Casket Ad Ranks 14

A Super Bowl ad for Doritos put together by an LA megachurch won $25,000 for being among the six final entries. Casket is about a man whose last wish is to be buried in a giant casket with Doritos chips. It was one of only three that aired during the broadcast and was created by Mosaic Church. The USA Today Ad Meter which measures how popular ads that air during the Super Bowl are with viewers, ranked Casket as the 14th most popular ad. You can see the advertisement here.

Bibles for Texas

Texas Southern Baptists are planning to flood the state with Bibles on CD that allows listeners to hear to Bible passages in their native language. They hope to reach all Texas households before Easter. Some residents without CD players or computers are getting real Bibles instead.

Appeal to Obama

Three Southern Baptist leaders have asked President Obama to intervene on behalf of volunteer missionaries jailed in Haiti on charges of child kidnapping. The 10 are back in jail after a Friday hearing. There are three more days of hearings starting Monday. The group is mostly from two Southern Baptist churches in Idaho. The three who sent a letter to the president was president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee Morris Chapman, SBC president Johnny Hunt and former president Frank Page.

Church Rater

Jim Henderson, a Seattle former pastor has started a Web site to rate churches called Church Rater. The Web site is free and open for anyone to say whatever they want about congregations. Users can post reviews and add a one- to five-star ratings of churches. Henderson has advertised on Craigslist for nonChristians who are willing to attend church service for pay. Their job is to anonymously write a review which may suggest the music is tedious or suggest whether the sermon seems sincere. Although most of the posts are glowing, not all of them are: "All (the pastor's) stories are centered around his perfect life.. (his) perfect blonde wife and Hallmark kids. And if we sign up for Jesus, we'll be perfect, too. Uhhhh ... is this really what Jesus told you to do?"

"The service feels like a late night talk show gone bad."

"Moved my family when pastor and his wife had marital problems, which divided the church. Church fell apart."

In Support of Tebow

A Facebook campaign launched by Americans United for Life Action in support of Tim Tebow and his Super Bowl ad has gathered more than 200,000 supporters. You can find the page here.

Meanwhile, a Wisconsin anti-abortion group is offering a mask of the University of Florida quarterback on its Web site.

Several feminist groups are objecting to the CBS decision to run it.

Fires Destroy Texas Churches

A string of fires at 8 east Texas churches has area congregations worried. The churches are no more than 150 miles apart and have all caught fire since the first of the year. Fire officials say the first 7 were set deliberately and the 8th is a possible arson as well. It took place just this past Thursday. No one has been injured but no one has been arrested either. The average loss has been a quarter-of-a-million dollars. While authorities haven’t tied the fires together, many people are assuming they are related. Some were Baptist, one was nondenominational and another Christian Scientist. The first happened in Athens on January first. After two more in the same city, there were two churches in Tyler set ablaze, then another in Temple and one in Lindale. This week’s fire took place in Wills Point. Police have increased patrols and members of congregations are on the alert.

Jackpot Winner Giving 60% to Charity

William Kiefer of Houston won the January 29th drawing of the Mega Millions jackpot. Kiefer says he's going to donate most of the $144 million in winnings to charity. In a statement released Friday by the Texas Lottery Commission he said:

“The greatest gift my parents gave me was to be raised a Christian. I plan to give 60 percent of all after-tax winnings to charity."

Pink Ouija board

Several Christian groups are complaining to Hasbro about it's pink-colored version of the Ouija board game. The edition was released two years ago and is sold at Toys R Us though company officials say it is being "phased out."

Tebow Issue Reaches Europe

The Tim Tebow - Super Bowl controversy is even being discussed in Europe. An Italian newspaper called Il Foglio published an article called The Implacable Unrelenting Tim Tebow.” The paper calls Tebow the "football player that’s dividing America" and the “son of missionaries who have made compassion for others the indelible mark of a faith experienced in the public arena.” In the commercial produced by Focus on the Family, Tim and his mother will tell the story of how he was born against the recommendations of her doctors, who suggested that she abort the baby. The Italian paper says liberals are “on the verge of a nervous breakdown” after having been “put in check by a mother, that as far as we know, will limit herself to just telling the story of how things went, without a slogan of propaganda.”

