Faith
Maine Mother Fights Church Ban in Custody Battle
Faith Facts
- A Maine mother’s right to take her daughter to church is being challenged after a court labeled Calvary Chapel a “cult.”
- Liberty Counsel is defending Emily Bickford, claiming the order violates religious freedom and constitutional rights.
- The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is now considering whether the mother’s faith-based parenting can be lawfully restricted.
Emily Bickford is fighting a court order preventing her from bringing her 12-year-old daughter to Calvary Chapel, after the child’s father received sole authority over religious decisions. This controversial ruling followed testimony asserting the church is “cultic,” and bars Emily from exposing her daughter to its teachings or even Bible study.
Liberty Counsel argues that denying a parent the ability to share biblical faith with her child contradicts First Amendment protections. The legal team stressed the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for Christian parents seeking to raise their children according to biblical standards.
“Calvary Chapel is not a cult. This custody order banning Emily Bickford from taking her child to a Christian church because of its biblical teachings violates the First Amendment,” Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver said in a statement.
Liberty Counsel maintained that no evidence shows Emily’s faith harmed her daughter’s wellbeing. Despite this, the court gave the father the power to decide all matters related to the daughter’s religious and medical upbringing, warning of supposed harm from Calvary Chapel’s teachings.
Calvary Chapel is part of a global association of autonomous evangelical churches rooted in the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 70s. The outcome of this case will test how far courts can intervene in a parent’s right to raise children in their faith.
Stay prayerful as the Maine Supreme Court weighs a decision, recognizing the vital freedom for families to foster faith and biblical principles without government interference.
Faith
Alarming Safety Concerts in Chemical Abortions Challenge Pro-Life Vigilance Under God’s Guidance
Faith Facts
A new Ethics & Public Policy Center report reveals women face significantly higher health complications from mifepristone after the Biden FDA allowed mail-order dispensing and eliminated in-person doctor requirements.
Serious adverse events climbed from 10.15% before the change to 11.50% afterward, marking a 13% increase that endangers mothers and unborn children God entrusts to us.
- Ectopic pregnancy prescriptions rose from 0.27% to 0.41%, heightening life-threatening risks without medical oversight, violating biblical calls to protect the vulnerable.
- Remote dispensing scenarios project up to 23.65% adverse events, far exceeding clinical trial claims and underscoring the deception in chemical abortion promotion.
- Prior EPPC analysis found 10.93% suffer sepsis or hemorrhage post-pill, 22 times higher than FDA figures, demanding faithful action for family sanctity.
Stand with Faith and Freedom Report to defend preborn life, support mothers, and uphold God’s design for family—pray, advocate, and share this truth today.
Faith Facts
- Acacia Family Support, founded by Christian mothers, helps hundreds facing perinatal mental health crises yearly.
- £150,000 funding gap from NHS cuts and donations threatens early intervention for vulnerable Birmingham families.
- One in four mothers endures anxiety or depression during pregnancy or postpartum, with suicide as leading death cause post-birth.
A Birmingham Christian charity launched a Mother’s Day campaign titled ‘Motherhood – Not What You Expected?’ to spotlight hidden struggles of new mothers.
God blesses motherhood as in Psalm 127, yet idealised images amplify guilt for those battling perinatal depression.
Becky Douglas-Jones, acting director, noted: “Mother’s Day is framed as a joyful celebration of motherhood, but the reality is different for many women.”
Five videos feature Acacia-supported moms sharing isolation, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts ahead of Mother’s Day 2026.
Vicki Hook emphasized: “Birmingham has the second-highest number of instances of perinatal mental health conditions in the country.”
She added that the first 1,001 days shape child development, urging prompt Christian compassion to prevent escalation.
Emma Elmas shared: “Without Acacia, I wouldn’t be here today and my children wouldn’t have a mother. I owe them everything.”
Acacia offers one-to-one sessions, groups, and crèche alongside NHS referrals in a judgment-free, faith-rooted space.
As patriots upholding family values, support this local Christian effort to safeguard mothers and nurture godly homes through donations.
Faith
Beloved Voice for Racial Harmony Silent – Heaven Gains a Steward, Earth Mourns Briefly Market społecze。
Faith Facts
- Converted to Christ in 1957, returned to Mississippi to preach Gospel amid civil rights struggles.
- Co-founded Christian Community Development Association in 1989 for urban ministry.
- Authored books stressing Gospel centrality, declaring sin—not skin—the true human problem.
Renowned civil rights activist, Bible teacher, and racial reconciliation pioneer John Perkins passed into eternity at age 95, surrounded by family.
His daughter V. Elizabeth Perkins announced his homegoing on the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation page.
“To the world, he was Dr. John M. Perkins, a voice for justice, reconciliation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ,” she wrote.
“He received 19 honorary doctorate degrees, but most importantly, he was the devoted husband of his bride, Vera Mae Perkins, for 74 years, and together they were blessed with 8 children.”
“But to me, he was Daddy. My heart is broken, yet full of gratitude for the gift of being his daughter. His life was marked by courage, humility, faith, and love.”
Born in 1930 to a sharecropper in Jim Crow Mississippi, Perkins fled after his brother’s murder but returned after salvation to boldly proclaim Christ despite beatings and imprisonment.
Southern Baptist leader Trevin Wax honored him as a hero of resilience and faith, urging deeper love and justice.
“Rest well, John Perkins,” Wax tweeted. “A hero with an incredible story of resilience and faith, who leaves behind a legacy of calling us all to deeper love and justice.”
Author Jemar Tisby praised Perkins as a luminary and forerunner in evangelical racial reconciliation.
His faithful legacy on boards like World Vision, Prison Fellowship, and National Association of Evangelicals endures, modeling biblical family, courage, and gospel truth.
Honor John Perkins by embracing Christ-centered reconciliation, standing firm in faith, family, and freedom—subscribe to Faith and Freedom Report for more.
Alarming Safety Concerts in Chemical Abortions Challenge Pro-Life Vigilance Under God’s Guidance
Beloved Voice for Racial Harmony Silent – Heaven Gains a Steward, Earth Mourns Briefly Market społecze。
Motherhood Crisis Deepens as Biblical Values Face Erosion – God’s Hope Offers Renewal Ahead
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