Benny Hinn Money Plea

Benny Hinn is asking followers for $2 million to help with his ministry's debt. Donations dropped following a scandal reported about his in the National Enquirer. Read more about that here. Hinn, however, blames poor offerings at international appearances that did not cover his expenses in Indonesia.

The video below of the televangelist has been making the rounds on the Internet. Shot in 2006 it shows Hinn using what he calls "God's Jacket" to attempt to heal blind, deaf, people with cancer and AIDS. Benny Hinn Ministries reportedly rakes in more than $200 million each year.

Anne Rice Quits Christianity

Anne Rice says she's no longer a Christian. She wrote on her Facebook page this week, "I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I quit Christianity and being Christian." Rice is author of Interview With a Vampire and has recently written several Christian books. She says the priest sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic church have also bothered her.

Bus Driver Suit

A former bus driver is suing his former employer for firing him earlier this year when he refused to drive passengers to Planned Parenthood. Edwin Graning wants Capital Area Rural Transportation System to give him his job back and pay unspecified damages. Graning, an ordained Christian minister, concerned that he might be transporting a client to undergo an abortion. The company denies that it discriminated against him because of his religion.

Christian Music Pioneer Passes

The man behind the 70s Christian group Sweet Comfort band, Kevin Thomas, died in May at the age of 57. Thomson played bass and managed the group. He suffered from several health problems. The group sprung in Southern California in 1972 and retired in 1984 after producing six albums.

Free Christian Music

Websites with free Christian songs and lyrics.

Sharesong.org

Christian Sheet Music Lyrics

Christian Gospel Music Lyrics

Christian Lyrics Online

a-z music lyrics

Psalmisty

All Gospel Lyrics

Getting to Know Rod Parsley

• Preaches prosperity gospel at World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio

• His $40 million-a-year Breakthrough TV ministry is on 1,400 TV stations and cable affiliates

• Dropped out of Circleville Bible College in his second year

• Lives on a 21-acre compound in a $1 million home

Clerk Talks about Jesus, Robber Leaves

A robber leaves empty-handed after the store clerk talked about Jesus and her Christian faith. WSVN-TV reports.

International Burn a Quran Day

A pastor is hosting what's being called International Burn a Quran Day on September 11.

Screamin' Demons

A Georgia pastor is trying to get his local high school to drop its mascot. Donald Crosby of Kingdom Builders Church of Jesus Christ says teams at Warner Robins High School shouldn't be called the Demons. Crosby is tring to get his son transferred from the school to avoid having him shout, "Go Demons!" at games. In the meantime, he started a petition drive. The mascot was adopted right after World War II in honor of the 7th fighter squadron based at Robins Air Force Base for repairs which had the nickname Screamin' Demons.

Suit Over Views on Homosexuality

A student is suing Augusta State University because she was told she must undergo a remediation program over her beliefs about homosexuality and transgendered persons. Jennifer Keeton is working on a master's degree in school counseling, but school officials say she'll be dismissed from the program unless she alters her "central religious beliefs on human nature and conduct." because "she holds to Christian ethical convictions on matters of human sexuality and gender identity. Augusta State University had no comment on the lawsuit, but maintains there is no discriminate on the basis of students' religious beliefs.

Benny Hinn Accused of Affair

Benny Hinn is denying reports he has had an affair with Without Walls International Church senior pastor Paula White. Both have statements on their websites objecting to a National Enquirer report that they've become romantically involved. It includes photos of the two holding hands on what the paper calls a "romantic trip to Rome." White is twice divorced and Hinn's wife filed for divorce earlier this year. The Hinns have been married for 30 years. Both of their ministries are being investigated by Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley for possible violations of rules set down by the IRS about nonprofit organizations.

Doug Oldham Dies

Christian singer Doug Oldham has died at the age of 79. An associate of Jerry Falwell, he passed away at the University of Virginia Medical Center while awaiting surgery for a recent back injury. Oldham was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2006. He recorded more than 64 albums and sang with the Billy Graham and for five presidents.

Focus Going Social

Focus on the Family say it is going to do "everything Facebook lets a company do." The ministry founded by James Dobson plans to use social media and extensively even though it didn't have a Facebook page until last year. Even then, it was a supporter and not an employee who started it. The site now has 51,000 fans. Facebook says it has surpassed 500 million active users, making it the largest social network in the world.

Megachurch Pastor Injured

Rick Warren is recovering from accident that severely burned his eyes. He was pruning in his garden Monday when he inadvertently wiped the toxic sap of a firestick plant in his eyes. Warren was hospitalized and released the next day. The California pastor has been on a leave from preaching at his church to write the church's fall curriculum on Christian service.

