us news
“We glorify God for answered prayer—The remaining 12 missionaries abducted in Haiti have been released
Haitian kidnappers released the remaining 12 missionaries who were abducted two months ago, the U.S. missionary group and Haitian officials said Thursday, ending a long hostage drama that brought to light an epidemic of kidnappings in Haiti by powerful criminal gangs.
“We glorify God for answered prayer—the remaining 12 hostages are FREE!,” the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement posted on its website. “All 17 of our loved ones are now safe.”
The hostages—16 Americans and one Canadian, including five children—were abducted in October by a gang known as the 400 Mawozo, or 400 country bumpkins. At the time of the kidnapping, the children ranged in age from eight months to 15 years old. Five of the hostages were released in recent weeks, the missionary group said.
The gang had demanded a ransom of $1 million per person, Haitian officials have said. The alleged gang leader said in a video posted on YouTube that he was willing to kill the hostages if his demands weren’t met. It was unclear if any ransom was paid. Haitian analysts said they didn’t think the gang would have released hostages without payment.
Frantz Elbé, the head of the Haitian national police, confirmed the hostages had been freed but declined to provide additional details. The Federal Bureau of Investigation didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Embassy in Haiti declined to comment. The Biden administration had sent FBI agents to Haiti to help secure the release of the hostages.
“We welcome reports that they are free and getting the care that they need after their ordeal,” said deputy White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. President Biden has received daily updates since the missionaries were abducted, she said.
Local residents found the 12 hostages alone early Thursday morning near Morne à Cabrit, some 13 miles north of Titanyen, where the mission’s headquarters are located, a senior Haitian police officer said. The missionaries were abducted in mid-October.
The residents found the hostages in good condition and immediately alerted police. The senior police official said he didn’t know whether any ransom had been paid. Seven men, four women and a teenager made up the group freed Thursday, the senior police official said.
The release ends an international political headache for the Biden administration and is welcome news for Haiti, one of the world’s poorest nations. The country has been undergoing one of the worst political and economic crises in its history since the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse, in July. The investigation into Mr. Moïse’s killing appears to have stalled.
Nearly 200 criminal gangs control more than half the nation’s territory. Gangs have kidnapped hundreds of Haitians, sparing neither poor nor rich and terrifying the nation since the assassination.
At least 41 U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents have been kidnapped for ransom in Haiti this year, according to Brian Nichols, the top State Department official for the Western Hemisphere.
In the case of the missionaries, a ransom was likely paid, said Gédéon Jean, the head of the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights, a Port-au-Prince-based organization that tracks kidnappings. He said that in every case since 1973 in which an American has been kidnapped, a ransom is believed to have been paid.
“They would not release them without payment,” said Pierre Esperance, the director of the Haitian National Human Rights Defense Network, an advocacy group.
Mr. Jean said the possible failing health of the hostages from hardships they faced in captivity may also have played a role in their release. “The 400 Mawozo know they can’t afford for a single American hostage to die,” he said. “They know that if they cross that line, the U.S. reaction will be fierce.”
The 400 Mawozo gang operates in an 8-square-mile zone with plenty of places to stash captives, said Alexander Galvez, Dominican-Haitian journalist and radio talk show host who was kidnapped by the gang in late November and held for nine days. He described the details of his captivity in an interview last week on Dominican TV station Telemicro just after his release.
The kidnappers use military rank among themselves and operate like a military unit, he said, adding that they boast sophisticated communications equipment and weaponry.
“They have everything. Luxury cars, a lot of space and money,” Mr. Galvez said in the television interview.
Mr. Galvez said he was abducted by eight armed kidnappers, four of whom were in a car with diplomatic plates. He said his feet and hands were bound during captivity. He was allowed to bathe once a day, and fed twice a day, spaghetti in the morning and rice at night.
Kidnappers telephoned his family and demanded one million Haitian gourdes, or about $10,000, for his release. The family eventually paid an undisclosed sum.
Mr. Jean said at least 803 people have been abducted in Haiti this year through the end of October, including 54 foreigners. A person who works to resolve kidnapping cases in Haiti said about 20 people a day are currently being abducted. If there are no arrests in the kidnappings of the missionaries, abductions—especially those targeting foreigners—are likely to increase further, analysts said.
Aside from kidnappings for ransom, criminal gangs exert their strength in other ways.
Earlier this fall, a coalition of gangs called G9 blocked access to Haiti’s main fuel terminal, causing devastating shortages across the country. Hospitals and other institutions had to drastically cut back their operations, and the price of gasoline shot up to $25 a gallon. Jimmy Cherizier—a former police officer also known as Barbecue who heads G9—eventually lifted the blockade.
