Osteen in DC

Joel Osteen will preach tomorrow night at the Washington Nationals ballpark. Some 40,000 people have tickets to what he's calling America's Night of Hope. The megachurch pastor gave the opening prayers in both the House and the Senate this week.

Bible Translations under Review

There's an investigation into a Bible translation produced by Wycliffe Bible Translators following complaints the organization is trying to avoid offending Muslims. An independent panel from World Evangelical Alliance is checking on whether the concept of the Trinity is being downplayed by Wycliffe. The Assemblies of God is reviewing its relationship with Wycliffe over the issue.

Osteen: Romney is a Christian

Joel Osteen tells CNN that Mitt Romney is a Christian.

Noah coming to the Big Screen

Russell Crowe has signed on to play Noah in a new movie set to start shooting this summer in Iceland and New York. Darren Aronofsky's version of the ship-building animal rustler from the Bible will show up in movie theaters in Spring of 2014. Aronofsky says he will follow the Bible story.

On this Date...

It was on this date in 1864 that the U.S. Congress added In God We Trust to U.S. coins.

Colson Dies

Chuck Colson died today at the age of 80 at a Virginia hospital. Colson is best known to the public for his role in the Watergate coverup, though Evangelicals especially know him for his prison ministry. Colson was Richard Nixon's special counsel and known as the president's "hatchet man." He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the Watergate scandal and served seven month in prison. After his release, he founded Prison Fellowship, an outreach to prisoners, wrote more than 30 books and hosted a daily radio commentary. President George W. Bush awarded Colson the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2008.

More Millennials Unaffiliated

Religious affiliation is falling in the U.S. A quarter of young adults now say they are "unaffiliated" according to a new report from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. More than half of that group also say they went to church when they were young. The Catholic church have lost the most Millennials. The young religiously unaffiliated say abortion should be legal in most cases (82%) and they approve of same-sex marriage (59%).

Dove Winners

Jason Crabb won artist and male vocalist of the year awards last night at the 43rd Dove Awards show in Atlanta. The show will be aired April 24 on GMC (formerly the Gospel Music Channel). Natalie Grant won female vocalist of the year. Laura Story took home five awards including song of the year for Blessings. Jamie Grace won new artist of the year, Kirk Franklin took home contemporary gospel album of the year for Hello Fear. Rapper Lecrae won rap/Hip Hop recorded album of the year and rap/Hip Hop song of the year. NEEDTOBREATHE won group of the year award for the second consecutive time.

Megachurch Removes Pastor

A Maryland megachurch has kicked out its pastor. The board of trustees of Jericho City of Praise Church in Landover fired Joel Peebles after a two year fight over control of the church's finances. Peebles became pastor after the church's founder, his mother, Betty Peebles, died in 2010. Here's a video report from WUSA-TV.

Vandy Student Groups

Eleven student groups at Vanderbilt University are banning together to fight new rules at the school that requires them to accept people as members whether the person agrees with the group's values or not. And that includes leadership roles in the group. The Vanderbilt Solidarity handed out some 4000 MP4 players on campus with a video calling for changes. The student handbook contains a nondiscrimination policy, but the school only choose to interpret it this way when a gay student complained he was not allowed to be a member of a Christian fraternity.

Belief in God

The older you are, the more likely you believe in God. That's the finding of researchers at the University of Chicago. They waded through information from 30 countries provided by the International Social Survey Program. Here are some of the results.

Belief in God:
68 years old - 43%
27 years old - 23%
68 years old - 43%


Belief in God is on the increase in Israel, Slovenia and Russia.

The Philippines had the highest belief in God at 94%.

Western Europe had the lowest belief in God at 13%.

In the U.S., 81% say they had always believed in God.

Bible Classes in Arizona

Arizona will let high schools offer Bible classes to students. Governor Jan Brewer signed the bill into law today. The elective course will focus on the role of the Bible in Western culture.

"Christ" Missing from Bible

A new version of the Bible rephrases verses to make them easy to understand - and drops a few things like the use of "Christ." Here's an interview with CNN about the translation.

Land: I was Sloppy

Richard Land is apologizing for using a Washington Time column on his radio show as if it were his own. The president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission read an article by Jeff Kuhner about the Trayvon Martin shooting without acknowledging it came from Kuhner. Land told his audience he was "sloppy" after a Baylor doctoral student pointed out that the comments were borrowed without attribution. Weaver says Land did the same thing in February, taking portions from another newspaper.

