Free Republic

An evangelical global pro-life organization has urged Christians, especially Catholics, to work together across denominations to further the pro-life movement and more effectively protect unborn lives from abortion. PassionLife remarked in a July 9 news release that denominations’ “respective theological differences” should not hamper their “joint effort and impact.” Instead, Christians, regardless of their beliefs, should work together as “collaborating co-belligerents,” the organization said. PassionLife works around the globe as a mission partner for local churches and organizations, especially those in areas where abortion rates are extremely high. The organization offers training in Christian pro-life teaching, evangelization, and pro-life counseling...

Life.Church South Broken Arrow Life kicked off their At the Movies campaign with a Super Mario Brothers theme, decorating their church and crafting a sermon based around the adventures of Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Princess Preach, and whatever stray Koopa that may make it into a sermon illustration. South Broken Arrow is one of more than 40 locations of the 85,000-member, seeker-sensitive, multi-site-based Oklahoma church. Led by Craig Groeschel, their promo material explains: At the Movies is an annual summer event at Life.Church. We decorate our lobbies in our favorite movie themes and invite friends and family. During the experience, we...

Life.Church Owasso kicked off their “At the Movies” campaign with a Ghostbusters theme, decorating their church to resemble the Ghostbusters headquarters, complete with an animatronic Slimer and giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man outside, while crafting a sermon based around the film. It’s not a one-off for the 85,000-member, seeker-sensitive, multi-site-based Oklahoma church that has 40 locations, but rather something they do every year. For more on Life.Church (Not Clickbait) Pastor Turns Himself Into A Video Game Character For Super Mario Sermon Series+ Begins Rapping Theme Song Mario Sermon Series? Megachurch Transforms Church into Mushroom Kingdom + Singing Bowser Church Puts...

Jimmy Swaggart, the popular Pentecostal preacher and televangelist who garnered national headlines for his extramarital affairs, has died at the age of 90 following a cardiac arrest. Swaggart's official Facebook page announced Tuesday morning that "Brother Swaggart has finished his earthly race and entered into the presence of His Savior, Jesus Christ." "Today was the day he has sung about for decades. He met his beloved Savior and entered the portals of glory. At the same time, we rejoice knowing that we will see him again one day," stated the page. "He was not just a preacher — he was...

Like many Gen X Christians in the 1980s, I was not only captured by the explosion of Christian television and radio ministries, but I also had my personal favorites who really deepened my understanding of the Bible. One of those was televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. Much like Aimee Semple McPherson of the Foursquare Gospel movement, Swaggart was instrumental in putting the Assemblies of God and Pentecostalism on the map, making the gospel and a relationship with Jesus a dynamic pursuit rather than a rote obligation. Swaggart was a media pioneer. In 1969, he launched "The Camp Meeting Hour." Because of a...

Steven Furtick, the founder and lead “pastor” of Elevation Church, has become a household name among modern megachurch prosperity gospel frauds from Joel Osteen to T.D. Jakes to Carl Lentz. But beneath his polished exterior and motivational speeches lies a deeper issue—just like these others, Furtick is a false teacher, a prosperity charlatan whose primary goal is to amass personal wealth at the expense of the gospel. His strategy, like all false teachers, is to exploit the Scriptures when it suits him and conveniently ignores them when the truth becomes inconvenient. Furtick’s sermons are filled with feel-good messages of false...

Jimmy Swaggart’s family provided a heartfelt and emotional update on the televangelist during a Wednesday night service. As the Christian Post reported, Swaggart’s son, Donnie, shared during the service that the family is currently “in the process of making some very difficult and hard decisions.” Donnie Swaggart also mentioned that more family members are coming into town right now. “We have called all of the family to come into town, the grandkids that haven’t been here, and Joanna and Cliff for a family meeting on Friday,” Donnie said, calling this heartbreaking medical situation “a tough time.” As the Post noted,...

Prominent Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart has been hospitalized after having a heart attack in his family home early Sunday morning with his son Donnie Swaggart revealing that without a miracle he is likely to pass away very shortly. Speaking to his congregants during the evening service, his son, Donnie Swaggart, told the gathered body: This morning at a little after eight, Gabe and I rushed into Mother’s house. Dad had gone into cardiac arrest. He never regained consciousness. We both took turns giving him chest compressions until EMT could get there and they were, I’ve never seen so many people arrive...

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh pastor is facing decades behind bars after pleading guilty to receiving more than $400,000 of fraudulent government-funded COVID-19 loans. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 45-year-old Mitchell Summerfield was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 loan funds. According to court documents, Summerfield was the pastor of the Word of God Fellowship Church in Raleigh and owned various other businesses, including Winning Ways, KHS Investments, and Vision and Destiny. In 2018, Summerfield stepped into the role of lead pastor at...

