Grace Sight #34 is Greg Thomas.
Greg Thomas was diagnosed with Stage IV Cancer and after he was told to prepare to die, he began taking walks in the country with his dog and ended up regularly praying on the steps of an old abandoned Catholic Church in rural Minnesota. The church had been vacant since 1868.
Greg Thomas obtained permission to restore and fix up the abandoned church and over the course of three years he has made progress. During this time he received the miraculous news that his cancer was in remission. His ongoing work on the project of restoring the church is his way of saying thank you for the new lease on life that he has. Greg Thomas is a Grace Sight because of his reliance on prayer.
Here is a video of the news story on Greg Thomas and his miracle that he found at an abandoned church.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
20 Christians Who Died in 2014
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Rev. 14:13)
18. Alice Lee died on November 17, 2014, at age 103. Alice Lee was the older sister of Harper Lee who wrote the famed book To Kill a Mockingbird. "For years, Alice Lee was active as a leader in the United Methodist Church, which has an award named in her honor that is given to women in ministry. She was the first and still only female to lead the Alabama-West Florida Conference delegation to the church's general conference (NPR, November 19, 2014)." Her law partner Tonja Carter said, "Miss Alice's Christian faith was her foundation, and she lived it in example to us all (ABA Journal, November 19, 2014)."
1. Maria von Trapp died on February 18, 2014, at age 99 in Vermont. She was the last surviving sibling of the von Trapp children who were featured in the musical, The Sound of Music. Maria von Trapp had served as a missionary to Papua New Guinea and her spiritual life was told in 2009 through the book Yesterday, Today, and Forever. For more information read the Associated Press News Release on February 22, 2014.
2. Monsignor Stephen Hrynuck died on March 6, 2014, at age 102. Msgr. Stephen Hrynuck was a priest in the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and shepherded the Ss Cyril and Methodius Ukranian Catholic Church in Olyphant, Pennsylvania for 57 years. At the time he retired in 2008 at the age of 97, he was the oldest active priest in the Catholic Church in the United States. Archbishop Soroka described him as, "a priest with great integrity, straightforward honesty, faithfulness, devotion and love for those he was blessed to serve and care for (Times-tribune, March 12, 2014)." For more information on Msgr. Stephen Hrynuck read the Catholic Herald News Release on March 11, 2014..
3. Mickey Rooney died on April 6, 2014, at age 93. Mickey Rooney was a famous Hollywood actor who was a born again Christian. He had appeared in over 200 movies and has been referred to as the "first child actor". Mickey Rooney said in a 2011 interview, "Take your children to church. And teach them about Jesus Christ and God who makes the sunshine and moon glow and gives so many blessings. And if you go with God, and [if] Jesus Christ is your personal savior, and [you] leave [your] troubles and everything to God, everything will work out for you (Gospel Herald, April 7, 2014)."
4. Glen H. Stassen died on April 26, 2014, at age 78 from cancer at his home in Pasadena, California. Glen Stassen was an ethicist and the director of the 'Just Peacemaking Initiative' at Fuller Theological Seminary (Christianity Today, April 26, 2014). He coauthored the book Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context (2003) and is also known for his valuable Biblical insights on the Sermon on the Mount.
5. J. Dwight Pentecost died on April 28, 2014, at age 99. J. Dwight Pentecost had been a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary where he served for over 50 years. J. Dwight Pentecost authored 19 books, including the popular book on the end times in 1965 called Things to Come. Dallas Theological Seminary has a tribute page dedicated to Dr. Pentecost on their website.
2. Monsignor Stephen Hrynuck died on March 6, 2014, at age 102. Msgr. Stephen Hrynuck was a priest in the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and shepherded the Ss Cyril and Methodius Ukranian Catholic Church in Olyphant, Pennsylvania for 57 years. At the time he retired in 2008 at the age of 97, he was the oldest active priest in the Catholic Church in the United States. Archbishop Soroka described him as, "a priest with great integrity, straightforward honesty, faithfulness, devotion and love for those he was blessed to serve and care for (Times-tribune, March 12, 2014)." For more information on Msgr. Stephen Hrynuck read the Catholic Herald News Release on March 11, 2014..
