"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
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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.