Vice President Kamala Harris made headlines over the weekend for how she appeared to respond after two college students called out, “Jesus is Lord,” during one of her rallies. The students are claiming they were kicked out of Harris’ rally in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and that Harris mocked them after they heckled her.

“We did God’s work, and we were there for the right reasons, and God was watching us,” said Grant Beth, one of two pro-life students who called out, “Jesus is Lord,” while Harris was discussing her views on abortion. “I’m all about being a cordial person regardless of your beliefs,” he said in an interview with Fox News, “but I do believe that we were sent there by God.”

Kamala Harris Rally Controversy

As Election Day draws near, candidates from the Trump-Vance campaign and the Harris-Walz campaign are continuing to attempt to secure votes from people of faith. Harris, however, is drawing negative attention from some Christians for the interaction that took place in La Crosse Friday, although the exact dynamics of that interaction are not entirely clear.

RELATED: With Election Day Looming, Harris Ramps Up Engagement With Black Church

At a rally at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse Friday, Oct. 17, Harris appeared to react to Grant Beth and his friend, Luke Polaske, who called out the name of Jesus, by telling them they were at the “wrong rally.” During her speech, the vice president mentioned abortion and criticized former President Donald Trump for choosing U.S. Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, adding “and they did as he intended.”

Video footage from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows that Harris paused after that comment and then said, “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally,” after which the crowd cheered. It is difficult to hear anything in that video during Harris’ pause besides people’s voices in the background. 

Harris then waved and smiled, adding, “No, I think you meant to go to the smaller [rally] down the street.” The crowd cheered as the vice president gestured and said, “Come on.” 

At least two videos that captured the moment from within the audience recorded the voice of someone in the crowd yelling, “Jesus is Lord!” Right after that comment, Harris can be heard saying, “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally.” It is not certain from the footage whether Harris was responding to the words about Jesus or to something else. 

University of Wisconsin students Luke Polaske and Grant Beth told Fox that they were the people in the audience protesting during Harris’ speech and that the vice president was speaking to them after they called out, “Christ is King!” and “Jesus is Lord!”

Polaske and Beth are pro-life students who said event volunteers escorted them out of the event and told the students they were not welcome. Beth said an elderly woman pushed him, and “we were heckled at, we were cursed at, we were mocked.” 

Ahead of next month’s release of the movie “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin,” 86 of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s descendants are urging people not to “distort and misuse” the theologian’s life or work. In an Oct. 18 statement, dozens of Bonhoeffer’s relatives wrote, “We are horrified to see how the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is increasingly being distorted and misused by right-wing extremists, xenophobes, and religious agitators.”

They described the German theologian as “a peace-loving, freedom-loving humanitarian” who “never would…have seen himself associated with far-right, violent movements such as Christian Nationalists and others who are trying to appropriate him today.”

Bonhoeffer, who opposed the Nazis during World War II, was hanged in April 1945 at age 39. His influential books include “The Cost of Discipleship” and “Life Together.”

Relatives of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Call Out Eric Metaxas, Angel Studios

In their statement, Bonhoeffer descendants pinpoint conservative author Eric Metaxas as “a key figure in this abuse.” Metaxas, who wrote an award-winning biography of Bonhoeffer, is a vocal supporter of conservative politics and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

According to the relatives, Metaxas “ignored the historical context and misrepresented Bonhoeffer as a fundamentalist Evangelical” in the biography. They also decry his previous comparison of President Joe Biden to Adolf Hitler, plus social media posts that reference Bonhoeffer while showing a gun on a Bible.

RELATED: Dog the Bounty Hunter Calls Biden ‘Little Hitler’ at Christian Event, Jokes About President’s Possible Suicide

Next, the extended family took aim at the upcoming “history-distorting biopic” of Bonhoeffer. They say the theologian wasn’t a “lone fighter” but worked with other relatives for truth and freedom and against “religious zealotry, nationalism, militarism, and blind obedience.” The family continued, “Those who invoke Dietrich Bonhoeffer to justify anti-democratic, xenophobic aspirations are either misinformed or malicious.”

