Category: U.S.

The Church of God is celebrating its 125th anniversary in August. The following article describes how the denomination was born.

One and a quarter centuries ago Richard Green Spurling, best known as R.G. Spurling, issued a call to form what is now the Church of God. From the eight who responded to his invitation, our movement now numbers almost 7 million members in 181 nations and territories. Following his challenging message on Aug. 19, 1886, Spurling concluded: “As many Christians as are here present that are desirous to be free from all men-made creeds and traditions, and are willing to take the New Testament, or law of Christ, for your only rule of faith and practice; giving each other equal rights and privilege to read and interpret for yourselves as your conscience may dictate, and are willing to sit together as the Church of God to transact business [as] the same, come forward.”

With that invitation, the small band of believers meeting in Monroe County, Tenn., formed a congregation that they called the Christian Union. In this unexpected region of the country, people hungry for the restoration of New Testament Christianity sought God and came together to be God’s church. Out of their vision of Christian union, with the later addition of the experiences of sanctification and Spirit baptism, came the “Church of God” as we know our movement today.

A large arts and crafts retailer known for its philanthropic support of Christian causes has offered to purchase the Crystal Cathedral Garden Grove, Calif., property for $47.5 million.

If the bid is successful, the Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby would lease the property to The King’s University for a year and then donate it to the university. The King’s University is a Pentecostal/Charismatic Bible college and seminary of which Jack Hayford is founder.

“Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. offered the Crystal Cathedral Board of Directors $47.5 million to purchase the Crystal Cathedral property,” says Mart Green, the vice chairman of the board for the retailer and son of founder David Green. “Although Hobby Lobby believes its offer is adequate to pay in full all secured, priority and trade creditors, such an allocation of sale proceeds is not a closing condition. Our offer is in cash, which allows for creditors to be paid back as soon as a sale is completed.”

Despite protestors who traveled across Texas to picket what they viewed as a hate-based event—and despite the Unitarian church offering … Read More

At 10 p.m. on July 28, at his home in Shell Point Retirement Community, Ft. Myers, Fla., Robert Philip Evans died at the age of 93. Just hours before, his daughter, Alyce, read to him passages from Angels, God’s Secret Agents, a book written by Billy Graham, where he describes how the angels would soon come and carry him away in their arms to be with his heavenly Father.

Longtime friend and colleague Billy Graham said of Evans, “Our close friendship goes way back to our days at Wheaton, and I am grateful for all our meetings throughout Europe that Bob organized. He was one of the greatest Christians I ever knew.”

Born in Baltimore on Feb. 21, 1918, Evans grew up in the jungles of Cameroon, West Africa, where his father, Roland Evans, served for decades with his wife as one of the great pioneer missionaries of his time. Evans graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, in 1939, where he met and married Jeanette Gruner. After completing his studies at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary), Philadelphia, Evans joined the Navy as a chaplain and traveled with U.S. combat troops in North Africa, Italy and France.

After plenty of persecution—and even legal challenges—tens of thousands are gathering this morning for worship at Houston’s Reliance Stadium for … Read More

The do-it-yourself hardware superstore is facing heat from a pro-family group for its displays of homosexual activism.

The American Family Association (AFA) requested several times that The Home Depot remain neutral in the homosexual debate, and announced a boycott last month.

“Rather than remain neutral in the culture war, The Home Depot has chosen to sponsor and participate in numerous gay pride parades and festivals,” AFA’s website states. “Most grievous is The Home Depot’s deliberately exposing small children to lascivious displays of sexual conduct by homosexuals and cross-dressers, which are a common occurrence at these events.”

Hobby Lobby is no longer known for its retail of arts and crafts alone. The $3 billion a year company now has its name connected to Saddleback Church led by Pastor Rick Warren. Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby has donated a 170-acre ranch in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., to the megachurch.

“Rick Warren, his staff and the church’s congregation have contributed to the Lord’s work on this property and we couldn’t be more excited to donate this property to them,” said David Green, Hobby Lobby founder and CEO.

Flip Benham of Operation Save America describes the civil lawsuit verdict against James Pendergraft.

A Florida abortionist who frequently has run afoul of the law, James Scott Pendergraft, was in court last month facing damaging testimony in the case of a baby born alive after a botched abortion.

