Faith Facts

• Spirit mediums in Taiwan commonly practice transactional worship, promising favors in exchange for gifts or vows.
• The God of the Bible rejects bargaining and instead offers relationship and belonging.
• Many former folk religion practitioners are discovering that faith in Christ fulfills their need for genuine connection.

Across Taiwan, spirit mediums continue to earn their living by claiming to speak with unseen powers. Families often turn to these mediums when they want health, prosperity, or protection. The pattern is familiar: a worshiper brings a gift or makes a vow, expecting a favor in return.

Scripture presents a different picture. God does not barter blessings for offerings. He already owns everything and requires nothing from His people. Yet in His grace, He invites believers into a relationship that meets their deepest need.

“But the God of the Bible isn’t interested in transactional religion,” the report notes. “He needs nothing from us, yet we need everything from him.”

This truth is reshaping lives. Former practitioners of folk religion are leaving behind cycles of bargaining and discovering what it means to belong to the living God. Instead of negotiating for temporary help, they are finding lasting peace through faith in Jesus Christ.

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Faith Facts

• Graham Daniels of Christians in Sport warns that the Manchester City scandal reveals how easily winning can become an idol.
• Daniels notes the same temptation faces Christian leaders, not just athletes, when success overshadows obedience to God.
• He calls believers to root their identity in Christ rather than victories, titles, or public acclaim.

Manchester City’s financial scandal has shaken the world of English football, raising serious questions about how far clubs will go to secure trophies.

Christians in Sport director Graham Daniels says the controversy should prompt believers everywhere to examine whether the pursuit of success has become an idol in their own lives.

“It’s a temptation facing Christian leaders just as much as sports stars,” Daniels warns, “and a reminder that our identity must rest in something greater than the scoreboard.”

The Premier League champions stand accused of 115 alleged breaches of financial rules spanning more than a decade, including hidden payments and misleading accounts.

Daniels argues that when winning becomes the ultimate goal, moral compromise often follows, whether on the pitch or in the pulpit.

“Our identity must rest in something,” he stresses, urging Christians to anchor their worth in their relationship with Christ instead of titles or public praise.

The scandal has renewed calls for stricter oversight in football and has reignited debates about the culture of relentless success that dominates modern sport.

Daniels encourages pastors and ministry leaders to resist the same pressure, reminding them that faithfulness matters more than visible results.

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Faith Facts

• Pepperdine University, a Christian institution in California, has released an expanded statement of faith.
• The new document clarifies the university’s positions on God, Scripture, grace, and other foundational beliefs.
• These affirmations are presented as essential to the school’s ongoing mission and identity.

A Christian university in California has adopted an expanded faith statement that clarifies its stance on God, Scripture, grace and other core beliefs it considers central to its mission.

The university’s move comes as many institutions of higher learning face pressure to dilute or downplay their religious foundations. Pepperdine has chosen instead to articulate its convictions with clarity and conviction.

“Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.”