Understanding the Times through a Biblical Christian Worldview
Each week we gather the headlines shaping the Church and the culture and link you straight to the original reporting — so you can stay informed and weigh the news with discernment. From religious liberty and persecution to cultural shifts and the signs of the times, these stories are curated to help you watch the world through a Biblical Christian lens.
The Nones Are Everywhere Now: What Fifty Years of Data Tells Us About Religion and Place
Analysis of 50 years of General Social Survey data shows religious non-affiliation has risen in all U.S. geographic areas. Nones now comprise 28-33% across large metros, smaller metros, and small towns. Rural evangelicals have shifted dramatically toward Republicans, while Black Protestant representation in cities has collapsed from dominant to 5%.
2026 American Worldview Inventory – Report #4: Most Adults' Beliefs about Humanity and the Supernatural Stray from Biblical Teaching
Research from Dr. George Barna shows most U.S. adults reject biblical perspectives on humanity and the supernatural. Only 57% believe humans are God's creation in need of redemption, 30% accept Christ as salvation from sin, and 27% view human life as sacred. Majority supports abortion as morally acceptable.
Faith Takes Center Stage at The Great American State Fair on the National Mall
The Museum of the Bible hosted a "Faith, Values and Inspiration Day" event on the National Mall as part of the Great American State Fair celebrating America's 250th birthday. Christian musicians performed, and speakers discussed the Bible's influence on American founding and religious liberty.
SBC Moves Closer to Formal Ban on Female Pastors as Beth Moore Asks, 'What About the Abuse?'
Southern Baptist Convention delegates voted 75 percent to advance a formal ban on female pastors. Beth Moore, who left the SBC in 2021, questioned whether the denomination has adequately addressed pastoral abuse of women. An SBC official stated the denomination prioritizes abuse prevention through new initiatives.
Most Americans Still Believe Religion Is Good for Society
A Gallup survey found 65% of Americans believe a more religious nation would benefit society, down from 75% in 2013. Support declined among Democrats, young adults, and women, while increasing among Republicans and Catholics. Americans remain divided on government promoting moral values.
UMC Cuts Ties With Asbury Seminary Over Same-Sex Marriage Stance
The United Methodist Church removed Asbury Theological Seminary from its approved seminaries list after 80 years due to disagreements over same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy ordination. The decision follows the UMC's 2024 votes removing restrictions on both. Asbury maintains its biblical convictions on marriage and sexuality remain unchanged.
7 Steps to Share the Gospel with a Stranger
An article by Taylor Jensen discusses approaches to sharing the gospel with strangers. It notes that while Christians often pray for perfect moments to evangelize, God typically expects believers to create opportunities for sharing their faith themselves.
There's a revolution taking place in local journalism – but churches could be missing out
Independent local news outlets are expanding across the UK and US to fill gaps left by declining traditional newspapers. These new media organizations seek partnerships with churches and community groups to strengthen local journalism and democratic accountability.
America's Largest Churches: Over a Decade of Data
An analysis of Outreach Magazine's data on the 100 largest U.S. churches from 2015-2025 reveals that the top ten churches combined their attendance from 260,000 to 427,000. While large churches remain consistently large, the biggest churches have grown significantly larger over the decade.
Gen Z Is Leading the Way in Church Attendance and Evangelism, Lifeway Survey Finds
A Lifeway Research survey found Gen Z Protestant churchgoers (ages 18-28) attend worship services 6.2 times monthly and small groups 5.0 times monthly, exceeding older generations. They also share faith more frequently, though they rank last in theological beliefs and biblical understanding.
PCA Votes Against Female Deacons, Releases Christian Nationalism Report
The Presbyterian Church in America's General Assembly voted against Overture 37, which would have allowed women to serve as ordained deacons. The assembly also made available a partial report on Christian nationalism that affirms separate church-state duties and rejects forms incorporating racial superiority or national-kingdom conflation.
Less Than 50% of Born-Again Christians Say Human Life is Sacred
An Arizona Christian University survey found only 44% of born-again Christians believe human life is sacred, while 52% of Americans consider abortion morally acceptable. The study also revealed 90% of American adults hold syncretism as their dominant worldview instead of Biblical theism.