Bonhoeffer’s relatives also claim his quotes are taken out of context, “used by many whose intentions are diametrically opposed to Bonhoeffer’s thoughts and actions.” They cite the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 for a second Trump presidency as an example, urging voters, “Do not be deceived. Look carefully at history.”

Scholars Warn Against ‘Weaponization’ of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer’s descendants also thank theologians and historians who are speaking out “against this appropriation.” On Oct. 10, scholars began a Change.org petition asking people to “Stop Misusing Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Support Political Violence and Christian Nationalism.”

As of Oct. 21, the petition has more than 1,400 signatures. It begins:

From Project 2025 to violent political rhetoric, the legacy of German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer is being invoked this election season on behalf of Christian Nationalism. It is a dangerous and grievous misuse of his theology and life. As an international group of Bonhoeffer scholars, we warn against it.

Earlier this year, Russell Brand publicly shared that he began a relationship with Jesus. Since then, Brand has interviewed fellow actor and Christian Jonathan Roumie and has continued reading Christian classics for greater insight.

“Christianity is the spiritual path for me,” said Brand.

Russell Brand Publicly Affirms Christianity as the ‘Spiritual Path’ for Him

The actor continues to post videos of his journey as a Christian, including getting baptized and learning from fellow Christians.

“I felt changed, transitioned,” Brand said about being baptized. The ceremony had very “intimate and personal aspects,” he noted, and several “bizarre incidents” occurred that felt “serendipitous and laden.”

Brand continues to keep his followers updated on his Christian walk. On Sunday (Oct. 20), Brand posted a video with a brief affirmation that Christianity is the right choice for him.

“I felt like there was something wrong with me,” shared Brand. “And, I think a lot of addicts would identify with that.”

He spoke endearingly about his faith. “As I have become a Christian, I recognize that this is the spiritual path for me,” he said.

Brand read words from 1 Timothy 1:15-16, as the verses have become meaningful and transformative for him. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst,” Brand read. “But, for that very reason, I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”

Brand went on to explain that people in the world are “pretending to be  better than they are.” In particular, those he knows in Hollywood are “terrified of being exposed.”

In contrast, Brand explained how “those of us who publicly are known to have sinned” have a different perspective. He, along with others he knows, “lived a life looking for the stimulants that the world offers you, lures you with, the temptations of this world.”

“Those of us who live in open transparency can authentically accept that we are flawed and fallen and that is the way we will know Christ—through our brokenness,” said Brand.

This is why Christianity is the spiritual path for me. pic.twitter.com/puHzUsXUl6

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) October 20, 2024

An Alabama pastor is emphasizing joy and community after his house went up in flames roughly a week ago. Eric Foxx of Home Church in Mobile says that he has felt the peace of God despite the fact that his home has been deemed a total loss. 

On Saturday, Oct. 12, Foxx received a call that his house was on fire. 

“I turned the corner and it was just like, there it is. All the hard work, all the time, all the blood and sweat and tears you’ve put into it, it is absolutely the saying: down in flames and up in smoke,” Foxx told WALA. “If the fire don’t get it, the smoke gets it. If the smoke don’t get it, the water does. So just absolutely everything is just toast.”

Following the fire, Foxx’s church has rallied to support him—something church members know that he would do for them. 

RELATED: Pastor Dies Following Fire Pit Explosion

In fact, according to Brandon Badon, who attends Home Church, Foxx has “been incredibly supportive and even supportive even through this tragedy.”

“He’s been to every event, every funeral, everything that’s been going on with other people. He’s still made it in spite of something as tragic as this,” said Badon.

In an email to ChurchLeaders, Foxx said that he planted the church to be a place in the community that people “to call home.”

“Home represents family, and we are called to be family to one another as a part of the body of Christ,” he said. “We are brothers and sisters meant to love, serve, encourage, and be there for one another in both good, and bad times.”

“I’ve had a peace in all of this,” Foxx told WALA. “And God was like, ‘People need to see what happens when the faith family—when things happen, when things are not perfect, when things go wrong in our lives—how people of faith respond.”

