October 21 On the heels of the Vatican closing the doors on female deacons, a study exploring the roles of women in global Christianity found that 45% of Christians belong to churches that allow women pastors (even if most don’t actually have one) — a surprising number, since the two largest denominations (Catholic and Orthodox) do not. In the U.S., 14% of local congregations are led by women. (Religion Unplugged, and RNS)
October 21 The National Fund for Sacred Places has awarded a total of $4 million to 22 historic churches (and two synagogues) this year across the United States. The grants include technical support and consulting services to help each worship house capitalize on the funds and engage their communities. Rachel Hildebrandt, director of the Fund, said they received nearly 500 applications, up 31% over last year. (RNS)
October 20 The Catholic Church’s global numbers continue to grow — but its priests and seminarians are shrinking, according to a worldwide survey of the Church’s demographics. Catholicism remains the largest denomination in the world at nearly 1.4 billion, served by 407,730 priests worldwide. Asia and Africa saw the highest growth, while Europe’s Catholic population is dropping off sharply. (Aleteia)
October 18 After decades of growth in the U.S., “Nones” (those with no religious affiliation) flatlined at 26% for the third year straight. Many are actively exploring their beliefs, with 10% saying they’ve made a personal commitment to Jesus and 25% who are open or curious about Jesus or the Bible (though 40% remain “hostile”). This trend presents an opportunity for sensitive engagement with these searchers. (Baptist Press)
October 18 Jesse Stone, chair of the Global Theological Review Board for Come and See, which produces the hit TV show The Chosen, shared the process for making theological decisions about parts of the show where the Bible is silent. Since The Chosen is not a documentary but a work of historical fiction, he says, it often comes down to balancing three things: biblical fidelity, historical plausibility, and character relatability. (RNS)
October 18 A new (very old) tomb has been unearthed at the 2,000-year-old city of Petra in Jordan. Archaeologists discovered signs of the tomb using ground-penetrating radar, and were surprised after excavating it to find its 12 individuals and various goods undisturbed (most of Petra’s tombs were long ago raided by graverobbers). Other researchers, however, have expressed concern at the “spectacle” of the dig. (Biblical Archaeology Society)
October 18 Long in decline in the modern church, hymnbooks are making a surprising comeback (in conjunction with print media generally). A growing number of churches are reintroducing hymnals to enhance congregational worship with traditional and tactile elements, using new (nondenominational) hymnals like the Sing! Hymnal and the Scripture Hymnal as well as tools like the Sing Your Part app. (Christianity Today)
October 17 As they grieve losses in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Biltmore Church in Asheville, N.C. reopened for in-person worship. Setting aside political differences, the church community has united around the recovery effort, becoming a hub for disaster relief through their 828Strong initiative. Faith-based groups like Samaritan’s Purse and Eight Days of Hope are providing meals, clearing debris, and restoring services. (RNS)
October 17 Just as Messianic Jews are opening their homes to displaced Israelis, Lebanese Christians are opening theirs to displaced Christians and Muslims. The conflict with Israel, sparked by Hezbollah’s support for Hamas, has displaced 1.2 million Lebanese. Despite fears of becoming targets, many Christians are offering aid — often to Muslim refugees, some of whom are encountering Christians for the first time. (Christianity Today)
October 16 Ever wonder if Catholic priests make money? Popular “priestfluencer” (you heard it here first) Fr. David Michael Moses uses social media to answer questions about Catholicism and provide spiritual guidance. Fr. David Michael says he does not earn a salary, but does receive a stipend to cover his needs. He enjoys the simplicity: “I’m storing up riches in heaven, and the exchange rate there is pretty good.” (Aleteia)
October 15 In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. resettled more Christian refugees fleeing persecution than any year since 2016, according to a report by Open Doors and World Relief. The nonpartisan report highlights the impact of U.S. policies on refugees and asylum seekers, urging policymakers in both parties to consider the moral responsibility of accepting refugees, emphasizing the influence of U.S. policy on global refugee resettlement trends. (Baptist Press)
October 15 Amid ongoing missile threats, Israel’s only Messianic Jewish moshav is providing shelter and support for conflict zone evacuees. Founded by Finnish Christians in 1971, Yad HaShmona now numbers some 350 members. Within a week of the October 7 attack, they had taken in 200 evacuees. They continue to lend aid and prayers for peace — including (citing Rom. 12:20) for Palestinian civilians. (Christianity Today)
October 14 A voice from the heavens: Nonagenarians from Providence Baptist Church in Texas recently got special birthday calls — from space. Astronaut Barry Wilmore is an elder at Pasadena who’s stuck on the International Space Station until February, so he’s making the most of it. Coms go both ways: the church had planned to shutter its livestream after COVID, but decided to keep it going for its homebound elderly — and now, starbound elders. (Christianity Today)
