Easter

A continuing congregation of The Episcopal Church held its first Easter service in a Virginia church since the majority of the members voted to break away from the denomination.

The Falls Church, a piece of ecclesiastical property that traces its origins back to the 18th century, was one of seven church properties that The Episcopal Church won in a court battle back in January.

Henry Burt, secretary of the Diocese of Virginia who grew up as a member of The Falls Church, told The Christian Post that the Episcopal service at The Falls Church last Sunday was well attended. more >>

A deadly church bombing related to an Easter service held in Nigeria has once again prompted a persecution watchdog to ask for prayers aimed at helping Christians in the country respond to the violence appropriately.

"It's obviously deliberate when on Christmas Day and on Easter Sunday you have these violent attacks against churches and Christians. It's not coincidental," Open Doors Senior Communications Specialist Paul Estabrooks told The Christian Post Monday. "The big challenge is how do you overcome evil with good biblically and non-violently?"

At least 38 people were killed Sunday as a suicide car bomber detonated powerful explosives on a busy road outside a church that was holding a morning Easter service. more >>

The Monday after Easter is sometimes a letdown, said Dr. James Emery White, professor of Theology and Culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in a recent blog post.

White discussed the disappointment that small churches and church planters might have if they had hoped to see larger crowds on Easter. He writes, "You are grateful to God, but now that Easter is over, there's a bit of a letdown. You wanted so much more. It was, in the end, a typical Easter Sunday," he writes.

But White, lead pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, N.C., assured church leaders that this feeling is normal, and reminded them that it often takes years to grow a church. more >>

A sign posted by an atheist organization in Illinois to counter a Christian display meant to celebrate Easter has been stolen by an unknown party.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nationwide atheist and church-state watchdog group, had posted the sign in a public park in Streator.

"This vandalism amounts to censorship and suppression of minority viewpoints. This crime against our banner shows the harm when a local government purports to create a 'public forum' for religion on government property," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president, in a statement. more >>

A Hollywood producer wants to make sure that he includes God in the creation of "The Resurrection," a film that he would like to see materialize as the sequel to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

To help ensure that the project is divinely inspired during every step of the way, David Wood has not only brought together four other Christian men to co-produce the film with him, but has also assigned one of them specifically to lead the production's prayer team.

Pastor Tim Price is the CEO of the Center for Prayer Mobilization based in Idyllwild, Calif., and has had a heart to pray for Hollywood for several years. Rather than joining past movements of Christians boycotting Hollywood films deemed inappropriate, he decided to pray. more >>

As Jesus drowned in his own blood, the spectators yelled words quite similar to those of Satan in the wilderness: "Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe" (Mk. 15:32).

But Jesus didn't jump down. He didn't ascend to the skies. He just writhed there.

The bloated corpse of Jesus hit the ground as he was pulled off that stake, spattering warm blood and water on the faces of the crowd. more >>