Weekly briefing: Migrant children, library drag event, internet preachers By CP Editors |
| Mario Tama/Getty ImagesA Honduran mother holds one of her two daughters in the migrant shelter where they are currently living near the U.S.-Mexico border on April 4, 2019 in Tijuana, Mexico. |
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| We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: |
| Evangelicals call on Trump to help migrant children |
| A group of prominent evangelicals called on Congress and the Trump administration this week to immediately address the needs of migrant children who are being deprived of basic needs in detention centers. |
| “Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions are inappropriate for anyone in detention, but particularly for children, who are uniquely vulnerable.” — Evangelical Immigration Table |
| The call comes amid reports documenting the disturbing conditions hundreds of migrant children have faced. |
| Some evangelicals say the reports are inaccurate. |
| Christian mom forced out of library drag show for teens |
| A recent “teen pride” event at a Washington library featured a drag queen performing a strip-tease dance, a sex advice panel, free condoms, and gift cards for chest binders, according to a local Christian mom who was forced to leave. |
| The mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to threats, witnessed the LGBT event — that went on despite protests — over the weekend and called it “really sick.” |
| "I actually haven't had a problem with drag queens until they started pushing this onto kids like this," she said. |
| 2020 Democrats debate immigration, abortion |
| Ten Democratic presidential candidates squared off this week in the party’s first debate of the election season. |
| Here’s a rundown of night one and night two of the debate. |
| Donations to religion declined by $2 billion |
| Giving to houses of worship, denominational bodies and religious television and radio declined in 2018 by nearly $2 billion. |
| The Giving USA Foundation’s annual report revealed that individual giving decreased 3.4 percent in 2018, marking the greatest decline since the recession of 2008 and 2009. |
| Rise of internet preachers |
| Internet preachers have been on the rise with audiences as large or larger than that of long-time pastors. |
| “People choose to follow people who are portraying the version of Christianity that they are comfortable with.” — Marcus Rogers, internet preacher |
| Read CP’s feature on online preachers. |
| Read another feature on the trend of dying churches merging with megachurches |
| Pray for |
| Victims of a bus accident in Colorado; the bus was carrying those who attended a youth conference |
| More than a dozen Christian families who were forced to flee their homes in India due to threats and harassment |
| New releases |
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| Albums: |
| Love Running Wild by Tasha Layton (June 28) |
| Be Alright by Karlos Nichols (June 28) |
| Books: |
| Heelcatcher: The Story of Jacob Revisited for Those Who Are Anxious, Tired, and Struggling to Make Life Work by Steve Foster (June 16) |
| Not Safe: Discovering God's Dangerous Plan for Your Life by Mark Batterson (June 25) |
