3) COLORADO SHOOTINGS AT TWO CHRISTIAN LOCATIONS (New Life Church-Colorado Springs, YWAM-Arvada)

Why it's Important: Suicide has always been ugly, but it's gotten even uglier this milennium. Many who are intent on killing themselves now purpose to take others with them to achieve infamy. Not only that, but the aught people have against Christians is a gathering dark cloud we don't like to talk about. Matthew Murray was raised in a Christian home, but later found it necessary to kill Christians at the Youth with a Mission center he used to work at, as well as at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, which was still digging out from making last year's Top 10 list after founding pastor Ted Haggard admitted to a homosexual affair. Murray took four innocent lives and ultimately killed himself, but only after an armed security guard at New Life had taken him down.

Begs the Question: Do churches need to consider armed guards? Will we see American Christians increasingly targeted by angry, unstable individuals? What, if anything, can we do about that?

See
Healing Begins in Colorado 
Shooting at YWAM Center in CO Leaves Two Dead, Two Injured 
Sunday Shootings at Two Colorado Christian Centers 

2) NOTABLE DEATHS (Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, Ruth Bell Graham)

Why it's Important: These were giants of the Christian faith in America. One would be hard-pressed to find a life of a believer, or even a non-believer, not touched by the ministry of one of them. Falwell and Kennedy were major players in America's morality movement in the 1980s. They were not without their detractors, especially Falwell, for some of the stances they took or the things they said. Falwell's Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA; and Dr. Kennedy's Coral Springs Presbyterian Church and "Coral Ridge Hour" TV ministry still endure. Mrs. Graham was beloved by millions as the matriarch of America's first family of evangelicalism.

Begs the Question: Will your legacy be as lasting as these departed believers? What is the cost of taking an unpopular stand for Christ? How much longer do we have with Billy Graham and other Christian leaders? Which evangelists, pastors, and laypeople will step in and fill the void?

See
One Pastor Reflects upon Falwell's Legacy 
Excellence in All Things and All Things to God's Glory: The Legacy of Dr. D. James Kennedy 
Ruth Bell Graham: A Legacy of Faith

1) 23 SOUTH KOREAN MISSIONARIES HELD HOSTAGE IN AFGHANISTAN; TWO KILLED

Why it's Important: Any time believers are taken hostage while simply trying to spread the news of hope in Jesus it just smacks of the truth that our world is broken... reminding us clearly of the very reason why we need to take the gospel to all lands. And yet, we still don't expect, in this day and age, that Christians will give their lives in this fight. At the same time, that doesn't mean we shouldn't pray for and strive for peace and freedom in evangelism.

Begs the Question: What will it mean for the spread of the Gospel if one of the world's primary senders of missionaries curtails their efforts? Is Afghanistan unreachable? For how long? How are those who survived the ordeal recovering?

See
Freed Korean Hostages Recall Afghan Ordeal During Emotional Press Conference 
Deal Struck for Release of So. Korean Hostages; 12 already Freed 
South Korea Rethinks Missions Strategy