A few years ago, I began to chronicle the numerous criminal activities and botched abortions that surround James Pendergraft’s chain of Florida abortion centers. Pendergraft is featured in the new DVD, The Abortion Matrix, and more prominently in abortion clinic 911 Calls.

A church van carrying 12 people from Destiny Church (Assemblies of God) in Columbia, Tenn., crashed off Interstate 40 Thursday morning around 9 a.m.

Investigators say the driver, 24-year-old youth pastor Bobby Sasser, apparently lost control of the vehicle near exit ramp 143 to Highway 13 when the van ran off the road, struck a pole, flipped over and landed on its roof.

A 14-year-old girl, Mackenzie Turner, was killed in the crash. She was an only child.

The International Board of Directors for the Crystal Cathedral Ministries announced Sunday that it has voted to forgo choosing a buyer of its Crystal Cathedral property as part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan.

“The Crystal Cathedral is not for sale,” said Walt Kallestad, founder and senior pastor for the Church of Joy in Glendale, Ariz., and Crystal Cathedral Ministries board member, from the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral at its Sunday morning services.

In this vote, the board chose to step forward in faith believing that God, in his perfect timing, will provide all the funds necessary to pay every creditor in full and keep the ministry campus in the hands of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries.

Four days, six hours and counting… The countdown is on the official website and on the profiles of Facebook users … Read More

Dr. Morris and Theresa Cerullo are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary today.

Since his call to the ministry at the age of 15, God has used Cerullo to reach multitudes of people around the world in over half a century of ministry. He was raised in a Jewish Orthodox Orphanage until the age of 14 when he gave his life to Christ.

When Sophia entered high school in 2008, she expected that some kids might drink too much and some would use drugs. But the Manasquan High School student did not expect that three of her classmates would commit suicide in less than a year.

According to the New Jersey Star Ledger, 18-year-old Timothy was the first Manasquan High School student to die by stepping in front of a train on April 26, 2008. Two months later, Andrew, 18, stepped onto the tracks and died, almost on the same spot as his friend.

With Gov. Rick Perry’s controversial prayer event just a week away, Pastor Steven Andrew is joining a growing crowd of voices calling on Christians in the United States to repent for the sins of the nation. The founder of USA Christian Ministries wants to see God’s healing come to our land according to 2 Chronicles 7:14.

“God has an answer for the crisis the USA is facing. He asks us to turn from our wicked ways as a nation and by doing so He will heal our land—He will fix the economy and give us strong families,” says Steven. “God loves us.”

In order to place an Arkansas city of about 3,500 on the map, God used a revival. Although a revival … Read More

Now in its third week, Morality in Media’s month-long “Be Aware: PORN HARMS” National Awareness Campaign is focusing on the … Read More

While preparing the kids for another school year, you may add joining in united prayer to your to-do list.

In the months leading up to the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Assemblies of God and the Awakening American Alliance are working to make their Cry Out America prayer initiative a top priority.

The partnering groups believe that just as America was “shaken to its foundation” 10 years ago, the country needs to be shook again—this time with a Christ Awakening.

With a recessed economy, a dissolving church attendance and lack of absolute truth, united prayer seems to be the preferred means to battle America’s critical spiritual condition.

John Maempa, director of the Office of Prayer and Spiritual Care says: “Desperate times call for desperate measures. We must seek God as never before for the moral and spiritual well-being of our nation. Pray that a powerful move of the Holy Spirit will transform our churches to become transformational in the culture.”

Christians United for Israel attracted 5,000 people to its Sixth Annual Washington, D.C., summit, making the three-day event the group’s largest-ever.

The Summit included a series of educational sessions, speeches from prominent pro-Israel national and international figures, and a live satellite address from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Summit’s Night to Honor Israel featured remarks from Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, CUFI Founder and Chairman pastor John Hagee and a keynote address from national radio and television personality Glenn Beck.

For all the talk about the 89-year-old Family Radio Network founder Harold Camping’s end of the world predictions, there’s another elderly radio show host making scandalous headlines these days.

Patrick Kiley, a 73-year-old conservative Christian talk show host, has been indicted in a Ponzi scheme that allegedly involved $194 million in investors’ money, according to Financial Advisor magazine. He and others have been charged with wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, among other offenses.