All posts tagged: Testimony

How God impacted Jim Wahlberg, the brother of actors Jim and Donnie Wahlberg

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While Mark Wahlberg and his brother Donnie gained fame during the mid-80s as part of the popular boy band, New Kids on the Block, their brother Jim was going down a different road, Caleb Woods writes in his article for CBN. Having grown up in poverty, Jim began to steal when his family moved into a middle-class neighborhood, and he realized how poor they actually were. The first time police arrested Jim, he was only 10 years old and as he moved into his teen years, drugs, alcohol, and crime followed. At the age of 17, Jim was arrested for armed robbery and spent the next five years in jail. After his release, he began binging on alcohol and drugs and then remembered waking up in a jail cell, covered in blood, and after breaking into the home of a police officer. He was charged with home invasion, which can potentially come with a life sentence. But after the officer of the home Jim broke into pleaded for leniency, the court sentenced Jim to six …

Cofounder of South African Satanic Church turns to Christ after experiencing God’s love

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One of the co-founders of the South African Satanic Church (SASC), Riaan Swiegelaar, has renounced his involvement in Satanism and become a Christian, CBN reports. Swiegelaar made the announcement in a video posted on Facebook on July 4, 2022, after several people asked why he had left Satanism. Swiegelaar said: “I’m doing this live video because many, more than 100 people, on WhatsApp and almost 200 on Facebook, are sending me messages wanting to know why did I leave the South African Satanic Church as well as why did I turn my back on Satanism.” Swiegelaar, who was involved in Christian ministry decades earlier, had left the ministry, become an atheist and later found himself drawn to Satanism. In his video, which has been viewed over 212,000 times, Swiegelaar explained what happened: “I got involved with Satanism because at the time it resonated with me, being very broken and sad without realizing it. I think the reason a lot of people resonate with Satanism is they come from a very broken place. I have met …

Alice Cooper performing at Alexandra Palace in London, England 2011 Credit: Kimon Froussios/Flickr/Creative Commons

Video: Greg Laurie interviews with rocker Alice Cooper

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Above is an interview Pastor Greg Laurie had with rocker Alice Cooper. When I was growing up, Alice Cooper was the shock rocker of our age. His conversion to Christ was a shocker. In the interview, Cooper talks about the ministry, Solid Rock, that he and his wife, Sheryl Goddard, have with children The Blaze recently wrote an article on an interview that Alice Cooper had with UK Times, on his remarkable conversion: For a recent interview in the U.K.’s Times, the Detroit, Michigan, native said that God is the figurehead of his life and at the very center of everything he does. “I’m up before the sun; 5 a.m. is my time,” he told the outlet. “Straight out of bed, make a cup of coffee, grab my Bible, then spend the next hour reading and praying. I read a couple of chapters a day — this is my 12th reading. It puts me in a positive frame of mind.”  […] “At first it was fun, hanging out with Jim Morrison, Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix,” …

Country singer and actress Jana Kramer gets water baptized

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Faithwire reports that country singer and actress, Jana Kramer, recently shared Instagram posts of her water baptism that took place on Sunday, Jan 23, 2022, after her profession of faith. Kramer, 38, started her singing career in 2012 which has since featured seven chartered singles. She has also had acting roles on several TV series including, Friday Night Lights, One Tree Hill, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and CSI: NY. In her first post, Jana described the healing she received after coming to Christ, writing, “I don’t have the words yet …I will…but for now…’In the name of Jesus there is healing.’ Then in a follow-up post, which shows her sitting in a baptismal tank, Jana went into more details of what happened. Over the years, she has struggled with believing in God, and seems to suggest that this was due in part to a troubled relationship with her father, for which she was partially to blame. “He was always walking with me…I just didn’t think I deserved that. If I’m honest, I didn’t know how …

A New Year’s Resolution: What if I want to start over?

