues many people face, and offering one free consultation with a professional Christian counselor on our staff. The financial contributions we receive are used to accomplish these objectives.

While it’s true that our ministry has been privileged on occasion to provide financial assistance to those experiencing hardships, our capacity to do this is limited as we are primarily a media ministry. Unfortunately, as much as we would like to, we’re not always able to offer monetary aid to the many individuals and families whose needs are brought to our attention. We’re so sorry to disappoint you.

Thanks again for writing to us, [Redacted]. God bless you and your loved ones, and may He always be the strength of your heart and your refuge.

[Redacted]

Focus on the Family

~~~~

I'll hand it to the Catholics. They do try. But their assistance is focused primarily on Catholics - quite understandable - and within their own parishes - equally understandable.

You might as well ask a brick wall for help as any Protestant church. Actually the brick wall probably at least won't - more or less literally - slam a door in your face.

I know good and well that my mother, my family, is not the only one in such dire straits. There is nowhere to turn - least of all our 'brothers' and 'sisters'.

One of these days the leaders of all these churches - these vastly wealthy mega churches and the haughty local churches and all of them - are going to have to answer to Christ about all the blood on their hands of their own people they left to starve and freeze and die in the streets.

(I'd bet good money - if I had any - that they'll have the money to put on a Christmas pageant this year.)

[angeltreasure]

Hello :)

Do you have any tips on where I can donate stuff to? I see you talk about donating and helping the needy sometimes (something I keep wanting to do more of) I feel bad cuz I haven’t been too involved recently :/

I really want to help out or give stuff to people who need it more

Good Afternoon!

Don’t worry, it’s never too late to donate. I got you covered! A good place to start is your own diocese webpage!

Other examples:

- your own family members in need

- your next door neighbor

- your friends

- your church (this is probably the most active with a variety of options!)

- Mental Health Ministry

- Knights of Columbus

- Marians of the Immaculate Conception

- EWTN

- Relevant Radio

- pro life crisis pregnancy centers

- Maggie’s Place

- St. Gianna’s Place

- food banks (don’t donate expired food and be mindful of what is currently most needed) like this one

- hospitals (medical supplies like canes, wheelchairs, etc)

- St. Jude

- homeless shelters (think of clothing, gift cards, food, etc)

- nursing homes

- schools

- Charity and Development Appeal

- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul

- Catholic Charities USA

- Catholic Relief Services

- Kolbe Mission

- Sisters of Life

- Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America

- Wounded Warrior Project

- The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

- You can even donate to homeless on the streets. I always carry an extra bottle of water when I drive, as well as prayer cards and Rosaries. If that person is not next to the highway exit, I’ll go buy them fresh food. For homeless dogs, I have a bottle of water and some dog food in a bowl.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

For most Americans, bomb shelters are a relic of the past, a call-out to the early 1960s when Cold War tensions ran high. But for citizens of Israel, bomb shelters are a very present and living reality. Even more so since October 7.

The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry in the US and United Kingdom donated 14 bomb shelters to Israel in 2023, 12 of those after the ghastly October 7 terror attacks by Hamas...

[youngkofigyamfi]

LOVE OF A FATHER

Tribute to The Late Apostle Dr. I.O. Boakye-Yiadom (Former Chairman, CHRIST REVIVAL CHURCH)

Written By: MATTHEW BOAKYE YIADOM

I quite remember what my father told me the first time we entered the gates of Prempeh College in 2005: “Be careful with your belongings, else they will rob you and rob your soul as well.” I never understood what he meant until I completed college. I was born into a strong Christian home. My grandfather, was a Pastor (The Late Rev. James Boakye Yiadom Owusu). His bosom friend, my father’s god-father (The Late D.K. Brifo), was also a Pastor. It was under their guidance and stewardship that my dad also, called into the ministry, became a Pastor. At the age of 19 years, he had completed Bible College at the Ghana Bible Institute in 1973. He was first posted to the church at Denyase in Asante Bekwai and later transferred to Amakom in Kumasi.

