An Episcopal priest in Sandwich, Mass., has been suspended from his duties for allegedly stealing several sermons from a book he purchased from Sermons.com.

The Rev. John E. McGinn, who has served at St. John's Episcopal Church for two decades, was placed on administrative leave last week after allegations emerged that the 65-year-old priest had plagiarized sermons since 2006 from a book titled Dynamic Preaching. An official with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts told the Cape Cod Times that the Rev. McGinn preached as many as 15 sermons lifted word-for-word from the book.

When he was confronted in 2006, McGinn promised officials that it would not happen again, but the plagiarism allegedly continued. Many of the sermons were published on the church's website and in its bulletins. The "Sermons" page on St. John's Church website appears to have been scrubbed, as there were no sermons available for viewing Tuesday. more >>

Editor's Note: This is the third part of a four-part series based on the new book, "Aliens in the Promised Land: Why Minority Leadership Is Overlooked in White Christian Churches and Institutions." The Christian Post series looks at racism and multi-ethnicity in the church from the perspective of African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American Christian leaders. Part One, an interview with the editor of the book, Anthony Bradley, can be read by clicking here. Part Two, an interview with Asian-American Pentecostal theologian Amos Yong, can be read here.

Serving as director of the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community and associate professor of Hispanic studies and pastoral leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. Juan Martinez knows first-hand how vital it is for seminaries to come alongside Latino Christians who are oftentimes already active in ministry without having ever stepped inside a seminary.

"Most Latino Protestants are Pentecostals, which means that most of the students in the Hispanic Center are already in ministry and do not need a degree from Fuller to pastor. They study at Fuller as part of their continuing education, not to be ordained. Many of these students are on the fringe of U.S. Protestantism and do not regularly have to interact with the power structures of majority-culture churches," Martinez writes in Aliens in the Promised Land. more >>

Bishop Noel Jones and actress LisaRaye McCoy have indeed been dating, according to a new report, and their relationship is likely to be featured in the megachurch pastor's upcoming docu-series "Pastors of L.A."

Veteran entertainment journalist Jawn Murray reports on his Always A-List website that a person privy to a private screening of the pilot for "Pastors of L.A." shared that the City of Refuge Church founder and pastor's relationship with McCoy is apparently a major part of the reality series, which is centered around the lives and careers of six prominent California ministers.

"I was really surprised that they were so open about their relationship. I heard the rumors that they had been dating, but all doubt was removed watching this show," the unidentified source reportedly told Murray. more >>

A new report from Barna Group that examines the book buying and reading habits of pastors says most pastors still prefer to read hard copies of books despite an increase in the use of digital reading devices in recent years.

Nearly half of pastors now use a device that serves as an e-reader, an article containing highlights from the more than 80-page report states, and that number has nearly tripled in the last two years. But despite increasing e-book sales and decreasing print sales, more than half of pastors still prefer hardcover books to paper backs or e-books.

Pastors collectively purchase between 8 million and 13 million books per year, and each of them buys an average of 3.8 books each month. In comparison, only 29 percent of all American adults buy more than 10 books each year. more >>

Arvella Schuller, wife of the Rev. Robert H. Schuller and co-founder of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries, reportedly suffered a stroke and has been working with Medicare-provided therapists to regain use of her left arm and leg. Meanwhile, the current congregation of the Orange County megachurch prepares for a major move and has taken on a new name.

The Orange County Register reports that Mrs. Schuller, 83, experienced a stroke earlier this month and was just released from a local hospital. Her daughter, Carol Schuller Milner, told the publication that her mother is "wiped out" but received a positive evaluation from doctors.

"She faired [sic] really well considering. We're really blessed," said Milner, adding that Mrs. Schuller is a bit frustrated that she now has to be so focused on herself after spending so many years in ministry focusing on others. more >>

Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, said in a recent interview that churches are changing with the times and people are becoming less interested in specific denominations.

"It seems like the churches that are changing with the times ... and making the Scripture relevant, that's what's really important. People are not as interested, at least in what I see, in the denominational name. I don't see that," Osteen said in an interview with the York Daily Record ahead of the A Night of Hope worship event on May 31 in Hershey, Pa.

"The times have changed where people are not so set on going to a particular denomination. ... I have friends who were staunch Baptists and now they don't even put Baptist in their name," added the pastor, who leads a nondenominational congregation of over 40,000. more >>