Schuller Lawsuit

Creditors of the Crystal Cathedral are taking the megachurch's founder and family to court, accusing Robert H. Schuller of taking $10 million from the ministry's endowment fund to cover the salaries of his family, going back to 2002. Schuller says it's not true. He recently tried to raise money to prevent the selling of the land on which the Crystal Cathedral stands - but the Schullers failed to raise even half of what is needed. The highest bid comes from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for $53.6 million. Other potential buyers include Chapman University and Hobby Lobby.

ADA and Churches

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday in a case that could decide whether churches can avoid lawsuits that other employers cannot. A teacher at a Lutheran school in Redford, Michigan was fired and she claimed discrimination under ADA laws. The school is claiming it's exempt from facing the lawsuit because it falls in area that bans lawsuits against clergy performing their religious duties. Teacher Cheryl Perich and her lawyers say her claims against Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church are not a religious matter. She was let go after she was diagnosed with narcolepsy and she says that's a clear violation of ADA law. A district court ruled in favor of the school. An appeals court overturned that ruling.

The Political Pulpit

The New York Times takes a long at Pulpit Freedom Sunday here.

Faith Healing Convictions

Two more members of a faith healing church in Oregon will spend time behind bars. A jury found Dale and Shannon Hickman guilty of of manslaughter in the death of their infant son David. Five other members of Christ Church have been convicted as well for other similar crime. The Hickman's prayed and rubbed oil on their son when he had trouble breathing just nine hours after has birth. An autopsy showed he had a bacterial infection and underdeveloped lungs - and hospital treatment would have ensured his survival. The Hickman's claimed the charges was nothing more than religious persecution. The couple will be sentenced at the end of October.

Why young Christians aren't waiting anymore

CNN has an article about abstinence among Christian teenagers and young adults. Read the story here.

Nearing Home

Billy Graham's 30th book will be out soon. Nearing Home will hit store shelves shortly before his 93rd birthday in November. The idea for the book came a few years ago when he realized, "I had been taught all of my life how to die, but no one had ever taught me how to grow old." In the book, Graham finds examples of seniors who embrace their age and he offers verses of encouragement to do the same.

Obama Heckler

A heckler interrupted President Obama's fundraiser in Los Angeles last night shouting, "Christian God is the one and only true living God" and then "Jesus Christ is God!" He was soon outshouted by other people chanting "four more years!" There are reports that when the man was being taken away he added, "Barack Obama is the antichrist!" Afterward, Obama said "first of all, I agree Jesus Christ is the Lord. I believe in that." Here is a video showing Obama's reaction.

Gospel Singer Dies

Gospel music singer Jessy Dixon has died at the age of 73. He passed yesterday at his home in Chicago. Dixon recorded five gold albums. During the 1970s he was the opening act of Paul Simon and recently he played a roll on Bill Gaither's popular "Homecoming" series.

Belieber! in print

A new book about Justin Bieber explores his Christian beliefs. Belieber! Fame, Faith, and the Heart of Justin Bieber written by Cathleen Falsani describes his journey from singing Christian songs on YouTube to international stardom. His mother, Patricia Mallette, attends Jubilee Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational church in Stratford, Ontario. The book compiles information from articles, social media and interviews with the seventeen-year-old Canadian who had never concealed his faith.

Religious Rights Battle at Vanderbilt University

Below is a video from Fox News about a battle on the campus of Vanderbilt University over the religious freedom of a student group.

Rob Bell Leaves Church

Michigan mega-church pastor Rob Bell is leaving his Mars Hill Church. His book Love Wins drew criticism from conservative evangelicals for suggesting that hell may close one day after everyone leaves to go to heaven. Bell did not speak with the congregation before releasing the news publicly. He's planning a Fit to Smash Ice tour and is already scheduled to speak in at least eight places. Below is an ABC video about Bell.

Southern Baptist Name Change

The Southern Baptist Convention may change its name. Current President Bryant Wright has set up a study group to research the idea - something that has stirred controversy because he didn't work through the executive committee. The effort to rebrand the denomination may mean dropping "Southern" and possibly "Baptist."

