Family Research Council applauds President Trump’s announcement today that his administration will protect religious organizations and reinforce the freedom of public school students across the country to pray and express their religious beliefs. Local education agencies receiving federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) must certify in writing to its state educational agency that “it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as detailed in this updated guidance.” The administration also issued nine proposed rules that protect religious organizations from being discriminated against by the federal government.

Planned Parenthood has announced it’s going whole-hog in spreading its massive wealth to elect pro-abortion candidates for state and federal offices in 2020.

“Wide and Deep” is the theme of the 26th annual FOCUS Church of God Children’s Ministries Leadership Training Conference to be held March 7-9, 2020 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This is a change in venue, relocating this year in the Smoky Mountains.

Open Doors has announced the 2020 World Watch List at a press conference in Washington, D.C, and revealed that Christians living in China are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution, and their quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate. China jumped four spots, from #27 in 2019 to #23 in 2020, on the annual list which ranks the top 50 most dangerous countries for Christians.

The Christian film “Breakthrough” and two other faith-inspired films received Oscar nominations this week.

The Winter 2020 issue of Church of God Engage has been released and available digitally at www.cogengage.org.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has failed to reach the necessary number of states to support ratification by its deadline and is no longer pending in the states for action. As the opinion says: “Congress may not revive a proposed amendment after a deadline for its ratification has expired. Should Congress wish to propose the amendment anew, it may do so through the same procedures required to propose an amendment in the first instance, consistent with Article V of the Constitution.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave the state’s highest civilian honor to 71-year-old Jack Wilson on Monday for shooting and killing an armed attacker during a church service in December.

The Church of God has two great works in progress in Siem Reap, Cambodia: People for Care and Learning, under the local leadership of J.D. and Angie Woodside, and a Church mission plant led by Pastor Israel and Debbie Minay.