Ministry

Skillet will release its six-song independent EP After the Storm on October 9, the Christian Post reports. Frontman John Cooper says personal hardship shaped its themes of grief, anger, perseverance and Christian hope. The interview previews the music and the artist’s intentions; the EP has not yet been released.

Two defendants face arson and conspiracy charges after a September fire at a vacant Charleston home damaged Canaan United Methodist Church, the Christian Post reports. It says one defendant’s bond increased at Monday’s preliminary hearing and the other waived a hearing Tuesday. Local WCHS reporting corroborates the fire and charges; guilt remains unproven.

Youth pastor Treyton “Trey” Lara, 24, died after collapsing during Sunday’s Portland Marathon, FOX 12 Oregon and the Christian Post report. His wife says doctors told her he suffered cardiac arrest. He recently helped open a youth camp and worked with young ministry leaders; the reports do not establish what precipitated the cardiac arrest.

Senators James Lankford and Ted Cruz introduced a bill to exempt qualifying religious-degree programs from losing federal aid under a graduate-earnings test, the Christian Post reports. Supporters cite modest ministry salaries; the Education Department says earnings accountability protects students and taxpayers. The proposal has not become law.

Marjoe Gortner died at 82, the Christian Post reports, citing documentary co-producer Sarah Kernochan and his wife’s statement to Variety. His wife said he died of congestive heart failure in Santa Fe. Gortner’s childhood preaching and later rejection of the revival circuit became the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Marjoe before his acting career.

Jim Bakker died Monday night at 86, his wife Lori announced, the Christian Post reports. He built the PTL Club television ministry before fraud convictions and imprisonment, then returned to broadcasting. The Associated Press also reported his death; a cause was not immediately known.

Crossroads Church founder Brian Tome announced that Kyle Ranson will take over as senior pastor and assume his authority and board seat, the Christian Post reports. Tome will remain in a founding-pastor role. The transition follows his return from a suspension after church leaders said they substantiated an inappropriate incident.

Police in Taiyuan detained pastor An Yankui on suspicion of organizing illegal religious activities, the Christian Post reports, citing International Christian Concern and a police record. He leads an unregistered Protestant congregation and has been detained previously. The report does not establish a conviction or disclose the outcome of the latest detention.

A cross-party Scottish Parliament motion commemorates Jane Haining, who refused to abandon Jewish and Christian schoolgirls in Budapest and died at Auschwitz in 1944, Christian Today reports through the Christian Post. The motion welcomes her memorial recognition and urges readers to confront prejudice and persecution.

The Bible Access Initiative estimates that more than 500 million Christians face restrictions on obtaining or using Scripture, the Christian Post reports. Its 106-country assessment distinguishes persecution from barriers such as poverty, literacy and internet access, and estimates over 125 million want a Bible but lack one. Expanded coverage limits simple year-to-year comparisons.

Franklin Graham urged thousands at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday to seek forgiveness through Christ, the Christian Post reports. During his God Loves You Tour sermon, he used the biblical account of Lot’s family to call for repentance and invited listeners to come forward. The report does not establish an independently verified attendance or conversion total.

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde says her tenure leading the Diocese of Washington will end on June 3, 2028, after her successor’s consecration. Her letter sets the election for January 29, 2028; The Guardian reports on the announcement. She will continue serving through the transition.

Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, plans to host abuse-prevention training on January 19, 2027, Southern Baptist Convention president Willy Rice says in The Christian Post. The event is part of the convention’s expanding Fortify initiative. The announcement describes planned safeguarding instruction, not evidence that abuse has been prevented.

Eight Shelby County-area nonprofits will share $200,536 in Progress grants, GIANT fm reports. Awards support literacy, housing, domestic-violence services, child care, recovery and other local programs. The money comes from racino revenue through the city, county and community foundation; the awards fund planned work rather than establish its results.

Christianity Today announced a new editorial leadership team as it marks its seventieth year. Erik Petrik will serve as chief content officer and editor in chief, the ministry says, bringing its media platforms under a shared content office. Interim editor Marvin Olasky is due to retire in mid-October.

Released pastor Ezra Jin urged China to free eight leaders of Beijing’s Zion Church, the Christian Post reports from an interview. He said the church expanded through online services after its building closed and expressed hope for religious revival. Those are his account and hopes; the eight leaders remain detained according to the report.

Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship sued Virginia State University over a policy placing Christian student clubs under one university-employed campus minister, The Christian Post reports. The groups allege unequal treatment and interference with their religious expression. The university did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment; the constitutional claims remain unresolved.

Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea is marking its 70th anniversary with concerts and services through December, the Christian Post reports. The network says its AM broadcasts reach North Korea and parts of China and Russia, where former listeners describe hearing sermons secretly. Founded in 1956, it now operates 15 South Korean stations and is expanding onto digital platforms.

Hand in Hand of the Swannanoa Valley marked its 20th anniversary by distributing $11,903 to six local schools, The Valley Echo reports. The volunteer group’s cumulative giving exceeds $400,000, helping cover needs such as glasses, clothing, physicals and field trips. A proposed dental-bus partnership remains under exploration.

