(RNS) Two dozen prominent evangelical pastors and denominational leaders are calling Christians to make 2017 the “Year of Good News.”
That appeal came in a letter organized by Harvest Crusades founder Greg Laurie and published online Tuesday (Feb. 28).
“In a time of bad news, distracting news, divisive news, disorderly news, and, sometimes, depressing news we — as Christians and as leaders — want to recommit ourselves to making sure that the Good News of Jesus cuts through it all,” the letter begins.
The letter urges all Christians to share the “Good News” of Jesus with others and to preach it boldly – namely, “that God loved us so much He sent His son to this earth on a rescue mission.”
Signers include the Rev. Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, James Dobson of Family Talk, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler, as well as authors such as Anne Graham Lotz, Eric Metaxas, Max Lucado and Randy Alcorn. They also include several prominent pastors and the heads of the Assemblies of God and the Southern Baptist Convention.
Pope Francis had urged the media to share good news last month, saying, “I am convinced that we have to break the vicious circle of anxiety and stem the spiral of fear resulting from a constant focus on ‘bad news.'” Francis’ encouragement was not limited to sharing the gospel, but rather to sharing “storylines that are at heart ‘good news.'”
Harvest’s website invites Christians to join the “Year of Good News” by adding their names online and using the hashtag #YearOfGoodNews.