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I am writing this on January 1, 2022. That means we have a new year in front of us, and everyone I know is tired of the old one. We had an endless stream of bad news about our health, and the health of the economy, and political arguments. For me, the news every day was a toxic mix. This morning, I had text messages from friends and a relative, and they feel the same as me. There is not enough optimism at the beginning of this year. We need something new, and better. It might comfort you to know that God thought of this first: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43: 18 and 19) Those are the instructions from a higher source, the highest source, when we get lost in things that happen around us. It is easy to …

From ‘ashes’ to a ‘crown of beauty’: The story behind Anne Wilson’s ‘My Jesus’

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Nineteen-year-old Christian singer, Anne Wilson, expressed her shock and gratitude on how here inaugural song, “My Jesus,” climbed to No. 1 on the Christian Billboard after its release five months ago. In an interview with Billboard, Wilson who co-authored the song along with contemporary Christian singer Matthew West, and music producer Jeff Pardo stated that she has been overwhelmed by the response to the song: “I’ve been blown away by how God has been using My Jesus to impact so many lives. I’m so honored that He chose me to be His vessel for this specific time and season. My favorite part so far has been seeing people sing My Jesus at shows to the top of their lungs and hearing stories of how they’ve been impacted by the song. I would’ve never dreamed that God would use this song in such a mighty way.” The song has ministered to people’s hearts, because it addresses the struggles that many have faced over the past year and a half. But there is more to this story. …

What Makes This 91-Year-Old Man So Energetic and Full of Life?

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By Dr. Michael L. Brown It’s hard to believe Don Finto is 91 years old. Very hard. In fact, unless you actually knew his age, you would have no way of knowing that he was that old. Not from his energy level. Not from the clarity of his thought and speech. Not from his appearance. Not from the firm backslap he greets you with. And certainly not from his overflowing enthusiasm. What is the key to his longevity? About Don Finto Don, who was born in April 1930, served as a missionary to Germany, returned to the States and earned a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University while also teaching as a college professor. He then took over Belmont Church in Nashville, Tennessee, which was in serious decline at that point. Under his leadership, the church began to thrive, also becoming the home to some of the best-known leaders in the contemporary Christian music industry. After retiring from Belmont in 1996, Don launched the Caleb Company, which serves “to equip God’s people” — especially young people — …

Ex-Bloods gang member singing Gospel to critically ill patients

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The Bloods are a notorious street gang that originated in California in the 1960s. Now spread across America, it is considered one of the most violent, criminal gangs in America. The New York Post recently shared a story about how a former member of the ruthless gang, Enrique Rodriguez, is now singing Gospel music to patients at Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

God told her ‘just focus on me’ & McLaughlin sets world record in hurdles

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Sydney McLaughlin, 21, is a sprinter and hurdler for America’s Olympic team and during the trials leading up to the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, McLaughlin broke the world record for the 400-meter hurdle trials with a time of 51.90 seconds. She is the first woman to ever run this event in under 52 seconds. She broke the world record held by fellow teammate, Delilah Muhammad, who ran the event in 52.16 seconds in 2019. In an interview after the record-breaking run, McLaughlin stated that it was her faith in God that contributed to her success, stating that as she was training, God told her to “just focus on Me.” In a post on Instagram after her run, McLaughlin wrote: “My faith was being tested all week. From bad practices, to 3 false start delays, to a meet delay. I just kept hearing God say, ‘Just focus on me.’ It was the best race plan I could have ever assembled. I no longer run for self recognition, but to reflect His perfect will that is …

‘God was there’ as neighbour’s dog warns of fire

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Firemen were amazed by how little damage there was to Yorktown Assembly of God church in Yorktown, NY after a call came in during the middle of the night about the fire. The fire chief added that if the fire department had been delayed another five or 10 minutes, the whole building would have probably burned to the ground. Well, the call came in enough time, because, Bear, a four-year old German Shepherd who lived in with his owner in a house beside the church started barking frantically waking up its owner Kim Lewis. When Kim looked outside a window to see what Bear was barking about, she saw the flames shooting out of the roof and immediately called 911. The fire apparently started because of an electrical short. On its Facebook page, the church stated, “We know that God was there tonight protecting our building.” Several members of the congregation were also wondering what Bear’s favourite treat was? READ: ‘God Was There’: AG Church Erupts in Flames, Dog Alerts Neighbor to Call 911