CS Lewis off-Broadway

Two different plays are running off-Broadway right now about CS Lewis. There is a stage adaptation of his Screwtape Letters while Freud's Last Session is based on a book by Armand Nicholi called The Question of God which contrasts the views of Freud and Lewis. The play turns into a lively debate about God, sex, and politics. Neither show is marketed to a specifically Christian audience.

OK Law on Hold

An Oklahoma abortion law will not go into affect because a judge has issued an injunction to block it. This extends an order issued in May. The law would require women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound and listen to a detailed description of the fetus. It's is being challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Millions to Study Character

Wake Forest University has been given $3.67 million to study the nature of character. Three professors from the Winston-Salem, North Carolina school - one in philosophy and two in psychology will lead the study. The funding comes from the John Templeton Foundation for The Character Project.

The Legend of Caine

Will Smith may star in re-telling of the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Smith will reportedly be the producer of The Legend Of Caine which will be brought up to date with the inclusion of a Vampire-like twist. The script was written by Caleeb Pinket, Will Smith's brother-in-law.

Gospel Album Called Sick Joke

A record label executive says Tom Jones new Gospel album is a "sick joke." Island records vice president David Sharpe has since apologized for the remark after Jones demanded one. Jones left EMI last year and signed with Island Records. The 70-year-old's decision to release an album of blues-flavored gospels and spirituals called Praise & Blame came as a surprise.

Prayers for Gulf Families

Evangelical groups are promoting today as a National Day of Prayer for the Gulf. The National Association of Evangelicals and the Evangelical Environmental Network are asking Christians to pray for Gulf Coast residents affected by the BP oil spill. Congregations across the U.S. and as far away as New Zealand will observe the National Day of Prayer for the Gulf from their own church location. Churches in Gulf Shores, Alabama took part in an inter-denominational sunrise service Sunday on the beach at Gulf State Park this morning.

Christianity in Africa

The Economist has a report on the rise of Christianity in the Horn of African here.

The False Gospel of Glenn Beck

A new radio ad accuses Glenn Beck of preaching a false gospel. Produced by an online Christian social-justice group called Faithful America, the ad will be aired in cities in which Beck is speaking this summer. The ad says:

Would you support a leader who said Jesus' teachings can lead to Naziism? Or who attacks Christian pastors for preaching the full gospel? Then why do so many Christians tune into Glenn Beck? By deriding pastors who preach the justice taught by Jesus and the prophets, Glenn Beck has urged listeners to follow his piecemeal gospel. Scripture teaches that the tongue can be like a small fire that sets a whole forest ablaze, and Christians are cautioned not to praise God in one breath while cursing those made in God's likeness in the next....

Beck has told listeners to leave their churches if the pastor supports social-justice views associated with liberal theology. Beck says he was an alcoholic who converted to Mormonism at age 35.

College Closing

Mississippi's Wesley College is shutting down at the end of the month. The Florance-based school is $2.7 million debt. The Congregational Methodist Church started the facility in 1972 as Westminster College. It changed the name to Wesley College in 1976. There were 140 students enrolled last semester.

Bible Translator Dies

The man who put together the Good News Bible has died. Robert Bratcher passed away Saturday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the age of 90. The New Testament translator was the son of a Southern Baptist missionary and worked with the American Bible Society. First issued in 1966 as Good News for Modern Man, the complete Bible was published in 1976 under the name the Good News Bible, also known as Today's English Version.

RC Sproul Starts Bible School

RC Sproul is opening a new Bible school in Sanford, Florida. The Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies will begin accepting applications now for enrollment in undergraduate stuides next fall. Faculty includes Dr. R.C. Sproul, Dr. Fowler White, Dr. Keith Mathison, Rev. Michael Morales, Dr. Paul Helm, Dr. Stephen Nichols, Dr. Duncan Rankin, and Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. Read more here.

Contemporary Christian Radio... by the Numbers

The US has 946 contemporary Christian music formatted stations, according to Inside Radio. That's second only to country music’s 2,006 stations. The number of CCM stations has shot up 72% in the last decade.

Schuller Taps Daughter

Robert H. Schuller is turning control of his megachurch to his daughter. Sheila Schuller Coleman will take over the Cathedral of Praise in Southern California from the 83-year-old pastor, although the senior Schuller will serve as chairman of the church board of directors. The church has recently had financial trouble, running a $55 million budget deficit. It's being sued by four large creditors and hundreds of others are owed millions of dollars.

