Pop star Taylor Swift has come under fire following the release of a surprise 31-song double album, titled “The Tortured Poets Department.” Some have criticized Swift, who has described herself as a Christian, for her “self-worshipping” lyrics that include biblical imagery.

One person who has sounded the alarm on Swift’s new album is Shane Pruitt, the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Director of Next Gen Evangelism for the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Pruitt emphasized in a recent social media post that “LYRICS MATTER.”

“Disclaimer, I’m definitely not the minister or parent that has the ‘no secular music’ stance. Also, I fully realize unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers,” said Pruitt, who used to listen to Swift’s albums.

RELATED: ‘I Am Christian. That’s Not What We Stand For’—Taylor Swift’s Political Comments Resurface As She Returns to Tennessee

“HOWEVER,” he added, “there is a difference between being secular, and being ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”

Pruitt then shared some lyrics from Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”

In her song, “But Daddy I Love Him,” Swift writes, “I just learned these people only raise you / To cage you / Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best / Clutchin’ their pearls, sighing, ‘What a mess.’ / Just learned these people try and save you / ‘Cause they hate you.”

The song continues,

God save the most judgmental creeps
Who say they want what’s best for me
Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I’ll never see
Thinkin’ it can change the beat
Of my heart when he touches me
And counteract the chemistry
And undo the destiny
You ain’t gotta pray for me
Me and my wild boy and all of this wild joy
If all you want is gray for me
Then it’s just white noise, and it’s just my choice.

In another song, titled “Guilty As Sin,” Swift says:

What if I roll the stone away?
They’re gonna crucify me anyway
What if the way you hold me is actually what’s holy?
If long-suffering propriety is what they want from me
They don’t know how you’ve haunted me so stunningly
I choose you and me religiously

RELATED: ‘Sparks Fly’ Over The Gospel Coalition’s Latest Article About Taylor Swift

Swift says she would have died for her former boyfriend’s sins in her song, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” singing, “I would’ve died for your sins, instead, I just died inside.”

In an April 22 social media post, “VeggieTales” creator Phil Vischer teased “a sneak peek at something Phil and Mike have been working on… secretly… in an undisclosed location….” Then he shared a link to a four-minute video filled with animated characters discussing a new “Phil & Mike Show.”

Mike is Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of “VeggieTales,” the award-winning Christian media franchise for children. After Vischer’s Big Idea Productions was forced into bankruptcy in 2003, he and Nawrocki lost creative control of all things “VeggieTales.”

RELATED: Phil Vischer, Part 1: How Pastors Can Guide the Creatives in Their Churches

But the duo continues to create—and now hopes Angel Studios supporters give the “Phil & Mike Show” a green light. In a follow-up to Monday’s post, Vischer wrote, “If you’re a member of the Angel ‘Guild’ (at Angel Studios), go and vote for this to get picked up as a new show. It’s up for vote right now!”

Phil Vischer’s ‘Phil & Mike Show’ Is Under Consideration

In an email to ChurchLeaders, Vischer explained that Angel Studios allows the “crowd”—in the form of paying Guild members—to decide which shows and movies get made. “They’re a very unique studio in that their fans do all the green-lighting of new projects, not their executives,” Vischer said. “So we’re hoping the fans like it!”

Vischer, who’s also an author, speaker, and podcaster, told ChurchLeaders the review process takes a couple of weeks. When asked about distribution avenues, he said they’re still to be determined. “But like ‘The Chosen,’ it would launch first on the Angel app,” he said. “Then eventually roll out elsewhere.”

About the new effort, Vischer explained, “I’ve been working on the characters and animation techniques for about two years. Animated shows are generally very expensive and very time-consuming.”

“I’ve been working on a way to work faster with a much smaller team,” he added, “which could make it easier to produce animated programming with Christian content.”

After “VeggieTales,” Vischer worked with puppets for about 15 years, trying to affordably create Christian content for children. Thanks to new developments in animation software, he said, he now has a “fun and fast” model.

In response to an online comment, Vischer wrote that he creates the “Phil & Mike Show” with Blender, “mostly performed ‘real-time’ using the mouse with virtual sliders and joysticks. (Lip sync, eyes and walk cycles are keyframed.)”

