Young boy claims he visited heaven, saw Jesus prior to making miraculous recovery as doctors prepared to declare him brain-dead

A 13-year-old Alabama boy who miraculously recovered after doctors declared him brain-dead and were set to harvest his organs to donate to five other children, said he was in Heaven walking with Jesus and a sibling who died before he was born.

"I saw a dark male figure with a beard," the teenager, Trenton McKinley, told CBN Wednesday. "He held my hand as I walked through a field. I was holding a baby in my arm. My mom told me she lost a boy from a miscarriage before I was born. I know it was my brother."

McKinley's mother, Jennifer Reindl, who has been singing praises to God and sharing her story since her son's miraculous turnaround, said she continues sharing her story because she wants to change lives.

Trenton McKinley, 13, before and after the accident that temporarily left him brain dead.

"I hope our story changes lives and am thankful for all the prayers and kind words. I am forever thankful to the Lord and out of gratitude will speak in the Lord's favor and as a witness to his miracle ... my hopes are that our story brings hope to any mother out there facing such odds ... from one mother to another mother I send love and prayer. Happy Mother's Day and God bless you all," Reindl wrote in a statement on Facebook Wednesday.

Two months ago, according Fox 10, McKinley was riding in a small utility trailer being pulled by a dune buggy for children when his friend pressed on the brakes suddenly, causing the trailer to flip. The teenager got caught in the trailer as it flipped after he threw his friend's 4-year-old niece into the grass to save her.

"I hit the concrete and the trailer landed on top of my head. After that, I don't remember anything," McKinley told Fox10.

Reindl told the network her son had seven skull fractures and died for about 15 minutes. Doctors did not expect a recovery to celebrate.

"All I saw was a stretcher with his feet hanging out. He was dead a total of 15 minutes," Reindl said while fighting back tears. "When he came back, they said he would never be normal again. They told me the oxidation (oxygen deprivation) problems would be so bad to his brain, that he would be a vegetable if he even made it."

Her son was on life support and barely breathing for several days so she decided with his father to sign documents allowing the donation of his organs to five waiting children.

"His eyes were solid black and dry and I knew he would not hesitate to save five more lives," Reindl told CBN.

The day before doctors planned to shut off his life support, McKinley started recovering.

"The next day I got a call ... they canceled the final brain wave test ... right before they hooked him up his hand moved, then his feet ... so they looked at his eyes and they were back ... he had blue eyes ... now they are green with small white specks like glitter ... they say when you look upon God ... pigment changes ... and my baby was in Heaven for a whole day ... he is a miracle," Reindl said.

GLORY TO GOD!!!

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Ecclesiastes 9: 4 (Four) biblical rules for enjoying life (and glorifying God)

'Enjoy all the days of this meaningless life'

 

Rule 1: Enjoy what God has approved

Solomon counsels that we should be content with our situation, take our opportunities, work hard and be grateful to God for what he has given us in life. The believer in God gives herself to a contented and joyful life. The basis of this is that God has already approved what you do. We are not struggling for acceptance. We receive contentment as God's gift. Go eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

He mentions white garments and anointing oil (verse 8) because they were things that made life a lot more comfortable in such a hot climate. Food, clothing and ointment were seen as the essentials of life. What is being spoken of here is organic life – or real food. It's the difference between real food and junk food. People want real life. In today's society we have food, full schedules, easy get-in get-out relationships, etc. This is not how we should live in the light of eternity.

Rule 2: Enjoy your meals (verse 7). The average Jewish family began the day with an early snack and then had a light meal ('brunch') sometime between 10 am and noon. They didn't eat together again until after sunset. When their work was done they gathered for the main meal of the day. It consisted largely of bread and wine, perhaps milk and cheese, with a few vegetables and fruit in season, and sometimes fish. Meat was expensive and was served only on special occasions. It was a simple meal that was designed to nourish both the body and the soul. Eating together ('breaking bread') was a communal act of friendship and commitment. Rosario Butterfield was a lesbian feminist professor at Syracuse University before she became a Christian. It was the hospitality of a Reformed Presbyterian pastor and his wife, that made the radical difference to her. Her latest book (The Gospel Comes With a House Key), understandably lauds what is called the ordinary gift of hospitality. One of the simplest things we could do to improve family life is to learn to eat together. Eating together is a great way of strengthening the family, creating friendships, establishing fellowship and bearing witness to the love of Christ. Maybe in our hectic world we need to slow down and enjoy our meals, so that we can enjoy one another and enjoy Christ.

Perhaps Solomon was reflecting on his own experience: 'Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred' (Proverbs 15:17); 'Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife' (Proverbs 17:1).

Perhaps the oil and the white robes refer to special occasions. Then Solomon is saying, enjoy every occasion – or make every occasion a special enjoyable one.

Rule 3: Enjoy your partner

'Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life at God has given you under the sun' (verse 9) is hardly the verse you expect to see on an anniversary card. The demands of marriage include the giving of affection – 'whom you love'. 'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her' (Ephesians 5:25). Marriage is God's gift, a gift that we are to enjoy, not endure. 'Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral' (Hebrews 13:4) . The marriage that is spoken of is affectionate, lifelong and monogamous. I think a key here is commitment. It is not a cheap throwaway thing. It is incredible the number of men (and women) who just walk away. Did Solomon live up to this? No. But perhaps he was writing this in later life and repenting?

Rule 4: Enjoy your work

Life is to be active and energetic, practical and skilful. Because of our contentment, comfort and companionship we throw ourselves into life. The pessimist cannot enjoy life and his emptiness cannot be filled up in retrospect. In Sheol, earthly things such as activity, plans and wisdom, all cease. 'As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no-one can work' (John 9:4).

So we work with all our might. Whatever your hand finds to do means what is available and within one's ability. Today is the day of opportunity. There is no opportunity in the grave. That is one of the reasons we live life to the full. We work with all our might – we do it with all our strength and our very best.
At one level all the above reads as though Solomon really was the forerunner of Jordan Peterson 3,000 years ago – offering wise principles of living! But he is doing much more than that, because the theme of the whole book that 'under the sun' (ie without God), this is all meaningless. Rules for life and exhortations to contentment, comfort and companionship are all very well – but how do we get them?