Baptists Worry About Future Mission Work

The Southern Baptist Convention thinks the arrest of 10 Baptists in Haiti could hurt its ability to find volunteers for its missionary and disaster relief work. The group, made up mostly Southern Baptists, tried to take more than two dozen children out of Haiti without proper documentation, according to Hatian officials. They now face kidnapping charges.

Church Leaders Accused Of Scam

Two ministers and their brother, a Christian music singer, are accused of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme. WSMV-TV in Nashville reports.

2 Years Ago: The Tennessee Tornadoes

February 5, 2008: Tornadoes sweep through Tennessee, trapping more than a dozen students in residence halls at a Baptist college. More than 60 students had to be treated for injuries at Union University in Jackson. Administrators canceled classes for days later. The city of Jackson suffered $100 million in damages from the tornadoes. About 500 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Missionary Killed

Newly released video of a fighter jet mistaking U.S. missionaries for drug runners, killing a mother and her baby.

Former Pastor Sues Church

An appeals court has ruled on a lawsuit involving a pastor who sued his former church. Tim Tubra was serving as interim pastor of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in Vernonia, Oregon when he was asked to leave. He claims the church made false accusations against him. A jury agreed but a judge threw out the case. Now an appeals court has weighted in on the side of the jury. Read more here.

Lil Wayne on Going to Jail

Singer Lil Wayne will soon report to prison to serve a yearlong sentence for gun possession on his tour bus. He tells Rolling Stone his prison term is God's will and everything happens for a reason.

"I look at things as 'Everything is meant to be.' I know it's an experience that I need to have if God's putting me through it."

The real name of the tattoo covered star is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.

Obama at Prayer Breakfast

The president speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast.

National Prayer Breakfast

President Barack Obama spoke at the annual National Prayer breakfast this morning. The audience included Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. He said, "You can question my policies without questioning my faith. Or, for that matter, my citizenship." Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility had asked the president to boycott the breakfast because the event is sponsored by The Fellowship Foundation.

AFA: Outlawing Homosexuality?

A heated debate on Fox News with American Family Association's Bryan Fischer, who says gays should be imprisoned and forced into therapy.

Hatian Pastor Defends Americans

A pastor who says he gave 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries permission to move a busload of Haitian children to the Dominican Republic says they didn't complete the required paperwork, but had approval from parents.

Osteen on Haiti

CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks with Joel Osteen about his church's missions in Haiti, and holding onto faith in the aftermath.

Jail or Church

A judge in Lenawee County, Michigan has given a teen the option of going to jail or going to church. Dylan Patrick Karle pleaded guilty to trying to break into a church. He agreed to apologize to the congregation of the United Methodist Church in Tecumseh and attend services for at least three Sundays. Karle's felony conviction will be expunged if he stays out of trouble for three years. the town is about 50 miles outside of Detroit.

ELCA Church Votes to Stay

The First English Lutheran Church in Wausau, Wisconsin has voted to remain a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The 153-64 decision has prompted pastor Scott Mann to resign. He takes issue with the ELCA's decision to allow gay clergy in the church.

Faith Healing Verdict

An Oregon couple who practice faith healing are found guilty of neglecting their son before he died. KATU has a video reports.

One Year Ago.. Fuller Passes

The man who started Habitat for Humanity died one year ago today. Co-founder Millard Fuller was 74. He was on the way to a south Georgia hospital after complaining of chest pains. Fuller separated from Habitat after a conflict with the board of directors in 2005. He objected to how the organization was being run and started a new organization called the Fuller Center for Housing.

Still Held in Haiti

Kansas man among missionaries being held in Haiti for trying to smuggle orphans out of the country. KCTV reports.

Celebrity Scientology

The voice behind the cartoon character Bart Simpson is a Scientology supporter. Actress Nancy Cartwright donated $10 million to the group in 2007. That’s about twice her annual salary. In return, Cartwright’s been given Scientology's Patron Laureate Award. Here’s a rundown of other celebrity gifts given to the cult. Each member was given an award at a secret ceremony in Florida:

• Tom Cruise - $5 million (over the last four years)
• Kirstie Alley - $5 million (in 2007)
• John Travolta - $1 million (in 2007)
• Kelly Preston - $1 million (in 2007)
• Priscilla Presley - $50,000 (in 2007)

Debating the Super Bowl Ad

Focus on the Family and NOW representatives debate the Super Bowl anti-abortion ad featuring football star Tim Tebow on CNN's Larry King. Here's the video.

