Pastor Calls Tebow a Whimp

The pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas is taking a swipe (as the Washington Post calls it) at Tim Tebow. Robert Jeffress has posted a 10 minute video (below) in which he responds to the controversy that led the sports star to cancel his planned April appearance at the Texas church. Although Jeffress doesn't mention Tebow by name, he rebuked those who haven't stood with him. Jeffress says “I am grateful for men of God like these who are willing to stand up and act like men rather than wimping out when it gets a little controversial and an inconvenient thing to stand for the truth." Jeffress has received negative publicity for his remarks about gays and other religions. Here's the video:

The Couple Behind 'The Bible' Mini-Series

A husband-and-wife team are hoping to do justice to the Bible in a Biblical record in a new, 10-hour series that starts Sunday, March 3, on the History Channel. Read about them here.

Tansgender woman sues Baptist school

A transgender woman is suing California Baptist University in Riverside for allegedly expelling her because of her gender identity. She wants half a million dollars.

Sex Seminar held in College Chapel

Allegheny College’s Ford Memorial Chapel was the site of what the student newspaper called “I Heart the Female Orgasm” on Wednesday night, a program hosted by a variety of student groups on campus. Here's more on what happened from KDKA-TV.

Colorado Springs Evangelicals

PBS takes a look at Evangelical organizations in Colorado Springs in the video below.

Tebow's schedule

Tim Tebow may have cancelled his appearance the First Baptist Church of Dallas, but he is keeping his planned visit to Trinity Christian Academy for a fundraiser during his April visit to north Texas. He will also appear at a Gala for Involved for Life which supports the Downtown Pregnancy Center, Uptown Women’s Center and Sonograms on Site. The pastor of the megachurch, Robert Jeffress, has told news outlets that Tebow called him personally to cancel, saying he needed to "lay low" and apparently the First Baptist appearance was too high profile for him--but he might come later. TMZ reports that Tebow was pressured to back out.

Tebow Cancels

Tim Tebow has decided not to speak at the First Baptist Church of Dallas. He was scheduled to take part in April services at the megachurch's new $130 million building. The church is pastored by Robert Jeffress, whose comments on other religions and homosexuality have drawn criticism. Tebow didn't explain his decision but did say in a press release:

While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!

Benny Hinn's Son Arrested

The son of evangelist Benny Hinn is back in the U.S. after allegedly "beating up" a deaf man in Brazil during "one of his father's events" over the weekend. According to local newspapers, the elder Hinn was on stage when Joshua Hinn grabbed a man who he thought was going to throw water on his father. The man, Hestephenson Araujo, wasn't able to speak and explain his actions--he brought a bottle of water with him so that Hinn could use it to "bless" him. The deaf man had to go to the hospital after Hinn and two American bodyguards took him to a trailer park and beat him up in the northern Brazilian town of Manaus. Araujo's father says Hinn's representatives talked him into not press charges--by offering a "large sum of money".

Cancelling Classes for Wiccans

The University of Missouri wants students to have classes cancelled when Wiccan and Pagan holidays come up--just as they do on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. The school's Guide to Religions: Major Holidays and Suggested Accommodations tells faculty members not to schedule exams and other student activities for the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, Ramadan, and Samhain, which is a Pagan and Wiccan celebration considered by some to be the Wiccan New Year.

Tebow to speak at Texas church

Tim Tebow's plan to speak at the First Baptist Church of Dallas in April is catching some criticism. The church's pastor, Robert Jeffress, has been in the news for making controversial comments on gays and other topics. Among them:

Gays shouldn’t be allowed in the military because "70 percent" have AIDS.

Islam, Mormonism and Judaism came “from the pit of hell”

Obama’s reelection “would lead to a rise of the Antichrist”

Gay activists try to hide “the link between homosexuality and pedophilia.”

The church is completing work on a new $130 million campus. It should be open by April.