A ‘New Way’ To Share God’s Love With Kids

The promo video for the “Phil & Mike Show” promises a high-energy product that appeals to kids, despite featuring “no cat videos” and “no sprinkles.” A “Sunday school lady” named Dorothy is ready to “make sure the Bible stories are accurate and age-appropriate.” The show will also feature the “silly songs” for which Vischer and Nawrocki are known.

RELATED: Phil Vischer, Part 2: Fighting To Save Evangelicalism From Fundamentalism

“The goal is to bring back the spirit of very early ‘VeggieTales.’ My original conception of Bob the Tomato was that he was a ‘frustrated Mr. Rogers,’” Vischer told ChurchLeaders. “He wanted to be Mr. Rogers but couldn’t pull off a show without his goofy friends messing things up or his own temper getting the best of him. This new show is Phil trying to be Mr. Rogers.

A North Carolina pastor suffered the theft of his car from his church parking lot on Thursday, April 18. Pastor Barry Washington of Whole Man Ministries in Winston-Salem said that even though he had just bought the car two weeks ago and the experience left him feeling “violated,” he still forgave the thief.

“I would tell the young man, ‘I forgive you. I understand that we make decisions that are not good decisions,’” Washington told FOX8 News. “I would hope that he would bring the vehicle back and apologize, and I would leave it at that.” 

RELATED: Police Rule Out Foul Play in Death of Christian Singer Mandisa

Washington said he is praying for the perpetrator but that he will let the charges stand if law enforcement catch the thief. “Maybe he’ll see this footage,” the pastor said to WFMY News2. “Maybe he’ll see it and say, ‘Look, I did wrong, they caught me red-handed,’ and bring the vehicle back.”

North Carolina Pastor: ‘We’ll Forgive You’ 

Barry Washington founded Whole Man Ministries Church and pastors it with his wife, Camilla. The ministry describes itself as “a grassroots, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose mission is to contribute to the ‘holistic’ development of people—i.e., body, mind and spirit.”

The church puts a high priority on working with organizations in its community and has ministries focused on homelessness, incarceration, food insecurity, continuing education for adults, and the needs of veterans. 

“Whole Man Ministries of NC is committed to ‘go the distance’ to make a difference one life at a time,” says the church’s website. “Our desire is to reach beyond the walls to connect with and assist people in need throughout the larger community.”  

Washington was inside his church on Thursday and said that, prior to the theft, someone had just checked the miles on his 2015 Chevy Equinox for him. When that person went back outside to the car moments later, the vehicle was gone. 

Security footage shows a tow truck backing up to Washington’s car, hitching to it, and driving away. The theft took less than a minute and occurred in the middle of the day.

Not only was Washington’s Chevy newly purchased but the North Carolina pastor, who uses a wheelchair, also experienced an attempted carjacking in 2008 that left him paralyzed. During that incident, the perpetrator threatened him with a gun. 

RELATED: Remains of Pastor’s Wife and Friend Identified; OK County GOP Chair Among ‘God’s Misfits’ Murder Defendants

Police have ruled out foul play in the sudden death of award-winning Christian singer Mandisa. Mandisa died at her home in Franklin, Tennessee, on Thursday (April 18) at the age of 47. 

“Over the weekend, a medical examiner identified the deceased individual as Mandisa Hundley,” the Franklin Police Department said in a statement on Monday. “At this time, there is no indication the death was the result of suspicious or criminal activity.”

Police are “continuing to investigate” the singer’s death and did not disclose a possible cause of death. 

“The Franklin Police Department sends its condolences to Hundley’s family, friends, and fans,” the statement concluded.

RELATED: ‘Overcomer’ Singer and Grammy Award-Winning Christian Artist Mandisa Dead at 47

Born Mandisa Lynn Hundley in Citrus Heights, California, the singer became a household name after she made it to the top nine on the fifth season of “American Idol.” She later released her first studio album, “True Beauty,” in 2007. 

In 2014, she won best contemporary Christian Music Album for “Overcomer.” 

Throughout her career, Mandisa experienced success on the Christian music charts. She also had crossover appeal, garnering praise in the mainstream music market. 

Following the news of Mandisa’s passing, fellow Christian celebrities took to social media to celebrate her life.

