Canaan James Hill, a young aspiring preacher, once again wowed “American Idol” judges and viewers this week. Despite dealing with allergies, the 17-year-old from Dallas offered what judge Luke Bryan called a “tremendous performance, very uplifting” on the April 14 episode.

In this season’s Top 24 round, filmed at a Hawaiian resort, Hill sang “Glory to Glory to Glory” by Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ. “Your ‘under the weather’ is still better than the rest of the world,” Bryan told the teen afterward. “Your ability to be on the beach and have church on the beach was pretty amazing.”

‘I Just Love It When You Interpret the Word’

Canaan James Hill, a content creator, graduated from high school early so he could pursue God’s call to preach. Hearing his grandfather sing gospel songs inspired him to pursue music, he previously explained.

RELATED: Young Aspiring Preacher Continues To Wow ‘American Idol’ Judges, This Time With Marvin Sapp Song

“American Idol” judge Carrie Underwood applauded Hill’s “amazing” personality and stage presence, as well as his vocals. “I know you’re dealing with some allergies,” she told the teen on Monday’s show. “To be honest, I kind of think it was a bit of a blessing. We know that you have tricks on tricks on tricks in your bag, [but] that might have forced you to simplify a little bit, and it was really nice. We just kinda got to listen to the words of the song.”

Judge Lionel Ritchie has been visibly moved by Hill’s performances, twice saying the singer is “possessed.” After Hill sang “Glory to Glory to Glory,” Ritchie told him, “Your voice is your signature. I just love it when you just interpret the word.”

“On top of that, I cannot wait to hear you when you start interpreting other songs outside of the church,” Ritchie continued, “because I know you’ve got the ability to navigate your own sound within those songs. But you nailed that song tonight.”

Canaan James Hill’s Voice Is a ‘Beacon of Hope and Joy’

Online comments indicate that Hill is also a fan favorite. “Don’t stop sharing your gift with the world!” someone encouraged him. “Your voice is a beacon of hope and joy, and it’s needed now more than ever.” Another wrote that the teen is “definitely an anointed young man” and has the “identity” of a gospel singer “through and through.”

Some fans pushed back against Ritchie’s comment about Hill branching into other types of music. “I saw your face when Lionel mentioned singing other genres,” someone commented to Hill. “If [gospel music is] what God wants you to do stay with it. I know you can broaden your song selection but you take me to the king every time. Keep being you.”

Pastor Louis Rosenthal of McKinney First Baptist Church in McKinney, Texas, had thought his church was going to use its land for a new church building. However, the Texas pastor says that in the middle of moving forward with those plans, God stopped him short. Now, an affordable housing complex on that property is nearly completed. 

“It’s totally a God thing,” Rosenthal told ChurchLeaders. “We are telling the story, but it’s all to God’s glory.”

The pastor referenced an interview he did with Brittany Johnson of NBC DFW on how his church is joining other churches in Texas in saying “Yes in God’s Backyard” (YIGBY), as opposed to “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY), in an effort to provide people with housing they can afford. Rosanthal said he loved the framing of “a church using this land to expand God’s backyard, because that’s exactly how we see it.”

Texas Pastor and Church Support YIGBY

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is a non-profit that aims to end the United States’ affordable housing crisis. The group says that at the present time, “Record-breaking numbers of families cannot afford a decent place to call home” and that no U.S. state has an “adequate supply” of rentals for people in the lowest income bracket. 

RELATED: After Texas Teen’s Stabbing, Church Offers Free Grief Counseling to Community

“The U.S. has a shortage of 7.1 million rental homes affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes—that is, incomes at or below either the federal poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater,” said the coalition. “Only 35 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. Extremely low-income renters face a shortage in every state and major metropolitan area.”

Data reported by Pew Research Center supports the idea that Americans are feeling the strain of housing costs. Using the benchmark that people who spend less than 30% of their income on housing have “affordable” housing and those who spend more than 30% of their income on housing are “cost burdened,” Pew says that “31.3% of American households were cost burdened in 2023, including 27.1% of households with a mortgage and 49.7% of households that rent.”

When evaluating renters who spent 30% or more of their income on gross rent, 51.8% of renters met that benchmark in 2023. This number was actually slightly lower than in 2011 when it was at 53.4%.

