(Campaign Life Coalition) — In a recent article, I wrote about Bill C-9, the Liberal government’s proposed “speech control law” – a muzzling of Christian expression that Ebenezer Scrooge would be proud of. Since that time, there have been some significant developments that I want to share with you. The most important and encouraging news is the enormous groundswell of public outrage over this draconian proposal. Not only have we garnered nearly 5,000 signatures on our petition to stop Bill C-9, but many prominent politicians, public figures, as well as clergy and public-interest groups are voicing their opposition in the strongest of terms. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association along with dozens of other groups have called on the Liberals to reverse-course, cautioning that Bill C-9 “risks serious infringements on fundamental freedoms protected under both the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international law.” A multi-faith group of Christians, Jews, and Muslims has issued a joint statement declaring: “Bill C-9 is not a hate-crime bill. It is Canada’s most significant attempt in a generation to restrict protest and silence dissent. Bill C-9 does not protect the public from harm. It protects institutions from accountability, expands punitive policing, and criminalizes the democratic expression of communities across Canada.” The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has warned that Bill C-9 will marginalize traditional Christians, stating, “We urge the committee to reject any amendment proposed to remove the good faith religious belief defence.” The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has stated: “the proposed elimination of the ‘good faith’ religious-text defence raises significant concerns… creating uncertainty for faith communities, clergy, educators, and others who may fear that the expression of traditional moral or doctrinal teachings could be misinterpreted as hate speech and could subject the speaker to proceedings that threaten imprisonment of up to two years.” READ: Thousands of Canadians petition to stop Liberals from criminalizing quoting Scripture Andrew Lawton, MP for Elgin-St. Thomas-London South, a stalwart defender of free speech, rebuked the Liberals in their committee meeting on Bill C-9. He warned: “There are people who have said, ‘If the Liberals are going to criminalize quoting Scripture, they better start building new jails.’” He also added: “It appears that thought crime is the only crime the Liberals seem to want to penalize.” Unfortunately, Prime Minister Mark Carney and his radical Liberals have plugged their ears to the rising chorus of concern. On December 9th, despite unified Conservative opposition, the Liberals agreed with the secularist Bloc Quebecois to remove all “religious exemptions” in hate speech prosecutions if Bill C-9 passes. This means that Christians will no longer be able to claim a “good-faith” legal exemption for sharing the Word of God and expressing their sincerely-held beliefs. That will apply to pastors in churches, teachers in Christian schools, and ordinary believers sharing their Bible-based beliefs and values in any type of public setting or venue. This means that portions of the Bible could be censored or banned in public settings – including churches and schools – if deemed “hateful” by the police or by a judge. One of our supporters recently reached out to a Liberal Member of Parliament concerning Bill C-9. The response received has unwittingly revealed the inherent danger of Bill C-9. That response, written on behalf of MP Emma Harrison of Peterborough, states: “When a person’s actions cause another person to feel intimidated or unsafe simply because of who they are… that is when the act should be criminalized.” In other words, if an LGBT-identifying person merely “feels” that a Christian is intimidating him or her by sharing God’s Word about homosexuality or transgenderism, that person can report it as a hate crime, and the police will be obligated to investigate and lay charges under the terms of Bill C-9. This Scrooge-like type of “feelings-based” prosecution is what Liberals view as totally acceptable. It is vital that we stop Bill C-9 before it passes in Parliament, especially now that the “religious exemptions” have been removed.

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, December 23, 2025Political commentator Tucker Carlson speaks with podcast host Bryan Dawson during an episode of the "1819 Podcast" on Nov. 19, 2025. | Screenshot/YouTube/1819 PodcastA watchdog group declared that media personality Tucker Carlson is the 2025 "Antisemite of the Year," highlighting the political commentator’s false statements about Israel and platforming of individuals who are infamous for normalizing prejudice against Jews.StopAntisemitism, an organization founded in 2018 that says its mission is to expose groups or individuals that incite hatred towards Jews, declared Carlson as the winner in its annual poll. On its website, the group states that the “distinct dishonor is reserved for the most bigoted and hateful individual who is crowned the ‘Antisemite of the Year.’” The media personality won the “dishonor” over several other contenders, including the finalists, mixed martial arts fighter Bryce Mitchell and conspiracy theorist Stew Peters. During an interview earlier this year, Mitchell referred to Adolf Hitler as “a good guy” in addition to other remarks that downplayed the Holocaust, which he later apologized for after his comments received backlash. As for Peters, the internet personality shared a poll last December on X that gave users the option of choosing between the Holocaust, Santa and the North Pole, asking them: “Which fairytale is more [believable]?”According to a breakdown video explaining the reason Carlson was awarded such a distinction, the group says the former Fox News host turned independent podcaster uses “his platform of millions to normalize [antisemitism].” The watchdog group highlighted Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes, a far-right political commentator and provocateur known for spreading antisemitic rhetoric and lauding Hitler and Stalin. “[Carlson] has built a reputation for giving a platform to dangerous ideas, allowing guests to spread falsehoods and [antisemitic] narratives,” StopAntisemitism stated in the breakdown video.At one point during the interview with Fuentes, the media personality declared that he disliked Christian Zionists — Christians who support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State — “more than anyone,” declaring that their beliefs are “Christian heresy.”“[Carlson] has repeatedly amplified [antisemitic] narratives, normalizing prejudice and feeding extremists with familiar, damaging tropes,” StopAntisemitism declared in the video, highlighting a clip of Carlson’s speech during the September memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona.StopAntisemitism and several conservative commentators, including Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro, noted that Carlson described the murder of Jesus Christ in a way that sounded as if he meant to imply the Jews or Israel played a role in Kirk’s assassination.Speaking on Thursday at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest Conference, Shapiro denounced Carlson for platforming figures like Fuentes, saying that hosts are responsible for the guests they invite on their shows. During the speech, Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew, warned attendees about several strategies influencers who claim to hold conservative values use to manipulate their audiences and spread conspiracy theories.“There is a reason that Charlie Kirk despised Nick Fuentes and indeed, even chided Dinesh D'Souza for debating him,” the Daily Wire host stated. “He knew that Nick Fuentes is an evil troll and that building him up is an act of moral imbecility. And that is precisely what Tucker Carlson did.”Shapiro also called out former Daily Wire employee Candace Owens during his speech at the AmericaFest Conference. StopAntisemitism previously crowned Owens as the 2024 "Antisemite of the Year," highlighting the political pundit’s remarks about the Holocaust, Israel and the Jewish community.In a social media post at the time, StopAntisemitism reported that Owens won the award via a poll with over 30,000 votes. Other contenders for the award included environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Twitch streamer Hasan Piker."Once celebrated for her unapologetic takes that catapulted her into the conservative spotlight, Owens was given platforms by prominent Jewish conservatives like Dennis Prager and Ben Shapiro," the group stated."But after Hamas' October 7th massacre, she revealed her shocking antisemitism, leading to her departure from Shapiro's Daily Wire and condemnation from PragerU."

