Reaching Los Angeles, Nigerian Persecution, & Revival

When shopping for real estate, one typically looks for positive traits such as good schools and low crime. Selecting the location for the Los Angeles Ministry Center for Send Relief went a decidedly different route.

When Los Angeles became the site to establish a Send Relief Center, its director, Daryl Spears, said he looked for an area in need of the light of the Gospel. The center was to focus on the growing scourge of human trafficking, specifically child trafficking.

The center is based out of Los Angeles City Baptist Church.

California rates among the top states in human trafficking, with Los Angeles easily being the epicenter. The U.S. State Department reported that COVID-19’s impact on the economy not only placed vulnerable people more at risk of being trafficked, but led governments to divert funds elsewhere that would have addressed trafficking.

The center and church focus on underserved communities where there are almost no parks or anything for children after school said Spears. He says they are targeting families to help put an end to human trafficking.

A group of militant extremists attacked a Nigerian village in late January. They targeted Christians, according to the Morning Star News. They killed 48 of them and kidnapped others.

Since that attack, there have been two other attacks in February. These attacks led to the deaths of dozens of Christians and displaced an unknown number of people in two villages.

A Catholic priest abducted from Kaura in one of the attacks. He was freed the next day. About 20 pastors, priests and Christian leaders have been kidnapped for ransom in Kaduna over the past two years, according to reports.

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

3 reasons we need revival

Revived Christians make a difference. That’s what Doug Munton, a pastor in O’Fallon, Illinois, says in a First-Person piece at Baptist Press.

Munton says revival is needed because:

• Christians tend to drift from God.
• Revival brings new life, joy and effectiveness.
• Revival impacts church, community and culture

Munton believes revival comes when believers come back into right relationship with God by recognizing sloth, sin or self-centeredness.

Find more stories at BaptistPress.com.