Why African governments are seeking to repeal tax exemptions for churches

In November, Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube announced that starting this month, churches in the country would be expected to pay taxes. The announcement caused apprehension among religious leaders, prompting the country’s tax agency, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, to clarify that the new tax would apply only to churches’ trading income, not tithes and offerings.

Survey says more young Canadians believe the history of the Holocaust is exaggerated

On Monday the world will mark eight decades since the liberation of Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi extermination camps where more than a million people, most of them Jews, were murdered during the Second World War.

But as world leaders and Auschwitz survivors prepare to gather at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in southern Poland, a new survey suggests a growing number of Canadians believe the history of the Holocaust has been exaggerated.

Canadian Navy sailor dead after a boat capsized in Bedford Basin

The Royal Canadian Navy says a sailor has died in the Bedford Basin after a boat capsized.

The Navy says two sailors were operating a rigid-hull inflatable boat in the Halifax-area bay when it overturned and capsized around 10 p.m. on Friday.

It says a rescue effort by the Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre Halifax dispatched two ships from the Canadian Coast Guard, and pulled both sailors from the water. 

The Navy says the sailors were met by paramedics and transferred to a Halifax hospital, but one of the sailors could not be resuscitated. 

My Lord and his return

1 Corinthians 15:50–58

One evening my wife and I were enjoying a quiet conversation together. We were sipping some fresh-perked coffee, the house was unusually still, and there were no plans to go anywhere that evening. You know, one of those priceless moments you wish you could wrap up and reserve for later use when it’s really needed again. 

'They love the game': Canadian who helped grow Kenya Ice Lions ready to retire

The Kenya Ice Lions have hit the big league, and the Canadian who helped make it happen says now may be the time to hang up his whistle.

Head coach Tim Colby says it's been impressive to watch the ice hockey team in Nairobi, Kenya, go from a few newbies to a large group that's received international recognition.

In October, the Ice Lions were accepted into the International Ice Hockey Federation, allowing them to pair up with larger teams in Africa and grow their training program.

Verse of the day: January 25

Philippians 4:8

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hidden heroes, part two

Philippians 2:1–2

As we discussed in Part One, Martin Luther, hero of the Protestant Reformation, was a maverick, a classic shaker and mover. Alone...independent...invincible. He needed no one but God to lean on.

Or did he? 

Is that true of any “hero”?