Tag Archives: Church

New York Mayor Allows Churches To Continue To Meet In Schools

The mayor of New York said that he is not going to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision that the New York School System could ban Christian organizations from holding meetings in school buildings.

The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lower court decision that said the school board could prohibit churches under the Establishment Clause.  It was the third time the Court has sided with the city against churches.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he will allow churches to continue to meet in public schools despite the ruling.

“The administration remains committed to ensuring that religious organizations are able to use space in city schools on the same terms provided to other groups,” said mayoral spokesman Wiley Norvell. “Now that litigation has concluded, the city will develop rules of the road that respect the rights of both religious groups and nonparticipants.”

“While we review and revise the rules, groups currently permitted to use schools for worship will continue to be able to worship on school premises under DOE guidelines,” he said.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, who represented the church in their case, said that while they welcome the Mayor’s decision, the rules need to be changed to allow equal access to all groups.

Most Americans Believe Church is Dying

Most Americans say that there is value in attending church while at the same time saying they believe the church is dying.

The survey from Lifeway Research showed that nearly 9 in 10 Americans say attendance at church is acceptable and almost two-thirds think it’s admirable.  Even non-religious people said by an 80% rating that church attendance was acceptable and 43% called it admirable.

However, most of those believe the church is declining in attendance and influence.

“Americans have a much more optimistic view of the people and practice of attending church than they do of the health of the church,” said Scott McConnell vice president of LifeWay Research. “Church attendance is much like regular exercise and driving the speed limit. People do not live out everything they admire.”

The survey found that the biggest groups who consider church attendance unusual or not important were those of younger ages.  The survey says that those attending church are now more likely to do it out of choice rather than feeling pressure to attend by society.

“The longevity of the Christian church proves it is not a fad,” said McConnell. “Some Americans feel cultural expectations to attend church, but our recent research shows that those who actually do attend hold more closely to the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Pastor Jailed Over Pro-Life Outreach Exonerated

A Mississippi pastor who took a stand for the unborn and was arrested for it 4 years ago has been exonerated on all the charges against him.

Pastor Steven Joiner of Columbus Church of the Nazarene came upon a protest by Pro-Life Mississippi in his city.  He parked at a nearby business and walked over to thank them for their standing up for life.  Joiner joined the group’s protest.

A police officer then approached the group and told them to leave saying they were blocking traffic. Pastor Joiner said he had a First Amendment right to stand on a public sidewalk.  The pastor was arrested for “failure to obey a police officer.”

The pastor was initially convicted on charges of violating the city’s Parade and Handbill ordinance.  An appeals court overturned that verdict.  The pastor then sued for his right to protest.

The court ruled that the pastor’s rights were violated, ordered the city to pay $10,000 in damages and attorney fees.  The city was also ordered to amend their law to protect free speech.

“The notion that one man can constitute a parade and that small groups of individuals need to seek permission and a permit from the government before they can open their mouths on a public sidewalk is repugnant to the Constitution and undermines the foundation of this nation,” Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, said in a statement on Tuesday.

ISIS Destroys Christian Artifacts In Historic Churches

The Islamic terrorist group ISIS is continuing their campaign to eradicate any religious historic emblems by destroying historic Christian churches in Iraq.

The Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor says they have obtainted pictuers of terrorists using sledgehammers and other tools to destroy crosses and other Christian iconography.  Statues were torn down and then smashed to pieces.

“The images show ISIS men engaged in the destruction of various Christian symbols, which ISIS perceives as being polytheistic and idolatrous,” JTTM reports.

“They don’t care what it’s called; they are just following their ideology and that means getting rid of churches and minorities. It is the Islamic State, and there’s no room for anyone else,” MEMRI Director Steven Stalinsky said, according to The Daily Mail.

The United Nations calls the actions of ISIS a “war crime.”

“This is yet another attack against the Iraqi people, reminding us that nothing is safe from the cultural cleansing under way in the country: it targets human lives, minorities, and is marked by the systematic destruction of humanity’s ancient heritage,” UNESCO’s Irina Bokova said.

Terrorists Target Christian Churches; 14 Dead

At least 14 people were killed when terrorists attacked their churches.

Officlals in Lahore, Pakistan said that at least 70 were wounded in the twin attacks.  One church was Catholic, the other was Protestant.

Geo TV reported that police stopped one of the bombers outside the church, forcing him to detonate outside killing one officer and wounding others.  The second bomber was able to enter the church and detonate in the middle of services.

“Islamist militants in Pakistan have attacked Christians and other religious minorities often over the last decade or more. Many Christians, who make up less than two percent of Pakistan’s population of more than 180 million, accuse the government of doing little to protect them, saying politicians are quick to offer condolences after an attack but slow to act to improve security,” Retuers reported.

The Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they are planning to attack more churches.

Florida City Removes Tax-Exempt Status From Church Hosting Nude Parties

Officials in Panama City Beach, Florida have revoked the local tax-exempt status of a “church” that has been running a sexually-themed nightclub during Spring Break.

“It’s very disturbing, especially inside our city limits here in Bay County,” Panama City Beach Police Chief Drew Whitman told reporters this week. “I think we’re better than that.”

The group calling itself “Life Center Church” has been hosting an event called “Spring Break Amnesia” since February that featured items local officials called “shocking” for a place of worship.

“A bottle club, charging $20 at the door and selling obscene T-shirts is not being used as a church,” Property Appraiser Dan Sowell told the Panama City News Herald. “A God-fearing, God-honoring church in January does not sponsor this type of debauchery in March.”

