President Donald Trump, whose weekend Twitter tirade targeted Baltimore Congressman Elijah Cummings and TV host-activist Al Sharpton, met with 20 or so African-American pastors Monday to discuss numerous issues facing the African American community.

“What I was impressed by is how much support we got from the African American pastors,” Maryland Bishop Harry Jackson told the Christian Post. “And they’re basically saying that we realize that we’re in a volatile, contentious political environment but we think that Trump has been more than faithful in just following up and making sure things that he promises he does.”

The meeting, which was not listed on the White House’s Monday schedule, came after a Twitter exchange in which Trump took Cummings to task, calling his congressional district a rat-infested and crime-ridden place “no human being would want to live.”

Trump went on to call the House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman a “racist,” adding that “his radical ‘oversight’ is a joke.” Cummings has been highly critical of Trump’s border policies and has pushed for numerous investigations against the President and his administration.

On Monday, Trump turned his attention to Al Sharpton, calling him a “con man” after the MSNBC pundit came to Cummings’ defense.

Jackson, pastor of Hope…

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren backed the decriminalization of illegal border crossings while Sen. Bernie Sanders supported giving illegal immigrants free health care during the first night of the Democratic debate Tuesday in Detroit.

Ten candidates participated, led by Sanders (Vt.) and Warren (Mass.), who are second and third, respectively, in Real Clear Politics’ average of polls for the Democratic nomination. Former Vice President Joe Biden – who leads the polls – will be in Wednesday night’s lineup. 

Immigration was a key issue Tuesday night. 

“We need to continue to have border security… but what we can’t do is not live our values,” Warren said. “I’ve been down to the border. I have seen the mothers. I have seen the cages of babies. We must be a country that everyday lives our values. … and one way to fix it is to decriminalize.”

America, she said, needs a “sane system that keeps us safe at the border, but does not criminalize the activity of a mother fleeing here for safety.”

CNN’s Dana Bash asked Sanders if his free health care proposal for illegal immigrants would increase illegal crossings. He said it wouldn’t “because we’ll have strong border protections.” 

“I happen to believe that when I talk about health care as a human right, that applies to all people in this country, and under a…

A group of religious leaders in Maryland say President Donald Trump’s comments about the city of Baltimore were “horrible” and “demeaning.”

According to the Christian Post, the Ecumenical Leaders’ Group of Maryland, a group of leaders from many different religions, released a letter this week rebuking Trump for his comments.

“Recently, much to our dismay and profound sadness, you publicly slurred our beloved City of Baltimore in a tweet. We will not dignify the slur by repeating it. It was horrible, demeaning and beneath the dignity of a political leader who should be encouraging us all to strive and work for a more civil, just and compassionate society,” the leaders wrote in the letter.

Last weekend, Trump tweeted about Baltimore and one of its representatives, saying the district of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings was a “dangerous … disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess.”

“Rep, Elijah Cummings has been a brutal bully, shouting and screaming at the great men & women of Border Patrol about conditions at the Southern Border, when actually his Baltimore district is FAR WORSE and more dangerous. His district is considered the Worst in the USA,” Trump tweeted on Saturday.

“As proven last week during a Congressional tour, the Border is clean, efficient & well run, just very crowded. Cumming District is a…

Twenty-two-year-old Caeleb Dressel broke retired Olympic champion Michael Phelps’ world record in the 100-meter butterfly last week. 

The 8-time world champion gold medalist beat his competition at the world swimming championship in Gwangju, South Korea with 49.50 seconds, narrowly beating Phelps by 0.32 seconds, according to Faithwire. Phelps set the previous record at the 2009 world meet in Rome.

“Just the standard that Michael set, wanted to go after it,” Dressel told USA Today after the heat. “I hope he was happy watching me do that.”

Phelps shared a photo of Dressel on Instagram after the race with congratulations. “Many congrats to @caelebdressel!! So sick to watch your start, turns, under water (sic), and of course your stroke! Swimming super-fast this week! Finish strong! #usa #welldeserved”

Dressel thanked the superstar athlete. “I appreciate you and what you’ve done for us,” he responded.

The Florida native is no stranger to strong victories. He first won an Olympic gold medal alongside Phelps in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay in Rio de Janeiro. Last year, he tied Phelps with seven gold medals in the world championships. This year, he broke all records with eight medals.

As a Christian, Dressel believes his gifts should be used for God’s glory. “…[T]he reason I’m in the sport, not just to go fast times, but…

Fires ravaged six Christian villages in southern Turkey. Fires, which many believe were started intentionally, engulfed the villages of ELbegendi, Guzelsu, Dibek, Uckoy, Ucyol, and Dagici along the Turkey-Syria border, Faithwire Reports.

According to International Christian Concern, “arson has become a recognized insurgent tactic which targets the agricultural resources of villages.” 

Last week, insurgents in Turkey are believed to have burnt down between 700 and 800 olive trees last week.

In the most recent incident, authorities suspect arson because fire has been a common tool used against farmers in Syria and Iraq as well. According to The Telegraph, one official told The Guardian that 50,000 hectares have been burned in the region since May, resulting in a loss of $50 million. 

The fires make the nation’s food shortage even more dire. Experts believe that agricultural production had already fallen by almost one-third because of the violence. In addition, “an all-time low” food production immediately endangers the lives of 6.5 million people and could cause another 4 million into food insecurity as well.

A man named Fowaz lamented results of the fires to The Guardian, saying that the country was looking at the best harvest he could remember. He commented, “It’s been more than 60 years since the harvest was this good. The years before we…