PRAYER AND PRAISE:

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FIRST, OUR VIEWS:
 

 

GET MARRIED, STAY MARRIED, RAISE A FAMILY

 

 

Get married, stay married, raise a family It's a well-known fact in sociology, history, and politics that lifelong faithful marriage is the foundation for a stable and lasting society. But many today choose to ignore this fact in order to indulge their lusts. In her article "Protestants Against the Pill," Katelyn Walls Shelton relates what some traditional Protestants are rediscovering in the doctrine of the Early Church.

Her article explores a growing trend of Protestant women rejecting hormonal birth control and embracing Natural Family Planning (NFP) and an "embodied faith." It features interviews with women like Kelsey Meyers, who found NFP helped her understand her body better, and Chaney Gooley, who objects to contraception on theological grounds and its potential abortifacient effects. The article highlights the historical shift in Christian views on contraception, with a move away from the traditional Catholic stance of prohibition, as well as the redefinition of "pregnancy".

Ben Jefferies, an Anglican priest, supports a more nuanced approach, potentially allowing barrier methods under certain circumstances, but generally advocating for abstinence. Brooks Anderson, a birth doula, shares her journey with NFP, drawing on her personal experiences with her parents and her own views on honoring both the female body and God's design for marriage. The article suggests NFP fosters deeper relationships with God, husbands, and one's own body, challenging the notion of keeping faith separate from sexuality. Why then, have so many, even among professing Christians, fallen into sexual immorality? Duh!? It's the Pill! In the 1960s, the Pill opened the floodgates, encouraging promiscuity, leading to unwed mothers and broken homes.

Sexually liberal people and leftists today are in the habit of calling traditional Christians and political conservatives "patriarchal," "Nazis." "Fascists," and calling Hitler and Putin "Christians." This is simply blame shifting and a total reversal of historical fact. I majored in Central and East European Studies and lived over there for 20+ years, so I'm well-informed about their social and political history. In reality, the story of Hitler and Putin is much more complex and nuanced. They may have called themselves "Christians" but actually their ideology is much more secular, socialist, sexually promiscuous, and neo-pagan. Most people, though, don't bother to learn the historical facts and instead rely on sloganeering and sound-bites to rationalize their immorality.

"Nazi" is the German abbreviation for "NAzionalsoZIalismus" (national socialism). In 1932 when Hitler came to power, he called himself "a Christian; not a Catholic, not a Lutheran, but a German Christian" (in other words his nationalism came before religion). He imprisoned or killed many Lutherans and Catholics who opposed his rule. In 1963 while stationed in Germany in the army, I joined "The Fellowship Within the State [Lutheran] Church," the group – including Dietrich Bonhoeffer – that had resisted Hitler, so I'm very aware of what went on with Christians during WW2.

Similarly, by the early 1930s in the USSR under Stalin the ideal of the "Communist International" (Comintern) had morphed into a rebranded nationalist-socialist Russian imperialism. Hundreds of thousands of Christians were sent to the gulags or murdered. Orthodoxy in the USSR was taken over by a pseudo-Patriarch after Patriarch Tikhon was starved to death while under house arrest, Protestants there were forced to report to the KGB about everyone attending their churches, and children were forbidden to attend church or receive a Christian upbringing.

I knew personally some people whose parents helped Lenin during the 1917 Revolution but later denounced the Bolsheviks, others whose children were driven insane by harassment in elementary school, or whose parents had their homes and cows confiscated, leaving them with only the clothes on their backs. I've translated the gulag memoirs of Christian prisoners and I've gotten a few of them out of the gulags and into the West.

Few people know or want to recall that Hitler and Stalin were allies in their 1938 invasion of Poland, each taking 1/2 of Poland. Only in June 1941, two years after that, did Hitler launch "Operation Barbarossa," invading the USSR, taking the Ukraine, besieging Leningrad and Moscow, and almost conquering the USSR, which lost over a million people. It was the German "Reich" ("Empire" in English) against the Soviet Empire: two imperial systems. However, neo-socialists in the West prefer to ignore the fact that both were socialist empires. But why? Why do they try to conflate conservatives in the West with Nazis and Fascists?

Read the rest! Go to our ARC-News blog. And create your own blog or website for less than $4 per month!

 
 

A Personal Note: Thanks again for your continuing prayers for my wife, Cheryl. She's having times on and off now of no pain in her legs, just numbness, and sometimes the numb feeling goes away and her legs start to feel normal!