Most Americans Want a More Religious Society, Gallup Finds
A new Gallup survey found 65 percent of Americans believe society would benefit if more people were religious, with only 22 percent disagreeing. Support spans the political spectrum, and 39 percent now say religion's influence is rising—among the highest readings Gallup has recorded in two decades.
Half of U.S. Pastors Will Hold America's 250th Anniversary Celebrations
A Lifeway Research study found half of U.S. Protestant pastors plan special church events for America's 250th anniversary, while 45 percent favor patriotic elements in July Fourth services—down from 56 percent in 2021. Older and evangelical pastors were likeliest to support commemoration.
Children from Faith-Based Households More Likely to Attend Church as Adults
A study by the Institute for Family Studies and Communio found children whose parents attended church weekly were more than twice as likely to attend as adults. Daily prayer, mealtime grace, and faith conversations strongly predicted lasting belief, researchers said.
United States Space Force Chief of Chaplains Formally Endorses 'Creator of the Universe' as the Recognized Service Hymn
The U.S. Space Force chief of chaplains has formally endorsed "Creator of the Universe" as the branch's first recognized service hymn. The announcement, provided by Commander Manuel "Don" Biadog, marks a notable acknowledgment of faith within the military's newest branch.
60,000 Christians Rally for Jesus in One of the World's Most Secular Countries
Roughly 60,000 Christians gathered at the four-day Opwekking Pentecost Conference in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands—one of the world's most secular nations, where 60 percent claim no religion. With Gen Z increasingly drawn to faith, organizers and observers described the surge as a sign of European revival.
US Church Attendance Ticks Up, Stabilizing After COVID
A Hartford Institute for Religion Research study of more than 7,000 congregations finds in-person worship attendance rising for the first time in over two decades. Median weekly attendance, which fell from 137 in 2000 to 45 in 2021, reached 70 in 2025. Volunteering and finances also improved.
'Truth and Unity Amendment' Clears First SBC Vote
Messengers at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando gave initial two-thirds approval to Albert Mohler's "Truth and Unity Amendment," limiting the office and function of pastor to men. The measure passed 6,028 to 2,026 (76.66%) and faces a required second vote in Indianapolis in 2027.
60,000 Rally for Jesus in One of the World's Most Secular Nations
Roughly 60,000 Christians gathered for the four-day Opwekking ("Awakening") Pentecost conference in the Netherlands, one of the world's most secular nations. CBN reports the event drew worshippers for prayer, teaching, and celebration of the Holy Spirit, signaling continued spiritual hunger amid widespread European secularism.
The Death of Christian Colleges: Why Campuses Are Closing
Writing for CP Voices, the author mourns the closure of Trinity Christian College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, part of decades of Christian colleges and seminaries closing, merging, or drifting from biblical convictions. He argues the answer lies in discipleship and biblical-worldview training to pass truth to the next generation.
SBC Resolutions Address Assisted Suicide, Immigration, More
Messengers at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention adopted eight resolutions in Orlando addressing disability ministry, assisted suicide, immigration, political violence, antisemitism, and America's 250th anniversary. The assisted-suicide resolution reaffirmed opposition to euthanasia "in all its forms," warning against rebranding it as medical care and citing Canada's expanding eligibility.
Thousands of Mosques Close: Why Christianity Is Soaring in Iran While Islam Is Collapsing
Tens of thousands of mosques have reportedly closed across Iran as Islam declines and Christianity surges underground. Ministry leader Mohammad Faridi states "Islam is dead in Iran," pointing to deep disillusionment with the ruling regime and rising conversions to Christ despite severe persecution of believers.
Mohler Narrows Amendment to Preaching, Resolution Addresses Women's Roles
Ahead of the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Southern Seminary president Albert Mohler narrowed his proposed constitutional amendment on women in pastoral roles, replacing "such as" with "specifically preaching." The amendment would bar churches affirming women as pastors, elders, or overseers; critics object.
Proposed SBC Resolution Addresses Office and Function of Pastor, Elder, and Overseer
The SBC Resolutions Committee released a proposed resolution affirming that the office of pastor, elder, and overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. Unlike Mohler's constitutional amendment, the nonbinding resolution expresses messengers' convictions and requires only a simple-majority vote in Orlando.