It was a few weeks before Christmas Eve, when my wife, children, and I began placing our family’s manger scene in the den. We unwrapped the fragile figurines from their box: wise men, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and various animals. Yet the most important person, baby Jesus, was nowhere to be found. We searched through crumpled piles of newspaper, crates marked, “Christmas,” and corners of the attic. The centerpiece of the wonder and miracle of Christmas, Jesus, was missing! In my discouragement, it gave me pause to consider, “Is Jesus missing from my heart at Christmas?” Is He nowhere to be found as I busy myself with distractions of the season? Buying presents, decorating the front of our home with lights, the inside with stockings, and running to parties. These are appropriate activities for the Christmas season, yet all are insignificant compared to reflecting on Jesus entering our world to rescue us with the love of God.   Not only do we focus on distractions during the holiday season, for some Christmas is far from “comfort and joy.” As families gather, there is often tension in strained relationships. For others, financial stress means children will not receive presents under the tree. The reality is, many people feel sadness during the holidays, as they reflect upon precious family they have lost over the years. If we lose sight of Jesus, if He is “missing” from our Christmas, the cares of this world will overwhelm us, and His birth will become an afterthought on Christmas morning, instead of being of utmost importance. The wise men joyfully worshipped and presented Jesus with gifts. The shepherds spread the good news they had seen. Mary, simply and profoundly, “treasured these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 NIV). To this day, I have not found the baby Jesus figure. We have other manger scenes displayed containing all the pieces—most importantly, Jesus. Each time I look inside that manger without Jesus at the center, it causes me to ask myself, “Is Jesus missing from my heart this Christmas?” It’s a powerful reminder of who it is we celebrate. If, like me, you’ve realized you often lose sight of celebrating Immanuel… “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), do not feel condemnation. In fact, rejoice that our heavenly Father is bringing you a gift this Christmas! As if His very Son was not enough those many centuries ago, the Lord is now stirring your heart with renewed appreciation for the majesty of Jesus, and you’re ready to receive His love with greater humility and wonder. Jesus still stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20). He is doing that today, drawing you ever closer. What a beautiful gift for us to receive.    ~ Scripture is quoted from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

My face was flushed and sticky with fresh tears. The last 48 hours were a blur, but one thing was for sure. There was no way I could get through this without the Lord. I lay in bed trying to sleep, but was plagued with nightmares of the previous two days. My husband’s death had been sudden; he was gone in an instant. I struggled to catch my breath, desperately wanting it all to have been a dream. But in those moments of despair, I cried out to the Lord with fresh tears streaming down my face. “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but I know there is no way I can make it without You. Please help me.” When the tears slowed, I finally fell asleep, and for a moment, there was peace. When we go through the most difficult seasons in life, we tend to want to turn away from everyone and hide our genuine emotions. We want to pretend we are okay because vulnerability is uncomfortable. However, the truth is that vulnerability often unlocks the door to healing. Being vulnerable with the Lord is usually what we need to grasp faith in the midst of the storm. Nahum 1:7 (NLT) says, The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.  In the arms of our heavenly Father is the safest place to be, especially when our hearts are broken. God is a strong refuge in the midst of life’s storms. He often doesn’t take the storm away entirely, but He provides solace and rest while the storm rages around us.  Psalm 62:8 says, O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Think of it this way: When you go for a walk and forget your umbrella and it starts to pour down rain, you pick up your pace and try to reach home as quickly as possible because you know there is a set of dry clothes, warmth, and even a nice hot beverage waiting for you. In life’s storms, we have a choice to run to the Lord to seek refuge or stand there in the middle of the storm and let it overtake us. Storms are, by nature, unavoidable. Our goal is not to avoid the storm, but instead to seek refuge in the midst of it. Consider Psalm 91:4: He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Not only can we find refuge and rest in who He is, but his faithfulness and His promises equip, protect, and steady our feet during life’s storms. The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10) But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) The disciples were in a boat in the middle of a storm. When Jesus approached them, walking on the water, they were afraid. I can imagine they were panicking and didn’t know what to do. They were likely overwhelmed. Have you felt like that? I know I have. Jesus spoke to them at once, saying, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here.” (See Matthew 14:24-27) That is what I want to say to you today, friends. No matter the storm you are walking through, you can find refuge in Jesus. Don’t be afraid. Take courage. He is here. ~ Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.  

