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China Relentlessly Removes Crosses from Churches, Threatens to Demolish Hundreds More
Government officials have authorized the removal of crosses from more than 130 Chinese Christian churches in the Zhejiang province. The government has demolished or partially destroyed hundreds of church buildings in the region, claiming that they have violated building codes.
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Sudanese Death Row Mother Meriam Ibrahim Freed at Last, Honored by Pope Francis Before Departing for America
Meriam Ibrahim and her husband met with Pope Francis in the Vatican Thursday after being escorted from Sudan by the Italian minister for foreign affairs. Ibrahim’s husband is a United States citizen, and her family plans to fly to America after their stay in Rome.
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Oklahoma Teenager Charged with Sexually Abusing Kenyan Orphans during Mission Trips
Matthew Durham is being charged with engaging in sexual activity with several young children in an orphanage during recent trips to Kenya.
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Dead Body of Fugitive Owner of Sunken South Korean Sewol Ferry, Cult Leader Found
The body of Yoo Byung-eun, owner of the company which operated the Sewol ferry in South Korea and cult leader who was charged with embezzlement and tax evasion, was recently identified after being found lying dead in an orchard in Suncheon, South Korea.
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Obama Bans Anti-Gay Employee Discrimination in Federal Government, Gives No Exemption for Religious Organizations
President Obama amended two executive orders Monday morning which will make it illegal for the federal government and its contractors to discriminate against their employees on the basis of gender identification. CBS News reports that the orders do not give exemption for religious organizations; however, such entities are allowed to exclusively hire employees who share their faith.
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Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values
In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
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Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
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Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
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2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
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Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.