The Westminster Shorter Catechism famously asks, 'What is man's chief end?' and answers, 'Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever'. It is when we get our relationship with God sorted that we can then get on with enjoying life. How do we prepare for death? Jesus provides the answer. 'Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"' (John 11:25-26). Being secure in Christ means we can face death without fear and so live our lifes with joy, to the glory of God our creator.

Warren Wiersbe neatly sums it all up: 'If we fear God and walk by faith we will not try to escape or merely endure life. We will enjoy life and receive it happily as a gift from the Lord.'

 

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Birds of the Bible: How they teach spiritual truth

On National Bird Day, it's lovely to think of our feathered friends and perhaps put some extra peanuts in the garden feeder. We aren't inclined to read very much into their habits, though the sight of two swans making that heart shape with their necks always gets photographers snapping.

In the Bible, though, birds are often mentioned because of some spiritual or poetical significance. In Psalm 102:6 they are symbols of loneliness: 'I resemble a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl of the waste places.' In Job 39:26 it's part of the poet's defence of God's wisdom: 'Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom, and spread its wings towards the south?'

In Psalm 84:3 a bird is an emblem of God's hospitality: 'The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even your altars, O Lordof hosts, my King and my God.'

Sometimes a bird is a metaphor for God's power: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself' (Exodus 19:4); or it might symbolise God's care: 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling' (Matthew 23:37). Sometimes the image of a bird is used to poke fun at pretentiousness: 'The strutting rooster, the male goat also, and a king when his army is with him' (Proverbs 30:31).

On the other hand, sometimes a bird is just a bird – a useful source of food, like the quails in the wilderness, or a dove that might be sacrificed in the Temple.

Of all the birds in the Bible, the safest were probably the ones regarded as ritually unclean and not to be eaten. It's not clear why all these birds were included, though as some were carrion-eaters they might have ingested unclean food themselves, but in Leviticus 11:13-19 there is a long list: 'These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.' There's a similar list in Deuteronomy 14: 12-17.

It's said there are sermons in stones; there are sermons in birds, too. John Stott, the great Bible teacher and pastor, was fond of birds and wrote The Birds Our Teachers: Biblical lessons from a life-long bird-watcher. The title is from Martin Luther's exhortation from the Sermon on the Mount: 'Let the little birds be your theologians'.

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5 facts about heaven from the Bible

Heaven is so real, but many don't believe it is. Sadly, there are Christians who have a wrong picture of what Heaven is like. Because of this, they live poor and powerless Christian lives.

Knowing what Heaven is like will help us focus our hope in Christ and His promises. After all, while we are here in this fallen world, we are living in situations and conditions so different from what God has in store for us. Don't you get excited at the thought of that?

Here are some facts about Heaven that should excite you and give you more reasons to run the race with perseverance and fight the good fight of faith in Christ.

Facts About Heaven

    We can live forever in Heaven because of what Jesus Christ has done

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

If we believe in Christ's finished work, we can have everlasting life in Heaven.

    Even the most beautiful places on earth cannot compare to Heaven

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them,embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)

There's no place on earth that could ever compare to the beauty of what God has prepared for us in Heaven. That is why many faithful men and women were willing to trade their temporal bliss for eternal happiness and joy in God.

    There's no suffering in Heaven

"And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."" (Revelation 21:3-4)
God Himself will dwell with His people, and because of this there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more tears. He will wipe away our tears.

    Only those who are saved by Christ and obey the will of God can enter in

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Only those who follow Christ hard can enter Heaven. If we are Christians but we don't live a life that pleases God by obeying His will, we will not be given entry!

 Heaven can be experienced now

"Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."" (Luke 17:20-21)

While there is a Heaven that waits for the faithful after death, Heaven can also be experienced here and now because of what Christ has done. God's Holy Spirit dwells inside all who believe, and as we obey the Lord He will dwell with us even as we are here on earth:

"Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23)

Can you just imagine the joy of experiencing Heaven on earth? If you are excited by this, just imagine the joy of living in Heaven!

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Why do bad things happen to me when all I do is follow Christ?

Christ suffered persecution, and so will who follow Him.

 

Many Christians today are discouraged by what's happening around them. I've heard stories of believers young and old about how they faced different kinds of hardship when all they did was to love God.

All they ever did was go to church, attend prayer gatherings, and be of service to their fellow believers and those who didn't know God. But still they faced hardship.

Perhaps, you might be one of them, a people who've had bad things happen to them when all they ever did was follow Christ. If you're one of them, I want to encourage you:

God knows what you are going through.

Don't be surprised

Friends, it's a fact that when we follow Christ, we will do nothing but what is good and pleasing to God. We will love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We will love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

That sounds great, but the truth is that not everyone loves God. And because not everyone loves God, everyone won't love their neighbors as themselves.

So, don't be surprised when you are persecuted, ridiculed, mocked, and even rejected for following the Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, it's an honor to go through all of it if it's for the sake of the Lord:

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV)

Why will they persecute me?

To help you understand why we shouldn't be surprised that persecution or all sorts of bad things happen to us even when all we do is follow Christ, here are some things to consider.

1) We have an enemy

As Christ-followers, we must realize that we are at war. We have an enemy, and even if he was already defeated and disarmed by the Lord Jesus Christ (see Colossians 2:15), he will still try to harass us. Ephesians 6:12 tells us,

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

2) Our Lord Jesus Himself was persecuted

In John 15, the Lord Jesus Himself warns us that persecution is coming to us. Why? Read what He said:

"Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."

3) To refine us and prepare us

You might not want to hear this, but hardship is very important to our walk with Christ. Everyone who chooses to follow Jesus must count the cost of following Him, and that cost includes being willing to suffer and go through difficult times for His sake.

Consider these passages:

"And when [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."" (Acts 14:21-22)

"So [the apostles] departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." (Acts 5:40-41)

Be prepared

Friends, I am not scaring you. I want to encourage you to be steadfast and prepare yourself for whatever comes. God loves us, and wants us ready for anything. Remember what 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us and be honored if you face hardship while following Christ.

