Newsmakers

The owner of a California bakery is heading back to court after scoring repeated religious liberty victories for declining to make a same-sex wedding cake. Cathy Miller, owner of Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield, California, is again facing officials' furor after the state appealed a ruling last year by the California Superior Court of Kern County that was in her favor.  Miller said her battle began...

Today, Richard Lorenzo Jr. is a Christian pastor — but that wasn't always the case. The ex-warlock was at one time embroiled in the occult, engaging in evil and encouraging others to do the same. All that changed when he accepted Jesus in 2019. "I definitely was possessed," he recently told CBN Digital. "I was hearing voices — I was literally hearing voices." Lorenzo said he began dabbling in sell...

A free speech watchdog is warning about a new proposal in Scotland that could reportedly lead parents to be imprisoned for refusing to comply with gender transitions for their children. "You'd think that it was a joke or a piece of satire, but, unfortunately, it is the reality in my country of Scotland," Lois McLatchie, communications officer at ADF International, said of the suggested provision....

Famed football coach Tony Dungy is known for his devotion to football as well as his character, compassion, and faith. Dungy, a former NFL defensive back who went on to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, has also been outspoken about his biblical views and what matters most in life. In a recent interview with CBN News, Dungy revealed the biggest lesson he believes God has taugh...

Jonathan Roumie sat down with CBN's Tré Goins-Phillips to talk about season four of The Chosen — debuting in theaters Feb. 1 — and opened up about the weight of portraying the Son of God. He also gave a vulnerable reaction to learning his image is one of the first pictures people often associate with Jesus.  __ "The Newsmakers Podcast" is a daily podcast based on "Newsmakers," a weekly TV show hos...

A Christian leader who was born and raised in Iran and who now ministers in the country is warning of what could happen if ties between terror groups like Hamas, Taliban, Hezbollah, and ISIS strengthen. The Rev. Lazarus Yeghnazar, founder and president of Transform Iran, an organization that spreads the Gospel in Iran, said such collaborations are already unfolding — something he sounded the alarm...

Michigan parents are suing a public school district over the claim district employees began socially transitioning their daughter without their consent, purportedly concealing details from the parents in the process. Dan and Jennifer Mead have sued the Rockford Public School District in Michigan, with the parents telling CBN News the case shows the troubling ways parental rights are sometimes unde...

Actress Candace Cameron Bure, star of Great American Family's "My Christmas Hero," has had a long career in Hollywood. The popular performer joins the "Newsmakers Podcast" to break down her latest projects — and her reaction to so many Hollywood actors finding Jesus. Listen to this powerful episode of the show. __ "The Newsmakers Podcast" is a daily podcast based on "Newsmakers," a weekly TV show...

The owner of a Christian coffee shop in Colorado said his business and ministry have continued to be under a barrage of attacks from communist and LGBTQ protesters who have reportedly incessantly sought the establishment's closure. Jamie Sanchez, the founder of Recycle God's Love, joined CBN News last summer to discuss the chaos surrounding the Drip Cafe, a coffee shop he launched to further his m...

John Cooper has been known for years as the frontman for Skillet, the popular rock band with a Christian lyrical bent. But, in recent years, Cooper has also become an outspoken commentator on the state of the nation — and the church. His new book "Wimpy, Weak, & Woke" examines "increasing conflicts in America" and explores what he says is truly at the core of cultural angst: "a war between gods –...

"The demons in her screamed like you wouldn't believe." That's how evangelist Ray Comfort described a shocking encounter he once had in Christchurch, New Zealand, with a young woman who he believes was fighting the demonic. "I'm right in the middle of a horror movie that I couldn't believe was happening," he said of the experience. Comfort told CBN Digital the entire ordeal surrounded a young woma...

For parents and students looking to help children navigate the onslaught of secularism in education, after-school Bible clubs have in recent decades been a positive and effective tool. Yet newfound debates have unfolded in recent years as Satanists have begun to target these gathers by launching clubs of their own, a dynamic Moises Esteves, executive director of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF),...

