Like many who grew up Southern Baptist, Betsy Sowers fervently believes evangelism is the answer to the most pressing issues of the day. “I am very Baptist about that,” the Massachusetts resident said. But Sowers doesn’t define evangelism only as talking to…
Churches urged to talk to Millennials and nones, not just read about them
The news just never seems to get better for American churches. A poll released this month confirms statistically what clergy and congregations are hearing anecdotally and through the media practically all the time: the percentage of U.S. adults who are…
Latino funerals often foster Baptist and Catholic cooperation
Sermons in the United States are said to be getting shorter and shorter. Maybe. But that’s not the case for pastors officiating funerals for Latino Christians. “Oh yes, the preaching can last an hour,” said Ruben Ortiz, pastor of Primera Iglesia…
ESV gets final revision as ‘unchanged’ word of God, publisher says
The third most popular translation of the Bible has just become, officially, the unchanging word of God. The latest edition of the English Standard Version, or ESV, included a 52-word revision followed by a board vote declaring the text will…
Artist’s faith and art forged in turbulent times
Had things gone according to his father’s wishes, He Qi would be one of China’s leading mathematicians today. But history — and more specifically Mao Tse-tung and his Cultural Revolution — had other ideas. “I was a teenage boy and…
Be substantive, not hip, to attract Millennials, research finds
Congregations considering seeking hip, young pastors to help attract Millennials may want to think twice about that move. A study of 250 American congregations has found that youth and young adults want substance from their ministers and churches more than…
Teens may not be lazy after all, new study shows
Those lazy kids. It’s a centuries old refrain that’s become popular in recent years as faith leaders look for the causes of church decline. But new research suggests teenagers may not be as much to blame as many think. It…
Missionary, daughter launch clothing line produced by refugees
There are the kinds of missionaries who translate the Bible into exotic languages, who hold revivals on faraway continents and who provide medical care and food for earthquake victims. And then there are the kind who launch and run businesses…
Report offers good (and bad) news about the state of American faith
A new survey of Christian beliefs and practices opens with what many in the church world would consider very good news: nearly three-quarters of Americans claim to be Christian. Meanwhile, a fifth claim no religious belief or affiliation at all,…