Tom Jones Goes Gospel

Singer Tom Jones is putting out a gospel-flavored album just weeks after his 70th birthday. Praise & Blame will be released July 27. Jones introduced the album this spring with a version of Bob Dylan's What Good Am I? which was well-received. Jones says, "you could hear a pin drop-which is always a good indication. The single Burning Hell is already being played on U.S. radio stations.

Chaplian Fired over Name of Jesus

An honorary chaplain was removed from his position because he used the name of Jesus in a prayer. Ron Baity is the pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He closed a prayer at the state house of representatives by invoking the name of Jesus. House Speaker Joe Hackney took Baity out of the week-long job after a House clerk asked to see a copy of the prayer and saw that Baity intended to mention the name of Jesus.

PCUSA to Consider Same-Sex Marriage - Again

A Presbyterian Church, USA committee is recommending the denomination allow same-sex marriage. Another committee wants the church begin ordaining non-celibate gays and lesbians. The church's week-long legislative General Assembly is taking place in Minneapolis where delegates will take up discussion of the recommendations. The committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues voted 34-18 in favor of changing the definition of marriage from a covenant between "a man and a woman" to a covenant between "two people." The regional presbyteries have repeatedly rejected gay-ordination proposals, though the denomination has allowed Presbyterian ministers and churches to bless same-sex relationships since 2000.

25,000 Letters

Members of Chicago's House of Hope church have sent 25,000 letters to U.S. service members serving overseas in honor of Independence Day and the church's 25th anniversary. With some 5,000 people worshiping each Sunday, it took five weeks to reach their goal of 25,000 letters. The number was selected in honor of the mega-church's 25th anniversary. The letters are being sent to U.S. service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Video Game Age Restrictions

Video game aficionados might have to enter a credit card or find another way to verify their age before playing a networked game, thanks to a new push from advocacy groups who say they want to protect minors from in-game advertising messages. Not only young children are at risk, but the FTC "should seek ways to provide protections to teens," the coalition recommends. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, has claimed that "Grand Theft Auto 3 portrays the brutal murder of women, minorities, the elderly, and police officers." Video games can contribute to "physical and mental-health problems," the American Academy of Pediatrics has warned.

Regent Struggling

Regent University is in serious financial trouble, but a cash infusion from Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network will help. Robertson serves as Regent's chancellor and president. He agreed to loosened restrictions on a $95-million gift CBN made to the university. Now the school can spend the money freely. Deficits were about 26% for the school between 2007 and 2009 and its endowment draw more than double the normal payout rate last year. Increased enrollment has helped the school is operating with only enough cash to keep it going for six days. Moody's Investment Services says the university will likely continue experiencing deficits.

Beliefnet Sold

Fox Network owner Rupert Murdoch has sold Beliefnet.com to the owners of Affinity4. The company is operated by a group of Evangelicals. Beliefnet was started in 1999 by Steven Waldman who had worked at the Washington Monthly and Newsweek magazines. Waldan sold his stake in Beliefnet to Mr. Murdoch in 2008. He is and now working for the Federal Communications Commission.

Candy Cane Suit

A lawsuit over candy canes will move forward. A federal appeals court has refused to dismiss a suit against two Dallas-area elementary school principals who told students to stop giving out Christian candy cane pens and making other religious expressions at the school. They argued there is no "First Amendment's freedom of speech protection" for "non-curricular materials in public elementary schools." The judges simply wrote "They are wrong."

Getting to Know.. Robert Schuller

1926: Born in Alton, Iowa

1950: Earns bachelor of divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan

1950: Ordained a minister of the Reformed Church in America

1950: Marries Arvella DeHaan

1950: Serves as pastor of Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Chicago 1955: Founds the Garden Grove Community Church in Orange County

1961: Dedicates the first walk-in, drive-in church.

