Latest news with #faith
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Topeka churches swap locations to accommodate congregation sizes
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Two Topeka churches are proving that faith and flexibility can go hand in hand. When one congregation grew and the other downsized, they made an unusual move to help each other out. It's not often you hear of two churches trading places, but two congregations in Topeka say swapping locations has been an amazing decision. Topeka Baptist church had been steadily growing, eventually outgrowing their place of worship off of 45th and Southwest Gage. 'The church is a family. And we are a growing family, so we just needed a bigger space,' Topeka Baptist Pastor, Mark Doss said. 'We were looking to either expand and it's just so expensive to build right now.' Just a few miles away, light of the world Chrisitan center was having a shift in numbers. Topeka man gets Bobo's Drive In logo tattoo With a smaller congregation, they realized some of their space was going unused. 'First day we listed it. They are the first ones that come look at it that day,' Light of the World Pastor Wes Oakley said. And so, we knew that maybe something was aligning. And we'd drive around Topeka looking for another place, so we could kind of downsize. We'd always come back to this place.' Now Topeka Baptist is holding services in Light of the World's old location near 33rd and Southwest Gage. They say they saved around $10,000,000 on reconstruction. Light of the World has moved into the smaller space that they left behind. 'Two different denominations that can work together to get something done,' Light of the World Member, Chris Croft said. 'I mean, that's a good example for anybody.' Both churches say the swap is a win – win. Both groups now have spaces that can accommodate the size of their congregations. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Local Pentecostal church celebrates bishop's 15th pastoral anniversary and 60th birthday
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — It was a weekend of celebration for members of Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church in Youngstown. The church hosted a 15/60 celebration for Bishop Shawn Tyson on Saturday with a community service to honor his 15th pastoral anniversary and his 60th birthday. It also marks five years since the bishop was diagnosed with retroperitoneal fibrosis, being told he was in kidney failure and was scheduled to be put on dialysis. 'The saints prayed, and the next day, the nurse came in with these words, 'Wow, what a comeback,' and I said, 'What do you mean by that?' She said, 'Last night, [your] creatine level's 16.8. This morning, almost normal — 2.3,'' Tyson said. 'That was five years ago. I went from 100% kidney failure to 100% kidney function. Only God can do that.' He also said he believes God can help anyone with anything they're going through. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I rejected my Catholic upbringing until God spoke to me after I died while giving birth
A New Jersey woman who once distrusted the Catholic faith she was raised in said her life changed forever when she died while giving birth at age 18. Rebecca Boothroyd, now 38, recalled the moment everything shifted, from a growing numbness in her body to what she believes was an encounter with the voice of God. 'During labor, I had an epidural,' she told Daily Mail. 'But instead of numbing me from the waist down, it numbed me from my back all the way up to my brain. It nearly killed me.' Boothroyd said she remained conscious and could feel something was seriously wrong. 'I told the nurse, 'You should get a doctor, something's wrong,' but they kept saying, 'You're fine,' she recalled. As the medication took hold, everything began to blur. 'I felt like I was drowning in sweat, but I wasn't even sweating,' she said. Then everything faded away and turned white. At the time, Boothroyd didn't realize it, but that moment would become a turning point in her life. It started in the hospital, in a haze of pain and beeping monitors, then came the light. Not just any light, but a blinding, all-consuming brightness that seemed to erase everything else. That moment changed everything for Boothroyd. Since then, she said, God speaks to her directly. The connection is clear, constant. And with it came something else: the power to heal. But she doesn't believe that hospital moment was random. There were other signs, brushes with death that now, in hindsight, feel like chapters of a bigger story in her life 'My first experience happened while driving with her dad pickup truck down the highway,' Boothroyd explained. One moment she was fiddling with the door handle and accidently swung the door open. The next things she remembered was she was hanging on the door for dear life as her father was driving down the interstate. Her father swerved just right, snapping the door shut and yanking her back to safety. She should have fallen. She didn't. The second episode was just as surreal. A simple trip to the movie store with her dad and sister turned into chaos. They'd barely pulled into the parking lot when her father hopped out, leaving her in the car. Moments later, the vehicle burst into flames. She doesn't remember exactly how he got her out, just that one minute she was inside, and the next, safe in his arms as the car exploded behind them. 'It always seems to be cars with me for some reason,' said Boothroyd. Boothroyd always had a sense there was something different about her, something deeper. She believed she was born with healing gifts, though for most of her life, those feelings stayed buried. Raised Catholic, she learned early that such ideas didn't belong in polite conversation. 'I have three kids. I was never married. Born and raised Catholic,' she explained. 'I always felt like everything I did was never good enough. There was too much judgment.' For years, she struggled under the weight of that pressure and the prescriptions. At one point, she was taking up to 25 pills a day. Her body was medicated. Her spirit was numb. But everything changed after what Boothroyd calls her 'rebirth.' It wasn't just a near-death experience. It was a moment of contact, an awakening. 'I realized it was a rebirth,' she said. 'I felt like I was in contact with the other side.' 'It opened me up to connect even more. Some people when they have near-death experiences, they have a whole download and instant awareness. Mine is integrated.' Now, Boothroyd said, her purpose is clear: to help others. She believes her gifts have finally surfaced because, for the first time, she's living life on her own terms, not by her parents' expectations, not by the rules of the church she grew up in, and not by the limitations of her past. 'I feel like that was a big reason why my gifts are coming out now, because I'm able to be my own person,' Boothroyd said. 'Instead of having to follow what my parents wanted, what my family wanted, what my church wanted.' God, she said, speaks to her directly now. And she no longer feels that meeting Him requires a steeple or pew. 'I'm very big on God, the Bible, all that stuff,' Boothroyd said. 'But only as long as it's being preached and taught the right way.' She recently became a licensed reverend. As for what lies beyond this life, she's not convinced it's as black-and-white as heaven or hell. 'Are you going there to learn some more lessons, or are you there to try to be free?' said Boothroyd.
