U.S. citizen Kenneth Bae appears in this undated photo shared on a Facebook page titled Remember Ken Bae, Detained in North Korea.
(Photo: Facebook)

US Christian Kenneth Bae Begins 15-Year Sentence in 'Special Prison' in North Korea

By Nicola Menzie

As American citizen Kenneth Bae begins serving 15 years of hard labor at a "special prison" in North Korea for alleged hostile acts against the state, two videos related to the tour guide and Christian missionary have emerged that may shed light on Bae's evangelism activities in the oppressive communist country.

US Boy Scouts Decision to Accept Any Sexual Orientation a Rejection of Values, Says Christian Law Group

By Alex Murashko

A Christian legal group described the Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee's decision on Thursday to change its longstanding membership policy and allow Scouts to be of any "sexual orientation or preference" as a rejection of its freedom to promote values that the group has held for the last century.

Top Stories

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Chinese Christians Protest Rule Requiring Bishops Be Elected by Government

By Stoyan Zaimov

Chinese Christians are speaking out against new government regulation passed earlier this year requiring a government body to select and approve all Roman Catholic bishops, which goes in direct opposition to the Vatican's wishes.

With a major protest against same-sex marriage coming up on Sunday in Paris, France, the country's Interior Minister Manuel Valls said Thursday that he is contemplating banning the opposition group French Spring.

Imprisoned U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini has managed to get out a letter to his hundreds of thousands of supporters around the world through his wife, Naghmeh, in which he praised the unity Christians in various denominations have shown in praying for his release.

God TV, an international television company promoting Christian programs, has announced plans to set up headquarters for the United Kingdom in a red light district in Plymouth. As SWNS reported, the new office would rest "next door to a LAP DANCING club."

Pope Francis, the leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics around the world, said that non-Catholics and atheists can do good and that God has redeemed everyone, in a recent speech that is making waves.

World Round Up

Thousands of African women suffer bodily harm due to complications during childbirth

Mercy Ships Founder on Restoring Dignity, Health to Women Suffering From Obstetric Fistula

By Katherine Weber

As Thursday, May 23 marks the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, The Christian Post highlights a global faith-based charity which has been working for the past decade to end this painful and embarrassing medical condition which affects 5,000 women in new cases per year, worldwide.

A soon-to-be published study on World War II veterans found that those who had bad experiences of combat were more likely to pray and then attend church after the conflict.

Although well-known Nigerian pastor T.B. Joshua has reportedly promised to pay for the medical expenses of those injured during the stampede at his Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ghana, some are demanding that the pastor step down from his post and close the church after Sunday's incident, which left four dead as thousands stormed the church's altar to receive holy water.

The Church of Scotland's General Assembly voted Monday to allow congregations the choice of accepting openly gay ordained ministers, while allowing other parishes to opt out if their congregants disagree with the gay lifestyle.

News

Atheist Tornado Survivor in Wolf Blitzer Interview Sees Thousands of Dollars in Donations

Rebecca Vitsmun, the Oklahoma tornado survivor who told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that she is an atheist, is going to be receiving tens of thousands of dollars in donations from the secular community, who decided to support her for speaking out about her non-belief.

Mom in Labor Amid US Tornado Names Son Immanuel, Credits God for Survival

A pregnant woman and the nurses with her held hands and prayed in preparation for the worst as a tornado bore down on Moore Medical Center in Oklahoma on Monday. Seconds later, the young woman, already experiencing contractions, opened her eyes and saw the highway — the tornado had demolished walls, torn off the roof and shredded the top floor of the medical center.

Young Church Leader Killed in Crash on Way to Honeymoon Less Than 24 Hours After Wedding

Less than 24 hours after celebrating the wedding of their young adult leader, Jordan Costa, 21, members of a Canton, Mich., church were floored with heartache after they got news that he was killed in a car crash en route to a honeymoon with his new 21-year-old bride, Heather Favazza-Costa.

NYC Council Passes 'Right to Worship' Resolution to Give Churches Access to Schools

The New York City Council passed a resolution Wednesday in support of Christians and other faith groups being granted "equal access" to gather for worship on public school property after hours. The 38-11 vote is seen as another sign of progress in a years-long battle that threatens the right of Christians and other faith groups to use such spaces to gather for worship.

Over 12,000 Churches Join Billy Graham's Largest N. America Outreach

Thousands of churches have signed up to participate in the latest evangelism effort by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to spread the Gospel in North America.

Chairperson of Evangelical Synod: Egypt Christian Court Secretary's Exclusion Insulting to Faith

Priest Ekram Lamei, Chairperson of the Evangelical Synod, criticized the decision issued by a Cairo court to exclude the secretary of the court from a hearing session because he is a Christian.

Entertainment

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Chris Tomlin's Burning Lights Tour the Most Successful of His Career

By Justin Sarachik

Grammy award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Chris Tomlin just completed what turned out to be the most successful tour of his 13-year career with the "Burning Lights Tour" this spring.

