The Justice Department announced that it has arrested an Illinois man just over a week after he allegedly set fire to a Planned Parenthood facility. The arrest comes as pro-life groups maintain that federal law enforcement is not acting quick enough to bring justice to those responsible for the arson of pro-life pregnancy centers and churches across the U.S. Tyler Massengill, 32, was arrested for the malicious use of fire and an explosive and attempt to damage a Planned Parenthood facility in Peoria, Ill., the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois announced on Wednesday. He faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $250,000 if convicted. Meanwhile, since Politico leaked a Supreme Court draft decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, pro-life pregnancy centers and churches have endured multiple acts of vandalism and arson, with a report compiled by the Crime Prevention Research Center finding that pro-life groups experienced 22 times more violence than their pro-abortion counterparts in the 4.5 months following the publication of the leaked Dobbs draft. However, federal law enforcement has handed down just two indictments of perpetrators of violence against pro-life organizations and churches. Read more.

An advisory issued by the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania last week has warned about the increasing potential for terrorists to target places such as hotels, restaurants, malls, embassies and places of worship amid the spread of the Islamic State. "Locations frequented by U.S. citizens and other Westerners in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere in Tanzania continue to be attractive targets to terrorists planning to conduct attacks," reads the advisory. International Christian Concern reports that Tanzania has been infiltrated by Islamic State jihadists due to its proximity to the Muslim-dominated province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. Read more.

Walt Heyer, a public speaker, author and detransitioner, shares how transgender identities "devalue, dehumanize and destroy people." Heyer opens up about the physical and emotional damages caused by transgender hormones and procedures and points to the growing number of regretters and detransitioners as proof that "[b]elieving that men can become women and women can become men is absurd; slicing up men and women for the sake of their identifying as transgender is an atrocity of epic proportions." Read more.

In this editorial, Dr. Michael Brown discusses how believers should approach same-sex parents. Noting that Christians should not demonize such couples nor celebrate their lifestyle, Brown calls on Christians to love them, treat them as equals created in God's image, and share the Gospel if the opportunity arises. "[I]f they come to faith, we seek to disciple them, which, of course, will mean major life changes," Brown writes, adding, "[W]e will join grace and truth together with the goal of introducing them to the priceless, transformative love of God. That’s what disciples do." Read more.

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A study conducted by researchers at Ohio University has revealed that nonreligious individuals tend to stereotype and hold a bias against Christians working in scientific fields because they believe religion and science are in conflict. The research, published in the Public Understanding of Science journal, analyzed two studies to examine the perceptions of incompatibility between Christianity and science in the U.S. and how it influences nonreligious individuals' stereotypes of Christians in the field. "Our research demonstrates that perceiving conflict between religion and science can have detrimental effects not only on Christians' performance and interest in science (as prior research has shown), but also on nonreligious people's stereotypes about Christians," said study author Cameron Mackey. "That is, because nonreligious individuals are more likely to believe that Christianity and science can't work together, they are more likely to stereotype Christians as uninterested in or incompetent at science." Read more.

New research from Barna Group shows that 44% of American adults are "more open to God today" than they were prior to the pandemic. Results also show that 77% of respondents believe in a higher power, with approximately three-quarters (74%) indicating a desire to grow spiritually. When broken down by generation, 83% of millennials and Gen Zers indicated belief in a "supernatural/spiritual dimension," compared to 82% of Gen X and 79% of baby boomers. Noting that the research shows Americans are "willing to consider exploring spirituality," Barna Group CEO David Kinnaman added that the Church must "bridge the trust gap for people who are spiritual but not religious." Read more.

During the "Candace Cameron Bure podcast," Bure and fellow podcaster Tara-Leigh Cobble discussed the importance of reading the Bible instead of believing catchy bumper sticker platitudes shared on social media that mangle the meaning of verses. Reflecting on 1 Corinthians 10:13, which is about temptation, Cobble described how the verse is often shared in such a manner that Christians believe they have to handle their struggles alone, even if they feel overwhelmed. "These one-liners, like 'God's never going to give you more than you can handle.' No, that is not the Bible! He does give you more than you can handle because other people can shoulder it [with] you," Cobble said. "He can come along and equip and sustain you through that process. And so, those kinds of platitudes that make us feel really empowered, a lot of times are not accurate." The duo also discussed how popular but inaccurate phrases can lead Christians astray, which is why it's essential believers get into their Bibles and allow the Holy Spirit to direct them. "I don't have any wisdom of my own. Any wisdom that I speak to you or anybody else is given to me by God. It's Him at work in me and through me," explained Cobble. Read more.