Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mandisa, whose inspirational Gospel-pop hits are a mainstay on contemporary Christian radio, has died. She was 47. Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley, the former American Idol contestant passed away in her Nashville home on Thursday, April 18, according to K-Love. Mandisa was well known for her positive, upbeat, and encouraging music, but beneath it, she struggled to deal with her everyday life. After losing a close friend to cancer, a friend for whom she wrote her award-winning song, “Overcomer”, Mandisa descended into a dark pit of depression, isolating he ..read more

Reggie Joiner, founder of the leading Christian youth curriculum, Orange, and Orange CEO Kristen Ivy have resigned after admitting an “inappropriate relationship” with each other, according to a board statement sent to supporters yesterday. “Reggie has admitted to past inappropriate adult relationships, which violated our company policy and eroded trust within our organization,” wrote Board Chair Joel Manby and Board Special Governance Chari Jennifer Barnes. “During the course of the Board’s investigation, Kristen also disclosed a past inappropriate relationship with Reggie.” Neither Joiner n ..read more

In a message to his congregation last night that was livestreamed on social media, Missouri pastor John Lindell accused disgraced preacher Mark Driscoll of slander and “sowing disunity” and urged Driscoll to “publicly repent.” Lindell’s comments follow a public dispute between him and Driscoll at the Stronger Men’s Conference last weekend, concerning a controversial performance by sword-swallower Alex Magala. Driscoll called the performance a “strip” act exhibiting the “spirit of Jezebel,” which prompted Lindell to stop Driscoll’s message, yelling, “You’re done!” Soon afterwards, however, the ..read more

A day after the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC) sent an email to leaders, announcing “IHOPKC will be closing for good,” the embattled ministry sent another email to donors. In it, the ministry urged donors to become part of the “IHOPKC Legacy Society,” by giving stocks, IRAs, real estate, or endowment funds to IHOPKC. The email did not mention the planned closure. That same day, Tuesday, The Roys Report (TRR) published a story revealing IHOPKC’s plan to close and published the email announcement to IHOPKC prophecy and healing leaders and leaked audio from an IHOP University ..read more

Alex Magala, the sword-swallower who opened the Stronger Men’s Conference last weekend with a controversial act, defended his performance in a recent statement. He told news publications that as a Christian, he always aims to use his talents to “inspire and entertain audiences” in a way that respects his faith. The conference, hosted by Pastor John Lindell and James River Church in Springfield, Missouri, seeks to help men “become all that God has created them to be,” according to its Instagram page.   ..read more

When it comes to politics, the average Southern Baptist is more likely to agree with historic Baptist teaching than the claims of some self-professed Christian nationalists. A Lifeway Research study finds Southern Baptists broadly embrace conservative political ideology but also support religious liberty for all Americans and a government that does not favor any specific religion. Sponsored by the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the study surveyed 500 self-identified Southern Baptist churchgoers and 507 individuals who served in key leadership ..read more

In an age of shrinking theological schools, Wesley Biblical Seminary (WBS) in Ridgeland, Mississippi, is defying expectations. While many of the largest and prominent evangelical seminaries across the United States — such as Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Fuller Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary — are downsizing, WBS is growing in enrollment. In the fall of 2017, for example, the school had 60 master’s students and 15 Doctor of Ministry students.   ..read more

After the departure of thousands of traditionalist United Methodist churches from the denomination over the past five years, it might stand to reason that those congregations remaining in the fold are more progressive and open to ordination and marriage of people in same-sex relationships. But the picture is far more mixed. A new report from the Religion and Social Change Lab at Duke University that looked at disaffiliating clergy from North Carolina’s two United Methodist conferences or regions.   ..read more

Author and former reality TV star, Jill Duggar Dillard, and her husband, Derick Dillard, are mourning the loss of their daughter, Isla Marie, who was delivered stillborn.  On Sunday, the couple posted a family update via social media. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the stillbirth of our beautiful baby girl, Isla Marie,” they stated.  The baby was lost four months into Jill’s pregnancy.  “From the moment we found out we were pregnant, we couldn’t wait to meet our baby,” the couple said.   ..read more

Two weeks after a pastor’s wife and her friend went missing, they were found murdered in Oklahoma— victims of an “absolutely brutal crime,” authorities said in a press conference Monday. Jilian Kelley, wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, a new minister at Willow Christian Church in Nebraska, and her friend, Veronica Butler, were discovered Sunday in a “very rural area” in Texas County, Oklahoma. Nearby, police also found the abandoned vehicle in which the women were traveling.   ..read more