Minnesota Christian Chronicle blog

Are conservative churches growing?

2009-12-16T08:32:00.001-08:00

A recent article from church history guru Martin Marty raises the question of whether or not conservative churches are still growing. Dean Kelley's seminal 1972 book "Why Conservative Churches Are Growing" paved the way for studies on the significance and reasons behind the conservative church growth movement of the last half of the twentieth century.

And while conservative churches continued to report growth until recently, a new move may be under way, according to Marty. He cites several statistics that demonstrate that certain conservative denominations are declining in numbers--the same sorts of declines liberal and mainline churches began to experience in the 1960s.

What does this mean? It's too early to tell. It could just be a blip on the radar screen of evangelicalism. Or, it could signal a long-term change in the size and structure of conservative-leaning churches.

What we do know is that it's definitely worth watching.

Thousands "'Rocked' the River" in St. Paul on Sunday

2009-08-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Some 23,000 people attended the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's "Rock the River" event in St. Paul on Sunday. Several of Christian music's most popular bands performed, including Kirk Franklin (photo far left), Superchick, DecembeRadio, FLAME, Lecrae, and Flyleaf.

Between sets, Franklin Graham stepped out on the stage and presented the Gospel. More than 900 people came forward throughout the event when Franklin gave the invitation to commit your life to Christ.

While the event was billed as a youth event, the crowd included people of all ages.

The September issue of MCC will have a full report.

Crowd gathers to support foreclosure victim

2009-08-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

As we reported yesterday, several dozen people, including members of Missio Dei, gathered to stand with Rosemary Williams (first row, middle with green headband) as she will soon be arrested for trespassing at her now-foreclosed upon house in south Minneapolis. Williams claims she tried to work with the mortgage company to find a solution, but they were not interested.

Mark Van Steenwyk, one of the leaders of the Missio Dei community (second row, brown shirt with glasses), feels the Church has not done enough to stand with those suffering as a result of the housing crisis.

Foreclosure

2009-08-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Rosemary Williams has lived in her south Minneapolis neighborhood for more than 50 years. After losing her job, she was unable to pay her mortgage. Even though she tried to negotiate with the lenders, her attempts were unsuccessful. She now is awaiting arrest at her home for trespassing charges.

Her story, like thousands of others across the country, pull at our heart strings.

One group--Missio Dei--is challenging the Church to become more involved in the foreclosure crisis.

Stay tuned to this blog and the September issue of the MCC for updates on Williams and how Missio Dei feels the Church should respond.

Terri Schiavo

2009-06-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

We all remember the Terri Schiavo case that riveted the country a few years back. Various significant debates emerged over the battle for Terri's life: issues of life, the role of the government, the importance of family law, etc.

In the July MCC, we review a new DVD about the Terri Schiavo story. According to the reviewer, this is a must-see for a variety of reasons.

Make sure to pick up your copy of the July issue to read this important review.

Megachurches: Just like the rest of us?

2009-06-16T09:00:00.001-07:00

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research recently released the study "Not who you think they are: The real story of people who attend America's megachurches." There are a lot of interesting findings, including:

1. Young and single adults attend megachurches in greater numbers than smaller churches.
2. Those who attend megachurches report a marked increased in their spiritual growth, involvement in the church and in their needs being met.
3. Attenders were first attracted by the worship style, the senior pastor and the reputation of the church.

Some of the other findings go against the grain of what many people think of megachurches.

We'll be doing a more in-depth look into this study in the July issue of the paper.

The end of Evangelicalism?

2009-04-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Evangelicalism is once again a popular topic in newspapers, on TV, on the radio and on the various Internet-based media sites. The concern is no longer with Evangelicalism’s size and influence but with the potential for the movement to collapse.

Michael Spencer, writing in The Christian Science Monitor, argued that Evangelicalism will follow the decline witnessed by mainline Protestants, which started in the 1960s and continues to this day.

