Cathedral Dean: If Harry Potter Named Lord Voldemort, Christians Can Name Donald Trump

Donald Trump as depicted in a new wax figure unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Washington yesterday.

A top cathedral dean in the United States has criticised Christians who have decided that Donald Trump is someone who shall not be named in prayers.

Dumping Trump's name from the prayers is a dumb idea, says the dean.


"Donald Trump is not Lord Voldemort," says the Very Rev Michael Sniffen, Dean of the Episcopal Church's Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, Long Island, New York.

He adds: "Donald Trump will be the president whether we stick our fingers in our ears and sing 'holy, holy, holy' during the saying of his name, or not."

Voldemort is the personification of evil and deceit in JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels. He is known by the characters in the book as: "He who must not be named."

Sniffen writes: "That is a fictional character from a world where people carry magic wands and ride brooms. If I'm wrong and Trump is Lord Voldemort, we should immediately gather all children with conspicuous scars or birthmarks for an evaluation of their abilities to vanquish 'he who must not be named'. Avada Kedavra!"

It is traditional in The Episcopal Church of the US, as in the Church of England and other Anglican Churches worldwide, to pray for those in authority.

In England, this means prayers each Sunday for members of the royal family, the Prime Minister and members of her governent, the Queen and the diocesan bishop. Individuals mentioned are usually named, so the Queen is referred to as "Elizabeth, our Queen".

In the United States, where the National Cathedral in Washington is hosting an inaugural prayer event, many theologians and clergy are arguing over whether Trump should be mentioned by name.

Dean of Long Island Cathedral Michael Sniffen: 'We must pray for Donald Trump.'

Only this week, one Episcopal church minister decreed that his church will not pray for Donald Trump by name, even though his parish has always named Barack Obama in prayers. This is because, he said, Trump is a "trauma trigger".

Writing in his blog, Sniffen refutes this reasoning. He says Trump should be prayed for by name.

"His name should be included for many reasons: theological, social, political, practical, biblical and historical," says Sniffen. "If you think that excluding Donald Trump's name from your prayers for the president is somehow subversive or an act of resistance, you must be a person of extraordinary privilege. This is perhaps the wimpiest, no-cost act of subversion or resistance imaginable. Really, how tawdry."

If people really believe Donald Trump is the "enemy" – a word Christians often use to refer to the devil – or the embodiment of evil, then they should actively seek to name him, says the dean.

"Naming those who seek to do us harm takes their power away and strips them of their unholy mystery."

In the JK Rowling novels the Ministry of Magic embargoes Voldemort's name, but Harry Potter insists on saying it out loud, eventually defeating him.

Episcopalians have been praying for Donald Trump by name at the Cathedral of the Incarnation since the first Sunday after Election Day.

The cathedral has also offered pastoral care to those concerned about his election.

Sniffen himself admits he will not be at the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral.


"I'll be at the Women's March on Washington with my family, friends, neighbors, clergy and others whose rights, dignity, safety and sanity are under threat from the spectre of the Trump administration."

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Persecution Continues In Sudan As Pastor Forced To Leave Over 'Evangelistic Activities'

Sudan was this month ranked fifth on persecution charity Open Doors' annual list of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

A Christian pastor was last month deported from Sudan over his "evangelistic and church activities," he says.

Pastor Koat Akot, from South Sudan and a leader in the Sudan Pentecostal Church, told Morning Star News that on December 6 he was told he must leave the country within 72 hours.


Akot has helped set up three new churches in the Khartoum/Omdurman area, with a total membership of more than 700.

He was also previously arrested on November 18 by Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and had been told to report to their offices every day for three weeks.

He was accused of working for foreign NGOs, a charge he denies. He left Sudan on November 9.

Sudan was this month ranked fifth on persecution charity Open Doors' annual list of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, and the country has in the past year experienced a dramatic rise in religious persecution.

Since 1999, the US State Department has designated Sudan as a "country of particular concern" for ongoing religious freedom violations, including the treatment of Christians.

A major case ongoing in the country is that of four men who have been detained since 2015 over allegations that they were spying.

The accusations include waging war against the state, inciting hatred between classes, propagating false news, espionage and complicity in criminal agreements. The defendants are specifically accused in the court indictment of "fabricating videos or incidents of claimed genocide, killing of civilians and burnings of villages, besides claims of persecutions of Christians in Sudan".


One of the men, a church leader called Kuwa Shamal, was released after a hearing earlier this month but the three others – a fellow pastor, an aid worker and a graduate – continue to face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

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I'm Leaving Christian Today But I Still Believe In Christian Journalism

When people find out I'm the editor of a Christian website people always say: "So you only write good news stories then? You only do things that are good and uplifting?"

Well, no.

Because so much of what's happening in the world is so terrible. I still think that reconciling that with believing in God who is good and all powerful is really hard, but it's something we strive for.

For me it's often been not so much, "Where is God in the face of suffering?" but, "What's the point of him? He's there but he's not doing anything to help."

When I feel like I go back to the beginning. I think of my first conscious knowledge of God on an Alpha Course, and the times I've encountered him since.

And then you add the goodness of others, the testimonies, and the power. Only God could enable you to forgive Dylann Roof, as Felicia Sanders did, after he shot her son in cold blood. These are the stories we need to tell and this is why we don't only write about nice things.

Dylann Storm Roof, a self-described white supremacist, shot and killed nine people at a historic black church in Charleston.

When I became editor of Christian Today in May 2014, the things we were really preoccupied about were Boko Haram kidnapping the Chibok schoolgirls, whether women bishops would be allowed in the CofE and the whole Mark Driscoll thing.

Some of which feels pretty insignificant compared to what's happening now.

Over that summer we watched in horror as first Mosul and slowly the rest of Iraq came under siege, and Islamic State became a gruesome household name.

Pictures of beheadings flooded Twitter, and every week the actions became more and more despicable. And religion was key to understanding it. Who were these people and why was it happening? Why were they shouting "Allahu akbar" every time they blew up a crowd of people?

Evangelicals elected Trump and appear stuck in the mud as society progresses, and ISIS beheads people in God's name.

An ISIS picture  released in February 2015 shows 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians at a beach in Libya moments before they were beheaded.

Interpreting what's happening in religion matters now more than ever.

And without wanting to be too self-aggrandising, what in a small way we sought to do at Christian Today is try and make sense of it all – the terrible crises of persecution, the displacement of millions of people, the indifference to people drowning in the sea as they fled war, while closer to home there seemed to be a rising tide of nationalism, racism and Me First.