John Burke, a pastor and author who has studied and examined over 1,000 accounts of near-death experiences, believes these reports provide faith-building evidence of God and the Bible. Burke, author of the new book "Imagine the God of Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God’s Revelation, and the Love You’ve Always Wanted," told CBN News why he believes these experiences corroborate Scripture and detai...

A Christian leader on a mission to bring the Bible and truth to public school kids said atheist activists' recent attacks on his organization have helped spread the word about his efforts. Joel Penton, founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy, told CBN News his organization offers something truly compelling to American youths. "LifeWise Academy provides Bible education to public school students during...

Country singer Granger Smith stunned fans when he announced he would be retiring from music to pursue ministry, with the musician telling CBN Digital how he plans to serve the Lord. "I'm just so excited about it," he said. "I have so much joy just even thinking about it." Smith said he's already begun speaking before audiences about his Christian faith. While he once traversed the nation and world...

North Korea remains the worst nation in the world for Christian persecution, with the situation in Nigeria continuing to devolve, according to a new report on global religious discrimination. Overall, Open Doors’ World Watch List 2024 found 4,998 Christians were killed over their faith, a figure the organization said is likely much higher due to underreporting. Meanwhile, 365 million Christians fa...

As global persecution rages, a watchdog is launching a first-of-its-kind, open-sourced database allowing people to track incidents of violent religious persecution across the globe. Global Christian Relief and the International Institute For Religious Freedom have teamed up to create the Violent Incidents Database (VID), which is being dubbed the "first and only events-based global religious freed...

Dr. Päivi Räsänen, the Finnish politician who was victorious in court this past November after facing a years-long legal battle for sharing her biblical views on sexuality, is back in the prosecution's crosshairs. Räsänen's attorneys with ADF International released a statement Friday revealing the Finnish state prosecutor is appealing the case to Finland's Supreme Court, potentially forcing Räsäne...

A new faith and family-friendly video came company is looking to transform the entertainment landscape. Hollywood is already making Christian content, but now TruPlay is joining in to create faith-inspiring games — and more. CEO and founder Brent Dusing joins "Newsmakers." -- Welcome to "The Newsmakers Podcast," a show where we go behind the headlines each day to bring you interviews with pastors,...

Eighty years after diabolical German leader Adolf Hitler went on a reign of terror, killing millions of Jewish men, women, and children, the stories of pain, horror, loss, and tragedy continue to reverberate. Victims like Jochen "Jack" Wurfl continue educate today's generations about what unfolded, with his new book, "My Two Lives" releasing just weeks before Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 terror attack on...

Persecution watchdog is delivering a pointed message to the Biden administration after the U.S. State Department again declined to list Nigeria on its Countries of Particular Concern list, with the expert warning that there's a "slow-motion genocide" unfolding against Christians inside the African nation. Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), told CBN Digital there have be...

A Christian pastor is reportedly facing criminal charges for violating zoning laws and housing the homeless. Pastor Chris Avell of Dad's Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio, and First Liberty attorney Ryan Gardner join the "Newsmakers Podcast" to discuss the shocking case. "[Avell's] facing 18 criminal charges for violating the city’s zoning laws," a First Liberty news release reads. "The city is going...

Actor and Comedian Rob Schneider recently offered a powerful -- and public -- message of forgiveness. He explains why he's now embracing faith, God, and forgiveness. Plus: hear about some of his new projects on this episode of the "Newsmakers Podcast" with Billy Hallowell. -- Welcome to "The Newsmakers Podcast," a show where we go behind the headlines each day to bring you interviews with pastors,...

Actress and producer Roma Downey has built a long career in Hollywood, creating TV and film content that inspires and entertains. The “Touched By An Angel” star has also carried her uplifting, family-friendly messages into literary works, including a new children’s book, “A Message in the Moon.” Downey said her touching new book is deeply personal, with the concept predicated upon her childhood. “...

A theology lecturer in the U.K. who was reportedly fired from his job at a Christian college over a tweet about biblical sexuality is suing to raise awareness and to stop similar instances from unfolding. Dr. Aaron Edwards was terminated from Cliff College in Derbyshire, England, in March after he sent a tweet defending traditional marriage, something he said was sparked by what he sees as a retre...