1968: Dedicates the Tower of Hope, a 14-story office and counseling center 1970: Begins broadcasting the Hour of Power TV ministry

1980: Dedicates the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California

1980: Launches The Glory of Christmas pageant

1985: Launches The Glory of Easter pageant

1986: Becomes the only nonarchitect to be elected to the board of the American Institute of Architects

1989: Mikhail Gorbachev invites Schuller to speak on a telecast to the entire Soviet Union

1996: Declares his son, Robert A. Schuller to be his successor

2003: Completes $40-million International Center for Possibility Thinking

2006: Announces he is turning over Crystal Cathedral leadership to his son, Robert A. Schuller

2006: Turns over leadership of the Crystal Cathedral to his son, Robert A. Schuller

2008: Removes his son as preacher on the church's weekly Hour of Power and Robert A. Schuller soon resigns from leadership at the Crystal Cathedral

2009: Robert A. Schuller announces his company has acquired cable network AmericanLife TV from the Unification Church

2009: Announces that eldest daughter, Sheila Schuller Coleman, will take over leadership of his ministry

High Court Rules Against Christian Group

The Supreme Court says a Christian group on public college campuses must allow any student to join whether gay or atheist if the group is to be recognized by the school. San Francisco's University of California's Hastings College of the Law would not allow the Christian Legal Society to register as a student group because members were prohibited from "fornication, adultery and homosexual conduct" which violated the school's antidiscrimination policy. In the 5-4 ruling, the court found that the law school didn't violate the group's constitutional rights.

Seminary Dean Loses Position

The dean of the university founded by Jerry Falwell is out - at least as Dean. Ergun Caner will no longer be dean at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary when his term expires at the end of the month, but he will remain a member of the faculty. Caner had regularly told a story about his conversion to Christianity from Islam as a teenager, but his saga was called into question by bloggers. A board of trustees committee decided he had made contradictory statements. They say he has apologized for his comments that led to the review. He apparently was raised a Muslim but was not as serious about the religion as he has led people to believe.

Birth Certificate Leads to Arrest

A homeless man who stole money from the First St. John's Church in York, Pennsylvania left his birth certificate behind. Allen Larry Dawes is now behind bars for the crime.

Jesus Return Expected

A new survey shows 41% of Americans expect Jesus return by 2050. 46% say it will definitely or probably not happen. 58% of those who identified themselves as white evangelicals agreed while only 32% Catholics and 27% of white mainline Protestants share the view. The poll conducted by the Pew Research Center has a 3% margin of error.

Atheist Billboard Campaign

A new billboard campaign in North Carolina is taking a stab at religious values. The boards are sponsored by the North Carolina Secular Association and offer a few words from the Pledge of Allegiance (One Nation Indivisible) but with “under God" missing. The billboards are up along Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte and other spots in Asheville, Winston-Salem, and Raleigh. Two billboard companies refused to put up the billboards. One said the Pledge ad was too controversial.

Offer to Rebuild Jesus Statue

PETA is offering to rebuild a 60-foot-high statue of Jesus that was burned to the ground by a lightning strike. The animal rights group put the offer in a a letter it sent to the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio. The catch: PETA wants the Jesus image to hold a lamb and these words placed at the foot of the statue: "Blessed Are the Merciful. Go Vegan."

Creation Lawsuit Rejected

A federal court tossed out a creationist school's lawsuit over whether it can offer a Master's Degree. A judge rejected a bid by the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School to challenge a decision by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, rejecting the institute's request to offer master's degree in science education.

Baptists Divided over Budgets and Baptisms

The Nashville Tennessean has a report on the Southern Baptist Convention gathering in Orlando here.

Thomas Nelson Ownership

Privately held Christian publisher Thomas Nelson has been acquired by a group of investors. The company hopes the move will open doors to acquiring other companies. Thomas Nelson has cut its staff from about 600 employees to less than 500 in the past few years.

Statue Burns to Ground

A 60-foot tall statue of Jesus near Monroe, Ohio is gone after lightning triggered a fire that burned it to the ground. The structure outside of Solid Rock Church weighted 16,000 pounds and was made of styrofoam, wood and fiberglass. Intense thunderstorms triggered the lightning strike Monday. No one was injured.

Holy Land Tourism

Israel’s Tourism Ministry says tourism is up 42% from the same period in 2009, making 2010 a potentially record year. Many of these tourists are evangelical Christians.

Tangle & GodTube Bought

Salem has acquired tangle.com and GodTube.com. Tangle is a leading Christian social networking website, and GodTube is a Christian video website. Together, the two sites reach well over 1 million unique visitors a month, with millions of page views and maintains over 800,000 registered users. For its part, Salem Communications owns 96 radio stations and provides programming for approximately 2,000 affiliated radio stations.

Wireless Mic Change Deadline

Churches are scrambling to replace wireless microphones and devices by Saturday, a deadline set by the FCC. The agency is required users to switch wireless microphone systems between 698 and 806 MHz to make room for use by fire, police and emergency services. Many churches across the country us these frequencies. Failing to make the change could lead to a fine of $100,000. The change is costing many churches $10,000 or more.