At times we despaired – the stories which consistently got the most hits were about gay cakes, discrimination and internal wranglings.

And at other times there were moments of genuine prophecy – the Charleston survivors telling Dylann Roof that they loved him and were praying for him sticks in my mind above everything else, but there were also other moments of triumph – women bishops, tens of thousands of Brits signing up to house a refugee child, masses of money raised for persecuted Iraqis.

The other big thing that we wanted to do at Christian Today, aside from making sense of the world through religious eyes, was to hold up a mirror to the subculture. This is the side of 'Christian journalism' which is often dismissed as Christians just talking to each other instead of getting out there and doing things etc etc. But there are serious things within the subculture which need to be talked about. And we needed to laugh at the absurdity of it all, as well (thanks Martin Saunders for doing this so well!).

I'm grateful for all I've learned – for the insight and analysis of people who helped me to understand the world better, and to all of the contributors for getting behind the vision for CT. I'm grateful for the crash course in leadership I got through building up the team from scratch (essentially I think it boils down to treating people like human beings, not cogs in a machine, and having a sense of humour) and for the unique team dynamic which we built here, when journalism can so often be a game of individual competitiveness. 

We wanted to take a few risks, and be a place where voices from the left and the right would both find a hearing. Not because all views are equal, but because Christians of every flavour have got to try and fight against the silo mentality where you only read what you agree with. In our time it's become easier than ever to curate your own version of reality – unfollow people you don't like or agree with, stick your virtual fingers in your ears and just seek affirmation of your own perspective. That doesn't get us anywhere.

In a sense, Christian journalism is just an extension, with a voice slightly amplified, of what we should all be doing all the time: listening to each other with deep attention and respect, thinking hard about what we hear and telling the best stories we can in the best way we can. And above all, remembering when we're faced with real darkness in the world – and sometimes we are – that Christ is the light of the world. 

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Pastors Pray And Anoint The Door That Donald Trump Will Walk Through At His Inauguration

Nathan Kistler, director of Hope to the Hill, and Peggy Nienaber, Vice President of Operations for Faith and Action, pray and anoint the doorway that President-elect Trump will walk Through before his inauguration at Capitol Building

Three Christian leaders in the United States have joined to "pray and anoint" the doorway that President-elect Trump will walk through before his inauguration at Capitol Building tomorrow.

The three Christians have likewise prayed for previous presidents. They ask for direction, leadership, protection and blessing for Donald Trump and his team.

Peggy Nienaber, vice president of operations for Faith and Action, said: "The gospel is neither Republican or Democrat. When President-elect Trump and Vice-President Pence place their hand on the Bible for the oath of office, Christians are to be praying for them. The demands of the nation's highest office call us to put aside our differences and join in prayer."

Nathan Kistler, director of Hope to the Hill, said: "It was an honor to be able to pray over the very spot where the President-elect will walk through before his Inauguration. At this point in history, America has never needed prayer more than we do right now."

Rev Patrick Mahoney, pastor of Church on the Hill and director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said: "With all the massive preparations surrounding the inauguration, the most important and critical thing needed to be done is prayer. For it is prayer that will shift, shape and transform history. At a time when America is divided, it is the platform of the unity of prayer that will bring us together.

"We come together, as we have for all presidents, to ask for Christ's direction, leading, guidance, protection and blessing over President-elect Trump and his administration. We ask that he would turn to God for wisdom and strength and look to Him for every vital decision he will make. We also pray that God would ignite a spiritual awakening that would heal our nation."

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Christian Gospel Star Travis Greene To Perform At Donald Trump Inauguration

                                                                    Travis Greene

Black gospel singer Travis Greene has revealed that he has accepted an invitation to perform at the inauguration of Donald Trump.

He tweeted and instagrammed it with the words: "Family, I have something very special to share – and I wanted you to hear directly from me."

In his post on Instagram, he said: "Man, I'm overwhelmed by the favour and the love of our Jesus Christ." He said the past couple of years, the doors Jesus had opened for him had blown his mind.

"One of those doors was an invitation next week to the inaugural ball to Washington DC. "After much prayer, deliberation and soul searching - I literally spoke to most of my spiritual advisers thoguhtout the country - it was an overwhelming  'go'. Tht's what they told me, that they believed this was the will of God."

This was because in the Bible, God gave His servants access to power, so they could speak to Kings they agreed and disagreed with. He did not want to sit back and complain, but to take the "light of Jesus" into the culture where it belongs.

So far Jackie Evancho, who came second in America's Got Talent six years ago when she was 10, is the headline act at the inauguration. Other singers such as Charlotte Church have declined.

Sources also told Page Six that Jonathan McReynolds and R&B singer Chrisette Michele have been asked to perform on 20 January.

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Mark Burnett, Ben Hur producer, at the LA premiere with his wife Roma Downey (left), who is also a producer on the film, and also the chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Gary Barber and his wife Nadine Barber.

The Christian producer of the historical epic Ben Hur has described how the Crufixion of Jesus inspired the classic tale of tragedy and forgiveness.

"Ben Hur is a completely unique story and the you have a emotional gut wrenching adventure epic with an underlying story of Jesus and forgiveness," said Mark Burnett, who has worked on other religious titles including Son of God.

The story of Ben Hur and his brother Messala is set historically at the same time as the Crucifixion.

Burnett, British-born head of MGM Television and Digital Group, said: "And Ben Hur witnessing the crucifixion and hearing Jesus forgive those who crucified him. It made him realize, what am I doing?

"What is Messala doing, my own brother? My adopted brother but my own brother? And he goes and they forgive each other as a result of that. It's completely unique."

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The film, released in cinemas last year and out today on DVD and for digital download, is the fifth film adaptation of the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ  by Lew Wallace. Burnett said it is arguably the most Christian novel ever written. "It so seamlessly weaves a story of Jesus into this adventure. It's great storytelling, great, inspired storytelling."

The film tells the story of Judah Ben Hur and his brother. One brother ends up being sent to the slave galleys and returning for revenge on the other brother, who was instrumental in him being sent away. He finds out that his mother and sister were sent to a leper colony and had caught leprosy.

"The worst of the worst," said Burnett. "The chariot race is a combination of this but at the end it becomes a story of forgiveness because it coincides with the crucifixion of Jesus.

"And Jesus's words of forgiving those who are crucifying, father, forgive them they know not what they do."

The film stars Jack Huston, Morgan Freeman, Toby Kebbell, Nazanin Boniadi, Haluk Bilginer and Rodrigo Santoro.

In making the film, he was inspired by the knowledge that his own teenage children had never heard of Ben Hur and its famous chariot race.