(LifeSiteNews) — One of the world’s leading organic chemists explained to Tucker Carlson in a recent interview why the theory of evolution is unsupported, in contradiction to the supposed consensus of the scientific establishment. James Tour, who was born into a secular Jewish family and converted to Christianity, has had a stellar career as a chemistry and nanotechnology researcher and has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world’s most influential scientists. He pointed out that most public critics of evolution do not have his knowledge of biochemistry, which allows him to critique evolutionary theory from its foundation. Tour explained that while scientists have observed what can be called “micro-evolution” changes, such as changes to bacteria that make them more resistant to antibiotics, body plan changes in organisms have never been observed. An example of a body plan change would be an “invertebrate, something that does not have a spine,” changing into an organism with a spine, said Tour. “That never happens.” In order for body plans to change, there must be changes in genetic networks, he noted. One of the biggest holes in evolutionary theory he highlighted is the fact that, while people will “point to fossils of one creature as a precursor to another creature,” fossils of the intermediate “transformative” organisms are never seen. Instead of intermediate fossil records, we see the Cambrian explosion, which scientists describe as the sudden emergence of a massive array of complex life. “They just appeared, as if God spoke it into existence. As if God said, ‘let these kind form.’ There is an explosion,” Tour said. “But doesn’t that kind of blow up the theory right there? Because if evolution was real, you would see a gradual ramp-up from a single cell,” said Carlson. Tour affirmed that there has been no such observed gradual evolution. He also earlier pointed out that no satisfactory biochemical explanation of evolution has been presented. In fact, human beings have not even been able to create any of the four polymer components of life, which include lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, using a prebiotic root. In other words, no one has been able to assemble any of these molecules using the “chemicals and techniques that would have been available on earth before life.” “We don’t even know how to make the basic building blocks of the building blocks that make us,” said Tour. That includes a living cell.  Carlson then questioned why those who deny evolution are treated as if they’ve “committed a moral crime.” The theory is already very deeply ingrained into published literature, including the educational system, noted Tour. “Textbooks are built around this. This is all people know,” he said, adding that it frightens people to question evolution. Tour shared that, remarkably, he has had people from two different federal agencies stop by his office – ”because they did not even want to put this in an email to me” – to tell him that he can “stop writing proposals” because they are never going to get funded. “I even had a proposal that got a very high score. And I called the program director and said ‘What happened?’” According to Tour, even the director was surprised. Apparently, someone above him had axed the proposal. “Because you had questioned the orthodoxy on evolution?” asked Carlson. “Correct,” said Tour. He went on to explain exactly what it was that marked him as an evolutionary “heretic.” Around the year 2000, he received via email a request to sign a statement that said, “We view random mutation and natural selection as being inadequate to explain the diversity of life. Therefore, further research is warranted.” It was carefully worded, he pointed out. Later in 2005, he began to ask about why he had not yet been admitted into the National Academy of Science, given his exceptional scientific work.   “And they told me, ‘Jim, you’re not going to get into the National Academy of Science because you signed that statement.’” “I said, what are you talking about? That statement? I got this in an email,” recounted Tour. “I said, “I’ve done as much as anybody getting into the Academy.’” He said a Nobel Prize winner replied to him, “No Jim, you’ve done twice as much. And you’re still not getting in.” Tour said the fellow scientists he spoke to “didn’t even know what it said.” When he showed them the statement, they admitted it was “carefully crafted,” but countered that the statement has “been used to try to get Creationism into schools.” “There’s a big story here,” remarked Carlson. “Because we can judge the importance of something by the reaction to it.” “It may be that if macroevolution is not the explanation for what we’re seeing, then there must be a Creator. It points to God. Maybe that’s the problem,” he observed. Tour affirmed, “I think that may be the big problem.” To support Carlson’ conclusion, he pointed to the considerable number of people who have written to him sharing that they abandoned their faith because of the evolutionary theory they had learned in high school and college, and after seeing Tour’s content, realize that “these guys don’t have it figured out.” “I’ve had a lot of people say they’ve seen what I have to say and they’re coming back to the faith,” said Tour.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. - 1 Corinthians 16:13

Monday, December 22, 2025 We’ve got exciting news! Phil Wickham is officially joining the RiseFest 2026 lineup. With worship anthems like Living Hope, This Is Amazing Grace, and Battle Belongs, Phil has helped shape the soundtrack of the Church. His songs are sung around the world, pointing hearts back to the hope we have in Jesus. We can’t wait to welcome him to the RiseFest stage next summer. Phil Wickham will be joining Josiah Queen, Ben Fuller, and more for an unforgettable weekend of worship, encouragement, and community. Early Bird tickets are available now, making it the perfect time to plan ahead and grab tickets before prices increase. GET TICKETS 

