Members of Capitol Hill Baptist Church gathered in Washington, D.C., to hold their first outdoor services in the nation’s capital since they successfully sued to do so.

Capitol Hill Baptist had filed a lawsuit against the District over COVID-19 shutdown restrictions that prevented them from holding outdoor worship services.

“We are so excited to be able to meet together in DC again! And we are thankful for the generosity of the National Park Service who is graciously accommodating us,” stated the church in an announcement.

“Even though our church is finally meeting again, you should feel free in your conscience not to join us if that seems to be the wisest course of action. The sermon audio will be posted on the website following the service as usual.”

The church gathered at Anacostia Park in Southeast D.C. on Sunday morning, with attendees wearing face masks and being socially distanced in keeping with public health recommendations.

Attendees were asked to bring their own Bibles and printed out bulletins.

“Thankful that the Capitol Hill Baptist Church was able to meet in the District again…

A Change.org open letter petition written by students, alumni and parents of students and alumni of Moody Bible Institute says there is rampant sexual assault on the campus and that Moody Bible Institute has done very little to address the issue. The petition, which has over 2,600 signatures, was written to the President of the college, Mark Jobe, asking him to do something about the problem and stop trying to obscure it.

“While we have no desire to malign individuals out of spite, we feel it must be addressed that a few individuals who have been tasked with protection of Moody students have failed,” The open letter petition reads.

The open letter states there have been instances of stalking and sexual assault, and says the leadership has done nothing to address it.

The open letter petition asks Moody Bible Institute to:

1. Create a process for Student and Alumni voices to be considered in the naming of a new Dean of Students to replace Dean Arens.
2. Replace Rachel Puente as the Title IX coordinator and create a process for Student and Alumni voices to be considered in the naming of a new Title IX coordinator.
3. Remove any Title IX decision-makers who also have disciplinary powers (as Title IX requires), and replace them with impartial members of our community who can evaluate Title IX claims without considering potential disciplinary measures for the…

When it comes to issues of sexual purity, pastors are not “just one of the guys” and should be held to a higher standard, influential pastor and author John Piper said. 

In a recent episode of his “Ask Pastor John” podcast, Piper, founder of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, weighed in on the question: “Is faultless chastity too high a standard for pastors?”

Piper first acknowledged that it takes “very special grace” to withstand sexual temptation — yet this grace is “is available in Christ to all Christians.”

The standard for church elders and pastors are higher than for ordinary Christian church members, he added, because of the special gifting required for elders and pastors called “teaching” and “governing.” 

“[T]here are ethical standards where the pastor is to be above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2), because he’s a very public figure and has the weighty calling of being an example to the flock (1 Peter 5:3) and an example to the world (1 Timothy 3:7),” he explained. 

Piper stressed that while many pastors try to give the impression, “with misplaced humility,” that they are “just one…

Americans support the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and oppose the “court-packing” proposal by Democrats to increase the size of the high court, according to new surveys.

A majority of likely voters – 58 percent – say they oppose the proposal to “increase the size of the Supreme Court to include more than nine justices” if Barrett is confirmed and Joe Biden wins the White House, according to a New York Times/Siena survey conducted Oct. 15-18, after Barrett’s hearings before the U.S. Senate. Less than one-third (31 percent) support the concept.

Opposition to court-packing (a term not used in the poll) comes from 89 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of independents/others, according to the poll. More than one-fourth (28 percent) of Democrats oppose adding seats to the Supreme Court.

Biden, the Democratic nominee, said during a town hall last week he was “open” to the concept and would announce his position on court-packing prior to the election, assuming Barrett is confirmed. Some Democrats and liberal pundits have proposed court-packing as a way to counter the influence of Barrett, a conservative who would replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a member of the liberal bloc.

Americans also support Barrett’s confirmation, according to the NYT/Siena survey and a new Gallup poll. Likely voters, by a slim…

By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post Reporter Follow | Tuesday, October 20, 2020

One of America’s oldest and largest African-American churches, Alfred Street Baptist Church, in Alexandria, Virginia, announced Tuesday that it has donated more than $1 million in surplus tithes to help a variety of community-based organizations since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

“A few years ago we were blessed to be able to donate $1 Million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. That’s why I’m so grateful to God that Alfred Street Baptist Church can continue to be a blessing to so many people in the community throughout our nation during this pandemic,” the Rev. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of the historic 10,000-member church, said in a statemement.

The donation was made as part of an initiative called Tithe-the-Tithe, that was started as a direct response to needs that emerged during the coronavirus pandemic for many organizations serving vulnerable communities.