"Ben Hur at its essence is a story of pain, of emotional pain. And very cleverly written handwoven and exhibited in the film is physical pain representing emotional pain. There's the physical pain of the aftermath of the chariot race. There is the physical pain seen on the leper that Jesus saves or the leprosy that his mother and sister have.

"And the healing that comes about physically and emotionally as a result of the crucifixion of Jesus. This is astounding. It's hard to know that someone created the story inspired creation through General Lew Wallace his own pain of his life's journey. And probably some of the greatest art in the history of the world comes from a deep place of pain turning the darkness into light.

"And Ben Hur is a movie which has bright lights, very, very dark times and back at the end to light which is what we are all looking for. It comes in one word, hope."

In his 1959 film, William Wyler decided that Christ would be neither heard nor seen.

Burnett said: "On Ben Hur 2016, we have chosen to show Jesus and have the emotional connection between Ben Hur and Jesus. We've chosen Rodrigo Santoro to play Jesus.

"A fantastic Brazilian actor to portray Jesus. And it really works. You so feel the connection between Jesus and Judah Ben Hur. When they first meet it's when Jesus is doing carpentry. He's working and making some comments to Judah about life, about slavery.

"The next time they meet is when Judah is carrying a wooden cross bar on his way to the slave galleys. So there's a mirror of what's going to happen later because Jesus it's water. The next time you meet the roles are reversed. Jesus is carrying his cross and falls. And Judah tries to give Jesus water. And they end up the final scene is at the crucifixion.

"So the stories are interwoven so well. And Rodrigo Santoro portrays Jesus Christ so beautifully in such a deep, gritty organic way, it just makes a real connection. I watched yesterday a 15 minute segment of this from the movie, already. And it made me cry. It made me cry."

More than 2.5 billion humans on the planet live for Jesus, he said.

"Yet millions died for his message and billions live for his message. It is critical to treat it with reverence, with accuracy and the correct content and emotional outcome. Ben Hur achieves all of those things."

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Zimbabwe Priest Arrested For Predicting Death Of Robert Mugabe In 'Message From God'

President Robert Mugabe turns 93 next month. A pastor has been arrested for prophesying that he will die this year.

A priest in Zimbabwe has been arrested for claiming that President Robert Mugabe will die this year.

Pastor Patrick Mugadza was arrested on Monday in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, AFP reports. Magadza held a press conference last week in which he predicted that Mugabe suggested that President Mugabe, 93 next month, would die on October 17 this year.

Zimbabwean law forbids "undermining the authority of or insulting the president," including discussing his age.

Mugadza's lawyer Gift Mtisi said that Mugadza had been in court for another alleged crime, when he was detained for his remarks about the President's age.

Mtisi said: "He was appearing at the court on a different matter when police arrested him during a break and charged him over the prophecy."

He was first charged with "undermining the authority of the president" and the charge was changed later to "insulting people of a certain race or religion."

Mugadza is in "good spirits" despite his detention, according to the BBC, and has "no regrets" over what he said.

Mtisi said: "He's admitting to the facts. He says he didn't lie – that's a message from God. Police will have to prove God didn't say it."

Mugadza, pastor of the Remnant Church, is no stranger to controversy. In 2005 he was detained for a month after holding a placard which protested the suffering of Zimbabwe's people under Mugabe's rule.

In 2005, he was arrested and detained for nearly a month after holding a placard telling Mugabe his people were suffering under his rule. Last year, he gave a sermon whilst tied to a lampost in Harare, protesting the lack of freedom in the country.

Speculation has increased about the health of Mugabe, who will turn 93 next month. He has ruled Zimbabwe, first as Prime Minister, then as President, since it's formation in 1980.


President Mugabe has mocked such suggestions, previously saying he has been resurrected more times than Jesus Christ.

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The One Stumbling Block Every Christian Will Need to Overcome to Attain Spiritual Maturity

What is spiritual maturity and how do Christians gauge it?

Spiritual maturity is defined by the website All About God as the growth in knowledge and understanding of God's Word attained by Christians. As their knowledge grows, their penchant for sin decreases and they will have more Christ-like qualities. Their faith and trust in God will find a significant boost as well.

Attaining spiritual maturity sounds like a wonderful thing, but not everybody gets it. The progress of some believers may be much slower compared to their neighbours, friends, or even family members, according to Faith Wire. Even though they're doing all the right things such as praying, going to church, and reading the Bible, there's no guarantee that they will become spiritually mature

So what gives? For Christian speaker, poet and hip-hop artist Jackie Hill Perry, there's one thing Christians need to conquer. "I think the stumbling block to a lot of people's maturity is the idea that sanctification is just going to magically happen isolated from any effort or discipline," Perry said in a video posted on her Facebook page.

She referenced the Bible and suggested that Christians "work out your salvation with fear and trembling that's not theoretical. Literally work out what God has started within you. What God has begun within you because of the gospel."

If Christians feel frustrated because of the slow movement of their journey, Perry said they should blame no one but themselves. "God is not the one to blame for your immaturity," she said, adding that it would help if people continuously rely on the Word of God.

One netizen asked Perry how Christians can overcome their "lack of zeal" for God's Word. The insightful woman answered, "I believe faith is the source of zeal. A lack of zeal for God must reveal a blindness to His glory as revealed in the scriptures. Therefore to reverse it means to be like the psalmist who thirsted for God (Psalms 42) because he recognised that His soul NEEDED God. The needy Christian is the zealous Christian."

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'It's About Making Sure I Do What Jesus Says': Black Bishop Defends Role At Trump Inauguration

Donald Trump will be sworn in as president on Friday in a ceremony assisted by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, who has defended his role.

A black bishop who will take part in the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump has defended his role as a calling from God.

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International in Detroit conceded that he has been called a "sell out".

But he insisted that he is representing "the teachings of Jesus Christ" when he prays for the new president at the swearing in ceremony on Friday.

"I've been called a sell-out...[but] my job is a job to represent the Bible...and the teachings of Jesus Christ," Jackson said in an interview with TMZ. "It is not about Democrats, not about Republicans – it's about making sure that I do what Jesus says, and that is that we are supposed to love everyone. That is the message that Jesus brought, and my position as a minister, to be asked to pray at the highest ceremony of our country – it gets no higher than that – I do what I do because I'm called to do it."

Jackson added that he was a "target" because he was at the "forefront".

"So...any time you're in the forefront, you're going to be a target, but you have got to make sure that you're convictions - why you're doing it – they are pure," he said.

The bishop concluded: "It's not over for America: America has a great future ahead of it."