5 devout Christians playing in 2021 Superbowl

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Christian Post just released an article on the five devout Christians who will be playing in the 2021 Superbowl. Just as a reminder, being devout does not mean they have to be perfect. I believe we shouldn’t be praying for our favourite team to win, but rather pray that God will bless and anoint these players in a game that will be watched by millions of people. They are: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs QB Christian Post writes about Mahomes’ faith: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and 2019 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes has said faith has “always been a big part of what I do.” At last year’s Super Bowl, the athlete told reporters in Miami that his Christian faith has always been an essential part of his life. “Faith has always been big with me,” he said. Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay linebacker: Anthony Sherman, Kansas City Chiefs fullback: Stefen Wisniewski, Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman: Ryan Succop, Tampa Bay place kicker: READ: 5 Super Bowl LV players who are devout Christians

From dead man walking to preaching the Gospel

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Faithit recently reported on an interview Pureflix had with Herman Mendoza, a former New York City drug dealer, on his remarkable conversion to Christ. Mendoza, who now helps pastor a church in New York City, shared how he turned to drug dealing in his 20s after being laid off from his job. His brothers were already dealing Cocaine, and he decided to start working with them. Soon the money was flowing in. With millions of dollars at his disposal, Mendoza was spending upwards of $20,000 a day. His life was consumed by partying, women and drugs. But it came to crashing halt, when police found a large quantity of cocaine in his car and he was facing upwards of 25 years in prison. However, he was able to work a deal with the prosecutor, that substantially reduced his sentence. But shortly after his release Mendoza returned to what he described as “the game” — his drug dealing ways and a short time later was arrested again. While Mendoza was serving his second sentence, his brother, …

Justin Bieber shares a photo of walking in handcuffs as a testimony of how far God has brought him

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In a recent post to his over 160 million followers on Instagram, international pop star, Justin Bieber, shared a photo of an incident that took place seven years ago as the police led the pop star away in handcuffs. He had just been arrested in Florida on Jan 23, 2014, for driving under the influence and with an invalid license. In his post, Bieber simply shared how far God has brought him since those early days when he was constantly having run-ins with the law. Bieber wrote: “7 years ago today I got was arrested, not my finest hour. “Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead, misunderstood and angry at God. “I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami. “All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then til now I do realize something.. God was as close to me then as he is right now. “My encouragement to you is to ‘let your past be a reminder of …

Terry Bradshaw lends a helping hand to a stranger

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Terry Bradshaw, 72, is among the elites of NFL quarterbacks having won four Super Bowls in his 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1989, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Because of his various appearances on TV and in movies, Bradshaw was also the first NFL player to receive a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. But as many have noted, despite his celebrity status, he is a very down to earth man and it showed up a couple of days ago, when someone secretly videoed Terry giving a stranger a hand after his car wouldn’t start because of a dead battery at a Pack ‘N’ Mail in Gainesville, Texas. According to the Western Journal, it was raining and Bradshaw had parked beside the stalled vehicle. An employee with Pack ‘N’ Mail, Cindy Hammer, videoed the incident explaining that when Bradshaw found out the man’s car battery was dead, he went into the store, purchased a set of booster cables and quickly helped start the stalled vehicle. When the car …

Captain America is transformed by Christ

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There is a great testimony on God TV, of how Captain America recently became a Christian. In September 2019, the story about David Hobbs, 36, went viral after he was arrested by police in Clarksdale, Mississippi for break and enter. Of course, that in itself is not particularly unusual, but what makes it a bit different is that Hobbs was wearing a Captain America costume when police found him hiding in a backyard shed at 3 am. As this image of a drug addict sitting in his costume with his hands cuffed behind his back at the police station went viral, he was mocked incessantly. But one man’s heart went out to this man. When a friend sent Trey Lewis a link to the story, he immediately identified with David, because Trey, was a former meth addict himself. But his life was transformed by Christ, and he started Good Landing Recovery, a faith-based addictions recovery center in Atlanta, Georgia. But more than that Trey also knew Dave because they had lived in the same town …

Dr. Francis Collins: ‘My atheism was dangerously thin’

