Abortion & Gay Marriage Survey

A new survey shows most Americans now oppose abortion rights. At the same time, the Pew Research Center survey shows most (57%) favor civil unions for gay couples. In 2003, support for civil unions stood at 45%. Most remain opposed to gay marriage (53%).

Graham Gets More than $1 Million

Evangelist Franklin Graham earned more than a million dollars from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse in 2008. He received $669,000 from his father’s organization and $535,000 from Samaritan's Purse. Charity watchdog Guidestar says that’s more anyone else at a US-based international relief agency. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has gone from revenue of $126 million in 2005 to $93 million last year. Earlier this year, the organization laid off 10% of its staff (55 people). Graham along with four members of the Graham family are on the board of directors, though none are part of the compensation committee. Graham says he plans to stop to halt contributions to his retirement plans from the two ministries. CEOs at the nation's biggest charities saw a 7% drop in compensation in 2008, according to the Journal of Philanthropy.

Getting to Know.. Rod Parsley

Preaches prosperity gospel at World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio

• His $40 million-a-year Breakthrough TV ministry is on 1,400 TV stations and cable affiliates


• Dropped out of Circleville Bible College in his second year, completed his BA at Ohio Christian University and was given an honorary doctorate from Liberty University


• Lives on a 21-acre compound in a $1 million home

Connecticut's Suicide Laws

A report from WTNH-TV in New Haven on physician-assisted suicide.

Demon Possession on Campus

A student at Georgia’s Berry College says he cast a demon out of a former student at a dorm room, igniting a debate over religion at the school. The student newspaper says people at the private school near Rome “are afraid we're going to be looked at as some sort of radical, right-wing school."

High Court Hears Cross Arguments

Observers say the Supreme Court looks divided over the issue of a whether a cross should stay on public land. The 6 1/2-foot monument is a memorial to those who died in World War I. During this morning's questioning, some justices indicated they would favor having Congress transfer ownership of the land to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, removing the issue. Justice Antonin Scalia showed he was at odds with an ACLU lawyer who suggested the cross only honored Christian war dead. Scalia told him it is a “common symbol of the resting place of the dead.” This is the first time the court led by John Roberts will deal with what the First Amendment means when it says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." The case is Buono v. Salazar.

Fake Check in Offering

Police are looking for a Pittsburgh-area woman who put a fake check in the offering at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday that came from a stolen checkbook. She also stole a member’s wallet, using it to buy items from a New Brighton store.

Abortion Ad Rejected

A Wisconsin student newspaper is rejecting anti-abortion ads. Student editors at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Advance-Titan say the advertisement from the Human Life Alliance as too controversial. The ad includes information about abortion, its side effects, contraception, the development of a pre-born child and adoption. Pro-Life Wisconsin accuses the paper of censorship, saying the decision shows bias.

High Court Turns Aside Church

The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from LA’s St. James Anglican Church. The breakaway Episcopalian congregation is fighting with its former national church over who owns the church's sanctuary and property. The congregation voted to split from the national church after the consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop. St. James is now allied with an Anglican diocese in Uganda.

Prayer Harassment Lawsuit

The founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation is suing over the prayers of a Dallas-based religious group. Mikey Weinstein, who is Jewish, says the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches is harassing him with their prayers. The suit says the group should "stop asking Jesus to plunder my fields ... seize my assets, kill me and my family then wipe away our descendants for 10 generations." Weinstein points to former Navy chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt who denies he’s incited anyone to make death threats, throw feces at Weinstein’s house or leave animal carcasses on his doorstep as Weinstein claims.

High Court Considers Cross

Hundreds Leave Megachurch

Hundreds of members of a Florida megachurch have left to form a new congregation. Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church has faced a battle between new pastor Tullian Tchividjian, a grandson of the Rev. Billy Graham, and those who object to changes he’s made at the church founded by D. James Kennedy. Nearly 500 people attended the first meeting of the new congregation last Sunday. Leaders of the group lost a vote last month to oust Tchividjian. Among those who’ve left the church: Kennedy's daughter, several church elders, the organist, choir director and hundreds of choir members.

Vick Speaks at Church

NFL Quarterback Michael Vick spoke this week at Covenant Baptist Church in Washington, DC. He played in his first official game for the first time since 2006 for the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick served a 23-month prison term for his involvement in dog fighting. About 75 people came to hear Vick speak about his regrets and mistakes.

Bible Banner Banned

A Georgia high school football team will not take the field tonight by running through a banner with a Bible verse written across it. District officials have banned the Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High team in Fort Oglethorpe from using the banners after a parent complained. Hundreds of people in the north Georgia town showed up for a rally in support of the banners and many of the 900 students wore t-shirts today bearing Bible verses. The tradition was started right after 9/11.