Naturally, the percentages of cost-burdened households vary by location in the United States. However, “in every state, a greater share of renting households than homeowning ones are cost burdened when it comes to their housing costs.”

Pew says that construction of new homes took a significant hit in the recession of 2008 and has not yet fully recovered. “The decline has been especially pronounced in entry-level single-family homes, defined as those smaller than 1,400 square feet,” Pew reports.

Rosenthal told ChurchLeaders that McKinney is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. According to U.S. News & World Report, the national average cost of a house is $281,900. In McKinney, the average cost of a house is $402,314. Median rent in McKinney is $1,982, and the average income there is $123,712. 

A pastor was one of six men recently arrested in a child predator sting in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, aimed at identifying suspects in the possession, distribution, and production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Brad Swink had been an assistant pastor at North Rome Wesleyan Church (NRWC). 

Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.

According to a press release, the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the sting from April 7-11. The Northeast Computer Crime Task Force (NECCTF) of the Pennsylvania State Police coordinated with the FBI to conduct the operation.

Detectives responded to 15 homes to investigate “internet-related” crimes against children, resulting in the arrest of six men. 

RELATED: AL Pastor Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Rapes Involving Prayer, the Bible

An additional arrest is pending the results of a digital forensics investigation. 

Swink has been charged with three counts of sexual abuse of children (possession), two counts of sexual abuse of children (production), and one count of criminal use of communication facility.

According to NorthcentralPA, Swink was confronted by police while at NRWC on Thursday (April 10), at which point he allegedly admitted to viewing and masturbating to CSAM since 2022. 

Investigators allegedly found on Swink’s phone videos of Swink masturbating to a naked child who was also performing sex acts. Swink is alleged to have shared CSAM on Snapchat using an account that was linked to an email beginning with “littlebillyboy8419.”

RELATED: SC Pastor Accused of Multiple Child Sex Crimes and of Paying 1 Victim $100 for Her Silence

The others arrested during the operation were Robert Michel, Calvin Shaffer, Evan Hitchcock, Brandon Lantz, and Robert Pillot. All have been charged with multiple crimes related to possession and/or production of CSAM. 

More than one theatrical release is portraying Jesus on the silver screen this Easter season.

In fact, with “The King of Kings” and the three-part release of “The Chosen: Last Supper,” there are currently four separate Christian releases depicting the life of Jesus in theaters. That’s over nine hours of the screen time dedicated to Jesus in most theaters across the nation.

The box office results are showing that moviegoers are pleased.

Angel’s animated film “The King of Kings” released Palm Sunday weekend and grossed over $19.4 million in four days. The film is inspired by Charles Dickens’ beloved classic “The Life of Our Lord” and depicts Dickens telling his young son, Walter, the greatest story ever told—the story of Jesus.

RELATED: ‘The King of Kings’ Earns More Than $19 Million, Overtaking ‘The Prince of Egypt’ With Largest Opening of Animated Bible Film

“The King of Kings” is voiced by a star-studded cast that includes Pierce Brosnan (“GoldenEye,” “Tomorrow Never Dies”), Mark Hamill (“Star Wars,” “The Wild Robot”), Uma Thurman (“Pulp Fiction”), Oscar Isaac (“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”), Ben Kingsley (“Schindler’s List”), Forest Whitaker (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), Kenneth Branagh (“Dunkirk”), and others.

The other three films comes from “The Chosen.” All eight episodes of Season 5 are getting a theatrical release, and the season is broken up into three parts. Season 5 tells the biblical account of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and other events that occur during Holy Week.

Part 3 of “The Chosen: Last Supper” was also released over Palm Sunday weekend. In its first four days in theaters, Part 3 has grossed more than $6 million.

RELATED: Dallas Jenkins Reveals Which Scene From ‘The Chosen: Last Supper’ Was the Most Emotional To Film

Part 1 was released on March 28 and Part 2 on April 4. Both are still showing in theaters and are still in the top 15 films at the box office. Together, all three installments of the series have grossed over $35 million. According to Box Office Mojo, the critically-acclaimed series has grossed a total of more than $180 million since it started releasing its seasons in theaters.

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — African church leaders are speaking out against Libya’s move to shut down humanitarian organizations providing care to migrants and refugees being held in detention centers in the North African country.