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It is a powerful testimony of how one scientist, Dr. Francis Collins, realized his belief in atheism was “dangerously thin” resulting him becoming a believer in Jesus Christ. And he is not just any scientist, Dr Francis Collins, 70, also serves as the Director of the National Institutes for Health (NIH) in the US which is the agency responsible for developing a COVID-19 vaccine in that country. He is also a world-recognized geneticist and led the Human Genome Project and is credited for finding the genes associated with several diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis. In acceptance speech, after receiving a Templeton Prize on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, Dr. Collins shared his remarkable transformation from atheist to Christian. Dr. Collins started off as an agnostic, but as he pursued his career in science he began to embrace atheism. But that all changed when one of his patients asked him what he believed about God, Collins said: “I realised my atheism was dangerously thin. I began a journey to try to understand why intellectually sophisticated people could actually …

Candace Cameron Bure would rather share Jesus that return to ‘The View’

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In an interview with Fox News, actress Candace Bure, 44, mentioned that she would rather be sharing Jesus than return to “The View” a popular talk show she co-hosted in 2016. Bure told Fox News: “I just don’t publicly want to talk about politics. Not because I don’t believe that my viewpoints and opinions are important but I would much rather share Jesus with people. That’s really my passion.” The question came up because ABC’s popular daytime talk show is looking for another cohost after Abby Huntsman announced in July that she was leaving the show. Candace left The View citing conflicts with her acting career and stating that travelling each week from California to New York for the show was proving hard on her and the family. In an interview with Explore Entertainment, Candace explained her decision to leave: “I tried to be Superwoman, but I’m gonna not try anymore.” Candace rose to fame when she played the role D.J. Tanner in the popular TV series Full House. She continued the role in a remake …

Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey were water baptized together in July

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Several secular media outlets have reported on how pop superstar Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey, the daughter of Stephen Baldwin, were baptized together in an Idaho lake in July. The baptisms were performed by Judah Smith who pastors Churchome in Seattle, Washington. Several family members and at least one celebrity, E! host Jason Kennedy, were present at the baptism. Jason described it as “one of the top moments of my life doing this with you.” Justin shared the experience with his 143 million followers on Instagram writing: “The moment @haileybieber my wife and I got baptized together! This was one of [the] most special moments of my life. Confessing our love and trust in Jesus publicly with our friends and family.” The pop star received nearly 4.5 million likes for the post. Justin was previously baptized in 2014 by New York Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz. When Lentz was unable to find a swimming pool for the water baptism, they approached seven-foot NBA star Tyson Chandler and were able to use his extra-large sized bathtub. …

The end for Little Richard

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You have probably heard the music of Little Richard on the radio. He was a talented man who created impossible success: His fans loved him and his music, and recently, he died at the age of 87. He had a remarkable life, well lived, but there is one more thing; Little Richard was filmed at the end of his life, making his last public appearance. I think there is a lesson from this good man, for us all. He lived well, and he ended well:

Whose Story is it Anyway?

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Over the years I listened to more than a few testimonies. In Christian circles these are simply stories about what God did in our lives. A while back, as in a long time ago before we had running water and electricity, I had a job as a Family Worker. This meant that Fridays were court days. I would testify to a family’s ability to care for their own children.  This was not as much fun as one would think. The connection is not that being a Christian preacher is way more fun. The connection is that both require one thing to be credible and valid. Both require the truth. Jesus said the truth will set you free. In court, no matter how hurtful the consequences of my testimony were to the parents, I had to tell the truth. If I didn’t tell the truth and the judge made a decision even partly based on what I said the family could be torn apart or a child could be put in harm’s way. Telling the truth …

Victoria, BC Credit: Nick Kenrick/Flickr/Creative Commons

Who’s the Prize?