High Court to Rule on Cross

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in one week on whether a 7-foot cross in the middle of the desert should be removed. The World War I memorial is located in California's Mojave National Preserve. The ACLU has sued to get it taken down. The case is Buono v. Salazar.

Dan Brown's Faith

Da Vinci Code Author Dan Brown tells Parade Magazine about hs loss of faith as a child.

I was raised Episcopalian, and I was very religious as a kid. Then, in
eighth or ninth grade, I studied astronomy, cosmology, and the origins of the
universe. I remember saying to a minister, “I don’t get it. I read a book that
said there was an explosion known as the Big Bang, but here it says God created
heaven and Earth and the animals in seven days. Which is right?” Unfortunately,
the response I got was, “Nice boys don’t ask that question.” A light went off,
and I said, “The Bible doesn’t make sense. Science makes much more sense to me.”
And I just gravitated away from religion.

Read more here.

Transgendered Pastor

A Portland pastor revealed to his congregation he was born a woman. David Weekley of the Epworth United Methodist Church says he under-went surgery to become a man in his early 20s. Weekly decided to go public when he won an award for making anonymous blog entries about church inclusion.

Global Warming Survey

Do you believe the earth is warming as the result of human activity?

• white mainline Protestants - 48%
• all Americans - 47%
• white evangelical Protestants - 34%
• black Protestants - 39%

Source: Pew Research Center

Rapture Pet Service

An atheist group insists it isn’t a joke. They are offering pet services for Christians who have been taken in the rapture. Eternal Earth-Bound Pets says it will take care of dogs and cats left behind for $110. The animals will be taken care of by people with no criminal record but are not too saintly, according to the website. The offer expires in ten years if the rapture hasn’t taken place by then.

See You at the Pole

Students at Pace High School gathered around their flag pole this morning to pray as did many students around the country. But the event was especially significant at the Pace, Florida school. The principal and athletic director had been accused of violating a court agreement against the promotion of prayer at the school. Principal Frank Lay asked Athletic Director Robert Freeman to say a prayer at a school athletic banquet. Last week, the judge found them not guilty. Some 700 students skipped school to encourage the men as they entered court.

Church Boycott Poll

A Florida church’s boycott of Pepsi has local newspaper readers split. Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon decided to pull away from the soft drink company after it refused to drop its support of organizations that "oppose traditional family values.” Specifically, it has sponsored gay pride parades and opposed California's same-sex marriage ban. A Tampa Tribune readers poll found 45% of readers agree with the church and 55% disagree. Some 50 area churches are joining the boycott.

ORU Debt

Oral Roberts University says it’s out of debt. The Tulsa evangelical school went from $55 million down to just over $700,000 during the summer.

Local Church Fights Denomination

California congregation fights Reformed Church of America. SF Gate has the story.

Controversial Megachurch Pastor Survives Vote

The new pastor of Florida's Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church will stay in the pulpit. The congregation voted overwhelmingly yesterday to keep Tullian Tchividjian. The grandson of evangelist Billy Graham was battling a group that tried to remove him, including the daughter of church founder D. James Kennedy. The group was banned from the church but they paved the way for the vote which was 940-422.

Christianity Today Redesign

Christianity Today will soon sport a redesign that the editor says could leave some readers disoriented. Senior managing editor Mark Galli says the redo is aimed at a younger audience. One thing that won't change is that the online version will lag behind the print publication. CT will continue posting print articles on line gradually through the month after the print magazine comes out. The publication will re-launch in January.

Swine Flu

WJBK-TV in Detroit reports on what area churches are doing to stop the spread of swine flu.

Cult Leader Convicted

Arkansas Cult leader Tony Alamo has been convicted on 10 counts of sexual crimes. Several women testified he kept them as sexual partners, not office workers as he claimed. Jurors and witnesses both cried as they told their stories. Alamo will be setenced in about six weeks. His lawyers plan an appeal.

Satanist Arrested

Poice arrested a teenage girl who says she worships Satan for setting a church on fire in Orangevale, California near Sacramento. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints blaze damaged some church pews. Some 50 people were inside at the time.

No Credible Threats to Runaway

Florida investigators say there's no evidence to justify the claims that a teenager who ran away from her Ohio home did so because her life was threatened. Rifqa Bary says her father threatened to kill her because she converting to Christianity from Islam. The 17-year-old girl is in foster care in Orlando, where a judge is deciding whether she should be returned to Ohio.