Column on Gay Parents Controversy

A Boston Catholic paper is apologizing for a column that has stirred gay rights advocates by linking same-sex parents with pornography. Michael Pakaluk, writing in The Pilot says one reason the children of gay parents should not be admitted to Catholic schools is the danger they would pose of bringing pornography into school. He once taught philosophy at Clark University in Worcester and served as a visiting scholar at Harvard. He now teaches in Virginia. Pakaluk has told reporters he would not make the same point if he were writing the article again. Read the column here.

Getting to Know.. David Cerullo

Here are some facts about televangelist David Cerullo.

Runs The Inspiration Network
Salary $1.5 million a year
Married to Barbara Cerullo who got $198,000 in total compensation from the ministry in 2007
Lives in Charlotte, NC
12,000-square-foot lakefront home
His children receive large salaries from his ministry (nearly $400,000)
Building a 93-acre campus in South Carolina
The state gave Cerullo incentives worth some $25 million
Attended Oral Roberts University
ordained by the Assemblies of God in 1974
Father is evangelist Morris Cerullo
Morris Cerullo paid $7 million to buy The Inspiration Network in 1990
The network has more than 300 employees
More than 2 dozen employees make more than $100,000 a year
Not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

Premarital Sex Leads to Firing

A former teacher at a Florida Christian school is suing for her losing her job because she got pregnant before getting married. Jarretta Hamilton was a 4th grade teacher at Southland Christian School in St. Cloud when she admitted her child had been conceived about three weeks before her wedding last year. The school issued a letter to its staff explaining the firing by saying in part, "Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication, sex outside of marriage."

Commandments Display Suit

A Utah judge has dismissed a Ten Commandments lawsuit. A group called the Summum wanted to put up a religious display alongside a Ten Commandments display in Pleasant Grove. The marker is in a public park, where it was dedicated a half a century ago.

Christian Singer Dies

Christian singer Dana Key unexpectedly passed away yesterday. A member of the pioneering Christian band Degarmo & Key, the 57 year old died from a blood clot. He served as senior pastor of The Love of Christ Church in Cordova, Tennessee which planned a DeGarmo & Key reunion this Sunday.

Newspaper Ad Upsets Muslims

Ads for the Granite City Baptist Church in St. Cloud, Minnesota is stirring controversy. Pastor Dennis Campbell suggestions Islam is a threat to America. The advertisement was placed in the St. Cloud Times and says Muslims "seek to influence a nation by immigration, reproduction, education, the government, illegal drugs and by supporting the gay agenda." Campbell has given interviews defending the ad, saying he is not a racist. See the ad here.

Clergy Glut

There are more than 600,000 ministers in the but only 338,000 churches in the US, according to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. For instance, there are four Presbyterian ministers looking for work for every job that's available. At the same time, there are 300 churches that are members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention without a pastor. The average church has only 75 members, so many congregations cannot afford a full-time pastor. The Association of Theological Schools says seminary enrollment is down more than six percent in the last five years, so the number of pastors without churches is likely to fall over the next few years.

Spiritual but not Religious

CNN looks at "Are there dangers in being spiritual but not religious?" here.

Suit: Pages of Bible Stolen

An Armenian church in California is suing the J. Paul Getty Museum over pages from an ancient Bible in the museum's collection since 1994. The Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America filed a $105-million civil lawsuit saying that the institution illegally bought the seven pages. The church wants the pages back because, the suit say, they were torn out of the Armenian Orthodox Church's Zeyt'un Gospels more than 100 years ago. But Getty says it obtained the legally and will fight the lawsuit.

The Roman Catholic Hall of Fame: Sainthood

WHAT?
• A saint is anyone whose "soul is in heaven"
• When the church officially declares someone a saint it means the Catholic Church has no doubts the person is in heaven
• The process recognizes lives of "great charity and heroic virtue"

STEPS
• Venerable: title given to someone recognized as having lived heroic virtues
• Beatification: person is declared "blessed" (need one miracle proven after death to qualify)
• Canonization: person is officially declared a saint (need 2 miracles attributed to their intercession, unless the person is a martyr)

WAITING PERIOD
• The investigation into whether someone might be saint material does not start (traditionally) until 5 years after death and often took centuries
• The pope can put someone on a fast track for sainthood (ex: John Paul II put Mother Teresa on the fast track- the process started one year after her death)
• First canonization was in 993 St. Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg, Germany
• Local bishops canonized saints in the early church (such as St. Nicholas and St. Patrick)
• Formal investigations by the Vatican began in the 13th century

Haggard to Start Church

Former megachurch pastor Ted Haggard plans to start a new church in Colorado Springs, Colorado in defiance of his old church. His career was undone when his relationship with a male prostitute and alleged drug purchases were revealed in 2006. The nondenominational church will meet this Sunday for the first time at Haggard's home. KKTV offers this video of Haggard's announcement.