3. Mickey Rooney died on April 6, 2014, at age 93. Mickey Rooney was a famous Hollywood actor who was a born again Christian. He had appeared in over 200 movies and has been referred to as the "first child actor". Mickey Rooney said in a 2011 interview, "Take your children to church. And teach them about Jesus Christ and God who makes the sunshine and moon glow and gives so many blessings. And if you go with God, and [if] Jesus Christ is your personal savior, and [you] leave [your] troubles and everything to God, everything will work out for you (Gospel Herald, April 7, 2014)."
4. Glen H. Stassen died on April 26, 2014, at age 78 from cancer at his home in Pasadena, California. Glen Stassen was an ethicist and the director of the 'Just Peacemaking Initiative' at Fuller Theological Seminary (Christianity Today, April 26, 2014). He coauthored the book Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context (2003) and is also known for his valuable Biblical insights on the Sermon on the Mount.
5. J. Dwight Pentecost died on April 28, 2014, at age 99. J. Dwight Pentecost had been a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary where he served for over 50 years. J. Dwight Pentecost authored 19 books, including the popular book on the end times in 1965 called Things to Come. Dallas Theological Seminary has a tribute page dedicated to Dr. Pentecost on their website.
6. Ann B. Davis died on June 1, 2014, at age 88. She fell in her bathroom and developed subdural hematoma. She was best known for her role as the housekeeper "Alice" in the television sitcom The Brady Bunch. Ann was a born-again Christian who was active in her Episcopalian faith community. She lived in San Antonio, Texas and shared a home with Bishop William Frey and his wife Barbara. In 1992, Anne B. Davis passionately told People Magazine, "I'm convinced we all have a God-shaped space in us, and until we fill that space with God, we'll never know what it is to be whole (Christian Post, June 2, 2014)."
7. Tony Gwynn died on June 16, 2014, at age 54 from oral cancer. Tony Gwynn played his outstanding professional baseball career of 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres organization and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. It was said of Tony Gwynn that, "He had an infectious laugh, he spoke with an unmistakable southern drawl and he was dedicated to being a family man and his Christian faith (Baseball on the Island, June 17, 2014)."
8. Christian Fuehrer died on July 1, 2014, at age 71 from a lung disease. He was a pastor in Leipzig who organized peaceful protests against injustices in East Germany. German President Joachim Gauck wrote, "Christian Fuehrer was a bearer of hope to many people, both in his profession as a pastor and as one of the defining figures of the peace prayers in the Church of St. Nicholas as well as the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig that led to the peaceful revolution in East Germany (As Quoted in Bloomberg News, July 2, 2014)." In an interview in 2009, Christian Fuehrer said, "The special experience that we had during the years of peace prayers and then with this massive number of non-Christians in the church, which was exceptional, was that they accepted the message of Jesus (Religion and Ethics, November 6, 2009)."
9. Jeff Powers died on July 10, 2014, at age 50. He had battled cancer for a year. Jeff Powers was a International Missions Board missionary for 16 years as a church planter in Botswana and Zambia (Baptist Press, July 14, 2014). His style as a missionary was to be a storyteller in order to reach different cultures with the Gospel.
10. Christopher Mitchell died unexpectedly on July 10, 2014, at age 63. He was a nationally recognized C.S. Lewis scholar. For 19 years Christopher Mitchell had served as the Director of the Wade Center at Wheaton College. In his final assignment of his life, he was serving as a professor at the Torrey Honor Institute at Biola University. David Nystrom, senior vice president of Biola University, said, "A careful and imaginative scholar, Chris was a person of deep faith, authentic humility, generous spirit, and resonant compassion. He will be missed (Biola University News, July 11, 2014 ."