Women Pastors Study

Women have made substantial gains in the pulpits of Protestant churches. A new study by the Barna Group finds the number of female pastors has doubled since 1999. About 10% of pastors in Protestant churches are now women. Most are in mainline churches. Most are about 55 years old. That’s up from 50 years of age just a decade ago. The average age of male pastors has rises as well, from 48 to 52. 77% of women pastors have
a seminary degree compared with only 63% of male pastors. The average salary for women is $45,300 while male pastors make about $48,600. That’s 21% higher for men than a decade ago and 30% higher for women than a decade ago. Churches led by men typically have about 103 in attendance on Sunday mornings. For women pastors, the number is closer to 81.

Another finding by Barna: The median number of adults attending Protestant church services in 1999 was 108. In 2009, that average had dropped to 101.

Kirk Franklin Caught in Riot

Kirk Franklin is safe after running into riots in Uganda. The Christian singer and his band were in the capital of Kampala last week when mobs began rioting over rumors of the arrest of a popular political figure. Franklin was attending a luncheon with the country's president. Some of the demonstrators were shot by riot police. The bus some of his band members were riding in was pelted with rocks. Here's a video he posted on YouTube about the experience.

Ancient Synagogue Found

One of the world's oldest synagogues in Northern Israel has been uncovered at a construction site near the Sea of Galilee. The synagague may date back about 2000 years between 50BCE to 100CE. A stone carved menorah engraving has also been unearthed near the find. It's the first of its kind to be discovered from this period.

Runaway Convert

CNN reports on the media frenzy around a Muslim teen who converted to Christianity.

The Airport Chaplain

NPR offers a look at the ministry of Atlanta airport chaplain Chester Cook, who wanders the terminals looking for people who are in need of help.

Anti-Abortion Activist Killed

Police are holding a suspect in the killing of an anti-abortion activist near Flint, Michigan. The shooting took place at Owosso High School about 40 miles west of Flint. Officials put the school on immediate lockdown, although no students were involved in the conflict. 63-year-old Jim Pouillon often publically displayed signs showing aborted fetuses. Another man, Mike Fuoss, was shot and killed just miles away at a gravel pit business. Police say the 33-year-old suspect is believed to be responsible for both murders.

Pepsi Boycott

A Florida megachurch is boycotting Pepsi products. Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon has had all Pepsi vending machines were removed. The church has been negotiating with the company for months but talks are at a standstill. Bell Shoals objects to the soft drink company sponsoring gay pride parades and opposing California's same-sex marriage ban. Some 50 area churches are joining the boycott.

Pastor Calls for Vengence

A Florida pastor asked God to avenge him during his sentencing for mortgage fraud yesterday. Rodney McGill of New Hope Outreach Center reportedly turned his back on the judge and said, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, for every witness called against me, I pray cancer in their lives, lupus, brain tumor, pancreatic cancer." The judge sentenced him to a 20-year prison term for his part in falsely obtaining a million dollars in real estate loans. McGill vigorously maintaines his innocence.

Tolkien Settlement

A settlement has been reached between the heirs of J.R.R. Tolkien and Warner Brothers. The trustees of Tolkien's Estate sued Warner's New Line Cinema movie studio over who owns the rights to the late author's work, claiming the studio failed to pay what had been agreed. The settlement allows filming of The Hobbit to go forward. It's a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Shooting begins next year. The first films in the series made about $2.9 billion worldwide. The third installment The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won an Oscar for Best Picture in 2004.

Ball Players to Church

Some parents of children attending a Kentucky public high school are upset the football coach took his team to a church revival. Coach Scott Mooney of Breckinridge County High School in Harned, Kentucky (about 50 miles south of Loiusville) used one of the school's buses to bring 20 players to his church. He told them there would be a motivational speaker and free steak dinner at Franklin Crossroads Baptist Church. Nearly half of them were baptized. Although Mooney did not ask for their parents’ permission, the school superintendent says the trip was all right because attendance was not required and another coach paid for the gas. She is a member of Franklin Crossroads as well. The state's ACLU disagrees, saying the trip probably violated church and state separation.

Lust Map

The number of STD cases reported per capita by Kansas State University Geography. Green is lower, red is higher.

Envy Map

A map based on the number of thefts per capita from Kansas State University Geography. Green is lower, red is higher.

Convert Stays in Florida

The runaway teen is staying in Florida – for now. Fathima Rifqa Bary fled Ohio because she says her Muslim family would harm or kill her for converting to Christianity. The 17-year-old is staying with a pastor and his family while the courts sort out what to do. Her family wants her to return. But an Orange County judge has decided to let her stay in Orlando until an investigation is completed into the alleged threats. He’s encouraged the party's involved to work things out through mediation and ordered information about the case to be temporarily sealed. Her father denies there is any threat and Ohio child services say they have not found a reason for her not to return home. Activists held a news conference outside to rally against their view of Islam, exchanging shouts with an angry Muslim man from the area.Her next hearing is set for September 29th.