The move is the latest signal of Libya’s determination not to become a resettlement zone for migrants fleeing violence in the Horn of Africa who have been stopped by European Union countries from crossing the Mediterranean.

“This deeply disturbs me. It (lack of care for migrants) leaves me angry,” Catholic Bishop Tesfasellassie Medhin told Religion News Service in a telephone interview from Ethiopia’s Tigray region. “It proves that we are losing communal responsibility.”

Thousands of migrants from Tigray fled into Sudan from 2020 to 2022 as the conflict between the Ethiopian army and a rebel group, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, intensified. An estimated 600,000 people have been killed in the fighting, and an estimated 3 million others have been displaced, according to aid agencies. Barely a year later, the civil war in Sudan reignited, forcing the Tigray refugees to flee again.

With nowhere else to go, many landed in Libya, where they were crowded into ad hoc camps run by Libyan militias. The armed groups, some affiliated with the government but others run by smugglers and traffickers, have tortured and sexually assault refugees, according to church and human rights organizations.

On April 2, Libya’s Internal Security Authority banned 10 international non-governmental organizations from aiding migrants, accusing the nonprofits of attempting to resettle migrants of African origin in the mostly Arab country.

The Norwegian Refugee Council and Doctors Without Borders were among the organizations targeted. Representatives of Doctors Without Borders said that since mid-March, security agents had been summoning NGO officials and staffers at medical clinics working with them for interrogation. The authorities have ordered Doctors Without Borders to stop referring migrants to the clinics.

“Our organization is very concerned about the consequences that these (suspensions) will have on the health of patients and the safety of humanitarian workers,” a member of the NGO told Infomigrants.

Representatives of other aid organizations declined to speak about the suspension.

Libya is a major embarkation point for asylum seekers and migrants aiming to reach Europe, but church leaders say that, increasingly, militias in Tripoli, the capital, and other cities are not targeting those trying to cross to Europe but are instead arresting sub-Saharan migrants who have taken up residence while waiting for the adjudication of asylum claims. After arresting them, church sources say, they are sold as slaves; women and girls are forced into sex work.

More than 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers are in Libya, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, while an estimated 4,700 migrants have been been detained by armed groups in camps, according to the African Union.

The Rev. Mussie Zerai, an Eritrean Catholic priest known as “Dr. Father Moses” for his work with migrants attempting the Mediterranean crossing, reported that in recent weeks, house-to-house raids have been carried out with a “very high dose of violence and racism.”

Mississippi church Deacon Eddie Shed is being hailed as a hero for protecting children from gunfire during a shooting at an Easter egg hunt hosted by Empowerment Ministries Christian Center at a local park on Saturday (April 12).

Shed, who was also served as the head of security at the church, was allegedly shot and killed by 24-year-old Tyran Deion Gable. Investigators believe the incident stemmed from a child custody dispute between Gable and the mother of his child.

The Gulfport Police Department said that during the altercation, Gable shot at Shed and another man named Jimmy Nance, who were attempting to de-escalate the situation. Shed was pronounced dead at the scene, and Nance was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

RELATED: Pastor Survives Shooting Attempt During Livestreamed Sermon

A GoFundMe campaign for Nance says that he was shot “multiple times,” which caused “severe” injures and “will require several months of healing.”

During the altercation, Gable was also shot and taken to a hospital. He has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault. Gable was denied bond for the murder charge but was granted a $250,000 bond for the assault charge.

“It is with heavy hearts that we, the Empowerment Ministries Christian Center, address the tragic events that unfolded during our Family Easter Egg Hunt at Prudie Circle earlier today,” the church’s senior pastor, Dr. Gregg S. Magee Sr., said in a statement. “Our beloved Deacon Eddie Shed was taken from us in a senseless act of gun violence. Deacon Shed epitomized the virtues of a hero, displaying selfless courage and bravery that ultimately saved others from harm.”

Magee said that Shed “paid the ultimate price for his valor, and we are deeply saddened by this loss. Deacon Shed was a pillar of strength within our community and a beacon of light and hope.”

“His unwavering faith, kindness, and dedication to serving others have left an indelible mark on all who knew him,” Magee added.

RELATED: An Emotional Greg Locke Shares Details of Drive-By Shooting

“We extend our heartfelt prayers and condolences to Doris [his wife], [and three children] Jaylen, Kaleb, KaMya, Neloise, Derrick and his family and friends who grieve this profound loss,” Magee said. “We want to reassure everyone that this tragic act was not carried out by a member of Empowerment Ministries Christian Center.”

