Leonardo Blair

Latest

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  May 25, 2022

  'It is hard sometimes to see God through all of this,' pastor says as families grieve Uvalde shooting victims

  At least 21 victims, including 19 students and two teachers, have been confirmed dead after a lone 18-year-old gunman went on a shooting rampage in a single classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, leaving behind a trail of horror and grief.

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  May 24, 2022

  Indiana church calls pastor’s confession of sex with 16-year-old ‘messy’ as police investigate

  Prosecutors in Warsaw, Indiana, are investigating a confession made by Pastor John Lowe II of New Life Christian Church and World Outreach that he engaged in an improper sexual relationship with a member when she was just 16, which continued for nine years.

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  May 24, 2022

  Ex-SBC president allegedly sexually assaulted pastor’s wife, asked for sex 3 times a day

  Former Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt allegedly sexually assaulted another pastor’s wife and then told her he wanted to have sex with her three times a day while he was on a beach vacation with his family in Panama City, Florida.

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  May 23, 2022

  Pastor who resigned over adultery accused of taking virginity from teen on office floor

  A Warsaw, Indiana, pastor who drew a standing ovation from his congregation after telling them he was stepping down because he committed adultery with one person at least two decades ago drew their wrath minutes later after a woman tearfully alleged she was only 16 when the pastor took her virginity on his office floor while she sported a purity ring.

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  May 23, 2022

  SBC leaders ‘grieved’ over report finding sexual abuse claims ignored for years to avoid liability

  Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have said they are “grieved” after an independent investigation found the denomination’s leadership mishandled sexual abuse allegations, mistreated victims and advocates, engaged in an abusive pattern of intimidation and repeatedly resisted reforms aimed at making their churches safer largely to avoid liability.

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  May 20, 2022

  Missouri church cuts ties with Kanakuk Kamps, urges others to do same over sex abuse

  John King, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in West Plains, Missouri, has announced that his church has cut ties with the popular network of Christian sports camps called Kanakuk Kamps and is urging other churches to do the same until they publicly confess that they lied about when they first learned about the sex abuse of campers.

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  May 20, 2022

  Willow Creek announces staff cuts as pandemic ravages giving, church attendance

  The suburban Chicago megachurch, Willow Creek Community Church, has announced over $6.5 million in cuts to its staff budget due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on giving. The multi-campus church reduced its staff budget from over 70% to 52% of the church's overall budget in 2023.

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  May 20, 2022

  Worship leader Scott Box shares how faith is helping him beat bipolar disorder in book ‘Heroic Disgrace’

  In the foreword to worship leader Scott Box’s new book, "Heroic Disgrace," his cousin, Brian “Head” Welch, who co-founded the Grammy Award-winning band Korn, calls it “one of the best stories I’ve read in a long time.”

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  May 19, 2022

  Pastor JD Hall arrested for DUI hours after threatening to disrupt SBC annual meeting

  Fellowship Baptist Church in Sidney, Montana, declared Monday that it has rejected an offer from Pastor Jordan Daniel “J.D.” Hall to resign following a recent arrest on weapons and DUI charges which they attributed to a vitamin D deficiency.

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  May 18, 2022

  Having 3 or more children negatively impacts late-life cognition: study

  While recent research has warned of the potential drawbacks of America's declining fertility rate, a new study has found that having three or more children negatively affects late-life cognition.