11. James Hertel died on July 20, 2014, at age 99 in Greenwood, Indiana. He served as the President of the former Frankfort Pilgrim College from 1959-1966 and had served in many ministry roles in the South Indiana District of the Wesleyan Church. For more information see the Wesleyan.org News Release.
12. David Pierce died on July 22, 2014, at age 54 from complications of hemophragic bleeding of the brain. He was the husband of Christian comedian Chonda Pierce and lived in Ashland City, Tennessee. David Pierce was an author who wrote the books Salvage, To Kill a Zombie, and Don't Let Me Go. See the Singing News and the Tennessean for his obituary. You may also read the text of his Funeral Message at Dr. Mike Kourtney's Branches Blog.
13. Edward Gooding died on August 30, 2014, at age 94 from congestive heart failure. Edward Gooding was a sergeant major in The Salvation Army in the Roxbury/Boston, Massachusetts area. The Boston Globe said, "Through the decades, he rang bells at holiday time and worked with the Roxbury outpost of the Salvation Army. In 1980, he was awarded the Order of the Founder, a rarely given honor that recognizes a Salvationist's 'meritorious Christian example, witness, and service,' according to the organization's website (Boston Globe, October 6, 2014)."
14. Wolfhart Pannenberg died on September 5, 2014, at age 85 at his home near Munich, Germany. He was a theologian who was a professor at the University of Munich from 1968-1993. Pannenberg's books include Jesus: God and Man (1968), Theology and the Kingdom of God (1969), Theology and the Philosophy of Science (1976), and the three-volume Systematic Theology (1988-1994). [See The Christian Century, September 16, 2014]
15. Pastor Ji-ll Bang died on October 10, 2014, at age 103. He was South Korea's oldest Christian pastor and had led the Yeongdeungpo Church, which is part of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. Ji-Il Bang said, "When we, as the people saved in Christ by God's grace, place the Gospel at the heart of our individual lives, as well as the foundation of all our gatherings as Christ's Church, we can enjoy and experience the blessings of the power of the Gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit in our midst (Christian Post, October 10, 2014)."
16. Dr. Myles Munroe died on November 9, 2014, at age 60 in a small plane crash on his way to a leadership conference. Also perishing in the crash were his wife Ruth Munroe and seven others. Myles Munroe was the senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship and a best-selling author. Read his obituary on CBN News.
17. Dr. Martin Salia died of Ebola on November, 16, 2014, at age 44. Dr. Martin Salia was a surgeon who caught Ebola while treating patients as a Christian missionary in Africa. Dr. Salia worked at the United Methodist Kissy Hospital in Sierra Leone and according to the video below believed that God had called him to his assignment as a missionary surgeon.
7. Tony Gwynn died on June 16, 2014, at age 54 from oral cancer. Tony Gwynn played his outstanding professional baseball career of 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres organization and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. It was said of Tony Gwynn that, "He had an infectious laugh, he spoke with an unmistakable southern drawl and he was dedicated to being a family man and his Christian faith (Baseball on the Island, June 17, 2014)."
8. Christian Fuehrer died on July 1, 2014, at age 71 from a lung disease. He was a pastor in Leipzig who organized peaceful protests against injustices in East Germany. German President Joachim Gauck wrote, "Christian Fuehrer was a bearer of hope to many people, both in his profession as a pastor and as one of the defining figures of the peace prayers in the Church of St. Nicholas as well as the Monday demonstrations in Leipzig that led to the peaceful revolution in East Germany (As Quoted in Bloomberg News, July 2, 2014)." In an interview in 2009, Christian Fuehrer said, "The special experience that we had during the years of peace prayers and then with this massive number of non-Christians in the church, which was exceptional, was that they accepted the message of Jesus (Religion and Ethics, November 6, 2009)."
9. Jeff Powers died on July 10, 2014, at age 50. He had battled cancer for a year. Jeff Powers was a International Missions Board missionary for 16 years as a church planter in Botswana and Zambia (Baptist Press, July 14, 2014). His style as a missionary was to be a storyteller in order to reach different cultures with the Gospel.
