Arizona

An estimated 120,000 people crowded Tempe Beach Park in Tempe, Ariz., over two days this past weekend to hear evangelist Luis Palau share the gospel and to enjoy live musical performances from top Christian artists such as TobyMac and Skillet.

The family-friendly festival paid special attention to the heavy Spanish-speaking population in Arizona by offering a special Spanish program on Saturday afternoon and including Latin pop music artists such as Marisol and Contagious.

On Sunday, Andrew Palau, the son of Luis Palau, shared his testimony of how he lived a wild lifestyle – partying, drinking, smoking marijuana – and building his reputation as the craziest and wildest kid in town. more >>

Church planting will gain much spotlight at the annual pastors' conference of the Southern Baptist Convention in June.

"This year's conference we are going to have a major emphasis on church planting. There is a renewed sense of urgency to take the gospel to the ends of the earth," said Vance Pitman, President of the 2011 Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference.

The June 12-13 conference in Phoenix, Ariz., will be held under the theme, "Aspire: Yearning to join God's kingdom activity," taken from Romans 15:20. more >>

Former Godfather Pizza CEO Herman Cain won the on-site presidential straw poll at a Tea Party convention in Arizona this past weekend.

Between the on-site and online straw polls, there were 1,600 votes cast for the Tea Party Patriots’ American Policy Summit presidential straw polls. Tea Party activists attending the event in person at the Phoenix convention center favored Cain over more popular GOP candidates such as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

Cain, a conservative talk show host, took the top spot with 22 percent of the on-site votes. Trailing behind him is former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty with 16 percent, and then Paul at 15 percent. more >>

An Arizona Senate committee approved two state bills that would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed SB 1308, which direct Arizona’s governor to enter into a birth certificate compact with other states, and SB 1309, which defines “Arizona citizenship,” on Tuesday by an 8-5 vote mostly along party lines.

SB1308 calls on the governor to form an interstate compact that asks states to issue separate birth certificates for those who are citizens and those who are designated as not citizens. more >>

A bill requiring doctors to report illegal immigrant patients has caused concern, not just in the medical community, but among Christians as well.

The Rev. Canon Carmen B. Guerrero, diocesan canon for peace and justice of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, expressed her concerns about the SB 1405 bill to The Christian Post.

“I see the result of these unfair laws imposed on Christian families who only want a better life for their children,” she said. more >>

Arizona’s governor announced Thursday plans to countersue the federal government in order to fully enforce the recently enacted state law allowing law enforcement officers to check people’s immigration status.

Gov. Jan Brewer highlighted in the press conference the federal government’s failure to protect its borders and said the state needed immigration reform to protect its resources.

“Because the federal government has failed to protect the citizens of Arizona, I am left with no other choice,” she stated. more >>