$100k for Tebow

An unidentified Florida couple is spending $100,000 to spend a day with Tim Tebow. They made the "purchase" at a charity auction held by his foundation. They plan to have the New York Jets quarterback meet and play with underprivileged children. The auction was part of the Tebow Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic, which included Masters’ winner Bubba Watson.

Layoffs at Denomination's Headquarters

The Assemblies of God headquarters is laying off 47 employees. Church officials say the move is a result of switching from a print to a digital focus. Most of the people losing their jobs work at the Gospel Publishing House which prints Sunday School materials, books and a weekly magazine. Church officials say more downsizing could be ahead.

Seattle Times on Jazz Movie

The Seattle Times reviews the film Blue Like Jazz, based on the Christian book by the same title, here.

Blue Like Jazz

A review of the film Blue Like Jazz, based on the Christian book, from the McClatchy-Tribune News Service here.

Banners Taken Down at FL School

A Miami high school teacher has taken down banners from his classroom that say In God We Trust, God Bless America and God Shed His Grace on Thee. They hung in Bradley Johnson's Westview High School classroom for years, but in 2007, school administrators ordered them removed. Johnson went to court and won, but that decision was overturned by an appeals court in favor of the Poway School District. Johnson then appealed to the Supreme Court, but the justices chose not to hear his case.

Student Protests Graduation Ceremony at Church

A high school student in suburban Georgia says she won't attend her graduation on May 25 because it's being held at a church. The Southwest DeKalb High School graduation will take place at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The school district says it was just a matter of finding a place large enough for the graduation class, but the mother of Nahkoura Mahnassi calls it a violation of the separation of church and state and a "slap in the face."

Bubba Watson on Easter

Bubba Watson came from behind to win the Masters golf tournament yesterday. In his news conference, he was asked about why it was special to win on Easter.

"Yeah, this is the day Jesus is risen. Good Friday was when He was crucified on the cross, and today is Easter where we celebrate He's risen. For us, that's salvation to go to Heaven. He took all of our sins from us. So for me, it's just a dream come true. My dad is not here. I hope he's watching in heaven. My grandma never got to watch me play professional golf. She used to make all my knickers for me. So when I think about the day, those are the most important things to me. A guy, Billy Weir, that introduced me to PING; all of these people that influenced me throughout my life, that's what I'm thinking about, not really me winning a golf tournament. I'm thinking about all of these people that influenced me in the right direction to get to where I am today as a person."

Tebow's Easter Speech

Some 15,000 people came to hear Tim Tebow speak at a Easter service in Texas at the Celebration Church in Georgetown, north of Austin. Pastor Joe Champion interviewed Tebow, asking the New York Jets quarterback what needed to change in America. "First and foremost is what this country was based on: one nation under God. The more that we can get back to that," Tebow said. He also told the outdoor crowd, "It's OK to be outspoken about your faith."

"The hell-raising evangelist's son"

CBS News visits with Franklin Graham here.

Thomas Kinkade Passes

Artist Thomas Kinkade has died at the age of 54 in Los Gatos, California of natural causes. Kinkade’s distinctive style was panned by the critics but sold well to Evangelicals. He often uses Christian themes in his work. In 2009, a judge ordered Kinkade to pay more than two-million dollars to two gallery owners. They claim he left them financially ruined by using religion to get them to make large investments in a project that had no chance of success. Other investors sued Kinkade but were not successful in court. One of his companies declared bankruptcy in 2010. The same year, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI near Carmel, California.

Actor Playing Judas Hangs Himself

An actor is in serious condition in the city of Itarare, Brazil after he accidentally hung himself during a passion play. Tiago Klimeck was playing the part of Judas. After the betrayal of Jesus, during the scene of his character's suicide Klimeck confused which cord he should use. He hung unconscious for several moments because his fellow actors thought he was just playing his part.

Dead Bunny

A South Carolina church sends out post cards showing a dead Easter Bunny. WVLA-TV has a video report here.

Tebow in Texas

Tim Tebow will speak at the Easter service of a Texas megachurch Sunday. The Celebration Church in Georgetown, north of Austin is expected some 20,000 people to hear the The New York Jets quarterback. The non-denominational service will be held outside and parishioners will sit on lawn chairs and blankets. More details here
.

Defamation Suit

Florida megachurch settles defamation lawsuit. Read the story here.