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — The Diocese of Charlotte under Bishop Michael Martin, OFM, plans to add an extra “pastoral year” to its seminary formation that will require seminarians to work in Catholic schools full-time while largely living as ordinary laymen, beginning the next academic year. The changes to priestly formation, announced in a December 15 email memo obtained by The Pillar, will require seminarians to spend an additional “pastoral year” in between their required philosophy and theological studies, teaching full-time at local middle or high schools, purportedly to experience the daily challenges of the lay faithful they hope to shepherd as clerics. During this “pastoral year,” each seminarian will have a “lay mentor” and receive full pay and benefits, but they will be required to pay bills out of their teaching salary, apparently in addition to paying for an extra year of tuition, and they won’t be permitted to wear clerical garments. The changes to seminary formation are just the latest changes made to the diocese by Martin who has heavily restricted the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and even banned the use of communion rails for Novus Ordo Masses. READ: Charlotte bishop officially bans altar rails for Communion as of January 16 This pastoral year will be an opportunity for those seminarians “who have little working experience to take on the demands of a full-time job, paying bills, and learning how to manage the elements of daily life that the people in our parishes have to balance all the time,” the memo said. The memo added that the goal of this pastoral year is to allow “sustained and substantial time in pastoral ministry in a way that the assignments given by our seminaries simply cannot provide.” Clergy in the Diocese of Charlotte CALL OUT Bishop Martin’s new seminary formation rules. pic.twitter.com/BoybENFiHl — Sign of the Cross (@CatholicSOTC) December 22, 2025 One anonymous diocesan priest told The Pillar the additional pastoral year is “bizarre.” “(The program is) adding another year to the (seminary) formation for something that doesn’t seem to be directly applicable to priestly life and ministry,” he said. Some faithful have also noted concerns that these men are likely unqualified to teach before they begin their theology studies. Some comments abt the Pillar’s Charlotte seminary report say “men with 4 years of theology study should be able to handle teaching HS,” but this is incorrect. The plan is for them to teach BEFORE studying theology. They will have taken max 2 years of philosophy, some less. pic.twitter.com/ih3JuusV2b — Christopher Anadale (@ChrisAnadale) December 21, 2025 The Diocese of Charlotte did not respond to LifeSite’s multiple requests for comment on the new seminary requirements by publication time. The seminary changes are just the latest changes Martin has made since being installed as the bishop of Charlotte in 2024. Earlier this year, Martin set off a firestorm of controversy when he merged the diocese’s four Latin Masses to just one small Little Flower chapel 40 miles from downtown Charlotte, which purposely cannot accommodate all the faithful who wish to attend the TLM. READ: Faithful pack Charlotte Latin Mass on first Sunday since restrictions took effect Within the last week, Martin officially ordered that all altar rails and kneelers no longer be used for the reception of Holy Communion at all Novus Ordo Masses by January 16, 2026. He also ordered churches to remove all “temporary or movable fixtures used for kneeling” for Holy Communion. As The Liturgy Guy pointed out, the Diocese of Charlotte inherited from Martin’s predecessor, Bishop Peter Jugis, a relatively high number of vocations to the priesthood, suggesting this may be related to the prevalent use of altar rails within the diocese. Of the diocese’s current seminarians, “75% of those young men come from parishes where the use of altar rails or communion kneelers has been the norm,” the Liturgy Guy noted, pointing to the study that shows reverent Eucharistic practices increase belief in the Real Presence. The high number of seminarians could also have been attributed to Jugis’s previous seminary program.

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Monday, December 22, 2025Pastor Douglas Wilson speaks about the various Christian schools of thought regarding modern Israel during a panel at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, on Dec. 20, 2025. | Screenshot/YouTube/Real America's VoiceThe Rev. Douglas Wilson, who serves as senior pastor at Christ Church (CREC) in Moscow, Idaho, rebuked conservative podcaster Candace Owens during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, last week, and explained the various Christian schools of thought regarding modern Israel.Speaking during a half-hour panel with TheBlaze host Steve Deace that was moderated by Dr. James Orr, a British theologian, Wilson also condemned antisemitism among Christians, which he defined as "Jew hate" and an example of sinful "backsliding." But he also noted that being critical of the Israeli government is not necessarily antisemitic, nor is urging Jews to believe in Jesus Christ."I don't like using the term 'antisemitism' when I can help it, because like the term 'racism,' it has been greatly devalued through numerous misapplications," Wilson said. "It is not antisemitism to disagree with [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu. It is not antisemitism for Christians to want Jews to believe in Christ. It is not antisemitism to differ with Israeli policies in the West Bank."Wilson said that antisemitism instead often emerges "in the way in which such things are held and argued.""Actual antisemitism, or what I prefer to call 'Jew hate,' is what happens in my Twitter feed anytime I mention Israel. Jew hate is October 7 [2023 terror attack]. Jew hate is Bondi Beach. It is the belief that Jews are uniquely malevolent force for evil in the world, and that this fact justifies a one-size-fits-all negative response to anything related to them," he said.Professing Christians who are "backsliding into Jew hate" out of alleged anger toward Jews for rejecting the Gospel, Wilson argued, are themselves disobeying Jesus and likely serving only to harden hearts further."Jews are the enemy, it is thought, but Jesus commanded His followers to love their enemies, which you are manifestly not doing," he said of such Christians. "So why should Jews listen to Jesus if you don't?"In a hypothetical argument he later claimed was intended as a "reductio [ad absurdum]" to illustrate how Owens draws conclusions, Wilson floated the theory that the Israeli Defense Forces conducted its famous two-day attack against the USS Liberty in 1967 because the CIA under former President Lyndon B. Johnson was playing both sides in the Six-Day War.Wilson contrasted legitimate debate about Israel as it relates to foreign policy with unsubstantiated conspiracy theories such as those floated by Owens, who has suggested Charlie Kirk's assassination could have involved the Israeli government or an internal TPUSA plot, among other possibilities."Debates about whether the organizers of this conference were complicit in the murder of Charlie are in another category entirely, a category best described as demented or unhinged," Wilson said to applause."If passive aggressive gaslighting insolence had a basketball team, it is long since time to retire Candace's jersey. Those assertions are not in the same universe at all, and so the latter one must never be allowed to hide under the former."Wilson, who is Reformed in his theology and adheres to a postmillennial eschatology, also took time "to lay out some basic definitions" regarding different historical Christian views regarding Israel.Noting that Zionism as a Jewish movement largely emerged during the 19th century among both observant and non-observant Jews who wished to return to their ancestral homeland, Wilson went on to define "Christian Zionists" as "Christians, usually dispensationalists, who believe that the reestablishment of Israel in 1948 