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Christian Owners Of New York Venue Who Refused Lesbian Wedding Lost Second Court Appeal
Owners of an Albany, N.Y., wedding venue who refused to host a lesbian wedding two years ago were fined $13,000 for violating the state's anti-discrimination law, and now had their second appeal rejected by a state court on Thursday. The owners' law team indicate it's a shame "farmers can't obey their faith in their own backyard."
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Humans Inhabited Arctic 15,000 Years Earlier Than Thought, Russian Researchers Claim
Russian researchers contributing to the journal Science state humans were in the Arctic region as early as 45,000 years ago, which is up to 15,000 years earlier than researchers always have assumed. Distinctive injuries on a frozen mammoth carcass in Siberia now represent the first known human presence in the area.
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Pray 'God-Sized Prayers' and Dare to Ask Big in 2016, Encourages Pastor Joel Osteen
"How you pray will determine what kind of life you live," says pastor Joel Osteen in his recent sermon series about God-sized prayers this month. The native Texan and pastor of Lakewood Church heads one of America's largest and fastest-growing churches.
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Al Sharpton: Reverend Blasts Film Industry For Lack of Racial Diversity in Oscar Nominations
Because no minorities were nominated in the acting categories of the 88th Academy Awards this week, Rev. Al Sharpton took to the air waves Thursday to claim the situation shows the industry's "fraudulent image of progressive and liberal politics and policies." He announced he is convening a Hollywood Summit in February to highlight those studios and others in the film industry who aren't "living up to their obligations."
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Terrified Young Brothers Miraculously Escape ISIS, Beaten Daily for Not Being Child Soldier
Children who refuse to fight for ISIS are being bullied, beaten and killed in Northern Iraq, cites multiple officials. Recent accounts point to 600-plus child abductions, however nearly 200 have managed to escape alive. Recent media coverage is now trying to help reveal how much psychological assistance the children refugees need.
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[10th CCOWE] Edmund Chan: The Greatest Crisis Facing the Church Is Putting 'Mission Ahead of the Mandate'
Rev. Edmund Chan urged the global Church to prioritize inner spiritual formation ("Mandate") over external ministry ("Mission") to faithfully fulfill the Great Commission.
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[10th CCOWE] Rev. Wayne Chen: When Everything Is 'Mission,' the Church Loses Its Way
Rev. Wayne Chen calls on the Chinese church to move beyond the false dichotomy between "evangelism" and "social concern," urging a return to the cross-centered Gospel as the core—trusting that the Gospel is inherently holistic and that it alone drives the church into the world without losing its focal direction.
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[10th CCOWE] Clement Chia and Chuang Yu-ming Dialogue: 'What Kind of Christian Does the World Need?'
Revs. Chia and Chuang called the Church to return to the full, embodied Gospel of Christ the King—beyond moralism—so that believers' transformed lives visibly demonstrate God's Kingdom.
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MyFaithTV Founders Step Down, File for Divorce After 34 Years of Marriage
André and Jenny Roebert, founders of the global Christian network MyFaithTV, are divorcing after 34 years, with Jenny citing biblical principles and severe family harm, as legal proceedings over assets and ministry leadership begin.
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[10th CCOWE] Hong Kong International Churches See 37% Surge as Youth Seek Cultural Shift
The surge in English-speaking international churches in Hong Kong—driven by returnees and youth seeking cultural relevance—contrasts with declining Cantonese congregations, not because the gospel changes, but because church culture must evolve to foster belonging, relational warmth, and intergenerational empowerment.