10. Christopher Mitchell died unexpectedly on July 10, 2014, at age 63. He was a nationally recognized C.S. Lewis scholar. For 19 years Christopher Mitchell had served as the Director of the Wade Center at Wheaton College. In his final assignment of his life, he was serving as a professor at the Torrey Honor Institute at Biola University. David Nystrom, senior vice president of Biola University, said, "A careful and imaginative scholar, Chris was a person of deep faith, authentic humility, generous spirit, and resonant compassion. He will be missed (Biola University News, July 11, 2014 ."
11. James Hertel died on July 20, 2014, at age 99 in Greenwood, Indiana. He served as the President of the former Frankfort Pilgrim College from 1959-1966 and had served in many ministry roles in the South Indiana District of the Wesleyan Church. For more information see the Wesleyan.org News Release.
12. David Pierce died on July 22, 2014, at age 54 from complications of hemophragic bleeding of the brain. He was the husband of Christian comedian Chonda Pierce and lived in Ashland City, Tennessee. David Pierce was an author who wrote the books Salvage, To Kill a Zombie, and Don't Let Me Go. See the Singing News and the Tennessean for his obituary. You may also read the text of his Funeral Message at Dr. Mike Kourtney's Branches Blog.
13. Edward Gooding died on August 30, 2014, at age 94 from congestive heart failure. Edward Gooding was a sergeant major in The Salvation Army in the Roxbury/Boston, Massachusetts area. The Boston Globe said, "Through the decades, he rang bells at holiday time and worked with the Roxbury outpost of the Salvation Army. In 1980, he was awarded the Order of the Founder, a rarely given honor that recognizes a Salvationist's 'meritorious Christian example, witness, and service,' according to the organization's website (Boston Globe, October 6, 2014)."
14. Wolfhart Pannenberg died on September 5, 2014, at age 85 at his home near Munich, Germany. He was a theologian who was a professor at the University of Munich from 1968-1993. Pannenberg's books include Jesus: God and Man (1968), Theology and the Kingdom of God (1969), Theology and the Philosophy of Science (1976), and the three-volume Systematic Theology (1988-1994). [See The Christian Century, September 16, 2014]
15. Pastor Ji-ll Bang died on October 10, 2014, at age 103. He was South Korea's oldest Christian pastor and had led the Yeongdeungpo Church, which is part of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. Ji-Il Bang said, "When we, as the people saved in Christ by God's grace, place the Gospel at the heart of our individual lives, as well as the foundation of all our gatherings as Christ's Church, we can enjoy and experience the blessings of the power of the Gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit in our midst (Christian Post, October 10, 2014)."
16. Dr. Myles Munroe died on November 9, 2014, at age 60 in a small plane crash on his way to a leadership conference. Also perishing in the crash were his wife Ruth Munroe and seven others. Myles Munroe was the senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship and a best-selling author. Read his obituary on CBN News.
17. Dr. Martin Salia died of Ebola on November, 16, 2014, at age 44. Dr. Martin Salia was a surgeon who caught Ebola while treating patients as a Christian missionary in Africa. Dr. Salia worked at the United Methodist Kissy Hospital in Sierra Leone and according to the video below believed that God had called him to his assignment as a missionary surgeon.
19. Pastor David Landrith died on November 18, 2014, from cancer at age 51. David Landrith was the pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a congregation with about 7,500 members. You can read more information about Pastor David's passing at the Christian Examiner.
20. Rafael Ramos died on December 20, 2014, at age 40. He was a police officer in the New York City Police Department and was shot and killed while on duty. Rafael Ramos was a Christian and had recently completed training to be a police chaplain. He had studied at Faith Evangelical College and Seminary in Tacoma, Washington. Rafael Ramos was an usher and part of the marriage and life group ministry at his church the Christ Tabernacle Church in New York (CNN.Com, 12/25/2014). The following quote was on the cover photo of Rafael Ramos' Facebook page, "If your way isn't working, try God's way."
