A United Methodist Church minister who is also dean of Yale Divinity School will face an ecclesiastical court for officiating his homosexual son's wedding in New York last year.

After the Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Ogletree officiated his son's gay wedding, Methodist leaders demanded he be charged with violating the UMC's ban on clergy performing same-sex marriages.

"I was inspired … I actually wasn't thinking of this as an act of civil disobedience or church disobedience. I was thinking of it as a response to my son," said Ogletree to the New York Times. "Sometimes, when what is officially the law is wrong, you try to get the law changed … But if you can't, you break it." more >>

Saeed Abedini, the U.S. pastor imprisoned in Tehran, turned 33 years old on Tuesday, but there was little to celebrate as he found himself still in solitary confinement in one of Iran's most brutal prisons.

"With tightness in my throat, pain in my heart, and tears streaming down my face ... so very weak, I promise to stand strong in the strength of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fighting with every strength of my being until you are united to our family again," the pastor's wife, Naghmeh, wrote in a statement posted by The American Center for Law and Justice.

"I will be a voice, where you are being silenced. I will be hands and feet where you are being bound and in chains. That the whole world would know, that the whole world would hear that Jesus is Lord. We are so proud of you. Hang in there. Hold on tight to Jesus. You have many brothers and sisters praying for you and standing with you." more >>

David Loveless has resigned as the lead pastor of Discovery Church in Orlando, Fla., after admitting that he had an extramarital affair.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the immediate resignation of our lead pastor, David Loveless, following his acknowledgement of his participation in a wrongful relationship over multiple years with a woman not his wife," a statement from the church's elder board reads. "While David indicates that the relationship was ended approximately three years ago, we were only made aware of it when he informed us in recent days. David offered his resignation and the elders prayerfully and unanimously accepted it."

The Church Wounds co-author and his wife, Caron, have been married for more than 37 years, and they have three married sons and seven grandchildren, according to his blog. The church he is leaving has been recognized as "one of the 10 healthiest churches in America," his blog formerly stated, and he was recognized as "one of the top 20 Christian leaders in the U.S. to watch." more >>

The Singapore Commissioner of Charities has given City Harvest Church Senior Pastor Kong Hee and seven of his staff until May 13 to challenge their removal from their church posts amid a criminal case alleging fraud. Meanwhile, church members and supporters are rallying in support of their pastor and ministry leaders.

"We are sad to inform you that the Commissioner of Charities has notified the Management Board of his intention to remove eight City Harvest Church leaders and members from their office(s) or employment as governing board member, officer, agent or employee of, or trustee for, the Church," reads a statement from CHC Executive Pastor the Rev. Aries Zulkarnain, who also serves as chairman of the church's management board.

Among those leaders and members threatened with removal are: Senior Pastor Kong, Pastor Tan Ye Peng, Serina Wee, Sharon Tan, John Lam, Chew Eng Han, Teo Meng How and Jacqueline Tan. more >>

Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta will be laying his mother to rest Monday after announcing late last week that Hattie A. Long had passed away at the age of 91. She had been suffering from a "long illness," according to Long's media representatives.

Long shared the news of his mother's passing with supporters on Facebook on April 27.

"I want to personally thank everyone for all your prayers over the years for my mother, Hattie A. Long. With a heavy heart, I wanted to share with you that my mom went home to be with the Lord. Our family recognizes how truly blessed we have been to have her live such a long and full life. Although, this is a difficult time for us, we rejoice in knowing that she is 'fully' present with our Heavenly Father," read the statement from Long. His mother's death occurred at her home in Charlotte, N.C., the Friday before Long released his statement. more >>

A plethora of books have been written on the subject of manhood and what it means to be a father, husband, leader and more – and Pastor Eric Mason of Epiphany Fellowship has just added his own title to the list. But the Philadelphia minister says Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole is unique in offering both a timely and theologically sound discussion on what it means to be a man in today's culture.

"I think there's a crisis in manhood in our culture and I believe Jesus is the answer to that," Dr. Mason told The Christian Post.

"Men tend to look at fallen examples of manhood throughout the culture, whether it's thugs, athletes, businessmen, whatever. It's cross-ethnically an issue. It's not just an issue in the black community or Hispanic community, but it's inclusive in all majority and minority communities as a crisis that's cross-generational and cross-ethnic," he added. more >>