In September, Jackson faced criticisms after hosting Trump at his church.


But he wrote on Facebook at the time of his encounter with Trump, which was televised: "This interview is not an endorsement. This is engagement. We have given Hillary Clinton the same opportunity as Donald Trump and she has not yet responded. This is not to put one up above the other but you gotta understand that we are in a race, and there's two people in the race. This is to inform our community of what he will do if elected."

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How the Devil Tries to Use Your Weaknesses to Destroy You

It's no secret that competency is always relative. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that's how God meant it to be. Yet somehow the enemy still uses our incompetency to attack our identity and security, and sometimes his schemes work.

2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Weakness was never meant to be the enemy's weapon to cause sin and confusion, but to be God's tool to build faith and reliance on Him.

Here are four ways that the enemy will try to use your weakness against you and how to counter by standing on God's original design.

Fear Over Faith

Where there is limitation, Satan will often try to lure us into fear when facing uncertainty. Many times when the early disciples would allow fear to take the better of them, Jesus would correct them lovingly by pointing out their "little faith."

Weaknesses in the light of God's love will cause us to trust and rely fully in God, not doubt Him. 1 John 4:18 declares to us, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

Failure Over Freedom

Weakness will very often lead to a mistake or even a failure. In my personal life, I have always seen my inabilities to cause mishaps at work or even in my family. But in the midst of failure, I am assured that God can and will turn situations around.

But sometimes, we are tricked into thinking that God cannot conquer our failures. This causes us to live in bondage instead of freedom. Proverbs 4:16 tells us, "For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity."

Regret Over Redemption

One of the enemy's favourite toys is our regret. He plays with it and wants us to do the same. But God has one desire for our regrets: He wants them laid at the foot of the cross because Christ paid the price for your redemption from any past mistake or failing.

You are already redeemed by the blood of Christ from any sin or weakness. God's power is made evident in our inabilities. We can now walk free and sanctified not by our own strengths, but by God's infinite strength.

Works Over Will

When we fail and it's clear that there's no conceivable way to make things right on our own, God intervenes. But sometimes the devil whispers into our ears that God is too far away or too busy to help us out.

But God promises in Deuteronomy 31:6, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."

Our courage and confidence lies on God's pleasing and perfect will, not our good works. We can trust God even in the midst of our weakness because He is working for our good.

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Why Are Evangelicals So Bad At Dealing With Doubt?

Pope Francis has admitted something rather extraordinary for a Pope, who is supposed to be above all that kind of thing. Questioned about faith by one of a group of recently confirmed young people, he said: "Looking back at some moments my faith diminished to the point that I could not find it and I lived as if I did not have faith."

And, he said: "The ups and downs of life can shake you up at times and cause you to lose a little faith, but with time you may find it again."

He doesn't say much more than that, but anyone who has sought to live as a Christian faithfully knows what he's talking about. In truth, the experience of spiritual dryness, intellectual disconnectedness and and emotional indifference to which he refers is more likely to be an issue in evangelical churches that explicitly prize personal commitment and experiential faith than traditions like Francis' own. There's a strain of evangelicalism that romanticises discipleship, as though it's about feeling – constantly needing to recreate the emotional high of the first months of a relationship.

In real life it's not like that. A relationship with Jesus is like a marriage, not like a love affair. That intense, obsessive adoration can't be sustained, no matter how sweet the music and gooey the lyrics ("Jesus, I am so in love with you", as one famous songwriter put it). And what keeps a marriage going is not feeling but commitment, through the dry times, the times when the other person is barely there or when their demands are unbearably irritating. Is it worth it? Of course, but most people find they have to go through it.

Evangelicals are very sniffy about people who just go through the motions when it comes to faith. I've heard lots of sermons aimed at people who just turn up Sunday by Sunday but don't have a deep, heart-felt relationship with Jesus. But in our relationship with Christ, there's an enormous value in perseverance when the emotional connection or the intellectual conviction isn't really there. It keeps us grounded. It retains us in the Christian community. It leaves doors and windows ajar for the entry of the Spirit of God. We have made promises, and we try to keep them. And usually, as Pope Francis said, though we may lose a little faith, we may find it again.

There are some kinds of evangelicalism that are really bad at dealing with dark nights of the soul, or even with the routine ebbs and flows of feeling that are part of spiritual life as they are part of life in general. I suspect it's because they are, for whatever reason, rather too performance-driven. The language is about growth, advance, learning and progress. We can all learn from that, but sometimes a message from Psalm 23 might not go amiss: that on the other side of the valley as dark as death there are green pastures and quiet waters, and that it's alright to stay there and sit for a while.

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The Mystery Of Who Wrote The Letter To The Hebrews

The New Testament Letter to the Hebrews contains powerful writing and deep theology. But who wrote it?

Look at older versions of the Bible – the King James Version, for instance – and you will often see the Letter to the Hebrews titled 'The Letter of Paul to the Hebrews'. But the text of the letter itself doesn't say so.

The early Church recognised the problem. One of the early Church Fathers, Clement of Alexandria, suggested that Paul might have written the letter in Hebrew but that it was translated into Greek by Luke, who left out Paul's name because of the tension between him and the Jewish community. It was a continuing controversy in the early years of the Church, though one of the reasons we have it in the New Testament is that the consensus was that it was by Paul. Today, though, scholars have long abandoned the idea that Paul was the author; there are too many dissimilarities between Hebrews and everything else he wrote.

So who was it? Paul Ellingworth, in his ICC commentary on Hebrews, admits we are unlikely ever to know. Some ancient authors thought it might be Clement of Rome, who quotes or alludes to Hebrews in some of his writings; Clement misuses Hebrews' teaching about Christ's high priesthood, though, to argue for a Christian priestly heirarchy, so it was certainly not him.

Others thought it might have been Luke, the Gospel writer. Both his Gospel and Hebrews are written in excellent Greek and they have many words in common.

Another candidate is Barnabas – Tertullian refers to "an epistle of Barnabas entitled 'To the Hebrews'". Whether it's the Letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament is not known.

Others have suggested the letter might have been written by Peter, whose First Letter has similarities in thought and language to Hebrews, or Silas. Still another candidate is Stephen, whose speech in Acts 7 has similarities to Hebrews 11 in its retelling of Jewish history from a Christian perspective. However, this is still a long way from proving their common authorship. Martin Luther thought Apollos might have written it.

In the end, as Ellingworth says, it's unlikely that we will ever know the answer. What matters to Christians today is not who wrote it, but what we do with it. And it's Hebrews that says: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." (12:2)

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Christians Have A Right To Defend The Cross, Says Rowan Williams

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has defended the right of Christians to protest when crosses are removed from public places.