Texas Baptists Cut Ties with Church

The Baptist General Convention of Texas is taking membership in the group away from a Dallas church for accepting openly gay deacons. The state's largest Baptist group officially broke ties with Royal Lane Baptist Church by a vote of 63-4. Royal Lane had been a part of the Convention for decades. The church has not made an official comment yet. The church also has been cut off by the Dallas Baptist Association.

Social Justice on Campus

Time magazine takes a look at social justice on the campuses of Christian Colleges here.

Gay Music Artists On Tour

Ray Boltz kicks off a national tour at Covenant of the Cross in Nashville two weeks from Thursday (June 17), affirming his status as an openly gay Christian music artist. Boltz has three Dove Awards, two gold albums, one gold video, and a dozen number one singles to his name, having sold more than 4 million units. The singer-songwriter revealed he was gay two years ago. He will will tour with Azariah Southworth who "came out" about the same time. The revelation led to Southworth losing his position as host of a Christian music TV show called The ReMix which was seen by more than 200,000 each week.

Megachurch Pastor Undergoes Surgery

The pastor of one of the largest churches in the country is recovering from triple bypass surgery. 73 year old Ed Young pastors the Second Baptist Church in Houston. He was hospitalized Wednesday after complaining of tightness in his chest and underwent the 90-minute surgery Thursday. In 1988, a stent was placed in Young’s heart to open a clogged heart artery. The former Southern Baptist Convention president hasn't said whether he will return to the pulpit.

Odd Religious Sties in America

WHAT: Don Brown Rosary Collection, the world's largest rosary collection
WHERE: Stevenson, Washington

WHAT: Richard Greene's ark replica
WHERE: Frostburg, Maryland

WHAT: The Church of God of Prophecy's Fields of the Wood including the world's largest Ten Commandments display, largest altar and largest New Testament
WHERE: Murphy, North Carolina

WHAT: Bill Rice's Cross Garden
WHERE: Prattville, Alabama

WHAT: Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens outdoor gallery
WHERE: Summerville, Georgia

NBC Anchor Mixes Up Colleges

NBC Today show anchor Ann Curry slipped up during her commencement speech at Wheaton College in Massachusetts this past Saturday. She mentioned that Wes Craven and Billy Graham had graduated from the school. Except, Craven and Graham actually attended the Evangelical Wheaton College in Illinois rather than the secular school for women in New England. Curry offered an apology on the Wheaton website: "I am mortified by my mistake, and can only hope the purity of my motive, to find a way to connect with the graduates and to encourage them to a life of service, will allow you to forgive me." The mistake has been edited out of the video of her speech posted on the site. She was awarded an honorary doctorate.

Gaga's New Release

Singer Lady Gaga has told interviewers in London that her next album will be different because "I recently had this ... miracle-like experience, where I feel much more connected to God... Religion is very confusing for everyone, and particularly me, because there's really no religion that doesn't hate or condemn a certain kind of people, and I totally believe in all love and forgiveness, and excluding no one."

Church Money Woes

Budgets for Protestant churches are down about 7% on average from the year before. A Barna survey this year showed one in 11 churches lost 20% or more in annual income, with 2% reporting drops of 35%.

Jews for Jesus Founder Dies

Moishe Rosen has died at the age of 78. He founded Jews for Jesus, the world's largest Messianic Jewish organization, in 1973. Rosen was born into an Orthodox Jewish family but converted to Christianity, prompting his parents to stop speaking to him. He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1957. A statement from him is posted on the group's website.

American Idol's Christian Connection

Read an extensive article about how church has affected American Idol contestants in the LA Times here.

Billy's Last Sermon

Billy Graham wants to give one more sermon. The 91-year-old evangelist could preach at Charlotte's Bank of America stadium, according to some reports. Franklin Graham says he's talked about videotaping a sermon with his father. Billy Graham's last crusade was four years ago in New York. President Barack Obama and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin have visited him in recent months.

PCUSA Cutbacks

The Presbyterian Church, USA has cut 49 positions at its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. The denomination's governing board has agreed to cut the budget from this year's total of $93.8 million to just $82 million for 2011 and $80 million for 2012. The denomination has struggled with the issue of ordaining clergy in same-gender relationships.

