Florida

New Destiny Christian Center, the congregation founded and led by the late Zachery Tims for 15 years, announced on Monday that a new senior pastor would be revealed on New Year's Eve. And that pastor will take on his or her new leadership duties beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

In a notice sent to supporters, NDCC, based in Apopka, Fla., revealed the service line-up for the holiday season, specifically highlighting that on Sunday, Jan. 1: "WE WILL HAVE OUR NEW YEAR'S Church Service ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2011 w/ our New Pastor."

However, Minister Samuel Anderson, an executive administrator with NDCC, told The Christian Post that the board of bishops was still in the process of choosing a new pastor. It appears that the board is confident a candidate will be decided upon by the end of December. more >>

Another church in America may soon split from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) following the recent changes in the denomination’s standards, including the allowance of gay clergy and lay leaders.

The First Presbyterian Church of North Palm Beach, Fla., is expected to begin discussions of the potential split Wednesday night among their congregants, which totals more than 1,000 members.

Ken Kirby, one of the organizers of the upcoming meeting, told The Palm Beach Post “it would be oversimplifying to reduce the decision to the issue of gay clergy.” more >>

Man in the Mirror, the popular Florida non-profit men-only ministry under the leadership of charismatic evangelist and author Dr. Patrick Morley, announced this week that it will hire 330 ministers in a national effort to form 1,000,000 male disciples by 2015; and 10,000,000 by the end of 2020.

The 20-year-old ministry said it is looking to hire 330 full-time "area directors" who would disciple the men at their locations throughout the United States. The "casting" for the 330 positions opened nationwide Tuesday, and is being organized in cooperation with Young Life, a non-denominational Christian youth ministry, and three evangelical non-profits, Campus Crusade for Christ International, Compass – Finances God's Way, and The Navigators. Candidates across the country were invited to apply via an online address.

Morley is the author of a 1989 book, The Man in the Mirror, which gave birth to the ministry by the same name, founded in 1991. The theologian started by teaching a weekly men's Bible study in Orlando, Fla., 25 years ago. The group has since grown to include more than 5,000 men worldwide. Morley has written a total of 18 books, including the soon-to-be released Man Alive. more >>

The Shark Tank, a conservative blog devoted to Florida politics, brought attention Monday to an attempted euthanasia case in Massachusetts while presidential candidate Mitt Romney was governor. The blog post appeared the same day the Romney campaign announced an outreach effort to social conservatives.

In 2006, when Romney was governor of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (MDSS) petitioned the courts to take 11-year-old Haleigh Poutre off of life support. Haleigh was in a coma after being beaten by her legal guardians.

MDSS was given legal custody over Haleigh and fought to be granted permission to remove her from life support. Its effort reached the Massachusetts Supreme Court. The order was granted, but Haleigh recovered shortly after the court order and before life support was removed. She remains alive today. more >>

Waterfront Rescue Mission, a Christian charity with headquarters in Pensacola, Fla., and two other locations in the state as well as in and Alabama, is preparing for a major Thanksgiving dinner in what will be a continuation of a holiday tradition practiced by the institution since 1949.

The Christian organization has provided food, shelter and clothing to the homeless in the greater Pensacola area for over 60 years. The mission serves luncheons to those in need on an everyday basis, but during the holidays, employees and local volunteers serve a wedding-size banquet to the homeless and disenfranchised, the mission's representative told The Christian Post Friday.

This year also, two big holiday banquets – for Thanksgiving and Christmas – are already under preparation at three of the mission's locations, in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Mobile, Ala. more >>

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sued SeaWorld for violating the rights of its killer whales under the 13 Amendment, which deals with the abolition of slavery.

PETA has filed a lawsuit against the Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, which recently acquired SeaWorld, for what it claims is the violation of the rights of five killer whales that are featured in its popular aquatic amusement park.

The lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in a U.S. district court in San Diego Calif., lists as plaintiffs: Tilikum, Katina, Corky, Kasatka and Ulises -- five orcas at SeaWorld's parks in California and Florida. more >>