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Charlie Brown Returns To Public Television

After Appletv, who purchased the rights to Charles Schultz’s Peanuts, announced the specials will only be see on AppleTv, people were outraged. Now they’ve reversed their decision. After receiving a petition containing more than 250,000 signatures, the company says the specials will now air on PBS as well. Read more about the times and days here.

 

Christian Astronaut Heads To Outer Space

Have you ever wanted to go to outer space? Christian astronaut Victor Glover is headed for a six-month stint in outer space to take part in a science mission at the International Space Station. Bringing with him communion cups and a Bible, Glover plans to continue virtual service, virtual giving, reading his Bible and praying. Read more about his upcoming adventure here.

 

Christians Donate 27,000 Bibles

here in American we take for granted the ability to pick up and read a Bible whenever we want. but that’s not true for many around the world. So a Michigan charity called, Mission Cry, an organization that works with local churches by sending them bibles and helping with church plants, just sent 27,000 Bibles to Albania to aid persecuted Christians in the country. Read more about their efforts here.

 

Home Depot Giving 1 Billion In Raises

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The Home Depot has been supporting its associates with expanded paid time off for all hourly workers and implementing temporary weekly bonuses for everyone. Now the company has announced its investing profits into its employees. Read more about the bonuses here.

 

Pastors Launch Church Planting Network

A group of of pastors have launched a network called, The Crete Collective. The team focuses on building churches in black, Hispanic, and Asian American communities. It plans to launch a half dozen churches over the next two years, focusing on poor neighborhoods in urban centers, and hopes to encourage people of color to become leaders in the religious community. Read more about their outreach here.

 

Rudy Giuliani Claims Massive Fraud Used To Steal Election

Rudy Giuliani and other lawyers representing President Donald Trump held a news conference on Thursday claiming a stolen election. The allegations ranged from complaints that Republican observers weren’t allowed to observe vote-counting, to a claim that U.S. voting machines made by Dominion Voting Systems Inc. used software made in Venezuela at the direction of Hugo Chavez. Read more of the lawyer’s claims here.

 

Biggest Concerns Facing Church Leaders Over Covid-19

With restrictions over in person worship and churches being closed, leaders are struggling with reshaping the church in the Covid-19 climate. Today’s ‘new normal’ has worship being conducted virtually. This leads to struggles over disciple making and the need for physical buildings. Church leaders have been tasked with developing a new model for online ministry. Read more about their concerns here.

 

Christian Pastor Advances On The Voice

California Pastor, Jim Ranger, turned three chairs this season on the popular singing show The Voice, singing Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” In the battle rounds of the competition last week, the minister at New Life Church beat out fellow contestant John Sullivan and is now on his way to the four-way knockouts. Ranger expressed his humility and gratitude at all the support coming his way. Read more about his singing journey here.

Kansas School Stops Christmas Charity

In a year where love and charity is desperately needed, a Kansas middle school has stopped a program giving gifts to needy children. Because of a complaint from an atheist group, the school ceased to be involved in Operation Christmas Child, a program by Samaritan’s Purse. No longer will the school be filling shoeboxes with gifts and donating them to the poor. Read more about the decision here.

 

Charities Trying to Save Christmas Despite Covid-19

With the rise of positive Covid-19 cases, charities are struggling because of cancellations and downsizing of annual giving opportunities. Organizations are being forced to rethink their ways of fundraising, as the needs of those hit by the pandemic are growing daily. Vowing to still continue with giving, the charities are coming up with new ways of donating. Read more about their efforts here.

 

First Christian Airline To Transport Missionaries

The first Christian Airline, called Judah 1, is set to launch in  2021. Started by a non-profit ministry, the airline is based out of Louisiana, and plans to fly missionaries around the world. While missionaries will have to pay airfare, Judah 1 has no baggage fees and no cargo fees. The plan is to fly to areas around the world normal airlines cannot and spread the gospel. Read more about this new airline here.

 

Arlington Wreath Laying Ceremony Back On

Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy has directed Arlington National Cemetery to reverse course and allow the annual wreath laying at veterans’ graves by Wreaths Across America and its many volunteers. The Officials from the cemetery announced the event would be cancelled this year due to covid-19 concerns. But after facing backlash from around the country, the government stepped in. Read more about the event here.

Indianan Town Fights To Keep Nativity Scene

Nativity scenes have always been a part of the Christmas holiday. But in Jackson County, Indiana, a federal district judge ruled that a nativity scene in front of the courthouse is unconstitutional. The nativity scene has been on display yearly since 2003 which includes Santa and his reindeer. The city plans to fight the decision. Read more about the ongoing case here.

 

San Diego Closes Churches But Opens Strip Clubs

Apparently seeing nude women is more important than practicing your faith in California. For while churches remain shut due to covid-19, San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil ordered California to to reopen strip clubs. Cristian leaders who have long been fighting for in person church services to reopen, call the decision absurd and shows the hypocrisy of the states leaders. Read more about this religious legal battle here.

 

Armenians Fear Ethnic Cleansing

After a peace deal this week ended the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, many Armenians fear the agreement will put their history as a Christian nation at risk. Although the deal ends bloodshed between the two countries, many Armenian Christians are afraid of ethnic cleansing by the Azeri military who is backed by the country of Turkey. Read more about the peace deal here.

 

Daughter Gets Job So She Can Be With Her Father

After covid-19 prohibited 49-year-old Nina Ambrose from seeing her father, she took action. Ambrose’s father, who suffers with dementia, now sees his daughter regularly since she volunteered as an activities and events coordinator in his nursing home. Volunteering has led to a new calling for Nina who is now considering making it her new vocation. Read about this loving family here.