Dropping "God" from God Bless the USA

Lee Greenwood is blasting a Boston school for taking the word God out of his song God Bless The USA. Greenwood says,  “The most important word in the whole piece of music is the word God, which is also in the title. Maybe the school should have asked the parents their thoughts before changing the lyrics to the song. They could have even asked the writer of the song, which I of course, would have said you can’t change the lyrics at all or any part of the song.”  Here's a video report from Fox's Boston TV station.

School changes lyrics from 'God Bless the USA' to 'We love the USA' : MyFoxBOSTON.com

Colson Has Brain Surgery

Chuck Colson remains hospitalized after undergoing brain surgery over the weekend. The founder of Prison Fellowship had a blood clot removed from his brain. His doctors say he did not have a stroke. Colson is sedated by resting comfortably, his doctors say. The Watergate figure is now 80 years old.

Vandy's Student Group Policy

Vanderbilt Catholic is leaving campus over the school's policy that prevents student groups from requiring leaders to hold the beliefs of the group. Four others student groups are on provisional status at the Nashville school for violating the policy.

School Shooting

A man is in custody following a shooting at a Christian school in California. At least seven people are dead at Oikos University in Oakland. Police say he opened fire in a classroom. Police arrested the suspect several miles away at a shopping center and say the man was once a nursing student at the school. The school is connected to Oakland's Praise God Korean Church in Oakland and Shepherd University in San Francisco.

Colson Hospitalized

Chuck Colson had surgery today though it is unclear why. Prison Fellowship, the ministry he founded, says he is resting comfortably after falling ill during a conference in Virginia. He was attending the Wilberforce Weekend Conference.

School Ponders Name Change

Houston Baptist University is considering dropping Baptist from its name. The Texas school, founded more than half a century ago by Baptist General Convention of Texas, added board members last year who are not members of Baptist churches. Some have criticized the effort as leaving its Christian roots - though school officials deny the charge. Houston may be dropped as well, to avoid a geographical limitations.

Churchgoers subdue gunman

Church Stages Kidnapping

A mother of a teenager has filed a complaint with the police in Middletown, Pennsylvania against the Glad Tidings Assembly of God for putting her - and the church's entire youth group through a mock kidnapping - without telling the students or their parents that it was all pretend. The mother says the girl was traumatized by it. The two men burst into the meeting with guns, covered the heads of 17 students, put them in a van and interrogated them. There's a video report from WHTM-TV here.

2010 Membership & Giving

Giving to churches was down more than $1 billion in 2010. That's according to the latest Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches which is published by the National Council of Churches. Some of the findings:

•  The Roman Catholic Church is still the largest religious group in the US with 68.2 million members, but its growth was under one percent in 2010. 
• Membership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America fell nearly 6% to 4.3 million members. 
• The Southern Baptist Convention, the second-largest religious group in the US, reported a membership decline of less than 1 percent - the 4th consecutive drop. Their 2010 membership is at 16.1 million people. 
• The Mormon church rose 1.6% and the Assemblies of God rose 4%.

Accusations Fly at TBN

Members of the family that started the TBN Christian TV network are accusing the organization of financial corruption. Many of the claims come from the granddaughter of Paul and Jan Crouch who founded the network. Brittany Koper took over last year as chief financial officer and has now filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired and forced to turn over her house and car after complaining about "illegal financial schemes" involving tens of millions of dollars. A TBN lawyer blames Koper herself, saying she and her husband stole money from the network and she is making up false claims to distract from what's she done. Joseph McVeigh, another family member, says the family uses 13 homes owned by the network. He claims TBN bought a $50 million jet through a "sham loan" and owns another $8 million jet that's used by Jan Crouch. McVeigh says a $100,000 recreational vehicle is used just for transporting Jan Crouch's dogs. TBN owns more than half a dozen TV networks, runs Trinity Music City USA in Nashville and an amusement park in Florida.

Tebow's Church

New York magazine takes a look at where new Jets quarterback Tim Tebow could attend church in New York here.

Bible Game Show

Jeff Foxworthy will host a new cable show called The American Bible Challenge. Foxworthy already hosts Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? which also appears on the GSN network (which once stood for Game Show Network).

What Brought Down a Megachurch?

Did sibling rivalry led to the downfall of Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral here.

The Hunger Games

There's a new movie opening tomorrow based on a best-selling series of books for teens. The Washington Post looks at the religious aspect of The Hunger Games here.

