As the U.S. church continues to navigate a changing cultural and technological landscape, Pushpay’s new report makes it clear: Digital tools are no longer optional — they’re essential. Whether through AI, streaming, mobile apps, or giving platforms, technology is reshaping how ministry happens, making it more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of congregations.
Read MoreCongregations affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention experienced growth in total worship attendance and small group or Sunday School participation. In 2024, an average of more than 4.3 million people worshiped weekly in a Southern Baptist congregation, and more than 2.5 million participated in a small group Bible study each week. Both of those were up more than 5% compared to 2023.
Read MoreMegachurch founder Bishop T.D. Jakes announced on Sunday that he will step down as pastor of his 30,000-member Dallas-based church, The Potter’s House. His daughter and son-in-law will assume the helm. For almost 50 years, Jakes, who will turn 68 in June, has served the local and global community as a pastor, global faith leader and author.
Read MoreWhy was Segev Schwartz the only casualty in his battalion of 30 Israeli soldiers when a terrorist tossed a hand grenade in a cafeteria on Oct. 7, 2023? That was his mother Sara’s question. The answer she found completed a picture of Segev she and her husband shared on the eve of Israel Memorial Day, the commemoration of the fallen in Israeli wars and acts of terrorism since 1948.
Read MoreAs Tennessee’s chief lawyer, it’s Jonathan Skrmetti’s job to defend the state against legal challenges to its statutes. And in U.S. v. Skrmetti, one of the Supreme Court’s most consequential cases this term, Skrmetti and his office are defending Tennessee Senate Bill 1, which prohibits the use of drugs or surgeries to alter a minor’s sex characteristics.
Read MoreThe Rev. Dr. Fran Tilton Shelton’s ministry as a Presbyterian (PCUSA) pastor has always been focused on pastoral care and grieving — so much so that her late husband Bob humorously called her “Funeral Fran.” Now a parish associate at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, Shelton is also a spiritual director and the co-founder of Faith & Grief Ministries.
Read MoreOne hundred days into President Donald Trump’s second term and white evangelicals continue to be among his strongest supporters, a new study reveals. The findings, put together by Pew Research Center, found that 72% of them approve of the way Trump is currently handling his job as president. That level of support, however, isn’t shared by Americans of other Christian denominations.
Read MoreThe cardinals present in Rome have agreed to begin the conclave on May 7. They made the decision at the Fifth General Congregation, held on Monday morning in the Vatican’s Synod Hall.
Read More(EXPLAINER) Pope Francis’ death and funeral will usher in a period of transition for the Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering at the Vatican for the papal conclave, the secretive voting that will result in the election of a new pope. A conclave is the special gathering of cardinals for the purpose of electing a pope. The next conclave is not expected to begin before May 5.
Read MoreCongressional representatives are seeking to protect the freedom of tax-exempt charitable groups by filing the Safeguarding Charity Act. The bill would reaffirm that a tax-exempt status is not financial assistance, making a group subject to federal regulations.
Read MoreA small Christian university in Gaffney, South Carolina, is facing possible closure if it doesn’t obtain immediate financial support of $6 million. Limestone University, founded as a nondenominational Christian women’s college in 1845, is facing imminent decisions about its continuation.
Read MoreThe Basilica of St. Mary Major is one of the four major papal basilicas located in Rome and the largest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the city. Its artistic splendor, architectural grandeur and storied past make it one of the most significant houses of worship in all of Christianity. It will now also serve as Pope Francis’ final resting spot.
Read MoreMore than 240 Christians were massacred in attacks on villages in Plateau and Benue states during Lent and Easter, some as they worshiped, news agencies and religious liberty advocates reported.
Read MoreMessianic apologist Michael Brown engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct” with one young woman and an “inappropriate relationship” with a second married woman in the early 2000s, a third-party investigative report by Firefly has found.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Canadians are roused by the U.S. president's musings on Canada as America's 51st state and driven apoplectic by his imposition of tariffs on the country. Canada is also a very secular country, but Trump's asseverations have re-awakened these currents and revived memories of 19th century American moves to annex Canada. This renewed animosity is unlikely to end soon.
Read MoreOver the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through St. Peter’s Basilica to bid farewell to Pope Francis. His funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday.
Read MoreWhen Jessica Yeroshalmi started her political science degree at Baruch College in New York six years ago, she was surprised to learn that some students in her classes had no idea there were Jews with roots in the Middle East. Yeroshalmi’s parents fled from Iran to New York after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It was only once Yeroshalmi went to college that she realized that her peers had an Ashkenazi-centric image of what it means to be Jewish.
Read MorePope Francis’ funeral will be held this Saturday in a ceremony to be held in St. Peter’s Square. The funeral Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals. The decision was announced after cardinals met at the Vatican to plan the events of the coming days.
Read MoreMost Americans may not regularly attend church themselves, but they have a higher threshold for calling someone a regular churchgoer than pastors.
Read MoreIn the still 5 a.m. darkness, street lights flicker as cars circle to find parking. Friends and families embrace at the base of Mount Rubidoux as the crowd quietly begins the 2.7 mile climb. Parents push strollers, while others help the elderly. Hundreds have gathered atop this mountain for the past 116 years to enjoy the sunrise and celebrate Easter Sunday.
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