Church-created Ad May Make Super Bowl

Doritos plans to air three consumer-created ads during the Super Bowl. A pastor produced one of the six finalists. Erwin McManus, leads Mosaic, a megachurch in Whittier, California. He submitted an ad in which a guy stages his own funeral so he can eat Doritos and watch football undisturbed in a casket. The three winners will be picked in online voting and get $1 million bonus each if their ads win the top three slots in USA TODAY’S annual Super Bowl Ad Meter. As of yesterday, the Mosaic ad had 92,000 views. The finalists won't know if they've won until they watch the Super Bowl, said Chris Kuechenmeister, spokesman for Frito-Lay.

Arrested Baptists May Come to U.S.

Haitian officials may send 10 American Baptists arrested trying to take children out of the country to the US for prosecution. They were arrested while trying to take 33 children out of Haiti into the Dominican Republic. Their attorney says they are receiving poor treatment and lacking in food and medical care. One has been hospitalized. The group is from Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho. The pastor of Central Valley says the group believed they did not have to have permission to take the children out of Haiti. Both churches are part of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Pastor Defends Church Members

The Idaho pastor defends members of his church detained in Haiti.

Friendly Toward Religion

Here's a Pew Research Center survey showing the percentage of Americans who say these people/organizations are friendly toward religion.

Republican Party - 48%
Obama's administration - 37%
Democratic Party - 29%
news media - 14%
scientists - 12%
Hollywood - 11%

Shea Turns 101

George Beverly Shea is 101-years-old today. Shea holds the record for singing to the most people in person because he has been a part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team for so many years. Here are some other personal facts:

▪ Birthplace - in Winchester, Ontario
▪ Father - Wesleyan Methodist minister
▪ First time to publically sing – in the choir of his father's church
▪ Honors - nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, won a Grammy in 1965, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame by the Gospel Music Association in 1978, inducted into the National Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1996

Grammy Winners

Here are the 2010 Grammy winners for the Christian music categories.

Gospel Performance
“Wait on the Lord,” Donnie McClurkin featuring Karen Clark Sheard

Gospel Song
“God in Me,” written by Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell and Warryn Campbell

Rock or Rap Gospel Album
“Live Revelations,” Third Day

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
“The Power of One,” Israel Houghton

Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album
“Jason Crabb,” Jason Crabb

Traditional Gospel Album
“Oh Happy Day,” Bill Hearn, Ken Levitan, Ken Pennell, Jack Rovner and Cedric Thompson, producers

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
“Audience of One,” Heather Headley

Baptists Accused of Child Trafficking

The Haitian government is holding 10 US Baptists, accusing them of taking part in a child trafficking scheme. Most are from two churches in Idaho and say they were told they could take 32 children across the border to the Dominican Republic but were stopped and could not produce papers for the children. The pastor of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho says it is a terrible misunderstanding.

German Homeschoolers Get Asylum

A German family has been granted political asylum in the US because they wanted to home school their children. The Christian couple have five children. Germany has mandatory school attendance rules. Uwe and Hannelore Romeike are from the town of Bissingen in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg and say the public schools teach an anti-Christian worldview. The decision was announcing in a Memphis courtroom. Tennessee Judge Lawrence Burman ruled that the Romeikes' were entitled to political asylum because family's basic human rights were being violated in Germany. The Romeikes now live in Morristown, Tennessee.

The German consul general for the southeastern US says his country has many education options including private and religious schools. But home schooling is prohibited in Germany.

Holy Blackberry!

President Barack Obama uses his Blackberry to support his faith, according to this article from ABC News.

Webcast for Church

This morning the worship services for Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis have been canceled because of bad weather. In an indication of what the future may hold for many churches, the pastor is offering a sermon through a live webcast.

Warner Retires

NFL Quarterback Kurt Warner explained the connection between his faith and his career yesterday as he announced his retirement.

