With 26,000 federal jobs axed and widespread layoffs in the name of government efficiency, pastors in the Washington, D.C., area and Christians working in civil service have seen morale plummet. Those who felt called to live out their faith and serve their country in federal jobs worry that the moves threaten their mission and livelihood.
Read MoreLent may be on the calendar, but it’s not something most Americans are observing. A traditional 40-day window of fasting before Easter, Lent is celebrated by around a quarter of U.S. adults, according to a Lifeway Research study. Three in four Americans (74%) say they do not typically observe Lent, while 26% participate.
Read MoreSome of the nation’s top religion writers offer insights on what they found surprising — and not surprising — in the Pew Research Center’s massive Religious Landscape Study.
Read MoreBeverly Heights Presbyterian Church began its effort to disaffiliate from the EPC in 2023 with a congregational meeting. It held its final vote on Jan. 26, with 88% of members voting in favor of disaffiliation. However, the church had to wait until the February presbytery meeting to see if the EPC would acknowledge its removal.
Read Moreis the Wheaton war about Donald Trump? Yes — and no. Accurate reporting requires information noting that campus conflicts of this kind have been raging — yes, often behind the scenes and out of the headlines — for decades. The conflicts are doctrinal, cultural and sometimes political. But doctrine is the most crucial reality in these voluntary, private, academic communities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Conservatives, Christian conservatives in particular, have always had a troubled and inconsistent relationship with the idea of government funding flowing to nonprofits. Now, Donald Trump has reengaged the fight to reduce the size of government with DOGE, though he is going about it in strange ways.
Read More(ANALYSIS) With the transgender policies among President Trump’s blizzard of new executive orders, further explanation is needed on the cultural reality of deep-seated religious concepts. In particular, the resolutely “binary” Bible depicts humans as either male or female and underlies 2,000 years of Jewish and Christian teaching. Similarly with the Quran and Muslims. How should that heritage affect secular society and policy?
Read MoreEvangelicals want both secure borders and laws that provide avenues for certain illegal immigrants to obtain legal status, according to a Lifeway Research study. They want to deport dangerous illegal immigrants but aren’t as concerned about those who arrived as children and have lived peacefully in the U.S. Additionally, evangelicals recognize personal and national responsibilities to care for refugees and others fleeing their nation of origin.
Read MoreJudging by the television audience, Americans certainly care about the Super Bowl. Few, however, think God shares their concern. Last year’s Super Bowl drew more than 123.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest TV viewership in history. Yet, most U.S. adults don’t believe God cares who wins the big game or determines the the winner, according to a new study.
Read MoreIn a day punctuated by prayer and references to God, Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday as the 47th president of the United States. “I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said in his inaugural speech, alluding to the failed assassination attempt against him last July during a Pennsylvania rally.
Read MoreChristians in Iran were sentenced to a combined total of over 250 years in prison last year — a sixfold increase compared to 2023, according to a new report. In all, 96 Christians were sentenced to a combined 263 years behind bars in 2024. That’s compared to 22 Christians sentenced to 43½ years in 2023.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Truth is, the former president was part of two endangered groups — populist Southern Democrats and progressive Southern Baptists. In 1976, he fared well with evangelical voters, for a Democrat, but exit polls basically showed a toss-up. In 1980, many evangelicals rejected him and helped create Ronald Reagan's landslide win.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Today, I am especially interested in what is happening with the Republican party in a post-Trump America. I have some data that offer a little bit of a window into who evangelicals might vote for when Trump’s name is not on the primary ballot.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Whatever their partisan preferences, Americans can agree that the coming four years under President Donald Trump will bring major disruptions and contentions in politics. How might that affect religion?
Read MoreCalling the rebuild a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for the church to expand its efforts to reach others, Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress noted that insurance will only cover the cost of what was damaged. Members are asked to reach a $27 million goal toward a project that could exceed $100 million. Debris removal remains ongoing and the church needs to be ready for the rebuild.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’ve been a party to a lot of conversations about being mainline over the last 20 years. And sometimes I get the distinct impression that evangelicals really, really don’t like mainline Protestants. But do prefer nonbelievers to mainline Christians?
Read MoreAs I watched Tuesday’s returns roll in, I kept noticing that much of the “news” in the 2024 election was actually old news for people who have been following the “Crossroads” podcast for the past decade.
Read MoreFirst Baptist Dallas revealed plans on Sunday to rebuild its 134-year-old historic sanctuary, which was largely destroyed by fire this summer. The church also launched a $95 million giving campaign to help pay for it.
Read MoreDonald Trump's fans and critics alike have compared him to some of history's most famous rulers: Cyrus the Great, Adolf Hitler, King David and more. But a celebrity pastor named Jonathan Cahn wants his evangelical followers to think of the Republican candidate as a present-day manifestation of a far more obscure leader: the biblical king Jehu.
Read MoreNearly all U.S. adults say it is important to have a president who lives a moral and ethical life, and almost half say it’s important for the president to have strong religious beliefs. Here’s a guide to this year’s presidential candidates, their religious affiliations and notable statements they’ve made about faith.
Read More