October 12 The decline of religion in the West has long been a subject of discussion and concern for Christians. But recent data suggest anti-religion atheists are increasingly being replaced by “spiritual but not religious” practices like neopaganism and witchcraft. Christians engaged in evangelism need to understand they’re “no longer trying to argue with ardent atheists but to compel impressionable spiritualists.” (The Gospel Coalition)
October 11 Archaeologists have discovered a 4th-century octagonal church in Artaxata, Armenia — the oldest known church in the country. Featuring cruciform extensions and marble decorations across its nearly 100-ft. diameter, the find sheds light on Armenia’s history as the first Christian state, following the conversion of King Tiridates III in 301 AD. The excavation, funded by the German Research Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, will continue to explore the church’s origins and significance. (University of Münster)
October 11 Protestant Churches in America are slowly revitalizing after the losses of the COVID era, which saw more churches close than open; the Southern Baptist Convention alone lost 1,000 churches per year between 2020 and 2022. Organizations such as ReFocus and Church Boom are helping churches recover. Churches who have gone through the program have increased attendance by 15-20%. (Baptist Press)
October 11 Barna’s “Engaging the Spiritually Open” report revealed that 42% of American adults have “deconstructed” the faith of their youth. Not all of them left, though: over one-third of practicing Christians report having reassessed their beliefs. Barna CEO David Kinnaman emphasizes the importance of addressing these experiences to help individuals remain grounded in their faith despite challenges. (RELEVANT, from Barna Group)
October 10 The remains of a “significant royal administrative center from the days of King Hezekiah” have been discovered in southern Jerusalem. The dig revealed two large 8th-century BC buildings with 180 ceramic jar handles inscribed with Hebrew ownership marks. The buildings appear to have been razed by the Assyrians during their invasion in 701 BC, as chronicled in 2 Kings 18-19. (Times of Israel)
October 10 Faith and AI are having a big week. AtoneNet, a Jewish website that accepted anonymous confessions for Yom Kippur for 11 years, has had to shut down after receiving an inundation of AI-generated submissions (Forward). And a hit new Justin Bieber song called “Holy Jesus,” which has garnered 4 million YouTube views, turned out to be entirely AI, with a synthesized voice and lyrics generated from ChatGPT (RELEVANT).
October 10 The likelihood of meeting your spouse at church dropped from 10% in 1930 to 2% in 2024. Connecting through family, friends, neighbors, school, and work all declined, too. Guess what’s replaced them: the internet, which was responsible for over 60% of new relationships this past year. Gen Z and millennials have expressed dissatisfaction with this trend, but thus far have been unable to reverse it. (RELEVANT)
October 10 Shirley Hoogstra retired this summer after 10 years as president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in the U.S., though she remains involved in the transition process for its new leader, David A. Hoag. In a recent interview, Hoogstra spoke proudly about the CCCU’s successes over the past decade, from growing enrollment and improving diversity to navigating various controversies. (RNS)
October 10 Christian organizations in the UK and British Isles are hosting a National Week of Prayer from October 12 to 20, focusing on repentance and spiritual awakening. Supported by leaders from various denominations and groups like Open Doors and the Evangelical Alliance, the initiative encourages local prayer meetings, with a key event to be held at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster on October 16. (Christian Today)
October 9 Not quite Sarah, but… Alabaman Lillie Cunningham is 110 years old, has over 100 nieces and nephews, and refuses to use a cane or walker. What she does use is the Bible, which Mrs. Cunningham reads every morning and night, in addition to attending church every Sunday — a fact she connects directly with her longevity. “I just always had faith and trust in God that he was going to carry us through,” she said. (Aleteia, from NPR)
October 7 Back on July 10, we reported on Rick Dempsey’s intention to translate The Chosen into over 100 languages. It has now topped 50, making it the most translated TV show in history. They’ve received positive feedback from viewers moved to hear Jesus speaking in their native tongue. Now, with help from Christian nonprofit Come and See, they’ve expanded their plans to translate the show into 600 languages! (RELEVANT)
October 7 Pope Francis named 21 additions to the College of Cardinals, from 44-year-old Ukrainian Bishop Mykola Bychok of Australia to 99-year-old diplomat Monsignor Angelo Acerbi. The appointments reflect the globalism of the Catholic church, including Iran, Indonesia, Japan, Algiers, and several from South America. Among other responsibilities, cardinals under the age of 80 will elect the new Pope upon Francis’ death. (Religion News Service)
October 4 While American Evangelicals strongly desire to engage with others about their beliefs, in practice they rarely do, according to a study by Lifeway Research. Only a quarter say they are equipped to do so: nearly a third read the Bible less than once a month, and go to church even more rarely. The study’s authors urge Christians to better understand Scripture so they can better engage with their surrounding culture. (Religion Unplugged)