“As always, as it started in 1999 when I was up on the podium holding up a trophy (following his Super Bowl win with the St. Louis Rams), the first thing I want to do is give thanks to God. My Lord Jesus brought me here. I know he brought me here for a purpose. And it’s been an amazing ride. I don’t think I could have dreamt out that it would have played out as it had. But I’ve been humbled everyday that I’ve woke up for the last 12 years and amazed that God would choose to use me to do what He’s given me the opportunity to do over 12 years. So I hope that when people think back over my career – maybe it’s just over the next couple of weeks as they reflect on it or maybe it’s years to come – that that’s what they remember more than anything else. Not the way I threw the football, not particular games that I won. But that they remember that here’s a guy that believed, that worked hard, and – although things didn’t always go in his favor – he continued to press through. And with his faith in himself and with his faith in God, he was able to accomplish great things. I’m excited about what lies in front of me. I’m excited about spending more time with my family and seeing what God’s going to do next."

Analysts say Warner is a sure bet for the NFL Hall of Fame after winning three MVP awards, a Super Bowl, and the second-highest completion percentage in NFL history.

Crystal Cathedral Makes Deep Cuts

We reported yesterday on the cuts at the Southern California mega-church founded by televangelist Robert H. Schuller Sr. Here's a video report by KTTV.

Pastor Threatens Son with Gun

The son of an Knoxville-area pastor says his father pulled a gun during an argument over his failure to attend church and is now seeking legal protection. Michael Colquitt says Joe Colquitt who pastors St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Alcoa, threatened to kill him and his family if they didn't start attending church. A court hearing is set for Thursday.

Bible Classes Move Forward

Tennessee's state board of education has approved using the Bible as part of the curriculum. The "Bible as education" classes will begin in the fall. Two years ago, state legislatures had passed a state law allowing for "non-sectarian, non-religious academic study of the Bible." Bible courses are not mandatory for students to take or schools to offer.

Crystal Cathedral Financial Trouble

Robert H. Schuller's church is struggling after an $8 million drop in revenue last year. The Southern California megachurch founded by the televangelist is taking drastic steps to make up the difference. The Crystal Cathedral is selling 170 acres of property in south Orange County, cutting eight TV broadcasts, laying off 50 employees who worked at its retreat in San Juan Capistrano and canceling its annual Glory of Easter pageant. The Glory of Christmas will continue as usual. The combined cutbacks will save about $5 million. Revenue fell 27% in 2009 from the year before- from $30 million down to $22 million. Schuller's son left the megachurch and the Hour of Power and his father returned to leadership after a family feud. Now, the younger Robert A. Schuller is now part of the Dallas-based TV network American Life Network.

Bibles Burned at Church

Vandals burned Bibles inside of one of four churches broken into Titusville, Florida. New Venture Church faces $100,000 in fire and smoke damage. Someone threw Bibles into a pile and set them on fire. A few blocks away at the Way of Life Church, someone left behind offensive messages. Windows at the St. Andrew United Methodist were smashed and at Westside Baptist, vandals smashed $1,500 worth of windows and doors. The pastor of New Venture told reporters “We want them to find God. That's our heart's prayer more than anything. And, if it takes justice for that to happen, that's what we pray for.” Police have so far made no arrests.

Tebow Responds to Ad Controversy

Here's what Tim Tebow had to say about the Super Bowl Ad controversy.

Copeland Accusations

Televangelist Kenneth Copeland is denying accusations his ministry failed to follow through on promises to help earthquake victims in Haiti. The claim comes from Rich Vermillion, who worked with Copeland and wrote the book Angel Flight 44: The True Story of Two Dedicated Pilots, a 60-Year-Old Airplane, and the Amazing Hurricane Katrina Mission That Birthed a New Aviation Ministry. The book is about the 2005 relief efforts for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. According to Vermillion, Copeland's promised at the time to form a new ongoing aviation humanitarian-relief ministry also called Angel Flight 44 but never did.

On his blog, KennethCopelandBlog.com, Vermillion writes:

"...one has to wonder where Copeland and his Angel Flight 44 ministry were during those early days of the disaster when their services were so badly needed. If Copeland had prepared beforehand as he had pledged, there would have been supplies flowing into Haiti within 24 hours after that earthquake. Instead, the people had to suffer and wait until other groups arrived, and that seems almost criminal in my opinion."

