Topeka EDITION includes Lawrence, Manhattan, Emporia & Holton FREE! NE! IN DOWNTOWN TOPEKA The Area’s Most Complete Event Guide TAKE O Page 10 KANSAS ON KANSAS AVENUE PAGE 13 CELEBRATING FAITH, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY IN NORTHEAST KANSAS facebook/metrovoicenews Now in our 10th year! June 2016 VISIT US AT or metrovoicenews.com VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 10 TO ADVERTISE, CONTRIBUTE, SUBSCRIBE OR RECEIVE BULK COPIES, CALL 785-235-3340 OR EMAIL [email protected] NEW RESIDENT church guide East Side Baptist Church See inside back cover! Do you live in a ‘miserable’ city? “the more married couples and more homeownership a commu - nity has, the less miserable its 4 inhabitants seem to be” What makes a city miserable? Do you live in one of the most miserable places in Kansas? The website Communist powerhouse will eclipse U.S. in number of believers RoadSnacks organized information by Chad Dou and Mark Ellis the city many outside observers call from the Census and dug deep. China’s Jerusalem due to its flourishing Recent polls reported in the news Is China a Christian churches. say that only a third of Americans say “It is a wonderful thing to be a follow - they are truly happy. That’s too bad, “Christian” nation? er of Jesus Christ. It gives us great confi - considering that Americans – especial - Within 15 years, China should become dence,” she said at an Easter service, as ly folks in Kansas – don’t really have it the country with the most Christians in reported by the Telegraph. “If everyone in the world, according to a study. China believed in Jesus, then we would Fenggang Yang, of Purdue University, have no more need for police stations. predicts that China will reach 224 million There would be no more bad people and Christians by 2030, as quoted in the UK therefore no more crime.” Financial Times. China’s churches started experiencing “By my calculations, China is destined astronomical growth after the conclusion to become the largest Christian country of the Cultural Revolution in 1976. A in the world very soon,” said Yang, an successor to Chairman Mao, Deng expert in sociology and author of Xiaoping, reformed politics, liberalized too bad, in the grand scheme of things. Religion in China: Survival and Revival But with an economy that continues Please see CHINA page 2 under Communist Rule, in the UK n to struggle and news media that seems Telegraph. “It is going to be less than a to focus only on the negative, it may be generation. Not many people are pre - no wonder. pared for this dramatic change.” So along comes a ranking that tries The explosion of Christianity in China to make sense of it all. will upend the traditional Christian pow - extremely underestimated (in China) Financial Times. erhouses of the world. In 2010, the U.S. intentionally because the increase of reli - Jin Hongxin, 40, is How do you decide if a city is miser- had around 159 million Protestants, and gion would reflect negatively on govern - not interested in the able? many observers say congregations are in ment officials,” said Yang. political or missiolog - Now while the criteria used did not decline. Currently, there are about 100 million ical implications of include spiritual health (which is a As part of a possible passing of the Christians in the world’s most populous Chinese growth. She’s great determining factor), it isn’t a baton, China is now sending missionar - nation, which eclipses the 86.7 million- just proud to attend stretch to assume that happier people ies – especially to North Korea. strong membership of the ruling the mega-church n Please see MISERABLE CITIES page 3 “The number of Christians is Communist party, according to the Liushi in Wenzhou, 2 • June 2016 ________________________ MetroVoiceNews.com __________________________ Facebook/MetroVoiceNews _________________________ Topeka Metro Voice news briefs Life Lessons From a Little One draft. The author of the amend - the Obama administration forcing come and say, ment said he expected—even schools to let boys and girls who ‘Come, let us go CHALK ART up to the moun - hoped—it would get shot down in identify as the opposite sex use the by Jessica S. Hosman tain of the Lord… committee. Rep. Duncan Hunter, restrooms of their choice. The He will teach us R-Calif., drafted the measure as a families, represented by Alliance It was chalk day at preschool. Each of His ways, so that kind of protest. He wanted to prod Defending Freedom (ADF) and the children were given a square outside we may walk in lawmakers