Ted Haggard will "Swap Wife"

Former megachurch pastor Ted Haggard will swap wives with actor Gary Busey for an upcoming episode of Celebrity Wife Swap. The episode of the ABC reality series is being taped in Colorado Springs. Busey is an active minister with Promise Keepers while Haggard has returned to the ministry as a pastor of a non-denominational church following his departure from a Colorado megachurch following a public scandal.

God and the Economy Survey

A new survey finds 8 in 10 political conservatives see God stepping in to their daily lives believe God is steering the economy. The Baylor Religion Survey (conducted by Gallup) found 73% of Americans agree with the statement "I know God has a plan for me." Out of this group:

•49% say "the government in Washington is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and private businesses."

•79% say "able-bodied people who are out of work shouldn't receive unemployment checks if they are passing up jobs they can do."

•92% say "anything is possible for those who work hard."

NRB: Social Media Censoring Christians

The National Religious Broadcasters claims the social media are targeting Christians and censoring their viewpoints. The organization says it studied Apple, the iTunes App Store, Google, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, AT&T, Comcast and Verizon and found what it calls "institutionalized religious discrimination.” The one bright spot, according to the report, is Twitter. The social media site has shown "fairness toward Christian opinions" in its written policies. The NRB points to decision's like one by Apple to pull two iPhone apps — one created by Exodus International and another that included the text of a document called the Manhattan Declaration. According to the NRB, only these two apps were removed solely on the basis of their viewpoints on homosexuality.

Church Shooting

A former church member is accused of critically wounding the church's pastor and associate pastor in Lakeland, Florida.

Pastor & Associate Pastor Shot in Church

A gunman is in custody after shooting two people at a central Florida church this morning. Jeremiah Fogel burst into the sanctuary of the Greater Faith Christian Church in Lakeland, wounding pastor William Boss and associate pastor Carl Stewart. Fogel was tackled by parishioners and held until deputies arrived. He had already killed one man at a home before coming to the church. He owns a limousine service.

Atheist group Demonstrates

Christian book retailers see Opportunity

The Washington Post takes a look at how the closing of Borders bookstores may impact Christian retailers here.

Handwritten Bible

The first handwritten Bible in 500 years is now on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. A Minnesota Abby recently finished the 15 year project with goose quilled pens, calf-skinned paper, and homemade inks. The Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville work is two feet tall and three feet wide. Its 1100 pages include pictures, symbols, and imagery.

Megachurch Pastor Launches Site

Controversial megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll has launched a new website focused on theology and culture. PastorMark.tv joins several other sites that Driscoll is involved in - including Resurgence which is designed for church leaders and Acts 29 Network which is for leaders of new churches. Driscoll has made extensive use of new media - he has more than 117,000 Facebook fans and more than 167,000 Twitter followers. The pastor of Seattle's Mars Hill church has found himself in the middle of several controversies, including a recent move into Portland by his church that brought protests from gay rights groups.

Tearing Out Pages of the Bible

A atheist group in California is threatening to rip out pages of a Bible tomorrow afternoon. Backyard Skeptics says it plans to gather at the the Huntington Beach pier and tell people about parts of the Bible that are immoral. The same group posted a billboard this summer that said “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

Obama Reads Psalm 46

President Obama read from Psalm 46 as part of the ceremony at the World Trade Center site to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. See the video below.

What would Jesus hack?

The Economist looks at "Just how much does Christian doctrine have in common with the open-source software movement?" here.

Mel Gibson Plans Maccabee Movie

Mel Gibson plans to make a film about Judah Maccabee, the Jewish hero whose story is commemorated in the celebration of Hanukkah. Gibson says he sees parallels between Maccabee’s story and the modern day church because of corruption in organized religion. The film will follow Maccabee who joins his father and four brothers to lead the Jewish revolt against the Greek-Syrian armies in the second century B.C. It's possible Gibson could act in the film, but he is more likely to remain behind the camera and direct.

Ad Campaign Banned

Britain has banned a mobile phone company ad commercial showing a cartoon Jesus who winks and offers a thumbs-up sign. The Phones 4 U campaign, which carried the slogan, "Miraculous deals on Samsung Galaxy Android phones," was nixed by the country's advertising watchdog group because the ad appears to be mocking the Christian faith. Phones 4 U said it regretted the ad campaign and that it offended people.