My dad was a fine gentleman who was on fire for God. He gave his life to Christ at the age of 15, when he was schooling at Bawku Middle Boarding school. Ever since that glorious day, he never turned back. He told me a story of how he met my mom and got married to her. It was his parents who introduced my mom to him. My mother was a community Nurse who had been posted to the Bibiani District at the Government Hospital. She was approached by my grandparents after church one Sunday evening. They wanted to give her to my dad who was about to graduate from Bible College.

My dad, upon returning from Bible College was told by his parents that they had found a wife fit for him. Even though he did not buy the idea of parents choosing life partners for their wards, he did not want to disappoint them either. So he prayed to the Lord for a sign, to know if this woman was really meant for him. One day, he had a dream about this woman who was very delectable and was walking past her in a boulevard. This beautiful lady was walking in a sashay, and carried this pretty grin on her round face. He yearned to see that woman’s face in the dream. He said to himself in the dream, “This is the kind of woman I want to marry.”

He woke up suddenly to realize that it was a dream. Surprisingly, it was not a mere dream. My dad beheld the face of that woman he saw in his dream, the exact attire he saw, the facial expression and every tiny detail about her. Fortunately, for both my parents, the feeling was mutual. They got married and God blessed them with four beautiful children, of which I am the last. In 1992, he had to further his education in London at the Center for International Ministries (CIM). In London, he had the opportunity to serve as a pastor in one of the local churches. He was asked to bring his wife and children with him to the UK but he declined the offer. He came to London, not on his own accord. He actually was helped by benevolent family friends and the local church at Bibiani in Ghana, who donated money for him to go and study abroad to better himself and come back to equip the church with the knowledge he has acquired overseas.

Before he traveled to the UK, he held the position of the General Secretary of the Christ Revival Church, Ghana, a church founded by his god-father, the Late Rev. D.K. Brifo. I have heard stories of my dad’s relationship with Rev. D.K. Brifo. The Great man of God loved my dad as if he was his own. The feeling was mutual. It was not surprising when he stayed with him for most of his youthful years. He would wash his clothes, iron his shirts, and ran personal errands for him. He became his personal assistant in the church which made him the General Secretary.

My dad was a loving husband and a wonderful father. There was never a dull moment with my dad. Growing up as a toddler, my mom told me I used to worry my dad a lot, even to the extend that when he is preaching I’ll ran to him for him to carry me on his shoulders. My dad used to tell me stories that are life-relating, intuitive and thought-provoking. I’d end up asking him a lot of questions. I reminisce coming back from school to get surprises every single day. It became a habit. I loved and cherished my dad so much that when he suffered from a severe stomach problem after his trip from Israel, I could not eat because I noticed he wasn’t eating.

My dad was an ardent reader. He had a plethora of different Christian literatures, story books, and magazines. He spent most of his time at home in his office, sometimes reading, or taking notes for preaching. He did not like to be disturbed. I remember I would go to his office and he’d give me many exercises just to make me busy and allow him to concentrate on whatever he’s doing. Apart from being very friendly and playful with us, he was very strict with us. He would not beat us nor infringe pain on us, but he would shout at you and make you cry.

My brothers at a point were afraid to ask him for things. They used me to ask for favors on their behalf. We gave him the hidden nickname, “Last Killer.” My sister recalls, he was the last person to sleep, and he’ll be the first person to wake up and call us for morning devotion. Sometimes, when we want to wait for him to sleep so that we could stay up to watch midnight movies, he would be wide awake and glued to the TV. He was the patriarch of our lovely family. When he speaks, it is final. We revered him for his leadership qualities. Amongst his children, he did not have a favorite. He treated us the same, loved us the same and gave same opportunities to everyone.

