Cancer charity Komen ends grant to Planned Parenthood

NEW YORK (WordNews.org) Jan. 31, 2012 — Susan G. Komen for the Cure is stopping its partnership with Planned Parenthood, Fox News is reporting.
Fox quoted Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun saying the end of the partnership was the result of the charity adopting a new criteria that prevents it from proving grants to organizations by local, state and federal authorities. An inquiry was launched in Florida regarding whether taxpayer funds were used to pay for abortions.

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FDR’s D-Day landing prayer bill passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WordNews.org) Jan. 24, 2012 – A bill that would include FDR’s D-Day landing prayer in its entirety in a plaque at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., has passed the House 386-26.
The bill is now headed to the Senate for hearings, according to the Ohio Christian Alliance.

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Family Worship Sunday is Jan. 29

RICHMOND, Va.,(WordNews.org) Jan. 24, 2012  — Jan. 29 is Family Worship Sunday (January is Family Worship Month, by the way). Pastors around the globe are speaking to their congregations this Sunday about the importance of reading the scriptures, praying and singing together as a family in the home, organizers said.

For more information

Patrick Morley: A Borneo Christian? (Part 9)

CASSELBERRY, Fla. (WordNews.org) Jan. 26, 2012 – Patrick Morley remains thankful some four decades later to some men who reached out to him early in his adulthood.
That’s because unlike his father, Morley attended a church that had a vision to disciple men like him.
“I’m just so grateful that almost 40 years from now these men saw this young struggling father, came around him—and they discipled me. So I was able to fully break the cycle in a way my dad was not,” Morley tells WordNews.org.
Morley is the head of the Man in the Mirror ministry and is launching a major initiative to hire 330 men nationwide who will oversee a total of 330,000 churches—one man per 1,000 churches.

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Patrick Morley talks about creating, capturing and sustaining momentum

CASSELBERRY, Fla. (WordNews.org) Jan. 23, 2012 – Patrick Morley, author of the best-selling “Man in the Mirror” series, says he’s learned a lot about what not to do.
At 63, he finds himself heading up a men’s discipleship initiative that seeks to hire 330 men to help 330,000 churches nationwide disciple men.
That’s right, one man who will be an area director for a region covering 1,000 churches.
“There are some guys around the country that are already doing this effectively,” he said. “The main thing is that we have figured out through a lot of mistakes how to actually help a church actually develop a sustainable discipleship ministry to men. And that is the No. 1 problem in men’s discipleship”—sustainability, Morley tells WordNews.org.

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Britt Nicole releases details of new album on Twitter

Christian music artist Britt Nicole released details of her next album on her Twitter account (@ittsbrittnicole). "Hear it is...... The record title is "GOLD" and it will come out on MARCH 27 !!!!! :) can't wait for u guys to hear!

WordNews.org profiled Britt in a six-part series.

Patrick Morley: God’s calling and a warehouse full of books (Part 2)

CASSELBERRY, Fla. (WordNews.org) Jan. 19, 2012 – At 63, bestselling Christian author Patrick Morley has seen several trends in men’s ministries in the United States.
Best known for his book “Man in the Mirror,” Morley is the author of 18 books. His latest, “Man Alive,” is out this month.
“Back when I became a follower of Jesus in 1973, there was a huge marketplace for men.” Navigators was one ministry that was big in the Orlando, Fla., area where he lives.
A decade later, God called Morley to write “Man in the Mirror.” To read more

NH bill would prohibit contracts with abortion providers

CONCORD, N.H. (WordNews.org) Jan. 19, 2012 — The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill 207 to 147 that shifts state taxpayer funds away from abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood.
Instead, under the measure, funds would go to public and private entities that provide comprehensive health care to women and that do not provide abortions.
The bill’s language was developed in part by the Alliance Defense Fund and the Susan B. Anthony List. It now heads to the state Senate.

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Prayer at the flagpole constitutional? Ministry leader to school board of ed

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. (WordNews.org) Jan. 18, 2012 – The head of Bible Concepts Ministries is scheduled to address the Clay County, Fla., school board tomorrow about biblical concepts and constitutional principles pertaining to churches and civil groups.
Biblical Concepts Ministries teaches free seminars.
Johnson and BCM has been involved the fight for religious freedom and second amendment issues.