Wrath Map

A map based on the number of violent crimes (murder, assault, and rape) per capita from Kansas State University Geography. Green is lower, red is higher.

Crumb Art

The comics artist behind Keep On Truckin'  and Fritz the Cat is now looking to the Bible for inspiration. Robert Crumb’s latest work is titles The Book of Genesis Illustrated. The subject of a 1990’s documentary called Crumb, he is given credit for starting the so-called underground commix movement of the 1960s.

Billy Graham Sued

Billy Graham is being sued by a former employee of his Evangelistic Association. Kimberly McCallum says she was fired after complaining that the organization was not reaching out to African-American churches. McCallum’s suit says when she was hired in 2007, she was the only black employee working in the executive offices. Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, now runs the offices in Charlotte.

Focus Lay Offs

Focus on the Family is cutting 75 jobs. That's about 8% of its 860 member work force. More than 50 vacant positions will remain unfilled. The orginization founded by James Dobson is suffering from a drop in revenue. The group is 5% short of its $138 million budget. The biggest fall off came from large donors. Last year, Focus cut more than 200 positions.

New Translation

Here's a report from KRIV-TV in Houston on a new Bible translation.

Convert From Islam

The Muslim father of a runaway teen is speaking out. She left their Ohio home and fled to Florida after converting to Christianity. She accuses him of threatening to kill her and says his Mosque has ties to terrorism. WOFL-TV in Orlando has this video report.

Ancient Wall Found

A wall has been discovered in Jerusalem that is believed to be about 3700 years old. That would make it the city’s oldest and largest fortification. Archaeologists say the 26-foot-high wall was built by Canaanites who lived in the area before the Jewish conquest. It runs from a hilltop fortress to a spring that served as the city's only water source at the time. It’s the first complex building project that’s pre-Herod and indicates a large population at the time.

Secret Service Investigates Pastor

The Secret Service is looking into an Arizona pastor who said he’s praying for the death of President Obama. Tempe pastor Steven Anderson drew criticism for his sermon titled Why I Hate President Obama. He preached the sermon Faithful Word Baptist Church a few weeks ago, while Obama was in the state. This past Sunday Anderson said, I hope he dies of brain cancer today."

Petitions to Oust Pastor

Petitions calling for the ouster of a megachurch pastor have been turned in to the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Some members want to get ride of new pastor Tullian Tchividjian and they want to put the issue before the congregation. The church is part of the Presbyterian Church in America. Denominational laws require a congregational meeting on the issue within one month of such a petition.

Meanwhile, church leaders are moving forward with a disciplinary process that could lead to the excommunicate of the six decedent leaders. Among them, the daughter of D James Kennedy who founded the church.

Pastor Gunned Down

Drug task force agents shot and killed a Georgia pastor when they tried to stop his car at a convenience store in a town about 100 miles northeast of Atlanta. Jonathan Ayers pastored the Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Lavonia. Agents claim he struggled with them and then drove off. But there are reports he took money from an ATM machine and saw men running at him. Afraid he was about to be robbed, Ayers supposedly ran for his car. Ayers blog offers and the church's website offered no information on the shooting as of this posting.

Homeschooling Rejected

A New Hampshire judge is ordering a home-schooled girl to attend public school over the objections of her primary-custody parent. The 10-year-old’s father, Martin Kurowski, wants her to go to a public school in Meredith, New Hampshire. But her mom, Brenda Voydatch, wants her home schooled. Despite the fact that Voydatch had enrolled her daughter in three public school courses as a concession to her ex-husband, the judge declared that was not enough. In her ruling, Judge Lucinda Sadler basically said a child cannot be adequately educated at home regardless of the circumstances. Court documents criticized the girl because she "appeared to reflect her mother's rigidity on question of faith."

Study of Religious People

A new study says religious people view themselves as more fit, in better health, having more energy and experiencing less pain than the nonreligoius. The religious are also more likely to have supportive friends and say they are treated with respect. Angus Deaton of Princeton says that women and the elderly are more religious than men in almost all cultures. Deaton reviewed Gallup data to reach his conclusions.

T-NIV Scrapped

The so-called "gender-accurate" NIV is being scraped. A team of scholars will go back to the 1984 NIV update (the original was published in 1978) and start over. The New International Version or T-NIV eliminated masculine or feminine nouns and pronouns that the scholars believed were unsupported by original manuscripts. The result created a firestorm of protests. The T-NIV will be taken off the market when the new Bible is released. A website has been set up so that the publishers can get feedback from anyone interested in the project.

Former Miss Cali Sues

The former Miss California USA is suing the pageant. Carrie Prejean is accusing officials of telling her to stop talking about God. She created a firestorm with her remarks against gay marriage. They say she was fired for missing scheduled appearances. She says it was because of her comment that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Facebook Religion

Two years after the launch of Facebook, a religious views box made its debut in 2006. The format let users type in whatever they wanted. It proved so popular that Facebook changed its political views box to free-text as well. MySpace also offers a religion box but it's a drop-down menu limited to 14 choices.