The Reason Rally

Atheists will gather on the National Mall this Saturday for the Reason Rally. Comedian Eddie Izzard, author and biologist Richard Dawkins, MythBusters cohost Adam Savage and comedian Bill Maher will be among the speakers. The punk band Bad Religion will perform. Organizers expect more than 10,000 people. Thier annual conference will take place afterward in the DC suburb of Bethesda, Maryland. The group was founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, who led the drive to the Supreme Court that pushed prayer and Bible reading out of the public schools.

7 year Trial Ends

The Jerusalem District Court has acquitted an Israeli antiquities collector. Oded Golan was accused of being part of an international forgery ring and forging dozens of priceless archaeological artifacts, including an inscription on the burial box, or ossuary, of James, brother of Jesus. The trial lasted seven years and the judge's verdict ran 475 pages. In it, he made a point of recognizing the disputes between scholars over the matter, commenting at one point, "If you, the world's leading experts in this field, cannot agree with each other on the authenticity or otherwise of these items, how do you expect me, a mere judge, to reach a conclusion?" Despite the acquittal, one of the prosecution experts says the verdict only indicates there was no legal way to prove the fraud, but doesn't change the minds of those who believed the items were faked.

Schuller Leaving Ministry

Robert Schuller is resigning from the board of Crystal Cathedral and his Hour of Power TV show, just a month after the church's sanctuary was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Last week, Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law were removed from the board. Schuller retired in 2006 and the megachurch filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

Banks foreclosing on churches in record numbers

Many banks are no longer willing to grant struggling religious organizations forbearance. Read about it here.

Miley's Twitter Comeback

We told you Tuesday about a Tweet by celebrity Miley Cyrus that got Christian fans angry (read it here) After getting many responses, she wrote back, "How can people take the love out of science and bring hate into religion so easily?"and then "It makes me sad to think the world is this way. Like Einstein says ‘Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."

Christian Concert Promoter Sentenced for Ponzi Scheme

A Christian concert promoter will serve more than 4 years in prison for an investment scheme. Lauren Baumann of Los Angeles plead guilty to creating a Ponzi scheme involving nearly $1 million. She's been ordered to pay restitution to more than two dozen people including some from her church, Desert Reign Assembly of God. Baumann ran Stewardship Estates and promised to use the money for Christian battle-of-the-bands concerts. Prosecutors say she used the money to pay off previous investors and on her family. She didn't tell investors she had been convicted of securities fraud more than a decade ago in Texas.

Hour of Power Changes

Three relatives of Robert H. Schuller are out jobs at the Crystal Cathedral. The church's board voted to oust the Rev. Robert H. Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law. They were involved in the production of the church's Hour of Power show. Old shows will run for a few weeks during the reorganization.

Miley: Forget Jesus

Below is a short video report on a controversial Tweet by singer Miley Cyrus.

To Get out the Vote

Data-mining the Evangelical vote. Hear the NPR story here.

Megachurch could leave PCUSA

The First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs will vote Sunday on whether to part ways with the the Presbyterian Church, USA. The 4000 member congregation may bolt for the more conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians. The main source of contention is the definition of marriage. Regional bodies of the denomination allow the ordination of gay clergy who are part of committed relationships. Church leaders are considering a proposal to allow ministers to officiate at same-sex weddings.

Swapping mega-churches for tiny ones

The Washington Post takes a a trend toward smaller congregations here.

Christian College Prof Arrested

A Christian education professor at Wheaton College was arrested today. Donald Ratcliff is facing charges of possessing child pornography photos and videos. The one-time pastor has been a faculty member for about five years. The Chicago-area school has put Ratcliff on administrative leave. He's due in court in the morning.

Bible Study Group Robbed at Gunpoint

Suspects nabbed after standoff. Read the details here.

Tebow and Lin

ABC News reports that Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin have formed a friendship. Here's a video report on the two rising sports stars.

Tebow and Swift?

Country western singer Taylor Swift and Tim Tebow were spotted at dinner in Los Angeles Monday with two other guests, fueling speculation the two are dating. One report says the two people with them were their agents. The Denver Broncos qarterback has publicly said he is saving himself for the right girl and for marriage. On the other hand, Swift has been in some high profile relationships which have become to the subjects of her albums. Swift had a Christian rock band open for her on her last tour. Here's one Internet report about the couple.

