Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., has written a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough over concerns about an interim final rule the agency submitted to the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs pertaining to "Reproductive Health Services." Pointing to statements made by McDonough during an appearance on CNN, Lankford cautioned that "this step forward in the regulatory process raises significant concern due to statements made by you and other officials within the VA asserting that the agency is seeking to provide abortion services to veterans and their families, despite it being prohibited under federal law." Democrats have argued that the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 gives the VA Secretary the authority to provide access to "abortions and abortion-related services," but Lankford rejected that notion, stating, "Such action would further erode the integrity of the rulemaking process. Abortion is not and will never be healthcare. Healthcare protects life. Abortion takes life." Read more.

Iran Alive Ministries (IAM) and Channel One/Kanal Yek TV have teamed up to reach Iran with the Gospel. IAM broadcasts a 24/7 satellite channel with Gospel messaging into Central Asia and the Middle East. The group has also distributed more than 200,000 Bibles in Iran since 2001. IAM's founder, Hormoz Shariat, says the partnership will enable his ministry to reach more "secular-minded audiences who have already rejected Islam," adding, "This is what Jesus commands us: To go, and be all things to all people so that we may win some." Read more.

Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston delivered a message at Christian Faith Center in Seattle, Wash., last Monday in what appeared to be his first pulpit appearance since his resignation as global senior pastor of Hillsong Church in March. During his "A Legacy That Outlasts You" sermon, Houston shared that God doesn't write people off as men do and that he still has "so much more" to give at the age of 68. "We can decide, my mistakes, my failings, my failures here, my brokenness over there, the fact that I got ripped off here, I was offended over there, we can let those things decide our legacy. But that's not what should determine our legacy. It's so much more than that," Houston said. Read more.

In part 2 of his open letter to young men and women in ministry, Wallace B. Henley reflects on his 50-plus years in church ministry and the mentors and leaders who have instructed and inspired him over the years. Among the bunch: Lula B. Connell, the secretary at his childhood church. "I discovered she could speak portions of nine languages and believed that turpentine would heal any disease. She was fierce in her focus, while in my mind I rode into countless sunsets with Roy Rogers until Miss Connell would lasso me and get me back on her trail," Henley writes. Read more.

In this editorial, Dr. Michael Brown questions whether believers can be Christ-like servants when they are a part of the dominant political power. "Can we be in this world without being of this world, living as loyal citizens of an earthly kingdom without losing the perspective that, first and foremost, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom? Can we show solidarity with good political leaders without compromising our morality or spirituality?" he asks. Read more.

Gen Z, the world's largest generation, is ready to be our greatest generation. In "Generation Z: Born for the Storm," Dr. Billy Wilson examines the forces shaping Gen Z and the storms they're facing. Learn More.

Sources report that two Pakistani Christians accused of blasphemy have obtained bail from the Supreme Court of Pakistan. One of the accused has spent four years in jail. Minorities Alliance Pakistan President Akmal Bhatti told Morning Star News that "granting bails is not a solution," saying, "The blasphemy laws are being used as a weapon to target minorities and to settle personal enmities, and it’s about time the government puts an end to this trend." Read more.

A verse during which rapper Eminem calls Jesus his Savior is featured on DJ Khaled's hit album, God Did. While much of the album features explicit lyrics, Eminem's verse is part of a remix of Kanye West's "Use This Gospel" song—one of the few on the album that doesn't include explicit lyrics. Eminem, who has discussed his mental health issues over the years, concludes the verse by saying, "Bible at my side like a rifle with a God-given gift/Every single day I thank God for/That’s why I pay so much homage/Praises to Jesus, I’ll always." Read more.