Faith Facts

• Scripture teaches that marriage is a sacred covenant ordained by God and not to be violated by violence.
• The Bible commands believers to love their spouses as Christ loves the Church, making murder an ultimate betrayal of that calling.
• Proverbs warns that the Lord detests hands that shed innocent blood, affirming His justice in the courtroom.

A jury has convicted former American Idol contestant and church worship leader Caleb Flynn of murdering his wife Ashley in their Ohio home last February.

Prosecutors presented evidence showing Flynn had searched for ways to kill his wife without, in his own words, “going to Hell for it.”

The verdict brings closure to a case that shocked congregations across the state where Flynn once led worship.

Family members and fellow believers expressed grief over the loss of Ashley, remembered as a devoted wife and mother.

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Faith Facts

• The missing religious painting is a century-old icon believed to belong to a Florida cathedral.
• The artwork was discovered in a small town in Greece after being absent for over 100 years.
• The discovery offers hope that the historic piece could be returned to its original church home.

A century-old religious painting that went missing over 100 years ago could potentially return to the Florida cathedral where it belongs after the historic artwork was discovered in a small town in Greece.

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Faith Facts

• Christians in Honduras dedicated a new Church of Christ meeting place in El Diamante with ten baptisms following the dedication service.
• 165 believers from seven nations gathered in Malaysia for the 18th annual Chinese Bible Lectureship under the theme “Think of the Home Over There.”
• 41 nursing students at Namwianga Mission College in Zambia received their caps in a ceremony celebrating their Christian calling to serve others.

Christians in Honduras dedicated a new meeting place for the Church of Christ in El Diamante with help from members in Tampa, Florida. Members of the Los Pinos Church of Christ and students from the Baxter Institute joined in the Sunday worship and dedication service.

“After the sermon, we celebrated the decision of 10 people to give their lives to the Lord through baptism,” said Baxter Institute president Steve Teel. “Our hearts overflow with joy for this beautiful experience.”

In Malaysia, 165 Christians from seven countries gathered in the coastal city of Malacca for the 18th annual Chinese Bible Lectureship. The theme of the gathering was “Think of the Home Over There.”

Speakers included missionary John Grubb along with Taiwanese ministers John Yo, Boaz Wong and William Chen. Chen presented 15 lessons in three languages during the event and later conducted a three-day gospel meeting in Johor Bahru.

“What a blessing it is to assemble as (God’s) family, diligently search the inspired Scriptures and humbly seek his divine wisdom,” said Yolanda Wu, wife of William Chen. “He wholeheartedly commends your unwavering devotion to the truth, your fervent love for one another and your compassionate commitment to reaching souls with the saving Gospel of Christ.”

Samuel Schuurman, a chaplain with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, recently completed a two-week deployment to Tonga where he visited churches and Christian organizations to build meaningful relationships. He described the Christian community in Tonga as warm, receptive and hospitable.

One Kingdom, a Louisiana-based nonprofit supported by Churches of Christ, sent emergency funds to Christians in Uganda’s Kotido District to provide food during a severe drought. The organization worked alongside local leaders to identify families at immediate risk and delivered aid to both believers and their neighbors.

At Namwianga Mission College of Nursing in Zambia, 41 students were honored in a capping ceremony after completing their first-semester exams. Twenty-five additional students began their studies in July.

Brian Davis, president of World Bible School, traveled with his wife Sondra and South African evangelist Machona Monyamane to rural eastern Zimbabwe. Their visit followed the work of Mutare School of Preaching graduates who had recruited high school students for Bible correspondence courses and planted four new congregations.

“Three Gospel meetings were organized for follow-up with these four congregations and their communities,” Davis said. “Local government officials, school administrators and community leaders gave testimony as to how their school’s student body began functioning on a higher level when the teachings of the Bible were a part of their daily studies. … Over the course of our gospel meetings 35 more souls, both parents and students, came forward to be baptized.”

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