Samuel Smith and World Watch Monitor
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Evangelical university blocks lecture by pro-life activist Star Parker
An evangelical university in Minnesota has blocked a conservative student group from hosting a lecture by African-American pro-life activist Star Parker because of her “radically” held beliefs.
Christians who don’t have a ‘passed-down’ faith have stronger theological convictions, Barna finds
Christians who grew up in homes where Christianity was incorrectly modeled and those who didn’t have their faith formed by relatives in their home are more likely to have stronger “theological convictions” than Christians who say their faith was “passed down” to them, new research has found.
India: Evangelical network reports increase of Christian persecution in 2019
Reported cases of persecution and hate crimes against Christians in India have steadily increased by about 57 percent to the first two months of 2019, an advocacy group has warned.
Pastor abducted by militant Buddhists in Myanmar, second to be captured in 2 months
A second pastor in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has been abducted by suspected Buddhist insurgents after another was killed less than two months ago.
Gay UMC pastor to conduct same-sex weddings despite Traditional Plan passage
An openly gay pastor in the United Methodist Church said he will conduct same-sex weddings despite the denomination's recent vote to maintain its view that homosexuality runs counter to the Gospel and will enforce tougher punishments for violating church discipline.
New global religious freedom mov’t underway: 'We can’t just keep talking about it'
A desperately-needed global movement to push for religious freedom rights worldwide has begun, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said last Thursday at a United Nations event focused on religious freedom.
Canada sees exponential rise in trans-identified kids, referrals to gender clinics
Gender clinics in Canada are reporting an exponential growth in the number of children being referred for gender transitions.
UK opens first transgender-only prison unit for men in women's prison
A women’s prison near London will open what has been referred to as Europe’s first prison unit exclusively for men who identify as women.
Francis Chan defends Gospel for Asia after legal settlement: 'No money was misappropriated'
Popular preacher and author Francis Chan issued a strong defense of the nonprofit charity Gospel for Asia following the announcement Friday that the organization will pay $37 million to settle a class action lawsuit over the alleged misuse of donations.
Mass arrests of Chinese megachurch members continue; some 'violently beaten'
Nearly 50 more members, including 11 kids, of a Chinese megachurch closed down by the communist government in December were arrested at two different venues last Sunday, a watchdog group has reported.