Copeland's lawyer responds:

“Kenneth Copeland Ministries is one of the premier Christian Ministries in the world today and is run with the utmost integrity. The Church has an annual independent audit and there are no funds that have been misused or unaccounted for.”

Superbowl Ad Stays

CBS says it will not cave into pressure to drop a Focus on the Family ad from its Super Bowl coverage. Woman's rights groups objected to the :30 announcement featuring former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. The network issued a statement that said:

"We have for some time moderated our approach to advocacy submissions after it became apparent that our stance did not reflect public sentiment or industry norms on the issue. In fact, most media outlets have accepted advocacy ads for some time. At CBS, our standards and practices process continues to adhere to a process that ensures all ads -- on all sides of an issue -- are appropriate for air. We will continue to consider responsibly produced ads from all groups for the few remaining spots in Super Bowl XLIV."

The Women's Media Center, National Organization For Women and more than two dozen other groups have launched a campaign to pressure CBS into pulling the Super Bowl "pro-life" ad bought by Focus on the Family. In the past, CBS has rejected advocacy ads from PETA, MoveOn.org and the United Church of Christ.

The spot reportedly tells how the Heisman Trophy winner's mom was advised by doctors to abort him. CBS officials have said they have seen the ad and have no problem with the video.

The NFL backed the CBS decision. "CBS standards and practices department approved the content of the ad as appropriate for the audience. We take no issue with CBS' decision," said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.

A CBS spokesperson had told B&C's Claire Atkinson last week that the network had vetted the spot's script and did not expect to have any trouble with the video.

Here's a report from WNAC-TVs morning show on it.

Protest Over Super Bowl Ad

Some women's groups are asking CBS to reject a Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad featuring Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, including the the National Organization for Women. There is speculation the 30 second ad will tell the story of his mom's pregnancy in 1987. Doctors recommend she have an abortion. Instead, she gave birth to Tim.

Controversy Over 'Jesus' Guns

KDFW-TV in Dallas reports on guns made for the military with Bible verses on them.

DC March for Life

WTTG-TV reports on the March for Life in Washington, DC.

Mega churches mean Big Business

CNN takes a look at megachurches in this article.

Catholic & Episcopalian Efforts in Haiti

Some of the efforts in Haiti by Catholics and Episcopalians:

Catholic Relief Services has turned a golf course in the neighborhood of Pétionville into a camp for the homeless. Supplies from the Dominican Republic are being shipped to the St. François de SalesHospital, one of the oldest Catholic hospitals in Haiti. Two medical teams from Europe are working there and are now able to perform surgery.

The Episcopal seminary has pitched the tents on the soccer field of a crushed parish school. Around 3000 have been treated there already. Haiti is mostly Catholic with about 83,000 Episcopalians.

Pastor Catches Flack for Haiti Comments

A British Columbia pastor is getting heat for his comments at church this past weekend about the earthquake in Haiti. Justin Dennison told parishioners at Johnston Heights Church in Surrey:

"Haiti is infamous for its voodoo spiritual darkness. I can't help think that maybe God has shaken them, shaken them against the kingdom of darkness."

Dennison says his comments were taken out of context because they came after his church had just raised $65,000 for relief efforts in Haiti. He says he does not think the earthquake was a judgment from God and "I have been linked to Pat Robertson" but "I am not remotely connected to Pat Robertson."

Tebow-Focus Ad Approved

CBS has approved a Super Bowl spot starring Tim Tebow and his mother from Focus on the Family. While many people speculated the commercial would carry an anti-abortion message, but the ministry says it will not - at least, not an explicit one. CBS policy prohibits advocacy ads. Focus only will say the ad would carry a Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life theme.

Dead Sea Scroll Fragments

Some Dead Sea Scroll fragments have been put on display at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary it purchased from a private collector. The school isn't saying how much was paid but is negotiating for more ancient documents. The fragments include passages from the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Daniel. The only other schools with fragments are the University of Chicago and Azusa Pacific University in California, making Southwestern the only evangelical seminary in the nation to have fragments with biblical text.