The Religious Reversal That Doesn't Make Sense
Data analyst Ryan Burge reports the share of Americans identifying as atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular" continues to fall—from 36% in 2021–2022 to 32% in the latest Cooperative Election Study, a 4.4-point drop returning the religiously unaffiliated "nones" to their 2018 levels.
What About the Unitarians?
Drawing on UUA data, Ryan Burge documents Unitarian Universalism's decline: roughly 26% fewer members over a decade, shrinking and aging congregations, and little racial diversity. Numerically the group is a "rounding error" — for every Unitarian there are sixty Southern Baptists and three hundred Catholics.
Florida Church Baptizes Over 2,500 People
Milton Quintanilla reports The Church of Eleven22 baptized 2,552 believers in the Atlantic at its annual Beach Baptism — up from nearly 2,000 in 2025 and 1,600 in 2024. Pastor Joby Martin said the Spirit is on the move and the gospel still changes lives today.
Measuring Evangelism Health: Where Do You and Your Church Stand?
A sponsored piece (VisitorReach) urging churches to track evangelistic health as stewardship. Citing that 28% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated and Lifeway data showing believers rarely share their faith, it frames the unchurched as a mission field to love.
Festival of Hope (Belarus)
Franklin Graham preached to record crowds of nearly 31,000 over two nights at Minsk's Chizhovka Arena — Belarus's largest-ever evangelical gathering. With a 1,300-member choir and nearly 700 participating churches, hundreds professed faith in Christ. Believers called the government-permitted event "a miracle."
Fewer Protestants Are Public With Their Faith, Study Reveals
A Lifeway Research "State of Discipleship: Living Unashamed" study found a growing share of Protestant churchgoers say many acquaintances don't know they're Christian, scoring low on that signpost. Still, 65% said they wouldn't hesitate to tell non-Christians where they stand.
Are 'Real' Catholics as Conservative as Evangelicals?
Ryan Burge's data finds that even devout, politically conservative Catholics don't internalize Church teaching on the body, sexuality, and family the way evangelicals do. Evangelical identity, he argues, carries a theological and cultural foundation that Catholic identity — official doctrine notwithstanding — doesn't replicate in the pews.
Less than a third of parents say they pray with their children often, survey finds
American Bible Society research found just 29% of U.S. parents pray with their children daily or often, and only 14% read Scripture together regularly. Practicing Christians scored far higher; researchers urged churches to help families build spiritual habits.
Survey finds no surge in biblical worldview among Americans after Charlie Kirk's death
Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center, led by George Barna, found Kirk's assassination produced no measurable rise in biblical worldview. Just 4% of adults—and 1% of Gen Z—qualify, despite reported upticks in church attendance and Bible buying.
Al Mohler to propose an amendment to SBC constitution to confirm ban on female pastors
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler announced he will propose amending the SBC constitution at June's Orlando meeting to bar churches affirming women as pastors, elders, or preachers. Both presidential nominees back the measure, which requires two-thirds approval in consecutive years.
2,552 Baptized on Florida Beach: 'Jesus Christ Is Still Changing Lives'
Jacksonville's Church of Eleven22 reported a record turnout as 2,552 people were baptized in the Atlantic at Hanna Park, with more than 14,000 attending. Pastor Joby Martin called it evidence the church is alive and the gospel still transforms lives.
The Light of the Gospel Shines Bright in Belarus
Hundreds professed faith in Christ at the historic Festival of Hope in Minsk, which drew record crowds of 15,000 to a hockey arena. In a nation where evangelicals are under 2% of the population, many older Belarusians responded to the gospel.
Does Religion Make You Happier? Yes, But So Does Money
Analyst Ryan Burge uses General Social Survey data to show American happiness has dropped sharply since 2004, with "very happy" responses falling from 32% to 22%. Religion correlates with greater happiness, though income matters too, and Gen Z reports particular misery.
Shane Pruitt Sees 'Movement of God' Among Gen Z: 'God Is Up to Something'
Evangelist Shane Pruitt, Next Gen director for the SBC's North American Mission Board, tells Crosswalk he's witnessed more young people profess faith in the past five to six years than in his prior two decades of ministry, describing an unmistakable move of God.