Toby Honored

The Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album goes to.. TobyMac. He took the Grammy for his latest release, Eye On It. It's his second Grammy as solo artist and 6th overall (he used to be part of DC Talk). Eye On It hit number one on the Billboard Top 200 and iTunes® Overall Album charts. The video that goes with the title track got more than half-a-million views in just three weeks.

Sworn in on iPad Bible app

Several firefighters in Atlantic City, New Jersey took their oaths of office using not a physical Bible, as is tradition, but a Bible app on Apple's iPad. See a video report from WMGM-TV.

NBC40.net

What happened to God in America?

CNN's Carol Costello reports on the growing number of Americans who don't believe in God.

Mainstream Christian Music

A look at the impact of Christian music on the mainstream.

Watch Mainstream Christian Music on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

Dobson writes Novel

Religious News Service interviews James Dobson about his new novel here.

Young Celebs met for Bible Study

Selena Gomez is attending a Bible study with other young stars, according to US Weekly. The group includes Matt Lanter, Vanessa Hudgens and Justin Bieber--who just broke up with Gomez. Bieber's mom is a regular. Leading the group is E! reporter Jason Kennedy. They discuss the Bible, enjoy snacks and often when they gather in a Beverly Hills hotel conference room.

Dallas megachurch pastor changing ways he addresses homosexuality

A magachurch pastor says he is changing how he makes references to homosexuality in the pulpit. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the 11,000-member First Baptist Dallas, tells the Associated Press he usually talks about homosexuality within "a bigger context of God's plan for sex between one man and one woman in a lifetime relationship called marriage. It would be the height of hypocrisy to condemn homosexuality and not adultery or unbiblical divorce." Jeffress also says he is open to the possibility that sexual orientation has a genetic basis that cannot be cured or prayed away. "I think we were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a genetic predisposition (but) we cannot pick and choose what parts of God's word we are called to share. God gave it to us, not to hurt people, but to help people. My sense is that people are just avoiding the subject, by and large. They are so bent on trying to add to the numbers of their churches that they don't want to disenfranchise new members or be characterized as unfriendly."

Applebee's Waitress Fired

We told you about the receipt left for an Applebee’s waitress by a pastor on which she wrote “I give God 10%, why should you get 18.” The waitress, Chelsea, posted a photo of it on Reddit. But now the Applebee's in St. Louis has fired Chelsea. HuffPost Comedy has started a petition with hopes of convincing Applebee's to rehire Chelsea.

Bible study for sports stars

Christian sports legends Bubba Watson, Tim Tebow, and Ben Crane gathered together this week for a Bible study in Phoenix. Read the story here.

Receipt Photo Goes Viral

A restaurant receipt has gotten a pastor a lot of attention on Reddit. She left it at an St. Louis Applebee’s and added this comment, “I give God 10%, why do you get 18?” Pastor Alois Bell of Truth in the World Deliverance Ministries says she ended up leaving a tip of $6.29 — the same amount that was scribbled out on the receipt — and that her credit card was also charged with an additional $6.29. Bell told
everyone else at her table also left tips in cash. Bell told KTVI-TV that when the receipt was posted to Reddit, Bell said people started sending her angry messages. “I’ve been harassed because of this and it doesn’t tell the whole story.” 

Stanley gets heat for Obama comment

Megachurch pastor Andy Stanley responds to his description of President Obama as 'pastor in chief' here.

Megachurch Cities

A Barna survey finds Las Vegas has the highest concentration of megachurch attendees. On the other end- Salt Lake City, Madison, Wisconsin, and Toledo, Ohio. The survey also finds one in ten of the people who say they are Christians attend a church with 1,000 or more regular attenders. After Vegas comes:

2. Baton Rouge
3. Tampa-St. Petersburg
4. Orlando
5. Dallas, Fort Worth
6. Houston
7. Albuquerque/Sante Fe

Megan Fox and the Pentecostal church

Megan Fox says knows what it’s like to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The actress tells Esquire she started speaking in tongues at the age of eight when she attended a Pentecostal church in Tennessee.