Grammy Award-winning Christian artist, Michael W. Smith, has announced his "Michael W. Smith & Friends Cruise" will be heading to Alaska in 2014.

In what's been a big week for Christian artist Amy Grant, not only did she release her first album in 10 years, How Mercy Looks From Here, but it also earned her a No. 12 spot on the Billboard 200, and No. 1 on the Christian soundscan, selling over 26,000 copies this week.

Christian singer-songwriter and actress Rebecca St. James will be in "A Strange Brand of Happy," a movie slated for limited release this fall, but St. James is hoping to change that.

International martial arts champion and conservative actor Chuck Norris wrote a 1500-word essay pubished this week in wnd.com praising former New York Jets backup quarterback Tim Tebow. Norris compared Tebow to himself and suggested the Jacksonville Jaguars "give Tim the opportunity to excel as a quarterback and usher them to Super Bowl status."

Former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell told newly crowned winner of the show's 12th season Candice Glover that she would be "a lounge" singer the last time he cut her from the show.

"Star Trek Into Darkness," the stunning blockbuster hit sequel to Director J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek," centers on the theme of sacrifice. With stunning graphics, beautiful music, and witty dialogue, it showcases the value and dignity of human life.

Jason Crabb, the Grammy award-winning singer and author, released his first children's book, "One God, One You," and will be available at www.JaseCrabb.com and at his concerts.

Pope Francis is set to unveil a MISSIO app the Friday before Pentecost Sunday for the Pontifical Mission Societies.

The CNN Freedom Project has announced the premiere of "The Fighters," a documentary on the groundbreaking work of one of the world's most renowned anti-trafficking organizations and the help its founder received in combating modern-day slavery from boxing champ, Filipino congressman and outspoken Christian Manny Pacquiao.

Your Voice - CP Blogs

A Tale of Two Obamas: Still Waiting for Comment After Gosnell's Murder Conviction

In February 2010, FBI agents finally raided the abortion business of Kermit Gosnell in search of drug violations. What they found was a massacre.

New & Notable Books on Calvinism, Islam and Grace

I am in the unique and enjoyable position of receiving copies of most of the latest and greatest Christian books and I like to provide regular roundups of some of the best and brightest of the bunch.

NBC Cancels Show Displaying Gay Marriage as 'The New Normal'

NBC has cancelled The New Normal, a show about a homosexual couple in the process of adopting a baby, according to numerous news accounts. The show's last episode aired last Friday.

Taking Back Free Speech on Campus

A pair of bold proclamations in professional sports perfectly define the double standard in which the right of free speech is viewed in popular culture today. Tim Tebow was often ridiculed for openly sharing his Christian lifestyle and told to keep it to himself.

The Kind of Preaching God Blesses

There are some books on preaching that are meant for preachers. These are books that teach the nuts and bolts of preaching, that are full of practical tips and illustration. There is a place for such works. There are other books on preaching that are meant for all Christians.

Nick Vujicic Talking About God at Stadium in Vietnam Considered 'Miracle,' Says Organizer

By Jeff Schapiro

The fact that inspirational Christian speaker Nick Vujicic could speak about God at all before a soccer stadium full of people in Vietnam, a communist country highly restrictive of religion, on Thursday was considered a miracle by one of the Vietnamese organizers of the event.

Syria and the War on Christians: Should the U.S. Intervene?

By Eric Metaxas

Eric Metaxas

It's a potent reminder that while we may not be certain who the winners in the upheavals rocking Syria and the rest of the Middle East might be, we already know who the losers will be: Christians.

Jim Wallis, Frank Wolf Discuss How Politics Can Serve the Common Good

By Napp Nazworth

Frank Wolf and Jim Wallis

Evangelical left leader Jim Wallis and Republican Congressman Frank Wolf (Va.) discussed how politics can serve the common good at a Thursday panel at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. While the panel was called, "Competing Visions of the Common Good: Rethinking Help for the Poor," Wallis and Wolf talked more about where they found common ground than where their visions were in competition.

Did Hillary Clinton Push Sale of Stinger Missiles to al-Qaeda in Benghazi?

By Leonardo Blair

hillary-clinton

Two former U.S. diplomats are reporting that whistleblowers are getting ready to reveal information that might turn the simmering Benghazi scandal into an explosive fiasco for both former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Barack Obama.

How to Know Who Is Right About the Afterlife

By Rev. Mark H. Creech

mark creech

Whether there is life after death is a question that humans have pondered for centuries. Today there is a great deal of interest in the subject with people curious about near-death experiences, supposed encounters with ghosts, and the claims of psychic mediums. Some scoff at the entire concept of an afterlife, while others are comforted by it.

