Cleveland, TN–Lee University has received approval to launch its first College of Arts and Sciences Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in the fall of 2020. The degree will be in marriage and family therapy in the graduate counseling division of behavioral and social sciences (BEHSC). The approval comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) in time for fall enrollment to begin. The Helen DeVos College of Education is also adding a Doctor of Education (EdD) program this fall.

In coordination with the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and child welfare workers across the country, CarePortal, an online platform that connects the needs of children and families in crisis with local churches and community members willing to help, is launching a COVID-19 Disaster Relief platform. Through this new initiative, local churches across the nation will soon be able to serve at-risk children and families suffering from COVID-19 related crises in their local communities.

COVID-19 has caused many states to cancel Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and Celebration for Recovery meetings to prevent the spread of the disease. People in recovery depend on those meetings for sobriety and without them, they are at a greater risk for relapse. To combat this risk, www.TrinityRecoveryCoaching.org is offering online Christian recovery counseling and coaching.

Sevierville, TN—Smoky Mountain Children’s Home Executive Director Dr. Walt Mauldin has announced the City of Sevierville has officially presented SMCH with a Certificate of Occupancy for its newest construction project. The building will be named the Residential Life Office, and a dedication will be announced for later this summer.

L.C. (Larry) Fowler, a graduate of Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) Class ’89, an invited guest at the White House, has trained along with Christian personnel across the globe, including Pakistan, Indonesia, and China. He argues that to follow Christ today requires Navy SEAL-like toughness. That opinion seems more relevant than ever in facing the coronavirus.

We are living in one of the most uncomfortable times I’ve ever known. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to its knees. Workplaces are closed. Hospitals are overcrowded. The global economy teeters on the edge of collapse while everyone shelters in place. And fear is spreading faster than the virus itself.

As the world approaches the Easter weekend, most churches will be unable to stage special events or even hold traditional Easter services on Sunday, perhaps the most attended church service of the year.

With the COVID-19 global pandemic shutting down economies, spiking unemployment and slashing incomes, Crown Financial Ministries is offering free resources for effectively managing personal finances in a time of crisis.

Tens of millions of Christians will be unable to attend church this Easter weekend as public health officials have prohibited large gatherings such as church services to limit the spread of COVID-19.