Faith News Network

Church of God leader Rev. Jim O. McClain, Sr. died early this morning, July 7, 2009, in Cleveland, Tennessee. He would have turned 83 years old next week.

During Rev. McClain’s active ministry he held a number of prestigious offices, including being elected to serve as Director of World Missions in 1980. He served there until 1984 where he accepted the post of state overseer of South Georgia for two years. His final ministry posts were in Georgia, including Cartersville and Riverdale.

Jim McClain’s earlier ministry included nearly 20 years as a pastor of congregations in Washington (Alligood), North Carolina, Marion, North Carolina, Avondale Estates, Georgia and Kannapolis, North Carolina. His first position in missions was as Missions Representative from 1966-74, followed by Field Representative/Assistant Director from 1974-80 when he was elected as director. He was a past member of the Georgia State Council, Radio and Television Board, district pastor, district youth director, and president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America of Atlanta. He was in demand as a camp meeting speaker and throughout his career spoke in more than 100 countries.

Rev. McClain began his ministry in 1948 and was ordained in 1956. He is an alumnus of Lee University.

Rev. McClain was preceded in death by his wife, Margorie. He is survived by their three children Jim McClain, Jr., Jane Knight and Jerry McClain and by his current wife, Elaine. He is also survived by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangemetns were unconfirmed at the time of this posting. For information, please call Church of God Communications at 423-478-7112.

WASHINGTON, DC – Defying some of his fellow conservative Christian critics, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that “the two largest faiths on the planet” must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.

Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., recently commented on the deaths of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Ed McMahon.

“The passing of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Ed McMahon takes me back to another time,” said Dr. King, “a time that certainly had its turmoil, but that also had its promises. The passing of these ‘stars’ reminds me of the days when ABC was a fresh and innocent song without hints of profanity or gratuitous sex; the time before beautiful Farrah became an Angel; and Ed and Johnny gave us late night television. Those were the days and times when life was precious in America.

“The memories of Michael, Farrah, and Ed take us back 40 years and over 50 million abortions ago,” added Dr. King. “They remind me and my fellow pro-life civil rights warriors how the choices we make shape not only our lives, but the future of others. They teach us yet again that one life can touch the world.”

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.

(Source: Christian Newswire)

Dr. Bruce Conn, has been elected as president of the American Society of Parasitologists, an association of more than one thousand researchers at universities, corporations, and government laboratories around the world

Last night’s Season Four premiere of Gospel Music Channel’s (GMC) American Idol®-style talent search series Gospel Dream had a little bit of everything:

Eric J. Pryor, a former Wiccan high priest who came to Christ after opposing a highly publicized spiritual warfare event in San Francisco, died June 7 after being hit by a truck while crossing the street on foot. He was 49.