We have shared lovely and funny moments together. I remember most of our morning devotions in our living room. As a kid, I hated morning devotions with passion. Those were the times that you can’t have enough time to enjoy your sleep especially at dawn when you have just started to dream dreams. During devotions, he’d teach us how to lead prayers, how to read Daily Devotional Guide, how to preach, and how to pray. He’d share the program for daily devotions amongst us. One morning, during devotion, I slept off whiles praying. My father shouted my name to wake me up. Startled, I woke up and began to thank God for how far He has brought us. They all burst into laughter. I was caught right there sleeping whiles they were quiet listening to my mum preach.

My father loved kids. You would notice how he reacts anytime he found himself around them. His affection for children at church gave him a nickname, ‘Osofo Gboza’. He liked to give kids knuckles as a form of handshake. He never discriminated, he never looked down on anybody. He approached people with decorum and the respect due them. So it was easy for people to approach him and talked to him about anything. He is the kind of person who does not look down on children or the youth. He has a good judgement. He always behaved in a manner that is worthy of a father, a leader, an elder, or a pastor.

I was born into a decent home. My dad never worked as a government official nor worked with a private organization. His only job was being a pastor. My mom supported the family with her pay as a nurse. My parents made sure we never lacked anything. They groomed us to always live within our means and not compare ourselves with others. We were happy with whatever God gave us. Gradually, the blessings of the Lord started showing in our endeavor in many different ways. I recall in 2005 when I completed Junior High School and got admission to Prempeh College, my parents did not have the means to take me to school. During the time, my dad had received money from IPHC to continue with the building of the Headquarters church. He was tempted to use part of the money to pay for my school fees. He said he could never do that, but then, went for loan.

He has been a blessing to a lot of people. Because of his benevolence and good name, he has fifteen grandchildren who are named after him. Some including males, females and twins. My dad was valuable to me. He bared a name so great that wherever I go, people respected and drew me to them because of him. I know I am the dead ringer for my dad. We had a lot in common. We looked much alike, talked, smiled, and walk alike. I was also very close to my dad. I became like a friend to him. My dad may not be perfect, but I will never trade my dad for any person in the world. No one on this earth can ever replace the love my dad had for me. The kind of sacrifices he made for me is incomparable.

When I decided to get married, my dad was the first person I told him. Coincidentally, he was the one who recommended my wife to be posted to the hospital where she now works. He blessed my marriage on my wedding day. He gave my wife the best gift she received on her birthday. He was the best dad in the whole world. Even on his sick bed, he never frowned nor became sad. He was very happy always, even to the point of death. My father died a peaceful death. The kind of death I pray will take me to heaven someday.

Every evening before he died, he requested the song, “God of Mercy” to be played to him before he sleep. It was one of his favorite songs. It has become my personal favorite as well. My beloved dad served the Lord in every capacity within his power and ability. I firmly believe that he is in heaven awaiting his crown from his maker. My life would be nothing without the love and guidance of my dad. He has groomed me to become a good man, a good husband, and a good father.

I witnessed first hand, the many times my dad had to forgo everything just to be with my mother and take care of her when she was battling sickness. My mother was always full of praise for him. My father had to sacrifice taking up many leadership roles and opportunities which included traveling overseas for other important assignments just to be close to my mom. Through it all, he never complained. He was a true definition of long suffering.

At a time he was being ‘persecuted by unforeseen entities’, he never complained. I could tell sometimes that it did worry him as a person, but he never coughed. He recounts the time he was the Secretary of Ghana Pentecostal Council and there was an issue that involved him, he said he cried bitterly. He never spoke a word. In the end, he was exonerated. Jesus said in Luke 6:26, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” He knew it all. Those who spoke ill behind his back, those who despite him, those who pretended they loved him, and those who diligently tarnished his good name. One thing I always pray to God to receive from my father; his good heart. He never let anything worry him. He never held grudges.