“Mandisa’s smile was like turning on sunshine. She lit up every room she walked into and every stage she graced. We are all going to miss her light and that beautiful smile,” Amy Grant wrote in an Instagram post. “And while we grieve, I can only imagine the Welcome Home she received.”

RELATED: Mandisa Shares Battle With Suicide on GMA: ‘God Saved My Life Quite Literally’

TobyMac, with whom Mandisa frequently collaborated, said in a Facebook post that Mandisa was “a beautiful soul.”

LONDON (RNS) — Amid all the preparations to turn Paris into a venue for the Olympic Games that begin in less than 100 days, one small corner of the French capital is preparing for another modern form of competition based in antiquity: Christie’s auction of early Christian texts from North Africa.

Some of the most important religious artifacts to come up for sale in recent years, the manuscripts from the privately owned Schoyen Collection, including the oldest complete version of the First Epistle of Peter and the Book of Jonah, were displayed in New York earlier this month and have arrived in Paris for inspection by prospective bidders. The auction sale of the works, written on papyrus in the Coptic language, will take place at Christie’s in London in June.

The viewings of the Schoyen Collection have drawn representatives from museums around the world as well as private collectors. To some they represent beauty, to others links to the past, and to others a connection with faith.

“This is one of the most important sales Christie’s has ever held in this field,” said Eugenio Donadoni, senior specialist in medieval and Renaissance manuscripts at Christie’s. “They are touchstones, helping us understand the history of Christianity.”

The Schoyen Collection is the work of Martin Schoyen, building on the collections of his father, and now comprises 20,000 manuscripts, including 400 linked to the Bible. Now in his 80s, Schoyen has decided to sell part of it, including the most important artifacts.

According to Donadoni, the Crosby-Schoyen Codex — valued at £3 million or about $3.7 million — is thought to be the world’s oldest book in private hands, comprising, besides Peter’s epistle and the story of Jonah, part of the Book of Maccabees and an Easter homily.

It is highly significant in the history of writing, said Donadoni, because it “marks a pivotal moment — it is the transition from scrolls to codicils as Christianity spreads across the Mediterranean.”

But the codex also shows the religious pivot going on at the time. It is thought that the codex was used by a monastery in upper Egypt around the middle of the third century CE, before the Council of Nicaea in 325, which tried to secure consensus on issues of Christian belief, such as the relationship between God the Father and God the Son, and the latter’s divine nature.

“You can see from the codex that they are finding their feet as Christians,” said Donadoni. “They are still steeped in Jewish tradition and are shaping the new religion.”

The book is so old that it calls the text now known as the First Epistle of Peter the letter of Peter, as if they are not aware that a further letter exists.

Another major manuscript going up for sale on June 11 is the Codex Sinaiticus Rescriptus, which is in effect an ancient effort at recycling. In the 10th century, John Zosimos, a monk at a monastery near Jerusalem, acquired a document written on expensive vellum, which he packed up and took to St. Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai Desert to reuse for his own writing. The original writing, itself the earliest surviving piece of the Gospels to be written in Aramaic, dating from the fifth or sixth century, is still visible.

“The underlying text was not scrubbed out very well, so under fluorescent lighting you can still see it, written in the language that Jesus himself would have spoken,” said Donadoni.

(RNS) — Conservative religious leaders who had been imploring Speaker Mike Johnson to back assistance for Ukraine and Israel in fighting their wars celebrated the House’s passage of foreign aid packages Saturday, clearing the way for the measures to go to the Senate.

Brent Leatherwood, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, was among those lobbying Johnson, himself a Southern Baptist, on behalf of Ukrainian and American Baptists concerned about the plight of Ukrainian Christians.

“That is why we asked Speaker Johnson and congressional leaders to come together to meet the challenges of this moment,” Leatherwood said in a statement to Religion News Service Monday. “In the House passage of bills relating to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, the Speaker sent a strong message to autocrats and terrorists alike that our nation will take a stand to support vulnerable lives and oppose the tyrants who threaten them.”

