Shift on Same-Sex Marriage by Largest Presbyterian Denomination

The Presbyterian Church, USA, has voted to allow clergy to perform same-sex marriages. The vote of 371-238 took place at the group's annual meeting in Detroit. The decision by the General Assembly now goes to the regional presbyteries. The amendment will need a majority of the 172 presbyteries to go into effect.

Baptists oppose gender reassignment

The Southern Baptists Convention has come out against gender reassignment--both surgery and hormone therapies. At the denomination's annual meeting, messengers adopted a statement affirming the creation of "two distinct and complementary sexes" and "God's good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one's self-perception which is often influenced by fallen human nature in ways contrary to God’s design." The resolution also condemned “acts of abuse or bullying committed against" what it called “image-bearers of Almighty God.” Read the entire resolution here.

Baptists Pick new President

The Southern Baptist Convention elected Ronnie Floyd of Arkansas' Cross Church as president while meeting in Baltimore. Floyd has chaired the Executive Committee and served on the denomination's Program and Structure Task Force member. Floyd takes over for New Orleans pastor Fred Luter, Jr. Second place went to Dennis Kim of Global Mission Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, followed by Jared Moore of New Salem Baptist Church in Kentucky. Clint Pressley of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina was picked first vice president.

Bieber Reportedly Baptized

Justin Bieber was baptized just a few days ago in a Manhattan bathtub, according to TMZ. Following criticism of some racists comments he made several years ago (which we told you about last week here) Bieber posted some Bible verses on Instagram. Now, there are reports of his baptism by Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz.

Journey from the Brady Bunch to Faith

Many fans did not know that Ann B. Davis, who played the wisecracking housekeeper on "The Brady Bunch" by the name of Alice, became a Christian.

"It was hard for outsiders to grasp the spiritual changes that caused this tough-willed and very private woman to put her career on the back burner and, in 1976, join a commune of evangelical Episcopalians led by Colorado Bishop William C. Frey and his wife, Barbara. She stayed with the household as it moved to an Anglican seminary in western Pennsylvania steel country and, finally, to the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, where she died June 1 at age 88.

Read more about her journey here.

N Korea Holds American

North Korea says it is detaining a U.S. citizen who it says entered the secretive country as a tourist in April and broke the law. What did the man do? He allegedly left a Bible in a hotel where he had been staying. More from CNN.

What Americans think of the Bible

The number of Americans who say the Bible as "the actual word of God, to be taken literally, word for word," is falling. A new Gallup poll puts the percentage at 28%. It was at 30% two years ago. In the 1970s the figure was closer to 37%. However, three-fourths of Americans still say the Bible is "in some way connected to God." Read more here.

Justin Bieber's Bible verse post

Justin Bieber is apologizing for racist comments he made in two videos--recorded five years ago. The videos were recently made public. Bieber blames his young age and posted a picture of a book showing several Bible verses related to forgiveness. The Instagram image has more than half-of-a-million likes. The verses include:

• John chapter 8 verse 12: "Whoever follows me [Jesus] will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
• Isaiah 61:10: "For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness." 
• 1 John 1:7: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Southern Baptist Church switches view on Homosexuality

The New Heart Community Church voted to change its official stance on homosexuality after the pastor's son "came out" as gay. The Southern Baptist church in La Mirada, California also voted to keep Danny Cortez as pastor, who said he would support his son. The congregation considers itself a 'Third Way' church. You can read more at the Huffington Post here.

Missionary sentenced to life

North Korea says missionary Kim Jung-wook must serve a life sentence of hard labor for "allegedly spying and trying to set up underground churches." The Associated Press reports on the South Korean's situation here.

Baptists Losing Members

Membership in the Southern Baptist church is still falling--seven years straight. LifeWay Christian Resources says there are now 15.7 million members, down .2 million from the previous year. Weekly church attendance also fell--more than 2 percent, putting the weekly average at 5.8 million. The number of baptisms is down as well--more than 300,000. The consistently falling membership is sure to be a topic at the denomination's annual convention, which gets underway week from Tuesday in Baltimore.

Bible College president arrested on labor charges

The president of Cathedral Bible College in Marion, South Carolina was arrested this week. Reginald Wayne Miller is accused of making international students perform forced labor on threats of deportation. WSPA-TV has this video report.

WSPA.com

Redford as Roberts?

Robert Redford may play the late Oral Roberts in a new film. Come Sunday will tell the story of of Oklahoma evangelist Carlton Pearson who falls out of favor with the evangelical community when he stops preached there is a hell. Roberts was Pearson's mentor. Read more at the Hollywood Reporter.

Godinterest

A new Christian social network is looking to compete with photo-shairing platform Pinterest. Godinterest is intended to be a "safe family friendly Christian alternative... organizing ideas including Church events, travel planning, inspirational quotes, home decorating ideas, meal planning and advice, wedding or event planning, activities for children.." You can check the bookmarking site for yourself here.

Middle East’s Christian population in flux

Despite tremendous growth over the past century, the Christian share of the overall population in the Middle East decreased from 10% in 1900 to 5% in 2010. Find out why here.

Liberty University responds to complaints about Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck created a stir last month when he preached a sermon threaded with Mormon theology at the evangelical Liberty University, according to Religious News Service. Read more here.

Muslim at Baptist Seminary

A Baptist seminary has its first Muslim student. Ghassan Nagagreh is part of the doctoral program of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. The Religious News Service has an article about what's become a controversial topic here.

Latinos moving away from the Catholic church

Fewer Latinos call themselves Catholic than did just three years ago. A Pew Research poll found 55 percent call themselves Roman Catholic--down from 67% in 2011. The numbers are even higher when looking at just 18-29 year olds. Many are becoming Pentecostals, leading Catholic churches to move toward livelier services. Read more about the survey here.

Christian Publisher leaving NRB because of the book God and the Gay Christian

The NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) is parting ways with WaterBrook Multnomah because of its association with a new book called God and the Gay Christian. Even though WaterBrook Multnomah handles many best-sellers, including books by Kay Arthur, John Piper and David Jeremiah, the company that owns WaterBrook Multnomah choose to publish Matthew Vines' book God and the Gay Christian under the Convergent Books imprint. In the book, Vines argues for same-gender sex, claiming it is not sinful. Convergent Books and WaterBrook Multnomah are both owned by Penguin Random House.  The Convergent staff wrote an explanation about why God and the Gay Christian was published here.

Singer in Christian Metal Band Gets 6 Years

A San Diego judge sentenced Tim Lambesis of the Christian metal band As I Lay Dying to serve six years in prison after he was convicted of trying to kill his wife, Meggan Lambesis. Tim Lambesis plead guilty earlier this year--and he returns to court soon to face a $2 million lawsuit filed by his wife. Read more details from San Diego's KGTV here and from the local newspaper, UT San Diego here.