Isaac Akwasi Osei Boakye-Yiadom is a name that will never die from the surface of this earth. Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” My children’s children and my unborn generations will come to know this great man behind the great name! Together with Gifty, Mark, Luke, and myself, we say, “well done Dad.” You have fought a good fight, you have ran a good race, all’s left for you is the crown of glory your Heavenly Father will give you. We are grateful for your love. Before I end this, I would like to share these words from my heart to my lovely father wherever he is in heaven:

You may have thought I didn’t see, or that I hadn’t heard, life lessons that you taught me, but I got every word. Perhaps you thought I missed it all, and that we’d grow apart, but dad, I picked up everything. They are written in my heart. Without you, dad, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. You built a strong foundation no one can take away. I’ve grown up with your values, and I am very glad I did. So here’s to you, dear father.

- From your forever grateful son, Matthew.

#LoveOfAfather #yKG2024

[nysocboy]

Gemstones Episode 3.1: Kelvin collects cocks, the Simpkins smirk, and Dusty Daniels flirts. With a Brazilian beefcake bonus.

The Season 2 finale of The Righteous Gemstones  aired in February 2022.  Season 3 premieres in June 2023, sixteen months later, but the timeline in the Gemstone universe doesn't fit.  Plus personalities and back stories are different.  As with Season 2, it will be more profitable -- and more fun -- to enter fresh, pretending that we have never seen or heard of these people before.

Title: "For I Know the Plans I Have for You."  Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I hope so, because word on the street is that this season gets very dark.

Rogers County Fair, 2000:  The teenage Jesse Gemstone is announcing a demolition derby featuring his monster truck, the Redeemer, while his parents, megachurch pastor Eli Gemstone and his wife Aimee-Leigh, argue: the Redeemer is putting butts in seats, but is this really appropriate for a Christian ministry?   What are we going to do next, sell beer?  At that moment, a muscle hunk comes by selling beer!

Eli and Aimee-Leigh's three kids look very young, but according to the fan wiki, Jesse is 19, Judy is 15, and Kelvin is 9 or 10.

While Aimee-Leigh is off smoking a cigarette, May-May, a shabbily-dressed middle-aged woman, approaches, furious: "You pretend to be all sweet and caring, but I know the truth -- what you done to my family."  She attacks; Aimee-Leigh runs through the crowd, screaming for help, but May-May catches up and hits her with a wrench. As she lies bleeding on the ground, a car hits -- May-May! 

Eli Retires: Present day. Time to introduce the main conflicts of the season.  First up: the now-elderly Eli is hanging out with his Mason-like Cape and Pistol Society. They ask how he's enjoying his retirement.  Actually, he's only semi-retired: he's writing another autobiography and taking speaking engagements, but his kids are running the church. Gulp!  His friend: "You scared your kids are gonna blow it?"  

Cut to Zion's Landing, the Gemstones' Christian-themed resort. The 42-year old Jesse and his crew confront Eli's driver.  In joke: his name is Walker!  He squealed to the press about the dwindling membership and donations since the kids took over, so they beat him up and fire him. Pretending to have never seen these characters before, I am shocked.  Christian ministers are often shady and hypocritical, but violent? What if someone sees?

A Cold Fish Kiss: Eli's second child, Judy, is now a famous singer.  She has just returned from a tour, and her husband BJ wants to snuggle, but she yells at him for pressuring her, gives him a "cold fish kiss," and runs out again.  Uh-oh, marital trouble.

Smut Busters: The primary conflict, judging from the amount of air time it gets: 32 or 33 -year old Kelvin, wearing a t-shirt that says "Smut Busters" above a splat of -- jizz?  -- is showing a giant novelty dildo to someone named Keefe. He exclaims with glee, "That is gonna hurt."  So he's gay, and Keefe is his boyfriend.  Who's the bottom?

We pan out to see kids examining a pile of sex toys, mostly dildos and butt plugs of various sizes and shapes, intended for gay men.  Notice the "Size Queen" dildo.   Hey, are these guys...gulp...pedos?

Psych!  Kelvin and Keefe are actually youth ministers, running a project called the Smut Busters.  They buy out the inventory of local adult stores, to force them into bankruptcy.  Wait -- anyone know basic economics?

