New Name for Megachurch Sanctuary

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange says it will now call the former Crystal Cathedral in southern California Christ Cathedral. The megachurch facility, founded by televangelist Robert Schuller was sold for more than $57 million after going bankrupt. The new name was selected out of more than 4000 suggestions made by Catholics in the area.

Televangelist Speaks out on Arrest

More on the Creflo Dollar arrest from AP here.

Megachurch Pastor Arrested

Creflo Dollar is facing charges related to has been family violence. He was arrested at his Atlanta-area home Thursday night - allegedly because he “intentionally caused physical harm to his teenage daughter by grabbing her around the neck and choking her.” The warrant says he scratched her on the right side of the throat. Dollar is out on $5000 bond.

Osteen's Ties to Mexican Drug Traffickers

A megachurch pastor's "foray into film production has been marred with controversy involving Mexican drug traffickers and money launderers." Read about Joel Osteen's time as executive produce of the movie Mary, Mother of Christ here. There is a trailer for the film posted below on ChristianNewsReport.com.

Taking Revivals Online

AP takes a look at efforts by the Billy Graham Assoc. to reach out through new media here.

2 Year Ago... Christian Singer Dies

Christian singer Dana Key unexpectedly passed away two years ago today. A member of the pioneering Christian band Degarmo and Key, the 57 year old died from a blood clot. He served as senior pastor of The Love of Christ Church in Cordova, Tennessee which had planned on a DeGarmo and Key reunion to take place just a few days after his death.

New Name for Crystal Cathedral

Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral is getting a new name. The California church went into bankruptcy and sanctuary sold to the Catholic church. A new name for the unique facility will be announced Saturday. What's left of the Evangelical ministry is paying $150,000 monthly rent to the local Catholic church.

Snake Handlng Believers

The Tennessean takes a look at the snake-handling community in Southern churches here.

Baptists Punish Ethics Chief

Richard Land has lost his radio show. The Southern Baptist Convention's ethics chief has made comments about the Trayvon Martin case for which he later apologized. Not only did he accuse the President and others of using the case for political gain, it turns out that he plagiarized the comments from The Washington Times. The denomination has reprimanded Land and cancelled his radio show as a result.

Weakening Dem interest in religious voters

A look at the Obama campaign and religious voters in a Washington Post story here.

Snake Handler Dies

A snake-handling, West Virginia pastor died Sunday from the bites of a rattle snake. Mack Wolford was pastor at the Full Gospel Apostolic House of the Lord Jesus in Matoaka. Wolford’s father died the same way when he was a teenager. Wolford had been bitten at least three other times without seeking medical attention. Some states have outlawed the practice. Jim Murphy, curator of the Reptile Discovery Center at the National Zoo, told the Washington Post last year that the pain from such a bite would be "excruciating" because "The venom attacks the nervous system. It's vicious and gruesome when it hits." Here's a trailer of a video about Wolford that was in the works when he died.

Protests in NC

CNN reports on the North Carolina pastor who sparked protests with his comments about gays.

Billboard on Gay Marriage

San Diego's Missiongathering Christian Church says it will pay $3000 billboard in Charlotte, North Carolina near Billy Graham Parkway apologizing to gays for a state amendment, passed earlier this month, defining marriage as only between a man and woman. The message on the billboard:

"Missiongathering Christian Church is sorry for the narrow-minded, judgmental, deceptive, manipulative actions of those who DENIED rights and equality TO so many in the Name of God."

Church reacts to Embattled Pastor

The congregation of North Carolina's Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden gave their pastor a standing ovation this morning. Charles Worley had stirred protests after a sermon of his about gays went viral. He said:

“I figured a way out, a way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers but I couldn’t get it pass the Congress – build a great big large fence, 50 or a hundred mile long. Put all the lesbians in there, fly over and drop some food. Do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals. And have that fence electrified so they can’t get out."

Many Evangelical leaders have condemned Worley's remarks. Below is a video of the 1000 or so demonstrators who gathered in opposition to Worley today.

Attempt to Burn down NC Church

Someone made tried to burn down the church in North Carolina where a pastor has caused a stir with a sermon about gays. Charles Worley of Maiden's Providence Baptist Church recently told his congregation that gays should be put behind electrified fences. A video of the sermon went viral and protesters decided to gather nearby today. The sheriff of Catawba County says power lines and a power box outside the church were damaged last night. While thousands were expected to attend the rally against the pastor, a group from Primrose, Georgia said they would attend the church's services in support of Worley. He hasn't spoken to the news media about the controversy.

License suspended when carjacked

Marvin Winans’ driver’s license was suspended and there was a warrant out for his arrest in Detroit when he was carjacked last week, according to the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. The singer and pastor had his license suspended two weeks ago (May 9) because he didn't pay a couple of traffic tickets from December. The arrest warrant was issued March 15 for failing to appear at court for driving on a suspended license.

Jeff Foxworthy's New Show

CNN takes a look at a new TV show hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy called American Bible Challenge.

Protest against NC Church Planned Sunday

A North Carolina county has reversed itself and agreed to allow a protest against a local pastor on county property this coming Sunday morning. Catawba County officials first denied the request for a demonstration against the preacher's anti-gay sermon. Charles Worley of Providence Baptist Church in Maiden recently told his congregation that gays should be put behind electrified fences. A video of the sermon (below) went viral and now the number of potential protestors has swelled into the hundreds. Organizers asked to move it from the church to the grounds of the Catawba County Justice Center, located a few miles away in Newton. But the county requires such requests two weeks in advance, so it was initially turned down. After constitutional law experts suggested such a rule would not hold up in court and be declared as unduly burdensome and an intrusion on the rights of peaceable assembly, county officials backed down. Southern Baptists in the state have stressed to the media that Providence Road is an independent Baptist church, not affiliated with the denomination. A video of part of the sermon is below.

Backlash over Sermon

CNN discusses a North Carolina pastor's rant against gays in the video below.

Birth Control Mandate

Three Catholic Universities are joining a lawsuit to block mandate on contraceptive insurance. Fox News has a video report below.