Virginia

One of the largest Christian universities in the world is planning a major expansion for its campus and facilities over the next two years.

Liberty University, located in on a 6,000-acre campus in Lynchburg, Va., will undergo renovation and construction efforts, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said last week.

An overview of the expansion was first reported by Liberty Champion, the university's student newspaper. more >>

Liberty University demoted Ergun Caner, the first former Muslim to become dean of a seminary, after investigating claims that he made about his religious background.

In a statement issued Friday, the Lynchburg, Va.-based university said the investigative committee concluded that Caner made “factual statements that are self-contradictory.” Caner will no longer be dean of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary as of June 30, when his contract expires, but will stay on as a professor for the 2010-2011 academic year.

“[T]he committee found no evidence to suggest that Dr. Caner was not a Muslim who converted to Christianity as a teenager, but, instead, found discrepancies related to matters such as dates, names and places of residence,” the statement read. more >>

Nine conservative Anglican churches were dealt a blow Thursday when the Virginia Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling that favored the breakaway congregations.

The long battle over multimillion-dollar church properties continues to rage on three years after The Episcopal Church sued the group of nine churches after they left the denomination.

"We are disappointed with today’s ruling and will review it as we consider our options," said Jim Oakes, chairman of the Anglican District of Virginia, which is the umbrella organization for the nine Anglican congregations, in a statement. "This is not the final chapter in this matter." more >>

Falls Church, VA – Some leaders of China’s pro-democracy, student movement gathered Thursday on the eve of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre to pray not only for freedom in their homeland but for their countrymen to know Jesus Christ.

In contrast to the idyllic setting of The Falls Church where they gathered, they spoke about the thousands of heartbroken mothers whose children were killed in the June 4, 1989 protest, and about China’s gruesome enforcement of the one-child policy.

Yet despite the solemn subject matters, there was a strong sense of hope that China can change. All three of the key speakers, who were leaders in the Tiananmen Square protest, have come to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. Instead of placing their hope in politics to change their homeland, they now believe that God’s love is the key to bring freedom to China. more >>

Pastors are not called to be the captain of the ship, said Pastor Charles Swindoll. Rather, their job is to hold an oar and row.

"You and I are under-rowers," the long-time preacher told thousands of pastors Tuesday. "We don't steer the ship. We're not responsible for its ultimate destination. Our job is to row."

It's what the Apostle Paul called himself and the other apostles as recorded in the New Testament, Swindoll cited. more >>

Half of pastors would leave the ministry tomorrow if they could. Seventy percent are fighting depression and 90 percent can't cope with the challenge of ministry.

Those are the statistics Pastor Jonathan Falwell laid out to thousands of ministers who were in Lynchburg, Va., Tuesday for the "Refuel" conference.

The well-known pastor stated bluntly, "Something is wrong in ministry." more >>