Earlier this month, the U.S. and Canadian governments urged their citizens to leave the country. Immigration experts say Haiti’s deteriorating economy and descent into violence will likely fuel increased migration to the U.S. Some 1,500 Haitians were detained at sea while heading to the U.S. in fiscal year 2021, which ended in September, more than three times the number during the previous year.
Mr. Biden has flatly ruled out any military intervention in Haiti, a country of more than 11 million people, but has ramped up financial and technical assistance to the embattled Caribbean country, senior Haitian officials say. Since Mr. Moïse’s assassination, the U.S. has funneled some $50 million to improve the training and capabilities of the national police.
http://theendtimeradio.com
us news
2 in 3 Churchgoers Fail Bible Literacy Quiz
If churches gave pop quizzes on the Bible this Sunday, most people in the pews would fail.
Lifeway Research asked more than 2,000 American Christian churchgoers dozens of questions about general Bible knowledge. The average respondent scored 51. Around 2 in 3 (65%) earn an F, below 60. Almost 1 in 10 (9%) receive a D, between 60 and 69. Another 9% receive a C, between 70 and 79. Just 8% score a B, 80 to 89, and 9% reach A status, 90 and higher.
“Church leaders often theorize that churchgoers don’t know their Bibles but have typically lacked objective proof,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “This study confirms most Christian churchgoers haven’t learned or don’t remember many things in the Bible and how it is organized.”
Bible quiz categories
The study asked dozens of questions across eight categories of Bible literacy: people of the Bible, which books of the Bible contain certain narratives, ordering specific Biblical events, filling in the blanks of Bible verses, which major division suits the book of the Bible, identifying whether a book belongs in the Old or New Testament or is not part of the Bible, knowing whether a phrase is included in the Bible and general Bible knowledge.
“This study measures Bible literacy using eight approaches, with a handful of questions in each. Significant examples were selected from the Bible for the questions rather than obscure characters or events. The goal was not to trick anyone but to understand their recall of what they have read and been taught,” said McConnell.
How well would you score? Take the Lifeway Research Bible literacy quiz now
In the people of the Bible section, respondents were most likely to correctly identify Moses as the person who received the Ten Commandments from God (94% correct v. 5% incorrect). Churchgoers were most confused over who the first king of Israel was (45% correct v. 46% incorrect). Out of the five options, Saul, the correct answer, was the top answer (45%), but 32% say David, 11% Herod, 2% Ahab, 1% Aaron and 9% not sure.
Christian churchgoers are most likely to know the great flood is in the book of Genesis (64%). Only around a third (35%) know the anointing of the first king of Israel happens in 1 Samuel. Around 3 in 10 (29%) guess 1 Kings, and a quarter (24%) aren’t sure.
Only 11% correctly order the events of Deborah judging Israel, David killing Goliath, Jonah being swallowed by a big fish and Esther delivering Israel. Churchgoers are most likely (27%) to correctly order the New Testament events of Mary’s song of thanksgiving, Nicodemus’ conversation about rebirth, Peter’s denial of Jesus and Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem.
Four in 5 (80%) Christian churchgoers can correctly fill in the blank when “believes” is left out of John 3:16. Just 28%, however, know Micah 6:8 says the Lord requires mankind to “act justly, and to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Most (56%) know Mark fits in the Gospels, while 34% guess another major section of the Bible and 9% aren’t sure. On the other hand, 29% correctly place 1 Samuel in history. Most (54%) put it in a different section, including major prophets (16%), minor prophets (9%) or Gospels (6%). Around 1 in 6 (17%) aren’t sure.
Three in 4 Christian churchgoers correctly place 1 Corinthians in the New Testament (74%) and Psalms (73%) in the Old Testament. Most (55%) miss Philemon’s New Testament location, with 29% guessing it’s in the Old Testament and 26% saying it’s not a book in the Bible. Two in 3 (67%) wrongly identify Hezekiah as a Biblical book. Half (51%) do the same for Haggar, and 44% wrongly believe the Gospel of Thomas is in the Bible.
In general Bible knowledge, 74% know Passover is the feast that celebrates God saving the firstborn of Israel from death. When given a list of six potential miracles and asked which one the Gospels do not record Jesus performing, half (52%) miss that Jesus did not turn stones to bread, including 21% who instead say healing an ear that had been cut off and 20% who say feeding the 4,000 are not miracles of Jesus.
Three in 4 churchgoers (74%) know “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord” is in the Bible. Only half (51%) rightly say “God shall help those who help themselves” is not in Scripture.
