Adrienne Opens Up About Her New Boo Israel Houghton

Adrienne Bailon opens up for the first time about her new relationship with Israel Houghton.

– Credit : Youtube/The Real Daytime

Complaint Against UMC Clergywoman in Same-Sex Relationship Moves Forward

Christian Post Report – A complaint against a United Methodist Church clergywoman who recently admitted to being involved in a same-sex relationship will move forward.

According to the UMC’s Book of Discipline, ordained clergy cannot be involved in a same-sex relationship or marriage, even in places where such unions have legal recognition.

A complaint filed against the Rev. Cynthia Meyer of Edgerton United Methodist Church in Kansas will proceed after a failed negotiation between her and the Great Plains Conference.

Scott Jones(Photo: Great Plains Conference)Bishop Scott Jones, head of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Scott J. Jones, head of the conference, spoke to The Christian Post about the status of the formal complaint against Meyer.

“There’s a period called a supervisory response that aims at a just resolution. We did not agree on a just resolution and so the complaint has been referred to a counsel for the church,” said Jones.

“He is preparing a judicial complaint that will go to a committee on investigation. The date for that meeting of the committee on investigation has not been set, but will be several weeks away. The committee on investigation will then decide if the case should be referred for trial or not.”

Jones also told CP that one of the options for a resolution to the dispute would be for the congregation to leave the UMC; a move that Jones opposes.

“That was one of the options that exist in the Book of Discipline and part of what I offered to her was to make the Edgerton congregation aware of that possibility,” continued Jones.

“I do not seek to have any church leave the denomination, but as a way of offering part of a resolution, I would be willing to let them know about that option.”

Unlike other Mainline Protestant denominations, the UMC officially states that homosexuality is sinful and bars clergy from being involved in same-sex relationships.

“The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexual are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church,” reads the UMC Book of Discipline.

“‘Self-avowed practicing homosexual’ is understood to mean that a person openly acknowledges to a bishop, district superintendent, district committee of ordained ministry, board of ordained ministry, or clergy session that the person is a practicing homosexual.”

In a sermon preached on the first Sunday in January, Meyer told her congregation at Edgerton that she was in a relationship with a woman and wanted to remain an ordained clergy.

“On Epiphany Sunday, I stood before one tiny congregation and declared, ‘I will not live in the darkness.’ And now, I will not surrender my credentials or accept as ‘Just Resolution’ an unjust list of demands and contingencies,” said Meyer.

“I will not ask that faithful congregation to leave the denomination it has lovingly served for decades. I will, instead, continue to follow the light of love, justice and full inclusion for all.”

The case comes as the denomination readies for its General Conference, scheduled to be held in May in Portland, Oregon.

The UMC’s position on homosexuality is expected to be debated, with resolutions sent to the delegates that seek to amend the Book of Discipline’s official positions.

“There are proposals before it to change the Church’s laws. One of the proposals would allow self-avowed practicing homosexuals to be appointed to serve as pastors in our churches,” explained Jones.

“If the General Conference adopts that, then Cynthia Meyer’s situation will change. If the General Conference doesn’t change the rule, then the complaint will go forward.”

Source : Christian Post

Candace Cameron Bure Celebrates 40th Birthday With Christian Band ‘for King & Country’

Candace Cameron Bure (Photo:Facebook/Candace Cameron Bure)

Backstage at “The View” Candace Cameron Bure with Joel Smallbone of her favorite band For King & Country, April 6 2016

Christian Post Report – Candace Cameron Bure has been on full celebration mode for her 40th birthday, and in a live taping of “The View” this week, the actress was consumed with tears as her favorite band, for King & Country, brought out her daughter for a surprise concert.

Two-time Grammy Award winners for King & Country debuted their new song, “Priceless,” from their forthcoming movie of the same name, live on the popular talk show Wednesday morning. The performance was in honor Bure, but also marked the first time that the group performed the song on national television.

Midway through the song as the Australian duo sang about the value of women, Bure’s 17-year-old daughter, Natasha, joined the band on stage to sing the second half of “Priceless.”

