Friday’s Catch: “US churches healthier than expected despite ‘massive discipleship gap’ – new study” And More
US churches healthier than expected despite ‘massive discipleship gap’ – new study
American churches are receiving high marks from those who regularly enter their pews, despite new research showing that more than half of self-identifying Christians attend services less than once a month.
The latest findings from the American Bible Society’s ‘State of the Bible USA 2026,’ which focuses on church health, suggest a mixed picture of the Church in the United States, with relatively strong levels of satisfaction among churchgoers contrasting with continued disengagement among large numbers of Christians.
Highland Park UMC pastor compares standoff with regional conference to Cain and Abel
A regional body of the United Methodist Church and Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC) in Dallas continued their public disagreement this week over changes to the megachurch’s governing documents, with both sides issuing statements defending their positions in the ongoing civil lawsuit.
On Aug. 10, the Horizon Texas Conference filed suit in Dallas County District Court seeking court clarification on questions involving the church’s governing documents and a longstanding property deed. The conference said the action followed months of unsuccessful efforts to resolve the matter directly with HPUMC leadership.
Rural Churches Today: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lasting Impact
While rural church pastors share many ministry delights and challenges with pastors in other contexts, certain aspects of rural church life make it unique.
Imminent danger to humanity as scientists warn of mass extinction event on Earth
A report backed by 17 experts has warned that Earth is heading toward a future marked by mass extinction, declining health, and climate-driven upheaval that threaten life as we know it.
The report argues that the planet is in far worse shape than most people realise, and that immediate action is needed.
Insiders unmask Trump’s private pet projects list that has left national parks to rot
While President Donald Trump gilds horse statues and swaps out brick paver steps at the White House, dumpsters overflow and wildfires threaten remote parks across America, insiders told The Atlantic that the rot is only beginning.
The National Park Service now runs a three-tier funding scheme, according to documents and five current and former officials cited by The Atlantic’s Michael Scherer. There’s the untouchable “White House priorities” list, a “high priority” list, and a “low priority” pile where 1,573 projects languish. Many of those projects would have sailed through under past administrations, officials told the outlet.
White nationalist takeover plot for rural America exposed after secret Rome meeting
White nationalist leaders gathered in Rome, Italy, this year to map out how they could exploit America’s collapsing local news industry, openly celebrating the death of community journalism as a golden opportunity to organize unchecked in rural areas.
Phil Williams, a legendary local reporter from Nashville, reported the development for the Confront the Hate Substack.
Two outside white supremacist groups, the Klu Klux Klan and the Workers Party, a 21st century iteration of the American Nazi Party, have attempted to recruit new members in my community, a modest-sized university town located in a largely rural area of Kentucky. Their efforts were opposed by a local alliance of churches and church leaders. I recall a young man boasting to a fellow university student that he was a Nazi. The young woman did not appear to be impressed.
University of Houston cuts 40% of core curriculum, including climate change and LGBT studies courses
The move comes as Texas colleges and universities face pressure to eliminate what conservative lawmakers see as “indoctrination” in the classroom. Some students and faculty have disputed that characterization and believe the targeted courses should be included to promote academic inquiry.
While states like Texas are suppressing academic freedom at the university level and promoting a particular brand of purported evangelical Christianity in elementary, middle and high school classrooms, white supremacist groups are indoctrinating young men in their ideology on the internet. And according to one report the Department of Homeland Security has been spying on churches. What next?!
11 faith groups accuse Trump administration of violating court order while spying on churches
Religious groups now argue that the government has committed ‘multiple egregious violations’ of a preliminary injunction handed down in their case back in February.
Federal appeals court upholds ban on ICE raids at churches
A federal appeals court panel has reaffirmed a block on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy that allows agents to conduct raids at houses of worship, schools and other community locations.
In a decision released Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower court decision in favor of a coalition of multiple Quaker meeting groups, a Sikh Temple and a Cooperative Baptist congregation.
What Happens When Easy Christianity Fails?
Research shows doubt is a reality for many believers. How can believers keep the faith when the ground is shaken and easy Christianity fails?
Keith Getty says Christians must ‘sing the Bible’ in the age of AI ahead of Sing! Conference
Ten years after Keith and Kristyn Getty launched what was intended to be a one-time event celebrating a book about congregational singing, the Sing! Conference has grown into an international gathering of pastors, theologians, musicians and believers focused on strengthening the singing life of the Church.
This year, the conference will return to Nashville on Sept. 7–9 with the theme “Symphony of Scripture,” marking the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s English New Testament and examining the influence of the Bible on worship, theology, language, culture and the arts.
5 Questions to Help Someone Find the Right Bible
Before recommending a particular Bible, ask these five questions to choose the right one based on who it’s for and how it will be used.
OpenAI halts AI training on advanced model as it detects dark signs emerging
OpenAI says that it’s slowing down development and release of new models due to security and alignment concerns.
The ChatGPT maker announced the decision in a Tuesday blog post, citing two events as drivers of the indefinite training halt. One was the recent incident in which an OpenAI agent escaped its training sandbox without OpenAI’s knowledge and coordinated with other agents to launch a bizarre cyberattack against the AI training repository Hugging Face in an effort to cheat on its training tests. The blog post also — more mysteriously — cited “preliminary evidence” that an unreleased new model called Astra “may meet the critical cybersecurity capability threshold” under OpenAI’s “Preparedness Framework,” which mandates that OpenAI slow down development if a model “could introduce unprecedented new pathways to severe harm.”
You Don’t Need to Know Every Answer to Share the Gospel
Not knowing every answer to theological questions is not a barrier to sharing the gospel but can actually be an asset. Admitting uncertainty during evangelism creates vulnerability that makes unbelievers more comfortable asking their own questions, opening deeper conversations. Pride drives the impulse to appear all-knowing, but scripture shows Paul himself evangelized in weakness and trembling, trusting that faith rests on God’s power rather than human wisdom. The results of evangelism belong to God, not the person sharing.