More than 1,000 people accepted Christ over the weekend during a Kanye West “Sunday Service” event in Baton Rouge, La., that drew thousands of people of all races, according to a pastor who attended. 

The worship service, held outdoors on Friday at Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, drew more than 5,000 people and ended with an altar call, Bethany officials said. 

“Tonight, worship was lifted, the name of Christ was exalted, the Word of God was preached, a multitude prayed together, the Gospel was clearly proclaimed, and an opportunity to respond was given,” Curvine Brewington, a pastor who attended the event, wrote on Instagram. Brewington is a student ministry pastor at Crossroads Church in Lafayette, La.

Kanye released his new album, Jesus Is King, late last month. He formerly was known as a mainstream rapper who performed music filled with coarse language. Since then, though, he says he has become a Christian and wants only to make Christ-centric music.  

Brewington said he saw “over 1,000 people respond to The Gospel by raising their hands to accept Jesus as their Lord & Savior!” People from “all walks of life, all ages, and all races” attended, he said on Instagram. 

“Say what you want, & think what you want … But trust me when I tell you – The Spirit of the Living God was indeed…

Over 88,000 people have signed a petition asking for authorities in India to release a Tennessee pastor from their country after he was detained for several days.

Bryan Nerren, a pastor who leads the International House of Prayer Ministries in Shelbyville and a nonprofit called Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, was incarcerated earlier this month by Indian police in what his attorney believes was religious targeting.

After getting off a plane in Bagdogra, Nerren was questioned and arrested for carrying large amounts of cash for Christian conferences happening in the country. He was denied visitation from the U.S. Consulate or his attorney for six days until his release. Though officials let him leave prison, they took away his passport, leaving him trapped in the country.

“He cannot leave. He cannot come home to his wife, children, and young grandchildren who surely can’t comprehend what’s happening to their grandfather … His entire family is suffering for this injustice,” the ACLJ, an advocacy group who is working on Nerren’s behalf, said in a statement. 

But Nerren has remained in high spirits as the number of people signing the petition rises. In a post on Facebook on Monday, the International House of Prayer Ministries said, “We are thankful that 100,000’s of people that are praying for Pastors release all around…

In an open letter to rapper Kanye West, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship and leader of the Harvest Crusades, Greg Laurie encouraged West and all new believers to read the Bible daily, pray often and share the word.

In the letter published by the Christian Post on Monday, Laurie wrote, “I think it’s amazing how you are using your considerable platform to talk about your newfound faith and the change it has made in your life,” Laurie said.

He encouraged West to grow in his faith with four practical steps: reading Scripture, prayer, church membership, and evangelism.

“You need to read the Bible every day,” the letter said. “After reading the lyrics of your new album Jesus Is King, it sounds like you are already doing this!”

Laurie continued to explain the importance of the Bible and how God uses His word to grow us closer to Him.

“Prayer is simply talking to God,” Laurie continued to his second encouragement. “The objective of prayer is not to move God my way, but to move me His way! So when you have burdens, or concerns, or worries or needs, commit them to the Lord in prayer—and trust that He will listen to you.”

West has not specifically mentioned any church affiliation in interviews, though he has been discipled by Adam Tyson, an evangelical pastor from California. The rapper also attended Tyson’s…

Churches and groups all over the world celebrated the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Sunday.

This year, churches are praying under the theme of “Persecuted but not abandoned.” In 2018, some 100,000 congregations took part in the IDOP, according to the Christian Post.

“This November let us unite in prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters,” said the IDOP organizers in a video posted to Vimeo earlier this month.

According to Open Doors USA, more than 245 million Christians are persecuted around the world. Persecution includes beatings, physical torture, confinement, rape, punishment, slavery and discrimination, the group said.

“These 245 million people are not just numbers; they are men, women and children, moms, dads, sons and daughters who all have names and share in common the fact they are being arrested, tortured, imprisoned and even killed for one reason – they follow Jesus,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

In an opinion column for Fox News, Perkins wrote that prayer for the persecuted has a long biblical history. He pointed to Hebrews 13:3, which says, “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them – those who are mistreated – since you yourselves are in the body also.”

Perkins also referred to Paul’s life, saying “the hunter became…

A street preacher is suing a city in Oregon after being prevented from preaching the gospel and expressing his pro-life views.

Mark Mayberry is seeking over $300k in damages after city officials attempted to prohibit him from handing out literature and displaying a pro-life sign at Waterfront Park in Portland.

“While Plaintiff expressed views that were undoubtedly controversial to some, his speech and conduct were civil, peaceful, and by no means incendiary,” wrote Ray Hacke, Mayberry’s lawyer, in the lawsuit, according to KOIN.

“Despite being cleared to resume free speech activities at Waterfront Park without fear of penalty, Plaintiff has not returned to the park — largely due to well-founded fears that he will be cited again,” Hacke added.

On June 1, Mayberry went to Waterfront Park and began handing out pro-life leaflets and displaying a pro-life sign. Mayberry did not hand out leaflets for long, however. Soon, the activist would be approached by a park official who ordered him to leave. When Mayberry refused, the park official cited him for disobeying the order. The official also issued Mayberry with an additional citation relating to harassment. He was told that he must not return to the park for 30 days.

Deeply disturbed by the action taken against him, Mayberry challenged the citation with the Portland City…

One of the stars from the hit Marvel movie Black Panther Letitia Wright challenged journalists who cut out her faith in a recent interview.

“It’s super cute when journalists/interviewers for magazines leave out the massive part where I give God the glory for the success/achievements in my life,” she wrote in a tweet, according to Fox News.

Wright, who gained stardom after her role as Shuri in “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” finished her tweet lightheartedly: “Haha I still love you and God will still be praised.”

The tweet came only a few days before Harper’s Bazaar named her as one of their “Women of the Year.” But the article failed to mention the role God and her faith has played in her life.

“A few years ago, I saw myself in a deep state of depression, and I literally wanted to quit acting,” the 26-year-old actress said after receiving the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) “Rising Star” Award. “The only thing that pretty much pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my faith, my family, and an email from BAFTA saying they wanted me to be a part of the BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, and I was like, ‘Let me try again.’”

She also credited God for her success in her speech.

In an interview with Hollywood Reporter last year, Wright opened up on her nearly crippling…