A list of the most popular religious identities reveals some interesting information. Christian is the most popular religious designation on the social networking site (that includes anyone who put down Christian, Protestant, Catholic or Mormon or a Christian denomination). The second most popular religious identity is Islam followed by Atheist. Jedi put in an appearance at the 10 spot. And a surprising number of people online claim they are Amish.

Not Standing for the Pledge

A Florida high school student is serving a suspension after she told a Muslim student to stand up during the Pledge of Allegiance and to remove her head covering. A teacher overheard the confrontation at Springstead High School. Lawrence was handed a five-day suspension for bullying and harassment. Even though she now says she regrets telling the girl to "take that thing off" her family is considering legal action against the school located in Springhill, Florida, north of Tampa.

Surgery for Robertson

Pat Robertson is recovering from heart surgery. The 10 hour operation on the 79-year-old Christian broadcaster took place at the FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in North Carolina. Robertson's recovery is going well so far. He's expected to be back on the job at the Christian Broadcasting Network in the next few weeks where he hosts the 700 Club.

Pastor Wants Obama to Die

An Arizona pastor says he's praying for Barack Obama to die. Steven Anderson, pastor of the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, says he's recieved death threats since he preached a sermon titled, "Why I hate Barack Obama." Picketers showed up at yesterday's services and Anderson says many of his congregation are now bringing guns to church. Anderson says:

"If you want to know how I'd like to see Obama die, I'd like him to die of natural causes. I don't want him to be a martyr, we don't need another holiday. I'd like to see him die, like Ted Kennedy, of brain cancer."

Evolution T-shirts

A Missouri school is recalling its band’s t-shirts. Administration officials at the Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia say the shirts promote evolution. The shirts show the image of a monkey holding a brass instrument and progressing through various stages of evolution until eventually becoming a human. Parents complained after the band marched in the Missouri State Fair parade. New t-shirts are now being designed.

Memo Warning

Calvin College faculty are crying foul after the school's Board of Trustees ordered them not to support homosexuality or same-sex marriage. Some 130 of 300 faculty members met this week to discuss the memo detailing the decision. Calvin College is associated with the Christian Reformed Church.

Image of Cross Burned into Arm

An Ohio school board has settled with a student who's teacher teacher burned the image of a cross on his arm. Mount Vernon Middle School teacher John Freshwater was fired for sharing his Christian beliefs with classes and teaching creationism. The board will pay the student's family $121,000. The family will only get $5,500. His lawyers will get the rest. Freshwater has filed his own $1 million lawsuit against the district.

Kidnapping Hoax

A Tampa, Florida pastor faked his own kidnapping to cover up an affair. Seventh Day Adventist Church of Reform pastor Wikler Moran-Mora sent his wife a series of texts messages saying he had been kidnapped but was negotiating his release. She called police and they tracked him down with another woman. Moran-Mora has been charged with sending a false report to law enforcement.

Fired For Christian Poster

A Florida couple have been evicted and fired for hanging a Christian poster. Fox News has the story.

Child Porn Charges

A former deaf football player is in jail and charged with child molestation and pornography in Norman, Oklahoma. Prosecutors say Eric Thunander confessed after a child at a daycare told workers he had touched her inappropriately.

The defensive end was a standout as part of the University of Oklahoma’s 2000 National Championship team. Thunander told the story of his attempt to overcome abuse and depression in a book released last year called Silent Thunder. According to the autobiography, Thunander endured abuse and multiple foster homes as a child, finally hitting the bottom when a head injury ended his football career. He wound up trying to commit suicide. But Thunander says he turned his life over to God, went back to school to complete his degree and became a motivational speaker.

Pastor Killed

Oklahoma's KWTV files this video report on a murdered pastor.

Sign Coverup

Here's the church sign with the word Lutheran blocked out. St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Charleston, West Virginia made the move after the denomination voted opening the pulpit to gays and lesbians.

Church Covers up Sign

A Lutheran church in West Virginia has covered the word Lutheran on the sign in front of the sanctuary. St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Charleston, West Virginia is protesting the decision by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to allow gay clergy. The pastor says he expects the decision will split the denomination.

Death Sentence for Killer

The man convicted of killing two Christian music producers now has a death sentence thanks to a Texas jury. James Broadnax killed Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler two years ago in Garland, Texas. Broadnax was a gang member and on drugs at the time of the slayings. He confessed to the crimes during TV interviews and said he deserved to die.