“It feels like a lot of energy coming through the top of your head—I’m going to sound like such a lunatic—and then your whole body is filled with this electric current. And you just start speaking, but you’re not thinking because you have no idea what you’re saying. Words are coming out of your mouth, and you can’t control it. The idea is that it’s a language only God understands. It’s the language that’s spoken in heaven. I can’t stand pills. I don’t like drinking. I don’t like feeling out of control. I have to feel like I’m in control of my body. And I know what you’re thinking: Then why would I want to go to church and speak in tongues? You have to understand, there I feel safe. I was raised to believe that you’re safe in God’s hands. But I don’t feel safe with myself.”

Fox is now a member of a non-denominational church, which she says offers her a refuge from the madness of Hollywood.

Pastor Missing in Iran

An American pastor is missing in Iran. He was imprisoned in Iran on charges of evangelizing others, but no one has heard from him lately. lFox News spoke with his wife to find out the latest.

Poll: Religious Liberty Threatened

A new Barna poll shows about half of all Americans are concerned that religious freedom is at risk in the country. A large number of them say they believe activist groups are making an attempt to remove “traditional Christian values” from the public square. Here's the breakdown.

How concerned are you that religious liberties are under threat in the U.S.?
Very - 29%
Somewhat - 22%

71% of Evangelicals responding to the question answered "very" or "somewhat" while 97% of Evangelicals agreed with the statement “some groups have actively tried to move society away from traditional Christian values.”

A poll by Religion News Service and the Public Religion Research Institute nearly a year ago found 56% of Americans did NOT feel that religious freedom was under attack in this nation. The Barna poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

#1 Album

A Christian album hits the Billboard chart at number one. Chris Tomlin talks about his new album with Fox News in the video below.

This is Religious Freedom Day

Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day and calls upon Americans to "observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship." The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.The goal is the promotion and protection of students' religious expression rights by informing educators, parents, and students about these liberties.

Inaugural Benediction

Luis León will give the closing prayer at the presidential inauguration. He is pastor of Saint John’s Church, an Episcopal parish located near the White House. It is so close, in fact, a pew has been reserved for the president to visit any service since 1815. In 2005 Luis León gave the invocation for the President George W. Bush’s second inauguration. Just a few days ago, Atlanta Evangelical pastor Louie Giglio withdrew from consideration after a sermon he gave more than a decade ago about gays came to light.

Why Washington's National Cathedral will start hosting same sex weddings

CNN reports on a change at the Washington, DC cathedral which has hosted many national events.

Missionaries Die in Accident

Several parishioners from a Michigan church were killed during a missionary trip to Haiti. Father John Vallier says all three were members of the Parish of the Holy Spirit in Grand Rapids. They were in Haiti as part of a medical team traveling in five vehicles to a villiage south of Port-Au-Prince when their SUV slide down a steep hill after the brakes failed. The driver was killed as well.

Pastor Drops out of Obama inauguration over Gay comments

The pastor picked to give the inauguration benediction is out. Louis Giglio withdrew when some comments he made some 20 years ago were posted on ThinkProgess - a politically liberal website. The pastor of Atlanta's Passion City Church said gay relationships are sinful, an abomination and he warned his congregation about the “aggressive agenda” for acceptance of the “homosexual lifestyle.” The Presidential Inaugural Committee picked Giglio for his efforts related to human trafficking, but withdrew its support of him over the remarks and gay advocacy groups urged the committee to pick someone else. Read Giglio's comments about why he pulled out here.

Gays in America’s Christian churches

The Washington Post offers a slideshow of how different churches are responding to gay members here.

Colorado Christian U.’s lawsuit over contraceptive coverage Dismissed

Colorado Christian University legal challenge to new health-care rules requiring employers to offer insurance covering contraception has lost in court. A federal judge has dismissed the school's lawsuit. There are about half a dozen Christian colleges and universities challenging the Obama administration, which claims the suit came too soon because the administration is promising to issue new regulations to accommodate religious objections. A similar suit by Wheaton College lawsuit was dismissed in August for the same reason.