October 4 How tall was Jesus? While the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 is generally interpreted to refer to Zacchaeus’s stature, a recent study from a Canadian professor of early Christianity suggests we might be bringing our own preconceived notions to the text, which is ambiguous about whether it was in fact Zacchaeus or Jesus who was the short one. So which was it? In short, there’s no way to know. (Biblical Archaeology Society)
October 4 The Evangelical Alliance UK (EAUK) is seeing its fastest growth in 30 years, with 5,000 new members joining in the past year across diverse demographics. The organization, now totaling some 23,000 members, was founded in 1846 with a mission to unite Christians in sharing their faith and advocating for biblical values. Despite rising secularism, the Alliance’s hopes to double its membership in the next decade. (Christian Today)
October 3 Church-backed groups such as the Lutheran nonprofit Finn Church Aid and the Catholic Salesians of Don Bosco are helping refugees resettle and develop financial independence in Uganda by providing education, skills trainings, and farming equipment. The country has received over 1.6 million refugees from South Sudan, Congo, and elsewhere — the highest number in Africa. (Religion News Service)
October 2 A new documentary film by Nicholas Ma (son of famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma) brings together 12 pastors of different denominations, politics, races, classes, and genders to answer a familiar question: “Won’t you be my neighbor?” Participants said while they had initially hoped to change each other’s minds on certain issues, a “different kind of small miracle” occurred: they became friends in spite of their differences. (Religion News Service)
October 2 In an inspiring story from hurricane-ravaged Tennessee, a father crossed 17 miles of debris on foot throughout the night — at one point scrambling through knee-deep mud while bulldozers plowed fallen trees nearby — to reach his daughter’s wedding. After walking her down the aisle he presented her with the reflector he carried to avoid being hit by cars, as a reminder “to be a reflection of God’s goodness.” (People)
October 2 The Vatican convened its final meeting of the Synod of Bishops to finalize decisions on church reforms after a year of unprecedented dialogue between clergy and laypeople. Conversations around topics like women’s ordination and same-sex relationships initially prompted excitement among reformers and anxiety from traditionalists — but today major changes seem unlikely. (Religion News Service)
October 2 A wide-ranging study across various faiths and continents found that Gen Z Protestants were more interested in being known for their talents, abilities, and education than for their faith. Many view religion as a private matter that can help them through difficult times. Echoing other research, the report also found mental health to be Gen Z’s greatest concern, and prayer one of their top coping mechanisms for stress. (Christianity Today, from Young Life)
October 1 The Vatican announced a new initiative called the Pope’s Global Alliance for Children’s Health, which aims to provide healthcare for one million children worldwide over the next three years. Led by a U.S.-based nonprofit, the alliance will establish a hub-and-spoke network through which bigger, better-resourced hospitals lend aid to smaller healthcare facilities struggling to meet demands. (Aleteia)
October 1 A report by International Christian Concern shows a correlation between government corruption and increased religious persecution. The wide-ranging survey examines countries from Nigeria (which accounts for nearly 70% of all Christian killings worldwide) to China and North Korea, as well as across the Middle East and South Asia. ICC calls for both increased sanctions against these regimes and asylum for their victims. (Christian Today)
October 1 Contemporary Christian music (CCM) was the fourth fastest-growing genre in music worldwide during the first half of 2024, largely thanks to Millennial and Gen Z listeners and streaming platforms like Spotify. Despite declining religious affiliation among young Americans, CCM popularity is buoyed by increased quality, diversity, and global religious growth. (The Gospel Coalition)
Sept. 30 Christian charity groups have mobilized rapidly in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation across the southeastern United States, but they’re finding their resources stretched thin. Organizations like Samaritan’s Purse and the Salvation Army are on the ground with food and other supplies — but many remain stranded and inaccessible, especially in North Carolina. Here’s how you can support the efforts. (Christianity Today and RELEVANT)
Sept. 30 NBA forward A.J. Griffin of the Atlanta Hawks announced his abrupt retirement from basketball to follow Jesus into ministry. The 21-year-old was drafted in 2022 and played two seasons with the Hawks, but found his priorities changing after becoming Christian during the COVID pandemic. Griffin acknowledged that some of his fans might find his decision “crazy or abnormal” but that he was ready to serve God “with my full ‘yes.'” (RELEVANT)
Sept. 29 From the latest updates on Lausanne to early petitions in Egypt; expanding religious freedom in Oregon and tightening it in China; a festival for the Cross in Ethiopia and a convention for geeks in D.C.; ancient seeds and swords; and brand new research on religious demographics, mental health, and doctrinal opinions — catch up on all of last month’s biggest, strangest, and most inspiring Bible and church news stories.