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

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On telling the truth – and shaming the devil

I have to admit that there's one place in the gospels where, despite Jesus' critique of them, I do have some sympathy for the Pharisees. In Matthew 16:3 Jesus castigates them for failing to read the signs of the times. I have some sympathy with them because those signs of the times aren't always that easy to read. We live in a rapidly changing world that seems to be increasingly unstable and uncertain. Just what is going on?

In Church Mission Society – and indeed in the Church as a whole – we have to be students of the times in which we live. Good practice in mission is always shaped by context. We have to ask, 'How can we faithfully follow Jesus in this place and at this time?' The principle of incarnation always forces us to ask that question.

There is one sign of the times which I want particularly to highlight, because in truth it's critical for mission. But before doing so I ought to say that I'm concentrating on a western phenomenon, which may not apply in every global context – though I suspect that its influence will be felt far afield. But, that said, here in the West, truth, as a concept, is increasingly undervalued. That's particularly ironic in a culture founded on the triple pillars of the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment.

It's ironic, but nonetheless true. We hear a lot today about 'fake news' and 'alternative facts'. Just a couple of weeks the head of the UK statistics agency had to take the Foreign Secretary to task for continuing to overestimate radically the amount the UK pays to the EU. Not long before that the President of the United States was roundly condemned for a selective re-telling of his own words following the demonstrations and death at Charlottesville.

In truth we should not be surprised. At New Wine this year Michael Lloyd, Principle of Wycliffe Hall suggested that when a culture turned its back on the one true God and embraced many 'gods' then multiple versions of the truth would emerge. And so we see.

But lest we think it's only 'out there' I fear we fool ourselves. Not many weeks ago a prominent Christian website reported General Synod as having taken a decision that it in fact had not done.

I fear we're witnessing a phenomenon in which a number of overarching narratives are being constructed (whether that's to deny climate change, or to assert constant 'liberal slippage' in the church) and the facts are then manipulated to fit. So no longer does truth define the narrative; the narrative defines truth – or what purports to be truth.

But how do we react? If I'm honest I feel a good of outrage at the blatant peddling of falsehoods. But what good is my outrage to anyone else? (And what good does it do to me?!). There is, I am sure, a better way.

Paul tells the Ephesians to 'speak the truth in love' so that we will 'grow up in every way into Christ the head' (Ephesians 4:15). So we need to be uncompromising speakers of truth: 'Tell the truth and shame the devil' runs the old adage, and there's a lot of truth in that, not least as he is, in Jesus' words, 'the Father of lies' (John 8:44).

But that is not enough. We're to 'speak the truth', yes. But we're to do so 'in love'. And not doing so is not an option.

That does not water down our commitment to truth. Not at all: we're to be 100% people of truth. But we're to be 100% people of love as well, with no compromise on either side of the equation.

Our commitment to truth and love must be complete and uncompromised. It is so in Jesus and must be nothing less so in those who seek to serve him. Jesus was not a constructor of a convenient narrative: he fearlessly followed his Father's will, and did not count the cost in so doing. So must those who would be his disciples.

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Shining light or shrinking violet: Did Jesus contradict himself?

A recent survey suggested that the 'good deeds' of American Christians go mostly unnoticed by the average US citizen. In some ways, it was good news perhaps that believers weren't pompously parading their charity to the world so that everyone knows about it. Then again, the negative consequence was also raised – if people don't know they can get help from the Church, then they won't ask for it.

It probes a paradox at the heart of Christian living: are good deeds meant to be public – a living light to the world – or purely private, as hidden and humble as can be? Jesus seems to have said both, but is that really possible? Did Christ contradict himself?

Pope Francis has made a focus on the poor a defining note of his papacy.

 

Jesus seems to have been unrelenting in his judgment on those who advertise their piety to the world. In the Sermon on the Mount, he warns: 'Be careful not to practise your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

'So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you' (Matthew 6:1-4).

They're challenging words, and Jesus gave similar warnings about prayer and fasting – they should be done in secret. We all know that the feeling of 'doing good' can be alluring, such that we focus on that more than the purpose of these deeds – actually helping people in need. The danger is even greater when, as in our present culture, social justice is actually pretty fashionable. Causes are cool. In a twisted way, we can use charity to make us look good and feel great – but the needy get forgotten.

So, Jesus says, don't do it. Then again, he also said the opposite. Only the chapter before, in the very same sermon, Jesus implores his audience: 'You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

'You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven' (Matthew 5:13-16).

Here, we're told to be bright and bold, to let our deeds be so public that they shine before the world. And again the logic holds up: the Church is actually meant to do things on earth, to illuminate, heal and preserve what's good in creation. To defend the helpless and speak for the silenced. It can't do that if it's hidden.

Can those in need be helped if they don't know the Church is there for them?

 

Likewise, when Jesus tells people to 'turn the other' cheek when struck, or go two miles when you're only forced to go one, these are pretty public acts. They send a message. As the biblical scholar Tom Wright would put it, Jesus declared that God was becoming King on the Earth, taking charge, establishing a radical, counter-cultural alternative reality that took shape through the people of God. It has to be public.

So which is it – public or private? Did Jesus deliberately demand the impossible?

What Jesus seems to be doing is going beyond external acts to the human heart. The problem of the hypocritical Pharisee looks external but is really within: he wants the prestige that comes from public piety – his lengthy prayers betray his true audience. He's not truly seeking God. To combat that spirit, Jesus says – go into your room and pray, where no one will see you but your heavenly Father. Likewise, don't use your giving to make you look good – give in private, where you'll get nothing in return but the gift of giving itself.

In the opposite direction, Christians are called to a heart that looks outward to the world: humble in spirit, but also abounding in generosity. Our lives exist for the sake of others, and so we're implored to be a light that shows other the way; to stand up and show a weary world a hint of a new reality. In this case, when there are people in need, the life of a purely private faith is too constrained –  it can't be seen, and so people can't be helped.