 

 

(From Jackson Mwenula, who heads a school near Vision Complex and who's in our Morning Prayers) Urgent Appeal: Help Us Replace Our Stolen Water Pump. Our school’s water pump, a vital resource for our students and agricultural activities, has been stolen. This pump was essential in supplying water to the school and supporting our student-led vegetable farming project. The stolen pump, valued at about USD $1,500, had been serving us faithfully since 2017, thanks to the generous support of the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania. We now are facing a serious challenge due to the lack of water at the school. We have raised almost $900 this far, so we still need about $600. Your contribution in any amount will help us restore this essential service and bring back the hope and sustainability that the water project offers our school. May God richly bless you for your support at this critical time. Click on this link today: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sun-rays-open-school-replace-stolen-pump. Thanks in advance!

 

Here's our next free online course: (click →) Course 200, "Foundations of Psychology" - deadline to enroll: 09 Nov. 2025 (← click). So enroll today, before you forget!

And take a look at our Morning Prayers and Readings on Substack!
Also, check out all of our free literature, e-books, and booklets,

 

 
NEXT, THE NEWS:
 

2. RESEARCHERS DELIBERATELY CREATE MOTHERLESS HUMAN EMBRYOS FROM SKIN CELLS
from: LiveAction

SYNOPSIS: Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have created human embryos from skin cells without using sperm or egg, using a process called in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG), which involves creating human gametes from adult skin cells, potentially offering solutions for infertile couples. Some experts, like Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, warn that IVG could lead to ethical issues, including the creation of embryos for same-sex couples and "embryo farming."

Looking for a way to minimize the cost and negative impacts of invasive egg harvesting procedures required for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), scientists pursued further research in the process of in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG). This procedure might minimize the need for invasive egg harvesting in IVF procedures. But in addition to the numerous ethical issues of the under-regulated IVF industry, including selection of most desirable DNA among several embyrionic babies resulting in destruction of undesirable unborn babies and/or creation of babies with unknown parents, the process still involves the expensive and invasive stimulation of a woman’s ovary to produce multiple mature eggs for harvesting.

Pray against this devaluation of human life and the erosion of the family that IVF and IVG can cause, resulting in the destabilization of society.

 

3. UKRAINE IS WORKING ON TRANSITIONING TO STATE-CHURCH PARTNERSHIP MODEL
from: RISU

SYNOPSIS: Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine on Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience (DESS), discussed Ukraine's efforts to transition to a state-church partnership model. DESS hosted a visit from Mohamed Elsanousi of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and representatives from Finn Church Aid (FCA). Attendees discussed the religious landscape in Ukraine, interchurch dialogue, and the role of religious organizations in providing aid.

Yelensky highlighted how Ukrainian churches are addressing humanitarian needs, including aid to displaced persons and support for hospitals. The Ukrainian government is working on legislation to facilitate the state-church partnership model. Guests shared their efforts to support Ukraine and discussed enhancing interchurch cooperation. The article also mentions related news, including meetings with Nordic churches and discussions about the war in Ukraine.

Pray for freedom of religious confession in Ukraine, that every person will seek the Way, the Truth, and the Life.. and live accordingly!

 

4. TYLER ROBINSON AND THE VIOLENCE OF PORN
from: First Things

SYNOPSIS: This photo is of "Furrys en la Marcha del Orgullo de Ciudad de Mexico." The Pittsburgh PA "furry" convention in 2025, known as Anthrocon, took place from July 3 to July 6, attracting over 19,000 attendees. These "furry" conventions are taking place in many U.S. cities. This article explores a potential link between Tyler Robinson, the alleged murderer of Charlie Kirk, and his consumption of pornography, specifically "furry" content. It argues that modern internet pornography, unlike older forms, is readily accessible, highly curated, and can foster unrealistic expectations and detachment from reality.

The author posits that Robinson's pornography use may have contributed to his motivation and willingness to murder Charlie Kirk. The article concludes by emphasizing pornography as a significant, under-addressed cultural crisis, claiming that pornography acts as a "hallucinogen," distorting views of sex and intimacy, potentially contributing to self-destructive ideologies like transgenderism and political violence. The author posits that Robinson's pornography use may have contributed to his motivation and willingness to murder Charlie Kirk.

Ask the Lord to reveal what lies behind the funny parades of "furries," to turn away from it, and turn to faith in Christ.