Further Research: Pause to Say Goodbye: Christians Who Died in 2014 (Charima News, December 31, 2014) has a different list of 10 Christians who left us during the year 2014. A few are shared with this list.
Dedication: This post is dedicated to some personal Christian friends who passed away in 2014.
Patricia Proulx of Byron, Georgia (April 30, 2014)
Floyd Love of Mount Pleasant, Michigan (October 24, 2014)
Floyd Love of Mount Pleasant, Michigan (October 24, 2014)
This feature is part of an annual series. All the years of the series can be viewed at these links.
Monday, December 15, 2014
J. Vernon McGee
Grace Sight #33 is J. Vernon McGee
In Memoriam
Dr. J. Vernon McGee was a radio Bible teacher whose unique distinctiveness was teaching through the whole Bible in an expository style over a 5 year plan. In the 20th Century many people have listened and learned from his teaching. When I was a teenager I was a frequent radio listener to the teaching of Dr. J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible.
Education: Dr. J. Vernon McGee received his ThD. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
Pastor: Dr. J. Vernon McGee was a Presbyterian pastor who led congregations in Decatur, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, and Cleburne, Texas. Then he pastored the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, California (presently located in Glendale) for 21 years from 1949-1970 (Thru the Bible Radio, Dr. J. Vernon McGee).
Thru the Bible Radio: In 1967, Dr. J. Vernon McGee began teaching his 5 year Bible Study in the Thru the Bible Radio program and continued until his death on December 1, 1988. Dr. J. Vernon McGee's teaching continues into the present through the work of Thru the Bible Global.
Mobile App: One can listen daily to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible teaching by getting their free app that can be downloaded for IOS at the ITunes store or for Android at Google Play store.
In Memoriam
Dr. J. Vernon McGee was a radio Bible teacher whose unique distinctiveness was teaching through the whole Bible in an expository style over a 5 year plan. In the 20th Century many people have listened and learned from his teaching. When I was a teenager I was a frequent radio listener to the teaching of Dr. J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible.
Education: Dr. J. Vernon McGee received his ThD. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
Pastor: Dr. J. Vernon McGee was a Presbyterian pastor who led congregations in Decatur, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, and Cleburne, Texas. Then he pastored the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, California (presently located in Glendale) for 21 years from 1949-1970 (Thru the Bible Radio, Dr. J. Vernon McGee).
Thru the Bible Radio: In 1967, Dr. J. Vernon McGee began teaching his 5 year Bible Study in the Thru the Bible Radio program and continued until his death on December 1, 1988. Dr. J. Vernon McGee's teaching continues into the present through the work of Thru the Bible Global.
Mobile App: One can listen daily to Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Thru the Bible teaching by getting their free app that can be downloaded for IOS at the ITunes store or for Android at Google Play store.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Instapray
Grace Sight #32 is the Mobile App Instapray.
It is a pleasure for the first app honored at the Grace Sight blog to be Instapray, because they are spreading prayer awareness on an international level. Instapray is a mobile phone app that was first launched as a protype on March 18, 2013, by a man named Fryd, who is passionate about prayer. The app connects prayer request in a social media format. It is Twitter for those living on prayers, but prayers instead of tweets are being offered around the clock. Though many people come to Instapray for prayer requests, it is also a community that provides encouragement to strengthen one's faith.
Google Play has this description of the Instapray app.
There are many positive reviews of Instapray, including user Pullano2993 who said in iTunes,
"This app is the best app I have on my phone next to the bible app (ITunes store, December 14, 2014)."
Instapray is a free app that can be downloaded for IOS at the ITunes store or for Android at Google Play store. Just like in Twitter one can share more or less things in their profile based on their level of comfort with privacy.
You can follow Instapray on the following social media.
It is a pleasure for the first app honored at the Grace Sight blog to be Instapray, because they are spreading prayer awareness on an international level. Instapray is a mobile phone app that was first launched as a protype on March 18, 2013, by a man named Fryd, who is passionate about prayer. The app connects prayer request in a social media format. It is Twitter for those living on prayers, but prayers instead of tweets are being offered around the clock. Though many people come to Instapray for prayer requests, it is also a community that provides encouragement to strengthen one's faith.
