Christian Today staff writer

• 'Let us drink beer!' The wisdom of Martin Luther in 12 quotes

  Today is the birthday of Martin Luther, the German monk-turned-revolutionary who reshaped the Church.

• Nine Christians shot dead in Nigeria in suspected Fulani attack

  Nine Christians were shot dead in Plateau State, Nigeria on Tuesday night, by attackers believed to be militant Fulani herdsmen.

• Smoke from the Vatican? Not any more as Pope Francis bans cigarettes

  Pope Francis is ending the sale of cigarettes in the Vatican, saying the Holy See can not condone something so harmful to people's health.

• 'Mary was a teenager': Alabama official uses Bible's Mary and Joseph to defend Roy Moore from paedophilia claims

  An Alabama state official yesterday dismissed abuse allegations against GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore, who stands accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl. The official – Alabama state auditor Jim Zeigler – pointed to the age gap between Jesus' parents Mary and Joseph, saying there's 'nothing immoral or illegal here'.

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  Protestants, Catholics and atheists surge leaving Orthodox trailing, says Pew survey

  Orthodox Christians have been declining as a share of the overall Christian population – and the global population – due to far faster growth among Protestants, Catholics and non-Christians, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

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  Christian campaigners warn of 'outrage' at gender-neutrality plans in Scotland

  Christian campaigners have warned of 'outrage' over plans in Scotland that could allow adults and children to change their gender so that legally they are neither male nor female.

• Tennessee Southern Baptist church could lose convention voting rights for having female pastor

  A Southern Baptist church that hired a woman as its lead pastor – breaking with the denomination's traditional doctrine – may lose its voting rights at the Tennessee Baptist Convention meetings next week.

• Margery Kempe: 6 quotes from England's weeping mystic

  Today the Church of England remembers Margery Kempe, She is not officially a saint, but was a mystic known for her passionate devotion to Christ.

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  Dramatic escape and recapture of imprisoned Chinese Christian lawyer

  The Chinese Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng escaped house arrest in August and hid for 23 days before being recaptured, according to International Christian Concern (ICC).

• Thousands of refugee children in Bangladesh at risk of trafficking and abuse, charity warns

  Refugee children in Bangladesh's camps are at risk of being trafficked, sexually abused or exploited, children's charity World Vision has warned.

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  This could be the best ministry resource you'll ever find

  For almost a quarter of a century Ministry Today UK has been the only cross-denominational journal devoted to the practice of ministry.

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  Pope warned by Myanmar Cardinal not to speak of the 'Rohingya'

  Myanmar's Cardinal has reiterated warnings that Pope Francis should avoid using the term 'Rohingya' during a visit this month, when he is expected to raise the humanitarian crisis faced by the Muslim minority after a Myanmar army offensive in August.