RELATED: ‘We Didn’t Hate Him’—SC Pastor Leads Man Suspected of Setting Church Vans on Fire to Christ

“I have joy, because happiness is something that is happenstance. It’s something that happened and now it makes me happy,” Foxx added. “But joy is constant.”

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Below the sparkling chandeliers of the Museum of the Bible‘s ballroom, the murmurs of fervent prayers for mental health healing rose above the sound of plucked guitar strings.

Those prayers, uttered by a national gathering of Latino evangelical pastors on Tuesday (Oct. 15), will be backed by a new mental health initiative launched by the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference’s Center for Ministerial Health.

“This is NHCLC 2.0,” the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the organization’s president, told RNS. The Center for Ministerial Health is the first of three new centers that will form a new structure for the Hispanic network of thousands of evangelical congregations, many of them Pentecostal or charismatic.

At next year’s leadership summit, the organization plans to launch the Center for Public Policy, which will be based in Washington, D.C., and then a year later, it plans to debut the Center for Kingdom Collaboration, with a focus on uniting different Christian organizations.

Plans for the new centers emerged as NHCLC’s leaders gathered for prayer. “We heard this in our prayer time and in our conversations with Heaven about what’s the future for the movement,” Rodriguez said.

The focus on health was revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID exposed vulnerabilities,” said Rodriguez, explaining that NHCLC had seen pastors leaving ministry and struggling with suicidal ideation. “It broke our hearts,” he said.

Pastor Reina Olmeda, who is directing the mental health initiative, told attendees she was hesitant to share vulnerably while doing her graduate work in psychology.

“Something inside me said, I want to do this, but my culture was speaking louder,” Olmeda said, later telling RNS that Latino communities face both cultural pressures not to disappoint their families and stigma based on ideas that mental health struggles are a sign of spiritual failure.

But the Holy Spirit was working on her, Olmeda said, and eventually she spoke about her emotions.

“That moment, I broke something for the next generation, for my daughters,” Olmeda thundered, switching to Spanish. “When I spoke, I said, my daughters will not have to battle to say how they feel.

“Embracing vulnerability allows the Holy Spirit to communicate with us, and it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that we find healing.” She said, “Jesus was a great example of vulnerability…If Jesus could do this, why can we not? Why do we have to hide?”

NHCLC is providing various trainings for pastors to learn about their own mental health and to provide preventative care for the stressors that their communities confront. They’re also preparing sermon outlines, group session guides, a webinar and a masterclass for Mental Health Awareness Month in May.

(RNS) — When a Detroit pastor asked Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday (Oct. 15) about her alleged “lack of engagement” with Black church leaders, the Democratic presidential contender looked visibly taken aback. Harris rejected the accusation, calling it “misinformation” that originated with former President Donald Trump’s campaign. But the moment, coming during a town hall in Detroit organized by radio host Charlamagne tha God, showed her perceived vulnerability with Black voters.

“They are trying to disconnect me from the people I have worked with—that I am from,” said Harris, who has a connection to Hinduism through her mother but was also raised in the Black church and is a member of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco. She has “been actively engaged” with Black church leaders “throughout my career and as vice president,” including, she said pointedly, “recently.”

Indeed, Harris, who called her pastor, the Rev. Amos Brown, shortly before announcing her presidential campaign in July, made a blitz of campaign appearances meant to shore up support among Black churchgoers. It’s a familiar strategy for Democratic politicians, who have long visited Black churches near Election Day, hoping to maximize turnout among a critical segment of the party’s base.

But experts say Harris’ recent appearances in faith settings don’t measure the full scope of her outreach to Black Christians. While some analysts have raised concerns about lagging support for the vice president among Black men especially, others told RNS she has been quietly courting African American support in multiple ways for some time.

Harris recently launched a “Souls to the Polls” initiative to magnify the voter participation efforts Black churches have organized for decades, and her campaign has established a faith advisory board that features Brown and nine other faith leaders tasked with connecting with Black churches in swing states.