 

5. BAKE STAND PROVES TRANSFORMATIVE FOR BOY WHO WAS NONVERBAL
from: Disability Scoop

SYNOPSIS: This article literally brought me to tears! It takes place right here in Pittsburgh, where we live: Missy Terrill, a single mother, used baking with her son, Anthony "Tug" Terrill, who has nonverbal autism, to help him learn to speak, read, and develop social skills. Their business, Tug Butter, started with apple butter and applesauce, evolving into selling baked goods at a stand in their neighborhood.

Missy attended Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, a culinary program, which helped her start her business and career, eventually becoming a chef instructor there. Tug Butter provides Tug with income and has improved his communication, social, and academic skills. Missy received grants and fellowships, including a Gloria Pépin Memorial Grant, which aided in the growth of their business. The success of the business has led to catering opportunities and connections, including a meeting with Jill Biden. "I'm just so proud of her," said Gail Brown, an early taste-tester who sings with Terrell in their church choir.

Thank the Lord for the opportunity Anthony Terrill has experienced, to overcome much of his disability by learning how to bake and market his baked goods.

 

6. WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
from: Dementia Society of America

SYNOPSIS: Dementia is not a specific disease, but a collection of symptoms affecting brain function, impacting daily activities and relationships. Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, but also changes in mood, gait disturbances, and delusions. Various conditions can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia, and others; some may be reversible.

Also, some symptoms such as hearing loss are sometimes mistaken for dementia: an older person can be mentally and physically normal, even above average, but people might conclude he is demented simply because he doesn't hear them. This article provides definitions, resources, and links to external sources for further information. The Dementia Society of America offers programs to support individuals with dementia, their families, and caregivers. Recent studies highlight the importance of accurate diagnoses to inform treatments.

Pray for people to learn the facts about dementia and to overcome ageism - the widespread unconscious bias toward older people.

 

7. UNDERSTANDING ABLEISM: SYSTEMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
from: Disabled World

SYNOPSIS: Discrimination takes many forms in contemporary society, yet ableism remains one of the least recognized systems of oppression despite affecting more than one billion people worldwide who live with disabilities. This pervasive ideology constructs disability as deviance from an idealized norm of human functioning, creating barriers that extend far beyond physical accessibility into the very fabric of how societies organize education, employment, healthcare, and social participation.

As disability rights movements have gained momentum and scholars have developed more sophisticated analytical frameworks, understanding ableism has become essential for anyone committed to social justice and equity. The following analysis examines the theoretical foundations of ableism, its manifestations across multiple domains of social life, and the emerging research that documents its profound impacts on individuals and communities.

Ask the Lord that people, especially Christians, will understand and overcome ableism - the unconscious bias toward people with disabilities.

 

 

Perhaps you've read this before and are wondering, "Why am I seeing this again?" But millions of other Christians haven't seen it! So please use the "share" buttons above to share it with your social media friends. Thanks!!

 

 

CAN YOU HELP US?

 

Dear friend,

Please take a minute to read this important message: building the ARC

In my previous message, I told how at age 15, while taking care of lawns at an apartment complex, God gave me a vision: I saw a map of the Soviet Union in the sky and a voice said: "Remember this apartment complex plan - you'll build it when you're an old man." After serving behind the Iron Curtain and in Russia for 20 years, leading a small mission support agency for 20 years, and teaching online in Russian seminaries for 10 years, I'm now in my 80s, so I guess I'm old enough to start this new project!

I wrote earlier about our *free* 1-year, 6-course training program "Social Ministry of the Church" in English and Russian to train people how to care for the sick and disabled. The purpose of these courses is to prepare people for "Building the ARC" - the Agape Restoration Community - a Christian housing co-op with a built-in community room/chapel. All of the units will be wheelchair-accessible because of the aging of the "Baby Boomer" generation: 76 million people born between 1946 and 1965 have reached or are reaching retirement age (10,000/day = 3,650,000/year!), at which time 45% of these people are already disabled.

And as they continue aging, 70% of them will become disabled and require accessible housing or home healthcare before they pass away. This is a huge social concern: 70% of 3,650,000 people = 2,550,000 disabled people per year for the next 20 years = over 50 million people! About 2/3 of all retirees depend on Social Security for over half of their income, and about 1/3 of retirees depend on it for 90% to 100% of their income. But can they continue depending on it? Medicare will be insolvent by 2031 and Social Security will reach insolvency by 2033, the trustees of these funds report, so they will have to cut 'way back: they won't be able to care for all these people at current levels. We need to "Think Forward" ... starting now!

