Michigan LDS Church Shooting: Death toll rises to 4

Michigan LDS Church Shooting: Death toll rises to 4

A gunman drove his vehicle into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in suburban Grand Blanc, Michigan on Sunday, before a shooting and an arson attack on worshipers during a service, killing four people and wounding nine others. Authorities have identified the suspect as Thomas Jacob Sanford from nearby Burton, Michigan, a 40-year-old man, but have not yet released a motive. 
  • Suspect in Pastor’s Death Apprehended; Family Forgives as Bible Calls
    A 22-year-old man has been arrested for the fatal shooting of a California pastor, whose death has deeply affected his family and congregation. The pastor’s family cites the Christian teachings he embraced, choosing to forgive his alleged killer. Deputies responded to a call on September 7 in Ramona and found 40-year-old Pastor Felipe Ascencio of Templo Monte Horeb with a gunshot wound. Despite paramedics' efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
  • Nearly 100-year-old Black Episcopal Church Honored with Community Historical Marker
    St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church of Gary, an African American congregation founded in 1927, was recently honored with a historic marker, just before reaching its 100th anniversary. Paula DeBois, the parish historian at St. Augustine’s Episcopal and the applicant for the marker, told The Christian Post that the church was “part of a group of candidates in a cycle that applied to the Indiana Historic Bureau.”

Calvary Chapel Belfast Sues University of Maine Over Property Purchase Cancellation

An attorney representing a Maine church that is suing a university system for allegedly refusing to sell a property because of the church’s religious objections to same-sex marriage has warned of “broader implications” if the case is not resolved in the church’s favor. Last year, Calvary Chapel Belfast filed a lawsuit against the University of Maine System after the institution rescinded an offer to buy a school property, allegedly due to local outrage over the church’s religious views.
  • Liberia's Court Rules in Favor of UMC in Methodist Church Property Dispute
    Judge George W. Smith of the 6th Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court in Liberia, issued a decision last month stating that the United Methodist Church (UMC) has rightful control over several church properties, not the Global Methodist Church (GMC).
  • Highland Park Presbyterian Church Names Rev. Thomas Daniel as Senior Pastor
    A Dallas-area megachurch, Highland Park Presbyterian Church, announced on Sunday that it has elected the Rev. Thomas Daniel as its new senior pastor, nearly two years after the sudden death of Bryan Dunagan, following a unanimous recommendation and a congregational vote. In a heartfelt letter to the congregation Sunday, Daniel expressed his gratitude and excitement for the opportunity, stating he was “humbled and honored” to serve as HP Pres’ new pastor.
  • Court Orders New York to Pay Over $817,000 in House of Worship Firearms Ban Case
    A district court has mandated that New York State pay more than $817,000 in attorneys’ fees to resolve a lawsuit challenging a statewide ban on carrying firearms in places of worship. In 2022, His Tabernacle Family Church, led by Pastor Micheal Spencer, filed a suit against the state over a law that restricted firearms in specific areas, including church properties.  
More News

  • Half of Churches Satisfied with Discipleship, But Strong Agreement Remains Rare

    The first part of the State of Discipleship study conducted by Lifeway Research examined how U.S. Protestant pastors understand discipleship and how they believe it should best occur. While 52 percent of pastors are satisfied with discipleship and spiritual formation in their churches, only 8 percent strongly agree with this sentiment. Similarly, 52 percent report having an intentional plan for discipling individuals and encouraging their spiritual growth.

  • Tony Evans Preaches Again After Over a Year of Stepping Down

    Pastor Tony Evans, just over a year after stepping down as leader of the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas, has resumed preaching. Last month, Evans participated in the FAMiLY Leadership Summit held in Iowa, which was hosted by The FAMiLY Leader and led by President and CEO Bob Vander Plaats. It remains unclear whether Evans has been restored to his ministry.

  • South Carolina Church Relocates Services Just Hours Before Roof Collapse

    Church leaders at the Haywood campus of First Baptist Simpsonville Upstate Church in South Carolina narrowly prevented a tragedy by moving services to a different location just hours before the sanctuary’s roof collapsed on Sunday morning. Wayne Bray, the lead pastor of First Baptist Simpsonville Upstate Church, which has 7,700 members worshiping at nine locations across South Carolina, explained in a video statement on Facebook that the collapse didn’t come as a surprise to them.

  • Generation Z Less Engaged in Churches Than Older Generations, Study Finds

    Research shows that Generation Z participates in church activities much less than older generations, and higher engagement is linked to better flourishing and well-being. The American Bible Society released the fifth chapter of its State of the Bible: USA 2025 report on Thursday. Generation Z adults showed considerably lower levels of church engagement compared to their older counterparts.

  • Anglican Church of Nigeria Ends Relationship with Church of Wales Over LGBTQ Issue

    The Anglican Church of Nigeria has severed diplomatic relations with the Church in Wales following the election of an openly lesbian archbishop. The Nigerian primate announced this decision during a meeting of church legal officers in Abuja. The Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, leading the Church of Nigeria, addressed delegates at the 14th Conference of Chancellors, Registrars, and Legal Officers, stating that his province rejected the election of the Right Rev. Cherry Vann as the Archbishop of Wales.

  • Over 400 Acts Against US Churches in 2024, Gun Incidents Double

    According to a recent report by the Family Research Council, over 400 hostile acts against churches were documented in the United States in 2024, with a notable rise in incidents involving firearms. The report, titled “Hostility against Churches in the United States” detailed various types of hostility, including vandalism, arson, gun threats, bomb hoaxes, and physical assaults.  

  • Pastor John Amanchukwu Calls Christians to Boldly Confront Evil

    At the Turning Point USA's Faith Forward Pastors Summit on Wednesday evening, Pastor John Amanchukwu encouraged pastors and Christians to speak boldly against the increasingly evident evil within American culture. Amanchukwu, an author of the 2022 book “Eraced: Uncovering the Lies of Critical Race Theory and Abortion,” has been a vocal opponent of abortion, explicit books in schools, and forms of cultural Marxism, including critical race theory and queer theory.

  • Fundraiser Raises Over $70K for Family of Congregant Shot Outside Seattle Church

    Over $70,000 has been collected to aid the family of LeBron Givaun, who was fatally shot in broad daylight outside a Seattle church last week during a ministry gathering. The Pursuit Seattle, a branch of the multi-campus church based in Washington, held a prayer vigil in honor of Givaun on Sunday night.
Most Read
Other Headlines