Scores of Evangelical Christians to show support for Hobby Lobby

In the video below, KCTV in Kansas City reports on Hobby Lobby's stand on a healthcare measure they said conflicts with the company's Christian beliefs.

KCTV5

Targeting 'Les Miserables' to Christians

CNN takes a look at how the movie Les Miserable is being promoted to Christians here.

The challenge of hope in 'Les Misérables'

The takeaway of CNN contributor to the new film adaptation of Les Miserable here.

Congregation gives more than half-a-million in 2 days

A Miami megachurch has raised more than $600,000 in two days to help "the hurting and under-resourced in Miami and India." Christ Fellowship Church had hoped to raise $337,000, but the result was overwhelming. The church has six campuses and operates an organization called Caring for Miami which offers counseling, homeless assistance, medical and dental care, and other services to people living in the area. A large portion of the gives will go to fund that outreach. Children in the church raised more than $3800 by bringing pennies for helping children in need. Middle and high schoolers were encouraged to take their shoes off after a special service. More than 1,800 pairs of shoes were collected as donations to those in poverty living in places like Haiti, El Salvador. There is more information on the church here.

Millennials at church: A small but passionate flock

Read more at USA Today

The world's religious make-up

A new Pew Research Center report finding is shown in this chart.

Into everlasting fire

The Economist takes a look at the concept of hell in different societies here.

Cali Gay Therapy Law on Hold

A California law banning therapy aimed at changing the sexual orientation of gays is on hold. The Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal group, asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the law's enforcement until the court decides on whether it violates the First Amendment rights of therapists and parents. One judge in the state has already declared it unconstitutional - while another decided the opposite. It was due to go into effect January first. An appeals court panel wants to wait at least until it can hear full arguments in the case. A lower court had turned down a request for an injunction by counselors who practice so-called "reparative therapy" along with two families who say the therapy helped their sons. If the law goes into effect, therapists using this technique could be disciplined by state licensing boards.

Former Pop Singer Sings a new Song

He was known for singing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, This Magic Moment, and The Lion Sleeps Tonight during the 60s. Now, he's a pastor in Kansas. Frankie Valens left the music scene after some pop hits and now serves the same church his dad preached at years ago - First Christian Church in Syracuse. Now in his 70s, Valens attended Bible college briefly, but this is his first time to step the pulpit. His new album is titled Just Give Me Jesus. Here's a video of Valen in action a couple of years ago.

Christian Colleges win appeal

An appeals court is ordering the Obama administration to revise its contraception mandate. Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College complained about rules requiring employers to provide access to contraceptive care. The schools said they should fall under a religious affiliation exemption. Lower courts dismissed their challenge. This decision reinstates it.

Appeals Court: OK to fire HR Director for view on Gay Rights

It was perfectly legal for the University of Toledo to fire an HR administrator because she wrote an opinion piece challenging gay rights, according to a federal court. The appeals panel took a look at a lower court's decision to side with the school when Crystal Dixon was dismissed, based on her opinion essay. She had sued, accusing the public university of violating her constitutional rights. Specifically, her 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law by punishing her for expressing her views on homosexuality while other university employees were allowed to state views on homosexuality. The article came out in the Toledo Free Press in 2008. Dixon wrote “As a Black woman who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Toledo's Graduate School, an employee and business owner, I takegreat umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are 'civil-rights victims'" because they have made "a life decision." In a school hearing, Dixon said her opinion did not prevent her from performing her duty and that she had even hired at least one gay person to work in her department. But the appeals court ruled that her expressed opinion conflicted directly with the policies she was supposed to enforce at the university and the fact her article was a statement of her own views as a private citizen did not matter.

The Decline of Evangelical America

An Arizona pastor has written an opinion piece in the New York Times titled The Decline of Evangelical America in which he claims 2012 saw "a collapse in American evangelicalism." Read more here.

Is ‘The Hobbit’ a ‘Christian’ film?

Religion News Service weighs in on the issue here.