Oregon Church Faces Scrutiny

A church that shuns traditional medicine for faith healing leads to numerous child deaths. CNN offers this video report.

American Missionary Freed

The woman who led American missionaries in attempting to take 33 children out of Haiti to the Dominican Republic, is now out of jail. A judge convicted Laura Silsby and sentenced her to the time she had already served in jail. The Idaho church leader had been in custody since January. Silsby was the last member of her group still being held in Haiti.

Megachurch Building

The First Baptist Church of Dallas has raised $115 million for a state-of-the-art campus in the downtown area. Church officials say it sets a record for the most money raised for a Protestant church. Construction begins in July and will take three years to complete.

Souther Baptist Numbers

Southern Baptist membership fell about half a percentage point to 16.16 million during 2009, according to a report from LifeWay Christian Resources. The nation’s largest Protestant denomination also saw a slip in giving to missions down to $1.33 billion, a decline of 1.8%.

Large Cross Stolen

A seven-foot-tall cross in the Mojave Desert that sparked a Supreme Court dispute has been stolen. Fox News reports.

Seminary President's Claims Investigated

The Jerry Falwell founded Liberty University has launched a formal inquiry into claim as to whether the head of its seminary made up parts of his testimony about growing up as a Sunni Muslim before converting to Christianity. Ergun Caner, president of the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School, is accused in blogs as fabricating parts of his background for speaking engagements. One blogger says Caner was not born in Turkey but Sweden and he's been in the US since the age of four.

Police: Singers Stole from Churches

Authorities in central Georgia say two gospel singers face burglary charges for breaking into several churches and stealing $100,000 worth of equipment. The Washington County Sheriff's office says drummer Rico Blackshear from Dublin and Deshawn Thomas of Sandersville have been linked the pair to at least two dozen incidents beginning last November. The case was broken when officers received a tip about the pair performing with gospel bands at the churches where thefts occurred. They apparently went back and broke into the churches later.

Cable Show about Jesus

Comedy Central has a cartoon series in the works about Jesus called JC. The production company behind The Office and The Biggest Loser (Reveille) is behind the effort. According to producers, the program shows Jesus as a "regular guy" who moves to New York to "escape his father's enormous shadow." His Heavenly Father is portrayed as more interested in playing video games than listening to his son.

Atheists: Arrest the Pope!

Atheist authors Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens are lobbying to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested for “crimes against humanity” when he visits Britain in September.

Writing in Newsweek, Christopher Hitchens says the Pope once sent a letter to all Catholic bishops instructing them to say nothing about rape or molestation allegations to anyone outside the church. Failing to report a crime is a crime in itself. There’s also evidence that Ratzinger was “lenient or negligent” with a number of priests known to be pedophiles.

Dawkins, in the London Guardian suggests thinking of the situation where a teacher is molesting pupils but the administrator simply moves the offender to a new school, explaining in a letter to colleagues that it would harm the government’s reputation to admit that a pedophile had ever been employed. If such a letter ever came to light, that official would “immediately have to resign in ignominy, and face prosecution himself.”

Gay Policy Remains

Michigan's Hope College will not change its policy condemning homosexual behavior and advocacy. The board of the Christian college voted Friday to keep things as they are, despite a petition from alumni, student and community groups asking for a change. The effort was triggered by a visit from the maker of the movie Milk which told the story of a gay San Francisco politician. The school would not allow the film to be shown last year. It's historically associated with the Reformed Church in America.

Homegrown Jihad

The Christian Action Network is putting up billboards near Islamic communities around the country to promote a documentary called Homegrown Jihad. It warns about the dangers of radical Islam. One in South Carolina is known as Islamville which has been identified in a report from the Nashville-based Regional Organized Crime Information Center as a paramilitary training compounds. The leader of the community was once listed as an international terrorist. An elder denies those claims and the local sheriff says there's no indication of criminal activity. Neighbors close to a villiage in upstate New York called Holy Islamville say they regularly hear gunfire.

Radio Station Sale Goes Through

The only classical music station in St. Louis will soon blast contemporary Christian music. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is selling KFUO-FM (Classic 99.1) to Christian music broadcaster Joy FM for $26 million. Classical music enthusiasts have been fighting the move for a year, trying to get the FCC to block the sale but the agency has approved the sale.

Graham Prays at Pentagon Anyway

Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon today after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted Muslims.