The Jefferson Bible

Thomas Jefferson’s edited bible will be published in color in November. Although it was once called The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, it's typically referred to as “The Jefferson Bible.” The founding father hoped to crop all but the most critical parts of Christ’s teachings from the Bible. HE literally cut and pasted his selections with a razor, creating a single story from the four Gospels. He left out anything miraculous and references to divinity. The final product was not published until after his death. It was intended to be a primer for the Indians on Jesus' teachings. The new version will be printed by Smithsonian in hardcover with introduction by Smithsonian curators Barbara Clark Smith and Harry Rubenstein.

Theology a hot Topic on the Campaign Trail

Read the story here.

Megachurch Gets Kicked out of Facilities

A Kansas megachurch is losing its home. Read the story here.

Theft of Christian CDs

Music CDs stolen from Knoxville Christian bookstore. Read the story here.

School Sells TV Station

Baylor is selling its Waco, Texas PBS TV station to a pastor who says three people tried to extort millions of dollars from him to stay quiet about an affair. Marcus Lamb founded the DayStar Television Network and heads the group buying the TV station, Community Television Educators for a quarter of a million dollars. It went off the air a year ago because of financial problems. Lamb says he decided to admit to the affair publicly because of the extortion attempt.

Santorum's View on Marriage Challenged

CNN’s Piers Morgan accuses presidential candidate Rick Santorum of bigotry. Read the story here.

The New Yorker and Francis Schaeffer

Ryan Lizza wrote an article in the The New Yorker about Michele Bachmann’s intellectual formation. It includes a negative portrayal of Christian theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer. Read a rebuttal here in the New York Times.

College Loses Religious Speech Case

The Supreme Court has decided not to hear an appeal by the University of Wisconsin in a case involving funding religious speech. A student group called Badger Catholic Inc. asked for $253,000 in funding from UW Madison's fee system which supports hundreds of student organizations. The school withheld $35,000 of the amount that was going to go for activities the University deemed “proselytizing, religious instruction and worship.” Badger Catholic sued, arguing that the decision amounted to discrimination against religious speech. The 7th Circuit Court agreed in a 2-1 decision.

Earthquake Church to Rebuild

A church located near the center of the Virginia earthquake plans to rebuilt. WTOP radio files a report here.

Koran-Burning Pastor to Ground Zero

Florida pastor Terry Jones says he'll be in New York during ceremonies marking the 9/11 terror attacks. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading the anniversary events. Jones says he will protest the exclusion of first responders and clergy from the program. He came to national attention when he threatened to burn a Koran.

School lnvestigates Singers

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is investigating a Christian singing group. Officials are questioning a decision to remove a member who is gay. Members of the group say the decision had nothing to do with the singer's sexual orientation, but UNC is looking into whether the cappella group Psalm 100 broke the university’s nondiscrimination policy.

Egyptian Leader

Egyptian telecommunications billionaire Naguib Sawiris wants to become the next president of the country. He has started a political party called the Free Egyptian Party and wants to create a secular democratic government in Egypt. What many in the West will find interesting is that he is a Coptic Christian who stands in opposition to the Muslim majority and Islamist threat his country faces.

A very muscular brand of Christianity

The Guardian takes a look at "Why Jesus has undergone a macho makeover" in an article here.

Saving Aimee

Kathie Lee Gifford is telling the story of faith healer Aimee Semple McPherson through her musical Saving Aimee at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. The promotional material for the show describes the story this way:

Tangled with scandalous love affairs and a tabloid-frenzied trial, this powerful new musical tells the real-life story of Aimee Semple McPherson — the charismatic leader of a theatrical super church in 1920s L.A. who was equally passionate about saving souls and making headlines.

Scientology fined $413,000

The Church of Scientology owes the city of Clearwater more than $410,000 in fines. The city's code enforcement board unanimously to fine the church for not getting its new building up to snuff fast enough. The church first applied for a building permit in 1999 and work started the next year, but stopped in 2004. After two years passed with no progress, the city started fining the group for allowing its permit to lapse to the tuen of $250 day. That ended in June of this year when the city finally issued the certificate of occupancy. The church has 30 days to pay the fine or appeal.

Clergy Banned from 9/11 Memorial Service

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg won't allow clergy to attend a memorial service marking 10 years since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Here is a report on the story from Fox News.

Eddie Long Accusers Speak Out

Two of the men who accused megachurch pastor Eddie Long of coercing them into sexual relationships gave an extensive interview to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Read an excerpt here.