Jeremy Lin and Active Faith

Fox News interviews one of the founders of Active Faith talks about the compan's relationship to Jeremy Lin.

Zombie Muhammad Controversy

A judge called a Pennsylvania man a "doofus" for offending Islam - even though he was the victim in the case before the judge. Mark Martin, who is a Muslim himself, dismissed harassment charges against Muslim defendant Talaag Elbayomy for choking Ernest Perce during a Halloween parade in Mechanicsburg where Perce wore a “zombie Muhammad” costume. Elbayomy ran out from the crowd, grabbed a sign around the neck of Perce and pulled it until the strings choked Perce, who is the state director of American Atheists’ Pennsylvania. Instead of defending Perce First Amendment rights, as the arresting officer stated to a local TV station, Martin lectured him, saying, “I think our forefathers intended to use the First Amendment so we can speak with our mind, not to p— off other people and cultures – which is what you did.” Martin went on to warn Perce that he could be put to death in some Arab countries. Perce faces a possible arrest  himself for posting audio of the judge's comments, which you can hear below. The first video is a report on what happened from WHTM-TV.

Marco Rubio's Faith

The church history of a potential Republican vice presidential candidate is raising eyebrows among Evangelicals. Florida Senator was a Mormon until his family converted to Catholicism when he was 12 years old. Rubio was baptized as a Mormon as a child, but married in a Catholic church. In recent years, Rubio has regularly attended Christ Fellowship, a Southern Baptist church in Miami while attending Mass in Washington, DC when the Senate is in session. He has referred to himself as both a Baptist and a Roman Catholic.  Rubio's memoir may attempt to clear the air on his church affiliation - it's due out this fall.

On this Date.. Feb 25

On this date in 2004, Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ premiered.

Tebow signs with WME

Tim Tebow has signed up with the William Morris Endeavor agency based in New York. Tebow decided to let the large talent agency handle his endorsements, books, personal appearances, and any television or movie roles after deciding it was too much for his brother and a close friend. Tebow turned down offers to host Saturday Night Live and appear on late-night talk shows.

Linspired

A book about New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin is due out in April. Titled Linspired, the bio is written by Mike Yorkey, and there will be two versions - one for adults and one for youth. The publisher, Zondervan, already has a youth-version biography of Tim Tebow. Lin says this about the coming book:

"I'm not exactly sure how it is all going to turn out, but I know for a fact that God has called me to be here now in the NBA. And this is the assignment that He has given me. I know I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case. Just looking back, though, it's been a huge miracle. I can see His fingerprints everywhere."

Posthumous Mormon Baptism

The Mormon church is being accused of posthumously baptized Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Just a week ago the church apologized for doing the same thing to the parents of Holocaust survivor and Jewish rights advocate Simon Wiesenthal. Mormons believe the baptism ritual allows deceased people a way to the afterlife. Here's a riff by comedian Stephen Colbert about the topic from last night.

The Colbert Report
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Campus to be Given Away to Christian School

An Oklahoma family worth billions is giving away an entire college campus. There are 15 schools in the running to take over what was supposed to be a new college named after CS Lewis. The institution never materialized because the CS Lewis Foundation in California has had trouble raising the money to get the school off the ground. Now the family that owns the Massachusetts property and made its fortune through the Hobby Lobby craft store chain, has 43 buildings on more than 200 acres ready for use, but no school. They put $5 million into making improvements to the campus and say they want to see it used by a Christian school - provided the new administrators can show an orthodox Christian vision and that there is enough money to keep it going. The facilities are sometimes referred to as the "Moody Campus" because evangelist DL Moody preached once there. Among the schools in the running: Liberty, Azusa Pacific, and Indiana Wesleyan.

Bob Green Dies

The ex-husband of Anita Bryant has died. Read the story here.

Christian Singer on "The Voice"

The son of megachurch pastor Tony Evans appeared on NBC's The Voice Monday night. Anthony Evans was accompanied to the audition with Kirk Franklin and his father, who watched backstage. Evans sang Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? and Christina Aguilera picked him to work with. The celebrities on the show get to select a dozen singers each. Evans says, "The struggle I have as a Christian artist is people would say 'who is he? He needs to define himself as a gospel act or a contemporary Christian act. I wanted to define myself as Anthony Evans which is straight up the middle. 'The Voice' asked me to be myself and so that's the whole reason why I'm here." Here's the video of his audition.