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Many years ago I lived in a far away land. No not the one that is in a distant galaxy! I lived in Lotus Land. All the unfortunate souls who did not live there referred to it as Victoria, BC. Living there was wonderful, especially compared to Saskatchewan in January.  I lived close enough to Beacon Hill Park to hear the peacocks sounding like cats first thing in the morning. The ocean, the climate, the flowers, and the lack of high paying jobs… I could go on, but you get the picture. I walked a lot more then. You could actually recognize people from a long way off by more than the colour and shape of their parka. “Must be Andy waddling towards us. I recognize his green parka and those are definitely his huge boots clumping along.” I love being outdoors, but it is a challenge in the winter. In fact, if you do see me outside, all you will see is my eyes and that’s only because I found it unwise to cover …

Alice Cooper performing at Alexandra Palace in London, England 2011 Credit: Kimon Froussios/Flickr/Creative Commons

Alice Cooper, ‘shock’ rock star and Christian

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If there was anyone who I thought would never become a Christian, rock star Alice Cooper, 70, would have been on that list. Yet 40 years ago Cooper got a wake-up call when after bingeing on alcohol he started throwing up blood. During his heyday that featured such mega hits as “Schools out,” he was known as the “Godfather of Shock Rock.” His stage shows took on horror show themes including fake blood, guillotines, electric chairs, snakes and tortured baby dolls. But today Cooper publicly states he has embraced Christ and is preparing to play the role of Herod in NBC’s live version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. In an interview with New York Daily’s Confidential, Cooper recalled his decision to become a Christian. He came from a Christian background, his grandfather was an evangelist and his dad a pastor and after leaving home, Cooper fled Christianity. But he was drinking buddies with other famous rock stars of the day such as Jimmy Hendrix and Jim Morrison of the Doors both who died at …

Istanbul, Turkey Credit: Filip Knezic/Flickr/Creative Commons

New York Times tells remarkable story of how a Muslim Jihadist became a Christian

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At the end of March, New York Time’s journalist Patrick Kingsley wrote an unusual article  on the stunning conversion of a Muslim Jihadist to Christ. He stumbled upon the man while visiting a basement room filled with 22 Christian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey. Kingsley noted many had Muslim sounding names. Though Kingsley noted that it is not unusual for Muslims to convert to Christ as a ruse to claim asylum in other countries, there was one man, Bashir Mohammad, 25 who did not fit that narrative. He was a Christian, who wasn’t interested in asylum. It was also obvious he had a leading role with this group. As Kingsley talked with Bashir, he found out more about his story. At age 15, Bashir began listening to extremist preachers calling for violence. This led him to eventually join the Nusra Front, an off shoot of Al Qaeda, that was seeking to set up a Muslim Caliphate in Syria. Fighting with this group, Bashir witnessed prisoners being run over with bulldozers and another prisoner forced to drink …

Doubting Thomas by Caravaggio (1571 - 1610): Wikipedia

Proof of the resurrection

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Like today, the early church had its doubters and haters. After Christ rose from the dead the Jewish Sanhedrin purposefully spread rumors that it was all one big scam and the disciples had stolen Christ’s body from the tomb (Matthew 28:11-15). Year’s later this rumor still had legs and was widely circulated among the Jews. And at times, the Apostle Paul felt  a need to point at the evidence of the resurrection, listing the people (such as Peter, the 12 disciples) the crowds (many who were still alive) and others who saw the Lord after His death (1 Corinthians 15:1-11). But these eye-witness testimonies were not the primary evidence for the early church of Christ’s resurrection. They had something else. During the early days of the church they were under siege from the Jewish authorities and the believers asked for courage and power: 29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take …

Justin Bieber in Oslo, Norway, October 29, 2015 Photo: NRK P3/Flickr

Justin Bieber takes ‘Billboard’ reporter to church

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I have been following Canadian pop star Justin Bieber’s faith journey over the past few months.  I believe Justin’s faith journey is sincere, but it is filled with foibles, like wearing a a Marilyn Manson t-shirt to Hillsong worship conference in Australia earlier this year. But it is good for the church because we need to lighten up, not on sin, but on the persona that the church and its members are without sin and that somehow we have earned the right to cast the first stone when someone doesn’t immediately meet our expectations. The latest story about the mega rock star involves Justin’s interview with a reporter from Billboard. Justin, 21, actually convinces reporter Chris Martin to join him at church. The two end up at a service at the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California where Judah Smith was a guest speaker. Smith pastors The City Church in Seattle, Washington. Justin and the reporter sat in the front row. Though there were only about 400 people in attendance, one …