China: Evangelical pastor sentenced to imprisonment for holding worship services
A court in China has sentenced a popular evangelical pastor to 15 months imprisonment for holding “illegal” worship services at his house church, Bitter Winter reports.
Christian
31 United Methodist conservative churches want to leave denomination immediately over LGBTQ issues
Thirty-one North Carolina United Methodist Church (UMC) congregations that oppose the denomination’s stance on LGBTQ issues have threatened legal action if they are prevented from exiting the UMC immediately and without having to follow a 2019 approved disaffiliation plan which some churches say is onerous, Religion News Service (RNS) reports.
Conservatives split from Australian Anglican church over LGBTQ issues
A contingent of conservatives who oppose same-sex marriage has separated from the Australian Anglican church to launch a new denomination called the Diocese of the Southern Cross, Church Leaders reports.
US Episcopal Church advocates all forms of gender-affirming treatment for people of all ages
The US Episcopal Church last month passed a resolution advocating access to gender-affirming treatment “in all forms” and for adults and children “of all ages.” The Episcopal Church is a mainline Protestant denomination that is part of the Anglican Communion.
Residents in Drought-Stricken States to Face Water Cutbacks as Colorado River Under Serious Threat
For the second year in a row, Arizona and Nevada will face cuts in the amount of water they can draw from the Colorado River as the West endures an extreme drought, federal officials announced Tuesday.
Nigeria: Islamic terrorists murder and kidnap Christians in Kaduna state
Islamic terrorists in northern Nigeria’s Kaduna state have in recent weeks continued an onslaught of murderous attacks and kidnappings against local Christian residents, Morning Star News reports.
Florida Christian school sues Biden administration of same-sex marriage stance
A Christian school in Florida is suing the Biden administration after being told it may lose federal funding for its school lunch program if it continues to publicly insist that marriage is only legitimate between one man and one woman, Christian Headlines (CH) reports.
US: Catholic school entitled to fire employee who entered same-sex marriage, appeals court rules
A federal appeals court in Chicago on Thursday upheld the decision of a Catholic high school to fire a guidance counselor who entered a same-sex marriage after she began her employment there, the Washington Times reports.
Christian university sues Washington state to preserve anti-LGBTQ hiring practices
A Christian university in Seattle is suing the attorney general of Washington state, claiming that his office is interfering with the school’s First Amendment right to follow its religious beliefs and prohibiting staff from engaging in “same-sex marriage and activity,” Courthouse News reports.
Anglicans Drop Proposal to Reaffirm Traditional Marriage Stance
To organizers of the Anglican Communion’s Lambeth Conference, the global body has come to a point where it has to agree to disagree on same-sex marriage.
83 faith-based groups urge Senators to reject same-sex marriage bill
A coalition of 83 conservative Christian and faith-based groups have written to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, imploring Senators to oppose a bill just approved by the House that would ensure same-sex marriage remains legal if the Supreme Court reverses its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, Christian Headlines (CH) reports.
UK: Christian fired for “hate speech” against gay community files suit against employer
A Christian mayoral candidate in the UK is suing her employer for wrongful dismissal after she was fired for spreading “hate speech” by including her belief in traditional Christian marriage in her election campaign leaflet, CBN News reports.
Evangelist Graham Urges Prayers For Corona Suffering President Biden
American evangelist Franklin Graham has urged Christians to pray for President Joe Biden, who contracted a highly contagious variant of the coronavirus despite receiving vaccinations.
UK: Charges dismissed against elderly woman arrested for praying outside abortion clinic
A 76 year-old woman who was arrested in Liverpool, England for praying silently near an abortion clinic has had the charges against her dismissed, CBN News reports.
Over 100 Florida churches file suit against United Methodist Church over LGBTQ stance
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is being sued by 106 Florida churches that want to leave the denomination because of its progressive stance on LGBTQ marriage and clergy but do not want to pay the exit payment requested to take their properties with them, CBN News reports.
Poll: Majority of Americans believe religious liberty is declining in US
A new poll by Lifeway Research has found that 54% of Americans believe religious liberty is declining in the US, and 59% believe that tolerance of Christianity specifically is declining, CBN News reports. The poll found that evangelical believers are more likely (74%) to say religious liberty is declining than those who are not evangelical (48%).
Three US states allow doctors to refuse to carry out medical procedures against their faith
The Republican-led US states of South Carolina, Arkansas, and Ohio now have laws in place allowing doctors to refuse to carry out certain medical procedures against their religious beliefs, Christianity Today (CT) reports. The religious conscience protection laws affect practices related to gender transition, end-of-life care, contraception, and abortion.
Prison ministry disciples inmates through its own created app
The US-based God Behind Bars prison ministry is discipling and sharing the Gospel with inmates through a free mobile app it has created that offers sermons, worship music, and devotionals, CBN News reports.
Brazil, Hungary Support Persecuted Christians, Attack LGBTQ Activism
Hungary’s recently inaugurated president says she and her Brazilian counterpart have agreed to support persecuted Christians and to protect the unborn and traditional families.
Just 3% of global missions focus on unreached people groups
Only 3% of Christian missionaries globally are focused on trying to share the Gospel with the three billion people living in communities that have never been reached or have been reached the least, with Christ’s message of salvation, the Christian Post (CP) reports.