Dove Nominees

Nominees for the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards are out. Winners will be announced in Atlanta on April 19. Here are some of the nominees:

Male Vocalist of the Year
Chris August
Chris Tomlin
Jason Crabb
Kirk Franklin
Steven Curtis Chapman

Female Vocalist of the Year
Francesca Battistelli
Kari Jobe
Laura Story
Mandisa
Natalie Grant


Group of the Year
Casting Crowns
David Crowder*Band
Gaither Vocal Band
NEEDTOBREATHE
The Isaacs

For more click here.

Megachurch Wins Suit

Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston has won a copyright lawsuit. Read the details here.

Santorum's Satan Comments

Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum is being criticized for comments he made about Satan and America - four years ago. He told an audience at Florida's Ave Maria University,

"Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition... This is a spiritual war. And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country - the United States of America. If you were Satan, who would you attack in this day and age?"

Matt Drudge highlighted the comments on his website today for several hours after RightWingWatch posted a video on YouTube that featured the audio from the Santorum speech. It comes just days after Santorum used the phrase “phony theology” in relation to Barack Obama. Santorum later said "theology" was a just a slip and he meant to refer to Obama’s “radical” environmental views.

Below you can hear the audio of his comments at Ave Maria.

Graham Accused of Double Standard

Franklin Graham appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe and discussed the faith of President Obama, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The interview is below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Active Faith Bands

Look closely at the wrist of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin and you'll see a wristband from Active Faith. The apparel company is the creation of NBA players Lanny Smith and Anthony Tolliver. Both are members of the Houston-based Lakewood Church where Joel Osteen is pastor. The one Lin wears is available here. The website says Active Faith aims to:

“use the platform and visibility that athletics gives to bring glory to God’s name…. More than ever it seems athletes are more open about expressing their faith and being bold about their love for Christ. We are proud to be at the forefront of this movement that is spreading the Gospel to so many people.”

Lin's Faith

New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin says he's grateful for how he has been blessed.  Lin said in a recent post-game interview, "I'm just thankful to God for everything. Like the Bible says, 'God works in all things for the good of those who love Him.'" Lin became a Christian as a freshman in high school, leading his team in California to a state championship before playing college basketball for Harvard. Active in the chapter of InterVarsity at Harvard and in 2010, he told Patheos.com about the importance of his faith:

"Not just in basketball, but I think in life, when you're called to be a Christian, you're automatically called to be different from everyone else. In today's world of basketball, it makes you really different, because the things that society values aren't necessarily in line with what God values. Much of it comes down to humility. We as Christians are called to be humble. And if we really understand the Gospel, we will be humble. We should be humble, and understand that everything that is good comes from God."

Graffiti: "Death to Christianity"

A church in Jerusalem was vandalized early this morning with graffiti. Someone painted on the walls of the Baptist Narkis Street Congregation "Death to Christianity," a profanity about Jesus, and the words "Price Tag." That's a slogan sometimes used by nationalist Jewish settlers referring to attempts by the Israeli government to stop settlements in the occupied West Bank. Some care tires were slashed in the church's parking lot as well.

Linsanity!

The pastor of the New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin says the NBA star is staying in close contact with him. Stephen Chen, pastor of Redeemer Bible Fellowship in Mountain View, California, has told the media:

"It would be foolish to say that I'm not concerned with the temptations that are out there. The Scripture talks about the devil lying in wait like a lion waiting to devour. All Christians would be foolish to underestimate the devil. I did remind him of the Gospel and for him to continue to set his vision upon Christ."

Lin has become a basketball sensation after the Harvard graduate born in Taiwan has risen global fame within a few short weeks of remarkable play on the court.

Pastor's Daughter Shot in Head Dies

A pastor's daughter died today in Florida after being shot at church last Sunday. The shooting at Grace Connection Church happened after services. 20-year-old Hannah Kelley was shot in the back of the head at her St. Petersburg when Moises Zambrana was showing her boyfriend was looking at a gun that he might buy in another room when it went off, sending a bullet through the wall.

Shunning at a Megachurch

Slate takes a look at a brewing controversy in Seattle over the internal disciplinary procedures at Mark Driscoll's megachurch here.

Warren: Jail is Preferrable

Rick Warren says jail is preferable to supporting the Obama administration's policy that forces institutions affiliated with religious groups to provide coverage for birth control, abortion and sterilization. Warren Tweeted: "I'm not a Catholic but I stand in 100% solidarity with my brothers & sisters to practice their belief against govt pressure." He suggested that he's ready to go to jail and asked his Twitter followers to be ready to do the same.

