This month: Casting Crowns’ rise to fame and their focus on ministry; an Iranian martyr’s cry; what to do when your child is gay and much more…

 

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South African pastor Ray McCauley said he and his wife, Zelda, have no plans to divorce.  The leader of Rhema Bible Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, one of the nation’s largest churches, told his congregation in early May that he and his wife of eight years had endured a very difficult time in their marriage, but that their relationship was on the mend.

 

 

World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization, has nearly 600 staff members on the ground assisting victims affected by Cyclone Nargis.

 

 

Paul Cain stirred controversy last week when he made comments before thousands of worshippers in Lakeland, Fla., that seemed to deny his past moral failings.

 

 

Gospel singer and songwriter Dottie Rambo died after her tour bus ran off the highway and struck an embankment. She was 74.

 

 

Dozens of evangelical leaders including Os Guiness signed a manifesto urging U.S. Christians to be “evangelicals” as an expression of their faith, not their voting preferences.

 

 

Ché Ahn, senior pastor of Harvest Rock, along with several other leaders of major charismatic ministries have joined together and created an organization aimed at world evangelization.

 

[05.08.08] The newly formed Revival Alliance officially launched in March during a conference at Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, Calif., dubbed Releasing the Supernatural. Ché Ahn, senior pastor of Harvest Rock and co-founder of Revival Alliance, said he believes global transformation is possible if revivalists from large existing ministries link with smaller, lesser-known ones. "The concept [is] to fulfill the prayers Jesus modeled in John 17 by capturing people's hearts for revival of the nations," he told Charisma.

The idea for a network of revival-based ministries stemmed from a prophecy given by apostolic minister Bob Jones to Rolland and Heidi Baker of Mozambique-based Iris Ministries. "[The alliance] seemed to come together effortlessly," said Rolland Baker, a co-founder of the alliance who credits Ahn as a major impetus. Things formed "simply because we like and enjoy one another, and not just because we all have large ministries."

 

An Alabama mayor invited city residents to put on sacks and ashes and gather for a series of prayer rallies to repent. Photo: Mayor Larry Langford and his wife, Melva.

 

 

Millions of Christians around the world are expected to participate in the Global Day of Prayer, which is being hosted from Jerusalem on May 11.

 

[05.06.08] Millions of Christians around the world are expected to participate in the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP), which is being hosted from Jerusalem on May 11. Launched in 2001, the event seeks to “saturate the nations of the world with prayer,” organizer Graham Power said. “We believe that as we humble ourselves, seek our Father’s face and turn from our wicked ways, God will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land,” he said. “More than ever before the nations of the world are needing God to heal their land. It is as we actively engage in acts of repentance and prayer … that we prepare the way for God to save the lost and transform our nations.”