Sou Baptists losing members

The numbers are down - again, for Southern Baptists. It fell for a 5th straight year to less than 16 million. That's a drop of about one percent from last year, according to Lifeway Christian Resources. It was the second lowest year of Baptisms in the last half-century.

Movie Banned from Christian Stores

The Blind Side will no longer be sold at LifeWay Christian Stores. The Southern Baptist-owned stories pulled the Sandra Bullock movie about a black college football player accepted into a white family because the issue will come up during the denomination's annual meeting in New Orleans that starts Tuesday. A Florida pastor has proposed a resolution protesting its sale because the PG-13 movie contains profanity and a racial slur. Rodney Baker, pastor of Hopeful Baptist Church in Lake City, was able to get the Florida Baptist Convention pass a resolution similar to it last year. He says the movie is not "family friendly."

Evangelicals & undocumented immigrants

A discussion on MSNBC about a group of Evangelicals who've signed a document concerning undocumented immigrants.
 

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Protest against Billy Graham

The infamous Westboro Baptist Church has set its sights on Billy Graham's Charlotte-based library yesterday. Members protested what the church's website calls the "lying whore false prophet Billy Graham" because he should tell people "that it's not okay to be a fag, it's not okay to divorce and remarry, it's not okay to fornicate, it's not okay to kill your babies." The group declared Graham's wife is in hell and he will go there as well. Graham has publicly supported a proposed state amendment that would ban gay marriage.

The Candy Cane Case

The Supreme Court has decided not to reconsider a lower court ruling known as the candy case case. Two Plano, Texas elementary school principals refused to let students hand out cane pens with a Christian message. Four families sued, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled the two were protected from liability. At the same time, the Appeals court ruled the First Amendment rights of the children might have been violated by the principals. Some other aspects of the case have not been settled by the courts yet.

Tool for Outdoor camp ministry Gets Student in Trouble

How a pocketknife got a Bible college student arrested in New York here.

Pledge Suit Tossed

A New Jerson judge has thrown out a suit filed by an atheist couple against the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District. The couple, whose children attend school in the district and refused to be identified, claimed the use of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is a violation of their children's rights.

Creflo Dollar addresses battery charge

Here's a CNN video about the arrest of Creflo Dollar on child abuse charges.

Parents Outraged over Decision

A school principal in Coney Island, New York says her students can't sing Lee Greenwood's “God Bless the USA” at their June 20th graduation even though kindergartners spent months learning the patriotic tune. Greta Hawkins, principal at Edna Cohen School did, however, approve Justin Bieber's song Baby. The kids were also planning to wave small flags as they sang that America, “still stands for freedom.” Hawkins told staffers, “We don’t want to offend other cultures.” A Department of Education spokeswoman says the department supports the decision because the lyrics “too grown up” for 5-year-olds. A student sung the song a year ago - and got a standing ovation. Hawkins is a Jehovah’s Witness who does not recite the pledge of allegiance.

Offensive Poster of Jesus

A photo depicting Jesus saying, "I want you to kill all infidels" is hanging in an elementary school in California. The image, with Jesus pointing like Uncle Sam in a recruitment poster, is part of a series drawn at the Hamilton Elementary School when second grade students were learning about the crusades. The parents of one child complained back in March, but school officials refuse to take it down. Fresno's KFSN-TV has this video report.

Creflo Dollar's Prosperity Gospel finds followers and critics

CNN takes a look at the prosperity gospel of Creflo Dollar here.

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.