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.

Bill Gothard resigns

Conservative Christian leader Bill Gothard is being accused of making unwanted sexual advances--by more than two dozen women including some underage teenagers. He resigned from the Institute in Basic Life Principles after denying the allegations. In a statement he said that when he touched women, it was never with sexual intent. He spent more than half a century leading the Institute, which has produced materials for home-schoolers. A group called Recovering Grace published the allegations against Gothard online here. Gothard is 79 years old, has never been married and not been charged with a crime. His brother, Steve Gothard, resigned from the organization in the 1980s after being accused of having affairs with several employees.

Can Christians make funny movies?

A new movie genre debuts at the box office this weekend: the Christian comedy, writes Eric Marrapodi at CNN.com. "Moms’ Night Out" starring Patricia Heaton and Sean Astin is opening on more than 1,000 screens, and it aims to do something no other Christian major motion picture has endeavored to do: make you laugh. On purpose. Read more here.

Ben-Hur remake

Paramount/MGM is remaking the 1959 classic Ben-Hur. It is scheduled to debut in February of 2016. The studio is enlisting the help of the makers of the recent miniseries The Bible and the Son of God.

Boy's love of gospel music may have saved his life

A young boy's love of gospel music may have saved his life. WXIA-TV has the story in this video report.

Christian golfer rejoices after second Masters win

Golf champion and professed Christian Bubba Watson is praising God after winning his second Masters jacket in three years. Read more at Christianity Today.