Spencer writes, “Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline…But the end of Evangelicalism as we know it is close.”

Dean M. Kelley, in his seminal book, “Why Conservative Churches Are Growing,” argued that mainline churches suffered their decline as a result of weakening their adherence to time-honored beliefs.

When a church or a movement loses its belief system and can no longer offer its members something that only the church or movement can provide, then its followers fall away or find another manner to meet their specific needs. There were a host of other reasons why mainline churches suffered their losses—demographics, birth rates among members, etc.—but the movement’s loss of its unique belief structure was paramount to its decline.

For Evangelicalism, the problem is less serious and based more upon a redirection of priorities. The early 1970s witnessed the rise of what we have come to call the Religious Right or Christian conservative movement. Evangelicals began to become active in politics again after a 50-year hiatus that dated back to the Scopes trial in 1925.

And for the next 40 years, Evangelicals became increasingly involved in politics and began to see their faith more intertwined with political action.

What is happening now is a reassessment of the political strategy. Evangelicals tend to be more aligned with conservative politics and so when conservative candidates suffer huge losses—like they did last fall—it’s normal for many to reassess the movement, and even for some to predict its demise.

The point some people are missing, including Michael Spencer, is that Evangelicalism is a much broader and deeper movement than just the political component. While politics has played an increasingly significant role in the movement, particularly since the 1970s, it in no way accurately and exhaustively defines Evangelicals.

Evangelicalism, more than anything else, is defined by its commitment to Christ and the importance of a personal relationship with Him. As long as that remains the central component to the movement, the talk of its demise is much exaggerated.

Evangelicalism is certainly not dead. From non-profit organizations fighting poverty and homelessness, to para-church ministries giving voice to the voiceless, to ministries working for just public policy, to Christian schools training up the next generation, to small, medium and large churches reaching the lost, discipling the newly saved, and walking with those on the verge of their eternal journeys—Evangelicalism is far from death.

Easter — Resurrection Morning

2009-04-10T16:55:00.001-07:00

They took Him a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, and crucified Him.

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, who was one of Jesus' followers, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting nearby watching.

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now go quickly and tell his disciples he has been raised from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember, I have told you."

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to find the disciples to give them the angel's message. And as they went, Jesus met them. "Greetings!" he said. And they ran to him, held his feet, and worshiped him. The Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there." — from Matthew 27:32-44 (NLT)

On Easter morning, believers do not mourn a martyr, but celebrate a risen Savior. Christ’s victory over death gives us the promise of eternity in Heaven. When the trials and tribulations around us seem insurmountable, we need to remember that the ultimate battle is over; Christ said on the cross, “It is finished.” And someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess that, He is Lord.

Have a blessed resurrection morning.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 6 and 7

2009-03-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

We began to explore Jerusalem with a drive around the Old City walls, viewing the gates.

There are eight gates into the Old City — seven are open and one is closed. This is the Zion Gate, which was probably built around the time of the Crusaders. You can see pockmarks in the walls from gun fighting between the Israelis and the Jordanians during the 1967 Six Day War. This was the gate through which the triumphant Jews entered the Old City and rushed toward the Western Wall.

We visited Mount Zion where some say is the Tomb of David and the Upper Room. We explored the Southern Wall of the Temple with its more recent excavations. Here we were able to walk on the very street and steps that Jesus and His Disciples would likely have walked on to enter the Temple.

After observing the Orthodox Jews praying at the Western “Wailing” Wall, we toured the underground tunnels along the Western Wall. It was here we had close-up views of the gigantic stone blocks used by Herod’s slaves to rebuild the wall. The largest stone weighed more than 600 tons. It was 45 feet long, 14 feet wide and 10 feet high.

We ended our tour at the new excavations believed to be the palace of King David in the City of David. Here we walked deep underground through “Warren’s Shaft,” the very tunnel used to enter the city of the Jebusites and conquer Jerusalem for the Israelites 3,000 years ago.