In a new book on the meaning of the cross and resurrection, both in the early Church and in the modern world, Lord Williams of Oystermouth says it is "reasonable" to "get rather indignant" when crosses are removed from certain public places.



Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, 
has produced a new book, 'God with us'
published by SPCK.

The Christian cross is a "sign" of God's love and freedom, he says.

It is a sacrifice that symbolises the forgiveness of sins.

Lord Williams, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and among the world's top living theologians, says in God with us that for early Christians, encountering a cross in a church would have been like being faced with a picture of an electric chair or guillotine.

"When we go into a Christian place of worship, we expect to see a cross. And when crosses are removed from public places, such as crematoria or hospital chapels, we quite reasonably get rather indignant about it," he writes in the opening chapter, an extract of which is reproduced today by Christian Today.

"But in the world in which Christianity began, a place of worship was the last place you would expect to see a cross. We can only begin to get some sense of what it might have felt like to encounter the symbol of a cross in the first couple of Christian centuries if we imagine coming into a church and being faced with a large picture of an electric chair or perhaps a guillotine," he continues.

"The cross was a sign of suffering, humiliation, disgrace. It was a sign of an all-powerful empire that held life very cheap indeed: a forceful and immediate reminder to everybody that their lives were in the hands of the state. You might well be used to seeing crosses on the outskirts of towns or by the side of the road, but most definitely not in any place of worship."

Later in the book, Dr Williams returns to one of his common themes: the true nature of prayer. He writes that it is easy to fall into a way of thinking of prayer as a sort of 'storming' of heaven, or "a campaign" to pressure God into changing his mind. Instead, he writes, prayer is "most deeply 'allowing God to happen in us'...being in the place where Christ is real".

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TOP QUOTES

Nothing do Satan or hell fear more than praying, believing Christians. – Leonard Ravenhill

The Church's need today is not new styles or methods, but leaders who pray. – Gregg T. Johnson

I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach. – Charles Spurgeon

No church is stronger than its prayer meeting. – Leonard Ravenhill

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work. – Oswald Chambers

We are too busy to pray and so we are too busy to have power. – R.A. Torrey

If revival has hit, you can rest assured that someone has paid the price of prayer and unity. – Winkie Pratney

I have so much to do today so I will spend the first three hours in prayer. – Martin Luther

I am convinced that the greatest work that I will accomplish today, and the greatest impact that my life can make for all of eternity, is through the work of prayer. – Pastor Jamie Morgan

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God does nothing except in answer to prayer. – John Wesley

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Billy Graham Tells Christians How to Fight Temptation

Famed evangelist Billy Graham says that individuals who give their lives to Christ are not immune to the temptations of life, and may face even greater temptation from Satan. But God will provide a way out.

                                                                                        (PHOTO: REUTERS/ROBERT PADGETT)

Evangelist Billy Graham speaks at the dedication of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina, May 31, 2007.

In his syndicated advice column published Wednesday in The Kansas City Star, Graham reminds his readers that no one has been tempted more than Jesus, who endured 40 days and nights of enticements from the devil, and that they are not exempt.

"If Jesus faced temptation," says Graham, "won't we face temptation also? Jesus, the Bible says, 'Has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet he did not sin' (Hebrews 4:15)."

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association founder says that believers should combat this temptation with the Word of God. They should get clear about God's will, and ask Him to provide strength to resist Satan and his lies. "You aren't the same person you once were; God now lives within you by his Holy Spirit. Turn, therefore, to him for the help you need to fight temptation."

Last week, the influential evangelist spoke to his readers about the wiles and motives of the devil. The Christian Post previously reported that the 98-year-old reminded his readers, "He (Satan) tempts, he deceives, he destroys and he even kills when it suits his purpose. The Bible says, 'Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him.'"

When it comes to temptation, there is nothing new under the sun but God helps believers to resist it all. Graham points to 1 Corinthians 10:13, "The Bible says, 'No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful. ... He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.'"

In a previous Q&A on the website of the BGEA, Graham told readers that living a pure life should be a Christian's goal. "He (God) wants to guide us and help us live pure lives, and He also wants to use us to help others and point them to Jesus. Jesus said, 'You are the light of the world. ... Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.'"

With a bit of humor, Graham says about temptation, "A friend told me once, 'When temptation knocks, I just send Jesus to the door!' That's good advice."

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John Piper: Make Sure You Do These 4 Things Before Wedding

In response to the question of a recently engaged man who sought counsel on how to be a good husband 100 days before his wedding day, Tennessee-based theologian John Piper advised that couples should be as open as possible, and on the same theological page.

                                                                                        (PHOTO: SCREENSHOT/DESIRINGGOD)

Theologian John Piper explains what it means to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.


In a podcast Tuesday on DesiringGod.org, a website devoted to glorifying God, Piper outlined four major areas that couples can address to bolster their plans for a happy marriage.

1. The more issues you can discuss before marriage, the better

Piper says that couples can become frustrated when unaddressed issues surface during the marriage which could have been handled before they jumped the broom.

2. Now is the time to have every conflict possible

Don't shy away from issues in order to avoid conflict. Piper says that this is what the engagement period is for. He says that dodging conflicts for a more convenient time is the wrong approach. A couple should know about the others' habits, secrets, and thoughts.

"You don't want marriage to be based on ignorance, but on trust in the face of all truth," he says.

3. Spiritual accord

Couples can use their engagement period to ensure that they are on the same theological page. "These are golden months in which to set patterns of spiritual leadership," says Piper.

Both individuals need to be pulling in the same direction, including seeing God, Christ, love, salvation, heaven, and hell in the same way. Otherwise, Piper says, the marriage can suffer from spiritual discord. In this case, a couple can stop "talking" spiritually. He adds that fellowship and obedience to Christ on an individual level is foundational for the survival and flourishing of the marriage, and is of utmost importance.

"The marriages that I watch unravel, unravel in tandem with the unraveling of spiritual reality," he notes. "One or both of the [individuals] falls away from Jesus."

4. Always express love for your bride

Piper says that men should not only do things that show love for their brides-to-be, but they should frequently profess their love. "Don't assume that your affection for your bride-to-be is known and felt by her. Instead, put it on your lips over and over again every day. Find fresh ways to say it, not just show it." The same is true for women, Piper says.

"In your wedding vows, I hope you're going to promise to cherish her above all others, and forsake everyone else, cleaving to her alone. Put that cherishing and that cleaving into words every day."