Massachusetts Democrats Back ‘Infanticide Bill” 

Pro-life supporters are up in arms over a proposed amendment to the current abortion laws in Massachusetts. Labeling it the “infanticide bill”, critics say the legislation would allow abortion up until the moment of birth and remove the current protections for babies who survive abortion. Read more about this disturbing amendment here.

 

Russell Moore To Receive Defender Of Religious Freedom Award

Religious liberty for peoples of all faith is an important and vital fight. Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, will be honored for his work in religious freedom activism. Moore, who has been in the trenches fighting for religious freedom, is the second person to win the award. Read more about his efforts here.

 

Hillsong Church Being Investigated

Hillsong church announced it would be conducting internal investigations of its Hillsong NYC/ East Coast church. After Pastor Carl Lentz of the New York church was fired for moral transgressions, including an extra marital affair, Hillsong west coast Pastor Brian Houston, announced the investigation, citing it was the best for all involved. Read more about the church here.

 

Businesses Help Fellow Businesses With Covid-19

When an employee of the popular New Jersey restaurant, Würstbar, tested positive for covid-19, the eatery put the staff on quarantine. But instead of having to close down, their neighbors at Virile Barber Shop offered to help. Workers from the barber shop stepped in and took shifts at the restaurant until the wait staff could be cleared to return to work. Read about this neighborhood working hand in hand here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religious Persecution Is Worsening

The Pew Research Center’s 11th annual study surveying restrictions on freedom of religion in 198 nations, showed that religious persecution is increasing worldwide. The study cites government restrictions which are hostile to the open practice of faith. India, Egypt, and Russia among others, are listed as the worst offenders. Read more of the study’s results here. 

 

Over 50 Beheaded In Isis Extremist Attack

Suspected Islamic State-aligned militants beheaded dozens of people and abducted others in weekend raids in the southern African country of Mozambique. Kidnappings of women and children occurred along with the burning of many homes. Islamic extremist attacks have also risen in other regions of Africa in the last several years. Read more of this massacre here.

 

Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. Dies

On November 9, 2020, Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, passed away at the age of 66. A prominent conservative pastor and evangelical adviser to President Donald Trump, Bishop Jackson was called a true man of God and a friend of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is asking for prayers in this difficult time. Read more about his passing here.

 

Ironman Triathlon Completed By Person With Down Syndrome

21-year-old Chris Nikic from Maitland Florida, became the first person with Down syndrome to finish an Ironman. overcoming many obstacles since birth, last year Chris started training for the Special Olympics triathlon and built up enough skill and endurance to finish the race including a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run. Read more this inspirational young man here.

 

 

 

 

 

Church Arsonist Sentenced

A 23 year old man was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2.6 million. Holden Matthews from Louisiana, was convicted of setting fire to three black Baptist churches in the area. Matthews pleaded guilty in state court to three state hate crime counts, two of simple arson of a religious building and one of aggravated arson of a religious building. Read more about the case here.

 

Temple Mount To Be Referred To By It’s Muslim Name

In what is considered a very partisan decision, The United Nations General Assembly decided Wednesday that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem will now be referred to by the Muslim name of al-Haram al-Sharif. Israel’s ambassador to the UN called the move a disgrace, and vowed the resolution wouldn’t change the strong ties and history of the Jewish people to the sacred site. Read more about this decision here.

 

Air Force Chaplain Discriminated Against For Bible Preaching

Chaplain, Captain Curt Cizek was discriminated against for preaching from the Bible in an Air Force chapel service. While serving as a chaplain in Air Force Basic Military Training, Chaplain Cizek preached a sermon on Christian sexual ethics, causing backlash which ultimately ended his military career. Now Cizek  is requesting that the President Trump restore him back to Active Duty. Read more about this discrimination case here.

 

Researchers Develop A Possible Breakthrough For Alzheimer’s

A research team at the University of Calgary, led by Dr. Wayne Chen, has made an exciting breakthrough with the ability to prevent and reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. The team found impressive results after giving animals a drug that interrupts the disease process. This discovery has the potential to impact millions around the world live with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Read more about this exciting discovery here.

 

 

Presidential Race Still Undecided

No clear winner has been announced as of Wednesday morning for the 2020 Presidential race. As both sides are declaring victory, it may days before the final tally of votes are counted in battleground states. as it stands now, it looks like the democrats will hold the house, while the Republicans hold the senate. Get the latest voting results here. 

 

3rd Grader Threatened With Suspension Over Mask

Third grader Lydia Booth wore a mask which said, “Jesus loves me” to her Mississippi school. School officials ordered her to remove the mask and replace it with a school provided one, threatening suspension if she refused. Her parents have filed a lawsuit against the school district for violating her religious freedom. Read more about the ongoing case here.

 

Over 200 Religious Leaders Vow To Bring Peace After Election

Evangelical leaders have signed a letter titled, “A 2020 Call for Biblical Peacemaking: Evangelical Leaders’ Statement on Violence and Division” Concerned with the rise of anger, persecution, violence, and division in the country, these religious leaders vow to bring peace, love, and reunification back to the United States. Read more about their efforts here.

 

Santa Named Essential Worker

Children everywhere are worried that Santa’s annual visit will be stopped this year due to Covid-19.  But rest assured, the big guy himself says he has no plans to cancel his Christmas Eve flight. Labeling Santa as an “essential worker“, a Facebook group is asking people to go outside Christmas Eve at 6:00 p.m. and ring a bell tor sing a Christmas song to show support for Saint Nick.  Read more about their efforts here.