“What began as a beautiful day filled with laughter and joy was overshadowed by a criminal act and we are all heartbroken by this senseless violence,” said Magee.

In his presidential message for Holy Week, Donald Trump shared his hope for God to “bless you and your family during this special time of year” and to “bless the United States of America.” The message has sparked debate among Americans, with some comparing Trump’s words with his actions as president.

“This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity,” the message began.

President Trump Calls America a ‘Beacon of Hope, Faith, and Freedom’ This Holy Week

Trump’s presidential message included a summary of the Holy Week events—from “Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday” to Jesus’ “miraculous Resurrection from the dead.”

Trump admitted that “the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross.”

It’s been two years since Trump entered the courtroom after being charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. At the time, Marjorie Taylor Greene compared Trump’s indictment to the betrayal and arrest of Jesus Christ. “Jesus was arrested and murdered by the Roman government…It’s beginning today in New York City. I’ll always support [Trump]. He’s done nothing wrong,” Greene said at the time.

Trump was found guilty of all 34 felony counts.

During Holy Week last year, then-presidential candidate Trump compared himself to Jesus Christ as he promoted the “God Bless the USA Bible,” a Bible bound with America’s founding documents.

“It’s ironic that Christ walked through His greatest persecution the very week they are trying to steal your property from you,” Trump quoted from a message he said he received from a Christian ally. “But have you seen this verse?,” he continued, quoting Psalm 109:3-8. “They have also surrounded me with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause…”

The 2025 presidential message said, “In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption.” The message said that “light prevails over darkness” while mentioning the hope found through Christ’s resurrection.

Trump said, “This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government.” He continued, “We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.”

In response to Trump’s message, Rev. Benjamin Cremer argued, “Claiming that America is a ‘Christian nation’ while actively creating legislation that directly harms the very people Jesus called us to serve—namely the poor, the sick, the hungry, the immigrant, and the marginalized—is the height of both religious and political hypocrisy.”

✝️”This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/WdW2kRDi4p

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 13, 2025

After an American missionary was kidnapped while preaching in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province last week, loved ones are requesting prayers for his safe return. Josh Sullivan, of Maryville, Tennessee, was leading a prayer service in Motherwell Township on April 10 when four masked gunmen stormed into his church.

According to reports, the gunmen knew Sullivan by name and briefly detained his wife, Meagan, before forcing the preacher into his own vehicle and driving away. That Toyota 4Runner was later found abandoned, but Sullivan, 34, has not been located.

About 30 people were at the church at the time of the kidnapping. The gunmen also reportedly stole two cellphones from congregants.

No ransom has yet been issued for Sullivan’s return, South African police said. An Anti-Gang Unit is investigating the case, and if a ransom is issued, a unit specializing in organized crime will take over.

RELATED: Muslim Stabs Wife to Death for Accepting Christ During Ramadan 

The U.S. State Department has indicated it is aware of the kidnapping report but has provided no updates as of noon on April 14.

US Missionary Josh Sullivan Abducted While Preaching

Josh Sullivan, who describes himself as a “church planting missionary,” has been in South Africa with his family since November 2018. He and Meagan have four children and have “also taken in two Xhosa children,” according to Mark Coffey, a fellow missionary. Coffey called Sullivan a “kind, big-hearted, gentle giant” whose “love for the Xhosa people is evident in everything he does.”

Through a spokesperson, Meagan Sullivan issued a statement Saturday (April 12), thanking people for their love and prayers for her husband. “We beg you to continue storming the throne room until Josh is safe at home,” she said.

Tonya Rinker, Sullivan’s mother, also is asking people to pray. Her son “has a burden for lost souls and has devoted his life to serving God in South Africa,” she said. On Facebook, Rinker wrote, “I know [Josh is] doing God’s work, and I also know he wouldn’t change that.”

Church: ‘We Thank God for Our Missionaries’

Josh Sullivan has been on the staff of his sending church, Fellowship Baptist in Maryville, Tennessee, since 2012. Tom Hatley, the church’s pastor, has known Sullivan and his wife since they were children, and he mentored Sullivan during his Bible training.