“Christian churchgoers are more adept at recognizing whether statements are or are not from the Bible and which people fit specific biblical events. Churchgoers struggle the most with memorizing Bible verses, understanding the major divisions of the Bible and putting Biblical events in the order they occurred,” said McConnell.
Biblical habits
Around 1 in 5 (21%) say they read the Bible personally every day, and another quarter (24%) do so a few times a week. Around 1 in 10 (9%) read Scripture weekly, 14% say they read it a few times a month and 8% read once a month. Another 22% of Christian churchgoers say they rarely or never read the Bible.
In a typical week, 56% of Christian churchgoers say their pastor’s sermon is an approach they use to learn the Bible. Almost 2 in 5 (38%) include reading devotional material. Three in 10 point to reading Bible passages or chapters without stopping (30%) or studying verses on a topic, theme or question (30%).
More than a quarter say in a typical week they learn Scripture by slowly studying verse by verse through Bible passages (28%) or listening to sermons from other churches (27%). Fewer say they listen to podcasts about the Bible (23%) or read articles about the Bible (19%). One in 10 (9%) say they don’t do any of these in a typical week.
Churchgoers give a variety of reasons for engaging with the Bible. Most say they do so to help them know and relate to God (62%), to understand more of the Bible (58%), to encourage them (58%), to understand more of God’s revelation (54%), to show them how to lead a life pleasing to God (53%) and to give them advice for life (51%). Fewer say they engage with Scripture to prepare for a group Bible study (18%) or another reason (2%). Just 3% aren’t sure.
The average Christian churchgoer says 56% of their interactions with the Bible are by themselves and the remaining 44% is in a group or church setting.
“The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to mankind and most churchgoers embrace that as a reason to engage with the Bible,” said McConnell. “This study points church leaders to the need for continuing to cast a vision for why Bible reading and Bible study matter. It also shows the importance of both helping people understand individual Bible passages and explaining the overall narrative that these episodes fit within.”
Demographic differences
Men and women had statistically similar scores on the Bible knowledge quiz. They each answer roughly half of the questions correctly on average (52% men, 51% women). There are also no statistical differences by ethnicity.
By age, 30- to 49-year-olds score higher on average than those 50-64 (54% v. 48%). Christian churchgoers 30-49 (16%) and 18-29 (11%) are most likely to score an A, while those 50-64 are most likely to fail (71%).
Christian churchgoers without evangelical beliefs are more likely than those who accept such doctrines to fail the quiz (73% v. 58%). The average churchgoer with evangelical beliefs answers 55% correctly, while those without such beliefs average 47% correct.
On average, those attending evangelical congregations answer 53% correctly, Black Protestants 51%, Catholics 49% and mainline Protestants answer 48% correctly.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, those who attend church the most and read the Bible the most score the highest on a Bible literacy quiz.
Those who attend four times a month or more have the highest average score (55%) compared with those attending three times a month (48%), twice a month (46%) and once a month (44%).
Christian churchgoers who read their Bible every day (66%) score higher on average than those who say they rarely or never read Scripture (36%). Daily Bible readers are the most likely to score an A (19%) or a B (17%) and among the most likely to earn a C (14%). Those who read their Bible once a month (84%) and those who rarely or never read it (91%) are the most likely to fail the quiz.
Score predictors
Several factors influence how much higher or lower a Christian churchgoer will score on the Bible quiz. Those likely to increase a score the most are reading the Bible every day (+13.8 points) and having a graduate degree (+10.7). Other positive factors include reading the Bible a few times a week (+7.7), saying they engage with the Bible to help them know and relate to God (+5.4) and reading devotional material (+4.8).
Other factors are likely to lead to a decreased score, including rarely or never reading the Bible (-6.2 points) and having a high school diploma or less formal education (-4.5).
“Bible literacy comes with both reading and studying the Bible — digging to understand each passage but also moving throughout the Bible regularly to aid in remembering it,” said McConnell. “Knowing the Bible involves the heart, mind and emotions. Bible literacy is impacted by a motivation to be in relationship with God, a desire to be encouraged by the Word and thoughtful exploration of its meaning.”