Jay Bakker on CNN

Pastor Never Attended Liberty

Liberty University says a South Carolina pastor who faces rape charges never attended the school founded by Jerry Falwell. Dale Richardson is the pastor at Freedom Free Will Baptist Church in Ladson, South Carolina. Prosecutors say he kidnapped three women at gunpoint, assaulting one of the women behind the church sanctuary.

Mega church makes mega commitment to Charlotte

WBTV reports on what Elevation Church is calling its "Orange Initiative."

Pastor Accused of Raping Women at Church

A Baptist preacher is facing charges he raped three women, at least one of them behind his church. WCIV-TV has a video report.

Machine Gun Preacher

A movie poster is stirring controversy for its depiction of a pastor with a gun. Machine Gun Preacher is the story of a drug dealer converted to Christ. The film is based on the true story of brawling biker Sam Childers, who became an evangelical preacher, traveling to Sudan where he organized armed missions to rescue children kidnapped by gorilla fighters and forced to become soldiers or sex slaves. The film will be shown at Toronto Film Festival next month and in some US cities starting September 23. The action-drama was directed by Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Quantum of Solace) who says at his first meeting with Childers they nearly came to blows. Childers still runs the mission he built. Here's the trailer.

Dead Sea Scroll Video Game

The Dead Sea Scrolls come to vivid and surreal life in the new, elaborately named video game, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. Read the story in the USA Today.

The Bible: The Musical

A new musical called The Bible: The Beginning will open in New York in about a year. Director Philip William McKinley is producing the project with Spider-Man's Michael Cohl. The show will reportedly include tumblers, jugglers, singers, aerialists and fighters to re-enact the Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's Ark, Moses and his clash with the Pharaoh, the plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, all culminating in the delivery of The Ten Commandments. Angels will serve as narrators.

The Future of Ichthus

Kentucky's Christian music festival may not make it another year. CNN reports on the country's oldest music gathering here.

Church Sign: "Turn or Burn"

Controversy over a church sign leads to protests in Wilmington, North Carolina. Read about the story here.

Tim Tebow accused of Blasphemy

Sports columnist Gregg Doyel says he's getting a major backlash from his CBS Sports column that accuses quarterback Tim Tebow of "blasphemy" for believing his faith will help him become an NFL success. Tebow told the Denver Post that he is "relying as always on my faith." Here's part of Doyel's column:

Tebow has been a great billboard for Christianity -- just as Muhammad Ali has been a great billboard for Islam, and Sandy Koufax a great billboard for Judaism -- but that doesn't mean he will be rewarded with a starting job in the NFL. Maybe deep inside his heart Tebow knows that, but from the outside it doesn't look that way. From the outside it looks like Tebow equates his love for God in heaven with tangible rewards here on earth. And that's more than wrong. It's blasphemy.

Read the entire article here.

Drugs Found on Dead Megachurch Pastor

News outlets are reporting there were drugs in the possession of Zachery Tims when he was found dead in a New York City hotel last Friday. The megachurch pastor of Florida's New Destiny Christian Center had battled drug addiction before his conversion. His 2006 book talked about his experiences with gangs and selling drugs. He made regular appearances on the TBN network. While the drugs found on him have not been confirmed as illegal, police say it is possible Tims died of an overdose. A wake is planned Friday and a funeral on Saturday in Orlando.

Stolen Rembrandt is dropped off in L.A. pastor's office

Read the article written by the LA Times here.

Kobe Bryant in Church Altercation

Kobe Bryant is being accused of attacking a man while attending church. The NBA star was attending services at San Diego’s St. Therese of Carmel this past Sunday when the man used his cellphone to take pictures of Bryant and his wife. Bryant told him to stop and grabbed the phone, twisting the man's wrist. The man went to the hospital for treatment. Here's a video report from KTLA.

CNN: Girl spanked to death in the name of God

Prof Leaves Christian College over Evolution

John Schneider has left his position as a religion professor at Michigan's Calvin College. The trouble started when he wrote a paper earlier this year "suggesting that evidence of genetics and evolution raised questions about the traditional, literal reading of Genesis about creation, the story of Adam and Eve, and the fall of humanity out of an initial idyllic state," according to Inside Higher Ed. An investigation by the school led to Schneider's departure, though another professor who has made similar comments is still at the college. Daniel Harlow says he won't back down from his views.