Our last four hours were supposed to be for resting before our return flight to the states, but we took full advantage of the opportunity for adventuring into the Jewish quarter of the Old City. We are looking for gifts for the grandchildren. Here we found a quaint restaurant for tasting the cultural cuisine with the shop next door offering Israeli wine tasting. A group of us enjoyed some discussions with the shop owner as we reflected on the privilege of being able to walk where Jesus walked.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 5

2009-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today we walked through Jerusalem by way of the Via Dolorosa. Some streets are said to be the actual stones from the time of Jesus. Did Jesus actually walk this way to the cross? No one knows for sure, but that didn’t matter. It was so easy to visualize what it may have been like as we made our way through the narrow, crowded streets lined by shops. Then we went to a small hill just outside the walls of Jerusalem where even today the stark cliff reveals an image of a skull. Next to it is a tranquil garden with an empty tomb, carved out of a rock. Many believe the garden tomb is the actual burial and resurrection site of Jesus. There are several archeological discoveries that seem to substantiate the theory. The beautiful surroundings of the garden tomb cause you to want to stop and contemplate what you have seen. And the mental image that one can take with them will never go away. What a place to stop and consider the price Jesus paid for our sins – and then to rejoice in the knowledge of his resurrection. We walked into that cold tomb and saw that it was empty, and it was a dramatic reminder of how Jesus conquered death for us. Our group took time for communion in the garden, and it was a very moving experience. As we took the cup we could hear another group singing, “What a day that will be when my Jesus I will see.”

A horrific tragedy upon the Jewish people

2009-03-22T08:05:00.001-07:00

There’s not much to say when you walk out of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. Mostly, we are silent, speechless. Words cannot express the emotion of witnessing the horrific tragedy brought on God’s Chosen People by Hitler’s murderous Nazi army.

Situated on Jerusalem’s Mount of Remembrance, Yad Vashem’s 45-acre campus comprises indoor museums and outdoor monuments, memorials, gardens, sculptures and education centers. This world-class complex has all the necessary components for a meaningful and dynamic commemoration of the Holocaust and its six million victims.

The largest of its kind in the world, the museum depicts the story of the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective, with individual stories highlighted in the unfolding narrative that includes 100 screens, authentic artifacts including photos, film clips, and works of art and music.

While this is not a part of the traditional Holy Land experience of visiting ancient sites of 2,000 and 3,000 years ago, it is something that no one should miss.

How is it humanly possible that anyone, much less an army, wreak such evil on any human being! The cattle cars. The ghettos. The humiliation. The death camps. The gas chambers. It was real. It happened. It is perhaps the darkest era in the history of mankind.

The photo is a memorial to the individuals that have been identified. The photo only shows a part of this huge memorial.

Israel's unexpected treat... the cuisine

2009-03-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

So everyone wants to go to Israel to see the historical sites from the days of the Bible. But one of the unexpected treats is the cuisine.

From St. Peter’s Fish (complete with the head staring at you) served at a Galilean kibbutz to Faloffals and Schwarmas from sidewalk vendors in the bustling Jerusalem markets, food options are many and delightful.

But it was our unique two-hour dinner at HaChatzer (the garden courtyard) that really got our attention.

Our table was filled with mezzo platters when we arrived, four sets of eleven small dishes with such spreads as cucumbers, humus, beets, olives, tuna, and tomato salsa all of which could be used with the fabulous baked bread while we waited for the appetizers.

Then came four appetizer options: “baladi” eggplant with tehina and tomato, chicken liver paté with fig jam, carpaccio of salmon, and fish balls in spicy tomato sauce. And this is just the beginning . . .

Finally the main course. No, not one, but three. Spring chicken with marinade, grilled lamb kabob and entrecote steak filet. Add to that some side dishes with tossed salad, rice and mashed potatoes.

