December 16, 2019 (Morning Star News) – As more government officials in China are empowered to close churches and a “social credit” system threatens to block Christians from schools, bank loans and jobs, authorities have taken harsh measures against more churches, sources said.

In Beijing, Early Rain Covenant Church elder Qin Defu was sentenced to four years in prison on Nov. 29, according to advocacy group China Aid Association (CAA). Qin was charged with illegal business operations as a result of the church using 20,000 Christian books, according to CAA.

Authorities had promised his family that he would be released if he accepted a state-appointed attorney, the group stated.

The charge on which Qin was sentenced could signal a stiff sentence for Pastor Wang, who has been charged with both “inciting subversion of the state” and illegal business practices after being arrested more than a year ago.

“Qin’s attorney said the church’s pastor, Wang Yi, admitted in a testimony that he was involved with these books,” CAA reported. “As such, the lawyer speculated Wang would receive no less than a 10-year sentence.”

Authorities on Dec. 9, 2018 arrested Pastor Wang and more than 100 members of Early Rain Covenant Church; most of them have been released, while Pastor Wang’s wife and child remain under house arrest.

In Shanghai, authorities raided Wheat Church on Dec. 1, broke up the unregistered…

A new Brazilian trade center has opened in Israel as Brazil has promised to move its Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem.

According to CBN News, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (APEX) office opened Sunday in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the opening of the APEX office will benefit both countries.

“The APEX office can help Brazil and Israel realize the potential of cooperation between us. Israel is the most dynamic innovation nation in the world,” Netanyahu said in a speech during the trade center’s grand opening ceremony.  “If we merge the great potentials that our two countries have, we can benefit each other unbelievably.

“This office, APEX, will be the spearhead of this vital development because the future belongs to those who innovate. And we are both eager to seize the future. We can do it better together,” Netanyahu added.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, a senior politician and son of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, said the country next wants to move its embassy to Jerusalem.

“We want to do a movement to Jerusalem, not only for Brazil, but to be an example to the rest of Latin America,” said Bolsonaro, who chairs Brazil’s International Affairs and National Defense Committee.

Earlier in December, President Bolsonaro said moving the embassy to the Holy City would also be important to Brazilian Christians.

“It is only symbolic, but it is…

After denying a high school freshman from starting a Christian group for being too exclusive, a New York school district has reversed its decision and will now allow the student to organize the club, according to CBN News.

“We are grateful to Wappingers Central school district officials for acting swiftly to ensure that religious students can freely exercise their right to meet together at school,” said Keisha Russell, counsel for First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit First Amendment protection group. “Daniela is thrilled she’ll be allowed to form a club so those who share her faith can express who they are and encourage each other.”

As Christian Headlines previously reported, the controversy began when high school freshman Daniela Barca requested to start a club, “OMG! Christian Club,” at her school and was denied. Principal David Seipp told her that the club would not be recognized because it would be “seen as exclusive.”

Barca responded with a letter to the Assistant Superintendent Daren Lolkema with further explanation on the reason for starting the club:

“I am a Christian. But sometimes it seems like I’m the only one,” she wrote. “I want to start this club for other students like me so we can support each other in our beliefs. The school district celebrates diversity and the right to express who you are. All I want is to be allowed to express who I am. Everyone…

CHICAGO (RNS) — Former Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald is suing Chicago radio personality Erich “Mancow” Muller for defamation after Muller used his radio show to — in the host’s words — “bring down the cult of MacDonald.”

MacDonald was fired from the Chicago-area megachurch in February after Muller aired clips of a recording of purported remarks by MacDonald in which he allegedly insulted critics, including freelance journalist Julie Roys and several people associated with Christianity Today.

Both Christianity Today and Roys (for both World magazine and her own website) have reported on controversy at Harvest surrounding MacDonald’s leadership.

In the lawsuit filed Thursday (Dec. 12) in Cook County Circuit Court, MacDonald is seeking more than $50,000 in damages. The suit accuses Muller and Cumulus Media — which airs “Mancow” on WLS 890-AM — of multiple counts of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, eavesdropping and more.

As a result, according to the lawsuit, “MacDonald sustained injury to his reputation, humiliation, anxiety, embarrassment, mental anguish, the termination of his position as Senior Pastor of HBC, and monetary damages.”