Protecting Religious Freedom: A Reminder From the Ga. Bibles in State Cabins Debate

By Doug Birdsall

A supporter of the proposed lower Manhattan Muslim cultural center and mosque holds a sign in front of the proposed site in New York City on Aug. 19, 2010 file photo.

When I served as a missionary in Asia for more than 20 years, I entered a world ripe with challenges for religious freedom. Imagine being in a world where you hesitate before saying "God bless you" to the person in line behind you at the grocery store or "I'll be praying for you" to a colleague battling a terminal cancer. I learned all too quickly what this absence of the freedom for even the simplest of religious impulses feels like.

Missions Organization Seeking Unsung Heroes Nominations for Epoch Awards

By Alex Murashko

Children in Uganda enjoy the gift of safe drinking water in this undated photo.

An interdenominational missions organization is looking for nominations of unsung heroes, those who are tackling the issues of poverty, sex trafficking, HIV/AIDS, the need for clean water, homelessness and other needs in today's society, for its second bi-annual Epoch Awards to be held later this year.

Egyptian-American Pastor Michael Youssef Preaches to 15,000 in Largest Muslim Country

By Katherine Weber

Brazil evangelistic crusade

Beginning today, Dr. Michael Youssef, president of Leading the Way global radio ministry, will be preaching during a massive three day event with the goal of sparking Egyptian-American Pastor Michael Youssef, president of Leading the Way global radio ministry, will be preaching at a massive three-day event in the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia, today.

How Christians Can Change Our Culture

By Os Hillman

Os Hillman

For centuries Christians thought that culture would change if we just had a majority of Christians in the culture. That has proven to be a false assumption. Culture is defined by a relatively small number of change agents who operate at the tops of cultural spheres or societal mountains. It takes less than 3–5 percent of those operating at the top of a cultural mountain to actually shift the values represented on that mountain.

Egypt: Hope in the Midst of Storms

By Michael

coptic church

The atmosphere around that scene portrayed by Paul, and the heavy feelings felt on board that boat, are so similar to the same feelings many Egyptian Christians experience today. We open our eyes in the morning every day, and here are the reports we hear or read:

Natural Disasters: When We Try to Speak for God

By Marty Duren

Marty Duren

Why is calamity, the time we most need God's presence in pain, a time we tend to mouth off? Why, when pain and agony are all around, do we think theological pronouncements are the best response?

Spiritual Formation, Integral to Christian Schooling (Pt. 2)

By Robert F. Davis

Robert F Davis

The Cardus Educational Survey (CES) revealed, while graduates of Protestant Christian school registered "raw scores" which were high regarding: preparation for a vibrant spiritual life, obligation to accept church leadership authority, frequency of church attendance, biblical authority, and strong biblical values, the school's effect on these positions achieved much lower scores.

Asian-American Pentecostal Theologian on Transnational Character of Evangelicalism, Racialization in the Church (Pt. 2)

By Alex Murashko

Aliens in the Promised Land

In the book's third chapter titled, "Race, Racialization, and Asian-American Leaders in Post-Racist Evangelicalism," Yong writes that "the North American evangelical world has taken many important steps toward overcoming the racist history of slavery in this country, and my own story, to be told in this chapter, reflects how I and other Asian-Americans have been beneficiaries of such repentant attitudes and even practices."

Sleeping In on Sunday Sedates the Soul

By Dan Delzell

Megachurches desegregate worship

Who wouldn't want to sleep in on Sunday morning rather than getting up to go to a church service? Especially after a long and tiring week of work. It makes a lot of sense to sleep in. There would have to be plenty of motivation for someone to get out of bed on the weekend.

In UK, Discrimination Is Banned Everywhere Except the Womb

By Paul Coleman

UK Parliament

The United Kingdom's multitude of "equality" provisions will protect nearly anyone born with a disability, although it is perfectly legal to prevent disabled people from being born, up to the point of birth (simply because they have a disability).

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Deployed to Texas in Wake of Tornado Tragedy

By Stoyan Zaimov

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Pray With A Family In Joplin, Mo.

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has been deployed to Granbury, Texas, after a series of tornadoes ripped through hundreds of homes on Wednesday night and left six people dead with more than 100 injured.

Prophetic Courage: Where Are the Paul Reveres of This Generation?

By Samuel Rodriguez

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With a convicted spirit and a heart full of compassion, I look across the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. This historic city known for her role in the narrative of our nation's Revolutionary War chapter, for her love of sports and for being the birthplace of some of the world's leading educational institutions now stands recognized as another victim of mindless terror.

Chuck Colson: Recalling a Vision of Unity

By Robert P. George

Chuck Colson

A day does not pass when I do not miss my beloved friend, Chuck Colson. I confess that I still have not come to terms with his death. I sometimes find myself reaching for the telephone to consult him on a question or to share a thought or idea that has occurred to me. Then I remember that he is gone from us – now more than a year ago.

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