TBN Accused of Covering Up Sexual Assault

The granddaughter of the founder of TBN says she was drugged and raped by an employee of the broadcasting network when she was just 13 years old. Carra Crouch, now 19, is suing the Trinity Broadcasting Network in a Southern California court, though the alleged attack took place in Atlanta during an April 2006 telethon. In the lawsuit, she claims TBN founder Paul Crouch hushed up the crime to avoid bad publicity and Jan Crouch, her grandmother, told Carra Crouch that the attack was her own fault. Although the alleged attacker, Stephen L. Smith, was fired the next day, TBN denies the accusations, saying the organization is "stunned to learn of the allegations now being made by Ms. Carra Crouch, coming more than six years after her initial report."

Guilty Verdict for End Times Preacher

A preacher we claimed the end of the world was near has been found guilty of tax evasion. Read about it here.

Tebow Gets Award

The Professional Football Writers of America has given Tim Tebow its annual Good Guy Award for the way he has handled intense media scrutiny. The group gave its George Halas Award for overcoming adversity" to New England Patriots Chairman Robert Kraft. He played a significant role in the collective bargaining negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association while his wife battled cancer.

Baptist Name Change

Southern Baptists churches can now refer to themselves as Great Commission Baptists. Leaders of the denomination voted for the change while meeting in New Orleans. Just over half of the 4800 ballots cast voted for allowing the option. The vote by ballot came after a show of hands was too close to call.

Church sign: "Ultimate Racism"

A sign outside a South Carolina church is getting a strong reaction from passersby. Read about it here.

Luter Profile

Here's a PBS profile of Fred Luter, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Watch Rev. Fred Luter Jr. on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

A First for Baptists

It's official: The Southern Baptist Convention voted to install its first African-American president leader today. Fred Luter Jr. was unopposed. He was selected by delegates at the denomination's annual meeting of church leaders in his hometown of New Orleans. Luter is pastor of the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church - which he turned into a megachurch.

Tebow Encourages Fathers

CBN offers a video report on Tim Tebow's Sunday talk in San Diego that brought out more than 26,000 people.