United Methodist officials are acknowledging a struggle to get delegates from Africa and other non-U.S. parts of the church to General Conference, the crucial legislative assembly that convenes today in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Commission on the General Conference reported in a press release on April 18 that 269 delegates — representing 73% of the allotted delegates from Africa, the Philippines, Europe and Eurasia — are confirmed. But the commission said 39 such delegates — 11% —  will not be attending and no replacements will be available.   ..read more

Megachurch pastor John Lindell apologized to his congregation Sunday for inviting sword-swallower Alex Magala and disgraced pastor Mark Driscoll to the Stronger Men’s Conference two weekends ago in Springfield, Missouri. The apology follows a week of controversy sparked by Driscoll’s sharp condemnation of Magala’s “strip” act and Lindell’s initial defense of Magala’s act and rebuke of Driscoll for alleged divisive and “demonic” actions. “I want to apologize and let you know I take full responsibility for the decision that was made to invite Mark Driscoll and Alex Magala to the Stronger Men’s ..read more

Conservative religious leaders who had been imploring Speaker Mike Johnson to back assistance for Ukraine and Israel in fighting their wars celebrated the House’s passage of foreign aid packages Saturday, clearing the way for the measures to go to the Senate. Brent Leatherwood, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, was among those lobbying Johnson, himself a Southern Baptist, on behalf of Ukrainian and American Baptists concerned about the plight of Ukrainian Christians.   ..read more

Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser and a driving force behind the ReAwaken America Tour, has a new show he’s taking on the road, a 127-minute hagiographic documentary chronicling his fight against the “Deep State” — a shadowy cabal of government operatives that Flynn insists are fixated on destroying him and his former boss. “I’m surprised they haven’t killed me,” Flynn tells the camera in “Flynn.” “I’m surprised they’ve let me continue to live.” “Flynn,” the film, poses as a straight-laced documentary but is starkly silent about Flynn’s current mission ..read more

Zimbabwe’s renowned cleric and Prophetic Healing and Deliverance founder Walter Magaya recently built a modern soccer stadium in less than six months at his Yadah Complex in Waterfalls, Harare. The project comes at a time when Magaya is facing several allegations, including rape and fraud.  In a circular published last year by the Confederation of African Football, the country does not have a stadium certified to host international matches. The memo also included a list of stadiums in Africa, approved to host the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.   ..read more

The religious freedom case pitting a Christian group against local activists over Sunday access to a New Jersey beach may not be resolved in time for this summer. A hearing — originally scheduled for April 17 — has been postponed and a new date of May 16 set, just two weeks before the traditional start of the summer beach season that takes place over Memorial Day weekend, the Asbury Park Press reported on Tuesday.   ..read more

The Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church is reporting that an online Q&A document it shared about the upcoming General Conference was maliciously altered. “The counterfeit document was littered with disinformation about our denomination and reeked of a spirit of divisiveness and deceit,” said Dakotas Conference Bishop Lanette Plambeck in a press release. She added: “To be clear, the unauthorized edits do not reflect the responses or position of the Dakotas Conference or The United Methodist Church or our delegation (to General Conference).” The matter has been turned over to ..read more

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mandisa, whose inspirational Gospel-pop hits are a mainstay on contemporary Christian radio, has died. She was 47. Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley, the former American Idol contestant passed away in her Nashville home on Thursday, April 18, according to K-Love. Mandisa was well known for her positive, upbeat, and encouraging music, but beneath it, she struggled to deal with her everyday life. After losing a close friend to cancer, a friend for whom she wrote her award-winning song, “Overcomer”, Mandisa descended into a dark pit of depression, isolating he ..read more

Reggie Joiner, founder of the leading Christian youth curriculum, Orange, and Orange CEO Kristen Ivy have resigned after admitting an “inappropriate relationship” with each other, according to a board statement sent to supporters yesterday. “Reggie has admitted to past inappropriate adult relationships, which violated our company policy and eroded trust within our organization,” wrote Board Chair Joel Manby and Board Special Governance Chari Jennifer Barnes. “During the course of the Board’s investigation, Kristen also disclosed a past inappropriate relationship with Reggie.” Neither Joiner n ..read more

In a message to his congregation last night that was livestreamed on social media, Missouri pastor John Lindell accused disgraced preacher Mark Driscoll of slander and “sowing disunity” and urged Driscoll to “publicly repent.” Lindell’s comments follow a public dispute between him and Driscoll at the Stronger Men’s Conference last weekend, concerning a controversial performance by sword-swallower Alex Magala. Driscoll called the performance a “strip” act exhibiting the “spirit of Jezebel,” which prompted Lindell to stop Driscoll’s message, yelling, “You’re done!” Soon afterwards, however, the ..read more