Google Play has this description of the Instapray app.
Instapray is a mobile application that connects people around the world through prayers. Request prayers, share your prayers, pray for someone, and get connected! Become a part of the Instapray community and share your love, support, happiness, or struggles with the world around you. Pray in small, private groups or with the whole world! Engage in meaningful conversations, follow users that you care for or join groups that are of interest to you (Google Play - Instapray).The Center for Creative Ministry in the Seventh Day Adventist Church wrote a review on Instapray on January 18, 2014 called Discipleship and Prayer. It is an excellent read on the ways in which Instapray is making a difference in the area of prayer.
There are many positive reviews of Instapray, including user Pullano2993 who said in iTunes,
"This app is the best app I have on my phone next to the bible app (ITunes store, December 14, 2014)."
Instapray is a free app that can be downloaded for IOS at the ITunes store or for Android at Google Play store. Just like in Twitter one can share more or less things in their profile based on their level of comfort with privacy.
You can follow Instapray on the following social media.
- Facebook Page for Instapray
- Instagram Page for Instapray
- Pinterest for Instapray
- Tumblr Page for Instapray
- Twitter @Instapray
- YouTube Channel for Instapray
We here at Grace Light wish Instapray much success in the future, because for them success means that God is glorified and lives are being changed through the power of prayer. If you want to follow me on Instapray I am user AL25.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Classic Christmas Songs by Pentatonix
Grace Sight #31 is the Classic Christmas Songs by Pentatonix.
On this Christmas season at the Grace Light blog we wanted to share three songs by the group Pentatonix to get us in the Christmas mood. Pentatonix is an a capella singing group from Arlington, Texas that sings largely pop music (Wikipedia: Pentatonix). However, their Christmas music includes some of the most beautiful renditions of classical Christian music about the birth of Christ. The Christmas three songs included here are.
On this Christmas season at the Grace Light blog we wanted to share three songs by the group Pentatonix to get us in the Christmas mood. Pentatonix is an a capella singing group from Arlington, Texas that sings largely pop music (Wikipedia: Pentatonix). However, their Christmas music includes some of the most beautiful renditions of classical Christian music about the birth of Christ. The Christmas three songs included here are.
- Mary, Did You Know?
- Silent Night
- Little Drummer Boy
Monday, December 30, 2013
20 Christians Who Died in 2013
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Rev. 14:13)
1. Howard Hendricks died on February 20, 2013, at the age of 88. He had been a professor for over 60 years at Dallas Theological Seminary. Dallas Theological Seminary wrote a tribute to him at www.dts.edu/read/howard-hendricks-prof.
2. Cleotha Staples died on February 21, 2013, at the age of 78. She was the eldest sibling in the Staple Singers who were a leading Gospel group in the 1960's and 1970's, singing such songs as "On My Way to Heaven". You can read her Obituary from the New York Times at this Link.
3. Dr. C. Everett Koop died on February 25, 2013, at the age of 96. Dr. C. Everett Koop had served as the Surgeon General of the United States from 1982-1989. He was one of the top pediatric surgeons and was known for his pro-life and anti-euthanasia positions. As Surgeon General he was also concerned with the health issues of smoking and AIDS.
4. Gordon Cosby died on March 20, 2013, at the age of 95. He was the founder of the Church of the Saviour in Washington D.C. and a Christian minister who focused on social change of fighting poverty, racism, addiction, and sickness (Washington Post, 3/21/2013).
5. Edith Schaeffer died on March 30, 2013, at 98 years of age in Gyron, Switzerland. Edith Schaeffer was the wife of the late Francis Schaeffer. She was a Christian author and co-founder of L'Abri Retreat and the L'Abri Fellowship International, a Christian organization which hosts guests.
6. Dave Hunt died on April 5, 2013, at the age of 86. He was a Christian apologist, speaker, radio commentator, and author. His work is highlighted on the website called The Berean Call.
