by Kathryn Post Produced in collaboration with the Association of Religion Data Archives. (RNS) Taylor Valci was 7 the first time she spoke in tongues. The daughter of a Pentecostal pastor in California’s Bay Area, she grew up watching “Veggie Tales” and attending Missionettes, the Assemblies of God version of Girl Scouts. “For me, … [Read more...] about Study Finds That Queer Christians Quit the Church Twice as Much as Others
Church
Carl Lentz on Being Fired: ‘I Take Full Responsibility’
(ChurchLeaders) A day after Hillsong East Coast announced it was terminating its pastor, Carl Lentz, for issues including “moral failure,” Lentz acknowledged his termination in an Instagram post. “I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that,” Lentz wrote. “This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full … [Read more...] about Carl Lentz on Being Fired: ‘I Take Full Responsibility’
Carl Lentz, Pastor of Hillsong East Coast, Fired for ‘Moral Failure’
(ChurchLeaders) Hillsong East Coast Pastor Carl Lentz has been fired. Citing “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures,” Hillsong Church Global Senior Pastor Brian Houston said the decision was not made lightly. “It would not be appropriate for us to go into detail about the events that led to this decision,” Houston wrote in an … [Read more...] about Carl Lentz, Pastor of Hillsong East Coast, Fired for ‘Moral Failure’
Youth Pastor Blackmailed Boys Into Sending Nude Videos, Prosecutor Says
(The Christian Post) A New Jersey youth pastor has been arrested and charged with blackmailing young boys across four states to get them to record and send videos of themselves performing sexual acts, authorities say. Thirty-year-old Sean Higgins, who serves as a youth pastor and music leader at Harbor Baptist Church in Hainesport, a suburb of Philadelphia, was taken into … [Read more...] about Youth Pastor Blackmailed Boys Into Sending Nude Videos, Prosecutor Says
Louisiana Man Gets 25 Years for Torching 3 Black Churches
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) A Louisiana man who admitted to burning down three predominantly African American churches to promote himself as a “black metal” musician was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay the churches $2.6 million. U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays of Lafayette sentenced Holden Matthews, giving the 23-year-old man credit for 18 months he … [Read more...] about Louisiana Man Gets 25 Years for Torching 3 Black Churches