The youth group kids, also in Smut Busters t-shirts, are just examining the latest haul.  Do they take the kids to the adult stores?  They wouldn't be allowed inside.  Besides,  "exposing children to sex" is a misdemeanor. 

They ask the kids and adult volunteer Taryn to join them in the Smut Buster chant: "No smut, no lust, no coconuts" (with a feminine hip wiggle). No one joins in.  

After extensive research, I conclude that "coconuts" doesn't have a symbolic meaning, except maybe to evoke testicles.  It was chosen for  its near-rhyme. The chant reflects the playground phrase "no butts, no cuts, no coconuts" (no cutting in line), and its variation, "No ifs, no buts, no coconuts" (no disagreeing).

Pretending to have never seen these characters before,  I conclude that they are a gay couple: notice how Kelvin plays with Keefe's nipple, an intimacy that platonic pals would not enjoy, how Keefe gets all bitchy around Taryn, and how most of the sex toys they buy are for gay men.  They can't conceive of something used by straight men as erotic: "There's a naked lady on the box.  Keefe, I said sexy, not disgusting!" 

So the main conflicts of the season will involve the transition of power, marital problems, and coming out. 

The Primitive Tribe: At church, the siblings are bragging about their missionary trip, where they brought Lasik Surgery to an isolated tribe in the Amazon. 

They are completely clueless; surgery to correct astigmatism must be the most trivial of the group's medical needs.  Plus the depiction of a "primitive tribe" veers uncomfortably close to racism.

Old Slow-Eyes: Then Sunday dinner at Jason's Steak House. They argue about who is responsible for the decline in church members and donations since Eli stepped down, then about church leadership: Jesse thinks that he should be the sole leader, but the others think that they should lead together. 

How closeted are Kelvin and Keefe?  They are presented as the equivalent of the other couples, Jesse/Amber and Judy/BJ;  Jesse even refers to them as a unit. Plus Kelvin displays some feminine traits that anyone would pick up on instantly. Maybe they are out to the family, but closeted to the church. 

Jesse criticizes the Smut Buster project -- preventing truck drivers from getting "dick pills" but not doing anything to help the church.  Kelvin says that they have bought up the inventory of 16 porno shops along the I-95 corridor. Of course, they get to keep the dildos. This is a call-back to Season 2, when Jesse complained that Kelvin's God Squad, a collection of musclemen, was solely for "popping boners," his own erotic enjoyment, not to help the church.

Next on the agenda:  A wealthy donor, famous racecar driver Dusty Daniels (Shea Whigham, left) planned to bequeath his entire $200 million fortune to the church.  But now that Eli has stepped down, he will be going with the rival Simpkins family instead.  Uh-oh,  the church can't afford to lose this!

The Evil Simpkins:  The siblings visit Dusty at his private racetrack to convince him to change his mind, but he thinks that the Simpkins display more fraternal affection.  The Gemstones can't even hold hands properly (this will become important later).  

Kelvin keeps fiddling with a ring on his wedding-ring finger, to draw viewer attention to it. Are he and Keefe actually married?

The Simpkins arrive: two brothers and a sister, about the same age as the Gemstones.  They have no trouble holding hands! Plus they are self-made millionaire pastors -- they didn't inherit a dynasty..  

Shay Simpkins flirts with Dusty, so Judy says that she also finds him hot.  Kelvin nods his agreement.  Wait - how out is he?  Dusty, openly bisexual, returns the compliment: "All y'all look good, but this ain't about looks."  Kelvin: "That's a good thing because if it were, we'd win by a mile."  They flex and posture.

Ok, Dusty says, why don't you battle for me?  In stock cars. He's putting himself in a feminine role: traditionally suitors compete for the attention of a young lady. 

Jesse against Craig Simpkins, who claims that he has no experience. Uh-oh, he means he's not experienced in the basic stock cars used in NASCAR racing.  He's an expert in the more advanced Formula 1 cars.

There isn't even a race: Jesse stalls and then spins out.  The fortune goes to the Simpkins! 