Texas Church Explodes on Would-Be Thieves

Would-be thieves trying to take the copper wiring at a Houston, Texas church got more than they bargained for. Watch a video report from ABC News that shows what happened.

Counseling Suit against College Settled

A student who was expelled from her university for refusing to counsel a client about a same-sex relationship has settled her lawsuit with the school. Julea Ward told professors at Eastern Michigan University her Christian faith prevented her from supporting the sexual orientation of gay clients. She asked to have a gay client referred to another counselor. Instead, she was kicked out of school. The University will pay her $75,000, but the school’s curriculum requirements remain intact.

Judge finds NC 'Choose Life' plates unconstitutional

Here's a video report from WRAL-TV about a ruling concerning license plates.

Noah's Flood

An acclaimed underwater archaeologist says he has found proof that the biblical flood was based on real events. Robert Ballard says he is leading a team looking at a ancient civilization hidden underwater in the Black Sea near Turkey using robotic technology. In 1985, Ballard's team tracked down the Titanic wreckage.

Church Robbery Spree

A crime bulletin is out for two young white males believed to be behind more than 50 church robberies across the Midwest. The thieves have stolen money for the poor, gift cards for seminary students, musical instruments, and much more from churches in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.

A first for Canada

Canada has its first deaf Catholic priest. Matthew Hysell lost his hearing as a toddler when he contracted meningitis. Raised a Baptist in Michigan, Hysell made the decision to become a priest as a teenager after reading about the priesthood in school. He graduated from City University in New York, then earned a master's in theology from a California program. He next moved to Edmonton to study at Newman Theological College. Hysell was ordained yesterday and is now assigned to St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Parish and will also serve as a parish priest at St. Thomas Church in the nearby community of Mill Woods. Hysell will celebrate mass using sign language and will hear confessions face to face.

Attempt to Ban Bell Ringers on Campus

There's an effort to ban the Salvation Army bell ringers from UC Berkeley by students who object to the group's stance on homosexuality. The student government at the California school past an anti-bell ringer resolution accusing the charity of discrimination and demanding the administration revoke the Army's permit to collect donations on campus. In response, the ministry denies the charges, saying the accusations are based on Internet rumors and not facts. The Army's says it does not require those it helps to agree with its doctrines, as the student resolution claims.

Evangelical runs California marijuana dispensary

Read the story in the Sacramento Bee here.

Religion and Same-Sex Marriage

If you opposed same-sex marriage, the odds are good it is because of religion, according to Frank Newport of the Gallup poll. A survey by the polling company finds 46% of those who opposed same-sex marriage say it because of their religious beliefs. Seven out of 10 weekly church attenders are opposed to same-sex marriage, while seven in 10 of those who seldom or never attend church are in favor of it. Read more about the survey here.

Sex among Unmarried Evangelicals Survey

Fewer young unmarried evangelical Christians are having sex than previously thought, according to the National Association of Evangelicals. 77% of evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 29 disagree with the statement “Having sex outside of marriage is morally acceptable for an unmarried person.” At the same time, 44% of unmarried evangelicals admitted having sex outside of marriage. That's lower than the finding of a estimate based on a 2009 survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. The NAE says the difference is based the two surveys defined evangelical differently. Read more here.

Misspelled words Commandments Monument

A newly 2,000-pound erected Ten Commandments monument on the Oklahoma state capitol grounds contains several typos. The misspelled words? Sabbeth instead of sabbath and maidseruent instead of maidservant. State Rep. Mike Ritze sponsored the original bill to put up the huge granite block and his family donated $10,000 for the monument. Another $10,000 came from private donations.

Christian Motivational Speaker Dies

Zig Ziglar has passed away at the age of 86 after a bout with pneumonia in Plano, Texas. The motivational speaker was always upfront about his Christian faith as he crossed the country talking about what makes a good sales person and the positive thinking point of view he espoused. His first book, See You at the Top, was published in 1975. It sold well and was followed by many others. Here's a video sample of his home-spun humor and common sense recommendations.

