The speakers list for the March For Life is being finalized

The speakers list for the March For Life is being finalized

VERBATIM:  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will be there, as will Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey.  Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton is also scheduled to speak, along with Lila Rose, the founder of the prominent pro-life group Live Action.  It’s also possible that President Trump might address the gathering — something he has done in the past.  The annual March For Life will take place here in Washington D.C. on Friday, January 24th.  MH SRN NEWS.

Sweden is closing churches

Sweden is closing churches

VERBATIM:  It’s all about so-called climate change.  The Lutheran National Church of Sweden says it will shut down seven houses of worship on the island of Gotland from October to May, in order to eliminate the use of fossil fuels to heat them.  Local parishioners who would like to attend services during that time are simply out of luck.  Church officials have issued a statement saying “ “Knowledge about climate justice should permeate all activities of Church of Sweden.”  MH SRN NEWS.

A lot of people will be reading the Bible in 2025

A lot of people will be reading the Bible in 2025

VERBATIM:  You Version, the most popular free Bible app in the world, reports a record 800,000 individuals downloaded it on January 5th — the most in one day in You Version’s history.  In fact, there’s been a big surge in downloads since the beginning of the new year, suggesting that a lot of folks have decided to try and read through the Bible in 2025 and will use the app to do so.  You Version founder Bobby Grunewald tells the Christian Post the surge is being seen outside the U.S. too.  MH SRN NEWSS.

Barely half the U.S. adult population is married

Barely half the U.S. adult population is married

Men will not be using women’s bathrooms on Capitol Hill

Men will not be using women’s bathrooms on Capitol Hill

VERBATIM:  House Speaker Mike Johnson has officially ordered that all restrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms at the Capitol will be restricted to use by people according to their actual, biological sex — not their so-called gender identity.  The order was NOT a part of the Republican rules package, but Johnson issued it as part of the Congressional Record published January 3rd.  The action was prompted by the arrival of a Delaware representative who is a man living as a woman.  MH SRN NEWS.

Another reason to fear Artificial Intelligence

Another reason to fear Artificial Intelligence

VERBATIM:  The Sydney Morning Herald reports that doctors in Australian fertility clinics are beginning to use AI to decide which embryos will be used and which destroyed during in vitro fertilization procedures.  The newspaper goes on to say that in most cases, it appears that parents are not being informed that a computer program is making such grave decisions.  Pro-life advocates have long criticized IVF for it destruction of large numbers of embryos.  MH SRN NEWS.

Idaho takes a stand against DEI

Idaho takes a stand against DEI

VERBATIM:  The state’s Board of Education has approved new rules that eliminate the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion agenda from the public schools.  Specifically, the board says “no employee or student is required to declare gender identity or preferred pronouns”, amongst other things.  A growing number of states, institutions and businesses are bailing on DEI in the face of angry backlash from voters, customers and millions of moms and dads across the nation.  MH SRNNNEWS.

Young men are joining the Orthodox Church

Young men are joining the Orthodox Church

VERBATIM:  So many, in fact, that denominational officials say they are planning to open new churches across the U.S. this year.  Many young, often single men are learning about Orthodoxy on-line and some say they were drawn to it because of its masculine leadership style.  The Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church in what is known as the Great Schism in 1054.  Orthodox Christians currently make up just one-half of one percent of the U.S. population.  MH SRN NEWS.

Your pastor wants you to read the Bible

Your pastor wants you to read the Bible

Syrian Christians remain in limbo

Syrian Christians remain in limbo

VERBATIM:  A group of clergymen have met with the rebel leader who overthrew strongman Bashar Assad and they seem to have received no concrete assurances.  The Catholic News Agency quotes one cleric who says after sitting down with Ahmad al-Sharaa for some time, “We cannot discern his true intentions — it is ambiguous.  There are no guarantees, and we remain in limbo.”  Christians have had a presence in Syria for centuries but are a tiny persecuted minority today.  MH SRN NEW.

A pro-abortion group pays some big fines

A pro-abortion group pays some big fines

VERBATIM:  Floridians Protecting Freedom ran a costly — and ultimately unsuccessful campaign — to pass an abortion amendment in the Sunshine State.  The organization also committed fraud along the way.  FPF has agreed to pay nearly 200,000 dollars in fines related to fraudulent signature-gathering activity in the initial effort to get the amendment on the ballot.  Several arrests have been made in the case and investigators say they’re not done yet.  MH SRN NEWS.