Gay Clergy Ban Lifted

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has lifted its ban on gay clergy. The nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted in favor of the move by 68% while meeting in Minneapolis yesterday. Congregations will not be forced to hire gay clergy but conservative groups like Lutheran CORE will meet next month to decide whether to remain part of the ELCA.

Lutheran Vote on Same-Sex Unions

Lutherans can now bless same-sex unions if they want to do so. Delegates at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gathering in Minneapolis voted in favor of the move. The vote doesn’t require pastors or congregations to participate in same-sex unions. Another vote will decide whether the denomination will accept gay pastors. Some conservative ministers in the ELCA say the votes will lead to a church split. Other Lutheran denominations, such as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, does not approve of same-sex unions.

Religion and Health Care

Tony Perkins and Rev. Jim Wallis debate the religious sides of health care reform on CNN.

Pastor Arrested

A Los Angeles pastor will appear in court today on charges of taking some $800,000 from his church. E. Joshua Sims leads the Double Rock Baptist Church in Compton. Some members claim he threatened them when they began asking questions about church finances.

Suspended over Atheist Sign

A Des Moines bus driver has been suspended for refusing to drive a bus with an atheist promotion on the side. Angela Shiel says the ad goes against her Christian beliefs. Paid for by the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers, it reads: Don't believe in God? You are not alone. Shiel could be fired over the issue.

Alice Cooper Canceled

The owners of an arena in Finland has canceled a concert appearance by Alice Cooper. The veteran rocker was supposed to play at Tampere Areena Oy in December.

The managing director of the arena says his venue does not “arrange concerts where Satanism or non-god-worshipping occurs."

Cooper is a practicing Christian who is quoted in Cross Rhythms magazine as saying:

“As a Christian, I don't declare myself as a 'Christian rock star.' I'm a rock performer who's a Christian. Alice Cooper is the guy who wants to entertain the audience - it happens that he's a Christian. Alice (the character I play on stage) began life as a villain and he remains one. Alice is no more dangerous than a villain in a cartoon or a Disney film. We have fun with him. He snarls
and wears make up. I get right-wing Christians down on me and I always ask them the question: 'If I was doing Macbeth, would it be OK?'”

Bible Class Nixed

A southwestern Idaho school has been told not to teach the Bible – even in literary course. Idaho’s Public Charter School Commission has stopped the plan, claiming the state constitution forbids the use of religious texts in classrooms. The Nampa Classical Academy said it was not planning to teach religion, just use the Bible in an historical context.

Why I Stayed

The wife of Ted Haggard is writing a memoir that will be published by Tyndale House in January. Gayle Haggard’s book is titled Why I Stayed. It’s about surviving her husband's sex scandal during his time as a megachurch pastor in Colorado Springs. Ted Haggard resigned as pastor of New Life Church when a male prostitute made accusations that they had a cash-for-sex relationship.

Ultrasound Law

A judge has issued a permanent injunction on a law requiring an ultrasound before a woman can have an abortion in Oklahoma. KOKI-TV in Tulsa has a video report.

Wafergate

Canada's Prime Minister has been accused of pretending to eat a communion wafter at a Catholic church. Stephen Harper is an Evangelical and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal started what has been called Wafergate. The paper accused the politician of slipping the wafer into his pocket during the Catholic state funeral of former Governor-General Roméo LeBlanc. But the paper has now admited the story was based on a false rumor. The Telegraph-Journal has retracted the story, printed a front page apology and fired the editor and publisher.

Wildmon Hospitalized

Don Wildmon has been in intensive care for meningitis. The American Family Association leader was admitted to the North Mississippi Medical Center over the weekend and has slowly been improving.

Twittering Prayers

You can twitter prayers to be placed in the crevices of Jerusalem's Western Wall. Israeli university student Alon Nir has opened the Twitter site and says he’ll print them out and put them in the Wall. Several organizations already deliver prayers sent by email, text message or fax.

Vote on Gay Clergy

The ELCA votes this week on whether to allow gay clergy to serve in the denomination. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is meeting in Minneapolis and may agree to permit gay men and lesbians in the pulpit if they are in committed, monogamous relationships. The church has nearly 5 million members and 10,500 churches.

Prison for Prayer?

A couple of Florida school officials are facing prison time for praying at lunch. They go to trial one month from today. Pace High School principal Frank Lay asked school Athletic Director Robert Freeman to give a prayer of thanks for the dedication of a new fieldhouse at a luncheon for football booster club members. Only adults attended the meeting when the prayer was offered, though students were involved in the meal preparation. Lay and Freeman face a maximum penalty of up to six months in prison. District Judge Casey Rodgers will hear the nonjury trial.

Obama Seeks Evangelical Support

President Obama will seek support of his health care initiative from Evangelicals this week. He joins a 40 minute conference call this Wednesday sponsored by Sojourners, Faith in Public Life, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and PICO National Network and two dozen other liberal religious organizations.