The proud mom regularly posts videos of her only daughter singing worship songs in church but being surprised on live TV took things to a whole other level. Bure just watched and cried, sang, and danced along until the performance was over. When finished, she ran up on stage and gave her daughter a bear hug as they both continued crying.

Co-host Raven-Symone asked Natasha how her family was able to keep all of this a secret from Bure as she’s known to be the “mama hen.” Natasha replied, “Well, we are good secret keepers!”

Shortly after, the rest of the Bure family was called out from backstage and her well dressed husband, Valeri, and sons, Maksim and Lev, joined them.

When asked to say something about mom, Lev talked about the legacy his mother has already made in her 40 years of life. He also said she’s a great mom and the whole family is proud of her.

The “Fuller House” star and her husband did not hold back from showing one another affection. The two have been married for 20 years and he could not help but gush over his wife when given the floor to speak. “It’s been a great journey. … Happy birthday, sweetie! It’s been awesome, and we’re so happy to be here for you. We love you!” The former international hockey player added.

Bure was also surprised by her parents and sister during the live taping as well as received personalized videos from the “Full House” cast, whose new series, “Fuller House,” was just renewed for a second season. Bure is also a new advice columnists for J-14 magazine,along with her daughter.

Source : Christian Post

Canada Shuts Down Religious Freedom Office; USCIRF Says It’s ‘Unfortunate’ Message to Send World

Canada, Office of Religious Freedom (Photo:Facebook/Canada’s Office of Religious Freedom)

Inaugural meeting of the External Advisory Committee.(From L to R): Minister Rob Nicholson, Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Corinne Box of the Bahá’í Community of Canada and Malik Talib, president of the Aga Khan Council for Canada.

Christian Post Report – Canada’s Office of Religious Freedom was effectively shut down last month after that country’s new liberal government decided not to renew the mandate of the office.

The office was established in 2013 to promote and protect human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, as an important part of Canada’s constructive leadership in the world.

“Discrimination against religious and belief communities, as with all forms of discrimination, causes human suffering, spreads division, and contributes to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada has made recognition of and respect for diversity a priority, both at home and abroad,” noted the website of the office.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion confirmed at a global affairs conference last Tuesday that the office was done according to The Globe and Mail.

During a speech at the University of Ottawa a week earlier he said the new government would be looking to address the issue of religious freedom through different means.

“Our government shares the same conviction as the previous government, but it assesses the consequences of its chosen method of promoting this conviction differently. I am referring to freedom of religion or belief, which we will defend tooth and nail, but not through the office that the Harper government specifically set up for this purpose,” said Dion.

The mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom expired on March 31.

Two weeks ago the Conservative Party of Canada tabled a motion in the House of Commons to renew the mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom. The Liberals, according to The Globe and Mail, voted against the motion and it was defeated 225 to 90.

Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall for the office, Religious Freedom Ambassador Andrew Bennett, who was appointed by the Conservatives in 2013, accepted a position as a senior fellow at Cardus, a leading Christian think tank prior to the motion.

Bennett’s three-year term at the office was originally set to end in February, but it was extended by the Liberals to March 31 to coincide with the expiration of the office’s mandate and $5-million in annual funding.

Katrina Lantos Swett, commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, told WORLD News Service that shutting down the office is an “unfortunate” message to send to the world.
“We now have one less strong partner and one less voice for religious freedom,” Swett said. “This is a very unfortunate message to send out to the rest of the world at this time.”

Phil Horgan, president of Canada’s Catholic Civil Rights League, agreed.

“That office was punching above its weight,” Horgan told Baptist Press. “The decision by the Liberals to effectively shut it down in favor of, well, nothing, is rather disappointing.”

Swett and Horgan praised Bennett’s work at the office and noted that Canada will no longer have a focal point for international religious issues or someone to send to engage in foreign talks.

“Religious freedom deserves unique focus, particularly in this time in history,” Bruce Clemenger, president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada told Baptist Press. “We lost an important capacity today.”

