Church of God Youth and Discipleship is preparing for another season of Winterfest gatherings. This year the nine events begin next month and will be highlighted by the 20th anniversary of Smoky Mountain Winterfest being staged at Thompson-Boling Arena on March 13-15, 2020.
If the title of this blog ignited fear or anxiety in your heart, I’d like to propose that not all supernatural experiences or practices hail from the kingdom of darkness. In fact, the truth is that many spiritual encounters or expressions that are demonstrated in darkness are often a perversion of something created by God! I’m concerned that in an effort to not be deceived, some Christians take things that are spiritually powerful or supernatural and assign them to the New Age movement! Consequently, what’s left is a passive, paralyzed and powerless church.
Atheists are at it again, in Knox County, KY this time, trying to prevent the exercise of free speech if it involves Christian viewpoint. In October, the school district allowed the launch of a pilot “Bible Release Time” program operated in partnership with Elgin Children’s Foundation (ECF) and a local church. Many similar programs run throughout the state—a class for religious instruction allowed by Tennessee law following these requirements: 1) Children must have a signed parental request; 2) It must be off school property; 3) Government funds cannot be used. On Halloween night, a local atheistic group enacted a deceptive ploy to scare school boards and parents, similar to when after-school Good News Clubs have been launched by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF).
