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03/29/2013How to Keep the 'Chreasters' Coming: Experts Say Preparedness and Follow-Up Are Key
As Christians gather this Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, many churches are pulling out elaborate props and Easter presentations in an effort to grow membership and make converts out of those "Chreasters," their friends, coworkers, family members and neighbors who attend service only on Christmas and Easter. But, according to experts, some congregations are woefully unprepared when it comes to connecting and keeping contact with their biannual guests.
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03/28/2013David Platt's Secret Church Gathering to Discuss 'Heaven, Hell, and the End of the World'
Bestselling author and Christian minister David Platt will be teaching on the end times in the upcoming Secret Church meeting that expects to virtually gather anywhere from 50,000-60,000 Christians in over 50 countries in a six-hour simulcast scheduled for Good Friday, March 29.
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03/27/2013Poll: Many US Christians Unsure About Attending Easter Services
While the Easter holiday traditionally has brought the biggest boost in attendance for many U.S. churches, a new survey from LifeWay Research has found that one in five Americans are unsure if they will even find themselves in a pew this year come Resurrection Sunday – and many Christians are among that number.
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03/26/2013NIV More Popular Than KJV, NLT Bibles; 11 Million Copies Sold Worldwide
The New International Version remains the bestselling Bible translation, outranking the King James Version and the New Living Translation in both dollar and unit sales, according to the latest best seller's report from the Association for Christian Retail. Meanwhile, NIV publisher Zondervan reports that more than 11 million digital and print copies of the Bible translation have been sold worldwide.
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03/23/2013Sex and the Gospel Conference to Teach 'Foundation of God Sex'
Sex is everywhere. It's used to sell movies, clothing and food, and can even lead to divorce. According to the husband-and-wife duo leading Crossover Bible Fellowship, if more people viewed sex from God's perspective, they might have fewer regrets and maybe even happier marriages.
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03/22/2013Rob Bell on Gay Marriage Support: God Pulling Us Ahead to Affirm Gay Brothers, Sisters
"I believe God [is] pulling us ahead into greater and greater affirmation and acceptance of our gay brothers and sisters and pastors and friends and neighbors and coworkers," former megachurch pastor and best-selling author Rob Bell explained just days after surprising the evangelical Christian community with his expressed support for same-sex marriage.
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03/21/2013Steubenville Rape Case and Manhood: Christian Author and Mother of 6 Pens Letter to Son
In an open letter that has hit home with online readers and been shared thousands of times, Ann Voskamp, best-selling author of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are and a mother of four sons, writes how the attitudes surrounding the Steubenville rape case go beyond sports and alcohol and are present even in churches.
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03/20/2013Pope's Commitment to the Poor a Model for Evangelicals?
Pope Francis I has presented himself since his first appearance at the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square as a simple and humble man committed to the poor, leading observers to speculate that the Latin American leader from Argentina could invigorate faith communities beyond the 1.2 billion Catholics who look to him as pope.
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03/19/2013Jack Hayford's Grandson, Missionary in Mexico, Home Safe After Being Kidnapped
Kyle Bauer, a Christian missionary and pastor who has been living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with his family for less than a year, was reunited with his Foursquare congregation in California this past weekend less than 48 hours after being kidnapped and held for ransom.
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03/18/2013Rob Bell Supports Same-Sex Marriage, Says He Is for 'Fidelity and Love'
Former megachurch pastor and best-selling author Rob Bell has come out in support of same-sex marriage, saying during a recent stop on his book tour that he is "for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it's a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man."
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03/18/2013The Young Hispanic Shift: More Religious, Less Loyal to Democratic Party
The growing trend of young Hispanics becoming more religious – and Protestant – could portend a significant shift in voter demographics away from the Democratic party in the Hispanic community, according to Hispanic leaders. They argue that Protestant voters, particular those who describe themselves as "born again," are much less likely to be lock-step voters for Democrats, especially if the issue of immigration reform is resolved.
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03/16/2013Billy Zane to Portray Barabbas, Murderer Chosen Over Jesus, in Easter Miniseries
Actor Billy Zane, known for his villainous role in Hollywood blockbuster "Titanic," has taken on the biblical character of Barabbas, the murderer and robber who the New Testament says was freed from prison while Jesus Christ was sentenced to death.
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03/15/2013Lakewood Church to Launch New Special Needs Club During Autism Awareness Month
"National Autism Awareness Month" is in April and Lakewood Church, led by Pastor Joel Osteen, plans to cut the ribbon for its newest special needs facility next month in Miami, Fla., one of several U.S. and global locations that will see the expansion of the ministry's Champions Clubs, a special needs program for children and teens.
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03/14/2013Jack Schaap Facing 10 Years in Teen Sex Case as Troubling Details Unfold
Jack Schaap, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Ind., is facing at least 10 years in prison and an additional 10 years of supervision upon release for taking a teen girl across state lines for sex. Lurid details of the illicit relationship have been revealed as the minister awaits sentencing, which is expected next week.
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03/14/2013From the Crack House to God's House: NJ Man Tells of Finding Freedom in Christ
Michael "Mickey" Williams Jr. decided at the age of 16 that he would become a drug dealer, but never had he anticipated that he would become a slave to those same drugs and find himself in and out of prison and rehab for the next two decades.
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