The General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance, Vitaly Vlasenko, has released a statement saying he mourns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and did “everything I could do to prevent war.” The secretary spoke out against the attacks, stating, "Peaceful feelings are being destroyed amidst the bombing and shelling, and a stream of increased attention has rushed across Europe in the form of refugees: women, the elderly, and children." The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights revealed on Saturday that it had recorded more than 1,600 civilian casualties, including nearly 600 killed and 1,067 injured.

Jared Olivetti, the former pastor of Immanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church of West Lafayette in Indiana, has had his ordination officially revoked following an investigation and trial by the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America. Olivetti, who resigned in January amid allegations of mishandling abuse, has also been removed from the "privileges of Church membership," per a report from The Indianapolis Star. The Star previously published a report alleging the former pastor had been protecting a teenage relative from an investigation into claims of sexually abusing more than a dozen children on and off church property between 2019 and 2020, with at least eight victims from multiple families belonging to the congregation.

"It’s easy to criticize church leadership. Very easy," writes Robin Schumacher. In light of research pointing to a steady decline in church attendance, Schumacher highlights four positive attributes of church that have drawn him in. In the list: Fellowship with fellow believers in pursuit of God and involvement that enables people to exercise their spiritual gifts. Read more.

It has been nearly eight years since armed members of a terrorist group descended on the town of Chinok, forced 276 teenage girls out of their beds, and decided to keep them as captives. After burning the school to the ground and disappearing into Nigeria's northern scrubland, a multinational search ensued, supported by the viral social media campaign #BringBackOurGirls. In this CP Voices piece, John Stonestreet and Kasey Leander revisit the harrowing story—including the horrors faced by the Christian schoolgirls who refused to convert to Islam—in light of a new book, Bring Back Our Girls: The Untold Story of the Global Search for Nigeria’s Missing Schoolgirls by Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw. “As we interviewed some 20 of the young women,” Parkinson and Hinshaw explain, “We discovered [something] that much of the foreign coverage had missed. We saw clearly how the teenagers’ will to survive was inseparable from their religious convictions.” Read more.

If you’re a Christian worker interested in deepening your Christian faith, Andersonville Theological Seminary is ready to provide you with a Bible-based education through affordable online seminary courses. So, if you’re interested in earning a great seminary degree, contact ATS today. Learn More

Brothers Youssef Youssef Youssef, Afifi Youssef Youssef and Bushra Youssef Youssef in Egypt were murdered by six Muslims who danced while murdering them and mutilated their bodies, claiming they were avenging the death of their own family member 70 years ago, according to a report from U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. The ICC says the Muslims shot the brothers and then severed and mutilated their bodies before returning to their village—saying “Allahu Akbar” or “Allah is Greater"—where they were captured and arrested by the police.

Supermodel Hailey Bieber, the wife of pop star Justin Bieber, is recovering after suffering a blood clot in her brain. Bieber, who described the health scare as “one of the scariest moments I’ve ever been through," detailed the situation in a recent Instagram post, writing, "On Thursday morning, I was sitting at breakfast with my husband when I started having stroke-like symptoms and I was taken to the hospital." The model continued, "They found I had suffered a very small blood clot to my brain, which caused a small lack of oxygen — but my body had passed it on its own and I recovered completely within a few hours." In an interview for Hillsong TV, the model detailed the pressure she's put on herself due to her Christian upbringing and also shared how she once felt rejected by the church and struggled with feelings of guilt over her past. Continue reading.