On Friday night, December 14, 2012, the Los Angeles Revival broke out on Bonnie Brae Street with ecstatic utterances, slaying in the Spirit, violent quaking, the laying on of hands by Evangelist Verna Linzey who was the keynote speaker and minister, crying, tears, falling on their faces, hands lifted up toward the heavens, screaming in the Spirit, calling the fiery Holy Ghost down from Heaven — in short, a repeat of the initial outbreak of the revival in 1906, except more people were present this time.

What began as a peaceful and solemn remembrance for victims of the Connecticut shooting massacre was shattered on Sunday by a telephoned bomb threat that forced the evacuation of a Roman Catholic church, deepening the distress of a town in mourning.

As the nation mourns and asks how could something like the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting happen, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has an idea: It’s because God is absent from our schools.

The office of USA MISSIONS in the Division of World Evangelization, has announced a strategic partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for its November 2013 outreach campaign, My Hope with Billy Graham.

According to Dr. James E. Cossey, Administrative Coordinator, the USA MISSIONS Board endorsed the partnership on Tuesday, December 11, 2012.

My Hope with Billy Graham is a massive effort to reach people across the United States and Canada with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following a simple biblical model, My Hope with Billy Graham combines the reach and excitement of a nationwide media event with the power of personal relationships. Under the guidance of their local pastors, Christians across these two countries will open their homes to share the Gospel message with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors using different media programs featuring Billy Graham, dynamic music, and testimonies. Like the Apostle Matthew, some will invite their guests into their homes to learn about Jesus using prime-time television, while others will gather at a coffee shop or the park to watch the program on a tablet or smartphone. They will then share their own story of how they met Jesus and invite their friends to pray to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Each host will follow up with new believers and encourage them to become part of a local church.

To sign up for the My Hope campaign, pastors or individuals may log onto www.myhopewithbillygraham.org, where they will find a plethora of training and promotional materials. Further details will be forthcoming to church leaders and pastors. Additional information may also be secured by calling the Office of USA MISSIONS at 423.478.7103. Assistant General Overseer Wallace J. Sibley is the Executive Director of USA MISSIONS/Division of World Evangelization.

New prayer book and CD: God With Us, by OCP composer Dan Schutte, reminds Catholics everywhere that amid the busyness of the Christmas and Advent seasons, God is all around.

Platinum-selling band Kutless has teamed with Samaritan’s Purse on the Military Mission Project. The partnership is through Operation Heal Our Patriots (OHOP), a project of the Christian humanitarian organization that ministers to service members of all U.S. military branches.

This summer, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee promoted “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day,” which broke sales records for the chicken chain. Now, he is drumming up support for a prayer initiative next month.

At the recent Caribbean Leadership Conference in Nassau Bahamas, Assistant Director of Church of God World Missions John D. Childers formerly installed Bishop Ishmael Charles as the Field Director for the Caribbean Region following the charge delivered by Bishop Bob Cary. The Church of God in the Caribbean boasts over 2,000 churches and over one million members.

Biola University has received a $750,000 grant to establish a new Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts, a significant initiative that will host events, support artists and seek to promote rich thinking about faith and art.