Faith News Network

The gathering together of almost one thousand Pentecostal pastors and denominational leaders in Fayetteville, North Carolina on January 5-7, 2015 for ENCOUNTER 2015 has been likened denominationally to what took place in Memphis, Tennessee on October 18, 1994. On that date, the previously almost all-white PFNA (Pentecostal Fellowship of North America) was dissolved, and a new, inclusive organization, PCCNA (Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America) emerged in its place—consisting of membership from multiple races. As Pentecostal leaders from various races and denominations washed one another’s feet, that historic meeting was dubbed, “The Memphis Miracle.”

The Hubble telescope will turn 25 on April 24, 2015. It has been orbiting the earth making one complete orbit every 97 minutes for 25 years. It has taken hundreds of thousands of photos of the universe. It has captured a frame by frame photo drama of creation, giving us the details Genesis left out, according to author Paul Hutchins.

At a time when some insist God is done with America, one Alabama town is renewing its commitment to Jehovah. Winfield’s government has officially proclaimed that “God is the owner” of the city.

Spiritual trend watchers have come up with terms like “nones” and “dones” to describe young people in the United States. “Nones” are those who don’t categorize themselves as anything when asked about their religion, while “dones” are those who have quit church. The prevailing assumption is that today’s youth are disillusioned with organized religion, spiritually apathetic and morally loose.

By J. Lee Grady

I refuse to believe these trends are irreversible. From what I’ve observed, there’s a surprising level of spiritual hunger among younger Christians—yet many churches aren’t prepared to respond to it.