Islam Hotline

Megachurch Pastor found Dead

The pastor of a Florida megachurch has bee found dead at a New York City hotel room. An autopsy is planned for Zachery Tims though police say they don't expect any foul play. Tims was senior pastor of the New Desnity Christian Center in Apopka, Florida, which has some 8000 members. The church plans a meeting tonight to discuss his passing. Tims divorced in 2009 and had four children. He often appeared on the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN).

How Rembrandt saw Jesus

Here's a Washington Post article about “Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Oct. 30. Read the story here.

In Jerusalem, scholars trace Bible's evolution

A look at efforts by scholars at Hebrew University to publish an authoritative edition of the Old Testament. Read about it here.

Colbert: God Could Use an Ad Campaign

Comedian Stephen Colbert takes a look at a new Mormons new ad campaign and suggests one for Catholics and God.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

10 Years Later

Read about singing God Bless America at major league baseball games here.

Starbucks & Willow Creek

Starbucks' CEO and founder has abruptly cancelled an appearance at Willow Creek Community Church. Howard Schultz was supposed to speak at the Chicago megachurch Friday, but an online petition insisting he denounce the congregation's views on homosexuality started bringing negative publicity to the company. His talk was titled “How Starbucks Fought for its Life Without Losing Its Soul.” Willow Creek holds a leadership summit each year. The company would not confirm the cancellation had to do with the campaign.

Creditors Threaten Legal Action

The Garden Grove Church must sell the Crystal Cathedral or creditors say they will sue the southern California megachurch. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County is offering more than $50 million for the 40 acres.

CNN Segment on Religion and Politics

Adam And Eve

NPR takes a look at Evangelicals and the story of Adam and Eve here.

Ministry Layoffs

Prison Fellowship, founded in 1976 by former Nixon aide Chuck Colson, is laying off more than 70 employees. The ministry to inmates blames the economy. Former Michigan past Jim Liske is taking over as CEO and former Atlanta pastor Garland Hunt is now president. Some 8,500 churches and 14,000 volunteers work with Prison Fellowship in support of prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families.

Fight at Mobile Church

Police in Mobile, Alabama say a pastor was tasered by his former minister of music. Daryl Riley of New Welcome Baptist Church fired Simone Moore and in a dispute over the amount of Moore's final check, Moore alledgedly tased Riley. Several church members, including Moore's own mother got involved. Officers say she was stabbed by a church deacon Harvey Hunt.

Getting to Know.. TBN

Trinity Broadcasting Network..
• Programming on over 6,000 stations in 75 countries
• Audience of 5 million houses each week in the US
• Programs are dubbed in 11 different languages
• 3 spinoff channels:Enlace USA a Spanish-language, channel JC-TV offers youth-oriented Christian programs, The Church Channel broadcasts church services
• Headquarters: Costa Mesa, California (a similar complex is located in Texas)
• Owns Trinity Music City USA, near Nashville (paid more than $13 million to acquire)
• TV Stations: 23 full-powered, 252 low-powered
• Yearly Revenue: $170 million (surpluses averagedabout $60 million a year since 1997)
• 400 employees
• The board of directors: Paul & Jan Crouch, & Ruth Brown (Paul's sister)
• Pastors on the network can solicit donations only during the last 30 seconds of a half-hour show or the last 60 seconds of a one-hour show

Paul Crouch..
• 77 years old
• Salary: over $400,000
• Parents: Pentecostal missionaries
• Homestate: Missouri• Bible College: Central Bible Institute(Springfield, Missouri)
• Former Employer: Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri
• Duties: Overseeing a Film Library

Jan Crouch..
• 73 years old
• Maiden name: Bethany
• Father: Assemblies of God pastor
• Salary: more than $360,000 Perks..
• The Crouches use TBN's $7 million Turbo jet to fly around the world
• The Crouches use 2 mansions in Newport Beach & about 30 other ministry-owned houses

Family..
• Paul Crouch, Jr (their oldest son) makes about $91,000 as TBN's administrative VP
• Matthew Couch (son) has gotten more than $30 million to make movies like The Omega Code

Getting to Know.. Jay Sekulow

Jay Sekulow hosts a daily radio program and heads up the Pat Robertson founded American Center For Law & Justice. Here are some of his court victories:

1987: Wins the right for religious groups to distribute material in airports if other organizations are grantedsuch access

1990: Wins the right for students to form voluntary Bible clubs in public-schools

1993: Wins the right of religious organizations to use public school facilities after-hours

1997: Wins ruling that declares unconstitutional the creation of movable classes zones around abortion clinic clients where protesters are banned

The Rapture Profiteers

Business Week takes a look at the apocalypse industry in an article here.