was the fulfillment of prophecy, and that Jews have a divine mandate to hold the land.""De facto Zionists," Wilson explained, "are those who don't believe that the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 has anything to do with it, but who recognize that almost 8 million Jews are there now with the same right to defend their territory that any other country would have."He likened such a practical view to his own situation of living in Idaho, despite not believing in the doctrine of Manifest Destiny that drove American westward expansion and made his state possible.Wilson also delineated the differences between various subsets of "replacement theology" or "supersessionism," which the Encyclopedia Britannica defines as the belief that "Christians have replaced the Jewish people as the chosen people of God or as the heirs of the divine-human covenant described in the Hebrew Bible."Wilson defined it as "the view that the Church is Israel now, and it's the lawful heir of all the covenant blessings promised in the Old Testament. This is the view that in Romans 11, the Apostle Paul described the one olive tree as straddling both eras: Old Testament and New.""This is the view of most Reformed or covenantal theologians, and it is the view that I hold," he said.He noted a distinction between "hard supersessionism" — which believes "today's ethnic Jews are now entirely outside God's covenantal dealings, and are just one more tribe living alongside the Japanese, the Swedes and the Navajo" — and "soft supersessionism," which he said "is the idea that although unbelieving Jews were cut out of the olive tree because of their unbelief, Paul prophesied that they would be grafted back in again, which would be a great spiritual blessing to the entire world."Wilson said he is among the latter group of supersessionists.Calvin Robinson, a British-born Catholic cleric who attended AmFest, noted that the panel with Wilson and Deace was the only debate about Israel to feature at the conference, which was marked by fierce infighting over the issue among prominent conservative voices such as Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Steve Bannon, and others.Robinson suggested in an X post that the fractures within TPUSA and among conservatives generally indicate simmering generational tensions over the post-WWII consensus regarding Israel."Where the old hats can see Jews as especially persecuted because of WWII, Gen Z tend to see that as giving one particular group special treatment, in a world where so many are persecuted. That is before you even get into the Christian Zionist vs. Supersessionism debate on faith," he wrote.

JERUSALEM, Israel – A unique prayer gathering is drawing believers from Capitol Hill to humble themselves and pray for their nation in the heart of the Holy City. CBN News looked into what is fueling this movement and why it's being held in Jerusalem. Isaiah 56 declares that Jerusalem will become a house of prayer for all nations, and that vision is already taking shape. Rick Ridings of the Succat Hallel prayer house in Jerusalem told CBN News, "The group from Washington, DC, is primarily from something called David's Tent. And this is a huge tent that has been actually on the mall in Washington, DC, for ten years of day and night, night and day, prayer and worship, which is absolutely phenomenal how that could happen through even COVID, through administration changes." From Washington to Jerusalem, prayer leaders from David's Tent ministry have come all the way here to pray for the United States. Jason Hershey from David's Tent explained, "So, we're coming from the United States, coming to, essentially, the throne of Jesus prophetically, and we're bringing our spiritual offerings, our worship, even all that we did in Washington, DC, sort of in our hearts." He continued, "We're bringing it here to Jerusalem to pour it out on the feet of Jesus from this location. So, we feel like we're fulfilling Scripture in Zechariah 8:22, just being a strong nation, humbling ourselves, coming into Jerusalem to seek God's favor from this place. We decided to (pray) 50 hours, basically one hour for each state in the United States." David's Tent leaders believe that part of their mission now includes equipping the next generation to embrace prayer and a posture of gratitude. Hershey recalled, "But then this study came out from George Barna of what God's doing in Gen Z, the youth and young adults of America, and sort of this overwhelming thing happened in my heart where I was just like, 'God, how do we keep You moving in this country? Thank You that You are moving.' And I just felt like you said, 'Gratitude. Just be thankful. Keep giving me all the credit for what I'm doing, and I'll keep moving,'" Grace Dylan, from David's Tent, is praying for her home state. She noted, "I'm standing in the gap for my state, and I'm so excited, because, North Carolina, I'm going to pray. And I'm really excited because I'm basically going to live at Succat Hallel for the 50 hours." The city of Jerusalem itself has become central to their spiritual journey. Bronwyn Sanders,j also from David's Tent, told us, "Honestly, it means just like the whole Kingdom of God is here and I just feel the presence of the Lord, because he walked here." Yet, leaders at Jerusalem-based Succat Hallel contend that the conflict surrounding Jerusalem goes far deeper than politics or borders. Ridings pointed out, "This is the only place where the Bible says His feet, His governmental feet from His throne, touch the earth. So this is the center of the world governmentally." He added, "And what it is ultimately is the battle for Jerusalem, a spiritual battle in Jerusalem. It's the spiritual battle for the Temple Mount. And on the Temple Mount, it's a spiritual battle for who will be worshiped there." U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee believes that praying from Jerusalem is the ultimate location to battle for the United States. "This is a city of prayer," he declared, "But it was in Gethsemane that when Jesus went to pray with his disciples, he prayed the prayer so intensely that the scripture says that sweat dripped from his brow as drops of blood. And while he was filled with the intensity of knowing what was before HIm, His disciples went to sleep." Huckabee continued, "What they didn't understand was that this was not just a time to go and have a prayer. This was a time when the battle for their very souls was being fought, and they didn't know it. And from that moment of complete surrender and abandonment in prayer, our eternity was secured. During 50 hours of prayer that people will pray here for the various states, and for the forever prayer that goes on on the Capitol Mall, which is in itself an amazing thing, but God is answering prayer. Even in Washington." The ambassador concluded, "We come from the solid, stand-on-our-feet, absolute knowledge and convictions, that we're not looking toward the victory. We are working from a victory, and it was won right over there in that garden 2000 years ago."

