Journalist on faith, public policy and culture-film-TV with nonprofit experience. Bylines @LkldNow @ReachRoysReport @baptist_news @FamilyTheater1 @WhatOnNetflix
Joined February 2009
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Authorities in southwestern China launched a large-scale raid against Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) during its Sunday worship service on June 14, detaining dozens of believers, according to reports received by ChinaAid and a subsequent church statement.
The church’s worship service, which included families and children, was being held in a hotel conference room in Jiangyou City, about 100 miles northeast of Chengdu, when it was raided at approximately 11 a.m. local time. According to a statement released by ERCC leaders, 60 to 70 government personnel — including police officers, SWAT personnel, Domestic Security Protection Unit officers, religious affairs officials, and local government representatives — “stormed the venue and forcibly took control of the gathering.”
Church leaders said 33 believers were detained during the operation, including two elders, Yan Hong and Wu Wuqing.
Breaking Now:
chinaaid.org/news/breaking-c…
With @BobFu4China
Attention: @USCIRF @VOM_USA @OpenDoorsUS @StateIRF @CECCgov
#China #ReligiousFreedom #ChristianPersecution #PersecutedChurch #PrayForChina #HouseChurch #ERCC #EarlyRainCovenantChurch #BobFu #ChinaAid #HumanRights #CCP
CHENGDU, SICHUAN PROVINCE, CHINA
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 13
This is …. And I don’t say this lightly…. The single greatest piece of writing I have ever seen in my life
The Japanese have discovered unlimited chips & salsa and it’s beautiful
Jun 12
USA. A Mexican restaurant. We had not yet ordered anything, and the food was already arriving.
Chips. Salsa. Unrequested. Free.
I stopped the waiter. "We have not earned these."
"They just come with the table, man."
They come with the TABLE. In my land, hospitality is a debt. Every gift creates an obligation, weighed carefully, returned in the proper season with interest of feeling. Here, the gift arrives before you have even proven you can pay for dinner.
This is not an appetizer. This is a declaration: we trust you. Eat.
I ate with the gravity the moment deserved. And then — I must report this calmly — the basket emptied, and a new one appeared.
"Did we…?"
"Refill," the waiter said. "It's bottomless."
Bottomless. They have wells of salsa. The supply lines of this nation are beyond anything my ancestors imagined.
My friend warned me. "Don't fill up on chips, dude."
Too late. I had accepted three baskets. Honor demanded each one be finished — an unfinished gift is an insult. By the time my actual food arrived, I was a ruined man.
I was not hungry. I was not comfortable. I had been defeated by a courtesy.
Generosity that arrives before the request cannot be repaid. It can only be survived.
I know the rule now. I have made my peace with the basket. One basket. Two at the most.
Who am I deceiving. There is no number of baskets I would refuse. The trust of a nation is in that salsa, and I intend to honor all of it.
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 11
AI: "It looks like you're reading a lengthy document. Would you like to read a summary—"
ME:
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Jun 12
Bill Mutz, former mayor of Lakeland, said he thinks there's an “increasing spiritual interest in Polk County that is helping to fill churches.”
lkldnow.com/grace-city-churc…
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 11
I saw an interesting use of AI in a Telivision commercial. Hugging diaper commercial set in a NICU.
There was a close up shot a premie in an incubator. Disclaimer at the bottom that the infant was AI generated to protect the safety of babies in NICU.
Which... okay that's fair. They don't need to drag a film crew into a NICU of all places.
Safe to make the argument that if they don't need to disturb a NICU they shouldn't make a commercial about it, but all things considered that's probably the best use of AI in a commercial I've seen so far. Seamless integration. Disclosure. Plus a reasonable reason to use the technology.
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Jun 10
Tremendous and well earned
How about Disney get excellent documentary ‘Floyd Norman: An Animated Life’ streaming where it belongs @DisneyPlus
Jun 10
Floyd Norman will receive an honorary Oscar.
He was the first black animator at Disney and had a 65-year run at the studio working on films such as ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘The Jungle Book’, ‘Mulan’ and ‘Toy Story 2’.
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 9
My 12 year old did an AI mock up and proposal to me this morning to turn our side yard into a Motocross track for him and his friends. He checked the local ordinances for set backs and figured out the cost. LOL hard to say no, but no. Wild wild time to raise kids.
