Two Iranian Christian women were acquitted recently of apostasy charges and were allowed to leave their country, the Baptist Press (BP) reported.

According to the BP Marzieh Amirizadeh, 31,  and Maryam Rostampour, 28, were charged with apostasy for converting to Christianity.  They spent more than 250 days in jail for their faith.

While in prison Amirizadeh and Rostampour were repeatedly placed under great pressure to recant and deny Jesus Christ. They faced repeated interrogations, weeks in solitary confinement, and unhealthy prison conditions. Both became seriously sick during their imprisonment and did not receive the treatment they needed. Senior judges and officials also intimidated them.  Read more... (419 words, 1 image, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

The wildly successful “Lost” ended with a finale recently that was replete with concepts of faith and belief, where all of the show’s main characters–and many from seasons past–meet in a church, then head to the afterlife.

Carlton Cuse, who co-produced the show with Damon Lindeloff said, “The faith axis seems like it’s a big part of the show this year.  The show is a reflection of our beliefs,” the New York Daily News reported.

Lost Finale: Experts Talk Impact Of Religion On The Island  Read more... (400 words, 2 images, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

We are studying the detail in Luke Chapter 22 at verse 47 where Judas and that gang approach Jesus Christ to have Him arrested.

It is possible to be physically close to Jesus Christ and have rebellion in your heart. Jesus makes no attempt to frustrate Judas’s hellish scheme. Jesus is calm and poised and in control.

Jesus knows what has to happen, that we might be saved, rescued, washed, forgiven, justified, sanctified, and anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus shows no fear as he faces the enemy. Jesus is Master of the whole situation.  Read more... (626 words, 1 image, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

Animated depiction of Jesus in Comedy Central's "South Park." Photo copyright: Comedy Central & Braniff Productions.

A new animated series currently under development for Comedy Central’s 2010-2011 production slate will feature the adventures of a cartoon Jesus Christ as he tries to escape the shadow of his “powerful but apathetic father,” according to “The Washington Post.”

After stirring controversy earlier this year with their depiction of the prophet Muhammad, Comedy Central writers are describing “JC” as, “a playful take on religion and society with a sprinkle of dumb.”  Read more... (410 words, 2 images, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Even as anti-gay crusader George Rekers admits he traveled to London and Madrid for 10 days with a gay escort named Jo-Vanni Roman, Rekers denied having sex with the 20-year-old.  Rekers also denied being gay.

The Miami New Times reported that Rekers found Roman on the gay escorting site RentBoy.com.

Roman was paid $75 a day, plus travel expenses.  Part of his job was to give Rekers daily sexual body massages.

However Rekers, a Baptist minister and proponent of gay-to-straight conversion therapy, said on his blog that he had recently had surgery and required someone to help him carry his luggage.  Read more... (385 words, 1 image, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

A new survey by LifeWay Christian Resources indicates that most Millenials are not religious and are leaving churches, although many consider themselves to be spiritual.

Youth are walking away from Christianity and the Christian church, opting instead for spirituality.

Millenials are defined as those born from 1980 to 1991.  They are aged between 18-29 years old.

Of the total surveyed, 65 percent said they are Christian; 14 percent atheist or agnostic; 14 percent do not favor any religion; and 8 percent mentioned affiliations with other religions.  Seventy-two percent said they are more spiritual than religious, the Christian Post reported.  Read more... (437 words, 2 images, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

The question about the existence of intelligent life on other planets will rise to the fore once again with the release next month of a new Discovery Channel documentary, Stephen Hawking’s Universe.

In the documentary, the British physicist will give his views on intelligent life in other planets.

Reports say he believes they exist, but warns against making contact with them, according to BBC News.

Space alien. Credit: martin_m2/sxc.hu

Hawking notes that aliens might simply raid the Earth for its resources, then move on.  Read more... (566 words, 2 images, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)

The most populous Islamic nation in the world is experiencing a heavy outpouring of Christianity, TIME magazine noted in latest issue.

Indonesia has some 215 million Islamic believers.  However, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Christianity is Indonesia’s second largest faith and it is growing dramatically in recent years despite outpourings of violence.  In all of Asia, Christianity has some 350 million believers.

Most of the conversions in Indonesia are Pentecostal and Evangelical.  Pentecostalism is considered by many to be the fastest growing faith in the world in terms of conversions (as opposed to births).  It is estimated that by 2050 most Christians will be living in developing nations.  Read more... (437 words, 1 image, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

Serving Jesus Christ Is Full Of Painful Excitements

In Luke Chapter 22, we read of that scenario in verses 31,32, where Jesus is informing Peter that he is about to be sifted, but Jesus also reassures this man who is to lead the early church that he is being prayed for. We need to know this too in these challenging and peculiar days when so much of what we have been used to is being undermined and shaken just as the Scriptures depict.  Read more... (771 words, 1 image, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)

As Poland mourned the loss of its president and other dignitaries, who died in a plane crash on April 10, two visiting Baptist preachers said that the answer to the country’s mourning is found in the Gospel.

Southern Baptist leaders Philip Roberts and Jerry Johnson of the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary comforted congregations in Gdansk and Sopot respectively, and shared the gospel in the aftermath of the crisis, during their 10-day trip to the country.

Polish flag with black mourning ribbon

MBTS president Roberts and academic dean Johnson were in the country to attend a conference at the Polish Baptist Seminary in Radosc.  They met with Andrzej Seweryn, president of the Polish Baptist Seminary.  Read more... (473 words, 2 images, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)