(LifeSiteNews) — The Lord is now nigh; come, let us adore. From the Prophet Isaias 41:8-16: But thou Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend: in whom I have taken thee from the ends of the earth, and from the remote parts thereof have called thee, and said to thee: Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and have not cast thee away. Fear not, for I am with thee: turn not aside, for I am thy God: I have strengthened thee, and have helped thee, and the right hand of my just one hath upheld thee. Behold all that fight against thee shall be confounded and ashamed, they shall be as nothing, and the men shall perish that strive against thee. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find the men that resist thee: they shall be as nothing: and as a thing consumed the men that war against thee. For I am the Lord thy God, who take thee by the hand, and say to thee: Fear not, I have helped thee. Fear not, thou worm of Jacob, you that are dead of Israel: I have helped thee, saith the Lord: and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel. I have made thee as a new thrashing wain, with teeth like a saw: thou shall thrash the mountains, and break them in pieces: and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, in the Holy One of Israel thou shalt be joyful. It is thus thou raisest us up from our abject lowliness, O Eternal Son of the Father! It is thus thou consolest us under the fear we so justly feel by reason of our sins. Thou sayest to us: Israel, my servant! Jacob, whom I have chosen! seed of Abraham, in whom I have called thee from the remote parts of the earth! fear not, for I am with thee. But O divine Word, how low thou hast had to come, that thou mightest be thus with us! We could never have come to thee, for between us and thee there was fixed an immense chaos. Nay, we had not so much as the desire to see thee, so dull of heart had sin made us; and had we desired it, our eyes could never have borne the splendor of thy majesty. Then it was that thou didst descend to us in person, yet so that our weakness could look fixedly upon thee, because veiled under the cloud of thy humanity. “Who could doubt,” says St. Bernard, (First Sermon of Advent) “of there being some great cause pending, seeing that so great a majesty deigned to come down, from so far off, into so unworthy a place? Oh yes, there is some great thing at stake, for the mercy is great, and the commiseration is extreme, and the charity is abundant. And why, think you, did he come? He came from the mountain to seek the hundredth sheep that was lost. O wonderful condescension, a God seeking! O wonderful worth of man, that he should be sought by God! If man should therefore boast, he is surely not unwise; for he boasts not for aught that he sees in himself as of himself, but for his very maker making such account of him. All the riches and all the glory of the world, and all that men covet in it, all is less than this glory, nay, is nothing, when compared to it. “What is man, O Lord, that thou shouldst magnify him? or why dost thou set thy Heart upon him?” (Job 7:17) Delay not, then, Good Shepherd! show thyself to thy sheep. Thou knowest them; not only hast thou seen them from heaven, thou also lookest on them with love, from the womb of Mary where thou still art concealed. They also wish to know Thee; they are impatient to behold thy divine features, to hear thy voice, and to follow thee to the pastures thou hast promised them. HYMN FOR THE TIME OF ADVENT (Composed by St. Ambrose. It is in the Ambrosian Breviary, for the Sixth Sunday Advent) It is a Mystery of the Church, it is a Hymn that we sing to Christ, the Word of the Father, become the Son of a Virgin. Among women, thou alone, O Mary! wast chosen in this world, and wast made worthy to carry in thy holy womb Him who was thy Lord. This is a great mystery, that is given to Mary: that she should see the God, who created all things, become her own child! How truly art thou full of grace, ever glorious Virgin! for of thee is born the Christ, by whom all things were made. Come then, ye people, let us pray to the Virgin Mother of God, that she would obtain for us peace and indulgent mercy. Glory be to thee, O Lord, who was born of the Virgin! and to the Father and the Holy Ghost, for everlasting ages. Amen. PRAYER FROM THE AMBROSIAN MISSAL (In the Mass of the Fifth Sunday of Advent) O God, who, seeing man fallen a prey to death, didst resolve to redeem him by the Coming of thine Only Begotten Son; grant, we beseech thee, that they who confess his glorious Resurrection, may deserve to be forever with their Redeemer. Who with thee, liveth and reigneth forever. Amen. This text is taken from The Liturgical Year, authored by Dom Prosper Guéranger (1841-1875). LifeSiteNews is grateful to The Ecu-Men website for making this classic work easily available online.