RELATED: Baptist Leaders Urge House Speaker Mike Johnson To Support Ukrainian Christians

The push on Ukraine included a Wednesday meeting between Johnson, Pavlo Unguryan (an evangelical and political leader from Ukraine) and a Ukrainian citizen whose wife and child were killed in a March attack on Odesa.

Gary Marx, president of the new coalition Defenders of Faith and Religious Freedom in Ukraine and former executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, praised the House leader’s “courage and his willingness to listen to the cries of Ukraine’s faithful” in a statement posted on X on Saturday, while saying, “As we celebrate this victory, we recognize that there is still more work to be done.”

On Thursday, Marx had written to Johnson on behalf of the coalition seeking congressional support for Ukrainian Christians. The letter was also signed by Rick Santorum, a former Republican senator and chairman of Patriot Voices, and the Rev. Adam Hamilton, a prominent United Methodist pastor in Kansas, among more than a dozen other faith leaders.

“We are pained and shocked by the widespread, vicious persecution of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine by Russian forces,” reads the letter. “Russia is waging a war against Evangelical and Protestant Christians at a scale likened to ‘cultural genocide.’ These Christians are being persecuted, harassed, intimidated, imprisoned, tortured, mutilated, and killed — simply for worshipping God as they see fit.”

Other leaders of political groups that largely represent evangelical Christians pressured Johnson to shepherd support for Israel through a Congress with contingents on the right and left opposing the aid package. Twenty-one Republicans joined 37 Democrats in voting against the Israel aid bill.

In a virtual press conference organized by Johnson’s staff as the House prepared to vote on Friday, Sandra Hagee Parker, chair of the Christians United for Israel Action Fund, lauded the speaker, praising his “fortitude” in pushing for the “vital issue” of Israel aid.

“The enemies of America are watching and waiting to see what America does, and we should do everything in our power to have Israel’s back,” Parker said. She echoed Johnson’s remark that Russia, China and Iran constitute a new “axis of evil,” hearkening back to former President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address in which he called out Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

Anyone who doubts that the three states are mounting a “united front against the enemies of the West,” said Parker, is “simply sticking their head in the sand.”

Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, said at the press conference that the U.S. must “rush” to Israel’s defense. Reed suggested that Johnson, despite threats from some GOP members to challenge his speakership, will ultimately be celebrated by conservative Christians if the bills are passed.

Last year, Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church (Mt. Juliet, Tennessee) and Pastor Mike Signorelli of V1 Church (Amityville, New York) both released theatrical faith-based documentaries that shared how God is bringing a spiritual awakening during what they describe as “America’s darkest hour.”

Locke’s movie, titled “Come Out in Jesus Name,” and Signorelli’s movie titled, “The Domino Revival,” will be shown together in theaters on Tuesday, April 23, for a one-night event called “Miracles at the Movies.”

The two films center on deliverance ministry, which, according to Locke, is “teaching people how to overcome what we would consider spiritual warfare, demonic oppression and suicidal thoughts.”

RELATED: ‘The Domino Revival,’ Featuring Mark Driscoll, Mike Signorelli, and Greg Locke, To Debut in Theaters

“Miracles at the Movies” viewers will hear the two pastors’ vision for how someone can be set free from evil spirts and live victoriously in Jesus. The special event will conclude with Locke and Signorelli sharing the gospel. “I think it’s going to be miraculous,” Locke told ChurchLeaders.

“I believe there’s going to be emotional healing that takes place, and we also are leaving room for medically verifiable miracles,” Signorelli shared. Both pastors say they witnessed miracles take place during the first run of their films. “It’s going to be a powerful time,” Signorelli said.

Signorelli said that “Greg went some places with their talk that follows the film that I believe is going to heal and restore whole families.”

“Both movies are going to open people’s hearts,” Signorelli continued. “So there’s a lot of anticipation.”

RELATED: V1 Church’s Mike Signorelli Wants People To See the ‘Real Jesus’ in New Film ‘The Domino Revival’

“Revival is no longer a luxury; it’s a last resort,” Signorelli said. “The body of Christ is losing ground in America. It’s rapidly diminishing, churches are closing, and the church as become a joke in so many different ways. And so revival now is the last resort. It’s not a luxury.”