Are we done yet? Of course not. How about some non-dairy ice cream for dessert. Yes, this is a kosher meal, so dairy products are a no-no since we had meat earlier. But one would never know. The delicious ice cream was covered in grape honey, tehina paste with halvah and pistachios. Oh, yes, there were two more dessert options — chocolate fudge with halva mousse and chocolate tart with chestnuts and scotch.

In all, 25 different items touched our palettes – one delightful dinner experience.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 4

2009-03-20T23:44:00.001-07:00

We began the day with a long drive from Tiberias to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth and lies between the mountains of Israel and Jordan. In this dry and barren desert land is where David found refuge from King Saul hiding in one of the many caves near the spring of En Gedi. The rocky, dry hillsides are full of caves that could have been where David hid. In the nearby area a small settlement existed near the Dead Sea. It was here the Essenes, a small group of Jewish men, copied the Old Testament onto parchment made of sheepskins. Then they hid them in clay jars in the nearby caves of Qumran. Found two thousand years later in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls have given us numerous Biblical manuscripts, dating back to the 1st century B.C. One of the very moving places in the desert is Masada—a city built upon a sheer mountaintop. It is the place where the Jews, in their final revolt against the Romans in A.D. 73, saw that all hope was lost after a seven-month siege by the Romans and decided to kill their families and then themselves rather than becoming slaves. The excavations of this incredible site reveal a remarkable way of life.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 3

2009-03-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

The waters of the Sea of Galilee were so smooth this morning. We set out on an enlarged replica of a 1st century fishing boat and enjoyed a quiet, peaceful boat ride, stopping for a time of prayer and then some Jewish folk dancing. What a great way to start the day in the Galilee region.

Next was a stop at Capernaum, the town Jesus called home during his three-year ministry. Set on the northern shore of the Sea, ancient ruins speak volumes of the way of life 2000 years ago. And just as Jesus prophesied, the city was never rebuilt after it was destroyed in the third century. Bethsaida, just a few miles away, is a much more recent discovery and still in the beginning stages of excavation.

We visited a Catholic church built on the “traditional” site of the Sermon on the Mount. Yet many of us questioned why this particular hill was thought to be the location of this event and not any of the neighboring hills. The entire region is filled with rolling hills and the mere thought of the walking from village to village, from hill to valley, in those days is quite intriguing.

After lunch on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee in a large kibbutz, we took a drive up through the Golan Heights where we got a clear picture of the significance of that area politically. The Golan Heights tower to the east with a westerly view of the Galilee. Prior to 1967, the Jordanians sat up there firing on the Jewish communities below them at will for many years. Now the area is a beautiful landscape of flourishing farms and thriving towns under Israeli control.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 2

2009-03-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

Walking in the steps of Jesus took on almost literal meaning Tuesday as our group trekked through the 1st century re-creation of the village of Nazareth. Appropriately named Nazareth Village, the 15-acre terraced hillside showcases workers in period dress as shepherds with a flock of sheep, women spinning wool into yarn, a carpenter crafting wooden tools by hand and farmers tilling the ground with those wooden tools. Primitive structures built by hand out of stone include dirt floor homes, a synagogue, and olive press.

But what caught my attention was the ancient wine press carved out of the hillside and representing an authentic view of life in this poor, rural village of 2000 years ago. Consider that historians believe less than 1,000 inhabitants lived in the Nazareth of Jesus’ time and that such a community may only have had a very few wine presses, our guide suggested that there was perhaps a 50% chance that Jesus himself used that very stone press and played on those hills as a child.

For more information on this fascinating village operated by Arab Christians and tucked away in the middle of a bustling modern Nazareth, log on to http://www.nazarethvillage.com.

Following the footsteps of Jesus — Israel Day 1

2009-03-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

This morning we started our day watching the sun rise behind us as we look out over the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv. We can see Jaffa (ancient Joppa) from our balcony. This is the city where Jonah fled from Ninevah and where Peter had his vision on the rooftop of Simon the Tanner. We will take an early morning walk along the Mediterranean Sea this morning before breakfast. Such a beautiful way to start the day. We will be driving up to Caesarea, Megiddo, Nazareth and then on to Tiberias which is along the Sea of Galilee.

