Ukraine Radio, Immigration Reform, & Serving Your Spouse

While the people of Ukraine watch and wait for a potential Russian invasion, an evangelical Christian radio station called “New Life Radio” is continuing its ministry during the crisis.

After more than 20 years of operation in Russia, New Life Radio moved to Odessa, Ukraine, several years ago in response to restrictive Russian laws.

Daniel Johnson, New Life’s founder and organizer, said despite the current crisis, Christian radio is a crucial ministry for reaching Russian-speaking peoples.

“The importance of Christian radio is we can ensure Russian-speakers get solid biblical teaching and sound doctrine in a way that sort of overcomes their inability to currently get it,” Johnson said.

During the presidency of Vladimir Putin, laws affecting both the freedom of Christian evangelism and the freedom of media increased gradually, threatening a shutdown of the station’s headquarters in Russia.

These restrictive laws prompted the move to the Ukraine, where the laws allow much more freedom for media.

There’s hope that a new congressional proposal is the start of a focused attempt to reform the immigration system.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and other evangelical organizations voiced encouragement for the Dignity Act by first-term Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla.

The bill is designed to put an end to illegal immigration, to offer a dignified solution to undocumented immigrants living in the United States and to build up the American workforce, Salazar said.

Brent Leatherwood, interim president of the ERLC, says immigration reform “is too important to be sidelined by partisan politics.”

He’s hopeful Salazar’s bill “signals the beginning of a concentrated effort to reform our broken immigration system.”

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.

In a First-Person article on Baptist Press, Brandt and Jill Waggoner say their marriage has been a lesson in serving and loving one another. The Waggoners point to Ephesians 5 for the blueprint of their marriage journey and encourage other couples to do the same.

They encourage married people to reject the idea of a consumer story where happiness is found in accumulating possessions and experiences.

Instead, they find God’s design is that people learn how to find joy through sacrifice and serving one another just as Jesus did.

You can read the piece and more at BaptistPress.com.

A federal district judge ordered the U.S. government to pay more than $230 million to survivors of the 2017 massacre of 26 worshipers at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas.

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled the U.S. government was 60 percent liable for the massacre.

Rodriguez levied that the U.S. Air Force had failed to report to the FBI shooter Devin Kelley’s bad conduct discharge in 2014.

First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs Senior Pastor Frank Pomeroy, who lost a daughter in the attack, has chosen not to comment on the court case out of respect for the victims. Pomeroy is not listed among plaintiffs.

Women from 19 states and hundreds of churches came together for Abide 2022 conference at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College Feb. 4-5 to hear Jen Wilkin, popular Bible study author and speaker.

Wilkin encouraged the women to take a specific approach to their Bible study that would cause to not only learn about God, but to grow in their love for Him.

“The heart cannot love what the head does not know,” Wilkin said. “If we want to feel deeply about God, we must think deeply about God.”

In her follow-up plenary Saturday morning, Wilkin offered a better approach for Bible study that begins by understanding that the Bible is “not about me” or about making believers “feel better.”

“The Bible is a book about God,” Wilkin said. “Read it first for what it says about Him.”

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.

Wayne Bray, pastor at FBC Simpsonville, SC, says, “Common sense tells us that it’s impossible for us to convince others of something we don’t believe ourselves,” in a First-Person piece at Baptist Press.

He encouragers readers to examine their own hearts to make sure they truly believe God’s redeeming power for their lives.

Pointing to Romans 1:16, Brays writes, “The Gospel still has the power to change lives, and Jesus still saves sinners who call on His name.”

Find more stories at BaptistPress.com.