Candace Cameron Bure is known for her role as D.J. Tanner on “Full House” and “Fuller House,” as well as for being an advocate for traditional family values and offering wholesome entertainment. She recently opened up about a scary, life-threatening incident on the set of “Fuller House.”

“If I just even shifted my weight the tiniest bit, it would have probably broken my neck,” recalled Bure in a recent episode of the “How Rude, Tanneritos!” podcast.

Candace Cameron Bure Doesn’t Exaggerate About a Dangerous Stunt on ‘Fuller House’

Bure recently was a guest on he “How Rude, Tanneritos!” podcast hosted by Jodie Sweetin (who played Stephanie Tanner) and Andrea Barber (who played Kimmy Gibbler). After the trio talked about Bure’s son recently getting married, they began to share about old times.

The hosts loved reconnecting with a longtime friend and costar. “I have to say there’s something really special about ‘Kimmy’ and ‘Steph’ being able to interview ‘D.J.,’ and we loved catching up with Candace and reminiscing on the wonderful memories from our childhood,” said Sweetin.

On “Fuller House,” the actors were able to do their own stunts. They reflected on funny memories surrounding an episode of “Mexican wrestling.” But, the tone of the podcast quickly turned somber when they recalled an episode with an obstacle course in the living room on set.

Bure remembered, “I almost died.”

“Yeah, that’s not even an exaggeration,” replied Barber.

As part of the “Fuller House” episode, D.J. Tanner (played by Bure) wanted to complete an obstacle course—much like those seen on “American Ninja Warrior.” So, in comedic fashion, the group set up a course in the living room, including a zipline.

The intention was for Bure to go through the course and zipline across to a platform. But a safety feature was missed during setup.

Bure shared, “During rehearsal, the rig was not set up correctly and there was no safety stop on the end of it.” She continued, “So, when I landed off the zipline and stopped, the whole mechanism—which is all metal and very, very heavy—slid right off the track and came right next to my head with an inch.”

“It dented the floor,” Barber chimed in.

“It broke the stairs,” Sweetin said.

Season 4 of “The Chosen” is projected to be available to stream in the next four to seven weeks, said the show’s creator and director, Dallas Jenkins. Jenkins shared the news Sunday evening in a livestream, where he was joined by Abe Bueno-Jallad and George H. Xanthis, who play Big James and John, respectively, as well as by Joel and Luke Smallbone of for KING & COUNTRY.

‘The Chosen,’ Season 4, Update

On March 10, Jenkins shared the “bad news” that the streaming release of Season 4 had been delayed due to “legal matters.” On April 11, he followed up to dispel rumors that Season 4 would not be available for months or possibly until next year.

RELATED: Dallas Jenkins Talks Criticism, LDS and Pride Controversies, and How He Overcame Struggles With Porn, Narcissism

Sunday, April 21, Jenkins gave a more precise timeline of four to seven weeks, although he did not have an exact date. He also asked people to stop speculating about the nature of the legal difficulties, which he is not at liberty to explain. 

“I can’t get into the details of that. So please don’t ask, please don’t try to figure it out. There’s been a couple articles that have come out that have investigated a little bit,” Jenkins said. “It’s just irrelevant. The point is that we are in the midst of a legal matter that is delaying the release of Season 4. The reason for the legal matter is multiple things.” He emphasized being “moderate and gentle and graceful and generous to everyone involved.” 

Jenkins promised “the moment we get a decision on the legal matter, we will release [Season 4] the Sunday after the decision.” At that point, “The Chosen” will be available on the Chosen app and will eventually arrive to other streaming platforms. 

“Unless there are some legal shenanigans, unless something goes awry,” said Jenkins, “which we don’t anticipate, it should be released to you sometime in the next four to seven weeks.” It’s “highly likely” that it “won’t be longer than that,” he added.

The director reiterated that the Season 4 episodes will come out more quickly than they typically would, releasing twice a week: “The release window will be shorter so we can get episodes to you quicker.” 

Filming on “The Chosen,” Season 5, which takes place during Holy Week and which Jenkins said is likely to release in theaters as Season 4 did, began on April 11. When Bueno-Jallad and Xanthis joined Jenkins, the three described what it had been like filming Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 

RELATED: ‘The Chosen’ Viewership Soars to 200 Million, Thanks to Streaming and International Distribution