Tag Archives: Prayer

Self Proclaimed “Man Of Faith” Stops School Prayer Chain

A school superintendent who claims that he is a “man of faith” told a school principal and his teachers that they can no longer have a prayer chain for the sick and needy.

“I’m a man of faith who wants good for all, but I’m also a firm believer in separation of church and state,” Medina Schools Superintendent Dave Knight told The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Still, this “man of faith” Dave Knight told Principal Chad Wise of A.I. Root Middle School that he had to stop a prayer chain for community members dealing with a number of difficulties.  The plan was to uplift those who were facing illness, dealing with family deaths or in the middle of neglect or abuse cases.

“Public school staff can’t use district resources, including email, to promote prayer, especially when the principal, a person in a position of influence, is involved,” “Man of Faith” Knight told reporters. “When it comes to separation of church and state, it’s very clear.”

The principal was advised a single e-mail asking for keeping a family in “thoughts and prayers” was permissible but the prayer chain was a bridge too far.

Principal Wise says he will continue the prayer chain on his own time outside of school e-mail and outside the reach of “man of faith” Knight.

High School Cheerleaders Stand Against Anti-Christanists

A group of Tennessee high school cheerleaders is refusing to allow out of state anti-Christian groups to take away a tradition of pre-game prayer before football games.

Oneida High School had been offering prayers over the loudspeaker before the start of football games since 1930.  Two years ago, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association told schools to stop doing the prayers because of threats of lawsuits from those wanting to remove Christians from society.

The school continued but began to get threats from outside anti-Christianist groups because of the prayers.  So the school replaced the prayers with a moment of silence.  The team, coaches and fans said they could feel a difference in the atmosphere at the games when the prayers stopped.

And that’s when the cheerleaders stepped in.

Cheerleader Asia Canada stood during the moment of silence and began to say the Lord’s Prayer out loud.  The rest of the squad joined her.  Soon, the entire stadium was saying the prayer.

And because it’s student led, the anti-Christianists can do nothing about it.

“The removal of prayer before football games wasn’t an option in my opinion,” cheerleader Kayla King told the Independent Herald. “It’s your option what you do during that moment of silence, whether you say a prayer or not, but ‘as for me and my house, we will worship the Lord.’ I’m thankful for the community I live in and hope to represent it well.”

Hundreds Rally For Prayer In School

Students, parents, community leaders and pastors gathered in Hartsville, South Carolina for a weekend rally in support of allowing prayer to be placed back in schools.

The Hartsville Center Theater hosted over 450 people who listened to leaders throughout the community talking of the need for prayer, the power of prayer and also to join together in songs of praise to God.

It was the second rally hosted by Florence One School Board member Pat Gibson Hye-Moore and Pastor of New Providence Baptist Church Cliff Leonard.  The men said it was the larger of the two events.  The event grew from a concern “that morality has plunged in America since prayer was removed from school.”

“We’re taking God out of everything,” lamented Hye-Moore. “We are taking the Creator, the one that created everything, we’re just trying to kick Him out and He’s not happy with that.”

South Carolina representatives in 2013 proposed a bill introducing a moment of silence prayer in the schools but it has not progressed beyond its introduction.

North Korea Displays Imprisoned American Missionaries

Two American missionaries that have been imprisoned in North Korea for their faith were brought out for a “press conference” designed to have the government generate propaganda.

Kenneth Bae and Jeffrey Fowle were given five minutes with a reporter to send messages to friends and family along with pleading for the U.S. government to take steps to free them.

“Right now, what I can say to my friends and family is continue to pray for me and continue in efforts in getting me released from here,” Bae told reporter Will Ripley.  Bae has been facing a sentence of 15 year hard labor for “hostile acts to bring down the government” although those “hostile acts” were never presented to anyone.

“The only hope that I have is to have someone from the U.S. comes,” Bae said.  “But so far, the latest I’ve heard is that there has been no response yet. So I believe that officials here are waiting for that.”

Bae’s family says he’s suffering from diabetes along with heart and liver problems.

Fowle told reporters that within a month he could be sharing Bae’s cell at the labor camp.  He said his treatment so far has been “good” although he was speaking with North Korean officials sitting beside him.

Anti-Christianists Angered Teammates Prayed For Injured Football Player

The virulent anti-Christian group Freedom From Religion Foundation is now using an injured high school football player in their campaign to eradicate Christians from daily life.

The group is upset because after a player from Seminole High School was injured and being tended to by trainers, players took a knee and bowed their heads in prayer for their injured teammate.

The FFRF claimed that an adult lead the prayer and so they threatened the school over it.

“It is our information and understanding that Seminole High School (is) allowing an adult, a local pastor, to act as a ‘volunteer chaplain’ for the football team,” FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel wrote.

A school spokesman said the FFRF was flat out lying about the school having a team chaplain.  The school also said that no adults are seen anywhere around the students who were praying.

“There is nothing to cease and desist because our behavior was within the guidelines in the first place,” spokesman Mike Blasewitz told television station WFTV. “No adults in the photo, no adults participating, no adults leading it.”

Anti-Christianists Get Coaches Banned From Praying But Still Complain

An anti-Christian organization that harassed a Georgia school district because football coaches were praying with players isn’t satisfied that the head of the school district has banned coaches from praying.  Now they’re angry because they think Christians are still a majority.

Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield, caving into to pressure from the anti-Christian American Humanist Association, sent an e-mail to staff members saying that prayer is “off-limits for teachers and coaches” and that students alone can do their own prayers.

“The Hall County School District wholeheartedly defends the almost unlimited rights of students to exercise their religious beliefs,” Schofield wrote. “As long as activities do not infringe upon or disrespect the religious beliefs of others, or disrupt classroom instruction or school routines, students have the right to pray, read religious materials, talk to their classmates about their beliefs, and … form clubs or associations with students who share similar interests.”

The anti-Christianists made it clear their motivation was not really about stopping teachers from praying with students, but the elimination of Christians.

“It is not encouraging that Schofield referred to students’ religious freedom while in school as almost unlimited, as that sends a signal to the community that a culture of Christian predominance can continue,” AHA attorney David Noise wrote. “Based on the extensive feedback that we’ve received from the community, it’s clear that non-Christians feel that the atmosphere of Christian privilege is overwhelming, and the Schofield statement seems more concerned about appeasing the majority than addressing that problem.”

The AHA did not say if they will abandon their threat of a lawsuit.

Young Egyptian Boy’s Prayer For Iraq Goes Viral

The sound of a small, fragile little boy’s voice is being passed around the world to remind people to pray for persecuted Christians in Iraq.

The boy, known only as Mario, lives in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt.  He is a regular watcher of an Arabic Christian television satellite network called SAT-7 KIDS.  He called into a show because he wanted to pray for the families in Iraq because he was hurting for them even though they were hundreds of miles away.

This is Mario’s prayer translated into English:

“We thank you for extending your glory to everything in our lives, Lord…

We pray for Iraq and all the Arab countries, they’re in your hand, Lord. Let there be peace and forgiveness, oh Lord, in terms of those who are doing bombings. Watch over the innocent people…

Even those killing others, you love them very much. You wait for them that they may come back to you again, oh Lord.

Lord Jesus, you said, ‘Come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ Yes, Lord. May we come back to you in everything, Lord Jesus.

Whether it be a small problem or a big problem, whether it be among nations or something material, or anything. If it be household problems, you will be glorified, Lord Jesus.

I thank you for hearing and answering us. Amen.”

The World Evangelical Alliance had called on Christians worldwide to focus on Christians and other minorities being persecuted by Islamic terrorists in Iraq.

Anti-Christianists Force End To Teacher Lead Prayer

The vehement anti-Christian Freedom From Religion Foundation has coerced an Indiana school district to ban staff from leading prayer.

The group said an anonymous person contacted them about a teacher leading prayer at a school-sponsored event.  Teacher Jeffrey Burress confirmed he lead a prayer at Sarah Scott Middle School at an awards ceremony.

“The district should make certain that teachers in its schools are not unlawfully and inappropriately indoctrinating students in religious matters by encouraging them to engage in prayer,” the anti-Christian group wrote in a letter to the school.

School superintendent Daniel Tanoos said that he disagreed with the actions of the group but that the school’s lawyer said the move had to be done.  Tanoos said he would allow students to lead prayer at events if they choose to do so because that is constitutional.

The FFRF has been targeting Christians around the nation that lead or participate in prayers in public schools.

Meriam Ibrahim Asks Prayer For Daughter’s Ultrasound

Persecuted Christian Meriam Ibrahim has asked the world to pray for her daughter who will be undergoing an ultrasound to see if the injury from her birth will cause permanent disability.

Doctors are telling Ibrahim that it’s possible the injuries suffered at birth are not as severe as initially feared and that it’s possible the child will be able to walk on her own.  Ibrahim was forced to give birth with her legs tied together with chains because the prison guards would not release her for the birth.

Ibrahim and her family have been taking refuge in the U.S. embassy after being released from prison on charges related to her Christian faith.  The family has been hoping to leave the country but the Sudanese government continues to refuse to allow the family passage out of the nation.

The family has been especially sensitive to the possibility of the child being confined to a wheelchair for life because her father, Daniel Wani, is wheelchair bound because of multiple sclerosis.

Cindy Jacobs Says God Wants To Heal America

Last night on Grace Street, Cindy Jacobs brought a message of warning, hope and promise.

Cindy began with husband Mike speaking about America and the impact the nation has on the world.  How America has been a beacon of freedom because of our dedication to the Lord.

“The world needs America to be the America that America once was,” Mike said.

Cindy then took to the lectern to speak to share with the crowd the importance of America’s 234th birthday.  In Hebrew, she said, 234 stands for a memorial offering.  This year should be a year where America gives themselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice.

And there is a clear way for America to return, Cindy said.

“The Bible is God’s handbook on how to run a nation.”

The message was not all hope as Cindy shared a series of warnings that God has given over the years and how we could face a season of suffering if we don’t heed the warnings and prepare ourselves by “holding our shields up.”

And why does God warn us?

“Because He is a merciful God and doesn’t want us to come to harm,” Cindy said.

However, Cindy said at the end of the day, there’s something that should give us unending joy.

“If we pray,” Cindy said.  “God is going to heal our land!”