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An Avoidable Tragedy: Air Force Totally Failed to Inform FBI About Texas Church Shooter

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In November of 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley entered a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and killed 26 people. It was horrific. He was an Air Force veteran who was given a bad conduct discharge in 2014, but not before serving a year in jail for domestic violence. Dishonorable discharges bars one from owning firearms, not bad conduct—but the domestic violence conviction at his 2012 court martialis the real center of controversy. Kelley was still able to pass a background check for the AR-15 rifle he used for the crime. How is that so? Americans convicted of domestic violence are prohibited from owning guns. Well, it would seem the Air Force failed to informthe FBI of Kelley’s convictions. We’ve known this for a while, but it’s now part of an official Defense Department report:

The gunman who opened fire in a rural Texas church last year, killing 26 people and murdering as many as three generations of one family, could have been stopped from legally obtaining a firearm if the Air Force hadn’t shirked its duty, according to a newly released Defense Department report.
[…]
But the Air Force should have also submitted his fingerprints to the FBI, and failed to do so on four occasions, the Defense Department’s 131-page inspector general report found.

Kelley’s conviction should have also triggered the Air Force to send a final disposition report to the agency, which would have put him in the FBI’s criminal history database and potentially prevented him from legally buying a gun.
[…]
According to the report, Kelley used three of the guns he bought for the massacre at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. Armed citizens shot at Kelley as he fled in his car; he later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

(Read more from “An Avoidable Tragedy: Air Force Totally Failed to Inform FBI About Texas Church Shooter” HERE)

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Mega-Pastor: Ten Commandments No Longer Applicable

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A mega-pastor of one of the largest “evangelical” churches in the U.S. is attacking the Old Testament again, this time insisting Jesus rendered the Ten Commandments null and void, issuing one new law “as a replacement for everything.”

Andy Stanley, pastor of the 34,000-member North Point Community Church in suburban Atlanta, who famously advised his flock to “unhitch” from the Old Testament in a sermon last spring, has now penned an article promoting his new book saying laws such as “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” and “Thou shalt not kill” are no longer relevant to Christians living in the New Covenant era.

“You’ve heard the story before: A group of Christians puts up a monument of the Ten Commandments in a public space or on government property,” begins Stanley in his article titled, “Why do Christians want to post the Ten Commandments and not the Sermon on the Mount?” “Someone says it violates the separation of church and state. The Christians say taking it down would violate their freedom of speech. There’s some back and forth in court and both sides say some not-so-great things about the other. Rinse and repeat. But how many times have you seen Christians trying to post the text of the sermon on the mount in a public place? Or the all-encompassing commandment Jesus gave us? ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another — John 13:34 The one commandment! Doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it? But if we’re going to create a monument to stand as a testament to our faith, shouldn’t it at least be a monument of something that actually applies to us?”

Stanley goes on to write that the Ten Commandments are from the Old Covenant, which he says “played a significant role in God’s creation of the nation of Israel. It gave them moral guidelines and helped separate this new nation from their neighbors. This was part of the formal agreement (or covenant) God created with his people, but Jesus’ death and resurrection signaled the end of that covenant and all the rules and regulations associated with it. Jesus didn’t issue his new command as an additional commandment to the existing list of commands. He didn’t say, ‘Here’s the 614th law.’ Jesus issued his new commandment as a replacement for everything in the existing list. Including the big ten. Just as his new covenant replaced the old covenant, Jesus’ new commandment replaced all the old commandments.”

The implications of that unequivocal statement have been staggering to other Christians who point out how the words of Jesus and the apostles seem to contradict them flatly and reject such a conclusion. (Read more from “Mega-Pastor: Ten Commandments No Longer Applicable” HERE)

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Masked Men Kidnap Pastor’s Wife Then Do the Unthinkable to Her and Her Husband

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A small town in North Carolina is reeling after a horrific attack on a minister and his wife last week.