Official speech of the Office of Religious Freedom

I proposed a motion in the House of Commons to renew the mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom. Here is my full speech, explaining the work of the office and why it matters. We spent a full day debating my motion. I will be posting more highlights from that debate soon.

Posted by Garnett Genuis on Monday, April 4, 2016

Contact: [email protected]; follow me on Twitter @leoblair

Source : Christian Post

Christian Parents Regain Custody of Infant Son Taken by Norwegian Child Services

Bodnariu family (Photo: BodnariuFamily.Org)

Ruth and Marius Bodnariu pose with their baby son, Ezekiel, in this undated photo.

Christian Post Report – The Romanian Pentecostal parents of five children who were seized by Norwegian child services last November due to spanking allegations have finally regained custody of their infant son following a court ruling, the family’s spokesman announced.

The five children of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu were removed from the family’s home in Naustdal by the Barnevernet (Norwegian child services) on Nov. 16, 2015, and were placed in three separate foster homes after one of their daughters told her school principal about how her parents spank her and her siblings as a form of discipline, which is illegal under Norwegian law.

After months of limited visitation rights with their children, the family’s spokesman, Pastor Cristian Ionescu, a Chicago-based pastor and vice president of the Romanian Pentecostal Union in the United States and Canada, announced this week that a Norwegian judge has ruled that the parents are to be reunited with their yongest son, Ezekiel.

“Norwegian judge partially ruled in support of the Bodnariu family: the custody decision for Ezekiel has been reversed!” Ionescu wrote in a statement. “The judge instructed that baby Ezekiel should go to be home with his biological parents!”

While Ionescu’s initial statement explained that the family was waiting on the agency to comply with the ruling, Ionescu wrote in another statement issued on the family’s website that the Barnevernet complied and Ezekiel and his parents were officially reunited.

Although the other four children — two boys and two girls — remain in the Barnevernet’s custody, the judge has granted both parents the right to visit with their two oldest sons twice a week for two hours at a time. No news is yet known about the status of the two Bodnariu daughters.

“Note, this ruling is a ‘step’ in the judicial process and does NOT end the Bodnariu’s appeal or fight to regain full and unhindered custody of ALL of their FIVE children,” Ionescu asserted. “The battle for the children continues!”

The Christian Post reached out to Ionescu for further comment on the next steps in the legal process but he could not be reached before publication.

The parents appeared in court on March 14-15 to argue for why they should have custody of their children and also participated in a 40-day fast.

In Mid February, the entire family was reunited for the first time since the children were removed from the home for a three-hour visiting session, where they played, talked and ate a meal together as a family.

“It was joyous because for the first time in three months, Marius and Ruth were together with all five children at the same time, in the same place,” Ionescu wrote on the family website on Feb. 18. “It was such a happy reunion, for everybody had so much to say.”

The Bodnariu family (Photo: Facebook/Norway, Return the children to Bodnariu Family)

The Bodnariu family.

Although the charges against the parents are based on the allegations of physical abuse, a Texas-based lawyer with access to court and government records claimed in February that the records indicate that the government targeted the family prior to the removal of the children because of the family’s belief that “God punishes sin.”

“They plainly state that Barnevernet ‘is worried that this is a way of upbringing which is justified by the Bible,'” Peter Costea, the the president of the Alliance for Romania’s Families, wrote in an analysis of the situation. “The authorities pivoted their contemplated removal of the children on the ‘attitude’ the parents ‘have to their own faith and way of upbringing when it comes to religion.'”

Other Christians, including other Romanian Pentecostals, in Norway believe that it is outrageous to claim that the children were taken from their parents over religion.

“Every ethnic religious group may worship and raise their children according to their beliefs, as long as they don’t violate Norwegian law,” Andreas Hegertun, the spokesman for the Norwegian Pentecostal Movement, told CP in February.

“In practice this means as long as they don’t use violence,” he added. “I have never heard of anyone getting in trouble with the government for any other reason than violence, serious neglect or addictions. In this matter we, as churches, strongly agree with our government that violence toward children is not accepted.”