The pastor says that doing so will reap great dividends for the couple.

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10 Famous Quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Every January the United States remembers a profoundly influential historical figure named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

                                                                                                (PHOTO: THE U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES)

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" 

speech on Aug. 28, 1963.

An outspoken champion of racial equality and an ordained Baptist minister, King made many memorable statements about spiritual and cultural struggles, and victories.

Below are just some of the many words he spoke during his public career both as a man of God and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

1. Light Driving Out Darkness

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

2. A Dream

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

3. Injustice

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

4. When Lives End

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

5. Measure of a Man

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

6. Remembering Silence

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

7. Drum Major

"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."

8. Moral Universe

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."

9. The Mountaintop

"I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land."

10. Rediscovering Lost Values

"The first principle of value that we need to rediscover is this: that all reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws."

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Washington National Cathedral Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy: 'We Shall Not Be Moved'

Washington National Cathedral will be hosting events in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, focusing both his legacy and current activism.

                           (PHOTO: WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL/DANIELLE THOMAS)

A procession at the installation service for the Rev. Michael Curry, first African-American Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, held at the Washington National Cathedral in the District of Columbia on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

The sixth largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in the United States will host two events during the weekend of the federal holiday set aside to honor the late civil rights leader.

The first event will take place Sunday afternoon. Titled "Strength to Love: An Afternoon Retreat for Contemplatives and Activists," the event will take place at the cathedral's Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage.

"How can we meet hate with love? How can we love our enemies — especially when we don't like them? How can we find the strength?" noted the cathedral's website.

"We will sing, pray, walk, listen — to his words, the Spirit and to each other — and strategize about ways to become that beloved community of which King dreamed."

On MLK Day itself, the National Cathedral will observe a worship celebration called "We Shall Not be Moved: Sanctuary, Witness and Covenant."

Described by the cathedral as a tribute to King, the worship celebration will be held Monday afternoon and will include testimonies by Cathedral canon theologian the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas, Advancement Project Executive Director Judith Browne Dianis, and United We Dream field organizer Greisa Martinez.

In their event announcement, the cathedral stated that "Dr. King called on faith communities, specifically the church, to be sanctuary for those in need and to demonstrate public witness to injustice."

"Through song, narrative, and prophetic reflection, this celebration will explore how faith communities have lived into that call, and what sanctuary and witness look like today," continued the cathedral.

"We will end in the act of covenant — mutual commitment to one another and to the ongoing movement for a just reconciliation, the freedom for which King and others worked tirelessly.

(PHOTO: PUBLIC DOMAIN)

Martin Luther King, March on Washington 
colorized photo, August 28, 1963

United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, a megachurch led best-selling author       the Rev. Adam Hamilton, will be hosting an event on racial reconciliation Sunday evening

Done in cooperation with St. James United Methodist Church, the event is described by the Church of the Resurrection as part of the "continuing discussion" on "bridging the racial divide in Kansas City."

"Our focus will be on the impact of segregation on the education system in KCMO, and what we can do beyond tutoring to have a positive impact," noted Church of the Resurrection's website.

"Joining Reverends Cleaver and Hamilton for a panel discussion will be Historian Erik Stafford, Derald Davis, assistant superintendent of School Leadership for Kansas City Public Schools, Alissia Canady, councilwoman for Kansas City's 5th District, and Michael Mayberry, CEO and executive director of Grace United Community Ministries."

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Pastor's Teenage Daughter Who Was Missing for Days Found Alive

After several days of pleading with the public to help find his 14-year-old adopted daughter who he said may have run off with the help of "someone she must have met online," a pastor in Universal City, Texas, is now rejoicing after she was found alive and reunited with her family.

                                                                                          (PHOTOS: FACEBOOK)
Pastor David Lindow Jr. (R), of First Baptist Church of Universal City in Texas and his 14-year-old daughter, MiKayla.

On Saturday, the Cibolo Police Department announced in a press release that MiKayla Lindow, the daughter of Pastor David Lindow Jr., of First Baptist Church of Universal City was found at an address in San Antonio.

"On Saturday, Jan. 7, MiKayla Lindow was located in San Antonio by the San Antonio Police Department. A Cibolo Police Detective met with SAPD and took custody of MiKayla. MiKayla has since been reunited with her family," the release said in part.

Last Tuesday after alerting authorities of his daughter's disappearance, Lindow explained in a video posted to YouTube that MiKayla, his youngest daughter, made good on a threat she made earlier, to leave the family home after she was disciplined for "inappropriate" behavior online.

"She's threatened to do this due to some of the disciplinary actions that have been taken due to her inappropriate activity on the internet and with her phone, and just some other inappropriate behavior," Lindow said. "At about 10:15 last night ( last Monday), I went up to go to bed and went on to check on her and she was gone, and some of her things were gone. Apparently she has been in contact with someone that has assisted her in leaving."

He would go on to post other videos until she was found with the help of local police and federal law enforcement officials.

On Sunday, Lindow said in a post on his Facebook page that the police were still conducting their investigation into his daughter's disappearance so he could only provide limited details on what exactly happened to his daughter in the days she was missing.

"By now you have probably heard that MiKayla has been found and returned to us. She is OK as are we. We are all extremely tired but rejoicing in her safety. Information must remain very limited at this time as the police investigation continues," he said.

"We cannot begin to express our appreciation to our church family, extended family, friends, law enforcement agencies, media and complete strangers who have prayed, walked the streets, put up flyers, posted on social media, conducted interviews. ... We will never know what flyer, media report, or action by law officials was the key to her return, but it all worked together to bring her home," he added.

Lindow also had high praises for God and the law enforcement community, and asked the church to continue praying for healing for his family.

"Times like this reveal the beautiful hearts of so many. We have been touched by some incredible policemen, detectives and other law enforcement agents. I wish I could give names but there are too many and I fear I would overlook some beautiful person," he said.

"Above and beyond all we give glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who has sustained us through His Word and His Body called the church. Isaiah 43 has been our consolation. He has indeed walked with us through the flood and we have not been overwhelmed and we have gone through the fire and have not been burned," he said. "Please continue to pray and lift MiKayla before the Lord that healing will come quickly to her heart and mind. We will lay low for a few days but will be back in the action soon."

The church's website said Lindow and his wife, Lisa, adopted MiKayla and another girl named Kalli.

We cannot begin to express our appreciation to our church family, extended family, friends, law enforcement agencies, media and complete strangers who have prayed, walked the streets, put up flyers, posted on social media, conducted interviews. ... We will never know what flyer, media report, or action by law officials was the key to her return, but it all worked together to bring her home," he added.