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 9
As long as Spielberg keeps saying silly things about Christianity and aliens I'm going to keep posting my take here.
scienceandculture.com/2026/0…
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As a sci-fi fan who ranks Spielberg's Jurassic Park, Lincoln and Raiders as favorites, nonetheless I did not enjoy DISCLOSURE DAY.
Aliens are interesting when metaphor & simile are at play in sci-fi, but this apologetic for their existence/govt. conspiracy thriller is a mess. 1/2
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Also some disturbing stuff in a Hansel and Gretel sequence that I won't get into.
The high point here is John Williams' sublime score and acting is top-tier, but the themes and message—particularly whatever it's trying to say about Christianity—are muddled. A rare miss by Amblin.
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
"Facts do not become less true because they are inconvenient, and the consequences of ignoring them do not become less severe."
@JoshMShep explains how the new film, PRESSURE, about the lead-up to D-day, also speaks to current events.
baptistnews.com/article/hist…
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 8
"Men with two children had an estimated brain age that was 0.6 years younger than their childless peers had, and for men with three children, it was 0.7 years younger. That’s similar to the brain benefit associated with exercising 2.5 hours a week." nytimes.com/2026/06/06/opini…
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Chinese Christian Wives Invite Ambassadors to Fuyang Pastors’ Trial
In Fuyang, Anhui, wives of three jailed house church pastors have appealed to the U.S., EU, and six other Western ambassadors to observe their husbands’ trial next week.
Xu Chao, Li Yunyan, and Li Mei wrote on June 3, 2026, urging Ambassador David Perdue and diplomats from the EU, Netherlands, Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland, and Sweden to attend the Fuyang Intermediate People’s Court proceedings June 9–12.
Pastors Zhang Sen, Chang Shun, and Elder Ma Tao of Maizhong Reformed Church were arrested on June 29, 2025. They have been detained for over 11 months on “organizing illegal gatherings” charges for officiating Christian weddings and welcoming a released believer.
Join the Wives: Take Action Today — How You Can Help Right Now
• Mail or fax your support letter to Ambassador David Perdue (details below)
• Contact CECC Chairs Sen. Dan Sullivan & Rep. Chris Smith via cecc.gov
• Urge IRF Ambassador Isaac Six at state.gov/irf
• Report the case to USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler at uscirf.gov.
Share this post. Pray for the pastors’ release. Demand international observers now.
Mail:
Ambassador David Perdue
U.S. Embassy Beijing
No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100600, China
Fax: 86-10-8531-3300 | Phone: 86-10-8531-4000
Attention: @USAmbChina @AndreHaspels @NLinChina @ukinchina @PeterWilson
With: @pnwng188585 @MZ2025629 @BobFu4China
#ChinaReligiousPersecution #FreeAnhuiPastors #MaizhongChurchTrial #HouseChurchCrackdown #DefendReligiousFreedomChina
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After the drastic change in guidance to no longer keep allergenic foods away from babies until 1 to 3 years of age and instead introduce them by 6 months of age, the prevalence of egg allergy among children fell by more than 17% in a new study published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. cnn.it/4v50rM0
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 7
Smart. Kids today would benefit from Mr. Rogers. Some adults maybe too. BTW, one of George A. Romero's first professional jobs was shooting segments for this show. I heard the stories from George himself over a break during a commentary recording session for Tales from the Darkside: The Movie.
‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ has officially launched a YouTube channel featuring full episodes, classic clips, and more for the first time ever.
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Historical drama Pressure clears the air on speaking truth to power bit.ly/3RPSo6W
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Awesome to see animated feature film DAVID hit #1 on @Netflix this week 🙌
My kids love this biblical adventure-musical-drama, and I had the chance to chat with South Africa-based creators of ‘David’ about the story, songs, influences, controversies and more (link below)
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Josh M Shepherd retweeted
Jun 5
Our highest and most urgent national priority should be AI safeguards. The risks of AI weapons, pathogens, mass unemployment, surveillance, and even extinction must not continue to be largely ignored.
Anthropic Urges Global Pause in AI Development, Flags ‘Self-Improvement’ Risk on.wsj.com/4o5IBpe
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