(Fr. James Altman) — Dear family, the following is 100% true – staggeringly true – every word. So I’m sharing a Christmas story from my church bulletin, a story of unimaginable grace from a few years ago, long before X and Substack, when all I ever posted was in that bulletin: Imagine serving as a minister of God’s grace for a 21 year-old child of God, bringing faith and hope and love into her life for several years, holding her hand, trying to lift her up from a life of hell no one even could imagine – including a mother suffering from debilitating mental illness and an aunt who “pimped” her out as a young teen in order to support her own addiction. Imagine being a human “guardian angel” who brought this broken child from the edge, even allowing her to live for a time in your family home while she turned her life around. Imagine celebrating her baptism, and the baptism of her own little girl. Then imagine serving at that 21-year-old’s funeral, because she just died of a drug overdose given to her by a man twice her age – just so he could have his way with her. Now imagine boarding a night train two days later for a 24-hour “get-away” – a time for quietude, solace, your own personal healing. Imagine that the train is fully booked, so you intentionally search out a seat next to someone with whom you know you most definitely will not have to speak a single word for the four-hour ride. Imagine it’s a young man wearing ripped jeans, a hoodie, the total package. Nothing in common. No worries about having him start up a conversation. Imagine needing a cup of coffee. Imagine returning and having the young man look up and ask a simple question: how is the food back there? And then – could it be true – the Holy Spirit telling you, in no uncertain terms – “speak to this young man.” Imagine beginning with the most innocuous possible words: “So where are you heading?”, because you are certainly not going to launch into a theological conversation, and were certain the issue of faith was the last thing that would come up. Then imagine him opening his mouth and saying he was going to St. Louis, to an uncle’s house who he never had met, because his mother had died of an overdose when he was 12, and his dad took off with a girlfriend leaving him and his brother to fend for themselves, and that he himself had just had a break up with his girlfriend and had no place to live so he had to board a train to St. Louis. And imagine you knew that God only knew how that would all turn out. Which is exactly why, at that moment, you realize that it did not matter how tired you were, how hurting you were, how longing for respite you yourself were – you had no choice but to realize that Our Father loves this child so much that He placed you in the seat next to him and needed you to make the Light of Christ present to him, right there, right then. And then imagine words of love pouring out from nowhere, recounting to this broken boy all that you had just been through, sharing with him the brokenness and woundedness of others, and how only Our Father could love him and heal him back to wholeness. And then understand that this actually happened, exactly as it is written, because that is just how broken is the world, and pretty much how broken is everyone in it, and how much Our Father needs each one of us to step up to the plate and bring the Light of Christ to His broken children, if only we were willing. Dear family, the Truth of the coming of Christ, for which we are preparing this sacred season of Advent, is that He came to carry His cross, in order to show us how to carry our crosses so that we can, in our turn, help others carry theirs. I do not know how heavy are your crosses, nor how many times you have fallen under their weight. But I do know that Jesus did not come so we could celebrate Christmas once a year, but that we could celebrate His dying and rising to new life every other day of the year, and that we do that best when we share that Truth with others … even if it means doing so … on a train, at night, in the depths of our own hurt, when it feels like we ourselves have fallen under the weight of our crosses. Dear family, if you really want to give a gift to anyone this Christmas, start by saying, “Speak, Lord, I’m listening,” and then really listen to Him … and hear Him say, in so many words, “Give the gift of the Light of Christ … to that boy on the train.” God bless you all this sacred season, in nomine Patris + et Filii + et Spiritus Sancti + Amen. Reprinted with permission from Fr. James Altman.

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Monday, December 22, 2025Pastor Ron Smith. | Screenshot/News Action 5A Tennessee pastor who reportedly shut down his church, seized control of the congregation’s cash and real estate, then took up another preaching job in a different town has agreed to return control of the church’s assets to the congregation following pushback from members.Members of the congregation formerly known as Connect Church in Halls told WMC Action News 5 that their former pastor, Ron Smith, informed them on Nov. 9 that the church would close immediately due to low membership and poor cash flow. “I’ve been in ministry 52 years. I have never in 52 years been through this. I’ve never had a church quit tithing,” Smith said in a recording of the Nov. 9 announcement, cited by WMC. “The church in its present condition cannot sustain itself.”The independent non-denominational church has been registered as a nonprofit since 1999, but has undergone multiple name and leadership changes over the years. In 2020, when Smith became the church’s pastor, he changed the name to Connect Church.Even though congregants had voted to keep the church open prior to Smith making his Nov. 9 announcement, he told them that the vote wasn’t legally binding because he did not approve the meeting when the vote was held.“This little vote you had today was not called by me or approved by me. So, this little vote is null and void,” Smith told congregants in a recording.He further stated that if they wanted to continue worshiping in their church building, they would have to meet in the building under a new name and pay rent to the Connect Church Corporation, where he sits as president and his wife, Donna, serves as secretary.“Now, if you want to get together and you want to have a church in this building, then you’re welcome to create a new church and rent this property,” Smith insisted.Members, like Regina Nash, told the news outlet that the congregation owned the building.“There is no rent on this building,” she said.After announcing the closure, Smith reportedly changed the nonprofit's address, establishing the church at an address in Atoka, Tennessee, and replaced all board members with new ones.Police in Halls told WMC that an investigation and found that Smith and his wife did not break any laws but made themselves the sole signees on the church’s bank account after removing church secretary Anita Cates.Cates challenged Smith’s claim that the church did not have enough funds to operate, noting that the congregation had about $13,000 in the bank and property valued at about $400,000.“We own two other buildings right beside … and a property on the bypass, which could have been sold to help compensate if we did get too low,” Cates said, challenging Smith’s claim of not having sufficient funds to keep the church open.Smith pledged to return control of the church’s assets following a meeting with a mediator; however, Smith would not tell WMC when he would relinquish control of the building and bank account.The church is now open again under a new name — Real Life Community Church.

