Author: Erick Neuman
The Internal Revenue Service says pastors may now freely discuss politics from the pulpit without losing their tax-exempt status. The move provides an exemption to the Johnson Amendment, a 70-year-old tax provision that forbids all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The IRS has issued an exemption specifically for churches and other houses of worship. The agency made the statement in a Texas court filing as part of a settlement with two churches and the National Religious Broadcasters who are suing the IRS for violating their freedom of speech. Many faith leaders generally approve of the filing.…
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are set to visit Texas Friday for a firsthand look at the areas devastated by catastrophic flooding. But amid the tragedy have also come amazing stories of survival. The cleanup is underway for families whose homes were flooded but still left standing on July 4th. Operation Blessing has begun helping to clear out debris to help survivors begin the restoration process. Among those victims were Collene Lucas and her husband, an elderly couple who lost nearly everything when the Guadalupe River rose rapidly and overtook their home. “I am blessed. I have nothing…
Candace Cameron Bure and her husband of nearly three decades, Valeri, might have called it quits had it not been for the Gospel-centered advice of one of their sons. Their eldest son, Lev, wasn’t married in 2020, when the Bures endured the roughest patch of their marriage, but it didn’t stop him from sharing biblical wisdom with the famous couple. On a recent episode of her eponymous podcast, the 49-year-old Bure said her marriage to Valeri, 51, was “going south quickly” in 2020, even admitting she didn’t think they were going to “make it through.” She explained it was Lev who challenged…
The people of Kerrville, Texas, are mourning the lives lost as they continue searching for victims of the catastrophic floods. At least 120 people are dead and 150 are missing. Volunteers from across the country are gathering together to help the grieving community. The Guadalupe River has returned to a dry, deceptive calm following the devastating July Fourth flash flood, but the anguish still lingers in Kerr County. “This is something that’s going to stay with this community forever,” said Pastor Phil Jackson of Kerrville First Assembly of God. Pastor Jackson lost a member of his congregation in the flood.…
A preacher who led a small Hispanic church in Florida has been deported to Guatemala after two decades on American soil. The 42-year-old immigrant is married with five children. Maurilio Ambrocio pastored the 50 members of Iglesia de Santidad Vida Nueva in Wimauma. He told the Tampa Bay Times he was one of the 100 Guatemalan immigrants deported from New Orleans through a charter flight after he was arrested in mid-April during a routine check-in at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Tampa. Ambrocio, who entered the U.S. illegally after fleeing his home in Guatemala when he was just…
KERR COUNTY, TX – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shared a staggering new number on Tuesday evening, revealing that more than 160 people are still missing after the state’s catastrophic floods. At least 110 people are now known to have been killed by the disaster. In the White House Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, top leaders in the Trump administration bowed to pray for the victims in Texas. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted the clip saying, “Before the press were brought into the room, @SecretaryTurner led the President, Vice President, and entire Cabinet in a spontaneous and powerful prayer for the people…
KERR COUNTY, TX – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shared a staggering new number on Tuesday evening, revealing that more than 160 people are still missing after the state’s catastrophic floods. At least 110 people are now known to have been killed by the disaster. Recovery efforts are underway here in flood-ravaged Kerr County, where rescue teams continue searching for missing girls from Camp Mystic after massive, devastating flash floods swept through the region on July 4. Among the hardest-hit areas is an RV resort along the Guadalupe River, where local volunteers have mobilized to assist in cleanup efforts. ***Please sign…
ANALYSIS A new survey of Americans suggests that faith-driven families don’t just survive hardships, they often thrive in them. More importantly, it appears their faith — and the hardship — are both essential to their flourishing over time. Few things are more difficult, or rewarding, than welcoming children through foster or adoptive care. Virtually every parent who’s embraced these choices will tell you it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever done. Children come into foster care at no fault of their own, when social workers and courts find they aren’t safe in their homes. Only about 15% are removed due to…
When the media reported the tragic news that Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland died trying to save kids amid catastrophic Guadalupe River flooding, Dr. Jim Denison was heartbroken but unsurprised. “Dick Eastland was a friend,” he said. “He and [his wife] Tweety have been with me to Israel twice. I don’t know a more gracious, humble, servant-hearted person.” Denison detailed the ways Eastland served others on their Israel expeditions, stating he was the first to arrive at the bus to ensure everyone’s luggage was loaded on and would often wait after to be certain people safely made it to their…
The July 4th flash floods in Texas have now claimed the lives of more than 100 people, and search and rescue teams are still combing through miles of debris for those still missing. In the Texas hill country, response teams, including volunteers, are combing through mud and dense forest searching for victims. Ryan Logue from the United Cajun Navy said, “It’s one of the most devastating things I’ve ever seen in my life. But that devastation goes 80 miles down the Guadalupe River, and that devastation goes anywhere from three-quarters of a mile to half a mile wide off of the river…