The “church” had been advertising events on their website that were anything but Christian.

“‘Slumber’ is a pajama and lingerie party hosted by the sexiest ladies on the beach,” the site’s event description read just three days ago. “‘Anything But Clothes’ showcases your artistic side, featuring your mind and body. How creative can you be? Bare as you dare to attend in anything but clothes (toga, body paint, etc.).”

The church’s “pastor” once had another church in the area called Faith Christian Family Church.  He was arrested and placed on probation for giving pot to teens.

Hindu Extremists Attack Churches

Just days after reports that 20 Christians were tortured by police in the Indian state of Rajasthan, Hindu extremists attacked two churches in four days.

In central India’s Madhya Pradesh, the extremists forced their way into a private home and beat the Christians inside the home.  The town’s police were backing up the extremists during their assault.

The group accused pastor Lal Singh of converting poor Hindus to Christianity in violation of law.   After the beatings, the police arrested two of the Christians.

The police also confiscated all the Bibles and other Christian materials in the home as “evidence.”

Then about 45 miles away in Alirajpur District, a dozen extremists shouting anti-Christian slogans tried to break into a church service at Rampura village.  About 300 people were in a service as the extremists tried to storm the building.

“They were shouting slogans against Christianity and using abusive language,” said Pastor Kanhaiya Lal, whose church worship site moved from Jobat to the village three years ago. “I had not seen most of them before and think they are from nearby villages, because I do not recognize them as residents from Jobat city.”

Church members stayed in the building and continued to worship until police showed up to remove the extremists.

Church Converts Strip Club To Outreach Center

A church in Washington state is taking a place one home to stripping and prostitution and turning it into a center to show the light of Christ to the world.

Bethany Community Church, a multi-site Seattle-based church, rents a former strip club called “Sugars.”  The building has been turned into a site for the church to launch missions and serve the surrounding community.

Pastor Scott Sund told the Christian Post they found the building available when a staff member saw a sign for rental in their neighborhood.

“A local businessman purchased the property from the federal government which had seized it because of money laundering and prostitution charges against the strip club in the facility,” explained Sund.

“When it came up for rent, our children’s ministry director Anna Guerrero, who lived in the same neighborhood, brought it to my attention. At the time we were looking for a full time rental in order to facilitate our Sunday worship services.”

The building now has offices in the back portion for seven staff members and the bulk of the rest of the building is “One Cup”, a coffee house where all profits go to charity.

We now serve breakfast from out front of the Café every Tuesday to homeless and drug addicted people. From that outreach ministry we’ve started a Bible study,” Sund said. “We have a great relationship with the methadone clinic and nearby neighbors have begun work to clean up and transform their own spaces.”

Sudanese Church Appeals Order To Close

The lawyers representing Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church in Sudan is appealing a court decision to close the church and seize their property.

On February 18th, police arrived at the church with an order from a local court demanding the church be locked and seized.  The church’s lawyers say the order not specifically state what land or property was subject to seizure.

“In November 2014, congregants held a protest vigil in order to prevent NISS agents from gaining access to the land and illegally destroying and confiscating the property. In December 2014 the church was partially destroyed and 37 congregants arrested.”

The court is claiming the land was sold to a Muslim businessman by a church committee.  It was later discovered that the government formed a committee they said was a committee of the church and sold the land.   A lower court ruled in favor of the church that the committee was not associated with the church but a higher Muslim court said the Christians had to leave.

“The court order will effectively facilitate the illegal closure of yet another church at a time when the government has stated that the construction of new churches will no longer be permitted. We call upon the international community, and in particular the African Union, to hold Sudan to its obligations to protect the right to freedom of religion or belief and to guarantee the profession and free practice of religion as outlined in international statutes to which the nation is party,” Christian Solidary Worldwide said in a statement.

Church Revitalizes Gang-Infested School

An inner city Portland, Oregon school that at one time was scheduled to be closed because of gang violence and under performing students is now thriving after a partnership with a local church.

“Roosevelt High School was well known as the most under-resourced and failing school in the state. It had become a metaphor for failure, with a capital ‘F,”‘ Pastor Kip Jacob of SouthLake Church in West Linn told The Christian Post.

The school was once part of a thriving community until the late 1980s when members of the Bloods and Crips gangs moved north from Los Angeles in an attempt to extend their criminal enterprise.   The church’s facilities and grounds crumbled and it became almost impossible for students to focus on their education with the rising crime level.

Then in 2008, SouthLake Church partnered with Roosevelt to turn around the culture of the area.

“When the opportunity for that first work day came, people rallied and communicated to the kids that they are really worth it,” Pastor Jacob told CP. “That is one of the things that has been so exciting for us to see is that it has led to a renaissance of the school and the community.”

The church provides the school with clothes, hygiene products and even food for the students when they need it.  The church members also work with each academic department to see what specific needs they have for their students.

“The clean-up day went so well, the school told us that it was about a $250,000 benefit to the school. That was their evaluation. They just kept inviting us in. The needs were so great,” Jacob said. “We just filled gaps and met needs and they kept inviting us in to do that to the point where they invited us to have a staff person with an office in the school to help coordinate volunteers.”

As a result of the church’s efforts, private businesses have now joined to help the school.

“I think what happened is the church was able to be a catalyst for others to come in, businesses to come in,” Jacob said. “Nike came on board once they saw the momentum and said, ‘We can build a [turf] football field,’ and they did. Then another business came in and built a track, the best track in the Portland area. It just really rallied the community around the common good of the kids.”