The minister at Sanford Memorial Baptist Church, John Alford, and his wife Nancy, 76, returned to their home in Littleton on Friday to find two burglars inside, WRAL reported.

One intruder kidnapped Nancy and forced her to withdraw $1,000 from an ATM. Alford was kept at the house by the second intruder and beaten.

After Nancy and the attacker returned, the two victims were tied up and the house was set on fire.

Despite being badly beaten, Alford managed to escape.

Tragically, he was unable to save his wife and she died in the flames.

On Sunday, the church where Alford has been a pastor for over a decade held a song and prayer service in his honor.

“We’re a small community, and for this to happen in this kind of town is unheard of,” business owner Pete Richardson said, according to WRAL.

“They were always willing to help somebody else out versus trying to take care of themselves. So, it’s a very, very deep loss for this community and somebody that we will so miss.”

On Saturday, the Concord Baptist Association released an update on Alford’s condition on Facebook.

According to authorities, the perpetrators also stole the couple’s car — a gray 2010 Mercedes-Benz. As of this writing, the suspects have not been found.

Local authorities along with the the State Bureau of Investigation and the State Highway Patrol are involved in the investigation. (For more from the author of “Masked Men Kidnap Pastor’s Wife Then Do the Unthinkable to Her and Her Husband” please click HERE)

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Lesbians Pitch Massive Fit After Church Gives Non-PC Answer to Their Question

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A lesbian couple expressed outrage over a Tennessee church’s refusal to violate doctrine and recognize them as core members because of their homosexual marriage.

Jessica and Courtney Wright stopped attending Faith Promise church after church leadership informed them that they were not eligible to be core members because their marriage violates the church’s belief that marriage is between one man and one woman, according to WATE.

The couple attended the church for two years.

The couple and their daughter moved forward with the initial requirements for core membership, including being baptized, before leadership told them their marriage precluded them from being members.

“Our marriage doesn’t agree with their core beliefs. That’s the reason why we wouldn’t be allowed to move forward and be in leading roles,” Courtney Wright told WATE.

“We could attend, be a seat, give money and be attendance numbers and that was it,” Jessica Wright added.

The church’s website lists the requirements for core membership as attending a Next Steps class, accepting Christ as Lord and Savior and receiving baptism, active and ongoing service in one of the church’s ministries, current attendance in a particular small group, and that the potential member “read and agree to the church doctrine.”

The church’s doctrine, also listed on its website, regarding family says, “Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.”

Courtney and Jessica told WATE that they were drawn to the church by the statement on its website’s “What To Expect” section that reads in part: ”We decided to be a church with a heart for those outside the church. A place where anyone can come and connect with God without the risk of being judged.”

“They are saying they still love us, they still want us to come. And then in the same breath, saying you can’t be a part of church, though,” Courtney said.

The church, however, said that Courtney and Jessica are more than welcome to be a part of the church community. The couple can attend the church but cannot become core members since they do not strive to live in accordance with the church’s doctrine.

“At Faith Promise, we love and embrace all people because people are made in the image of God. We welcome anyone who desires to take their next step in search of the God of the Bible and invite them to be our guest at any of our campuses,” the church said in a statement. “Although we believe the Bible defines marriage, sharing this view is not a requirement to be a part of our faith community.”

Jessica and Courtney said, however, that they were at a loss as to why church leadership would wait to tell them that they could not be core members until after they had already gone through most of the steps for membership and were about to sign the papers.

As for the legality of the church’s decision, Akram Faizer, a law professor at Lincoln Memorial University, told WATE that the church was well within its rights in light of “freedom of religion and freedom of association” and the fact that sexual orientation is not a protected class.

The couple is currently seeking church membership elsewhere.

A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.

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Thief Steals Entire Church All by Himself

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A thief stole a church from Peoria, Arizona early Tuesday morning all by himself.

As the church service is held at a local elementary school, the entire church is stored in a trailer during the week.