The full review, with nude photos and explicit sexual discussions, is on RG Beefcake and Boyfriends

[edbradyradio]

Please consider sending an end-of-year tax-deductible donation to Brady Ministries Intl. Visit www.edbradyradio.com to donate online. Thanks.

[ahmed-s-f]

Christian ministries gangs in Egypt And sexual harassment Paul’s ministry

This article is about a real-life experience that happened to me

I joined a Christian ministry at an early age. The funny thing is that I did not know that it was a Christian ministry at all. It was a charitable organization that worked in secret for the benefit of a Christian institution.

I accepted the truth easily when I learned of it. The security situation is difficult and dangerous for Christians who work in Christian missionary work in Egypt.

An organization under the name FOF was working for one of the Christian ministries under the name Paul’s Ministry

This, of course, necessitates accepting small legal crimes such as the institution’s falsification of its papers and sources of income, and more importantly, accepting continuous lying to people under the pretext that this is for their benefit and to convey the Christian faith to them.

I did not understand how to combine lying and the Christian faith and how they should work together for the same goal

Then I began to realize the reality of the ministry under which I worked, that its work was similar to that of gangs. It was forbidden for anyone to know the name of its leader. His name was John W. Hanna, and he was hiding behind dozens of employees so that she could not reach him.

The institution’s financial resources were poor, and the money spent on development work was small, despite my knowledge that the ministry had an income in the millions, and property worth about 40 million Egyptian pounds ..

However, the Ministry’s employees monopolized that money for themselves, and that was the reason for the director’s secrecy. It came to the point of stealing my salary for three years and stealing donations that went specifically to specific people who did not get anything from them and did not even know they existed.

The biggest disaster is when I saw in our Christian ministry cases of sexual harassment of working women and those who were targeted, and because the harasser was related to the director, JOHN, he was not punished or even expelled from his position.

John’s ministry was offering money that should be given as non-refundable donations. They were offering it in the form of loans and forcing the beneficiaries to return it, which is an effective way to steal money. One person died due to health deteriorations due to John and Hana’s pressure on him to force him to return money that should have been Provided primarily as a donation

The service was also trading its money on the black market, which is a difficult to trace method they use to steal donation funds.

Threats were a common method. Those who complained about those who converted from Islam to Christianity were threatened to inform their Muslim families.. even though the work of the service is to protect those who converted to Christianity.

What is strange is that all neighboring ministries knew about these crimes, and despite that, no one dared to expose or fight them

In addition to wasting money on fake projects and failed projects, while dozens of new believers were suffering from poverty and the difficulty of life, Paul’s ministry was wasting money on projects that had not worked for a single day.

When I saw with the eyes of one of the new believers suffering after he was expelled from his home and his family pursued him, John refused to give him support to obtain housing even though he receives funding allocated for these cases.

Which made me go directly to the British institution that supports our ministry to file a complaint with it, as it does not know what is happening in Egypt. It was the 3pministries Foundation.

I filed a formal complaint but they ignored it

Once again they ignored her

I had to file a complaint with a British ministry specializing in charitable institutions, which forced them to respond

Their response was very dry. They did not try to find out anything. They only sought to close the complaint. I sent them all the evidence of crimes in Egypt and of the incidents of theft and waste of money, but they did not take any reaction.

Then they just told me that they would stop replying to me or I would not text them again

I discovered that the organization ignored all crimes and did not mind their occurrence just to keep its work in Egypt afloat

And maintaining the flow of Muslims crossing over to Christianity, which means more money flowing to the Egyptian side Paul’s Ministry and the British side 3pministries

The funny thing is that the goal of spreading Christianity itself was not achieved due to the fact that most of the reports written about new believers are fake, they are composed positions written from imagination.

Most of the new believers quickly return to Islam due to lack of proper follow-up, because it simply no longer brings in money.