It points not only to the recording Muller aired but also to instances on his show when Muller called the pastor a “con man” and “big fake,” as well as allegations Muller made…

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals gave Ohio pro-lifers new hope last week when it agreed to hear an appeal of a state law banning abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis.

A three-judge panel on the Sixth Circuit struck down the law in a 2-1 decision in October, but on Friday the full Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals took up the case in what is known as an en banc hearing. 

A date for oral arguments has not been set.

The 2017 Ohio law bans doctors from performing abortions if the doctor “has knowledge that the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion, in whole or in part” due to a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis. 

The Sixth Circuit is the same appeals court that upheld a Kentucky law requiring abortion doctors to show an ultrasound to the pregnant woman before every abortion, and also allow her to hear the heartbeat, if one is present. The Kentucky law allows the woman to decline the offer. 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, filed the appeal to the full Sixth Circuit. 

The state’s petition argues that Ohio has the constitutional right to pass “anti-eugenics laws.”

“Anti-eugenics laws protect the dignity of people living with conditions or traits targeted for abortion,” the petition says. “When society pursues the eradication of unborn children exhibiting a particular trait, it sends a message that people living with that trait are not as valuable as others….

A new study showing the United States has the world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households is being called a “national tragedy” by one sociologist.

The Pew Research Center study of 130 countries and territories shows that 23 percent of U.S. children under the age of 18 live with one parent and no other adults – more than three times the global average of 7 percent.

By comparison, 3 percent of children in China, 4 percent in Nigeria, 5 percent in India and 15 percent in Canada live in single-parent households, according to the Pew study.

Glenn T. Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family, called the data “disturbing.” Sadly, he said, it is largely “those in the lower half of the socio-economic scale that live in single-parent homes” and have “babies outside of wedlock.”

“These numbers are growing dramatically for the high school educated and declining for those with college and advanced degrees,” Stanton told Christian Headlines. “This means that the kinds of families they are forming will serve to trap them in the underclass, making it nearly impossible to climb to higher social rungs. This has long been a national tragedy.”

Children in European countries are generally more likely to live in single-parent homes than those in Asia, but still less likely than children in the U.S. The percentages for the…

Actor Gary Sinise, best known for his role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, took 1,750 family members of fallen soldiers on a five-day trip to Disney World.

According to a local news outlet, the trip is part of the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Snowball Express. The program started in 2006 when Sinise fulfilled a fallen soldier’s wish to take his kids to Disney World.

“The important ingredient is that these kids meet each other and they know they’re not alone,” Sinise said. “They make friendships that last a lifetime.”

Families from over 87 cities throughout the world came to the “most magical place on Earth” with a surviving parent or guardian. This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Snowball Express. Partnering with corporate sponsors, such as American Airlines, the Foundation sees this trip as an important part of the family’s healing process.

“I’ve gotten to know a lot of these families,” Sinise said. “I love them and I want to just do something to help them through.”

Inspired by his role as a Vietnam veteran in Forrest Gump, the actor has dedicated much of his time and charity to caring for veterans and their families. He’s partnered with the Disabled American Veterans organization, participated in a few USO tours, and created the Lt. Dan Band, which travels around the world to entertain US troops abroad.

Earlier this year, Faithwire reported…

Over the weekend, the two-year-old daughter of Bethel music leader Kalley Heiligenthal, Olive Alayne, stopped breathing in her sleep. Doctors pronounced her dead shortly after.

In their grief, Kalley and her husband Andrew issued an urgent request of prayer for their infant daughter, according to Faithwire. 

“We believe in a Jesus who died and conclusively defeated every grave, holding the keys to resurrection power,” she said in an Instagram post. “We are asking for bold, unified prayers from the global church to stand with us in belief that He will raise this little girl back to life. Her time here is not done, and it is our time to believe boldly, and with confidence wield what King Jesus paid for. It’s time for her to come to life.”

A GoFundMe account has been created to help the Heiligenthal family recover from medical costs.

Kalley joined the worship services on Sunday morning after her daughter’s death, singing a line from the song “Way Maker.”

“Even when I don’t see it, you’re working,” she said from the stage. “And even when I don’t feel it, you’re working. You never stop, you never stop working.”

Bethel Music has stood beside the grieving family, posting Instagram photos of the toddler’s name written in Sharpie on their hands.

“Going into worship tonight declaring LIFE—that as we lift up the name of Jesus everything…