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23Sep18 Christian News Bulletin

ANCIENT CHRISTIAN WORSHIP SITE DISCOVERED
Archaeologists searching for the site where Jesus performed His water-to-wine miracle have said that excavations of tunnels of ancient Christian worship provide a strong clue. Tom McCollough, lead researcher at the excavation site of Khirbet Qana, a Jewish village that existed between 323 B.C. and 324 A.D., told The Daily Star that a network of tunnels used for ancient Christian worship has been found. The tunnels reportedly are marked with crosses and the Greek phrase for “Lord Jesus.” They also contain an altar, and the remains of a stone vessel.

MORE BIBLES IN MORE HOTELS
According to Eternity News, the world’s largest hotel chain is putting Bibles in another 300,000 rooms. Although the Bible often seems to be brushed aside as outdated or unnecessary, Marriott International is reportedly stocking its Starwood hotels with the good book.

AN ACTOR’S APPROACH TO PRAYER
Christianheadlines.com has reported on actor Mark Wahlberg’s daily approach to prayer. Wahlberg said he does not pray so he can have success but focuses his prayer time on his wife, his four children, and his character. “For me to sit down and ask for material things is ridiculous. It’s a much bigger picture than that. I want to serve God and to be a good human being and to make up for the mistakes I made and the pain I put people through. That’s what I’m praying for, and I recommend it to anybody.”

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16Sep18 Christian News Bulletin

MORE BIBLES NEEDED IN CHINA
Eternity News reports that last year, in China’s Henan Province, more than 120 believers, mostly aged in their 50s, were baptised, leading to a great need for many more Bibles.  Most of the believers are rural poor who can only afford subsidised Bibles. The Bible Society Australia is providing free Bibles for those in need, making it possible for churches to give Bibles to believers for spiritual growth as well as to seekers as a means of community outreach. More Christian news

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9Sep18 Christian News Bulletin

AUSTRALIANS AND THE BIBLE
New Life reports that a book charting the history of the interaction of Australians with the Bible has won this year’s Australian Christian Book of the Year award. Written by historian Meredith Lake, The Bible In Australia: A Cultural History, was described by the judges as ‘a history of national importance and a unique insight into Australian culture.’

CATHEDRAL TO BE REBUILT
Rebuilding of New Zealand’s earthquake‐damaged Christchurch Cathedral will commence soon. The cathedral has sat desolate since the 2011 earthquakes, as the Anglican Church and heritage groups battled over its future, but last year the Church agreed to restore it. The cost of the project and a timeframe to complete it is still to be determined.

BIBLES FOR CUBA
OneNewsNow reports that thousands of young people in a country that has suffered under a communist dictatorship for almost 60 years are getting their very first look at a Bible. Evangelist Tim Todd has spent nine days in Cuba handing out 50,000 Truth For Youth Bibles. Mr Todd stated that the young people held their Bible like it was a piece of gold, close to their chests. ‘Their response is overwhelming,’ he says.

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2Sep18 Christian News Bulletin

CRUSADE IN COLOMBIA
Evangelist Luis Palau’s Association reported big numbers for its recent Gospel crusade in Bogotá, Colombia, where over 18,500 people decided to follow Jesus Christ. The Christian Post reports that over 200,000 people attended the events, with another 410,000 viewers watching videos online. 18,545 people made decisions to follow Christ during the events, which were supported by 852 partnering churches.

WHERE ARE THE WORLD’S MOST COMMITTED CHRISTIANS?
The world’s most committed Christians reside mostly in Africa, Latin America and the United States, according to a new Pew Research Centre report documented by christianheadlines.com. Ethiopia has the world’s most committed Christians, according to Pew, with 98% saying their faith is very important. In the Philippines, it’s 91% and in the USA 68%.

‘CHASING COMETS’
The movie Chasing Comets, written by retired NRL star Jason Stevens, was released in cinemas late last month. Eternity News states that, essentially, Chasing Comets is the story of Stevens’ own life – his struggle to keep his footy career on track in the midst of a party-hard culture and, most importantly, his journey to Christian faith.

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26Aug18 Christian News Bulletin

BILLY GRAHAM ON SATELLITE
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is partnering with a satellite radio provider for the launch of a permanent channel called The Billy Graham Channel. According to Christian Newswire the channel will be headlined by the messages of the late Christian evangelist and will feature his timeless sermons from many years in ministry. The Billy Graham Channel is on SiriusXM Channel 460.

SURVEY OF BIBLE READERS
The average Bible reader reads the Old Testament far less than the New Testament, and finds the Prophetic books of the Old Testament the most difficult to understand. That’s according to a survey of 6,000 Bible readers by the Christian book publisher Crossway as reported by Christian Headlines.

CHURCH HELPS FIND JOBS
Inspire Magazine reports that in the current climate of unemployment, a church in Scotland is helping people to find work. The Methodist Church in Glasgow, partnering with the charity Christians Against Poverty, has already assisted 1,000 job hunters. The church formed the Job Club believing it is living out the good news of Jesus in a practical way.

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19Aug18 Christian News Bulletin

ONGOING CRACKDOWN IN CHINA
According to The Christian Post, Christians in China have revealed new details about the Communist Party’s ongoing crackdown on religion. The Associated Press reported recently on what believers have described as increasing persecution under President Xi Jinping’s government, which has ordered several churches to be demolished while others have been forced to remove crosses and paintings of Jesus. A 62-year-old shopkeeper from Henan province opened up about what he and other Christians have suffered, such as local officials showing up at their church and demanding that the cross, Bible verse calligraphy, and a painting of the “Last Supper” be taken down.

CHURCH CLOSURES IN RWANDA
A report from ChristianHeadlines.com suggests that more than 8,000 churches in Rwanda have been closed by the government as part of an alleged crackdown on unsafe structures, although religious liberty advocates say the government is closing congregations that should be considered acceptable. Christians in the country fear the movement is a cover for the government’s drive toward secularism.

CHURCH PLANTING IN ENGLAND
Eternity News reports that, in its homeland, the Church of England is doing something that most denominations in Western countries have not been able to ignite or sustain. It is taking Church planting seriously, and will spend 47 million dollars to create 100 new churches by 2020.