The Christian faith abounds in paradox, and this ethical conundrum is another. But perhaps the complexity of the human heart demands something a little bigger than we can comprehend. We're pulled in directions that appear to contradict, because if we only had one imperative (eg be as public as possible, all the time) we might start thinking we had faith and God in a box. Instead, we're called to be inward and outward, humble and bold, to think much of the world, and not too much of ourselves – to know with godly wisdom when to stand out and when to step back.

Jesus famously preached on that mountain: 'Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48).

It probably wasn't meant to be easy.

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'What I have taught with my lips I now seal with my blood': The life and martyr's death of Jan Hus

                                                                        Jan Hus
Jan Hus, who died while singing a hymn as he was burned at the stake on this day in 1415, was, along with his mentor John Wycliffe, a key forerunner to the Reformation a century later.

He was the most important 15th century Czech religious reformer, who helped to act as a bridge between the medieval and Reformation periods. For his entire career, Hus was embroiled in the bitter Western Schism (1378-1417) before being convicted of heresy at the Council of Constance, leading to his death in Konstanz, now in Germany.

Born to poor parents in around 1370 in Husinec (from which he took his name) in southern Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic), Hus graduated from the University of Prague before receiving a master's degree and beginning teaching there, becoming dean of the philosophical faculty there in 1401.

Around this time Hus became impressed by Wycliffe's proposals for reform of the Roman Catholic clergy. Against the backdrop of discredited authority of the papacy, there was envy and resentment among the poor priests, as the clerical estate owned about one-half of all the land in Bohemia. Hus preached against the corruption of the Church and against Catholic doctrines of the Eucharist.

From 1402 Hus was in charge of the Bethlehem Chapel, which had become the centre of the growing national reform movement in Bohemia, becoming increasingly absorbed in public preaching and eventually emerging as the popular leader of the movement.

Since 1378 the Roman Catholic Church had been split by the Western Schism, during which the papal jurisdiction was divided between two popes. As the leader of reform, Hus was pitted against Archbishop Zbyněk of Hazmburk when the latter opposed the 1409 Council of Pisa , which was called to dethrone the rival popes and to reform the church.

The Council precipitated the final break between Hus and Archbishop Zbyněk when it deposed both Pope Gregory XII, whose authority was recognised in Bohemia, and the Antipope Benedict XIII, and in their place elected Alexander V.

The archbishop, through a large bribe, induced Alexander to prohibit preaching in private chapels, including the Bethlehem Chapel. Hus refused to obey the Pope's order, and Zbyněk excommunicated him.

In 1412, the case of Hus's heresy, which had been tacitly dropped, was revived because of a new dispute over the sale of indulgences that had been issued by Alexander's successor, the Antipope John XXIII, to finance his campaign against Gregory XII. Hus publicly denounced these indulgences before the university, which proved fatal for him.

Shortly after forcibly arriving at the Council of Constance – under a guarantee of safe-conduct – Hus was arrested and placed in close confinement, from which he never emerged. Hus's enemies succeeded in having him tried as a Wycliffite heretic. He was given three public hearings, at which he was allowed to defend himself and succeeded in refuting some of the charges against him. When he refused to recant, he was solemnly sentenced on July 6, 1415, and burned at the stake as a martyr.

There is an anecdote about the youthful Hus sitting beside a fire one winter evening reading about the martyrdom of St Lawrence. Suddenly, he thrust his hand into the flames. When a fellow pupil pulled him away from the fire and questioned his intentions, Hus replied: 'I was only trying what part of the tortures of this holy man I might be capable of enduring.'

Whether that is true or not cannot be determined for sure. But what is recorded is that as he died, though the Council had consigned his soul to the devil, Hus – singing loudly as the flames consumed him – consigned his soul to God: 'Jesus Christ! The Son of the living God! Have mercy upon me.'

Here are five top quotes from Jan Hus:

'For whoso dies for Christ, he is conqueror and is delivered from all misery and attains the eternal joy to which may it please our Saviour to bring us all.'

'Open is the way of Satan; many walk therein.'

'Therefore, faithful Christian, seek the truth, listen to the truth, learn the truth, love the truth, tell the truth, learn the truth, defend the truth even to death.'

'As for antichrist occupying the papal chair, it is evident that a pope living contrary to Christ, like any other perverted person, is called, by common consent, antichrist.'

'What I have taught with my lips I now seal with my blood.'

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Jesus said the disciples would do 'greater works' than he did. He didn't mention walking on water

Some Christians interpret Jesus' promises as justification for deadly snake-handling and other death-defying deeds. Is that wise?

It turns out that the tragic news that a Zimbabwe pastor was eaten alive by crocodiles in front of his congregation is a classic example of fake news.

Many people were taken in by the story, and this is perhaps because it had an element of plausibility to it.

And that is because it would not have been the first time Christians have been killed attempting to imitate Christ's miraculous deeds. Some have died from extreme fasting, while others have been bitten by deadly snakes in their attempt to live out the Jesus' alleged promise: 'They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all' (Mark 16:18).

For those wondering if they're faithless for not handling pythons, there's a good explanation for the Mark 16 passage – many scholars believe it to be inauthentic, at least not part of Mark's original Gospel.

But if there's one verse that really captures the radical Christian enthusiasm of this kind, it's Jesus' words to his disciples in John 14:12-14: 'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.'

Jesus, who performed lots of miracles in his ministry, told his followers that they would do 'greater works' than he. For some, this is a commission to exceed the powers that even Jesus displayed. It's a call to be bigger and better in ministering the miraculous.

But what did Jesus really mean? These are words that have puzzled readers for millennia. As we've seen, the stakes of interpretation are high. Either some are gravely misunderstanding Jesus, or others are ignoring one of his greatest promises.

Is faith blind? Does it mean risking your life?

 

Some interpreters say the emphasis is not in quality but in extent: Jesus' followers wouldn't exceed his power – walking on water, raising the dead etc – but they would exceed his reach. Reaching out beyond Israel and 'to the ends of the earth', and over 2,000 years of global Church history, Jesus' followers would certainly reach wider than he did in his short ministry.

Another popular interpretation sees the 'greater work' as witness to Jesus' gospel, only fully unveiled after his death, resurrection and ascension. John Piper suggests that since the function of Jesus' works is to witness to him, so the disciples will now have the greater power to witness to Christ, in fuller knowledge of his ministry.

