LAHORE, Pakistan, April 27, 2020 (Morning Star News) – Presbyterian assistant pastor Sarfaraz Raja was preparing to deliver a Good Friday sermon in Pakistan on April 10 when his brother informed him by phone that police had intruded into his house and were harassing his mother and other family members.

Upset that the pastor had complained of police misbehavior and knowing that Christians had little status in the 96-percent Muslim society, the officers were planning to frame him on trumped-up charges of making and selling liquor, sources said.

“I excused myself from the sermon and immediately rushed to my home accompanied by the village headman, Chaudhry Ranjeet Lal, and some other people,” said Pastor Raja of Youngsen Memorial Church in Youngsenabad village in Nankana District, Punjab Province.

They arrived to find Sub-Inspector Malik Shahbaz Ahmed and five other policemen in the courtyard threatening his mother and other family members, he said.

“I asked the police why had they entered my house without a warrant and were misbehaving with my family, at which point SI Shahbaz, instead of explaining the purpose of his raid, grabbed my collar and bundled me into their official vehicle amid protests by my family members and the village elders,” Pastor Raja said.

Police also arrested his uncle, Manzoor Raja, known as Kaali, who lives with the family, he said.

The pastor said that upon…

While some government leaders have discouraged drive-in church services, on Sunday in Tennessee, the state’s governor attended a drive-in service – and even delivered a word of inspiration from Scripture.

Gov. Bill Lee attended a multi-church “Beyond Our Walls” worship service Sunday evening at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park, where members from more than 15 churches throughout the area drove their cars to a large parking lot to pray, sing and listen to various speakers. Way-FM (88.7), a local Christian station, broadcast the event.

The event benefited One Generation Away, an organization that distributes food to families in Middle Tennessee.

“Thank you for everything that every one of you are doing,” Lee told attendees from the stage. “Thank you for doing your part to stay apart. Thank you for loving your neighbors as yourself. Thank you for serving in food banks. Thank you for serving in non-profits, and thank you for serving in your neighborhood.

“… Thank you for praying. Thank you for praying for me and for [Tennessee First Lady] Maria [Lee]. Thank you for praying for leaders all across this state. Thank you for praying for those who are sick. Thank you for praying for the families of those that have lost loved ones. … And thank you for having hope. In this world we’ll have many troubles, but we know where our hope comes from, and He has…

(RNS) — One year after the Cathedral of Notre Dame was nearly destroyed by a fire, its future remains uncertain. Prominent voices in France continue to argue about what should happen to the medieval gothic structure once its complex reconstruction is completed.

The citizens of France and the entire world watched with terror as the roof and steeple of the landmark cathedral collapsed from the blaze on April 15, 2019, even as firemen and art experts worked tirelessly to salvage the historic treasures inside.

In the aftermath of the blaze, French President Emanuel Macron promised his people that “The Old Dame” of Paris would be rebuilt in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics hosted by the French capital. The COVID-19 pandemic necessarily put a halt on the efforts in mid-March, but reconstruction is scheduled to resume next Monday (April 27).

Yet Notre Dame remains under fire. Architects and restorers in France cannot agree on the style of the renovations, while historians and prelates debate its soul. Once the debris is removed, the roof rebuilt and the stained glass is cleaned, what will be the purpose of this symbol of France and the Catholic faith?

“What cathedral should be built for the XXI century?” asked Bishop Michel Aupetit of Paris in a reflection recently published in the French Catholic paper La Croix.

“What it is has always been due to the meaning behind its…

Some churches in the U.S. are making plans to reopen after weeks of online-only worship services.

According to The Christian Post, many states are working to slowly reopen after being shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A pastor panel survey from earlier this month found that nearly half of pastors hope to be back in their buildings by May. The other half thought that they wouldn’t return to churches until June or later.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced last week that the state will reopen slowly starting May 4.

In an Indiana city, Pastor Dave Sumrall of I-Town Church said they would reopen for church services this week despite a stay-at-home order. The church will only allow 10 people at a time for services and will hold multiple services.

“We are officially in a situation where your religious freedoms have been removed in the interest of public health,” Sumrall said in a message posted on the church’s Instagram page. “So on one hand, the church has been deemed essential. But on the other, we’re not allowed to gather. I personally believe this is an attack on what the definition of a church is.”

In New York, the Syracuse Diocese is looking at holding outdoor services for a while and then moving to small masses.

“I feel we must err on the side of caution in order to eradicate this deadly virus from our communities and will continue to follow the directives of local authorities,”…

South Korea says rumors that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is sick or dead are untrue.

According to Fox News, a top South Korean official said there is “enough intelligence to confidently say that there are no unusual developments” in North Korea.

Kim, 36, also reportedly released a note of thanks on Monday to workers building a tourism area in North Korea.

The news bulletin came without images or video or mention of the rumors.

Rumors about Kim’s health started when he did not appear at the April 15 commemoration of the 108 birthday of his grandfather and North Korean founder, Kim II Sun, the Associated Press reports.

Kim had not missed the commemoration since he assumed the top position in the country in 2011.

The South Korean government has said they believe Kim is staying outside the capital.

“Our government position is firm,” Chung-in Moon, foreign policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told Fox News. “Kim Jong Un is alive and well. He has been staying in the Wonsan area since April 13. No suspicious movements have so far been detected.”

Meanwhile, satellite imagery provided by 38 North showed that a train likely belonging to Kim has been parked at his compound since last week.

“The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health, but it does lend weight to reports…