Breaking Christian News on The Gospel Herald

Politically associated media buys are ramping up in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Republican National Convention will take place next week. But one potential sponsor, representing the "God's Not Dead 2" new Christian drama movie, was nixed, which prompted an accusation of religious persecution.

Representatives of several U.S.-based religious denominations rooted in evangelizing and missionary work are choosing to defy the new "Yarovaya laws" laws in Russia that would ban them from proselytizing. The package of laws, billed as anti-terrorism measures, was passed by the Russian Duma, or parliament, on June 24 and signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 7. Leading Russian human rights activists said authorities used an air disaster -- the October bombing of a Russian passenger jet -- as a pretext for an assault on basic freedoms, including religion.

Ken Ham, president/founder of Answers in Genesis and head of the newly-opened Christian attraction The Ark Encounter in Kentucky, had his second public debate with celebrity scientist Bill Nye during a personal tour of the ark Friday. In 2014, Nye said the ark's plans represented an "extraordinary and outlandish, unscientific point of view."

Prayer services kicked off soon after word spread about the latest rounds of fatal shootings involving both police and civilians in Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas. However, church leaders in various U.S. geographies share that they know Christians are seeking a more robust sort of religious counseling, because they do not agree violence is the answer.

American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey delivered what people are calling an unforgettable keynote speech about finding purpose and "letting go and letting God" at the 2016 Essence Festival this weekend presented by Coco-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La.

In Ohio, Judge William Mallory is known for handing out creative sentences from his Hamilton County Courthouse bench, but one ruling he issued last week has attracted much attention. Instead of sending Jake Strotman to jail on a misdemeanor for an attempted assault conviction, Mallory sent the 23-year-old Catholic to a Baptist church for the next 12 Sundays.

"Glossolalia" is the most commonly accepted term for "speaking in tongues," which is believed to be a sign of the Holy Spirit among human beings and which first started during the religious observance now referenced as Pentecost. This year, Pentecost will be observed by church congregations on May 15.

While not all Christians will recognize the Pentecost religious holiday as a holy day on May 15 this year, it generally is honored in liturgical churches whose congregations are Protestant, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and Charismatic -- and of course, Pentecostal. Pentecost may not as well-known, or as popular as Christmas and Easter, though it commemorates a watershed event in Christian history typically marked as the birthday of the church.

Azusafest and Azusanow culminates this Sunday, April 10, at a closing ceremony on the same 312 Azusa Street property where the historic Pentecostal Azusa Street revival meeting took place in Los Angeles, Calif. on April 9, 1906. The meeting is known as the origin of the Pentecostal movement. The Azusafest celebration is a pre- and post-event to the Azusanow 2016 celebration in the Los Angeles coliseum on April 9.

A new survey by Lifeway Research found that two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) said Christians face increasing intolerance, up from half (50 percent) in 2013. One advocacy group, Faith Driven Consumer (FDC), is trying to affect a different future pattern by launching a new "#GodsNotDead2Us grassroots movie to movement campaign" that targets and challenges five, top diversity and inclusion leaders -- AT&T, Comcast, Allstate, Marriott and Wells Fargo -- to treat Christian employees and customers with the same equality as they treat other consumer segments.

As Christians around the world focus during this Easter weekend on how Jesus Christ died on the Cross to redeem mankind and to save sinners, some will be contemplating the final lessons the Savior's last imparted.

Saddleback Church leaders and founder Pastor Rick Warren in Southern California hopes to reach 50,000 people through a massive multi-campus Easter celebration this weekend to accentuate the mercy of God.

I always admired the comic strip B.C. for its postings on Good Friday, and this particular one shows why this day is called "good". While Easter Sunday is a great time of celebration for Christians to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, it is also important to remember that He died, as well as why. For these reasons, it is good for Christians to send notes or messages to celebrate Good Friday. This is how to celebrate Good Friday by sharing notes, verses, and quotes about Jesus' death on the cross.

Reality television star Sadie Robertson joined fellow cast members Monday for the movie premiere of "God's Not Dead 2" in Los Angeles. God's Not Dead 2 is scheduled to open in theaters April 1.

The world is definitely about more than football for Christian athlete Tim Tebow, based on the spotlight of the recent "Tim Tebow Celebrity Golf Classic" he hosted.

Although Jencarlos Canela performed as Jesus Christ in Fox TV's live musical The Passion Sunday evening, the singer-songwriter doesn't profess to being the typically devout, religious man in his real life. He praises peace and love, and has respect for the symbol of the cross, however said, "But sometimes when I walk into church and see the image of Jesus nailed to the cross, I wonder, do I need to constantly be exposed to that to remember what my Father did for me?"

Whether referenced as Palm Sunday, Passion Sunday, Yew Sunday or Branch Sunday, the Sunday before Easter each year is a solemn, important observance for Christians around the world. The tradition of Christians carrying palms on Palm Sunday is associated with Jesus' followers covering his path with palm fronds the day he entered Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. As palm leaves are carried into homes, Christians are declaring the choice to accept Jesus as the King and ruler of lives and families.

During the 26th annual "Just Pray NO!" to drugs Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting April 2-3, Christians around the world will join in intercessory prayer on behalf of those who are addicted to drugs, as well as pray for the families affected. Abuse of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs costs the United States more than $700 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care, according to National Institute of Health current statistics.

Repentance and faith can be understood as "two sides of the same coin." The term repentance, from the Greek word metanoia, means "turning from sin." The biblical definition of repentance often is interpreted more as "change one's mind." Regardless of exact personal definitions of repentance, many Christians believe it is nearly impossible to place faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing one's mind about who He is and what He has done.

Pope Francis will hold and preside over an ordinary public consistory of cardinals in the Vatican March 15, during which he will sign the decree for canonizing Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata and four others. Canonization is the act within the Orthodox, Oriental Orthodoxy, Roman Catholic or Anglican Church of being recognized after death as a someone who lived a virtuous life as God's servant and who was involved with perceived miracles.

Approximately 82,000 people gathered at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for Harvest America 2016, an evangelical outreach event, on Sunday evening. Pastor Greg Laurie, host and senior pastor of the Harvest Christian Fellowship megachurch in California, said thousands responded to his invitation to pray to accept Jesus into their lives. The event also featured musical guests Chris Tomlin, Lecrae, Switchfoot and MercyMe.

While GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigns to "Make America great again," Evangelist and social conservative Franklin Graham said he wants to make it Christian again. That's partly why Graham is taking his Decision America rallies to all 50 U.S. state capitols.

From February 23-36, thousands of professionals in Christian media will gather at Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center for Proclaim 16, the annual National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) International Christian Media Convention.

Ravi Zacharias was received by the Passion 2016 crowd of 18-25-year-olds with cheers and wild applause. The conference that was attended by 40,000 young people came to an end on Monday evening. It was held in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas and also live-streamed.

40,000 U.S. Christian college students crowded three stadiums in Houston and Atlanta for three days of soul-freeing worship concerts led by heavy-weight CCM artists and messages by influential evangelical leaders for one reason - to lift up the name of Jesus. Since the first day the event, "#Passion2016" has been trending on Twitter.