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, December 22, 2025 Valentin KarischArizona city officials allegedly threatened a resident with arrest after he and a group of friends attempted to share their Christian beliefs during a Christmas festival, which the First Liberty Institute says infringed on the man’s right to religious expression. First Liberty Institute, a legal organization dedicated to defending religious freedom, sent a letter last week to the City of Tucson, accusing officials of restricting resident David Hoffman’s religious speech at the annual Winterhaven Festival of Lights. In the letter, the organization threatened legal action if it did not receive a response by Friday.  “The City of Tucson is unlawfully suppressing Mr. Hoffman’s speech by removing his religious expression from public property and separating his speech from fellow attendees by placing a barricade between them,” Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said in a statement provided to The Christian Post.“The city isolates religious speech for censorship. It’s unconstitutional. Like any other kind of speech, religious speech is protected under the First Amendment,” Kellum added.The City of Tucson and the city’s attorney did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment.On Dec. 13, Hoffman and his friends visited the Winterhaven neighborhood during the festival, which runs from Dec. 13 through Dec. 27. As the letter noted, the event is free and open to the public, and Hoffman’s group wanted to attend and share their Christian faith with attendees.“The festival of lights is an annual holiday event occurring on the public streets, sidewalks, and rights-of-way of the historic Winterhaven neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona,” the document said about the event.“Each year, the general public is invited to walk through the public ways that wind through the neighborhood to take in and enjoy light displays, food and drink supplied by local vendors.”Hoffman and his friends were not selling items or asking for donations, nor did they obstruct the public walkway, according to First Liberty Institute’s letter. “Yet, after conducting this religious activity for a short while, City police officers approached Hoffman’s group and warned them to halt their expression, citing the festival’s solicitation policy as basis,” the document stated. “This solicitation policy, enforced by the City, prohibits all 'political, religious, or commercial materials or messaging.’”The police officers reportedly told Hoffman’s group that their religious messaging was relegated to a small space outside of the festival footprint, a free speech zone titled “Designated Space for Peaceful Messaging and Literature Distribution.” Officers also threatened Hoffman with arrest and a trespass charge if he failed to comply, according to the letter. “Fearing arrest, Hoffman and his group forsook their speech inside the festival. But they wish to resume sharing their faith for the remainder of this year’s festival, and all future Winterhaven Festivals,” First Liberty Institute explained in its letter to city officials. “Through counsel and this letter, they hope to resolve this conflict without resorting to litigation.” The legal organization argued that Hoffman’s “evangelistic speech, literature distribution and oral expression” are protected under the First Amendment, and that the presence of a festival doesn’t alter the streets' status as “traditional public fora.”Furthermore, First Liberty Institute claimed that the city’s treatment of Hoffman violated his rights under Arizona’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The act prohibits government entities from “substantially burden[ing] a person’s exercise of religion,” unless an agency demonstrates a compelling governmental interest and uses “the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”To resolve the situation, the legal group requested that the City of Tucson provide Hoffman with written assurance that it will no longer “banish religious speech to a speech zone within the City’s public rights-of-way” during the remainder of the Winterhaven Festival, as well as any future festivals. 

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Monday, December 22, 2025The U.S. has signed a $5.1 billion health agreement with Nigeria to enhance faith-based healthcare.Funding will support over 900 Christian health facilities serving more than 30% of Nigeria's population.The agreement aims to protect vulnerable Christian communities amid rising violence in Nigeria.An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor.People gather outside a tent in one of the IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps in Pulka, Nigeria, on August 1, 2018. -(Photo by Stefan HEUNIS / AFP) (Photo credit should read STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP via Getty Images) | Stefan Heunis/AFP via Getty ImagesThe United States has signed a $5.1 billion, five-year bilateral health agreement with Nigeria, directing substantial new funding toward Christian faith-based healthcare providers to expand health services and protect vulnerable Christian populations.The move marks a new phase in U.S.-Nigeria cooperation under the America First Global Health Strategy. The memorandum of understanding, formalized over the weekend, commits nearly $2.1 billion from the U.S. government toward prevention and treatment of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, polio and maternal and child health, according to the U.S. State Department.Nigeria has pledged an accompanying $3 billion in domestic health investment over the same period, the largest co-investment made by any nation under the strategy to date.Of the U.S. funding, around $200 million will go to more than 900 Christian health facilities operating across Nigeria. These clinics and hospitals serve over 30% of the population, despite representing just 10% of healthcare providers, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said in a statement.The agreement ties U.S. support to recent Nigerian government reforms aimed at protecting Christian populations from targeted violence. It includes provisions to expand integrated services for infectious diseases and maternal and child care at Christian-run facilities.Northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, with many states enforcing Sharia law alongside federal law, and religious police like the Hisbah regulating public morality. The south is largely Christian, with no religious law and a strong presence of churches and Evangelical movements. This divide influences politics, education and social life, while the central Middle Belt region remains religiously mixed and often experiences violent clashes rooted in both faith and ethnicity.Tens of thousands of Nigerian Christians have been killed in the last decade, while many others have been displaced amid the rise of Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the northeast and the increase of attacks carried out by radicalized Fulani militias against predominantly Christian communities in the Middle Belt states.The global Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors has warned in recent years that more Christians are killed in Nigeria for their faith annually than in all other countries.The State Department said these investments are designed to complement public-sector efforts and strengthen Nigeria’s overall health infrastructure.The MOU was signed in the context of a larger U.S. push to recalibrate global health assistance toward bilateral cooperation models.Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the agreement is part of a new strategy that seeks increased financial participation from partner nations and a stronger focus on healthcare system resilience.Nigeria’s maternal and child health indicators remain among the worst globally, with the country accounting for 30% of the worldwide malaria burden.The State Department said the U.S. president and secretary of state retain authority to pause or end assistance programs that no longer align with national interests.U.S. officials said they expect continued progress from Nigeria in addressing extremist violence affecting Christian communities.The America First Global Health Strategy, launched in September, covers countries receiving U.S. health assistance.