Despite Political Upheaval, Indian Church Hosts 700 Bible School Students

Pulling off Vacation Bible School for 700 children is a daunting challenge for most churches. Pulling off VBS for 700 children during community upheaval is not just challenging, it is practically impossible. But Anna Yumnam* and her team from TMG Bible Church* in Manipur, a state in northeast India, managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible in June 2023. This was Yumnam’s first year as the church’s children’s ministry director. She expected hurdles of course, but perhaps not trials of this intensity.

The Pentecostal Renewal Continues To Sweep The Planet — And Affect Everyone

(OPINION) What happens with Pentecostalism today affects nearly everybody on Earth, not only spiritually but politically. Scholars and journalists usually point to the landmark 1906 Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles as the birth of Pentecostalism. That revival introduced long-dormant gifts of the Holy Spirit written about in the New Testament — including prophecy, healing and speaking in tongues — to contemporary Christianity.

More Than 6,000 Baptized During Cross-Denominational California Weekend

A cross-denominational belief in believer’s baptism allowed Southern Baptist pastor Mark Brown and Pentecostal pastor Mark Francey to collaborate in sponsoring Baptize California, a statewide event that baptized more than 6,000 believers May 18-19.

Christianity, California, News, North AmericaDiana ChandlerMay 25, 2024Diana Chandler, news, Christianity, baptism, Secondary featureComment

Crossroads Podcast: CBS Plays Papal Softball With Francis

I am old enough to remember when “60 Minutes” was must-watch television for journalists. In those days, this CBS News “magazine for television” had a crack research team that dug deep and found the documents and evidence needed to support tough questions for political, cultural and business leaders who granted interviews.

The True Cost Of Christian Denominations Going Bust

(ANALYSIS) Today, these new non-denominational churches are replacing older traditional forms, creating thousands of new island churches, unconnected form any larger sense of community or social vision. Can this new generation of non-denominational churches somehow work together to form new networks that provide some measure of community? Time will tell.

Analysis, Christianity, NewsStephen PresleyMay 24, 2024Stephen Presley, Christianity, analysis, Protestant church, schism, newsComment

Brazilian Missionaries Bring The Gospel To Fellow Immigrants In Florida

The Borbas never expected to become missionaries to their people in a foreign land. Yet three visas and almost 10 years later, Maikon Borba had graduated from Harding with a degree in Bible and missions and moved his family 36 miles north of Miami.

5 Notable College Commencement Addresses That Featured Faith

College students across the country are graduating this month. As is custom, famous people are invited to speak to students about the future. Sometimes, religion and faith comes up — especially at Christian colleges — and it’s not always something that resonates with the U.S.’s broader, more secular culture. Here are five that stood out this spring.

Travel Sports Create Issues And Opportunities For Families and Churches

A Lifeway Research study of both U.S. Protestant pastors and churchgoers found most in both groups believe it’s OK to miss church occasionally for a kid’s game or travel sporting event, but those in the pews are laxer on the issue than those behind the pulpit. More than one in three Protestant pastors say it’s never OK to skip a weekly worship service for kid’s games or travel sporting events.

Christianity, News, North America, SportsAaron EarlsMay 23, 2024Aaron Earls, sports, sport, travel sports, churches, Christianity, religionComment

On Religion: Did Harrison Butker’s Graduation Speech Sail Wide Right?

(ANALYSIS) The team's star placekicker stressed that “being Catholic alone doesn't cut it” while attacking many famous Catholics, including President Joe Biden, for, among other choices, making the sign of the cross during a Florida abortion rights rally. Butker spent most of his address criticizing many American bishops while also offering blunt defenses of Catholic teachings on sexuality.

How ‘Hazbin Hotel’ Appropriates Christian Values For A Different Kind Of Message

(REVIEW) There are a lot of positive — dare I say “Christian” — values in the show. So much that I’d say anyone with a beating heart will find themselves weeping as they watch them play out — even if only despite themselves. Observing the cynical, broken Hellians that Charlie Morningstar finds and helps to reform and embrace being their better selves, can’t help but bring tears to your eyes.

Clergy In Colonial America: A Peek Into American Religious History

(ANALYSIS) The Association of Religion Data Archives posted an absolutely fascinating dataset called “Clergymen in Revolutionary America (1763-1783).” It’s exactly what you think it is — a big spreadsheet of clergy in the colonies. That’s awesome. The data comes as a result of the efforts by Lewis Frederick Weis in the 1930s to collect this information.

What the Church Could Learn From LGBTQ+ Activists

(OPINION) In October 2007, I delivered a series of lectures on the subject of “Homosexuality, the Church, and Society.” The lectures were held at the Booth Playhouse in the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, and they attracted considerable attention from the local media.

Christianity, OpinionDr. Michael BrownMay 22, 2024Michael Brown, Dr. Michael Brown, Christianity, religion, opinion, LGBTQComment

Christian Leaders Across Africa Oppose Bill Seeking To Repeal Gambia’s FGM Ban

The African nation of Gambia was thrust into a national debate this spring after the country's parliament advanced a bill that would repeal its eight-year ban on female genital mutilation — a move that could make it the first country in the world to overturn a ban on the age-long practice. Christian leaders have been among the most outspoken against it.

Journalist Marshall Allen, Who Fused Reporting With His Faith, Dies at 52

Allen, who spent 10 years of his career reporting for ProPublica, was a fierce advocate for transparency and fairness in health care, guided by his strong faith and belief in honesty and integrity. He died died this past Sunday at a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was 52.

City Closes Church-Operated Temporary Shelter in Colorado

Castle Rock, Colorado, has closed the on-site temporary shelter hosted by The Rock, according to a complaint filed on behalf of the church by First Liberty, a legal defense fund that defends religious freedom.

Will Catholics Determine Whether Biden Or Trump Wins In ‘24?

A recent series of crosscurrents and eruptions remind us that Catholic voters may well decide this odd contest between unwelcome nominees. As with Americans in general, Pew Research Center polling shows they give fellow Catholic Biden an unfavorable rating of 64 percent and 57 percent unfavorable toward Trump.

Artists Create Images Of Christ Focused On Reflecting Different Communities

(ANALYSIS) In my work as a religious history scholar, I’ve learned that throughout history artists created images of Christ that would speak to different communities. In 1915, Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland created an image of Christ with golden hair and fair skin despite a popular illustration showing Christ as Middle Eastern with dark hair.

If You Hope To Speak For God, You’ll Hear A Myriad Contrary Voices

(OPINION) Speaking for God can be a messy business. Very messy. No matter how sincere you are, you might turn out eventually to have been wrong. No matter how many Scriptures you cite to prove your point, those who disagree will trot out contrary passages to demonstrate why you’re tragically misguided — if not heretical.

Methodist Group’s Website No Longer Shows Sunday Morning Beach Restrictions

In an effort to avoid heavy fines this summer, the Christian group that has called the New Jersey seaside town of Ocean Grove home for over 150 years has amended its website and will keep beaches open on Sunday mornings.

Trial Kicks Off for Christian Billionaire Bill Hwang’s Fraud Scheme

Earlier this month, billionaire trader and philanthropist Bill Hwang appeared in court to answer for his role in a high-stakes Wall Street meltdown that saw several large banks lose billions in days. Jury selection began last week, followed by opening statements and the first witness testimony on Monday. The trial is expected to last eight weeks.

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