Criticism of show shines light on Seventh-day Adventists

Watch a video about Two and a Half Men star Angus T. Jones and his criticism of his own show and its relationship to his becoming a Seventh-day Adventist below.

 

Russian Youths Protest Mormons As 'Cult'

Read or listen to the story at NPR here.

Schuller Claim Slashed

Robert Schuller won't be getting the $5 million he claimed he deserved from the bankrupt church he founded. A California bankruptcy judge cut the claim against Crystal Cathedral Ministries down to about $600,000. The judge decided Schuller was only entitled to a year of compesation. He stepped down as senior pastor in 2005 in the midst of a scandal.

TV Star says he's now a Christian

One of the stars of Two and a Half Men says the show is "filth" and asks people to stop watching it.  Angus T. Jones, who has played Jake since 2003, says, "You can not be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't." Jones has been attending a Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Los Angeles area.  Here's the video.

College Audit: Controller Embezzled Funds

Prosecutors say an employee at a baptist university embezzled more than $100,000. Melinda Okai is accused of taking the funds from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis by issuing fake refund checks and issued emergency loans to her husband - without crediting the loans to his tuition accounts. The missing funds showed up in an internal audit. Okai became controller in late 2009.

The Pope's Book on Christmas

Here's a CNN interview about a new book by Pope Benedict XVI, which claims to debunks several myths about the Nativity.

Women Bishops

The Church of England will not allow women to become bishops. A proposal in support of women bishops did not get enough support from church’s governing General Synod today. The church voted to approve women for the priesthood in 1992.

Tyndale Gets Contraceptive Reprieve

A judge is stopping, at least temporarily, efforts to force a Christian publisher from providing its employees with contraceptives such as Plan B and intrauterine devices under the new health-care law. The judge gave Tyndale House the preliminary injunction it requested. The company equates these contraceptive methods with abortion. Tyndale sued the Department of Health and Human Services last month, saying the order violates their religious beliefs. The parties will meet in court to make arguments in the case on a yet to be determined date.

Nativity Lawsuit

Santa Monica won't be displaying a life-sized nativity scene this year in one of its parks. City officials decided to forego the decades old tradition involving a 14-scene display to avoid getting sued. Atheists forced the city to accommodate a variety of other holiday displays last year. Some were vandalized. Now, Christians are suing the city. Read more about the controversy here.

Teen Sentenced to Church

An Oklahoma judge has sentenced a teenager to attend church for 10 years after drunken driving led to a passenger's death. KTUL-TV has this video report.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

Two preaching giants and the 'betrayal' that tore them apart

CNN takes a look at the ministries of Charles Stanley and his son Andy on the 80th birthday of the elder Stanley. Read the story here.

Radio Hosts Sued

Science Friday is suing Robert Enyart and Fred Williams who co-host a Christian radio program on a Colorado AM station called Real Science Friday. Science Friday says the name is a trademark infringement on the show it puts together for NPR.

Abuse claims at Bob Jones University

There are sexual abuse allegations at the Greenville campus of Bob Jones University. Here's a video report from South Carolina's WHNS-TV.

FOX Carolina 21

Baptists in Congress

Southern Baptists increased their numbers in Congress this election cycle. 35 members of the House and six Senators identify themselves as Southern Baptists - the highest number in recent history. All Southern Baptist incumbents held their seats and five new members join them.

GA Church Sign Controversy

The talk in Trenton, Georgia is about a sign out in front of a Baptist church. Here's a video report from WRCB-TV.

Church sign controversy

Sentenced for Crime

The 3 men who hijacked the car of a well-known Christian singer are going to jail. They beat, robbed and carjacked Marvin Winans. They will spend up to 20 years in jail for attacking the Detroit pastor and gospel singer back in May at a gas station.

Black Churches and Same-Sex Marriage

PBS takes a look at Black Churches and Same-Sex Marriage in the video posted below on ChristianNewsReport.com.