Thousands of protesters have participated in numerous demonstrations held in cities across the world, calling on the Norwegian government to return the Bodnariu children to their parents.

Over 30 protests will be held in support of the Bodnariu family on April 16 in cities all across Europe, according to a protest schedule posted to the family’s website.

Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith

Source : Christian Post

Morgan Freeman’s ‘The Story of God’ Explores Christian Testimony of Hurricane Katrina Survivors (Exclusive Clip)

The Story of God (Photo: National Geographic/Morgan Freeman)

Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman travels the globe to explore how different cultures view God in the NatGeo docu-series, “The Story of God.”

Christian Post Report – In the upcoming episode of “The Story of God,” Morgan Freeman travels to New Orleans to speak to survivors of Hurricane Katrina and learn how their Christian faith enabled them to overcome hardship and rebuild their community.

Freeman travels to 20 cities in seven different countries and takes viewers along his quest to find answers to the mysteries of faith.

In episode 2 titled “Apocalypse,” viewers get a glimpse of the Hollywood actor at Carrollton Avenue Church of Christ in New Orleans with two ministers who are survivors of the 2005 hurricane that hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which led to water levees and flood walls breaking in New Orleans and flooding 80 peecent of the city.

While Freeman learned that some residents believed the hurricane was the end of the world, others who sought refuge at their local church said they found hope, and knew God would bring them through the tragedy.

Angela and Charles Marsalis, who were among those who took shelter at their church, said they planned to lodge at the church for the night and return to their home the next day. But as they watched the flood waters rise and cover the pews as they huddled in safety in the church balcony, they realized that would not be their reality.

“I just begin to kneel down and pray. We could actually see the water rising and we thought it’d stop but it kept rising,” Angela toldFreeman.

Many roadways were cut off by more than 100 billion gallons of water, which only delayed rescue attempts by lcoal and state organizatons and relief supplies to be distributed for those where were stranded on top of roofs and on bridges.

The couple also described seeing snakes and alligators in the water, and drug dealers and gun slingers on thestreets, along with many who were sick and in need of medical assistance.

“I felt the devil was at work,” Charles said. “It was a really dark time.”

When Freeman asked how they coped, Charles responded: “Well, I’m a minister and you got children of God sitting here. I told my wife, ‘it’s time for us to get busy, we have to do something.’ So we started singing and the next thing you know in the darkness you can hear people saying, ‘Sing this song, sing that song.'”

They sung the whole night and maintained that they just knew God would get them out of there.

“Not even Katrina could shake that faith of God, no way,” Charles concluded.

For more information on “The Story of God” with Freeman, visit www.natgeotv.com.

Source : Christian Post

Justin Bieber Praises God for Helping Him Be a Better Person

justin bieber (Photo: Reuters/Stefan Wermuth)

Justin Bieber accepts the award for best international male artist at the BRIT Awards at the O2 arena in London, February 24, 2016.

Christian Post Report – Justin Bieber thanked God for helping him grow as a person after going through a dark period where he rebelled against the world while being scrutinized in the public eye.

The 22-year-old Canadian crooner won the Male Artist of the Year award at the iHeartRadio Awards in California April 3. There, he reflected about some of the tumultuous experiences he underwent in the public eye.

“Thanks to God… I’ve experienced some tough times,” Bieber said during his speech, according to Yahoo. “I think all of us. It’s about just our growth and learning.”

The pop star started as a YouTube sensation who rose to fame at the age of 15. In 2014, Bieber had an especially tough year in the public eye after he was accused of assaulting a limousine driver in Toronto, egging his neighbor’s home, being arrested for a DUI, questionable driving in Miami and allegedly taking part in lewd acts like urinating in a prison cell.

He previously spoke to the Mirror about the source of his behavior.

“I was rebelling against the world. I started to believe the hype and was acting a certain way,” Bieber said. “I was just being a jerk. I got so involved in ‘me me me’.”

While the singer admits he has matured, he also knows there is more work to be done.

