U.S. Christians Remember Greenwood Massacre
Christians in the U.S. town of Greenwood are among those commemorating the 100th anniversary of a massacre that destroyed the prosperous Black neighborhood.
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More Protestant Churches Closed Than Opened Before Pandemic, Study Shows
More Protestant churches closed than opened in 2019, a trend that is expected to continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly restricted church activity and religious services.
Newsom ordered to pay $1.35 million for COVID-19 church discrimination
California’s embattled Gov. Gavin Newsom has been dealt a fresh blow after a federal judge ordered him to pay $1.35 million over the state’s draconian lockdown of 3,000 churches during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Gentle Giant’ Missions Leader Floyd McClung Dies At 75
Floyd Lee McClung, Jr., the global missions leader, bestselling author, and international speaker, has died after a long illness, his wife confirmed Saturday. He was 75.
Poll: 6% of Americans have ‘Biblical worldview’
A new survey from evangelical pollster George Barna shows that only 6% of Americans have a distinctly “biblical worldview,” the Christian Post reports. The 2021 survey was conducted together with the Family Research Council (FRC), a Christian conservative group that Barna recently joined as a senior fellow.
Christian realtor to leave real estate business over LGBT beliefs
A Minnesota-based Christian realtor, and former member of the LGBT community, has decided to let his license expire because his broker does not allow public expression of Biblical beliefs on homosexuality. Realtor Matt Moore announced his decision on Twitter Friday, and asked his followers for prayer as he and his wife seek God for a new direction.
Support for Israel among young US evangelical Christians drops sharply — survey
A new survey points to a growing divide in the US between young evangelical Christians and their elders, particularly in their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, indicating Israel could see a significant drop in support in coming years.
No More Church Bans: CA Gov. Newsom Ordered to Pay $1.35M in Legal Fees for Shutting Down Churches
This week, a California District Court approved the settlement of Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry’s lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom, establishing the first state-wide permanent injunction in the country against COVID restrictions on churches and places of worship.
Christian therapist sues Washington state over ban on ‘conversion therapy’
A licensed Christian marriage and family therapist has filed suit against Washington state because of its ban on “conversion therapy” (sexual orientation counseling for minors), the Christian Post reports. Licensed therapist Brian Tingley filed suit in the US District Court of the Western District of Washington at Tacoma on Thursday; the defendants include the state’s Attorney General and Secretary of Health.
NYC: Hundreds attend church vigil after vandal destroys Jesus statue
Hundreds of people attended a prayer vigil at a Catholic church in New York City’s Brooklyn Friday night, after a vandal entered the church grounds the night before and smashed a statue of Jesus that was there. Police are investigating what is believed to be a hate crime against the St. Athanasius Church, in which the perpetrator also burned the church’s American flag.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America selects first transgender person as Bishop
In the first such move by any major US Christian denomination, the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) has elected a transgender person to serve as Bishop, Christian Headlines reports.
Finnish MP charged with “hate speech” for sharing Biblical views on marriage and sexuality
Finnish lawmaker Päivi Räsänen faces imprisonment after being charged with three counts of “hate speech” because she publically shared her Biblical views on marriage and sexuality, ADF International reports. Räsänen was subject to lengthy interviews and a year of waiting before the Finnish Prosecutor General finally decided to bring charges against her.
Study: Trauma-Informed Bible Reading Reduces Depression, Anxiety, Anger
A recent ABS-commissioned study by Baylor University researchers found that combining education about mental health best practices with Bible reading can have a significant benefit. In their study, this reduced the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and increased forgiveness, compassion, and sense of purpose.
Pastor Denied Permit to Hold National Day of Prayer Event at the U.S. Capitol Building
This year’s National Day of Prayer event at the U.S. Capitol appears to have been canceled after one evangelical leader was denied a permit to hold the prayer gathering at the building.
Indiana law: House of Worship are “essential”
Indiana’s Governor Eric Holcomb (R) has signed a new law determining that houses of worship provide essential services, and no restrictions may be placed on them during a declared emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Faculty turns against Christian University trustees who abide by Biblical standards
Nearly three-quarters of faculty at the historically Christian Seattle Pacific University (SPU) voted ‘no confidence’ in the school’s board of trustees because the board affirmed the college’s expectation that hired faculty will live by Biblical standards on sexuality, Christian Headlines reports. The faculty vote was triggered after adjunct nursing professor Jéaux Rinedah claimed in January that he was denied a full time teaching position at the school because he is gay.
NM Finally Agrees to Obey Supreme Court, Drops COVID Restrictions on Indoor Worship
New Mexico on Friday eliminated coronavirus-related capacity restrictions on religious services.
Two-thirds of world’s population live in countries which violate religious freedom
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has published a report showing that around 5.2 billion people live in countries where religious freedom is severely violated and restricted, International Christian Concern reports. These countries include China, India, and Pakistan, which have the world’s largest populations.
Survey: Most Christans feel encouraged and inspired after church worship services
A new poll released this month shows that a large majority of Christians who attend church worship services are encouraged by the experience, Christian Headlines reports.
‘Medical Apartheid’: 1,200 UK Christian Leaders Warn Vaccine Passports Will Lead to ‘Surveillance State’
More than 1,200 leaders of churches in the United Kingdom have asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to establish so-called vaccine passports.