Our basic problem, however, is that like most people, we don't want to think about such things until it's too late. Psychologists call this "the normalcy bias" - our brains work in terms of past experience, so we assume that everything will simply keep on going on "just like normal" as it has in the past. As King David wrote - "Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish" (Psalm 49:11-12). In everyday layman's language it's called "whistling past the graveyard." We don't want to think about unpleasant things such as growing old, disability, and death... so when it happens, we're unprepared and too feeble to respond adequately, thus we become a burden on the government. But some states are already passing laws allowing euthanasia and assisted suicide to conserve public finances. So it's imperative that we as Christians be proactive and retake our social ministry responsibilities!

Christ commanded His disciples to "Bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind, go into the highways and the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that My house may be full" (Luke 14:21-23). This defines our ultimate target audience and our goal, but how can we "compel them to come in" unless they can come in? Why aren't the churches full? In many cases the "maimed, the lame and blind" can hardly get out of their homes, and getting transported to church is difficult or flat-out impossible.

How Many Disabled?Most homes, condo and townhouse communities in our greater Pittsburgh area, on the northern edge of the Allegheny Mountains, have at least 1/2 to 1 flight of stairs, often 2 or 3 flights, creating a nearly-insurmountable problem for people with disabilities. Our hearts go out to the 6% of children who are disabled! But 16% of working-age adults and 45% of seniors have disabilities too. 16% + 45% = 61% of disabled people are adults: only 1/10th as many (6%) are children, so shouldn't we pay a bit more attention to those ten-times-as-many disabled adults?

Also, many church buildings aren't very wheelchair-accessible. Solution: "Build the ARC": this is a 12-living-unit building that forms an accessible, affordable Christian housing co-op including a community room/chapel, with all of the living units being wheelchair-accessible by including a ramp from the entrance, plus there are parking spaces just outside wide enough for wheelchair use right next to the building. And our "Social Ministry of the Church" courses will train the healthier residents as "home healthcare workers" to care for those who need it.

terrified of elevatorsWhy not an elevator or a stair lift? In an emergency such as a fire or when the electricity goes out or the elevator breaks, they could be trapped if depending on an elevator or a stair lift. Disabled people can't use the stairs and it's awfully hard to carry them in a wheelchair down the stairs – we've learned that the hard way! With most older couples it's the man who ages first and becomes disabled: he very likely weighs more than his wife who often injures her back or knees trying to lift or carry him. Also, we've met many older people – able-bodied and disabled – who have been trapped in an elevator so now refuse to ride them, but some are too disabled to use stairs. Armed with such experiences, we aim to change the built environment for these people!

We began functioning in 1998 as the donor-advised fund Agape Restoration Society through WaterStone.org, a foundation through which people can channel their benevolent donations but only to other non-profits; also, they charged us a processing fee for each donation and an annual fee. So in 2017, we incorporated as Agape Restoration Society Inc., an IRS-recognized non-profit corporation, so that we can disburse funds to for-profit architects and builders. We are listed with Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Here are our sketches for the proposed building. Enroll in our free courses to see how YOU can do diakonia-ministry. And Join "The ARC" Chat/Video Forum to Build the ARC!

Can you help us? What we really need is for 500 or 1,000 or 2,000 people to Help Us Raise a Crowd of Followers, or to Chip In at one of these levels by going to our DONATE page and signing up for:
$100/month for 10 months: that's $1,000 - a huge help, or
$50/month for 10 months: that's $500 - a great gift, or
$25/month for 10 months: that's $250 - a big boost, or
$10/month for 10 months: that's $100 - practically painless!

Will you be praying for and pulling for us in this project? Thanks for your time and attention, if you've read this far!

Yours sincerely,

"Dr. Bob"

Robert D. Hosken, M.Min., M.Th.S., D.Min.


 
 

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ARS Paypal QR codeIf just 5% of the people who see this would give $5 per month (just 17¢ per day!) – coffee with your favorite friend at your favorite coffee shop – we could cover our operating expenses and do much more in spreading the word, supporting orphans, and providing accessible housing for the disabled. My wife and I left our careers over 30 years ago to serve in Russia as missionaries: we're now "semi-retired" – we've put on a new set of semi tires and keep on trucking! We live on our retirement income and volunteer our time: we receive no financial support from Agape Restoration Society. Our websites and ministry are funded by us and just a few friends. ...thanks!

And please Share Our Vision with your family & friends!

   


Who Are We?   Please remember to pray for Christians in Secularized Countries, and for...

  Your fellow-servants,

  Bob & Cheryl

  p.s. The measure of a man is not how much he has accumulated for himself, but how much he has done for others.