“There’s so much I need to work on. And I’m still getting days where I’m depressed and upset,” he revealed. “But I know that I’m not where I used to be. So that really keeps me motivated­. I’m not where I wanna be. That’s kind of a cool little slogan I’ve been living by.”

However, he has publicly recognized that God has made him a better person.

“I feel like that’s why I have a relationship with Him, because I need it. I suck by myself,” he said in a GQ magazine interview.  “Like, when I’m by myself and I feel like I have nothing to lean on? Terrible. Terrible person.”

Although he admits to doing “stupid” things, the “Sorry” singer said his actions would be worse without God.

“If I was doing this on my own, I would constantly be doing things that are, I mean, I still am doing things that are stupid, but…It just gives me some sort of hope and something to grasp onto,” Bieber said. “…A feeling of security, and a feeling of being wanted, and a feeling of being desired, and I feel like we can only get so much of that from a human.”

The pop star admits he has been hurt by people and recognizes that he cannot rely entirely on others in the way he can with God.

“I’ve had people that burned me so many times,” Bieber told GQ. “If we invest everything we have in a human, we’re gonna get broken.”

Source : Christian Post

Tracy Morgan Expresses God’s Love Toward Driver That Nearly Killed Him

Tracy Morgan (Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake)

Actor Tracy Morgan and his wife, Megan Wollover, pose backstage during the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, September 20, 2015.

Christian Post Report – Tracy Morgan is focused more on God and love than being angry at the man who almost took his life two years ago.

Morgan, the 47-year-old comedian and “30 Rock” star, spent two weeks in a coma when Wal-Mart truck driver Kevin Roper crashed into the entertainer’s limo. While Morgan and four of his friends were critically injured, the accident killed comedy writer James McNair, 62.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the matter and realized that Roper was speeding before crashing into Morgan’s limo after working a 13 hour shift and not sleeping for over 25 hours.

Years later, Roper has pled not guilty to charges like aggravated manslaughter in the accident that took a life. However, Morgan told media tycoon Oprah Winfrey that he has left the situation in God’s hands.

“I’m not mad at nobody,” he told Winfrey during her OWN TV show “Super Soul Sunday.” “I’m leaving stuff in God’s hands.”

These days, the entertainer is focused on God and love after being given a second chance to live.

“Something’s different, the way I am with people, something’s just different. I find myself saying ‘I love you’ 200 times a day to strangers,” he said. “That’s how we’re supposed to be as human beings. What we see sometimes down here on Earth, there there ain’t no room for that up in heaven.”

In a previous interview with Complex magazine, Morgan revealed that he met God while spending two weeks in a coma.

“I went to the other side. This is not something I’m making up,” he told the publication. “Do you know what God said to me? ‘Your room ain’t ready.. I still got something for you to do.'”

For Morgan coming back from the life altering accident made it hard to return to a sense of normalcy.

“You’re never going to be normal after you go through something like that. You don’t die for a few weeks and then come back to normal, trust me,” he said. “Something’s going to be missing, something’s going to be gained — you just got to live your life after that. But after surviving something like that, I’m probably never going to feel normal.”

Source : Christian Post

Kelly Rowland Grateful to God for Support From Celebrity Friends

Kelly Rowland album (PHOTO:REUTERS/Danny Moloshok)

Singer Kelly Rowland arrives at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles August 28, 2011.

Christian Post Report – Two years after her mother passed away, singer Kelly Rowland is grateful to God that she is surrounded by supportive women.

The 35-year-old mother of one-year-old Titan Jewell Weatherspoon spoke about her former Destiny’s Child members and singer Solange Knowles being a blessing to her.

” I can call Michelle for prayer. I call Bey for motherly advice,” Rowland told HuffPost Live. “I call Solange [Knowles] for school advice. … like all of my friends who are mothers. It’s just really a blessing.”

Entertainers like Jennifer Hudson are part of a list of famed people that Rowland is thanking God for.

“It’s so awesome to have women in the industry, who are so beautiful, so hard working and secure and lovely women who want to be there to support you,” she said. “So I’m just so grateful to God I have that circle of women around me.”