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Patrick Morley: Looking for a few (hundred) good men (Part 1)

CASSELBERRY, Fla. (WordNews.org) Jan. 18, 2012 – Patrick Morley, the bestselling author of the book “Man in the Mirror” is leading an effort to improve the discipleship of men across the country.
A national casting call has been launched at www.mimareadirectors.org. It is a collaboration with Young Life, Campus Crusade for Christ, Compass—Finances God’s Way, and the Navigators. The purpose: to recruit candidates throughout the country with a passion for discipling.
The goal is lofty: to disciple 1 million men by 2015; 10 million men by the end of 2020.
To that end, Morley’s group is looking to hire 330 men who will be responsible for 1,000 churches each.

To read more

Home schoolers face stiff fines, opposition in Sweden

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (WordNews.org) Jan. 17, 2012 – The Home School Legal Defense Association and Alliance Defense Fund say proposed changes to Swedish law could make it easier for the government to take children away from home-schooling families.
Liberal Party politician Lotta Edholm wrote in a Jan. 10 column in Aftonbladet, a prominent Swedish newspaper, that “the social services law should be amended so that social services are able to intervene when children are kept away from school by their parents — often for religious or ideological reasons.”
The Home School Legal Defense Association said the recommended law change comes at a time when there are already stringent penalties for home schooling in Sweden. The Home School Legal Defense Association and Alliance Defense Fund have applied to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of one family whose child was taken by the government in 2009 and have filed a brief in a Swedish appellate court on behalf of another family fined an amount equivalent to $26,000.



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Anti-abortion film to play on Jumbo screen in D.C. before March for Life

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WordNews.org) Jan 17, 2012 — An anti-abortion film “Created Equal” will be shown on a jumbo LED screen in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 23.
The video can be viewed here [Warning: Graphic].
The video will be debut at the March for Life. Organizers says this is the first time in the history of the pro-life movement that an abortion video has been broadcast in the public square on a jumbo LED screen.
“Getting this video into the heads of Americans is Planned Parenthood’s worst nightmare,” said Mark Harrington, Created Equal’s executive director.

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Does God care about who wins?

A lot of commentators question whether God cares about the outcome of a certain event.
Like the Broncos vs. the Patriots tonight.
The arguments include there are Christians on both sides. Good point. Just like one prays for a cloudless day when hosting a picnic, that farmer is desperate for rain.
Ahhh, decisions, decisions.
Then there's the argument that God must have better things to do. That may seem true to some, especially non football fans but since He is omnipotent, this really won't drain Him. He is the original multitasker.
He cares enough to know the very hairs on our heads.
My thought is this: who will give Him the glory and maximize the platform He has afforded them? Tebow, in his book, talks about everyone having a platform. And making the most of that platform. He also says life is about more important things than a game. It seems to bewilder him, the attention he gets for playing football.
It's a good perspective.
One God may just favor tonight.

Christian causes tapping into Tebow

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (WordNews.org) Jan. 13, 2012 – Tomorrow, Tim Tebow takes to the field in Gillette Stadium to take on the Patriots for the divisional playoffs.
For some, the Broncos quarterback is a polarizing figure, making some question their own faith and what role spiritual matters have in secular life. Not to mention the way he plays the game.
But some ministry groups see Tebow as a rallying cry, an opportunity and illustration for their cause.
For example, Steve Karges, founder and president of Children's Ministries International Inc. says Tebow’s testimony – his story on how and when he became an Christian, which is in his book "Through My Eyes" – supports the emphasis of his ministry: lead children to faith in Christ at an early age.
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Supreme Court gives church a win

WASHINGTON, D.C.(WordNews.org) Jan. 12, 2012 – The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously decided that religious organizations have some liberties when it comes to  human resources issues.

Liberty Counsel said the high court ruled that under the First Amendment churches are entitled to a “ministerial exception” when it dismissed a wrongful termination suit against the church.

In Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church v. EEOC, the Court recognizes that the ministerial exception applies beyond the head of a religious congregation to others, such as the teacher in this case, who are viewed as ministers or those carrying the message of the church, Liberty said.

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Village Voice founder’s son urges paper to stop accepting sex ads

NEW YORK (WordNews.org) Jan. 12, 2012 — John Mailer, the son of author Norman Mailer, is criticizing the paper his father helped start, the Village Voice, for accepting sex ads that feature children and teens for sex.
Mailer is joining more than 80,000 who are campaigning on Change.org to ban the ads on the paper’s website.
“The Village Voice was born out of the desire for an independent media voice for the people, a voice that had the freedom and authority to hold those who abuse power accountable for their actions,” said Mailer. “While I understand firsthand the financial difficulties facing all print publications today, the fact of the matter is that Village Voice is making money from selling advertisements that others have used to buy and sell minors for sex.”