Watch Black Churches and Same-Sex Marriage on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

Bible T-Shirt Report

Here's a video report from KDFW-TV about the Texas women who was told she could vote because her t-shirt about the Bible. Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

Bible T-shirt Banned at Voting Booth

A Texas woman visiting her polling place to vote in Austin was told to cover up her shirt. Kay Hill's shirt had Vote the Bible written on it. An election official told her she might offend someone. She was made to put on a jacket before she could vote. Officials in Williamson County defended the decision, saying the poll worker was following federal law that does not allow "electioneering" in or near a polling place where someone is making a suggestion about how someone else should vote.

Pastor Murdered in Church

A Texas pastor was beaten to death in his church with an electric guitar. Danny Kirk was inside the thousand-member Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church when he was attacked. The suspect later died inside a police car. Here's a video report from WFAA-TV in Fort Worth.

Campus Group May be 'Dde-recognized’

The student government at Boston's Tufts University is starting the process of removing a Christian group from official recognition. The InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter called Tufts Christian Fellowship requires group leaders to be Christians themselves - and that's not acceptable to Tuft's SGA, which holds the reigns to money and campus access. The SGA says the requirement is a violation of the school's discrimination rules. Tufts Christian Fellowship points out the school's all-male a cappella group is allowed to be gender exclusive. The group plans an appeal to a Student Life committee made up of faculty members.

Do angels really exist?

An author talks about his new book on angles in this Fox News interview.

Chick-fil-A thrives despite gay rights issue

Read the story in USA Today here.

Christian Group Singing Final Songs

Barlowgirl is calling it quits. Alyssa, Lauren and Rebecca Barlow plan to retire after releasing a

final song the last day of this month titled Hope Will Lead Us On. The sisters haven't officially said why they are ending their music careers together. Barlowgirl released six albums over the course of a decade including the million selling self-titled album that started their journey.  Here's one of the group's music videos.

Church shooting suspect arrested

Atlanta police have a man in custody who is suspected of killing a man at a megachurch. They say he was once committed to a mental health facility in Maryland following criminal charges. Here's a video report from WXIA-TV.

Megachurch Shooting

Police are searching for a man who walked into an Atlanta megachurch this morning and shot and killed another man. It happened at World Changers Church International, a congregation led by controversial televangelist Creflo Dollar. Police say the suspect is a former church employee - 52-year-old Floyd Palmer.

Text and tweet during services

A report on social media use during services at one Arizona church below.

Baptist Pastor: Obama a Muslim, Romney in a Cult

WSAZ-TV reports on a Kentucky Baptist minister who set off a controversy with a sermon about politics. WSAZ NewsChannel 3

Church Sign: "Obama is Muslim, Communist"

A Texas church is stirring controversy over its marquee message. WVUE-TV has this video report on the Leakey, Texas congregation, northwest of San Antonio.

One word overshadows rest of author's book

Read the story of a Christian book controversy here.

"Christian rock is experiencing a resurrection"

Read the LA Times story here.

Politics and Big Data

Both presidential campaigns are targeting Evangelicals through data mining. Read about it here.

Grahams Switch sides on Mormanism

Mormonism has been upgraded from cult status by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The ministry has removed Mormonism from its list of religious cults. Mormon Mitt Romney paid Billy and Franklin Graham a visit last week in North Carolina. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider themselves Christians but Evangelical Christians have typically designated the group a religious cult along with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists and others. Franklin Graham recently wrote a column titled, Can an Evangelical Christian Vote for a Mormon? Not only did Graham answer affirmatively, his longtime spokesman is now a Romney adviser.

