Category: U.S.

When rumors first emerged that megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims Jr. had passed away, believers took to Twitter and Facebook looking for the truth. Now, Tims’ followers are broadcasting video tributes on YouTube.

The 42-year-old Tims was found Friday at 6 p.m. in a W Hotel room in New York City. Despite rumors in the media world, the official cause of death is not yet known.

Tims pastored New Destiny Christian Center in the Orlando, Fla., area since 1996. The church has grown to more than 8,000 members, many of whom gathered together at the church on Monday night to pay their respects.

As the church world waits for the mystery of Tims’ death to be resolved, some Christians are honoring the man who they will remember for building youth centers and helping people fight the good fight of faith. Here are a few of those videos:

Zachery Tims’ congregation united on Monday night to mourn their senior pastor as a family. Tims was found dead on … Read More

Riva Tims, the ex-wife of the late Pastor Zachery Tims Jr., addressed more than 2,000 people gathered at New Destiny Christian Center in Orlando, Fla., Monday night. The 42-year-old Zachery Tims was found Friday at 6 p.m. in a W Hotel room in New York City. The official cause of death is not yet known.

Riva Tims, who left the church in 2008 during a scandal and eventual divorce in which Zachery Tims admitted to an “indiscretion,” told the congregation that she, her ex-husband and their four children traveled together to Puerto Rico the week prior to his death.

“God saw it fit that we would have an opportunity to spend a few days together with him,” she said to the crowd who never took their seats while she spoke. “He was able to fellowship with his sons and his daughters. He was able to take pictures with them.”

What do a pastor, a young pro-surfer, and a 94-year-old former Olympian and WW II vet have in common? This past weekend, each one of them—Greg Laurie, Bethany Hamilton, and Louis Zamperini—spoke to crowds gathered at Angel Stadium for the 2011 Anaheim Harvest about their shared faith in Jesus Christ.

Hosted by more than 215 churches, from Riverside to Irvine to Temecula, the Harvest Crusades with Greg Laurie marked its 22nd year of evangelistic outreach in Orange County, Calif. with a three-night event, Friday through Sunday (Aug. 12–14).

The 2011 Anaheim Harvest drew a diverse crowd of 115,000 people from 34 states and 11 countries, all of whom gathered to listen to top Christian music from artists like Kutless, Jeremy Camp, Francesca Battistelli, Jars of Clay, Red and Phil Wickham, and to hear the faith stories of Hamilton and Zamperini. But most important was the message of salvation presented by Riverside, Calif. pastor and evangelist Laurie each evening.

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld new abortion regulations which require any woman seeking an abortion to meet face-to-face with the licensed physician performing the abortion at least 24 hours prior to the abortion.

The law also requires that parental consent forms be notarized in order for a minor to get an abortion. Health care providers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, may refuse to participate in abortions, provide contraceptives, or give out the “morning after pill” if they have moral or religious objections. The law also prohibits anyone who is not a licensed physician from performing an abortion.

Megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims’ congregation has called a special meeting to address rumors and speculation surrounding his weekend death in a New York City hotel room.

In an email obtained by Charisma News, New Destiny Christian Center staff has asked the congregation to come together on Monday evening:

“Today has been filled with rumors and speculations regarding Pastor Zach. We are having a meeting on tomorrow, Monday, Aug. 15th at 7:00pm. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you there.”

New York City police are probing Tims’ death. The W Hotel’s housekeeping staff found Tims dead on the floor of his hotel room, according to the Orlando Sentinel. It is not clear how long he was dead before the maids discovered his body, or the purpose of his trip to Manhattan.

Megachurch Pastor Zachery Tims, 42, of New Destiny Christian Center died in a New York City hotel room on Aug. 12. The rumored death of the Orlando-area pastor set the social media world ablaze this weekend. Now, condolences are pouring in through the same web 2.0 channels that first broadcast the news.

Even as Charisma News works to confirm rumors related to Tims’ cause of death in a W Hotel room in Times Square, support for his family and eulogies are flooding his Facebook page. The medical examiner has not yet announced the cause of death. However, New York City police said there will not be a criminal investigation.

“Words cannot fully express the depth of my sorrow that I feel at this moment in time having lost our shepherd, Dr. Zachary Tims. While I do not question God I am simply perplexed,” writes Travis Warren. “I thank God for using DOC to show me and the world that it was cool to be young, gifted, and be connected with a great Church like New Destiny. RIP DOC, you will be truly missed for an eternity. Thanks for keeping it oh so REAL!”

UPDATED: Megachurch pastor Zachery Tims died on August 12 in a New York City hotel room the New York Police … Read More

An “anti-gay” church controversy that’s been brewing has finally become frothy.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has canceled his speech at an influential megachurch in Illinois. The decision comes as a response to a Change.org petition that cast anti-gay aspersions on the congregation. At the same time, a Christian group that opposes homosexuality is also picketing the church.

The Change.org petition accused Willow Creek Community Church of “anti-gay persecution” based on its past association with Exodus International, a Christian ministry that works to help gays and lesbians leave homosexuality. Meanwhile, Americans for Truth About Homosexuality is upset because Willow Creek, an evangelical church in South Barrington, Ill., broke ties with Exodus in 2009.

The Crystal Cathedral’s creditors aren’t backing down. The creditors have made it clear that the megachurch property will be sold whether or not the Schuller family agrees, according to United Press International.

The California church was believing God for a $50 million fundraising miracle, but creditors filed a plan in federal bankruptcy court in Santa Ana, Calif., on Tuesday calling for the sale.

Creditors want at least $50 million, The Orange County Register reported. The plan would reportedly allow the Schullers to lease the 3,000-seat building from the buyer.

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.