Bob Smietana
Faith-based volunteers show up to help after Mississippi tornadoes
When volunteers show up after a disaster like this past weekend’s deadly tornadoes in Mississippi, some bring chainsaws, tarps...
Why students at a Kentucky school are praying and singing around the clock
Last Wednesday, students at Asbury University gathered for their biweekly chapel service in the 1,500-seat Hughes Auditorium.<...
YouVersion Bible app hires former Facebook exec to fuel growth
This past Sunday, more than 12 million people turned on their smartphones to open up the Good Book....
Federal court dismisses LGBTQ students' class action discrimination suit
There is no legal remedy for LGBTQ students who claim they were discriminated against at their religious universities, an Oreg...
Church attendance declines as pandemic enters year three
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every congregation in the United States shut down, at least for a while.
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Shopping for a new church? Your politics may determine which pew fits
When Andre Audette first arrived at Notre Dame for grad school, he got a brochure about living in South Bend, Indiana.
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Ron Sider, evangelical activist, dies at 82
Ron Sider, an author, seminary professor and evangelical social justice activist, has died, according to an online update from...
Southern Baptists change direction on sexual abuse after years of delay
In summer 2008, Morris Chapman stood before a gathering of thousands of Southern Baptists in Indianapolis for their annual meeting and denounced the evil of sexual abuse.
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Fall of Roe met with rejoicing, dismay from faith groups
After nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, is no more.
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How the Southern Baptist report almost didn’t happen
For three minutes last summer, a call to investigate how Southern Baptist leaders have dealt with sexual abuse was dead in the water.
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Senior leaders at Christianity Today accused of sexual harassment
A report from Christianity Today magazine, published on March 15, claims the ministry failed to hold former editor in chief Mark Galli and former advertising director Olatokunbo Olawoye ac...
AME Church suspends pension payments after finding irregularities
One of the nation’s largest Black Protestant denominations has stopped making payments to retired ministers on its pension plan, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
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SBC president Ed Litton won't seek second term
Saying he wants to spend his time focusing on racial reconciliation, Southern Baptist Convention president Ed Litton announced via video on March 1 that he would not seek a second term in office....
“Pray for Ukraine”: Religious leaders call for peace, God’s protection
At the top of the website for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA is a simple, three-word message: “Pray for Ukraine!”
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Marvin Olasky resigns from World magazine
Marvin Olasky, the longtime editor in chief of World, a magazine that has long aimed to pair a conservative Christian viewpoint with careful, detailed reporting, resigned on November 1, effective...
For some churches, paying back PPP loans is better than forgiveness
When Michigan’s governor required churches to stop meeting in person on March 16 last year, Kenton Sanders, director of operations at Mars Hill Bible Church, quickly did some worrying math.
...Menlo Church investigation finds no direct evidence of sexual abuse
A third-party investigation at one of Northern California’s most prominent megachurches ended in October with a report that found no evidence the pastor’s adult child had acted on his confessed att...
Cho Yong-gi, Korean founder of world's largest megachurch, dies at 85
The founder of one of the world’s largest megachurches has died, according to news reports from Korea....
Twenty years later, ‘In Christ Alone’ still inspires millions to sing
The melody that changed Keith Getty’s life was first scratched out on the back of an electric bill in a humble flat in Northern Ireland.
This isn’t great, he thought at the time.
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Influential Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong dies at 90
John Shelby Spong, an Episcopal bishop and a best-selling author known for his progressive theology and his support of LGBTQ clergy, has died. He was 90.
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