Charisma Magazine

Grammy-winning gospel artist Walter Hawkins died Sunday afternoon at his Ripon, Calif., home after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 61.

"Only blessed thoughts and prayers go out to the Hawkins family and everyone who loved Bishop Walter Hawkins," read a message on gospel artist Shirley Caesar's Facebook page Sunday. "May he rest in peace."

A noted singer and pianist, Hawkins pioneered a new wave in gospel music in the 1970s with his Love Alive series, which included such classic songs as "Going Up Yonder," "Changed" and "Be Grateful."

Photo by Robert Shanklin

The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel has made the most significant female executive appointment in 50 years with the selection of the Rev. Tammy Dunahoo as general supervisor of the Pentecostal denomination.

Foursquare's board of directors named Dunahoo to the denomination's second-highest position last month. She had served as interim general supervisor since September, and her appointment was effective immediately.

Muslim organizations in Bekasi, West Java, last week declared their intention to establish paramilitary units in local mosques and a "mission center" to oppose "ongoing attempts to convert people to Christianity," according to the national Antara news agency.

At a gathering at the large Al Azhar mosque June 27, the leaders of nine organizations announced the results of a Bekasi Islamic Congress meeting on June 20, where they agreed to establish a mission center to halt "Christianization," form a Laskar Pemuda youth army and push for implementation of sharia (Islamic law) in the region, The Jakarta Post reported.

Oral Roberts University (ORU) has sold its former presidential estate for $1.55 million.

The nine-acre property was the home of former ORU President Richard Roberts until he resigned in 2007 amid allegations of financial impropriety.

A Christian legal firm is suing a southwest Florida school district that prohibited Bible distribution on public school campuses.

Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of World Changers of Florida challenging the Collier County school district's decision to prohibit the Naples, Fla.-based ministry from passing out free Bibles on Religious Freedom Day, which is recognized Jan. 16.