Aside from her girlfriends in the industry, Rowland has leaned heavily on her husband, Tim Witherspoon, and son for support. While on “The Meredith Vieira Show” last year, Rowland spoke about her husband and son helping her deal with the loss of her mother.

“It’s definitely been a challenge. My husband says, ‘You know babe you should think about it as a new normal,'” Rowland told host Meredith Vieira. “I think I’ve done that but I’m so blessed to have my son. I don’t think I’ve had the time to really really grieve but I feel her presence often.”

Rowland went on to describe instances when she felt her mother was present with her son.

“Something that happened the other day Titan was laughing and I was like ‘what is this boy laughing at’ because it was such a belly filled giggle. He was looking up and smiling and laughing,” Rowland recalled on the talk show. “I was like, that’s mom. I just know she is always near and I am just so grateful for that.”

Despite her loss, Rowland believes there was a divine plan in place saying, “God gave me an angel, he took one of my angels away but he still has her covering and hovering over us and I’m so blessed for that.”

After the loss of her mother, Rowland released a heartfelt statement to fans about losing the important woman in her life.

“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my mother, Doris Rowland Garrison. She was an incredible soul who made countless sacrifices so that I could become the woman — and now mother — I am today,” Rowland said in a statement obtained by E! News. “We humbly appreciate all the love and support and only ask for privacy during this difficult time.”

Now, Rowland is able to reflect and realize that her son helped her get through the tough time.

“It was a tough, emotional point for me. I remember not wanting to be sad for Titan,” she told XO Necole. “I wanted to keep myself together because I believe that all that stress and grief can be passed on to your baby. Knowing Titan needed me, and having that to focus on, helped me through.”

Rowland is starring and executive producing the BET show “Chasing Destiny,” which airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

Source : Christian Post

‘Empire’ Actor Trai Byers Dreamed of Acting at Bible Camp

Trai Byers (Photo: Reuters/Phil McCarten)

Cast member Trai Byers attends a screening of the television series “Empire” in Los Angeles, California, March 12, 2015.

Christian Post Report – Before Trai Byers became a memorable character on the hit FOX show “Empire,” he was dreaming about acting at Bible camp.

In an interview with Bleu magazine, the 32-year-old actor recalled the Christian camp being the origin of where his acting dreams were birthed.

“I’m told that as a kid at vacation Bible camp, [the church] asked me what I wanted to be and I said a movie star,” Byers recalled. “The first performance I remember seeing and thinking, wow, this is somebody who is actually doing this for living. I’m not watching this in real life.”

Byers portrays Andre, a bipolar man who is beginning his journey into Christianity on the show. He previously expressed his gratitude for being cast in the dramatic hip-hop series.

“I’m so proud, so happy, and so lucky to be a part of this cast,” he wrote. “This show has started my career. See you in Season Three!”

Andre was first introduced as a villain on the show, before character development revealed unresolved childhood issues and a bipolar disorder. When he first appeared on the show, Byers received threats from fans who likened the actor to the character he played on television.

However, this reminded the actor to put his faith to practical use.

“On social media and on the street people were saying, ‘if I see Trai on the street I’m going to slap him in the face.’ Whether it’s true or not, It’s not a good thing to hear,” Byers previously recalled to The Christian Post. “Ultimately knowing God and reading the word it helps with patience with people, understanding, empathy and sympathy that they might not have what I have. If God gave it to me, why not exercise it?”

Weeks later, it seems Byers’ patience paid off after people familiar with the struggles of mental illness began to thank him for his realistic approach on the show. With Nielsen reporting that 21.1 million people tuned in to watch creator Lee Daniels’ Empire Season 1 finale, Byers understands the responsibility that comes along with the platform he was given.

“I know a part of my journey now, the reason I’m an actor now, the platform that I have now, I’m supposed to share the Lord with people. All of us are disciples on some level,” he told CP. “You don’t have to be behind the podium to tell a story, connect with people and share the gospel.”

Source : Christian Post