Florida Catholic Cuts

The Roman Catholic Church is closing 13 churches in the Miami area over the next few weeks in order to cut its budget. Seven Catholic schools in South Florida were shut down earlier this year.

Stay Away from Church

A group of dissenters at a Florida megachurch have agreed to stay away. Six members of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, including the daughter of D James Kennedy who founded the church have been banned from activities by the current pastor, Tullian Tchividjian. They believe he’s moving the direction in a direction that Kennedy would not have approved. Executive director Scott Spell has resigned over the controversy. He worked with Tchividjian at his former church. An attempt at reconciliation is planned and although the group that objects to the new leadership has agreed to stay away from the church for the time being, they do not agree with the decision. What is it they find so offensive that's new at the church? Longer sermons, new methods of evangelism, dropping minister’s robes and contemporary music.

Megachurch Sold

The site of an Atlanta megachurch has been sold for $17.6 million. The Greater Traveler’s Rest Baptist Church has purchased the Cathedral at Chapel Hill in Decatur. The nearly 300,000-square-foot church complex sits on a 50-acre campus. The sanctuary seats 6000. Bishop Earl Paulk built the megachurch but lost it in a sex scandal. He died this year after battle cancer.

Lottery Winner

A Haslett, Michigan church is getting a winning lotto ticket from a member. WILX-TV reports on why she made the gift.

Baptist Resignation

Southern Baptists are losing their Mission Board president. Geoff Hammond has resigned after only two years at the helm of the denomination's evangelism arm. Some members of the executive committee haven’t been happy with his leadership and they were set to meet about the issue the day after Hammond resigned. Three of his assistants have quit as well. The mission board has a $130 million budget and oversees 5,600 missionaries.

Focus in Trouble

Focus on the Family may wind up nearly a quarter short of its yearly budget. The organization founded by James Dobson is making a special plea, saying it may miss its $138 million budget by $6 million.

As part of its cutbacks, Focus is giving up control of its Love Won Out conferences about homosexuality to Exodus International. The events drew protests from gay rights groups.

More than 200 jobs were cut by Focus this past year.

Teen Claims Death Threat

An Ohio teenager says her family threatened to kill her for converting to Christianity. Rifqa Bary fled to Orlando where she’s staying with a the pastor of Global Revolution Church. Although her Muslim family wants to regain custody of her, a judge has ruled that she will remain under the care of Florida’s child services department while her claims are investigated. Her Sri Lankan father denies there is any threat to her life. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday.

D. James Kennedy's Daughter Banned From Church

Six members of a Florida megachurch have been thrown out. That includes the daughter of the man who founded Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, D. James Kennedy. After Kennedy passed away last fall, the Fort Lauderdale church got a new pastor: Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of evangelist Billy Graham. The people banned from church functions are trying to get him fired. Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy has been ordered to stay off church property and out of church programs. She and others have circulated a petition. Among other things, they object to his appointment of some of his own people on the church staff, of changing the church’s worship style and selling church land to make up for budget shortfalls. At a recent church meeting, Tchividjian denied any budget shortfall and told the congregation that only about a dozen of the 70 or so staffers come from his former church.

1st Women Elected

The Assemblies of God has elected its first woman to its Executive Presbytery. Beth Grant was elected the second ballot during the denomination’s biennial meetings in Orlando. A missionary to India and coordinator of the Women in Ministry Network, Grant is a former Southeastern University professor. She was given a standing ovation after the announcement of her election.

Looking Back: Top Religious Stories of 2003

1 - The Episcopal Church ordains its first openly gay bishop

2 - The war in Iraq splits religious communities

3 - The Massachusetts Supreme Court overturns a gay-marriage ban

4 - A Ten Commandments monument is removed from Alabama's Supreme Court building

5 - The Catholic Church draws praise and criticism for its efforts to combat priestly sex abuse

6 - Pope John Paul II celebrates 25 years in office

7 - The economy forces budget cutbacks for many denominations

8 - The Presbyterian Church, USA retains a policy saying only those who practice fidelity in marriage or chastity as single people can be ordained 9

- The Supreme Court agrees to hear whether "Under God" should remain in the Pledge of Allegiance

10 - The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod overturns the suspension of a New York church leader who took part in an interfaith service after 9-11

11 - Southern Baptist missionaries are fired for refusing to sign pledges to honor the denomination's "Faith and Message" statement.