The witness need not be miraculous (it may simply be love and good deeds that glorify God), but it still points to the Father. The 'greater things' come because never before have the disciples been able to share a Spirit-filled message of complete forgiveness for all.

As Piper suggests: 'What's new and greater is that never before in the history of the world had anyone ever been forgiven by faith in the already crucified, already risen, already reigning, already indwelling Christ.'

That reading actually makes good sense in the context of the story of Scripture. But what of the truly miraculous? There clearly is a miraculous ministry in the early Church, seen through the Spirit-filled disciples in the book of Acts.

Paul too refers to the gift of working miracles, but calls it one gift among many that not all will have. As he asks in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30: 'Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?'

Since Jesus' promise is addressed to all believers ('whoever believes in me') but miraculous gifts are not promised to all by Paul, there's reason to conclude that Jesus' words aren't exclusively about working wonders.

None of this is to say that Jesus didn't want his followers do work miracles of healing or other intervention through the Holy Spirit, but it's also not a blank cheque for blind and life-threatening faith.

The tragedy of people who died through taking this promise literally is that 'faith', in Scriptural terms, is meant to stir life and hope, but here it has only brought death and despair. Ironically, these ill-fated demonstrations of faith may well have crushed the faith of many.

A wise pastor of mine once said: 'You can't trust God for things he hasn't promised'. It's dangerous and foolish to test God in that way.

 

 

 There are some ambiguous verses in Scripture, but a brief look at Church tradition, the lived experience of believers – and a healthy dose of reason – offers wise direction for understanding them.

The disciples faced death as a cost of radical witness, which is different. The New Testament talks much about faith as a profound gift in a dark world – it doesn't tell people they're invincible.

 

 

 Wise Christian living can't mean just 'me and my Bible', ignoring church tradition and interpretation.

 

No church seriously invested in studying the Bible could think that Jesus called his followers to be daredevil stunt artists. The call is radical servanthood, a ministry for others which may involve the miraculous, or the more mundane. It's a life that takes deep trust (faith), but doesn't live to drastically prove its commitment to others.

Lastly, we live in a broken world where humans are fragile and death is real. Only a fool bets against such powers to make a point.

In a fallen world, promises offer hope, and faith offers life. But in a fallen world, it matters what you trust. Faith in fake promises can only spell despair – just as trust in what turns out to be fake news only brings embarrassment. We can all learn lessons from these episodes – both when they happen, and when they turn out not to have happened at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Is sucide a sin? And is it forgivable?

We've recently had a pastor and businessman attend one of our services for quite a while now and receive counseling and discipleship. He and his family had just come from a great loss after their eldest son committed suicide.

There are definitely many questions coming out from the family, but probably the hardest of all questions is the one a lot of people are asking today: "Will heaven's gates open wide for a believer who died at his or her own hands?"

While most hope to receive a simple "yes" or "no," the answer to a question such as this would only be an oversimplification if that's all that we are to offer especially to those loved ones of suicide victims who seek both solace and truth.

The hard truth is this: that there is a possibility that people who die committing suicide will not receive eternal life. But in the same light there is also hope for some who do. The Biblical basis? Romans 8:32-32 tells us, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

The most common misconception to this topic is that suicide victims can't possibly go to heaven because they died committing a sin (murder of the self) that they did not repent from. This argument holds no grounds as the Bible never tells us that it is the act of confession that saves us from sin but rather faith in the finished work of Christ.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

The only way to eternal life is a heart fully surrendered to Christ and His goodness which we humans can never truly judge. A person who dies through sickness or the hands of the other who doesn't put his or her hope in Christ will meet the same fate as a suicidal who finds no hope in Christ either. And in the same way, anyone who dies in any possible way with a heart fully committed to Christ can and will spend eternity with God.

The argument that now exists is whether a person who commits suicide- who found no hope in life itself- could ever find hope in Christ. The only person who can know such a thing is God Himself. Only He can look into the deepest recesses of our hearts and know where our hope truly lies.
But if it is possible - and it probably is - that a suicide victim can still pass with a hope in Christ embedded deep in their soul, then there is no stopping God from saving any soul that is taken by one's own doing.

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Has Science Confirmed Genesis? Study Proves Rainfall Over Africa Thousands Of Year Ago, Pointing to Great Flood

'The Deluge,' an oil on canvas painting by John Martin, 1834, displayed at Yale University, New Haven, Comnnecticut, USA.

The Sahara Desert was once lush and green with high rainfall rates—a finding that fits the story told in Genesis—a new research showed.

The findings were made by a team of international researchers who collected and analysed marine sediments from off the coast of west Africa. The results of their study were published in the journal "Science Advances."

The study's lead author, Jessica Tierney, said she and her colleagues found ancient leaf wax samples that reveal what the African climate was like 5,000 to 11,000 years ago, according to The University of Arizona News.

The evidence suggests that the Sahara Desert, where annual rainfall now is usually less than five inches, was once lush and green, she said.

"It was 10 times as wet as today," Tierney said.

"Our precipitation rate estimates confirm the interpretation that a seasonal tropical climate dominated most regions of North Africa during the Green Sahara time," the researchers wrote in their paper.

"It is therefore feasible that, at the peak of the Green Sahara, monsoonal moisture inundated the entire western Saharan region," they added.

Scientists already know that rainfall rates in ancient Africa were once higher than they are today. But the new study showed that wet, tropical conditions were more widespread than previously known.

"With some notable exceptions, climate model simulations do not predict these high rainfall rates, nor do they indicate that the Green Sahara extended as far as 31°N," the team wrote in their journal article.

Biblical creationists say the new findings provide more historical evidence to the global flood described in Genesis. Dr. Jake Hebert, a physicist with the Institute for Creation Research, said scientific models based on the Bible predict an extremely wet period following the Great Flood, according to Christian News.

"Rapid seafloor spreading and volcanic activity during the Genesis Flood would have significantly warmed the world's oceans," he wrote in an online article published in February. "This would have greatly increased evaporation, putting much more moisture into the atmosphere. This increased moisture would have resulted in much more precipitation, in the form of snow, in the higher latitudes and on mountaintops, and rain at lower latitudes and elevations."