In a recent broadcast, televangelist Jim Bakker announced that his ministry is facing severe financial difficulties and may cease operations within a month without an urgent infusion of funds. The last few years have not been kind to Bakker. A couple of years ago, the embattled Bakker had his credit card companies cut him off and reduced him to only taking checks to support his ever-dwindling ministry. This has made him desperate to hawk any prophecy, piece, or potion he can to keep the lights on, including selling a $1000 miracle blanket or having guests that claimed a Reptile Alien...

Megachurch founder Bishop T.D. Jakes announced on Sunday that he will step down as pastor of his 30,000-member Dallas-based church, The Potter’s House, and his daughter and son-in-law will assume the helm. For almost 50 years, Jakes, who will turn 68 in June, has served the local and global community as a pastor, global faith leader, and author. According to a statement on the church’s website, senior pastoral duties for pastors Touré Roberts, 51, and Sarah Jakes Roberts, 36, . Jakes’ announcement and presentation of couple to the congregation met with applause and a long, standing ovation. While choking back...

A pastor who pled guilty to 11 counts of possessing child pornography had the book thrown at him, receiving 10 years in prison for each offense, resulting in a 110-year sentence. Last year, James Vincent Henry, the 43-year-old pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God church in Delight, Arkansas, was arrested and charged with 100 counts of possession, viewing, and distribution of child pornography. According to a statement by Arkansas State Police, they received a cyber tip from the Center for Missing & Exploited Children that the offending media was being distributed made through the online messaging apps Snapchat and Kik....

Gospel singer and preacher Marvin Sapp is facing severe criticism online after a video of him seemingly pressuring his congregation into donating $40,000 went viral. In the video, Marvin Sapp, known for his popular singles "Never Would Have Made It" and "The Best In Me," instructs ushers to "close the doors" until he sees all 1,000 churchgoers drop a "seed" of $20. He's also under fire for demanding that online visitors prove they donated virtually. Marvin Sapp Tells Church Workers To 'Close The Doors' On 1,000 Members Marvin Sapp is clearly HUSTLING his congregation for 40k— and using God’s name...

A federal appeals court has issued a shocking opinion forcing a church in Washington state to fund abortions. A Seattle-area church has sued to stop a Washington state law that forces churches to fund abortions in their health care plans. Cedar Park Assembly of God challenged the Washington state law that requires nearly all health plans to cover abortion. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys fought in court for the church after a lower court ruled that the church must violate its constitutionally protected, pro-life religious beliefs and abide by the state’s mandate that most Washington employers provide abortion coverage for employees....

Now that the busyness of the holiday movie season is passed, I want to get back into writing more about faith on Sundays. I've always like this post, which I wrote a few years back for Patheos. Seemed like a good one to share again. Like most people who grew up evangelical, I went through a Rapture obsession.I remember when it started. I was 15 and my parents took me to a dc Talk concert. During the show, the trio played a cover of Larry Norman's "I Wish We'd All Been Ready." When the group got to the last verse,...

OU ARE MY SIGNET RING " OF MY HAND " PRESSED INTO MY WILL ALONE ! My orchestration is complete in you in that in fact you have been crushed and fractured as a diamond brushed and honed , thoroughly ground into My existence and pleasure and I wear you as My Signet ring of power and authority in My Name . Therefore only and all you do is by my hand and in My Name ( JESUS ) of the strictest obedience wrapped in the gold and silver of My glory tested in the fire ( COALS) of My...

A new survey reveals that most white Christians and Hispanic Protestants supported President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election as discussions continue about the influence of voters’ religious beliefs on their political affiliation. The Public Religion Research Institute released a report examining the results of the 2024 presidential election broken down by religious affiliation. The report is based on responses collected from 5,772 adults and a subsample of 4,757 adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election between Nov. 8 and Dec. 2. The respective samples have margins of error of +/-1.7 percentage points and +/-1.9 percentage points. Trump,...

Three days after the feast of the Nativity of Jesus, the Catholic Church traditionally commemorates the massacre of the Holy Innocents – the children of Bethlehem slain by King Herod following the birth of Christ. This event is recorded in the Gospel of Saint Matthew in connection with the arrival of the Magi – the Wise Men from the East – who had followed a star to Jerusalem, and had sought out the newborn king of the Jews. According to Matthew’s account, King Herod requested that the Magi return to him after finding the child, ostensibly so that Herod could...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rqUM83DphpQ

It's been a while since I have posted an "Old Sergeant" story for my FR friends. I hope you enjoy this one and I pray it gives food for thought.