HOT OFF THE CHRISTIAN NEWS WIRE

Church Cancels $3 Million in Medical Debt of 3,355 Families

To Demonstrate Christ’s Love

A North Carolina church has helped cancel more than $3 million of medical debt for 3,355 area families, saying it was driven by the words of Christ about love and forgiveness. Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., purchased nearly $3.3 million of outstanding medical debt and then held a debt-burning ceremony.

The congregation raised $15,047 as part of its Debt Jubilee Project and then worked with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization that helps cancel medical debt. RIP Medical Debt purchases medical debt in bundles, “millions of dollars at a time at a fraction of the original cost,” according to its website. The organization sent letters to 3,355 families on behalf of the church, telling them their debt had been forgiven. The average medical debt forgiven was about $1,000, the church said on its Facebook page. For more information, visit www.ripmedicaldebt.org.

Grammy-Nominated Singer Tauren Wells to Plant Church in Texas: ‘We Cannot Wait’

Grammy-nominated Christian singer Tauren Wells has announced that he and his wife Lorna will plant a church in the Austin, Texas, region next year that will be a “vibrant, life-giving” congregation for the people of that community.

The new church, called the Church of Whitestone, will be located in Georgetown, about 30 miles north of Austin. The couple made the announcement on their Instagram pages.

“Well, our party of six, is setting out on the adventure of a lifetime, packing up our lives in Houston, and following our calling to love, serve, and inspire the city and surrounding communities of north Austin, Texas,” Wells wrote. “Through the planting of a vibrant, life-giving, community of faith, Church of Whitestone, we are assuming our calling as lead pastors of the church that God placed in our heart more than 10 years ago.”

Wells is a 10-time Grammy nominee and seven-time Dove Award winner and is known for such songs as Hills and Valleys, which spent 36 weeks on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. His new song Up was on the same chart for 22 weeks. For more information visit www.taurenwells.com.

Chris Tomlin Honors Covenant Families during Concert

Grammy-winning Christian artist Chris Tomlin honored the staf and students from The Covenant School during his popular Good Friday concert, bringing members of the Covenant community on stage and an- nouncing a fund that will benefit the needs of the Nashville school that was the target of a mass shooting.

Tomlin invited a Covenant teacher along with five students and two Covenant parents on stage along with Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. Tomlin said about 200 Covenant families and 200 families from the Nashville Police Force were at the concert.

Proceeds from the concert benefited Covenant families as well as a foundation for children and families of fallen police officers and first responders. It was the seventh year for the “Good Friday Nashville” concert, which is one of the most popular Christian concerts of the year in Nashville and benefits local charities.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

The school announced last week that it will finish the current academic year at a nearby congregation, Brentwood Hills Church of Christ. For more information visit www. christomlin.com,

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Chonda Pierce Stars in Film, “Roll With It”

The Queen of Clean Comedy and the Recording Industry Association of America’s most decorated female comic, Chonda Pierce, today announced that her upcoming film, Roll With It, will premiere in theaters nationwide starting on Tuesday, May 9. The feature-length comedy weaves an inspiring and hilarious story of strength, family values and faith. Pierce playing a single mother who readjusts to life after the loss of her husband. Roll With It premieres in more than 750 theaters across the U.S. on Tuesday May 9, Thursday May 11, and Saturday May 13 through Fathom Events. For Pierce, Roll With It is the latest project in a career whose highlights include platinum-certified comedy albums, regular performances at the Grand Ole Opry, and five Daytime Emmy nominations. Christian music legend Michael W. Smith, country hitmaker Jake Owen, Shari Rigby and others make cameo appearances.

Pierce, Chonda Pierce is America’s best-selling female comedian of all time. She performs more than 80 comedy shows annually and has sold more than 3.5 million concert tickets throughout her career. Pierce will be touring America on both sides of the film’s theatrical release. For information, visit www.chonda.org.