into taking congres - the Thomas More Society, filed a where they could create whatever master - Jessica Hosman piece they chose. When I picked up my His paths’ (Isaiah sional action to override the suit against the U.S. Department son, many were eager to show off their 2:2-3). Obama administration’s recent of Education in federal court May work. Some drew family members, others What is the ultimate path to which we decision to remove the combat 4. The lawsuit claims the depart - drew houses, flowers, pets and cars. And should walk? I believe it’s the path of exclusion for women in the mili - ment is “continuing to trample then there was Christ that leads to tary. “It’s our families who we rep - students’ privacy and other consti - Zechariah who proudly life everlasting and resent who are affected by this, and tutional and statutory rights” in its led me to his square. I ascends to the heav - we should give them a say,” Hunter enforcement of Title IX, a law that examined it and, unsure ens. In a five-year said. prohibits gender discrimination in of what I was seeing, old’s mind, we get to “This should not be a unilateral federally funded schools. asked him to tell me that path by climbing decision made by the commander- In April 2014, the Department about his picture. the mountain and Women face the draft in-chief. This should be our deci - of Education’s Office of Civil Incredulous that I didn’t then jumping into a after lawmaker’s sion.” Rights (OCR) ruled Title IX pro - automatically know, he hot air balloon. While protest amendment tections cover discrimination on shared that he had I don’t find that in Families sue govern - the basis of gender identity as well drawn the Holy Spirit. scripture, is it not backfires as biological sex. Since then, I haven’t pondered metaphorically (WNS)--Before the end of May, ment for redefining schools around the country what the Holy Spirit looks like so I was a speaking what the Lord longs for us all? the House of Representatives likely Title IX have faced threats of hav - bit stunned as he went on to share the To soar on wings like eagles (Isaiah will take up the next National ing their federal funding simple contents of his drawing. To him, 40:31)? To be raised up with Christ, seat - Defense Authorization Act and (WNS)--Fifty-one fami - revoked if they don’t meet they were simple; to me, they carried a ed with Him in the heavenly realms with it a controversial proposal to lies from the Chicago sub - the demands of transgen - profound message of hope during the (Ephesians 2:6)? Maybe it seems impossi - require women to register for the urbs are saying “enough” to der students. tumultuous times in which we live. ble to get to that place when the waves are The first component was large ocean crashing and the mountain is larger than waves. When you pass through the life. But it’s truth and it’s God’s heart for waters, I will be with you; and when you us all. Which is why the fourth compo - CHINA nent of the drawing ties everything continued from page 1 pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you (Isaiah 43:2). Though we together so well… a rainbow, because can’t see Him, the Presence of God is with “God keeps His promises” (1 Corinthians the economy, and opened China to for - us always. Even in those moments when 1:9). eign countries. all we can see are the crashing waves and God promises to never leave us or for - Then in 1985, a clause was included in all we can feel are the fierce blows, still He sake us, to love us even when we feel the new constitution that promised free - is there and He won’t let us drown. unlovable, to be with us through the dom of belief to Chinese. But the “neu - Next was a tall mountain. “One which storms, trials and waves (Deuteronomy trality” of the party did not cover public we’ll climb,” my son confidently shared. 31:6, Jeremiah 31:3). He is for you and meetings. When I’m going through a battle, figura - not against you. So let Him help you keep In that light, a printing company was tively wrestling with the fierce ocean your head above the waves. Draw on His set up in Nanjing, financed by charity, waves and feeling worn by their weight, I strength to scale whatever mountain you cities across China. from the church. Christianity has and has become the largest Bible publish - sure don’t feel like climbing a high moun - face. Soar with Him and let His Spirit In 2014, a government campaign was brought positive changes to China, he er in the whole, according the Financial tain. But according to scripture, we can help you arise.