Christian leaders in India send a letter

Christian leaders in India send a letter

VERBATIM:  It was addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it calls on him to take action against the persecution of believers.  More than 400 Indian clergymen and ministry leaders signed the letter, which points out that “Rising hate speech, especially from elected officials, has emboldened acts of violence against Christians. Mobs disrupt peaceful Christian gatherings and threaten believers with impunity.”  There was another surge in violence over the Christmas season.  MH SRNN NEWS

The atheists are at it again

The atheists are at it again

VERBATIM:  California’s Hart-Ransom Union School Board has ended its practice of beginning meetings with a prayer, under pressure from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.  That leading atheist organization sent a warning letter to the board, bearing with it the implied threat of a lawsuit if school officials did not comply.  This despite the fact that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of invocations in the past.  The Foundation focuses on scouring references to Christianity from the public square.  MH SRM NESD

Sometimes it’s the government and sometimes it’s the neighbors

Sometimes it’s the government and sometimes it’s the neighbors

VERBATIM:  Most measures of persecution focus on how governments restrict the religious freedom of individuals.  But the Pew Research Center has produced a more nuanced study, that separates out countries where Christians are likely to be persecuted not by officials, but by their neighbors who follow other faiths.  The problem of what Pew calls “social hostility” in the Middle East, where most nations are predominantly Muslisms and Christians are an embattled minority.  MH SRN NEWS.

A victory for religious freedom in Florida

A victory for religious freedom in Florida

VERBATIM:  Officials in Daytona Beach have repealed an ordinance that was making it impossible for a local church to feed the homeless.  The 7th Day Baptist Church had filed a lawsuit against the statute, which changed local zoning rules and would have forced the congregation’s food pantry to shut down.  First Liberty Institute represented the plaintts and issued a statement congratulating the city and saying “The church is thrilled to be able to continue helping those in need.”  MH SRN NEWS.

A New Year’s resolution for Christians

A New Year’s resolution for Christians

VERBATIM:  Many believers plan to make 2025 the year they read through the whole Bible — most for the first time in their lives.  It’s a big task and if you don’t get started in January it gets harder but there are all kinds of systems out there for doing it.  Polls indicate that large numbers of people who self-identify as Christians don’t actually know very much about the scriptures, spending much of their time reading popular religious books or using devotionals exclusively.  Pastors say believers who don’t know their Bible are much more vulnerable to falling for false teaching.  MH SRN NEWS

The Middle East is still the most dangerous place to be a Christian

The Middle East is still the most dangerous place to be a Christian

Anti-Semitism surged in 2024

Anti-Semitism surged in 2024

VERBATIM:  Frankly, things had been getting worse for some time, but the deadly terrorist attack on Israel in the fall of 2023 sparked a surge in acts of hate against Jews that dominated the headlines this year.  Here in the U.S., college campuses were convulsed by pro-Palestinian protests and attacks on Jewish students.  Synagogues and other Jewish institutions were vandalized, prompting many Christian leaders to express their solidarity with Israel and Jewish people.  MH SRN NEWS.

2024 was the year that the UMC finally made a decision

2024 was the year that the UMC finally made a decision

VERBATIM:  Leaders of the denomination had been embracing gay marriage and homosexual ordination for years but they finally decided to change the rule book.  In the Spring, delegates to the UMC General Conference voted to amend the Book of Discipline to allow same-sex marriage in the churches — finalizing a schism that had be going on publicly for some time.  Hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals have quit the UMC over the issue.  MH SRN NEWS.

The biggest countries on earth have a problem

The biggest countries on earth have a problem

Are you going to church on New Year’s Eve?

Are you going to church on New Year’s Eve?

The NBA cozies up to China

The NBA cozies up to China

Samaritan’s Purse is training pastors in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Samaritan’s Purse is training pastors in the Democratic Republic of Congo

VERBATIM:  Here in America, if you want to become a clergyman you go to seminary.  In the DRC, that’s not an option and many men become pastors without any real training.  And so Samaritan’s Purse is implementing its Portable Bible School, which provides seminary-level classes and materials to pastors even in the most remote villages.  The students get lessons in everything from the Bible to planning and finances and Samaritan’s Purse is providing it all free of charge.  MH SRN NEWS.

Disney backs down

Disney backs down