12 - Debate over President Bush's plan to ease restrictions on public funding of faith-based charities

13 - Concerns about the erosion of religious liberty are raised over the Patriot Act

14 - President Bush signs a bill outlawing what are generally termed partial-birth abortions

15 - The "road map" to Middle East peace

15 - (tie) New leadership at major evangelical groups including Focus on the Family, Promise Keepers, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Family Research Council

Source: Religion Newswriters Association

Note to God

There's a new Apple iPhone app called A Note to God. The app allows users read the anonymous prayers of others and show support by clicking on a thumbs up icon. Southern Cal start up Medl Mobile is making A Note to God available but its the creation of high school student Allen Wright who attends New Life Community Church in Fair Oaks, California.

Looking Back.. Best Books of 2007

The 2007 Book of the Year was Ever After by Karen Kingsbury, according to the Evangelicalb Christian Publishers Association. The novel tells the story of a college student who falls in love with a young Army reservist who is deployed to Iraq.

Other 2007 winners:

• Bible of the Year Archaeological Study Bible NIV

• Bible Reference and Study The IVP Atlas of Bible History by Paul Lawrence

• Children and Youth Sexy Girls
by Hayley DiMarco

• Christian Life What Jesus Demands from the World
by John Piper

• Fiction When Crickets Cry
by Charles Martin

• Inspiration and Gift Pearls of Great Price
by Joni Eareckson Tada

Megachurch Twitter Buzz

A Chicago megachurch made 3 of the top 10 Twitter trend topoics at one point during its leadership conference this weekend. Former British prime minister Tony Blair and U2's Bono are among the speakers at Bill Hybels' Willow Creek Church. More than 100,000 business and church leaders were expected to attend.

No to City Logo Change

The town of Kissimmee, Florida won't be adding In God We Trust to the city logo. City Commissioner Art Otero proposed the idea and says he'll keep fighting to make it happen. Mayor Jim Swan got the full commission to drop the idea last week because of negative publicity.

Megachurch Sanctuaries

Protestant churches with a seating capacity of 5,000 or more:

Faithful Central Bible Church (Kenneth C. Ulmer) 17,800
Lakewood Church, Houston (Joel Osteen) 16,000
Salem Baptist Church of Chicago (James Meeks) 10,000
Crenshaw Christian Center, LA ( Fred Price) 10,000

Southeast Christian, Louisville, KY (Dave Stone) 9,200
First Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL (Mac Brunson) 9,000
Without Walls Central Church, Lakeland, FL (Scott Thomas) 9,000

Potters House, Atlanta (Creflo Dollar) 8,000
Cathedral of the Cross, Birmingham (Mike Wright) 8,000

Cathedral of Chapel Hill, Atlanta (Donnie Earl Paulk) 7,700
First Baptist Church, Atlanta (Charles Stanley) 7,500
Prestonwood Baptist Church Plano (Jack Graham) 7,400
First Baptist Church, Hammond, IN (Jack Schaap) 7,500
Willow Creek, Chicago (Bill Hybels) 7,100

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Lithonia, Ga (Eddie Long) 7,000
Glory Church of Jesus Christ, LA (Richard Seunghoon Shin) 7,000
Ministerio International el Rey Jesus, Kendall, FL (Guillermo Maldonado) 7,000
Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis (Steve Gaines) 7,000

First Baptist Church, Woodstock, GA (Johnny Hunt) 7,000

First Assembly of God, Phoenix (Tommy Barnett) 6,500
Second Baptist Church, Houston (Ed Young Sr.) 6,200
Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA (Jonathan Falwell) 6,000
Bethany World Prayer Center, Baker, CA (Larry Stockstill) 6,000

Christian Life Center Stockton CA (Nathaniel Haney) 5,800
First Baptist Church, Orlando (David Uth) 5,500
First Southern Baptist Church, Del City, OK 5,500
Victory Christian Center, Tulsa (Billy Joe and Sharon Daugherty) 5,500

Angelus Temple, LA (Matthew Barnett) 5,300
World Harvest Church, Columbus, Ohio (Rod Parsley) 5,200
Rock Church, Virginia Beach (Anne Gimenez) 5,200
Idlewild Baptist Church, Lutz FL (Ken Whitten) 5,150
Overlake Christian Church, Redmond, WA (Mike Howerton) 5,100

Shoreline Christian Center, Austin (Robert Koke) 5,000
Cornerstone church, San Antonio (John Hagee) 5,000
Eagle's Nest Christian Fellowship, San Antonio (Rick Godwin) 5,000
Calvary Church, Charlotte (John Munro) 5,000
West Angeles COGIC, LA (Charles Blake) 5,000
Jericho City of Praise, Landham MD (Betty Peebles) 5,000
Calvery Church, Charlotte (John H. Munro) 5,000
Calvary Assembly of God, Winter Park, FL (George Cope) 5,000
Hope Presbyterian Church, Cordova, TN (Craig Strickland) 5,000

(Let us know if you know of any others to add to the list or corrections to make)