“We have all of our church equipment for worship in a 7×16 trailer that we haul each Sunday,” Cross of Glory Lutheran Church & School wrote on Facebook. “It’s our church in a box.”

The Facebook post also included the license plate number and details so the trailer can be easily identified and reported to police.

“The trailer is white with damage at the back left side. Please share and let’s get the social media eyes going.”

The surveillance videos show a white pickup first scouting the church property around 3 a.m., and then returning a few hours later and, within minutes, driving away with the trailer.

“You feel violated,” Pastor John Ehlers told ABC News.

The thieves only left the wheel stoppers from the trailer behind.

“It’s hard to function without it because, when you’re worshipping in a school — in a gymnasium, you have to bring everything in,” Ehlers said.

A Church in a Box is an easy way to have a church without actually having a building because everything is portable.

“Maybe if they open it up and actually read the Bible that’s in there, they’ll get to know a little bit about their savior,” Ehlers told ABC News.

Cross of Glory Lutheran Church & School hosts their second site at Lake Pleasant Elementary School, and their trailer had everything they needed for their service from audio equipment to a baptismal font.

Ehlers estimated the stolen trailer had about $40,000 worth of equipment.

A service will still be held at the school whether or not they get their trailer back.

“They can’t take God’s word from you,” Ehlers said.

The pastor passed along a message for the thieves: “You’re welcome to bring it back any time you’d like, no questions asked. Bring it back and, hey, Jesus does forgive you for those sins too. (For more from the author of “Thief Steals Entire Church All by Himself” please click HERE)

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Cops Destroy Evangelical Megachurch

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Chinese authorities demolished the $2.6 million building of a 50,000-member evangelical congregation in the country’s northern Shanxi province.

The order to destroy the Golden Lampstand Church in the city of Linfen apparently came from China’s top officials instead of the less-powerful local authorities, according to the Christian organization China Aid.

The group explained that the communist country’s notorious military police, which carried out the demolition Jan. 9, has been under the direct control of the central government since the head of the public security bureau was arrested last year.

It’s the second large church building to be demolished in the province in the past month.

People’s Armed Police forces used excavators and dynamite to destroy the building in Linfen, which had been financed by the congregation. (Read more from “Cops Destroy Evangelical Megachurch” HERE)

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Suicide Bombers Attack Christian Church

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Two suicide bombers attacked a church in Pakistan where hundreds of worshippers were attending service ahead of Christmas, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens of others, officials said.

One of the suicide bombers was shot dead outside Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, but the other assailant made it to the church’s entrance hall as Sunday services opened, said Sarfaraz Bugti, home minister for the southwestern Baluchistan province. The gunman — who didn’t gain access to the main building — opened fire at the churchgoers before detonating his explosive vest.

“There were nearly 400 people inside the church, but the attackers couldn’t get inside the services,” provincial police chief Moazzam Jah told Reuters. “We killed one of them, and the other one exploded himself after police wounded him,” he said.

The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for the attack on their Aamaq news agency, saying two “plungers” from their group had stormed the church, without providing further details.

The death toll in the deadly attack rose to nine people, including two women, by Sunday afternoon. Five women and two children were among the 57 people hurt. Seven people were listed in critical condition, said Wasim Baig, a spokesman for Quetta’s main hospital. (Read more from “Suicide Bombers Attack Christian Church” HERE)

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Church Holds ‘Inclusive’ Birthday Party for Muhammad, Jesus

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The theological fur is flying after a Church of England congregation hosted a joint birthday celebration for Muhammad and Jesus, with the church being accused of rejecting the fundamentals of the Christian faith.

The “Milad, Advent and Christmas Celebration” took place Sunday, Dec. 3, at All Saints Church in Kingston upon Thames and was organized with the Kingston Inter-Faith Forum and the South London Inter-Faith Group.

Milad, or Milwad, is the celebration of Muhammad’s birth.