Sources: Breaking Christian News
us news
ഡാളസ് സിറ്റിവൈഡ് ഫെലോഷിപ്പിന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ പാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനും സഭാ നേതാക്കൾക്കുമായി കുടുംബ സെമിനാർ നവംബർ 14-ന്
ഡാളസ്: ഡാളസ് സിറ്റിവൈഡ് ഫെലോഷിപ്പിന്റെ ആഭിമുഖ്യത്തിൽ പാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനും യൂത്ത് പാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനും സഭാ നേതാക്കൾക്കും അവരുടെ കുടുംബങ്ങൾക്കുമായി പ്രത്യേക സെമിനാർ സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. 2026 നവംബർ 14 ശനിയാഴ്ച രാവിലെ 10 മുതൽ ഉച്ചയ്ക്ക് 12:30 വരെ റിച്ചാർഡ്സണിലുള്ള ഗ്രേസ് ക്രിസ്ത്യൻ അസംബ്ലിയിൽ വെച്ചാണ് സെമിനാർ നടക്കുന്നത്.
“നേതൃത്വത്തെ ശക്തീകരിക്കുക” (Strengthening the Leadership) എന്നതാണ് സെമിനാറിന്റെ മുഖ്യവിഷയം. ആത്മീയ അഭിഷേകമുള്ള പ്രഭാഷകരും അനുഭവസമ്പന്നരായ പാനലിസ്റ്റുകളും വിവിധ സെഷനുകൾക്ക് നേതൃത്വം നൽകും. ഡോ ലെസ്ലി വർഗ്ഗീസ്, പാസ്റ്റർ സതീഷ് കുമാർ എന്നിവർ മുഖ്യ സന്ദേശം നൽകുന്നതാണ്.
പ്രാദേശിക സഭകളിൽ ശുശ്രൂഷ ചെയ്യുന്ന പാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനും യൂത്ത് പാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനും സഭാ നേതാക്കൾക്കും അവരുടെ കുടുംബങ്ങൾക്കും പങ്കെടുക്കാവുന്ന രീതിയിലാണ് സെമിനാർ ക്രമീകരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്. നേതൃത്വപരമായ കഴിവുകൾ വളർത്തുന്നതിനും ആത്മീയ ശുശ്രൂഷ കൂടുതൽ ഫലപ്രദമാക്കുന്നതിനും കുടുംബബന്ധങ്ങൾ ശക്തിപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതിനും ഈ സംഗമം സഹായകരമാകുമെന്ന് സംഘാടകർ പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.
സെമിനാറിലേക്കുള്ള പ്രവേശനം സൗജന്യമാണ്.
Location : Grace Christian Assembly
575 W Arapaho Road, Richardson, TX 75080
കൂടുതൽ വിവരങ്ങൾക്ക് ബന്ധപ്പെടുക:
പാസ്റ്റർ തോമസ് മുല്ലയ്ക്കൽ, ചെയർമാൻ (214) 223-1194. എസ് പി ജെയിംസ്, സെക്രട്ടറി(214) 334-6962
തോമസ് ചെല്ലേത്ത്, (ട്രഷറർ (469) 363-5109
വെബ്സൈറ്റ്: DallasCitywide.org
http://theendtimeradio.com
us news
ഹ്യൂസ്റ്റൺ പെന്തക്കോസ്തൽ ഫെലോഷിപ്പ് വാർഷിക കൺവൻഷൻ 2026 നവംബർ 13 മുതൽ 15 വരെ
ഹ്യൂസ്റ്റൺ: ഹ്യൂസ്റ്റൺ പെന്തക്കോസ്തൽ ഫെലോഷിപ്പിന്റെ (HPF) 2026-ലെ വാർഷിക കൺവൻഷൻ നവംബർ 13 മുതൽ 15 വരെ സ്റ്റാഫോർഡിലെ ലിവിങ് വാട്ടേഴ്സ് ക്രിസ്ത്യൻ ചർച്ചിൽ (845 Staffordshire Road, Stafford, TX 77477) നടക്കും. ആത്മീയ ഉണർവിനും വിശ്വാസികളുടെ ഐക്യത്തിനും പ്രാധാന്യം നൽകുന്ന ത്രിദിന സമ്മേളനത്തിൽ പ്രമുഖ ദൈവദാസന്മാർ വചനശുശ്രൂഷ നിർവഹിക്കും.