Christian College Prez resigns amidst scandal

The president of King's College is out. Dinesh D’Souza, perhaps best known for his recent film about Barack Obama, resigned from the position after reports surfaced that he was engaged to a woman while still married to his wife.  D'Souza says the couple has been separated for a couple of years. D’Souza put together the documentary 2016: Obama’s America, which has grossed more than $32 million, and says he has done nothing wrong. WORLD magazine, which has close ties to the school, reported a couple of days ago that D’Souza introduced his fiancee at a Christian values event in South Carolina. According to the report in WORLD, organizers confronted D’Souza because they believed the couple shared a hotel room. D’Souza says that is not true and that he filed for divorce before the conference. They have since reportedly called off the engagement. Board chairman Andy Mills will take over as interim president of King's while a predecessor is found. The college was based in the Empire State Building, until this year, when the college relocated to a new location in the Wall Street area of New York City.

Focus on Family Refocuses

An interview with the head of Focus on the Family on a change in direction for the radio ministry here in the Huffington Post.

University Suspension for Signing Petition

Some 15,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Gallaudet Univeristy to bring back Angela McCaskill as its chief diversity officer. She was suspended for signing another petition calling for a vote in Maryland on gay marriage. McCaskill had just heard a sermon at her church on gay marriage when she responded to a call to sign the petition, as many fellow members did. Many groups on both sides of the issue are upset that Gallaudet opposes diversity in opinions. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins Gallaudet even called for the school's president, Alan Hurwitz, to resign. Thousands have "liked" a post on the FRC Facebook page calling on Gally to “Reinstate Dr. McCaskill.” Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley supports same-sex marriage has called for the school to reinstate McCaskill along with a the pro-gay marriage group Marylanders for Marriage Equality. Hurwitz has ignored the outcry and not released any comments since the controversy began. Here's a video report from WJZ-TV on the debate.

Rise in Religiously Unaffiliated Americans

One in five Americans doesn't have any religious affiliation. It's the fastest growing category of Americans, according to a new Pew survey. This group has jumped by a quarter in the last five years. That percentage is even higher when it comes to younger Americans. Some 35 million have no religious affiliation - with more than a third of that group labeling themselves atheist or agnostic. Still, more than two-thirds of the unaffiliated say they do believe in God and more than a third call themselves spiritual and a fifth say they pray each day. More than a third of younger millennials (18-22 year olds) have no ties to any religious group.

Bookstore Drops Book over Controversy

The bookstore chain run by the Southern Baptist church won't stock a book because it includes the word vagina. LifeWay Christian Resources decided against stocking Rachel Held Evans book A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband Master. The author says she was advised by her editor to remove the word before it was published. She did - until an outcry from her readers changed her mind when they started an Amazon petition to keep the word in the book. The book comes out at the end of the month.

More Suits against Mandate

A couple of Baptist colleges are suing the Obama administration’s mandate about contraceptives. East Texas Baptist University and Houston Baptist University say the Health and Human services requirement would force the schools to violate their religious beliefs related to providing their employees with access to what they call abortion-causing drugs. Tyndale House Publishers, Hobby Lobby, and other schools have filed suits as well. Lawsuits filed by Wheaton College and the Catholic Belmont Abbey College have been dismissed. The judges in those cases said the legal action was premature because the government hasn't actually said these groups aren't covered by a religious exception yet.

Plan to Firebomb 50 churches thwarted

An Oklahoma man is behind bars for planning to burn down some 50 churches, according to Ottawa County prosecutors. Gregory Weiler attended Bradley University in Illinois but left to join a religious group in Missouri. Authorities say he had already bought materials for putting together Molotov cocktails in his hotel room. Family members say both of his parents committed suicide while he was a young teenager, he had been hospitalized for mental illness and become addicted to heroin and alcohol. He is believed to have been acting alone.

Singing Instead of Praying

KXNW-TV reports on a school where preschoolers are singing Bible verses instead of praying because of new federal laws. Here's the video.

"Touchdown Jesus" gets Replaced

A large statue of Jesus now looms at an Ohio megachurch. The Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio dedicated the new "Lux Mundi" (The Light of the World) statute yesterday. It replaces the sculpture commonly known as "Touchdown Jesus." In 2010, it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The new statue has lots of safety features designed to prevent that from happening again. The dedication drew a few protesters who said the statue amounted to idol worship.