7. John David Kuo died on April 5, 2013, at 44 years of age of brain cancer. He was an American author and evangelical Christian. John Kuo authored Good Morning America and Tempting Faith. Kuo was a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and Deputy Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (The New York Times, 4/6/2013).
8. Margaret Thatcher died on April 8, 2013, at the age of 87. She was the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century (1979-1990) and the only woman to have served in this role. Margaret Thatcher said in a speech to the Church of Scotland in 1988, "We must not profess Christian faith and go to Church simply because we want social reforms and benefits or a better standard of behaviour, but because we accept the sanctity of life, the responsibility that comes with freedom and the supreme sacrifice of Christ (Christianity Today, Margaret Thatcher Obits Overlook Her Devout Christian Faith, 4/8/2013 )."
9. George Beverly Shea died on April 16, 2013, at the age of 104. He was a beloved Gospel singer in the United States. His famous voice was the lead vocalist for almost every one of the Billy Graham Crusades for 50 years. You can read his Obituary from the New York Times at this link.
10. George Jones died on April 26, 2013, at 81 years of age. Jones was a popular country music singer whose cherished songs included the Gospel genre. He wandered at times in his life from the his Christian faith but would return to his religious roots later in his life. Christianity Today reported that, "Although he felt that parts of his life had been wasted, Jones said God kept him alive for a purpose. His main goal in life became to 'try to get closer and closer to him (Christianity Today, 4/26/2013).'"
11. Dallas Willard died on May 8, 2013, at 77 years of age, from cancer. He was the author of the following Christian books: The Divine Conspiracy, The Spirt of the Disciplines, Hearing God, and Renovation of the Heart. He was a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California. His longtime friend Richard Foster said, "For us, a great light has gone out. Heaven today is brighter (Christianity Today, 5/8/2013).
13. Bishop D. Rayford Bell died on September 29, 2013, at the age of 90 while preaching his Sunday Sermon at Christ Temple Church in Chicago. He had pastored his church since 1958 (ABC7 News, 9/30/2013).
14. Nobandla Mangisa died on September 29, 2013, at age 37, in an automobile accident on her way home from a prayer service. She was a South African gospel singer (SABC News).
15. Chuck Smith died on October 3, 2013, at the age of 86, from cancer (Christianity Today, 10/3/2013). He was the pastor of the Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (California) since 1965. Chuck Smith was known for his expository preaching and for breaking down barriers in church to reach the culture for Jesus. About 1,600 churches around the world comprise the Calvary Church Association.
16. Paul Franklin Crouch, Sr. died on November 30, 2013, at 79 years of age from heart disease (CBN News, 12/2/2013). He was the President and Founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the largest Christian television network in the world.
17. Paul Walker died on November 30, 2013, at the age of 40, from injuries sustained in an autombile accident. He was an actor who professed his faith in Christianity and had said to IMDb, "I'm a Christian now. The things that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don't understand are atheists. I go surfing and snow boarding and I'm always around nature. I look at everything and think, 'Who couldn't believe there's a God? Is all this a mistake?' It just blows me away (Christian Post, Paul Walker on Christian Faith, 12/1/2013).
18. Bev Lowry died on December 2, 2013, at the age of 79. She was the mother of Christian singer/comedian Mark Lowry. Her obituary is available online. She was a Christian songwriter whose penned such songs as, "I Thirst" (Cathedrals), "When They Found Nothing" (Legacy Five), "Across the River" (Triumphant Quartet), "The Ground is Level" (Ernie Haase), and "Monuments" (Legacy Five).
19. Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. He was the President of South Africa from 1994-1999. Nelson Mandela religion is listed as Methodist, a Protestant Denomination in the Christian relgion. The following is a news story on Nelson Mandela's faith.
20. Iraq Christians (26): At least 26 Christians in Iraq were killed on December 25, 2013, as they left a Christmas Mass in the Baghdad suburb of Dora (The Scotsman, 12/26/2013). These unnamed Christians represent many others in diverse countries around the world, who died in 2013, just because they were a Christian. When asked about the number of Christian martyrs each year, author John Allen said,
This feature is part of an annual series. All the years of the series can be viewed at these links.