Fox News
17 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
America is rediscovering its soul and reviving the sacred
Faith is making a comeback in America. This is not a statement of hope, but one rooted in research, confirmed by cultural observation, and underscored by national conversations from the White House to the locker room. Recent findings from the Barna Group reflect a spiritual resurgence that is both unexpected and undeniable. According to their data, more Americans—particularly Millennials and Gen Z—are returning to church, reading Scripture, and expressing a desire for spiritual depth. What was once considered a post-Christian society is now showing signs of rediscovering its soul. This reawakening begins in the home. The Barna study reveals a growing hunger among families to center life around transcendent values. The notion of God is no longer confined to stained-glass windows or whispered prayers at bedtime—it is returning to the dinner table, to everyday conversation, and to the moral compass guiding how parents raise their children. Amid cultural chaos, many households are reclaiming their role as the first sanctuary, the first seminary, and the first school of truth. We are also witnessing faith step boldly back into the public square. From the reestablishment of the White House Faith Office to proclamations such as President Trump's deeply reverent Easter statement—arguably the boldest and most Christ-exalting language ever issued from the executive branch—faith is once again shaping the national dialogue. The National Day of Prayer is no longer a symbolic moment; it is an echo of America's founding covenant. This is not about partisanship—it is about spiritual substance becoming part of our civic discourse. But faith is not only being expressed in private homes and public offices. It is emerging in every sector of society. Consider the arts and entertainment world: from American Idol contestants boldly singing worship songs to NFL players kneeling in prayer before and after games, the name of Jesus is being lifted—not with fanfare, but with authenticity. These moments are no longer anomalies. They are becoming patterns. From postgame interviews to acceptance speeches, we are seeing athletes, artists, and cultural figures not just nod to faith, but name their Savior. What we are witnessing is a pushback—not just against unbridled secularism, but against a deeper threat: secular totalitarianism. A culture that once told people to keep their faith private now finds itself enriched by public expressions of belief. Why? Because when secularism becomes dogma, liberty becomes endangered. And in this moment, Americans of all backgrounds are realizing that religious liberty is the final firewall protecting our freedom. This resurgence is not only a victory for people of faith—it is a victory for all people. A nation rooted in a Judeo-Christian moral framework—where the rights of individuals are endowed by God, not granted by government—is a nation that guarantees freedom of conscience, even for those who disagree. It is precisely because of this framework that the atheist, the agnostic, and the seeker can speak freely. This is what sets America apart. Even cultural voices once perceived as indifferent to faith are reexamining their foundations. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has recently acknowledged a belief in Christ. Joe Rogan, whose podcast reaches millions, is exploring matters of spirituality and ultimate truth. We are living in a moment where scientists, philosophers, and artists are converging on something ancient: belief. We are entering what can only be described as an age of religious enlightenment—a season in which faith and reason are no longer in tension, but in tandem. This is the age of Aquinas and Augustine, of Kierkegaard and Lewis, of Tolkien, Lennox, Wright, and others. An age where orthodoxy is not an obstacle but a lifeline. Young men and women are hungry for truth, tired of relativism, and ready for something real. This is the pendulum swinging back. Not toward nostalgia—but toward a rediscovery of eternal absolutes. We must celebrate this moment. But we must also steward it. Because what is being built today may very well become the foundation for the America our children inherit tomorrow.
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Rebecca St. James and Cubbie Fink: The Making of a True Power Couple
Celebrity marriages come and go… and they do so rather quickly and often. But a true power couple is one where both man and woman, individually, are first devoted to God. So says Grammy Award-winning Christian artist Rebecca St. James and her filmmaker and pop band co-founder Cubbie Fink. Each found success in their careers before they even met, and both held up a godly standard for dating and for potential mates. Now married for 14 years, they have three children and full schedules. In this season of weddings and the hope in a love that lasts forever, St. James and Fink offer advice to couples on what gives a marriage the power to succeed. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith, the couple talks about their new book, 'Lasting Ever: Faith, Music, Family & Being Found By True Love.' The book's title is the giveaway, because the only true love available to the whole of humanity, is the love that survives into eternity, the love of Jesus Christ. Through ups and downs and sickness and health, marriage is a journey that needs Divine Guidance, to give it the best chance to not just survive, but thrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