Her appearance with Charlamagne tha God came on the heels of a visit Sunday to Koinonia Christian Center, a church in Greenville, North Carolina, where a packed congregation clapped and shouted boisterously throughout her address. Harris told the congregation that she learned at an early age to think of faith as “a verb” and that believers “show up in action and in service.” While lamenting the damage wrought across the state last month by Hurricane Helene, the vice president repeatedly referred to Scripture.

Citing the New Testament’s Epistle to the Galatians, Harris said the Apostle Paul “reminded them and us, that God calls us not to become weary of doing good. Because we each have the power, God tells us this, the power, each one of us, to make a difference.”

She concluded by quoting from the Book of Psalms: “Let us always remember that while weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning.”

Anthea Butler, a historian of African American and American religion at the University of Pennsylvania, said Harris has touched Black Christians in less obvious ways, pointing to Harris’ decision not to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July. The move, Butler argued, likely resonated with Black church leaders who have been vocally critical of the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.

Equally as telling, Butler said, was the event Harris chose to attend instead of the Netanyahu speech: An event for the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, one of the “Divine 9” Black sororities and fraternities that are seen as cultural powerhouses in the African American community.

Celebrations of Christmas often feature traditional performances with soft music, choirs, and Bible costumes. But Peter and Jennifer Emerson have revolutionized this concept with their groundbreaking production, “He Rules the World,” a rock-pop experience that masterfully tells the nativity story while delivering an energetic, family-friendly show.

“He Rules the World” blends high-energy rock guitars, classically-trained vocals, and even the sound of a pop synth keytar with the Christian message of Jesus’ birth.

Peter was inspired to write “He Rules the World” after attending a Trans-Siberian Orchestra performance. Impressed by the spectacular lights, lasers, pyrotechnics, and the sheer energy of the show, he felt the call to create something similar—but with one key difference: a focus on Christ.

RELATED: Anne Wilson Praises God for Opening Doors for Her To Take the ‘Gospel to Country Music’

“Their Christmas show was Christmas adjacent, but it wasn’t really about Christ. I wanted to do something that was both a spectacle and God-centered,” Peter said.

Peter told ChurchLeaders that his inspiration led to a six-month creative period in 2019, during which he wrote the music for the show. “God just pushed it through me,” Peter shared, crediting divine inspiration for the seamless and powerful composition of the show’s 17 songs. This rock opera, in its entirety, tells the nativity story in a way that’s vibrant and modern, yet faithful to the biblical narrative.

Those who attend “He Rules the World” will be immersed in an experience that combines Christmas music with stunning visuals, intricate lighting, and animated narrations by famous “Hercules” actor Kevin Sorbo. “I’m a very visual person,” Peter said. “I wanted something that was as interesting to watch as it was to listen to.”

The Emersons shared how they approached Sorbo. After a one-hour Zoom call with the couple sharing their vision for “He Rules the World,” Peter said that the “Hercules” actor was instantly on board, telling them, “Yeah, I’m in. What’s next?”

Jennifer emphasized the importance of creating a show that parents can feel good about sharing with their children. “I’m always looking for high-quality, fun, engaging activities that are family-friendly but also meaningful,” she explained. “He Rules the World” delivers the perfect balance between entertainment and spiritual depth.

“The older generations are going to enjoy a lot of the influences of music they grew up listening to—Styx, Steely Dan, and Tom Petty—while the younger kids are going to find themselves humming along to familiar Christmas melodies that they know,” Jennifer added.

RELATED: ‘God Perfectly Orchestrated My Career’—Forrest Frank Shares How He Balances Faith and Success

Jennifer recalled how a 12-year-old boy who attended 2022’s show said, “Man, this is the best concert I’ve ever been to! People need to come see this. The keytar is amazing!”

Officials are investigating a “suspicious” fire at Tabernacle of Faith Church in North Las Vegas. The fire occurred around 2:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17. No one in the building or among the fire crew was injured. 

“We are growing in faith through the Word of God & teaching others to do the same,” says the church on its Facebook page, which adds that Tabernacle of Faith was founded in 1993 “under the leadership [of] Bishop Corine W Claiborne.” It is now led by Rev. Dr. Fredrick Johnson.

