For years, Hollywood hasn’t had the best reputation for its tolerance of Christians. In fact, it’s even been suggested that an actor’s religious beliefs could actually hurt their career. But as more and more faith-based films find their niche, Christian stars like actress Gianna Simone say this is starting to change.

Actress Gianna Simone is deeply committed to her faith. It’s just part of who she is. So, being a “vocal” Christian just comes naturally, no matter where she is or who she’s with.

“Jesus is so much a part of me. No matter where I work or what I choose to do, I always try to be my authentic self and God is so much a part of that,” she explains. “In how I treat co-workers, directors, casting directors, crew, and strangers. I maintain this way of living by knowing who I am and Who I depend on- especially when it comes to the purpose He’s given me.”

What’s awesome is that Gianna does just as much secular acting (Star Trek: Into Darkness, Mother’s Day) as she does faith-based films (God’s Not Dead 2, I Can Only Imagine).

That means she’s bringing her incredible faith to Hollywood sets where many of the people present are nonbelievers. And from where she sits, being a Christian in Hollywood doesn’t carry the same stigma it once did.

“I think now, in the times that we live in, we march to the beat of our…

The concept of a loving God is a “uniquely Christian idea,” says North Point Community Church Senior Pastor Andy Stanley in his newest book.

Titled Irresistible: Reclaiming the New that Jesus Unleashed for the World, Stanley’s latest book was released Tuesday by Zondervan.

In chapter 18, Stanley wrote about the New Testament book of 1 John, at one point focusing on 4:16, which reads in part “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

“John equated God with love. This was novel. This was unique. This would change the world,” wrote Stanley. “God is love is a uniquely Christian idea.”

To justify his theological argument, Stanley contrasted Christian belief in a loving God with the religious views of both Near East paganism and Judaism.

“No one credited the pagan gods with being love or loving. They were jealous, fickle, capricious, and entertained themselves by trifling in human affairs,” Stanley explains.

“For Jews, God was holy. Separate. Unapproachable. He lived behind a curtain. His love was reserved for his covenant people.”

Stanley describes John’s “God is love” statement as being “epic,” especially given…

COLUMBUS, Ohio (RNS) — Half of Protestant pastors say they preach to their churches about domestic and sexual violence, an increase from four years ago, when only a third said they raised the issue, a new survey shows.

LifeWay Research took a detailed look at Protestant clergy’s attitudes toward abuse and harassment and what they’ve done about it, surveying 1,000 pastors by phone during the summer of 2018 as the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements dominated the news.

The research results were announced during the annual conference of the Religion News Association and released Tuesday (Sept. 18) by We Will Speak Out U.S., a partnership including the social justice organization Sojourners and IMA World Health, an interfaith health agency, both of which co-sponsored the research.

Surveyed in June and July, 51 percent of Protestant pastors said they speak to their congregation about the issues at least several times a year, compared with 34 percent in 2014. Almost two-thirds of the pastors surveyed this year and four years ago said that domestic or sexual violence occurs in the lives of their congregants.

Jenna Barnett, coordinator of Sojourners’ Women and Girls Campaign, said the survey — coming as some Protestant and Catholic clergy “fall necessarily from glory” amid abuse and harassment allegations — is part of an effort to ascertain the level of understanding…

CHICAGO (RNS) — Steve Carter was supposed to be in front of his congregation interviewing Ira Glass, the famed NPR journalist and host of “This American Life.” 

Instead, the lead teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church was throwing up backstage.

Carter, 38, had become physically ill that Sunday, Aug. 5, after reading an article published that morning in The New York Times about the church’s founding pastor, Bill Hybels. The newspaper reported allegations from Hybels’ former assistant Pat Baranowski, who said that Hybels had fondled her breasts, rubbed against her and once engaged her in oral sex.

For months, the evangelical Christian megachurch in the Chicago suburbs had been rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct against Hybels. Reading Baranowski’s story was “a breaking point,” Carter said.

“I felt like my body was shutting down,” Carter told Religion News Service. 

While church leaders scrambled to respond to the Times report, Carter walked out the door, went home and began typing out his resignation. As soon as services ended, he announced his departure on his blog. 

“The new facts and allegations that came to light this morning are horrifying, and my heart goes out to Ms. Baranowski and her family for the pain they have lived with,” he wrote. “These most recent revelations have also compelled me to make…