Morning Rundown: Is God Sending a Message of Hope to America?

Here are the top stories from Charisma News:

Is God Sending a Message of Hope to America?

Although I am a believer, not a skeptic, I’m a thinking believer. I’m not impressed with the “discovery” of the face of Jesus in a piece of wood. Or the map of America appearing in a bowl of melting ice cream.

My Ph.D. is in ancient Semitic texts and languages, and I look for hard data. For facts rather than speculation.

But certain things do get my attention. How could they not? I do my best to go with the evidence.

Pastor Steven Furtick’s Elevation Megachurch Severs Ties with SBC

In a recent blow to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Elevation Church, one of its prominent congregations, has made the decision to withdraw its affiliation with the denomination. This development comes less than a month after the reaffirming vote of expulsion of Saddleback Church for having women pastors.

Elevation Church, known for its multiple campuses and influential role in contemporary Christian worship music, formally notified the SBC of its withdrawal on June 26.

Holy Spirit’s Fire Igniting Hearts at SoCal Harvest Crusade

The SoCal Harvest Crusade, a highly anticipated annual event held at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, witnessed an extraordinary outpouring of faith as thousands of individuals responded to the call of Jesus Christ.

Over the course of two nights, the crusade drew a crowd of 16,000 attendees within the packed arena, while an additional 47,000 people participated in the event through online streaming. {eoa}