NIV stays at LifeWay

LifeWay Bookstores will keep selling the new NIV Bible despite the fact that the Southern Baptist Convention - which owns the chain - voted to ask that 2011 edition with its gender-neutral language be removed from store shelves. Lifeway trustees, meeting in Nashville yesterday, decided the concerns of the convention over translation issues are not great enough to stop selling it, although the board also made it clear it is not endorsing the new translation. The older version of the NIV is the most popular Bible among Baptists and has been the best-selling version in the U.S. for years.

Megachurch Dedication

A new Dallas megachurch has the stamp of approval on it from Joel Osteen. The Elevate Life Church just opened its new, eight-story building and the Houston pastor spoke at the dedication. The "Cathedral of Frisco"is a nondenominational assembly, led by pastors Keith and Sheila Craft, with about 7000 in attendance each week.

Conversion to Islam

The son of movie director Oliver Stone is converting to Islam. Sean Stone is filming a documentary in Iran where he underwent a ceremony in the city of Isfahan. The younger Stone has taken the Muslim first name Ali. In recent interviews, he has defended Iran's president, saying the country has a right to pursue nuclear weapons to defend itself against threats from Israel.

Speed-Faithing

Dominican University is holding a "speed-faithing" event today. Instead of trying to connect people for potential romance, as in speed-dating, the Chicago-area catholic school will give students the opportunity to talk about the important questions in life. Participants will sit down with strangers for a five-minute conversations about their religious beliefs. The university successfully held one this fall that was open to everyone on campus. This time, only students will be allowed to take part. The Interfaith Youth Core, an ecumenical organization working on college campuses is cosponsoring the event.

Shooting at Florida Church

A pastor's daughter was shot in the back of the head at her St. Petersburg church yesterday. 20-year-old Hannah Kelley is in critical condition after a bullet hit her in the head after going through a wall at Grace Connection Church after services. Her boyfriend was looking at a gun that he might buy in another room when it went off.

Focus On The Family's President

NPR interviews the president of Focus on the Family here.

On this Date... 1954

It was on Feb 7, 1954 that George Docherty gave his sermon urging that Congress add "Under God" to Pledge of Allegiance

Georgia Pastor Apologizes to Jewish Group

Megachurch pastor Eddie Long has written a letter to the Anti-Defamation League, apologizing for a ceremony at his Atlanta church where he was wrapped in a torah and exalted as king. Watch a video of the event in an earlier post.

Tebow could go into politics

Tim Tebow may one day step off the football field and into politics. During an interview last night, the Denver Broncos quarterback said..

"It could be something in my future.. if it's something I care about, possibly... Ultimately I know that my goal and my platform through the game of football isn’t just to score touchdowns and win games. You know, it’s about being a great role model and setting an example for the next generation. My ultimate goal is to be an athlete that some mom or dad can look at their son and daughter and say, ‘That’s someone who’s trying to do it the right way, that’s someone who’s trying to live with character." 

Here are some video excerpts from the interview.

FCC say no to Graphic Super Bowl Ad

The FCC says a Chicago TV station does not have to run a graphic anti-abortion ad during the Super Bowl. Christian activist Randall Terry wanted to buy the ads as part of his campaign for the Democratic nomination for President. Broadcast stations are not allowed to censure political ads once they accept ads for a particular race. But WMAQ-TV refused, so Terry appealed to the FCC. The Commission supported the station's decision, basing its ruling on Terry's failure to show that he is a bona fide candidate who is running a substantial campaign, necessary requirements in order for him to be considered a legitimate candidate entitled to the broadcast time. Terry is not on the ballot in Illinois. The Commission also said that Terry had no right to demand when his ads would run.

Woman reads Bible to attacker

A North Carolina mother stopped an attacker by ready the Bible to him for an hour. The man slashed the throat of Lindsay Wood right after she returned home from church Wednesday night. He eventually apologized and fled the scene. Wood was hospitalized with wounds requiring several dozen stitches. The man is still on the run. There is a video report from WSOC-TV here.

Baptists Poised to Make History

Southern Baptists could soon have its first Black leader. Fred (Chip) Luther says he will seek to become president of the denomination. Baptist leaders says the New Orleans pastor is the easy favorite. Church representatives will meet in his city during June to make a decision, when Georgia's Bryant Wright finished his second one-year term. Luther already made history by becoming the convention's first African-American vice president. At the moment, Luther has no other competition for the post.