നവംബർ 13 വെള്ളിയാഴ്ചയും 14 ശനിയാഴ്ചയും വൈകിട്ട് 6.30നും 15 ഞായറാഴ്ച രാവിലെ 9നും യോഗങ്ങൾ ആരംഭിക്കും. ആരാധന, വചനശുശ്രൂഷ, പ്രത്യേക പ്രാർഥനകൾ, ആത്മീയ ഗാനശുശ്രൂഷ എന്നിവ സമ്മേളനത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമായി ക്രമീകരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
റവ. വില്യം ലീ, റവ. ഡോ. വി.ടി. ഏബ്രഹാം എന്നിവർ മുഖ്യപ്രഭാഷകരായിരിക്കും. വനിതാസമ്മേളനത്തിൽ ആക്സ പീറ്റേഴ്സൺ വചനസന്ദേശം നൽകും. ഹ്യൂസ്റ്റണിലെയും സമീപപ്രദേശങ്ങളിലെയും വിവിധ പെന്തക്കോസ്ത് സഭകളിൽനിന്നുള്ള വിശ്വാസികളും ശുശ്രൂഷകന്മാരും സമ്മേളനത്തിൽ പങ്കെടുക്കും.
എച്ച്പിഎഫ് പ്രസിഡന്റ് പാസ്റ്റർ ബിജു തോമസ്, വൈസ് പ്രസിഡന്റ് പാസ്റ്റർ ജോൺ സൈമൺ, സെക്രട്ടറി അജി ഇടിക്കുള, ട്രഷറർ ജോൺ മാത്യു പുനലൂർ എന്നിവരുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തിലാണ് സമ്മേളന ക്രമീകരണങ്ങൾ പുരോഗമിക്കുന്നത്.
വർഷിപ്പ് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ സ്റ്റീഫൻ സാമുവൽ, ചാരിറ്റി കോർഡിനേറ്റർ വിനോദ് ഈപ്പൻ, മീഡിയ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ ജോയ് തുമ്പമൺ, പ്രയർ ആൻഡ് കെയർ കോർഡിനേറ്റർ പാസ്റ്റർ ജോൺ ഐസക്, ഹിന്ദി വർഷിപ്പ് കോർഡിനേറ്റർ ഡാനിയേൽ ഏബ്രഹാം എന്നിവരും വിവിധ ക്രമീകരണങ്ങൾക്ക് നേതൃത്വം നൽകുന്നു.
സമ്മേളനത്തിന്റെ മീഡിയ പാർട്ണറായ പ്രയർ മൗണ്ട് മീഡിയ (Prayer Mount Media) കൺവൻഷനിലെ യോഗങ്ങൾ തത്സമയം സംപ്രേഷണം ചെയ്യും. നേരിട്ട് പങ്കെടുക്കാൻ കഴിയാത്തവർക്ക് തത്സമയ സംപ്രേഷണത്തിലൂടെ സമ്മേളനത്തിൽ പങ്കുചേരാൻ അവസരമുണ്ടാകും.
ഹ്യൂസ്റ്റണിലെയും സമീപപ്രദേശങ്ങളിലെയും എല്ലാ വിശ്വാസികളെയും കുടുംബസമേതം സമ്മേളനത്തിലേക്ക് സ്വാഗതം ചെയ്യുന്നതായി സംഘാടകർ അറിയിച്ചു.
കൂടുതൽ വിവരങ്ങൾക്ക്: 832-971-3761.
http://theendtimeradio.com
The Houston Pentecostal Fellowship’s annual convention will be held from November 13 to 15 at Living Waters Christian Church in Stafford (845 Staffordshire Road, Stafford, TX 77477). Rev. William Lee and Rev. Dr. V.T. Abraham will serve as the keynote speakers, while Axa Peterson will address the women’s session.
Meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 PM on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, and at 9:00 AM on Sunday, November 15. The convention program includes worship, the ministry of the Word, special prayers, and a ministry of spiritual music.
http://theendtimeradio.com
-
us news5 days agoMillions Encouraged to Open Their Bibles for Global Bible Month
-
us news5 months agoMike Winger deletes YouVersion app over ‘The Passion Translation’ controversy, urges others to ‘use caution’
-
us news6 months ago‘America Is Hungry’: Hundreds Born Again and Baptized as Jesus Tent Revival Sweeps the Nation
-
Movie12 months agoCBN’s Superbook Launches New Free Bible App for Kids: ‘The Power of God Is Released’
-
Movie9 months agoHollywood Actor Jen Lilley Launching New Ministry After ‘Vision’ From Holy Spirit
-
National12 months agoഐ.പി.സി കേരള സ്റ്റേറ്റ് ഇലക്ഷൻ 2026 മാർച്ച് 9 മുതൽ
-
world news11 months agoപാകിസ്ഥാനിൽ പാസ്റ്റർ കമ്രാൻ മൈക്കിൾ തന്റെ മകളുടെ മുന്നിൽ വെച്ച് ക്രൂരമായി കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു.
-
Movie8 months agoWorship Leader Brooke Ligertwood Shares Stunning Testimony of Answered Prayer From Ukraine