Abortion Bill Veto Sticks

Lawmakers in Kansas failed to override the governor's veto of a bill to tighten restrictions on late-term abortions. Kansas no longer has a clinic known to perform abortions in the final trimester since the murder of physician George Tiller last year.

Poll on Prayer

A new poll find 92% of Americans say there is a God and 83% say he answers prayers. The USA TODAY/Gallup Poll 57% approve of the National Day of Prayer while only 4.5% opposed it.

Suit to Stop Graduation at Church

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the Enfield, Connecticut public schools from holding graduation ceremonies in a church. They filed the suit on behalf of two high school seniors and three of their parents. The ceremony has been held at the First Cathedral a few miles south in Bloomfield.

Gay Pastor to Stay

The Lutheran Church plans to reinstate a gay pastor in Atlanta. WAGA-TV offers this video report.

Women Addicted to Porn

Kansas megachurch offers counseling for women addicted to pornography. The New York Times offers a profile here.

Dobson Switches Endorsment

James Dobson has switched his endorcement in Kentucky's Senate race. He's calling on voters to support tea party favorite Rand Paul after first endorsing Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Dobson says he was misled by Republican leaders as to each candidate's positions. Dobson says he was told Paul was not opposed to abortion though both candidates have expressed anti-abortion positions. While Paul has the backing of Sarah Palin and one-time presidential candidate Steve Forbes while former Vice President Dick Cheney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has endorsed Grayson.

Praying for Obama's Death

There are calls for Facebook to shut down a group that's being accused of "praying" for the death of President Barack Obama. The group has more than 1 million members. There are fake photos showing, for instance, the president against a communist flag and a cartoon associating Obama to Hitler. Its location is listed as Marysville, OH, 43040.

The group is called, "DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA. AMEN."

Another group is calling itself "Petition to remove Facebook group praying for President Obama's death," is denouncing the anti-Obama group and advocate for its removal. This group has more than 650,000 members.

National Day of Prayer

The 59th annual National Day of Prayer is next Thursday, May 6th. A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled this month that the day is a call to religious action and deemed it unconstitutional. The ruling can't take effect until all appeals are exhausted. Congress first established a National Prayer Day in 1952. In 1988, lawmakers set the first Thursday in May as the official day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray.

Racist Remark from 1st Baptist, Dallas

The First Baptist Church of Dallas is apologizing for an ethnic slur made by the interim president of Criswell College Sunday that was heard over the radio on KCBI-FM. Lamar Cooper was about to teach a Sunday school class when he could be heard using the word wetbacks while talking about the controversial illegal-immigration law in Arizona. The church has received many complaints Cooper will apologize during next Sunday's class but it will not be broadcast as the remark was.

Complaint of Prayer at Public School

The Freedom From Religion Foundation claims the band director at Oxford High School in Oxford, Alabama is illegally leading his symphonic band class in prayer. School officials say that's not happening. The group also charges the instructor has threatened to fail students who don't attend a concert taking place at local Baptist church. The school's principal says the concert was not mandatory and only students lead prayers.

The Next Southern Baptist President

3 pastors are likely to vie for the Southern Baptist presidency when the convention meets in Orlando during June. The three are:

• Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida
• Bryant Wright, senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia
• Jimmy Jackson, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention

The three will be competing for the position now held by Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia.

Abortion Measure Passed in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Senate has voted to override the Governor vetoes of two anti-abortion measures. KWTV reports.

High Court: Cross Staysc

The Supreme Court says the a cross in the Mojave desert on public land can stay. It was put there 1934 to honor fallen soldiers. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said the 1st Amendment called for a middle-ground "policy of accommodation" toward religious displays on public land, not a strict separation of church and state. The justices split 5-4. Roberts and Alito joined Kennedy's opinion. Scalia and Thomas agreed but has different reasoning. Retiring Justice John Paul Stevens spoke for the dissenters saying The government should "avoid endorsement of a particular religious view." Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Breyer agreed.

Christian Singer Comes Out

A San Diego megachurch pastor confronts singer Jennifer Knapp on CNN's Larry King about her decision to "come out of the closet."

Most 'Millennials' don't Pray, Read Bible or Attend Church

Most Americans between the ages of 19 and 30 say they are Christians but seldom pray, read the Bible or go to church. That's the finding of a new survey conducted by LifeWay. The researchers estimate that no more than 15% of the 80 million young adults known as "Millennials" have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

31% pray at least once a day
20% say they never pray
67% say they rarely or never read any sacred writings
8% say they read the Bible every day
25% attend religious services at least once a week
75% rarely or never attend a house of worship

Read more here.