Church Disfellowshipped

A North Carolina Baptist group is expelling one of its members for picking a woman to serve as pastor. The Surry Baptist Association in North Carolina is dropping Mount Airy' Flat Rock Baptist Church for installing 28 year old Bailey Nelson as pastor last month.

Meryer's Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Joyce Meyer's insurance company, Essex Insurance, says it will not pay her legal bills related to a wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of murder victims, killed by one of her former bodyguards. The family of the victims is suing the televangelist, saying she and her ministry are liable in the deaths. Meyer's former security chief and personal bodyguard, Christopher Coleman, was convicted for murder in the deaths of his wife and their two sons. Coleman had used the phone and computer provided by the ministry to threaten his wife. He's now serving life in prison

Bible Ministries Merge

The Bible League International and the World Bible Translation Center are merging. The Bible league will keep its headquarters in Illinois while the World Bible Translation Center will continue its translation efforts in Fort Worth, Texas. The employees will come under the Bible League.

Cyrus Tattoo

Miley Cyrus has angered some of her Christian fans. The singer sent out a photo on Twitter showing her newly tattooed finger. It says "All LOVE is equal." Some people responded to her with Bible verses against homosexuality. She tweeted back, "Where does it say in the Bible to judge others? Oh right. It doesn't. GOD is the only judge honey. 'GOD is love.'"

Getting to Know… Church of Christ Doctrine

• Recognized in 1906
• It is the most conservative of the three Restorationist streams (the other two being the Disciples of Christ and the Christian Churches)
• Baptism by immersion is an integral part of salvation
• Many in the denomination believe Bible prohibits instrumental music in worship services (only a cappella singing)
• Emphasis on New Testament Christianity, congregational independence, weekly observance of the Lord's Supper and the necessity of baptism for salvation.

Women and Faith Poll

Pollster George Barna says women are attending church and reading the Bible less over the last two decades. At the same time, the number of women reporting that they've undergone a spiritual change that remains important to them is up to 44% from 38% twenty years ago. Here are some other findings about American women.

• Do you believe in a personal God? - yes, 70%
• Do you believe in a personal devil - yes, 56%
• Is your religious faith very important to you? - yes, 63%
• Do you attend church at least once a week? - yes, 44% (For men, it's 42%. Two decades ago it was 55% for women and 48% for men)
• Do you read the Bible during a typical week? 40% (For men, its 41%. Two decades ago it was 50% for women and 40% for men)

Getting to Know.. Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland is a 74-year-old Texas televangelist who had a Top 40 hit in the late 50’s called Pledge of Love and sang on American Bandstand. Copeland later attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. His ministry sits on a 1500-acre campus near Forth Worth and includes:

• 500-employees and a budget in the tens of millions of dollars
• a private airstrip
• an airplane hangar
• a $17.5 million jet and other aircraft
• a $6 million church-owned lakefront mansion
• an oil and natural gas company with reserves valued at $23 million last year
• Copeland maintains veto power over anything his board of directors decides.
• More than a dozen of his relatives were on the church's payroll 14 years ago.

NASCAR Prayer is now a song

You may have heard of the pastor whose unusual prayer at a NASCAR event has garnered national attention. Joe Nelms, pastor at Family Baptist Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, thanked got for his "smokin' hot wife" and ended his prayer with "Boogity, boogity, boogity. Amen." Now, the Gregory Brothers ("schmoyoho" on YouTube and best known for creating the Bed Intruder Song) has posted a song using Nelms's prayer using Auto-Tune.

Link Complaint

An atheist group is asking the state of Wisconsin to remove a link from its website to an anti-abortion group. Care Net is a faith-based ministry helping pregnant women. The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation says a state link to Care Net is a state endorsement of religion, despite a disclaimer to the contrary on the site. The state Department of Administration is reviewing the complaint.

