David Platt Joins McLean Bible Church as Interim Pastor; Megachurch’s Senior Pastor Stepping Down
Prompted by senior pastor Lon Solomon announcing in February his decision to step-down, megachurch McLean Bible Church has selected David Platt as its Interim Teaching Pastor, reports The Christian Post. David Platt is a prominent Southern Baptist and “serves as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board.” McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia, started as a nondenominal church but began cooperating with Southern Baptists in 2016.
Focus on the Family Celebrates 40 Years
On March 26, Focus on the Family celebrated its 40th year anniversary, according to the National Religious Broadcasters. Founded in 1977 by Dr. James Dobson, in its 40 years, the broadcast “has helped millions of families worldwide, responding to more than 19 million phone calls; answering 1.7 million email messages and 54 million cards, letters, and prayer requests; conducting more than 770,000 counseling consultations; and welcoming 185 million visitors to its websites. Currently, more than 6.3 million people tune in to the ministry’s daily broadcast.”
Catholic Charities Gets New Leader This Week
Catholic Charities in Fort Collins, Colorado, has announced Joseph Hall as its new regional director, The Coloradan reports. Hall succeeds Guy Mendt who announced in January his plans to retire. Hall is already a Fort Collins resident and most recently worked as an operations manager for a large private school.
8 Abducted Samaritan’s Purse Aid Workers Released in South Sudan
Early in March, eight locals working for Samaritan’s Purse were abducted by a South Sudan rebel faction and later released with no request for ransom, according to The Christian Post. Samaritan’s Purse, a charity headed by evangelist Franklin Graham, had been distributing food and aid to people in the area for over two years. However, the organization began relocating some of its staff in March as it became apparent fighting was going to begin. “This situation highlights the severe famine situation in parts of South Sudan with over 4 million people at risk of starvation. Samaritan’s Purse calls on all parties to stop hostilities and allow immediate full access to distribute emergency food supplies.”
World Vision Launches World’s Biggest 6k Walk for Water
On Saturday, May 6, World Vision will host the world’s biggest 6K walk for clean water, reports PR Newswire. The distance of the world-wide race is significant as 6K is also the average distance people in the developing world walk to get water for their families, their walk often dangerous with children missing school and dirty water as their destination. “World Vision is the largest nongovernmental (NGO) provider of clean water in the developing world, bringing a new person clean water every 10 seconds as part of our full solution to end poverty. In 2015, World Vision provided access to clean water to 2.3 million people.”
Alabama Senate May Vote to Give Megachurch Its Own Police Force
“A bill that is moving through Alabama’s state senate, could green light a megachurch’s desire to establishing its own police department,” according to Salem State Log. “Briarwood Presbyterian Church, located in suburban Birmingham, which boasts 4,100 members, argues that it needs its own police force to counter any potential threats as its home to a K-12 school and a theological seminary with 2,000 students and teachers.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama is requesting lawmakers to vote no arguing that the bill is unconstitutional.