The end of Evangelicalism?

2009-03-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Numerous media outlets and columnists have been weighting in on Evangelicalism's possible demise. The issue was sparked by last fall's election results and the possible breaking up of the Evangelical electoral coalition.

Evangelicalism, as a movement, is most certainly not dead; however, the Evangelical political movement which witnessed close ties to the Republican party may be in a period of adjustment. No one really knows the outcome of this realignment, but it's safe to say that the movement that existed for the previous 40 years will look markedly different by the next election cycle--and the ones following.

No, Evangelicalism is not dead. It's a vibrant, dynamic and diverse movement. Evangelicals and their political involvement, however, is undergoing a shift--and one that will most definitely affect American politics.

Obama creates council on women

2009-03-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

President Obama signed an executive order launching the White House Council on Women and Girls. He stated that the purpose of the council is to “ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy.”

In the same breath he stated that Tina Tchen, former vice president of the National Organization of Women (NOW), would lead the Council wisely. Tchen’s leadership makes one believe that the council's biggest pursuit for women and girls will be abortion and contraception.

President Obama needs to extend the invitation of appointees to the council to women across the aisle (conservatives) that have raised families and cracked and shattered the glass ceilings.

Perhaps if abortion and contraception are his only concerns he will silence the conservative side but, if he is truly concerned about the welfare of women in the workplace, he will reach across the aisle when he considers enacting policies and programs impacting women and their families.

More Americans adopting no religion at all

2009-03-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

A new study found that religion in America is shifting. According to the study, "In 2008, Christians comprised 76 percent of U.S. adults, compared to about 77 percent in 2001 and about 86 percent in 1990." Some 15 percent of Americans said they had no religion at all, compared to 8.2 percent in 1990--and these numbers rose in every state. Northern New England topped the Pacific Northwest as the least religious region in the country.

Another important finding: "Evangelical or born-again Americans make up 34 percent of all American adults and 45 percent of all Christians and Catholics, the study found. Researchers found that 18 percent of Catholics consider themselves born-again or evangelical, and nearly 39 percent of mainline Protestants prefer those labels."

These periodic studies serve as a great reminder as to the breadth and depth of the American religious experience.

Coach doesn't have a prayer

2009-03-04T19:57:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an appeal from a high school football coach who wanted to bow his head and kneel during student-led prayers from team players. The March 2 court ruling ended Marcus Borden’s efforts to overturn the East Brunswick, N.J., school district’s policy prohibiting it.

According to reports, Coach Borden did not endorse, initiate, or participate in the student-led prayers but silently knelt on one knee in the locker room before games and bowed his head before meals.

A federal district court ruled that the policy prohibiting faculty participation in student-initiated prayer is unconstitutional. The court ruled in Borden’s favor on all counts, holding that his silent prayers do not represent a government endorsement of religion. The school district appealed the decision, in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit reversed the decision and agreed that the school district policy was constitutional.

The Supreme Court has left chilling consequences for school officials, teachers and coaches in the public school systems—there are now no constitutional rights of freedom of expression, speech or liberty when it comes to there educational responsibilities. We have become so politically correct that we are practicing intolerance to Christianity or even the appearance of it.

Have churches been affected by the economic downturn?

2009-03-03T08:39:00.000-08:00

One of the lost narratives of this current economic downturn is how it has specifically affected churches. Whether it's through decreased giving as a result of lost jobs or less disposable income, or through problems refinancing church debt, congregations across the state are feeling the heat.

And this has resulted in churches laying off staff and pulling back their ministry budgets--at a time when more people might be looking to churches for solace and hope.

The April issue of the "Chronicle" will explore this issue in-depth and look at how Minnesota churches are meeting this significant challenge.