Lindow also had high praises for God and the law enforcement community, and asked the church to continue praying for healing for his family.

"Times like this reveal the beautiful hearts of so many. We have been touched by some incredible policemen, detectives and other law enforcement agents. I wish I could give names but there are too many and I fear I would overlook some beautiful person," he said.

"Above and beyond all we give glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who has sustained us through His Word and His Body called the church. Isaiah 43 has been our consolation. He has indeed walked with us through the flood and we have not been overwhelmed and we have gone through the fire and have not been burned," he said. "Please continue to pray and lift MiKayla before the Lord that healing will come quickly to her heart and mind. We will lay low for a few days but will be back in the action soon."

The church's website said Lindow and his wife, Lisa, adopted MiKayla and another girl named Kalli.

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Ex-Church Music Director Who Murdered Husband to Be With Pastor Is Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison

Cindy Reese, 41, a former music director of Sardis Baptist Church in Morris, Alabama, who was convicted of murdering her husband last month so she could continue an affair with her younger pastor, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Wednesday.

                                                                                         (PHOTOS: FACEBOOK; MUG SHOTS)

Sardis Baptist Church in Morris, Alabama. In inset photo is the church's former music director Cindy Reese 41 and Jeffery Brown, the church's former pastor.

Reese was found guilty in December by a jury of murdering her husband Michael Reese so she could be with her pastor, Jeff Brown, who had baptized her husband in the church only about two years prior to his death.

According to AL.com Michael was shot in the couple's Morris home on February 18, 2015. He and his wife had attended church earlier in the evening and was killed after returning home.

The prosecution charged that Reese shot her husband in the back of the head when she arrived home with him then went to Piggly Wiggly, bought groceries, and called police when she returned. She flipped the coffee table upside down and staged the house to look like there had been a robbery.

Billy Graham Answers: Do Deathbed Conversions Work?
John Robbins, Reese's defense attorney, claimed, however, that Reese was having an affair with Brown who harassed her and became angry when she refused to divorce her husband. Robbins claimed that Brown was the one who shot Michael.

According to Robbins, while Reese admitted her affair with Brown, the former pastor is "the ultimate manipulator" and was "obsessed" with her. She alleged that she financed his apartment and car.

Brown, who is a former corrections officer and marine, admitted that he and Reese began to be romantically involved within one month after meeting at Sardis Baptist Church. He said, however, that they were never physically intimate.

He said Reese began expressing her desire to kill her husband over lunch dates.

"She would say things like, 'I wish he was gone,'" Brown said, according to AL.com. He also claimed Reese would talk about shooting Michael Reese with a 38 revolver or poisoning him. "She said she would plead insanity and she had the meds to prove it."

Brown, 37, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August for his role in Michael's death and agreed to testify against Reese in exchange for a 20-year sentence which was handed down in December.

According to WVTM, Brown was named senior pastor at Sardis Baptist Church about three years ago, but only served one year. The church has been around since 1893.

"We got his resume and I just thought, we all thought that being young, with the young members it would appeal to them more," lifelong church member Diane Howard told WVTM.

Soon after Brown's arrival at the church, however, he and Howard butted heads over the church bulletin.

"After the bulletin blow-up things just seemed to go from bad to worse. When speaking to him about the bulletin I could tell that he wasn't as forthcoming. I could tell there was something beneath the surface there," she said.

It wasn't long before the church discovered Brown was having an affair with Reese. Instead of meeting with church elders to discuss the situation, he left the church.

"They were going to have a meeting with him and instead of facing the deacons one Sunday morning, he chose to get up and resign," Howard said.

Several months later, Brown and Cindy Reese were charged in Michael Reese's death.

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Is Tim Keller a Dangerous Christian?

How far can Christianity be reduced before it's no longer Christianity? We need to be able to answer that question with a firm answer.

                                                                      (PHOTO: THE CHRISTIAN POST/LEONARDO BLAIR)
Dr. Timothy Keller, senior pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church speaks at Movement Day Global Cities at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on Thursday October 27, 2016.

One of C. S. Lewis' most famous arguments is his so-called "trilemma," laid out in "Mere Christianity." Because of the things Jesus said and did, reasoned Lewis, He must either have been a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.

He made this point to debunk the most common secular misconception of Jesus, which has only grown more popular in the last half century.



"I can accept Jesus as a great moral teacher," says the secularist. "Maybe He was a kind of first-century Gandhi. But I can't accept him as God in human flesh."

Lewis called this idea "patronizing nonsense." Apart from the historic belief that Jesus is God and man, born of a virgin, that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, Lewis could see no future for Christianity. "Mere" or bare-minimum Christian faith, he argued, requires a belief in these miracles. Yet many today still insist that some kind of stripped-down, "bare-essentials" Christian faith is possible, and that the ancient summaries like the Apostles' Creed are too exclusive.

During a sit-down interview with pastor Tim Keller just before Christmas, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof suggested that Christianity can survive without the virgin birth or Resurrection.

"I deeply admire Jesus and his message," he said, "but am also skeptical of themes that have been integral to Christianity — the virgin birth, the Resurrection, the miracles, and so on."

Are these really that essential to the Christian faith? Isn't it possible to be a Christian without embracing them?

Keller replied that you can't remove Jesus' miraculous entry into the world or His miraculous return to life "without destabilizing the whole [of Christianity]. A religion can't be whatever we desire it to be."

He went on to explain that the main point of Jesus' teaching, and of the New Testament, is not a moral maxim, but a message: that Jesus Christ is God in human form, Who was and did everything the ancient creeds say. And believing this is essential. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, if Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is vain, and we Christians are to be pitied above all people.

Now as far as I'm concerned, Keller knocked it out of the park. But judging by the letters to the editor, it seems many readers felt differently.

One United Church of Christ minister chided the paper for allowing an evangelical to represent Christianity. The creeds, she wrote, "are not tests of faith for individuals," and "the virgin birth is not central."

And a religion professor at Hofstra University scolded the Times for giving a "platform" to Keller's "dangerous" reading of Christianity.

If you know anything about Tim Keller, a lot of adjectives come to mind. But "dangerous" isn't one of them. But to those who prefer patronizing nonsense to historic Christianity, there's nothing more dangerous than someone who can convincingly articulate the miraculous doctrines at the core of our faith.

Tim Keller Makes Sense of God for Skeptics, Argues Secularism Is Declining (Interview)
In our culture of skepticism and unbelief, being winsome doesn't guarantee a warm reception. But messengers like Keller not only make the claims of historic Christianity more accessible in our secular culture, they model what it looks like to be both loving and — as our critics put it —  "dangerous."