12. Samuel Lamb died on August 3, 2013, at 88 years of age. He was a well respected leader of a Chinese House Church. The house church he started in 1979 is still in existence today but unregistered (World Watch Monitor, 8/6/2013).
13. Bishop D. Rayford Bell died on September 29, 2013, at the age of 90 while preaching his Sunday Sermon at Christ Temple Church in Chicago. He had pastored his church since 1958 (ABC7 News, 9/30/2013).
14. Nobandla Mangisa died on September 29, 2013, at age 37, in an automobile accident on her way home from a prayer service. She was a South African gospel singer (SABC News).
15. Chuck Smith died on October 3, 2013, at the age of 86, from cancer (Christianity Today, 10/3/2013). He was the pastor of the Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa (California) since 1965. Chuck Smith was known for his expository preaching and for breaking down barriers in church to reach the culture for Jesus. About 1,600 churches around the world comprise the Calvary Church Association.
16. Paul Franklin Crouch, Sr. died on November 30, 2013, at 79 years of age from heart disease (CBN News, 12/2/2013). He was the President and Founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the largest Christian television network in the world.
17. Paul Walker died on November 30, 2013, at the age of 40, from injuries sustained in an autombile accident. He was an actor who professed his faith in Christianity and had said to IMDb, "I'm a Christian now. The things that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don't understand are atheists. I go surfing and snow boarding and I'm always around nature. I look at everything and think, 'Who couldn't believe there's a God? Is all this a mistake?' It just blows me away (Christian Post, Paul Walker on Christian Faith, 12/1/2013).
18. Bev Lowry died on December 2, 2013, at the age of 79. She was the mother of Christian singer/comedian Mark Lowry. Her obituary is available online. She was a Christian songwriter whose penned such songs as, "I Thirst" (Cathedrals), "When They Found Nothing" (Legacy Five), "Across the River" (Triumphant Quartet), "The Ground is Level" (Ernie Haase), and "Monuments" (Legacy Five).
19. Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. He was the President of South Africa from 1994-1999. Nelson Mandela religion is listed as Methodist, a Protestant Denomination in the Christian relgion. The following is a news story on Nelson Mandela's faith.
20. Iraq Christians (26): At least 26 Christians in Iraq were killed on December 25, 2013, as they left a Christmas Mass in the Baghdad suburb of Dora (The Scotsman, 12/26/2013). These unnamed Christians represent many others in diverse countries around the world, who died in 2013, just because they were a Christian. When asked about the number of Christian martyrs each year, author John Allen said,
The truth is two thirds of the 2.3 billion Christians in the world today live… in dangerous neighbourhoods. They are often poor. They often belong to ethnic, linguistic and cultural minorities. And they are often at risk. And ultimately I think making that point is more important than being precise about the death toll (John Allen, BBC, 11/11/2013).
Dedication: This post is dedicated to some personal Christian friends who passed away in 2013.
James "Mike Orrick" of Nashville, Tennessee (April 12, 2013)
James "Mike Orrick" of Nashville, Tennessee (April 12, 2013)
Dorothy Trease of Hermitage, Tennessee (November 27, 2013)
Major Ralph E. Ashcraft, Jr. of Kokomo, Indiana (December 7, 2013)
This feature is part of an annual series. All the years of the series can be viewed at these links.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Gospel Singers Incognito
Grace Sight #30 is the Gospel Singers Icognito.
Here is a video of the Gospel Singers Icognito performing at Britian's Got Talent in 2013.
Here is a video of the Gospel Singers Icognito performing at Britian's Got Talent in 2013.
There is a lot of symbolism in this performance. It illustrates a Christian (in this case Pastor Patrick) getting mocked and then being victorious at the end. It also illustrates that Christians are not alone even if they seem to be at first (there are other Christians around just perhaps incognito).
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