Weekly Briefing: Kavanaugh Accusation, Refugee Cap, Hillsong Denomination By CP Editors |
| "Hillsong - Let Hope Rise" (Photo: Courtesy of GraceHillMedia) |
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| We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: |
| Brett Kavanaugh accused of sexual assault |
| President Trump's Supreme Court nominee was accused of attempted rape while drunk at a high school party in the '80s. The woman behind the allegation revealed herself as California professor Christine Blasey Ford. |
| Kavanaugh has denied the allegation. |
| Kavanaugh and Ford have been invited to testify on Monday at a public hearing. Ford's lawyers said she may testify next week, but Monday "is not possible." |
| Read how evangelical leaders reacted. |
| Pence's reaction. |
| Hurricane Florence aftermath |
| Hurricane Florence flood waters in North Carolina on September 15, 2018. (Screenshot: YouTube/NBC News) |
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| The death toll from Hurricane Florence continued to rise this week and currently stands at 41 deaths. |
| Though it made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, as a Category 1 storm last Friday, it has led to catastrophic damage due to ongoing flooding and displaced thousands of residents. |
| President Trump visited the Carolinas on Wednesday to assess the federal response. He helped pass out meals at Temple Baptist Church in New Bern. |
| "America grieves with you and our hearts break for you. God bless you. We will never forget your loss," he said. |
| U.S. refugee resettlement ceiling reduced to a new low |
| The U.S. will resettle no more than 30,000 refugees in fiscal year 2019, the Trump administration announced this week. That ceiling marks a historic low. |
| Many evangelical leaders had called on the administration to raise the ceiling when it previously capped it at 45,000. |
| Shocked by the news, Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore said, "One day we will be ashamed that we as a nation turned inward, and away from our great tradition of serving as a beacon of liberty to those fleeing for their lives." |
| Hillsong Church now its own denomination |
| With 123 campuses and locations around the world, Hillsong Church has pulled out of Australian Christian Churches — Australia's largest Pentecostal denomination — to become its own church body. |
| Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston clarified that there was no dispute with ACC but the decision was made because of their continuous global growth. |
| 'Unplanned' filmed in secret |
| This feature film follows the true story of Abby Johnson, who was a director at a Planned Parenthood clinic for many years before becoming a pro-life advocate. |
| It was filmed in secret to avoid protests, considering how divisive and emotionally charged the abortion debate is. |
| "Unplanned" is scheduled for release in spring 2019. |
| New medical guidelines support transition of transgender children |
| The American Academy of Pediatrics released this week a new policy statement that affirms gender identity variations as "normal" and supports puberty blockers to reduce distress. |
| The AAP also suggested saying "gender affirmation" rather than "transitioning" when referring to the process of aligning with a gender different from one's biological sex. |
| Read warnings against puberty blockers. |
| Pray for |
| Residents affected by Hurricane Florence |
| Evangelist Anne Graham Lots who had surgery this week for breast cancer |
| Families of the three victims of a shooting in Maryland |
| New Releases |
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| Album: |
| II: The Sword by Andy Mineo (Sept. 21) |
| Books: |
| Child Proof: Parenting by Faith, Not Formula by Julie Lowe (Sept. 24) |
| This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. by Tim Tebow (Sept. 25) |
| Handcrafted: A Woodworker's Story by Clint Harp (Sept. 25) |
