I have written on both of these vital ethical issues hundreds of times now -- in books and in articles. And I have demonstrated how countless believers and churches have already crashed and burned as they promote these things. So many have been utterly snookered by the enemy into believing these things are just peachy, and that a follower of Jesus can somehow be involved in both. They are of course fully deceived, and they are sadly dragging so many others down with them.

Sharing Holy Communion with our church family in Hartford that morning was deeply moving. Bruised and cold hands, shaped by the harshness of the elements, reached out for the sacrament. Prayer pervaded every moment of their time together. At one point in the service church members were encouraged to huddle up in groups of three, laying hands upon each other and praying with power and compassion. Prayers of this nature broke out all of the time; in the coffee line, standing together with soup or in the line for clean clothing.

"Through the generousity of a number of chaps I know who have access to various trusts, I was able to secure the money to supply Renew with a number of white flags," Bishop Rod explains, "But not only that, when I mentioned my plan to Justin over our morning kippers, he managed to secure an extra £2k to make sure that the flags were durable enough to last through the coming 12 months. I consider this to be proof that Evangelicals are still welcome in the Church of England, why else would we be plied with money?"

On February 5, the Church of Uganda leadership revoked his election on grounds that the Bishop-elect was not old enough to become a bishop.

In his letter to Kumi Diocesan Chancellor, Mr Emmanuel Ilukor, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, His Grace Stanley Ntagali, stated that the House of Bishops had reviewed Rev Okunya's National Identity Card, NIRA records, passport, academic records from Uganda Christian University and those submitted by the diocese, during the vetting process and established that he did not qualify for the job.

The media routinely speak of such things as "hormone therapy" and "gender confirmation surgery" as if these things are gentle, benign, and uncontroversial therapeutic measures that always bring peace and healing. But, for many of the rapidly growing number of so-called "detransitioners," the experience of submitting themselves to the gender "experts" has felt like being a character in a slasher flick.

The staff say those tensions arose from causes that have little to do with Baucum's theology. His behavior in the workplace, church leaders wrote in a summary of an investigative report, was "abusive," "intimidating," "coarse," "vulgar" and "unpredictable."

Leaders of the congregation of more than 1,200 members held a meeting this week to try to explain the results of the investigation into Baucum's conduct. They read the summary and took questions from church members, but did not make the investigator's report public.

Christians may be free to "retire" from their occupation, but as disciples of Christ we aren't ever free to retire from serving God and others. If we're fortunate enough to be freed from the demands of working for a living, that opens a door of opportunity to do more work for the kingdom using the wisdom, experience, talents, and resources the Holy Spirit has given us through a lifetime of discipleship. -- Chris Cagle

Without a vibrant and vital Christianity, America is doomed, and without America, the West is doomed. --- Rabbi Daniel Lapin

In 2018, the general synod of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia voted to allow clergy to bless same-sex civil relationships. It was a progressive step forward, though perhaps a half step. In America, the bishops voted in 2015 to allow priests to marry same-sex couples, shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized. In New Zealand, where same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013, "we can bless them but we still can't marry them."

Given the lack of a unified front, it was down to individual clergy to determine their teachings, she said.

"It depicts a church that appears to be dying," said Stache, as reported by Egan Millard of Episcopal News Service, labeling the statistics "very sobering."

At the current rate of decline, according to Stache, the denomination will have no Sunday attendance in 30 years and no baptized members in 47 years.

Despite the somber report on statistics, Stache also said that the decline might be less showing a dying church and more one that is becoming "something we have yet to imagine."

As many daily struggle for basics like food, clean water and shelter, re- fusing such offers is incredibly hard. Another aspect here is the lucrative nature of transactional gay sex: prostitutes can earn 5,000 Kenyan Shillings (around £38) per act. Given such temptation, it is a miracle any manage to get out.

Thankfully, other aid is being found but daunting challenges remain.