North Las Vegas Church Fire Under Investigation

According to reports, the fire took place in an exterior wall of the North Las Vegas church. When fire crews arrived on scene, they saw smoke coming out of the building’s gable vents. Upon entering the church building, they saw the fire was burning in the exterior wall and successfully contained it before it spread elsewhere. 

The North Las Vegas fire and police departments are working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the fire’s cause. 

In a June 2024 interview on CTNVegas, Tabernacle of Faith’s pastor, Fredrick Johnson, discussed his spiritual journey, his ministry, and how he came to lead the church. Johnson shared that he was Claiborne’s assistant pastor at first and has been Tabernacle of Faith’s lead pastor since 2017. 

The pastor, who grew up in a “Baptist environment” and did not learn about the Holy Spirit until moving to Las Vegas, said that he did not always know God but perceives that God has always had his hand on Johnson’s life.

RELATED: ‘Wow, Look at God!’—Police Return Thousands of Dollars of Stolen Items to KS Congregation After Receiving a Tip

Johnson said he went to seminary because God told him to; while there, he met the CTNVegas interviewer, Dauda Presley.

Citing 1 Corinthians 13, Johnson said that when people visit his church, “I want you to feel the love of God.” Following God, he said, is not a “task” but a “privilege.”

After his 10th-inning walk-off home run in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) Thursday night (Oct. 17), David Fry praised God and admitted he had relied on help from above. “All glory to God,” the 28-year-old Cleveland Guardians catcher told a reporter, following the 7-5 game-three victory over the New York Yankees.

“I had a really bad first at-bat and strikeout,” Fry said. “And I just told God, I said, ‘Take it, man. Just take the at-bat.’” Later, during his post-game press conference, the night’s hero reiterated those comments. “I just told God, ‘Hey man, take this. It’s a tough matchup. Just try to have fun and you take the at-bat.’”

.@laurenjbara catches up with David Fry of @CleGuardians following his massive walk-off HR in Game 3 of the #ALCS ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/eySu0wGOS5

— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) October 18, 2024

Fry, a Christian who partners with Jesus Won Apparel, spoke about the role his faith plays in high-stakes sports moments. “I try to give it to God, and I’m just trying to have the slowest heartbeat I can,” he said. “It’s tough in those situations to try to stay within yourself.”

The Guardians, who now trail the Yankees 2-1 in the best-of-seven ALCS, will try to even the series tonight at home. Cleveland hasn’t won a World Series since 1948, the longest current title drought in Major League Baseball.

RELATED: Faith on the Field: Celebrating Christian Baseball Players

Cleveland Guardians Pitcher: God Writes the Script

During five innings Thursday, Guardians starting pitcher Matt Boyd allowed one run and two hits. The 33-year-old, who signed with the team in June, walked three batters and struck out four.

In his nine years in the majors, Boyd, an outspoken Christian, has faced injuries, surgeries, and many team changes. After having Tommy John surgery in June 2023, he went more than a year without a big-league start. Boyd also faced the uncertainty of being a free agent after last season.

Before his Oct. 12 game-five start in the American League Divisional Series (ALDS) against the Detroit Tigers, his most recent team, Boyd spoke about the turn of events. “I don’t write the script,” he said. “But the One who does writes it a lot better than me, as I’ve said many times.”

After Cleveland advanced to the ALCS, the veteran pitcher expressed appreciation for getting another chance to play baseball. Boyd said while he recovered from surgery, his daughter repeatedly asked when he’d be part of a new team. “When God shows us who to sign with, we’ll do that,” he told her.

RELATED: Pittsburgh Pirates Outfielder Andrew McCutchen: ‘God Is More Important’ Than Baseball

Pitcher Matt Boyd Says He Is God’s ‘Handiwork’

On social media, Boyd proclaims that he is “playing for an audience of one.” The pitcher and his wife, Ashley, founded Kingdom Home in 2018 to fight sex slavery. The organization rescues children from the sex trade in Uganda and also works to prevent human trafficking.