Christian children’s book author Matthew Paul Turner announced on Friday that he and his wife, Jessica Turner, are getting a divorce on account that he is gay.

Simultaneously coming out and announcing his divorce in an Instagram post Friday afternoon, the When God Made the World author noted that after turning to prayer and seeking counseling, the couple has made the decision to go their separate ways. 

He wrote, “While we’re best friends and thoroughly love doing life, parenting, and pursuing our dreams together, ending our marriage is necessary because I am gay.

He continued, “Being gay isn’t a new discovery for me. However, as someone who spent 30+ years in fundamentalist/evangelical churches, exploring God through conservative theologies, I lived many days overwhelmed by fear, shame, and self-hatred.”

Turner went on to note that despite becoming LGBTQ+ affirming in his faith long ago, the process of accepting himself took much longer.

“For the first time in my life, despite the sadness and grief I’m feeling right now, I can say with confidence that I’m ready to embrace freedom, hope, and God as a gay man,” he asserted.

Turner then thanked his soon-to-be-ex-wife for her love and support through this process and noted that he would not have been able to accept himself “without Jessica’s undying grace and support.”

“I fell in love with her 17 years ago and still…

After endorsing the Obama/Biden Democratic ticket in 2008 and 2012, the National Association of Police Organizations endorsed President Trump this week for president and thanked him for his support in recent months.

The lobbying organization, often called “NAPO,” represents more than 1,000 police units and associations and 241,000 law enforcement officers. It was founded in 1978.

“Our endorsement recognizes your steadfast and very public support for our men and women on the front lines, especially during this time of unfair and inaccurate opprobrium being directed at our members by so many,” wrote Michael McHale, NAPO president, in a July 15 letter to Trump. 

The letter listed several items of agreement between the organization and Trump, including:

• “your directing the Attorney General to aggressively prosecute those who attack our officers;
• “your signing into law the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act;
• “your advocacy and signing into law the legislation which permanently authorized funds to support 9/11 first responders and their families; 
• “your revitalization of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program to help reduce violent crime; and
• “your unflagging recognition that America’s law enforcement officers, just like any other citizens, have Constitutional rights, too.”

“NAPO is pleased to support your re-election campaign for President, and we are…

A white man whose ancestors were slave owners and an African American man whose ancestors were the slaves owned by that family are inviting people to discuss racial healing at a seven-part retreat from CMAX.tv called “Seven Days to Change.”

According to CBN News, Will Ford and Matt Lockett initially met at a prayer meeting at the Lincoln Memorial. The two, not knowing of their connected family histories, became fast-friends.

“I love this man like my own brother,” Lockett told CBN News.

Upon learning that Lockett’s ancestors were slave owners who had owned ancestors of Ford, the two joined together to write a book, The Dream King.

Ford said he remembered thinking, “My friend: his family is the family that owned our family.

“I had to go to a deeper level of forgiveness because now I had a face connected to these stories of slaves being beaten. And why we had to have secret prayer meetings,” Ford said.

Lockett said he struggled with the news too.

“And it was hard because all of the pain of history and the pain of a community where that pain is endured, it had a face, and it had a name. And it was a face that I love,” he said.

But Ford said the friends “hashed it out” and now they’re hoping America will too.

“Racism is everybody’s problem,” Ford said, but added, “We can definitely rise above racism in America.”

Much of the country has…

Jamil Smith, a senior writer for Rolling Stone, recently asserted that the term ‘pro-life’ should be “canceled,” calling the term racist.

According to The Blaze, Smith made the comment after political activist Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II took a shot at pro-life voters on Twitter.

“Ironically, the governors most willing to watch their citizens die are the ones who have used ‘pro-life’ rhetoric to compel people of faith to support the narrow interests of corporate greed & white political power. COVID has revealed how the ‘pro-life’ movement is killing us,” Barber wrote Wednesday.

Smith concurred with Barber’s sentiments claiming that the term ‘pro-life’ should be retired because it is often used to perpetuate misogyny and racism.

“This point cannot be emphasized enough, or too often,” tweeted Smith.

“The moniker ‘pro-life,’ so often used in the service of not just misogyny but also racism, should be retired right along with Aunt Jemima and the Redskins’ team name,” he added.

On Monday, the Washington Redskins publicly announced they will change the football team’s name and logo after it was deemed racist to Native Americans.

“Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition-rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years,”…

A New York pastor says God began to help heal him from coronavirus after his doctor prayed for him.

In a YouTube video by The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Pastor Benjamin Thomas of The Queens Church of God says his case of COVID-19 lasted more than 100 days, including 54 days on a ventilator and six weeks in a coma.

“It was a very rough journey,” he said. “Still, I’m going home today. COVID-19 is real. I know some people do not want to wear masks and don’t want to keep social distancing. It is very important to take this thing seriously. You don’t want to go [through] what I went through.”

Thomas was first admitted to a Long Island hospital and placed on a ventilator. His family then asked for him to be transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital.

“During the first couple of weeks of April we were not making much headway and there was one point in particular which was the night of April 19th,” his doctor, Robin Varghese, said. “I was on call that night and he was in the worst shape, and many of our team members who were rooting for him were also losing hope, as was I.”

“At that point, I went into his room really late at night as I was on call,” the doctor said. “I really just told God there’s nothing else I can offer him. He’s got to take over because we had given him everything that modern medicine can throw at him.”

Later that night, Varghese said he had a realization of…

Could a COVID-19 vaccine potentially be the mark of the beast as referenced in Revelation 13:18?

Author and Christian talk show host Hank Hanegraaff tackled that question on his Bible Answer Man broadcast this week following comments by singer Kanye West, who said the vaccine would be the mark of the beast.

Hanegraaff, though, said it would not be the mark. The mark of the beast, he asserted, is symbolic.

“The mark in Revelation chapter 13 symbolizes identity with the beast. And as such, identifying with Satan’s kingdom is what will keep you out of heaven, not getting vaccinated,” said Hanegraaff, who holds a preterist view of the end times.

Hanegraaff gave an example to support his view: “In Exodus chapter 13, eating unleavened bread is likened to a sign on the hand and a reminder on the forehead of the children of Israel. And thus, the mark of the beast in Revelation is securely tethered to the Scripture.”

Taking on the mark of the beast, he said, is “the intentional denial in thought, in word, in deed of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”

Referencing discussion about the vaccine being the mark of the beast, Hanegraaff urged Christians to not partake in the “trafficking in selling of sensationalism.”

“Fall in love with the Word of God all over again, rather than falling in love with the words of social icons,” he encouraged the audience.

Hanegraaff also urged…

(RNS) — Three evangelical churches in California have sued Gov. Gavin Newsom for banning singing and chanting in places of worship but permitting such activities elsewhere.

The state’s July 13 order about COVID-19 permits worship services as well as fitness centers, hotels, shopping malls and protests to remain open or active in Mendocino and Butte counties, where the suing churches are located.

“Singing and chanting, however, is only banned in places of worship,” says the 20-page complaint filed Wednesday (July 15) in a federal district court by the American Center for Law and Justice and two other legal groups.

Calvary Chapel Ukiah, Calvary Chapel Fort Bragg and River of Life Church in Oroville asked the court to halt officials in the state and their counties from enforcing the orders that call for no singing in houses of worship.

“Banning singing in California churches is an unconstitutional abuse of power,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the ACLJ, in an announcement about the suit. “And to do it in the name of a pandemic is despicable.”

The state’s early July guidance for houses of worship notes a higher risk of transmitting COVID-19 in a congregational setting of multiple households.

“In particular, activities such as singing and chanting negate the risk-reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing,” the 14-page document…

Christian citizens in China who receive social welfare payments have been ordered to abandon their faith or risk losing government support, according to a new report.

The policy impacts low-income religious citizens who receive government assistance, according to Bitter Winter, a watchdog that monitors reports of persecution in China.

Multiple cities and towns across the country have implemented the policy.

In April, officials from several villages in Shanxi province were called together for a meeting and ordered by the government “to remove crosses, religious symbols and images from the homes of people of faith who receive social welfare payments” and replace them with portraits of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong (1893-1976) and current President Xi Jinping.

A Christian in one of the villages told Bitter Winter that officials tore down Christian imagery in his home and hung a picture of Zedong.

“Impoverished religious households can’t receive money from the state for nothing – they must obey the Communist Party for the money they receive,” the Christian told Bitter Winter.

A house church pastor said village officials visited his home in May and replaced a cross with a picture of Zedong.

“All impoverished households in the town were told to display Mao Zedong images,” the pastor said. “The government is trying to eliminate our belief and wants to become…