From Obama to Castro, the Pope Has Pull

By Chris Jansing and Kristin Donnelly

 

It's being dubbed "the Francis effect" and it's hitting Washington, DC.

From 4500 miles away Pope Francis is exerting his influence on everything from foreign policy to summits on poverty. Pope Francis got a big shout out on Tuesday from the leader of the free world as a great example of someone who understands what's important. 

Franklin Graham Says Supreme Court's Gay Marriage Ruling Sets Stage for 'Persecution of Believers' in 'Most Historic and Far-Reaching Judgment of the 21st Century'

 

 Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, addresses the crowd at the Festival of Hope, an evangelistic rally held at the national stadium in Port-au-Prince, January 9, 2011.

By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter

The Rev. Franklin Graham has said that the U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming decision on whether to legalize same-sex marriage across America or allow states to continue to make their own decisions will "rank as the most historic and far-reaching judgment of the 21st century." He argued that it could pave the way for "persecution of believers," and said he would be praying for the nine Supreme Court justices.

'Stop Building Churches and Convert to Islam' or 'We Will Make a Horrible Example of You,' Muslims Threaten Christians in Pakistan

 

 

People from the Christian community hold candles while taking part in a protest rally to condemn the suicide bombings which took place outside two churches in Lahore, in Peshawar, March 18, 2015. Suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore at least killed 16 people and wounded nearly 80 others during services on Sunday in attacks claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

By Samuel Smith , CP Reporter
 

Christian leaders in the Pakistani city of Lahore are saying that they've received death threats over the past few months because of their involvement in the building of churches in the area.
In a Monday interview with AsiaNews, Javed David, a Pakistani Christian activist, explained that he and at least three of his Christian associates have been threatened by an unidentified group of Muslims in the midst of outrage stemming from the construction of Christian churches.
David, who is the president of Hope for the Light Ministries, and his associates have been helping poor Christian communities in Pakistan build places of worship since 2013.
He explained that one of the latest altercations occurred in April, where he was explicitly warned that if he continues his advocacy work for the construction of churches, he will be made an "example" of.

Ben Carson Says God Helped Him Ace College Chemistry Exam by Giving Answers in Dream

Republican U.S. presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson officially launches his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in Detroit, Michigan, May 4, 2015

By Anugrah Kumar , Christian Post Contributor

Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said God helped him "ace" his college chemistry exam by showing him all the answers. But he promised the Lord He wouldn't have to do that for him ever again.

Poor Kids Devastated by Isolation From Family, Church, Community, Harvard Professor Robert Putnam Says (CP Interview 1/2)

 

(Photo: Simon & Schuster)

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By Napp Nazworth , Christian Post Reporter

The American dream, that anyone can get ahead if they work hard enough, is increasingly out of reach for the children of poor families, Robert Putnam wrote in his new book, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. In an interview with The Christian Post, Putnam shared that these children, about one-third of all kids in the United States, are distrustful of everyone due to their isolation from family, churches and their community.
"Love hurts, trust kills," one of the kids who he interviewed for the book posted on Facebook, Putnam said in a Friday phone interview. "If you think what it means to grow up in an environment where you think you can't trust anybody, that's a devastating kind of environment to grow up in."

Obama Talks Importance of Fathers, Faith at Catholic-Evangelical Summit on Overcoming Poverty

Wednesday 13, May 2015


(Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarq

U.S. President Barack Obama takes part in the Catholic-Evangelical Leadership Summit on Overcoming Poverty at Georgetown University in Washington May 12, 2015.

By Napp Nazworth , Christian Post Reporter

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama spoke Tuesday about the importance of faith and family during a panel discussion for the Catholic-Evangelical Summit on Overcoming Poverty at Georgetown University.
"Faith-based groups across the country and around the world understand the centrality and the importance of [poverty] in a intimate way — in part because these faith-based organizations are interacting with folks who are struggling and know how good these people are, and know their stories, and it's not just theological, but it's very concrete. They're embedded in communities and they're making a difference in all kinds of ways," Obama said.

Over 200 Native American Teen Suicide Attempts Caused by 'the Devil,' Increased Spiritual Activity on South Dakota Reservation, According to Evangelicals Looking to Help

A pair of young Native American dancers stand together during the opening "grand entry" to start the Oglala Nation Pow Wow and Rodeo in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, August 4, 2006. The annual festival is a bright spot for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which struggles with high unemployment and problems with substance abuse and gangs and is one of the poorest communities in the United States.

By Sami K. Martin , Christian Post Reporter

More than 200 teenagers and pre-teens living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota have planned, attempted, or died by suicide between December 2014 and March of this year, and now religious leaders are getting involved, claiming that there's a spiritual battle that needs to be fought and won in order to save their youth.
"This is beyond anything we've ever seen; it's almost like 'serial suicides.' This is not just a psychological issue: this is a spiritual battle with spiritual forces. The thief — speaking of the devil — 'comes to steal, kill, and destroy,' and this is the result," Ron Hutchcraft of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, told Mission Network News.