U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of the Southern District of New York has rejected Former President Donald Trump's claim that he didn't "rape" writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and denied the 2024 hopeful's request for a new defamation trial. The judge cited how a jury had unanimously found Trump guilty of sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her, awarding the author and advice columnist $5 million in damages, stating that the "only point on which Ms. Carroll did not prevail was whether she had proved that Mr. Trump had 'raped' her'" per the definition under New York Penal Law. Read more.

Port Wentworth, Ga., is the third city to be sued for arresting Jeffrey Gray, a free speech activist who peacefully stood outside its city hall with a "God bless the homeless vets" sign. Gray is being represented by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which previously filed litigation on his behalf against the Georgian cities of Alpharetta and Blackshear. Read more.

The Rock Church of San Diego, Calif., and one employee are among several defendants in a civil lawsuit alleging numerous failures to report and investigate child abuse less than a year after one-time elder and former volunteer Leticia McCormack was charged with the murder of her 11-year-old adopted daughter, Arabella. Read more.

"Would you be willing to go to jail for using the wrong pronouns?" asks Peter Demos. In this op-ed, Demos discusses Michigan's push to make using the wrong pronoun a felony, Pilate giving in to social fear, and the importance of not being lukewarm when it comes to our convictions. "We have the power of the Holy Spirit to stand boldly in courage for the things that are biblical, truthful and loving," Demos asserts. Read more.

Grove City College Professor Carl Trueman reflects on becoming an American citizen and why he is grateful to America. "[O]ne does not need to believe in America. That demands a perfection of the nation that is impossible to realize. One merely needs to be grateful for her. And I am," he writes. Read more.

What is a Term Share Certificate? Term Share Certificates (TSC) are investment accounts offered by credit unions that are similar to Certificates of Deposit (CD) you might find at a bank. A TSC pays higher interest rates over a fixed period of time, known as a term, for a guaranteed return. When you place funds you don’t immediately need into a TSC you can earn higher dividends without daily management or fees. This is a low-risk way to maximize your savings because deposits made with ACCU are federally insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) and American Share Insurance. It is a safe way to grow your savings with a return you can count on. Plus, you can spend the time you would have spent watching the stock market with your family because you can rest assured that your return will not change as the market fluctuates. Learn More

Barna Group says data revealing that pastors are experiencing more loneliness and less support is a "cause for concern." Findings from the 2022 survey showed declines in multiple well-being markers, including pastoral satisfaction, motivation and support, with "few pastors utilizing broader networks of personal and professional help." Read more.

Mike Pilavachi, the founder of Soul Survivor in the United Kingdom, has resigned as the Church of England investigates allegations the ministry leader engaged in "inappropriate intimate relationships" and behavior with young people for three decades. Worship artist Matt Redman ("The Heart of Worship," "Our God") is among those to have testified for the investigation. Read more.

Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has reportedly pardoned Patrick Zaki, a Christian human rights activist and researcher who was sentenced to three years in prison this week on charges of spreading "false news" about Christians facing discrimination. Zaki, who was arrested in 2020 upon his return from studying in Italy, was convicted Tuesday. The reported pardon comes after the U.S. State Department and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern about Zaki's sentencing and called for his release. Read more.