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InterVarsity donates Colorado ranch

MADISON, Wis. (WordNews.org) Jan. 11, 2012 – InterVarsity Christian Fellowship announced that it has donated the assets of Bear Trap Ranch in Colorado to Foundation of the Heart, the organization which operates the ministry Band of Brothers.
The transfer was effective on Dec. 12, 2011, and includes the name, logo, and assets of Bear Trap Ranch.
Bear Trap Ranch, located in the Rocky Mountains, was one of four retreat and training centers operated by InterVarsity. The camp is located near Colorado Springs, Colo. It had been a part of InterVarsity’s ministry to college students and faculty since 1953.

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Texas Appeals Court upholds ‘informed consent law’

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (WordNews.org) Jan. 10, 2012 – A Texas Appeals Court has ruled in favor of a motion that will lead to the immediate enforcement of the state’s “informed consent law.”
The law requires abortion providers to make available to women ultrasound images of their unborn children prior to the women giving consent to an abortion.

The federal Appeals Court for the Fifth Circuit vacated an Aug. 30 preliminary injunction issued by a lower court. Under the law, women seeking abortions have the ability to hear a sonogram of the child’s heartbeat. Women are required to certify they have received the information before an abortion can take place.

"A picture is worth a thousand words, and the abortionists wanted to silence the voice of my baby,"
said Mayela Banks, one of the 317 Texas Women Hurt By Abortion.

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66% surveyed say they 'experience God' in church

VENTURA, Calif. (WordNews.org) Jan. 9, 2011 -- Sixty-six percent of those surveyed said they felt a "real and personal connection" with god while in a church setting, a new Barna Research poll finds.
Barna noted that conversely, that means a third of those who have attended  a church in the past did not feel God's presence.
Other poll results found:
35 percent of adults in the U.S. connect with God at least monthly in a church setting; and  those who attend church weekly, 44% said they experience God’s presence every week and 18% do so on a monthly basis.

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Open Doors releases its ‘World Watch List’

 
SANTA ANA, Calif. (WordNews.org) Jan. 4, 2012 — Open Doors released its World Watch List for 2012 and it may look similar to past lists.
North Korea takes the top of the list again, the spot it’s occupied for the past decade. Open Doors said in North Korea, Christians face the most severe persecution. Open Doors said Islamic-majority countries represent nine of the top 10 on the list and 38 of the 50 countries on the annual ranking.

Afghanistan (2), Saudi Arabia (3), Somalia (4), Iran (5) and the Maldives (6) form a bloc where indigenous Christians have almost no freedom to openly worship, Open Doors said. Rounding out the top 10 were Uzbekistan (7), Yemen (8) Iraq (9) and Pakistan (10), replacing Laos, which fell to No. 12.

Click here for more on the list

Top 10 anti-Christian acts of 2011?

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (WordNews.org) Jan. 3, 2012 -- DefendChristians.org has compiled the top 10 anti-Christians actions of 2011.
The nonprofit surveyed the members of its online community for the top anti-Christian stories within the United States and the results surprised Gary Cass of DefendChristians.org.
"The fact the number one and number two issues are public policy and political in nature shows Christians are very concerned about the political direction of the country. I wouldn't be surprised if this translates into a strong political response in 2012," he said.

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Women hurt by abortions to gather outside Planned Parenthood

 SAN ANTONIO, Texas (WordNews.org) Jan. 2, 2012  -- Women who say they were hurt by abortions plan to gather outside a Planned Parenthood in San Antonio, Texas, and urge abortion providers to show women their sonograms before receiving their informed consent to an abortion.
They are expected to gather outside the 104 Babcock site at 10 a.m.

The women who plan to stand outside the clinic say they were not told about the impact an abortion would have on them. They were not shown sonograms.
"I wish I would have had the opportunity to see an ultrasound, or information about fetal development, before my abortion at age 16. There are no words to describe the amount of pain, guilt, and trauma I experienced when I saw pictures of fetal development two years later," said Lisa Skowron from San Antonio. "I was horrified that the 'products of conception' and 'tissue' I had 'removed from my uterus' had had precious little hands and feet, and a beating heart. I felt like a monster. And I felt betrayed by the medical professionals I had trusted."

Mission to Hollywood

ENUMCLAW, Wash., (WordNews.org) Jan. 1, 2012--  With the fourth Mission: Impossible film in theaters now, Steve Cha tells about his life as a missionary to what he calls one of the most dangerous missionary fields -- Hollywood.

Cha describes how he committed career suicide in his book "Hollywood MIssion: Possible."

"Christians need to start making a difference in the entertainment industry, the community around them, and the entire world by evangelizing lost souls," he said.
Cha writes about his three years as a background actor, or extra, in Hollywood on more than 100 films, television shows and commercial productions.

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