Evangelical women rise as new ‘feminists’

The Washington Post looks at the "rise of Evangelical feminists" here.

Atheists Lawsuit over Ground Zero Cross

Church of "Swing" Sued

Dallas authorities allege a minister is operating clubs as churches. The pastor claims his religious rights are being violated. WFAA-TV has this video report.

Schuller Gets Vote Back

After getting criticized for the move, the board of the Crystal Cathedral has given founder Robert H. Schuller his voting rights back. The California megachurch is going through bankruptcy and announced there will be five new members added to the board.

Comstock Canceled

Nebraska's Comstock Music Festival (including Christian Fest) will not take place this year. Organizers blame financial trouble. The festival typically takes place each August and leaders hope to put on another one next year. Ticket holders can get a refund or tickets to the 2012 event.

Stott Dies

John Stott died in London today at the age of 90. The theologian's health had deteriorated recently. He was a primary architect of the 1974 Lausanne Covenant, which included a declaration of Evangelical beliefs. Read widely in Britain and the US, Stott never married and turned his royalties for books like Basic Christianity into scholarships for students, especially those from developing countries. He was ordained by the Church of England in 1945, serving as rector of All Souls Langham Place.

Reaction to "Smokin' Hot Wife" Prayer

The New NIV Bible

Zondervan says its new edition of the New International Version Bible are on the upswing. The publisher says it has no plans to reprint the old version, despite the fact that some pastors prefer it to the new one. The Southern Baptist Convention has asked its own bookstore chain, LifeWay, not to carry the new version. Southern Baptist leaders object to its gender neutral language. LifeWay is considering the request.

Dan Peek Dies

Founding member of the '70s band America, Dan Peek, died over the weekend at the age of 60. His wife found him in their house in Farmington, Missouri, not far from St. Louis. Peek had three platinum albums and three gold albums with band mates Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell. They also had eight Top 40 hits including A Horse With No Name, Lonely People and Don't Cross the River. Peek left the group in 1977 because of his Christian faith, launching a career in Contemporary Christian Music. He was nominated for a Grammy for the song All Things Are Possible which topped the Christian charts in 1979. He wrote a memoir titled An American Band: The America Story.

Corporate Giving

Look for charitable giving by America's biggest companies to fall flat this year. That's the finding of a survey by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Giving rose 13% last year, after a 7.5% decline in 2009. Wal-Mart gave the most of any company in the survey: $319.5 million.

9/11 Cross Lawsuit

The group American Atheists wants to stop the display of a Cross at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The organization has filed a lawsuit in New York to prevent the steel beams found in the rubble of the Twin Towers from being shown at its new home. It was moved to the museum this past weekend. Both New Jersey and New York City, along with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are named in the suit.

God Is in the Basement of the Empire State Building

New York Magazine looks at the Christian college located in the basement of the Empire State building here.

American Becomes Foster Mom To 13 Girls

A former Tennessee homecoming queen, now 22 years old, has moved to Uganda and adopted 13 children because of her Christian faith. Listen to NPR's report on her story and why some people object to what she has done, here.

Harry Potter and Religion

CNN takes a look at Harry Potter and religion in this video.

Faith Popular on Facebook

A website that tracks Facebook traffic says six of the top 20 most engaging Facebook pages are related to faith. Allfacebook reports that even the new Harry Potter movie was topped by Facebook pages Jesus Daily and The Bible. The Bible was started by an Australian pastor who started by just posting daily Scripture readings. You'll also find televangelist Joyce Meyer in the top 20.

World Trade Center Cross

It was found in the ruins of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks. The 2-ton steel beam shaped like a cross was moved close to the oldest Roman Catholic parish in New York City and that's where it has stayed - until now. The cross has been moved into the exhibition area of the museum located at ground zero. Here's how Fox News reported the event:

Lutheran Shake Up

A rift in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod over gays shakes up a multibillion-dollar social service network. Read the Associated Press story here.

Preacher's Son Shot to Death

The son of the president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention was found shot to death in Charleston, South Carolina. Brian Eliot Holmes died from a single gunshot wound after crashing the car he was driving. His father, Sonny Holmes, is pastor of North Charleston's Northwood Baptist Church and serves as president of the state's Baptist Convention, which includes some 1800 congregations.