Charisma News

The story of 9/11 survivors will be welcome in New York City after all.

The New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation has agreed to grant a request from the Christian Action Network to permit the showing of a film made about 9/11 survivors in a number of city parks leading up to the 10th anniversary of the tragic attacks of 9/11.

The decision came just two weeks after the American Center for Law and Justice sent a demand letter urgingc ity officials to permit the film to be shown or face a possible lawsuit.

The following article was originally published in Charisma magazine in September 2006.

Marijuana and cocaine defined his young life.

He started by selling to addicts in a high crime area. Before long he sold drugs to classmates at the Roman Catholic high school he attended, to women willing to barter their bodies for crack cocaine, and later to supervisors wanting to get high on the job. Trafficking turned him on—until, like some of his customers, he got addicted to his product.

But all that changed for Zachery Tims one early morning in March 1989. It was close to 3 a.m., and the blackness of the night sky paled in comparison to the spiritual darkness that had blanketed Tims while he slept. Demons swarmed around him in his dream, trying to pull him into hell. It was the third straight night the hideous creatures seeking his life had invaded his sleep.

This time, Tims bolted from his bed and rushed for the door.

When rumors first emerged that megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims Jr. had passed away, believers took to Twitter and Facebook looking for the truth. Now, Tims’ followers are broadcasting video tributes on YouTube.

The 42-year-old Tims was found Friday at 6 p.m. in a W Hotel room in New York City. Despite rumors in the media world, the official cause of death is not yet known.

Tims pastored New Destiny Christian Center in the Orlando, Fla., area since 1996. The church has grown to more than 8,000 members, many of whom gathered together at the church on Monday night to pay their respects.

As the church world waits for the mystery of Tims’ death to be resolved, some Christians are honoring the man who they will remember for building youth centers and helping people fight the good fight of faith. Here are a few of those videos:

Zachery Tims’ congregation united on Monday night to mourn their senior pastor as a family. Tims was found dead on … Read More

Riva Tims, the ex-wife of the late Pastor Zachery Tims Jr., addressed more than 2,000 people gathered at New Destiny Christian Center in Orlando, Fla., Monday night. The 42-year-old Zachery Tims was found Friday at 6 p.m. in a W Hotel room in New York City. The official cause of death is not yet known.

Riva Tims, who left the church in 2008 during a scandal and eventual divorce in which Zachery Tims admitted to an “indiscretion,” told the congregation that she, her ex-husband and their four children traveled together to Puerto Rico the week prior to his death.

“God saw it fit that we would have an opportunity to spend a few days together with him,” she said to the crowd who never took their seats while she spoke. “He was able to fellowship with his sons and his daughters. He was able to take pictures with them.”

What do a pastor, a young pro-surfer, and a 94-year-old former Olympian and WW II vet have in common? This past weekend, each one of them—Greg Laurie, Bethany Hamilton, and Louis Zamperini—spoke to crowds gathered at Angel Stadium for the 2011 Anaheim Harvest about their shared faith in Jesus Christ.

Hosted by more than 215 churches, from Riverside to Irvine to Temecula, the Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie marked its 22nd year of evangelistic outreach in Orange County, Calif. with a three-night event, Friday through Sunday (Aug. 12–14).

The 2011 Anaheim Harvest drew a diverse crowd of 115,000 people from 34 states and 11 countries, all of whom gathered to listen to top Christian music from artists like Kutless, Jeremy Camp, Francesca Battistelli, Jars of Clay, Red and Phil Wickham, and to hear the faith stories of Hamilton and Zamperini. But most important was the message of salvation presented by Riverside, Calif. pastor and evangelist Laurie each evening.

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld new abortion regulations which require any woman seeking an abortion to meet face-to-face with the licensed physician performing the abortion at least 24 hours prior to the abortion.

The law also requires that parental consent forms be notarized in order for a minor to get an abortion. Health care providers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, may refuse to participate in abortions, provide contraceptives, or give out the “morning after pill” if they have moral or religious objections. The law also prohibits anyone who is not a licensed physician from performing an abortion.

Megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims’ congregation has called a special meeting to address rumors and speculation surrounding his weekend death in a New York City hotel room.

In an email obtained by Charisma News, New Destiny Christian Center staff has asked the congregation to come together on Monday evening:

“Today has been filled with rumors and speculations regarding Pastor Zach. We are having a meeting on tomorrow, Monday, Aug. 15th at 7:00pm. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you there.”

New York City police are probing Tims’ death. The W Hotel’s housekeeping staff found Tims dead on the floor of his hotel room, according to the Orlando Sentinel. It is not clear how long he was dead before the maids discovered his body, or the purpose of his trip to Manhattan.

Megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims, 42, of New Destiny Christian Center died in a New York City hotel room on Aug. 12. The rumored death of the Orlando-area pastor set the social media world ablaze this weekend. Now, condolences are pouring in through the same web 2.0 channels that first broadcast the news.

Even as Charisma News works to confirm rumors related to Tims’ cause of death in a W Hotel room in Times Square, support for his family and eulogies are flooding his Facebook page. The medical examiner has not yet announced the cause of death. However, New York City police said there will not be a criminal investigation.

“Words cannot fully express the depth of my sorrow that I feel at this moment in time having lost our shepherd, Dr. Zachary Tims. While I do not question God I am simply perplexed,” writes Travis Warren. “I thank God for using DOC to show me and the world that it was cool to be young, gifted, and be connected with a great Church like New Destiny. RIP DOC, you will be truly missed for an eternity. Thanks for keeping it oh so REAL!”

UPDATED: Megachurch pastor Zachery Tims died on August 12 in a New York City hotel room the New York Police … Read More