“Marking the birthday of Prophet Muhammad and looking forward to the birthday of Jesus,” the flyer for the event read. “With provision for prayer at Asr and Maghrib and followed by the cutting of the birthday cake and Rizwan’s ‘High Tea.’”

That drew the attention and ire of Adrian Hilton, publisher of Archbishop Cranmer, one of the U.K.’s most popular political and highest-ranking religion blogs. Thomas Cranmer, an early Protestant reformer burned at the stake in 1556, was responsible for the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. (Read more from “Church Holds ‘Inclusive’ Birthday Party for Muhammad, Jesus” HERE)

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3 Pastors Accused of Luring Teenage Girls, Paying for Sex

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Three pastors worked together to entice teen girls to have sex, often for money, and shared photos and videos of the girls, federal prosecutors said.

One founded his own church and built a large following in Toledo. The other two oversaw congregations with a few dozen people that met in rented spaces.

All three pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that include child sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. Each could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. (Read more from “3 Pastors Accused of Luring Teenage Girls, Paying for Sex” HERE)

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Texas Church Killer Identified

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By WND. A quiet morning at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, turned into a bloodbath Sunday when a gunman dressed in full combat gear walked in and opened fire during services, killing at least 26 people and injuring 20 others, including children.

The shooting erupted about 11:20 a.m. Central Time at the First Baptist Church, with about 50 people in attendance during the onslaught.

The shooter, identified by numerous media as Devin Patrick Kelley, a 26-year-old from New Braunfels Texas, was killed after a chase from Wilson County into neighboring Guadalupe County. Kelley was formerly in the U.S. Air Force, specializing in logistics readiness.

At a news conference Sunday evening, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the shooter, dressed in black an wearing a bulletproof vest, initially started shooting outside the church, before moving inside and continuing to fire . . .

Upon his exit, a local resident grabbed his own rifle and engaged the subject. The suspect dropped his weapon and then got into a vehicle where a chase ensued. The suspect’s vehicle eventually ran off the roadway and the shooter was found deceased in his vehicle. (Read more from “Texas Church Killer Identified” HERE)

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Texas Church Shooting: Who Is Gunman Devin Patrick Kelley?

By Fox News. The gunman suspected of opening fire at a church in Texas on Sunday has been identified to Fox News as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley . . .

The gunman previously served in the U.S. Air Force, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Fox News. Kelley served at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico from 2010 until his discharge in 2014.

He was court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his wife and his child. Kelley received a bad conduct discharge from the Air Force, in addition to confinement for 12 months and was reduced in rank.

Kelley worked as a security guard for a Texas waterpark this past summer, according to a resume under his name that appears online . . .

The suspect, who is believed to be from New Braunfels, a suburb outside San Antonio, was found dead in his car after he sped away from the scene of the shooting. Officials said it remained unclear whether he was shot dead by police or an armed nearby resident, or if he died from a self-inflicted wound. (Read more from “Texas Church Shooting: Who Is Gunman Devin Patrick Kelley?” HERE)

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‘Hero’ Neighbor Got His Rifle, Shot at Texas Church Gunman

By New York Post. A concerned neighbor who heard the Texas church massacre unfolding on Sunday went and grabbed his rifle and tried to stop it — opening fire on the shooter and chasing him down in a stranger’s truck, a report says.

The man, who has not been publicly named, is being hailed online as a “hero” after state officials described his actions during a press conference.

A resident told the local ABC affiliate KSAT that he teamed up with her boyfriend and the two gave chase for several minutes inside his truck before the alleged gunman, Devin Kelley, eventually crashed the car he was in.

Authorities said the armed neighbor may have saved countless lives by opening fire on Kelley and forcing him to flee the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs during his 11:30 a.m. massacre. (Read more from “‘Hero’ Neighbor Got His Rifle, Shot at Texas Church Gunman” HERE)

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