“Clearly there was a lot of concern, dare I say even fear, some panic of what COVID would do. What would our numbers…

A Christian non-profit organization working in Korea has donated $1 million to The Jewish Agency for Israel.

According to CBN News, the money from One New Man Family will be used to help hundreds of Jews immigrate to Israel.

“Troubled times also bring opportunities to build bridges,” said One New Man family president, Pastor Eun Soo Seol.

“By our actions, we are expressing our love for the Jewish people and partnering with God in fulfillment of the biblical prophecy that promises the return of Jewish exiles to the Holy Land ‘from the four corners of the earth,’” he added.

Dvora Ganani-Elad, Goodwill Ambassador to the Christian World from The Jewish Agency for Israel, said it was an “honor” to support Israel.

“Korean Christians are beautiful people inside and out. Many of the 10 million Christians in South Korea see their support of Israel as more than just a moral choice but a Biblical mandate. We are so thankful for their generous support and friendship,” she said.

Shay Felber, director of Aliyah and Absorption for the Jewish Agency, said she expects some 250,000 people in the next five years who want to come to Israel.

“And we need to work together with the government of Israel in order to build a special plan that will help them to make Aliyah,” she said.

Last year, the Jewish Agency reported that from 2010 to 2019 more than 255,000 new…

A Christian Reformed Church pastor from Holland, Michigan has stepped down from his position due to the large support that his congregation has for President Donald Trump.

On Oct. 11, Keith Mannes delivered his final sermon to East Saugatuck CRC, after serving as its pastor for four years in his 30 years as a pastor in the Reformed Church.

Mannes explained to the Holland Sentinel that he first felt a personal disconnect when Trump first announced his presidential run in 2015.

“From the time he came down the escalator,” Mannes said of the internal conviction. “It’s only been building ever since. From the beginning, I thought there’s something about this man and the instrument that he is for a lot of things that are just very not Jesus.”

Mannes’ discomfort with the president would continue to grow, especially in controversial moments surrounding Trump.

One moment includes Trump’s 2017 comments following a violent protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he said that there “were fine people on both sides,” while also condemning neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

Mannes also brought up Trump’s photo op in front of St. John’s Church in Washington D.C. As Christian Headlines previously reported, in June, after nearby protesters were tear-gassed by law enforcement, the president walked to St. John’s Church and posed with a Bible for a photo op.

The pastor was…

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott says he’s excited about “God’s plan” for his life following an ankle injury that ended his season barely one month into the NFL schedule.

Prescott, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016, suffered a fracture to his right ankle Oct. 11 that required surgery. He was a fourth-round selection out of Mississippi State.

A smiling and upbeat Prescott recorded an Instagram video Oct. 15 updating fans on his health, saying he is “excited for God’s purpose and God’s plan.”

“I know it’s bigger than anything that I see, or could have imagined. But I’m trusting Him,” Prescott said. “My faith is doubled down more than ever, and I’m thankful that He’s my Savior and He guides me in life, so I know through Him, all of this will be possible and all this will be a great comeback and a great story.”

Prescott recorded the video while he was on his way to a medical checkup, post-surgery. He said he’s “doing well” and in “great spirits.”

“I can’t thank you enough for all your love, your support, your prayers over the last few days,” he said. “They’ve been more than overwhelming – from teammates, to family, to friends, to fans I don’t know, to former and current players around the league, and players around all sports, I just want to say thank you….

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh said Monday he has taken comfort in his faith during his ongoing battle with lung cancer, which he said has progressed “some” according to recent scans.

Limbaugh was diagnosed with advanced cancer in February and told his audience Monday he did not think he would make it to Oct. 1.

“There is no way back in January and February that I had anything but hope that I would still be alive on this day, Oct. 19, and that I would be fully productive working,” he said. “… I didn’t share that with anybody.”

Limbaugh has stage 4 lung cancer. Doctors won’t tell him how long they think he has left to live, he said. Without treatment, doctors said he would have died within a couple of months following the diagnosis, Limbaugh said.

His most recent scans showed “some recent progression” of the cancer.

“It’s not dramatic, but it is the wrong direction,” he said.

But Limbaugh says his faith – and his belief that God’s in control – gives him comfort.

“You know, I wake up every day and thank God that I did. I go to bed every night praying I’m gonna wake up. I don’t know how many of you do that, those of you who are not sick, those of you who are not facing something like I and countless other millions are. But it’s a blessing when you wake up. It’s a stop-everything-and-thank-God…