Church Bodies

A Florida pastor who has made it his ministry to end legalized abortion in the U.S. believes it is the evangelical church that must first repent and call out to God in order to win what he considers a spiritual battle for the lives of unborn children.

Pro-life advocate the Rev. Jim McGarvey began his Church for Life ministry several years ago under the conviction that abortion is a "satanic enterprise," and uses John 8:44 as evidence, which states:

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." more >>

Local South Sudanese government officials and tribal elders have gathered in Yei River County in Jonglei state Sunday for a three-day Peace Conference under the sponsorship of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), to discuss the role of the church in helping end tribal violence and prevent future conflict.

The unprecedented meeting, which lasts until Tuesday, united local officials, U.S. and African Evangelicals and members of four tribes, Murle, Dinka, Nuer and Anyuak, in the Eastern region of the country, which has suffered from tribal violence sparked by disputes over pastoral grounds for cattle, the main local source of income. Fighting between these tribes has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and thousands of injuries in the past six months, it has been estimated.

Among the conference's participants were the Rev. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, WEA's CEO and Secretary General; Dr. Brian C. Stiller, WEA Global Ambassador; Stephen Tollestrup, WEA Director of Peace and Reconciliation Initiative; and the Rev. Aiah Foday-Khabenje, General Secretary of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA). Also in attendance were local church leaders, including Bishop John Machar Thou of the Anglican Diocese of Duk and Bishop James Par Tap, Moderator at the Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Khartoum, part of the Church of Sudan. more >>

Acts 29 Network cofounder Pastor Mark Driscoll has stepped down from the reins of the successful global church planting organization to make room for Pastor Matt Chandler as president, it was announced Wednesday.

Later in the day, in another major move by Driscoll, the Gospel Coalition announced that they had received a letter of his resignation as a council member. A change in priorities was the reason given by Driscoll who plans to devote more time to his growing church.

Acts 29 is a network of church planters that "emerged from a small band of brothers" to more than 400 churches in the United States and networks of churches in multiple countries. more >>

An Ohio pastor involved in spreading awareness about child abuse in the U.S. said that the church should be "fearful of our own depravity."

Don Solin, youth pastor for the Next Generation ministry at Fairhaven Church in Dayton, told The Christian Post after a conference call on Tuesday that part of Christianity's response to the problem of child abuse needs to be pastors and clergy recognizing their own potential for depravity.

"All of us who do ministry ought to be fearful of our own depravity," said Solin, who felt that church leaders often run the risk of "[looking] down at other people that are struggling with sin." more >>

A candidate to succeed influential pastor John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist Church was announced by the church's elders Tuesday. Piper said he is "overjoyed" at the selection while he continues to be a part of the succession process.

The leaders of the church, based in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, nominated Jason Meyer, who is currently assistant professor of New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary.

The congregation will first vote on May 20 in order to approve Meyer as an associate pastor for the church. His starting date to fall under Piper's pastoral mentorship and an "overlap" period between the two would be Aug. 1 if the church votes in favor of the decision. more >>

The Church of England has voted down a "unity covenant" that was intended to help keep together the Anglican Communion, which is experiencing fierce divisions over theological differences among its member churches.

First proposed in 2004 amid the controversy surrounding some member churches' acceptance of homosexuality and female clergy, the covenant laid a process to deal with any church seen as possibly disrupting the unity of the 77 million member Anglican Communion.

Championed by outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, the covenant was declared defeated after the 23 nay votes had been cast out of the 44 Dioceses of the Church of England. more >>