"The conclusion of increased Saharan rainfall in the recent past is in perfect agreement with the history recorded in Genesis," Hebert said.

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7 Bible Verses About The Importance Of Right Friendships

Friendships are important. With friends, we are able to do a lot of things, achieve great feats, and even stay on the safe side of making decisions. Yes, having friends is a good thing.

One thing that's more important than having friends, however, is having the right kind of friends. Not all friends are good for you. There are some who would influence you to do things you'd later regret, things you wouldn't do if you were left by yourself.

At other times, there are those who pose as your friends but are actually just up to get something from you – they have their own hidden agendas for befriending you. Do you know how to spot the difference?

The Right Friends

Dear reader, I am not trying to influence you to be sceptical and cautious about your friendships to the point that you'd rather not have a friend at all. But the truth is that it would always be better to have no friend with you if that friendship won't even be good for you.

The Bible cautions us against having a common ground – a friendship – with the wrong people. While the right friend can help you in your relationship with God and others, the wrong friend can slowly drain you and take advantage of you without you knowing it

Here are some Bible verses that will help you choose the right friends, and discern the wrong ones.

On Wrong Company

1 Corinthians 15:33 – "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." (MEV)

Proverbs 22:24-25 – "Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul." (NLT)

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – "Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people." (MEV)

James 4:4 – "You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God"

Choose Your Friend Wisely

Matthew 7:15-20 – ""Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit. But a corrupt tree bears evil fruit. A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruit you will know them."

Friendship With God

John 15:13-16 – "Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that the Father may give you whatever you ask Him in My name."

Blessings For A Friendship With God

Psalm 1:1-3 – "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf will not wither, and whatever he does will prosper."

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Does It Matter Whether I Pray Out Loud Or Not?

Confronting the Pharisees, Jesus says this in Matthew 6:5: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."

Some have interpreted this as meaning to say that silent prayers have more power than audible ones. But is that really the case? There's an argument going on about whether prayer should really be done personally or corporately. While we know that both kinds of prayer have their own significance and importance, what most Christians really want to know is which is more effective.


I once met a pastor who was highly gifted in the area of healing. He taught that when praying, making an audible declaration would make the prayer more effective. I tried it out to see if I could get more people healed instantly through prayer. I saw no significant difference in results.

Does it really matter if we pray aloud or in secret? I believe there's no one real answer here. Asking this question is no different from asking the question, "Should I talk to my boss in person or just email him privately?"

There is a time for everything as Ecclesiastes 3 tells us. There is a time when praying corporately is what God would like us to do and also times when praying individually silently is the way we are to pray. More than just the manner by which we pray, the words we use, the diction, the fluency, the floweriness of a prayer, what God looks at most is the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 says it best: "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

What is the right heart stance when praying? I believe the stance by which God wants us to stand in is love. As the greatest commandment teaches us, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind." (Luke 10:27) That stance affects everything we do: our work, relationships, ministry, finances, and—yes—even our prayer life.

God desires to have us approach Him filled with a love and affection towards Him that will cause us to honour Him, revere Him, thank Him, and trust Him.

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3 Things We Can Learn from The Prodigal Son's Brother

In Luke 15, we read the famous story of the prodigal son. Almost every Christian, if not all, knows how the prodigal son disrespected his father, went away and squandered all the wealth he "inherited" while his father was still alive, and eventually returned to his home after realising the wrong he had done.

One thing that many Christians often fail to include in the story is the prodigal son's brother. In Luke 15:25-27, we read how he was introduced:

    "Now his older son was in the field. As he came and drew near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him safe and sound.'"

Although the older brother was mentioned quite late in the story, he is not left out, signifying that he is worth noting and that we can learn from his example in the Bible.

Here are some things we can learn from the prodigal son's older brother.

1. You can be a Christian and yet harbour wrong thoughts and intentions about other Christians especially those who backslid

Verses 28-30 tells us how the older brother responded to the celebration his father threw for the son who returned:

    "He was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and entreated him. But he answered his father, 'Look! These many years have I served you. Nor have I ever transgressed your commands, yet never have you given me a goat, so that I might be merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.'"

2. You can be a Christian and still fail to maximise your relationship with the Father

Verse 31 tells us how the father responded to his son's complaining: "He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."

As children of God, we are blessed with all the spiritual blessings in Christ. Whether we enjoy them or not depends on our relationship with our heavenly Father.

3. You can be a child of God and still live like a slave

Let's look at verse 29: "But he answered his father, 'Look! These many years have I served you. Nor have I ever transgressed your commands, yet never have you given me a goat, so that I might be merry with my friends."

We might fail to notice this, but some of us could be living as slaves of God, not as His children. As His children, our motivation to serve Him is because we love Him. We don't seek rewards; We seek Him who wants to reward us. Our priority is His lordship over us and our loving relationship with Him as our Father.

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'I Felt Blood Trickling Down My Legs': Victim Of Alleged Beatings By Man Who Ran Christian Summer Camps Testifies To The Horror

John Smyth, who now lives in South Africa and campaigns on morality, is at the centre of the allegations

A victim of alleged physical abuse by a prominent Çhristian lawyer has given an extraordinary testimony of the effect that thousands of beatings had upon him.

He was speaking after a series of disclosures by Channel 4 News about allegations of physical abuse  inflicted on young male evangelical Christians by barrister John Smyth, who ran popular Christian summer camps attended also by the present Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Speaking anonymously to the Telegraph, the victim, now 56, says he has contacted the police as a result of the Channel 4 reports.

Describing how it began, he says that as a "pretty" boy he was frequently molested by other boys at his prep and public schools.

He met Smyth at his school's Christian Forum. Desperately homesick, Smyth spotted his vulnerability. 

When he was 14, Smyth began to ask him back to his house nearby. When he was 16, Smyth asked him to follow him to a shed that doubled as the changing room for his swimming pool, and then told him to take off all his clothes.