The spread of corruption in Arab Christian ministries is a disaster that must be looked at seriously

[stmichaelsministryofgnosis]

The Secret Book Of John - Gnostic Text From The Nag Hammadi Library - Full Audio Book

The Secret Book (Apocryphon) Of John - Gnostic Text From The Nag Hammadi Library - Full Audio Book. The Secret Book of John, also called the Apocryphon of John or the Secret Revelation of John, is a 2nd-century Sethian Gnostic Christian text of secret teachings and contains some of the most extensive detailing of classic dualistic Gnostic mythology that has survived; as one of the principal texts of the Nag Hammadi library, it is an essential text of study for anyone interested in Gnosticism. It describes Jesus appearing and giving secret knowledge (gnosis) to John the Apostle. The author describes it having occurred after Jesus "has gone back to the place from which he came". The book is reputed to bear that revelation.

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[sojourner-between-worlds]

Hi Hannah! I'm from the power of 5 discord, but I'm also a Christian, and I keep seeing your posts about The Chosen. Can you give a summary?

In short: the Chosen is an historical drama series about the life of Jesus and his disciples during Jesus' earthly ministry, from Him calling his disciples though...well, we don't exactly know yet, but I'm guessing through the Ascension. There are currently 3 seasons (with plans to start filming the fourth in March!!!) of 8 episodes each, with a goal of 7 total seasons.

I could write so much more than that about everything -- from the phenomenal casting to the absolutely gut-wrenching emotional moments, but...yeah. That's a Nice, Concise summary of it, lol. (If I give you more than that for a summary I run the risk of starting to describe every episode in excruciating detail so... 😂)

The writers DO take some liberties, but pretty much all of it can fit in two categories: 1. Logistics (rearranging and compressing the timeline, for example, to help with the flow of events and the story telling element of film-making), or 2. Fleshing out characters (giving all the disciples backstories, most of which do not appear in Scripture).

There is some controversy around certain writing choices, and while there are some that I don't agree with, nothing has been enough to make me, personally, stop watching. For me, they are non-issues in the long run because they do not contradict Scripture. (With the exception of an iffy choice of words, but also I get what they were going for so 🤷‍♀️)

Bonus points: 100% free to watch! They live on donations, but there's no obligation to donate! There are also, like, a million places to watch it, lol. They have their own app in the store, but you can also stream from smart TVs by searching for it. If you're like me and prefer a bigger screen than your phone but don't have a smart TV, you can also go to their desktop site and stream from there. (You can also watch the first season on Netflix and Hulu, but why bother when you can watch it directly from them in their app? Lol)

[childofchrist1983]

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. - Matthew 23:1-3 KJV

"Do as I say, not as I do". Sounds like parents who have bad habits that they don't want their children to pick up! But the scribes and the Pharisees are more than parents; they are the arbiters of the Law of Moses, the ones who decide what the Commandments mean and how they are to be observed by the people. So Jesus Christ tells the people to listen to them when they are talking about the laws, but not to follow their example. He told them that everything they do, they do for show.

We've talked before about motivation and how God knows what is in our hearts. If we donate money to a charity and the only reason we do this is to get our names in the paper or to win a prize, we already have our reward. There are those who put their life on the lines every day as first responders, and they consider this their job, and usually, they will talk about how they love their jobs, but they don't do it for the glory. There are others who are unsung heroes who risk their lives to help others, and often try to avoid getting their names in the paper because they claim it embarrasses them. What is important is to do the right thing. Not for our sake and glory, but for God's. God knows our hearts and our minds. He sees and hears what we say and do, but also knows what we need, giving it to us when we need it. And we thank Him for always being by our side and for giving us the opportunities to be of service to Him and to others.

With renewed minds and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

Everyday, we must remember to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and guilt. May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[everwizard]

I'm trying to find something to do with my old pill bottles because recently I realized just HOW MUCH plastic waste comes from pill bottles. Does anyone know any reputable pill bottle collection places in the United States? I saw one called Matthew 25 Ministries but I'm skeptical donating to a Christian organization for what I hope are obvious reasons. Does anyone know if they're any good?