By Macie Malone, Family Research Council communications CAIRO, EGYPT - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins joined a delegation of U.S. evangelical leaders in Cairo Oct. 31 for a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss his administration's commitment to religious freedom for all Egyptians including Egypt's Christians and other religious minorities, some of whom have been the targets of waves of terrorist attacks. After his visit with President el Sisi, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement: "I appreciate the opportunity to meet with President el-Sisi to discuss the concerns we have, as American Evangelicals, for the plight of religious minorities in Egypt, especially those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. "Egypt, under the leadership of President el-Sisi is making progress in protecting Egyptians from being targeted because of their religious identity. President el-Sisi is committed to working to ensure that every human being can exercise their God-given right to religious freedom. As part of this work, we encourage Egypt to increase public awareness of the cultural, economic, political and national … [Read more...]

By Mary Frances Satterwhite, Baptist Global Response communications NASHVILLE, TENN—Baptist Global Response (BGR) has set a #GivingTuesday goal to provide 500 water filters to people in need. #GivingTuesday is a global day of charity scheduled just after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year's event falls on Nov. 28. BGR will participate by urging Southern Baptists to give monetarily toward the goal. It suggests a donation of $25 per filter. If reached, the 500-filter goal will generate $12,500 to help bring fresh water to struggling families around the world. Each filter provides a family of five with a year's worth of drinkable water. In 2016, BGR partners distributed roughly 20,000 around the world. BGR Office Director Mary Frances Satterwhite says the #GivingTuesday goal offers Southern Baptists a chance to increase their impact in the future. "Think of the 500 families who are getting water filters and then multiply that by the number of people in each family and … the growth is exponential," she says. "So, the goal is really exciting because it will make a huge difference in so many people's lives." BGR water filters are currently listed in the organization's 2017 Christmas Gift Catalog and on its … [Read more...]

By Lacey McNiel, First Liberty media relations WASHINGTON, DC—After three years of litigation, First Liberty Institute clients Insight for Living Ministries (IFLM) and several ministries of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination (CMA) today received final relief from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in their fight for an exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraceptive mandate. The mandate forced ministries and other nonprofit organizations into the unnavigable position of adhering to their religious beliefs and obeying the law. The action Oct. 31 by the DOJ comes less than a month after the Trump administration announced a new interim final rule that rolls back the Obama-era, so-called “contraceptive mandate.” The settlement provides similar exemptions and prevents future administrations from targeting the religious conscience of these ministries in the future. “Our clients can now get back to serving others instead of defending themselves against the government’s attacks on their faith,” said Jeremy Dys, Deputy General Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “The Trump administration is right to let this be a decision between these ministries and the God they serve, rather than impose the … [Read more...]

By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS, Texas - The U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal Oct. 23 filed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration in the contraceptive case filed by GuideStone in 2012. HHS had filed a voluntary motion to dismiss its appeal in GuideStone’s litigation against the contraceptive mandate after the Trump administration announced earlier this month that it was publishing a new interim final rule that respected the religious convictions of employers providing health care plans. The dismissal of the appeal will send GuideStone’s litigation back to the federal district court in Oklahoma where the case was initially filed. In light of the contentious nature of groups that have vowed to challenge the new interim final rule, GuideStone will continue to press for additional and lasting judicial relief to protect its health plan and the religious employers it serves from further government entanglement. Under the Obama administration, the government mandated that all Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive drugs and devices — including those that can cause abortions — be made available at no charge to participants. … [Read more...]