"He was a renowned and brilliant barrister and involved in some of the most famous cases of the time. But somehow he always found time for our forum meetings and afterwards chatted with us boys over coffee," the victim writes.

He describes how Smyth built up his trust and became like a father figure.

"The beatings were Smyth's big secret. It was in January 1977, when I reached 16, that Smyth first introduced the topic of being beaten by him. Quoting from the Bible – Hebrews in particular – he said it wasn't enough to repent your sins; that they needed to be purged by beatings. I had to bleed for Jesus.

"He was particularly interested in the usual teenage stuff – masturbation, indecent thoughts, pornographic magazines … That got my attention immediately. I was a 16-year-old boy, after all, newly over the age of consent. Sex was what I thought about most of the time.

"But as I took my clothes off in that garden shed, I slowly realised that sex was not what Smyth had in mind. As soon as I was naked, he asked me to bend over, said a short prayer and then encouraged me to pray out loud while he removed a cane from the stack. I was stunned by how hard he hit me that first time and gasped with what little breath I had left."

That was the first of the 8,000 or so strokes he would receive.

"Each and every stroke delivered with the same extraordinary ferocity. After 10 strokes, I felt my skin burn. After 20, I felt blood trickling down from my buttocks to my legs. At 30, he stopped and embraced me from behind, leaning against my back, nuzzling his face against my neck and whispering how proud he was of me.

"I never felt or saw him have an erection and he never touched me sexually, although he, too, was often naked and groaning in spiritual ecstasy while doing the beating. He did the same thing, pretty much every time."

The victim says he attended the Christian camps at Iwerne Minster in Dorset run by the Iwerne Trust, a Christian charity chaired by Smyth and where Justin Welby, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, worked as a young man and as an officer.

"In my case and to my knowledge, boys were never beaten there, only at Smyth's house. I never saw anyone other than Smyth beat anyone."

The beatings continued after he left Winchester and Smyth promised him a "special" beating for his 21st birthday, which drove the victim to despair.

He sent anonymous letters to both Smyth himself and to David Fletcher of the Iwerne Trust, threatening to expose Smyth to the press unless the beatings stopped immediately.

"Although both letters were received and read, neither produced any result. Days passed. The beating drew closer. I resolved to kill myself."

The victim has made suicide attempts and been treated for depression five times, once for two months.

"Only after the Channel 4 news reports were shown was I able to tell my story. I have been able to contact the police, and I now have the confidence to recognise that the cycle of my abuse is completing. That it had a beginning and is moving towards an end."

A prominent clergyman, Giles Fraser, also writes in The Guardian of how he suffered beatings during his public school education.

He says his problem is with the whole idea of evangelical decency. "It takes me back to the so-called decency of the man who caned me, and the sickness I felt in my stomach as a little boy, waiting outside that chapel in a gloomy wood-panelled corridor. This was more than 40 years ago – but I still don't have it in me to forgive him for what he did to me."

Fraser says the problem was deep in the educational philosophy of the public school system and the sort of men required to run the British empire.

"Often we would go to bed with underpants drenched in blood," writes Fraser.  "I was beaten like this throughout the 1970s, with canes and bats and shoes and clothes brushes, from the age of seven all the way through to when I was 12. The pain doesn't last so long. But a burning anger settles in your soul."

He says the idea that being beaten had moral, character-forming properties "cannot be understood without the rise of so-called muscular Christianity during the second half of the 19th century." Fearing effeminacy, the Protestant public school establishment promoted a version of "manly Christianity" through the character-forming powers of chapel, rugby and the cane, Fraser says.

Fraser writes: "The moral formation I received from my school beatings was almost entirely the opposite of what was intended."

Archbishop Welby clearly bears no responsibility for the behaviour of sadists in the 1970s, he adds.

"Nonetheless, his particular brand of Eton/Alpha Course Christianity is cut from the same cloth as the muscular Christianity of the 1850s. And this is why the Church of England hierarchy remains obsessed with maintaining the Anglican communion (ie what's left of the empire) – it is no coincidence that Smyth fled to Zimbabwe and South Africa – and why it can't get past an over-fascination with homosexuality.

"The archbishop is not to blame for Smyth's sins. But he is still too much a part

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From Violent Witchcraft To Christ: Young Man's True Story Of Transformation

Emmanuel used to be part of a violent witchcraft gang. His life was transformed through the work of the Bible Society.

A young man has shared of how his life was transformed from one of violent activity in a witchcraft gang to living a new life in relationship with Jesus.

Emmanuel, aged 16, from Congo Brazzaville was once lured into a violent witchcraft gang. At his initiation Emmanuel had to hold a venomous snake and chant strange prayers whilst other gang members cut into his arms "to make him strong," the Bible Society reports.

Emmanuel had been sent to an orphanage at age nine when his mother was too sick with AIDS to support him. At the orphanage Emmanuel was vulnerable and needed somewhere to belong. He was lured into a gang that promised magic powers and super strength found through special mantras and spells.

After initiation, Emmanuel was soon groomed into being a criminal. He was taught how to pickpocket and steal from street stalls. He began drinking and became increasingly violent. As the Bible Society said, "he'd beat up anyone if they had a disagreement."

Everything changed when Emmanuel met Jesus. The Bible Society visited his orphanage to run the Good Samaritan programme. The course uses the famous Biblical parable and interactive workshops to teach young people social values and how to be a "loving caring citizen".

At first Emmanuel was wary of the programme, and watched from the back, listening but not participating. Over time though, he heard more about Jesus, and began to engage more until his life was changed.

"The Good Samaritan showed me how to live differently" says 16 year-old Emmanuel.

"Now my life is very different," he says.

Emmanuel has been motivated by the parable of the Good Samaritan to help more at his orphanage.

"I went to a pastor and talked to him about the things I had been doing. I started praying and reading my Bible."

Emmanuel has now forgone his life of crime. He has cut ties with the witchcraft gang, and prays for them instead. He helps out with chores at the orphanage, teaches other young orphans football skills and serves as a mentor. He now studies hard at school, and hopes to become an accountant.

"I want to tell young people like me to avoid bad things and to accept Jesus Christ." Emmanuel says.