Eddie Long 'Crowned King'

Jewish leaders and Messianic Jewish groups say they are outraged over an incident at Eddie Long's Atlanta megachurch this past Sunday. A Messianic preacher had two men wrap Bishop Eddie Long in a large scroll of the Torra and called a "king." Long has been in the middle of a sex scandal. There are accusations that he sexually abused several teenagers at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church over a period of years. See the video below.

Osteen's Church Sued

A man who volunteered at Joel Osteen's Houston is suing the megachurch because of molestation accusations. Daniel Guzman claims Lakewood Church was negligence when another volunteer accused him of inappropriately touching an autistic child in 2010. Because the child cannot speak the police investigation was inconclusive. However, Guzman was arrested a year later, but he was never indicted for lack of evidence. In his lawsuit, Guzman claims the church "abandoned" him - while failing to gather video evidence and training of church personnel to deal with the issue. His attorney says Guzman left the state over the allegations.

Obama: What Would Jesus Tax?

President Barack Obama spoke today at the National Prayer Breakfast, saying Jesus’s teachings have shaped his beliefs about taxes. He told the audience that the rich should pay more not only because “I actually think that is going to make economic sense, but for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’ teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required." Here's the video of the event at the Washington Hilton.

Tebow Turns Down Parsley

Tim Tebow won't be speaking at a Rod Parsley revival in Ohio as originally planned. After researching some of Parsley's controversial views, particularly his prosperity teaching, the Denver Broncos quarterback declined the invite. Robbie Tebow, Tim's brother, says their speakers' bureau didn't check out the event enough before agreeing to appear. Televangelist Kenneth Copeland is also slated to speak.

Missionary Couple Murdered

A missionary couple killed near Monterrey, Mexico will be buried near Dallas today. John and Wanda Casias were found strangled in their home Tuesday during an armed home invasion. They had labored on the mission field for nearly 30 years. John Casias was 76 and and Wanda Casias was 67.Funeral services are being planned Lewisville's Liberty Baptist Church. Read more about their work here.

Charges in Murder of Pregnant Woman

For the first time, a North Carolina man faces murder charges in the death of an unborn child under a new law that went into affect this year. Mark Anthony Cox is accused of robbing the Flying Biscuit restaurant and killing the manager, Danielle Watson, who was pregnant. Here's two video reports from WCNC-TV in Charlotte.

Megachurch for Sale

The Fellowship at Two Rivers is selling its sanctuary. The former Two Rivers Baptist Church near the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville is a meagchurch that once needed its 3000 facility. But now, after the church split over a legal controversy involving a former pastor, there's less than 1000 people coming each week. a

Kim Kardashian gets Spritual

Kim Kardashian says she wants to start a Bible study. Before going to church this weekend in Los Angeles, the TV reality star told her 12 million Twitter followers "On my way to church with the girls!" and later she tweeted, "I want to start a bible study group with my friends!" Kardashian told CNN's Piers Morgan that she gives 10% of whatever she makes to the LifeChange Community Church. Her mother started the Calabasas, California congregation last year. The pastor, Brad Johnson, officiated at the marriage of Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom. There have been rumors that Kim Kardashian has a crush on Tim Tebow but the Denver quarterback has turned aside her overtures.

Twitter Censoring Messages

Twitter Inc., the microblogging service, gave itself extra flexibility to censor information in parts of the world that impose restrictions on self-expression. Effective yesterday, Twitter added the ability to censor tweets on a country-by-country basis, rather than globally, the San Francisco-based company said in a blog post.
 

The shift would let Twitter comply with strictures in one country without having to pull offending tweets from its entire audience. Previously, Twitter banned offensive content on a global basis, rather than for a specific nation. Still, the decision drew criticism from some users because the service has been used as an agent of social change around the world, including the Middle East.

Some Twitter users are calling for a boycott of the service tomorrow in protest of the decision. They’re using “#TwitterBlackout” as a hash tag -- a label that lets people easily find tweets on the same topic.

Reporters Without Borders, an organization that seeks to defend freedom of information, also said it was disturbed by Twitter’s decision.

Read more here

PBS on ‘The Evangelical Vote’

PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly takes a look at Evangelicals and their views on the Republican presidential race, particularly the religious views of Mitt Romney.

Watch The Evangelical Vote on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.