Will Obama’s choice to rescind healthcare "conscience" regulation end healthcare workers choices?

2009-03-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

Obama administration has begun the process of rescinding a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulation protecting civil rights and the exercise of conscience in healthcare.

The regulation was a safeguard for workers from being fired, disciplined or penalized in other ways and to be able to work according to their conscience.

Infringing on their right to practice medicine according to these life-affirming ethical standards could force them to leave the profession and could risk the shutting down of hospitals and clinics.

Just as no one should be forced to have an abortion, no healthcare provider should be forced to become an abortionist. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood are seeking to compel healthcare workers to perform abortions or face consequences. So much for “choice” and moderation in the Obama administration.

Obama has already lifted restrictions on federal funding for international family planning groups that promote abortion. The next life battle ground will be to see if (when) Obama will lift federal restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research.

U.S. pledging $900 million to rebuild Gaza

2009-03-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

Despite the current U.S. economic downspin, the Obama administration plans to offer more than $900 million in aid for rebuilding Gaza.

According to new reports, "This money is for Gaza and to help strengthen the Palestinian Authority. It is not going to go to Hamas," stated an official, who asked not to be named. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is planning to announce the funding at a March conference in Cairo, Egypt aimed at raising money to rebuild Hamas-controlled Gaza after Israel's recent military operations against Palestinian militants. This is the first time that the U.S. has willingly participated in raising money for Gaza since Hamas seized power in June 2007.

Congress still has to approve the $900 million aid package. Perhaps Congress should consider a stipulation that in order to receive the funds Hamas has to be removed from control. The U.S. economy is on the brink of disaster and we are considering funneling our tax dollars to this terrorist regime.

Are they also considering a proposal to rebuild Israeli homes, schools and towns that have been destroyed by Hamas rockets over the last 8 years?

Prop 8, Google maps and intimidation

2009-03-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

At the center of California’s Proposition 8 battle is Google maps. If you donated to Prop 8, a California amendment that defined marriage between a man and a woman, there is a good chance everyone knows where you live and work.

Why would opponents of Prop 8 use of this kind of information? It's intended to intimidate people into not participating in politics by donating money. There has been a systematic effort to intimidate and harass donors to the Prop 8 campaign.

The creators of the “Prop 8 hit map” are registered anonymously through GoDaddy which offers no contact information.” They are using public information to pose a public threat to private people – while hiding cowardly behind a wall of anonymity themselves.

To use Google Maps you must agree not to abuse, harass or stalk [terms of service #3a.]… unless of course you want to abuse, harass or stalk those who support traditional marriage.

Check out Chuck Colson's BreakPoint article "Chilling Free Speech".

Criminal charges, lawsuits and fines facing Planned Parenthood affiliates

2008-03-31T19:37:00.000-07:00

Planned Parenthood is being weighed down by criminal charges and lawsuits across the country.

The Planned Parenthood of Kansas has had a 107-count criminal complaint, including 23 felony counts of falsifying medical documents related to late-term abortions.

In California a federal whistleblower lawsuit filed under the federal False Claims Act was unsealed following a review from the U.S. attorney's office in early March. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2005 by a former vice-president of Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles, alleges that nine Planned Parenthood affiliates in California defrauded state and federal taxpayers to the tune of at least $180 million.

Five Planned Parenthood clinics in Florida recently stopped seeing customers following allegations that the affiliates have been falsifying their annual reports. According to the Miami Herald, "the local nonprofit had a $3 million budget in 2005. More than $500,000 came from public funds. It's unclear how much is reportedly missing or unaccounted for."

Despite the negative news for Planned Parenthood, it’s sinking $10 million into its political arm perhaps hoping to increase their abortion allies in Congress who would help protect their federal monies and potentially increase its federal funding revenues. PP receives $300 million of tax dollars annually, mainly through the federal Medicaid and Title X programs.