"I have done bad things. I have stolen from people and hurt people. But now I respect people because of Jesus."

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Cracking The Christian Code: A Guide For Newbies

Becoming a Christian is like crossing a border into a new country under a different identity. It takes time to work out who you are now, and it also takes time to learn the nuances of the way your fellow citizens think and behave. Some of it is pretty mysterious, some frankly a bit odd, some well-meaning but misguided. Every culture has its quirks. The trick is not to let it put you off when you first arrive, because if you stay the course it will stop seeming so strange and it might even become your new normal. In the meantime, here is a brief guide to help you integrate in the early days:

How and when do Christians touch each other? The key here is to become self-conscious and slightly awkward. Christians do touch each other, but never in a carefree manner. Some ways you may be touched, particular to Christians, include the prolonged hand shake, the side hug (usually from young-ish men who consider themselves attractive), the heavy hand on shoulder during prayer, the clasp to large bosom if you seem a bit sad, and the encouraging back pat from the mature gentlemen.

How do you know when a prayer session is over? There are clues to watch out for if the person in charge hasn't said at the start that they will "close in prayer", but the best thing to do is to listen out for shuffling and throat clearing. Have a peep and if the majority are sitting up straight with their eyes open, you are heading to the end. It won't actually be over until everyone is in this posture, so don't talk yet.

When and how much do Christians drink? This varies according to Christian sub-tribe, but safe to assume most Christians don't openly admit to binge drinking or deliberately getting drunk. Among British Christians, as opposed to American for example, moderate drinking is not taboo, and you may well find yourself on a post-church pub trip, where it would be perfectly acceptable to have a pint (of beer, not spirits).

Are there any words I need to know? There is a whole lexicon associated with your new culture. Some words you will be familiar with but you'll find used in a different way or with far more frequency, such as 'grace', 'blessing' or 'worship'. Other words, like 'atonement', 'redemption' or 'sacrament' are more outlandish and have complex meanings, so wise to steer clear of these at first.

How do Christians do conflict? Christians struggle with conflict, partly due to a mistaken belief we must be nice at all times, partly because we try not to judge each other but we are still human so we do, and partly because we are a bit afraid of anger and the damage it might inflict. You might at first think there is no conflict but you'll soon notice signs. Look out for a lack of eye contact, a tight-lipped smile or a pointed reference in a prayer. Do your best not to adopt bad Christian conflict habits.

Will I be expected to have my Bible with me at all times? No, few Christians take their Bible to church let alone to work or the gym. If you are part of a church small group, you will look good if you take it to that though. And lots of people have some kind of Bible app on their phone.

There are few things more exciting for Christians than welcoming new believers into the community of faith. If you try and hide your newness you will take away our fun, so take your time to settle in and feel free to laugh (kindly) at the oddness you encounter. Your perspective is a gift.

Jo Swinney is an author, speaker and editor of Preach Magazine. She has a Masters in Theology from Regent College, Vancouver, and lives in South West London with her vicar husband and their two little girls.

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Philippine Catholic Church to slam 'reign of terror' behind war on drugs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte holds a compilation of pictures of people involved in drugs, as he speaks during a meeting in Davao city in southern Philippines
The Philippines' Catholic Church will assail President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs for creating a "reign of terror" among the poor, in sermons to be read at services across the country this weekend, three church sources told Reuters on Saturday.

In its most strongly worded attack so far on the crackdown on drug pushers and users, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines will say that killing people is not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs and will voice concern about the indifference of many to the bloodshed.

"An additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account," they say in a pastoral letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

More than 7,600 people have been killed since Duterte launched his anti-drugs campaign seven months ago, more than 2,500 in what police say were shootouts during raids and sting operations.

Both the government and police have strenuously denied that extrajudicial killings have taken place during the campaigns.

The president's office had no immediate comment on the bishops' letter.

Beginning with Mass services this evening, priests will read out the letter signed by the bishops of Asia's biggest Catholic nation.

Their address will not mention Duterte by name, but will urge "elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests" and call for steps to tackle "rogue policemen and corrupt judges".

Nearly 80 pe rcent of the Philippines' 100 million people are Catholic and, unlike in many other countries where the faith has waned, the majority still practise with enthusiasm.

While that support historically has given the Church significant political and social clout, it has been hesitant to criticise the blunt-spoken president's current war on drugs.

In interviews with Reuters last year, more than a dozen clergymen said they were uncertain how to take a stand against the killings given the popular support Duterte's campaign enjoyed.

A man sleeps next to the open coffin of a man who was killed during a drug buy-bust operation in Manila, Philippines this month.

Some said challenging him could be fraught with danger.

Duterte has routinely attacked the Church. He cursed the Pope for causing traffic snarl-ups during his 2015 visit, and as recently as this week called for a "showdown" with priests whom he has accused of having wives, engaging in homosexual acts, misusing state funds and molesting children.

In an apparent reference to accusations that many drug pushers and users have been victims of extra-judicial killings, the bishops said in their pastoral letter "every person has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty" and the law should be followed.

"We must also give priority to reforming rogue policemen and corrupt judges," the letter said. "We also call upon elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests."

The bishops' letter comes less than a week after Duterte suspended all police operations in the drug crackdown due to what he said was deep-rooted corruption. He has put an anti-drugs agency in charge of the campaign and says he wants the armed forces to play a supportive role.

Amnesty International said in a report this week that police prosecuting the war on drugs had behaved like the criminal underworld they were supposed to be suppressing, taking payments for killings and the delivery of bodies to funeral homes. It said the wave of drugs-related killings appeared to be "systematic, planned and organised" by authorities and could constitute crimes against humanity.

In a series of reports last year, Reuters showed that the police had a 97-percent kill rate in their drug operations, the strongest proof yet that police were summarily shooting drug suspects.

The Reuters reports also found that low-level officials in poor neighbourhoods helped police assemble "watch lists" of alleged drug users and pushers that were effectively hit lists, with many of the people named ending up dead. Duterte used exaggerated and flawed data, including the number of drug users in the Philippines, to justify his anti-narcotics crackdown, according to a Reuters investigation.

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