At our 2017 Wilberforce Weekend the Colson Center is hosting two of the most dangerous Christians around — Ravi Zacharias and Os Guinness. May 19th through the 21st in Washington D.C. This will be our biggest event yet, and we want you to be there.

Why? Because "dangerous Christianity" can't be outsourced to the professionals alone. All who follow Christ are to be informed and equipped to proclaim Him to the world around them.

So visit WilberforceWeekend.org to reserve your spot — and be strengthened as you contend for the faith delivered once for all.

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After Eddie Long's Death, Daughter Says He Was 'Perfect,' Others Point to His Cloud of Secrets

                                                                                             (Photo: Instagram)

The late Bishop Eddie Long (R) and his daughter, Taylor (L).
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/after-eddie-longs-death-daughter-says-he-was-perfect-others-point-to-his-cloud-of-secrets.
"I love you Dad. Thank you for being perfect. I cherish every moment I've shared with you even up to your last breath. I don't blame God for wanting you back, I would too. Everything I do is for you, it's been my honor to be your daughter. Thank you for being the greatest example of a wonderful father and husband. You kicked cancer's ass! Job well done my angel," she wrote in a post on Instagram with a photo of her father during his sickness on Sunday.

Gospel recording artist Byron Cage, who served at New Birth for 12 years, also noted on Twitter that his "heart is heavy" over Long's passing.

"My heart is heavy, but God is in control. See you in the rapture Bishop Eddie Long. It was my honor to serve New Birth for 12 years," he wrote.

New Birth announced the death of their leader in a statement Sunday morning, saying he died after "a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer."

                                            (PHOTOS: SCREENSHOTS VIA YOUTUBE)

Megachurch Pastor Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia says his shocking weight loss is due to a new vegan diet.

Sunday was the first time the church has specified Long's "health challenge" since he announced he was ill last September.

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The announcement came after it was reported that he was dying from an unspecified gastro-intestinal cancer after he revealed an emaciated frame to the public claiming his weight loss was due to a new raw vegan diet.

While condolences abounded online for the bishop on Sunday, lamentations and condemnations of the preacher were also rife.

Long had for years lived under a cloud of allegations stemming from lawsuits filed by multiple men who claimed he engaged them in sexual acts, but he never publicly discussed the specifics of those lawsuits.

Long settled with his accusers — Anthony Flagg, Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris and Spencer LeGrande — in May 2011, approximately eight months after they leveled charges that he had coerced them into having sexual relationships with him while they were teenage members of his congregation.

Just weeks ago the controversial preacher drew the ire of iconic gospel singer Kim Burrell who referenced public speculation that he was perhaps dying of HIV or AIDS.

"I've never seen anything as heartbreaking as watching Bishop Eddie Long go down to nothing. It is an embarrassment to the Church. 'Cause nobody would be making that you have AIDS unless a homosexual man didn't come out and reveal what you did behind closed doors ... they have yet to deny it," she said.

Burrell warned members of her congregation that if they engaged in homosexual behavior while they professed to be Christians, 2017 would be a year of reckoning for them.

"Anybody in the room who is living with a homosexual spirit, beg God to free you. If you play with it in 2017 you'll die from it. If you play with it in 2017 in God's house you'll die from it. Y'all came to hear about carnal, I came to tell you about sin," she said bluntly. "That perverted homosexual spirit is a spirit of delusion and confusion and it has deceived many men and women. And it has caused a stain on the body of Christ."

New Birth church member and mother of four Aaliyah Butler, 41, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday that Long had helped her personally.

She said he "mentored" her oldest son, now grown, when he was younger and had gotten into "some trouble."


(Photo:Reuters/Ric Feld)

The Rev. Bernice King (R) speaks to Bishop Eddie. 
Long during a service at the New Birth 
Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., in this Feb. 7, 2006file photo.

Long, she said, talked to her son, "and I think his mentorship helped lead him on a direct path." Her son is now 24, she said, and he is trying to start his own used car sales business.

Regarding the lawsuits against her late pastor, she called them the 2010 "attack" that was made not just against Long but all Christians.

"A lot of people left; a lot of people stayed," she said, noting that she never considered leaving the church she has attended for 17 years. Long's death, she said, was "a sober moment for us."

Yolanda Adams, another iconic gospel singer who came to Long's defense in light of Burrell's comments, said on Sunday that she was praying for Long's family and urged others to respect their privacy.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lady Vanessa and all family and friends of Bishop Eddie Long. We respect their right to celebrate his life in privacy and with respect. Love y'all," she wrote on Facebook.

Adams' statement on Long's death, however, sparked a major debate among her 2.5 million fans, some of whom felt her statement was hypocritical.

"Watching the commentary on the death of Bishop Eddie Long is similar to the fans John Gotti — the Teflon Don — had. People love the villian and despise the victim. This comes from the sinful nature of man, and the meaningless words many repeat. Both of these men left victims that needed lots of prayer, not many stepped up," wrote Raymond Brown.

Others chided the late bishop for his secrecy.

"He was ill, what the illness was we may never know. However, HE KNEW and somehow not using the moment to teach (being a bishop and leader) was a disservice and disingenuous 'This is my struggle, here is what I'm doing to overcome' that wasn't the battle cry. Instead a cloak of secrecy which is what makes people distrustful. SECRETS. I hope that his family will find strength and can make peace living under the cloud of secrecy which they have now inherited," wrote Celeste Mckenzie.

In the final weeks leading up to his death, Long remained defiant in the face of his illness and refused to discuss it even with his church members.

"I know a lot of you try to contact me, and call me and text me. I can't return all the texts, I get all the love. Just know I can't do it. It's just too many, too many," stressed an emaciated Long in a clip from a Dec. 11, 2016, sermon posted on YouTube.

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Bishop Eddie Long Tells Church He's Ignoring Their Calls Because People Are Asking Too Many Questions
"But it makes me feel good to see all them folks that's praying for me. I want you to know because one reason I can't even when some ... is because everybody want to ask questions. I don't want to rehearse facts," Long said in a bid to silence his concerned flock.

In their statement on Long on Sunday, New Birth reflected on Long as a family man with "unyielding faith."

"As a man of God with unyielding faith, Bishop Long maintained his commitment to our Heavenly Father as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit," the statement said.

His wife of 27 years, Vanessa, said she believes her husband is now in a "better place."

"I am confident through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place. Although his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he's at peace," she said.

Eddie Long was 63. He is survived by his wife and four children, Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor, as well as three grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the near future.

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