Singer Natalie Grant said churches should guide how they use AI rather than allow generated material to shape their spiritual direction, the Christian Post reports. In a podcast interview, she described useful applications alongside risks to human creativity and predicted greater demand for live performances. Those predictions remain her assessment.

Christian singer Franni Cash discussed her solo career and new album Here I Am in a Christianity Today interview published Friday. The former We The Kingdom singer describes rebuilding trust and community after leaving a controlling church environment. She is joining Amy Grant on an eight-city tour as she develops her own musical voice.

Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice has proposed changing the Baptist Faith & Message on marriage and gender. He says the proposal responds to cultural confusion, according to the Christian Post. The reported action is a proposal rather than an adopted amendment.

A priest was killed and four people were injured in a knife attack at an abbey in Jarosław, Poland. Police say they arrested a male suspect from Ukraine. The report does not establish a motive for the attack.

A Christianity Today profile revisits evangelist Michael Cassidy’s work bringing Black and white South African Christians together during apartheid. The African Enterprise founder describes prayer and relationships as continuing priorities in later life. Colleagues recall a ministry that connected evangelism with reconciliation across racial and political divisions.

The US overturned a three-point deficit to defeat the International team 17–13 at Medinah on Sunday, Fox News reports. The Americans won nine singles matches, with rookie Jacob Bridgeman securing the winning point. It was the team’s 11th consecutive Presidents Cup victory; captain Brandt Snedeker also thanked President Trump, who attended the final day.

Christianity Today examines how Christian groups worked together against the assisted dying proposal rejected by MPs on September 11. The vote was 286 against and 270 in favor. The new report follows the earlier parliamentary decision and describes evangelical organizing around the legislation.

Great American Media is seeking nominations for small-town churches to recognize during the Christmas season. The campaign focuses on congregations serving their communities. The Christian Post reports that nominations are opening months ahead of the holiday.

Liberty University has received a Boeing grant for a public pavilion at its planned DC-8 Overlook project. The site will feature the Samaritan’s Purse aircraft donated to the university last December. The grant amount was not disclosed, according to the Christian Post.

A multisite North Carolina church baptized 458 people in a single day, according to the Christian Post. The congregation described the total as a record in its 137-year history. Church leaders celebrated the occasion as a significant moment for their community.

Pastor Nehad Hasan told Christianity Today that Syrian authorities detained him in July over religious speech and online posts before dropping the charges and releasing him in August. The Lebanese-based Kurdish pastor says threatening messages continued after his release. His account raises questions about religious freedom and the gap between official assurances and conduct on the ground.

International Christian Concern reports that Myanmar soldiers shot and killed the Rev. Dal Thawn Tuang in Chin state on September 14. The assistant pastor of Lamzang Baptist Church was returning from religious duties in a neighboring village. The Christian Post reports that a religious-freedom group is urging the U.S. government to respond.

The Christian Post is carrying coverage of the AWAKE Houston gathering with Michael Youssef and Chris Tomlin. The announced lineup also includes O. S. Hawkins and evangelist Ahmed Joktan of Mecca to Christ Ministries International. The program brings together Christian teaching and worship.

Pastor John Sanqiang Cao is seeking to return to his family in the United States while battling late-stage prostate cancer. Christianity Today reports that his wife visited him in a Changsha hospital in April after nine years without seeing him face to face. The cancer had spread to his spine, adding urgency to the family’s effort to reunite.

A Haitian pastor detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement received a last-minute reprieve from deportation, according to the Christian Post. The decision came as his removal was imminent. The case draws attention to the personal consequences of immigration enforcement for clergy and their communities.

A study of evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom reports growth led by young men, according to the Christian Post. Its findings examine the size, identity and composition of the evangelical community. The report describes a pattern that differs from the country’s broader religious decline.

International Christian Concern reports that police detained 11 Early Rain Covenant Church elders during a September 10 meeting in a teahouse. Officers interrupted their discussion and took them to a police station for questioning. Pastor Ding Shuqi separately described pressure and mistreatment facing the Chengdu congregation, drawing renewed attention to religious freedom in China.

Hispanic Pentecostal faith leaders gathered near the Capitol on Tuesday to ask the administration for mercy as Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans expires. Many of those affected have lived in the United States for decades. The administration has not signaled a change.

Jeriah Mast, a former missionary with an Ohio-based ministry, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of sexually abusing two boys in Haiti. He reached an agreement with prosecutors ahead of sentencing. The ministry has faced questions about how long the conduct went unreported.

In central India's Chhattisgarh state, the Ashray project provides housing and support for families displaced by regional conflict. Organizers describe it as a long-term community renewal effort rather than emergency relief. Demand has grown as displacement persists.

A new survey finds most Americans are satisfied with how their churches promote spiritual health and teach Scripture, with women reporting higher satisfaction than men. Confidence in churches and pastors varies significantly by age and attendance. Researchers say the gap has widened since earlier waves of the poll.

Apologist Wes Huff defended the historical reliability of the Bible at the Sing! Conference, walking through centuries of manuscript evidence and transmission. He argued the preservation record gives Christians confidence in the text they read today. The conference drew worship leaders and pastors from across the country.

More than 25 years after missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burned alive by a Hindu nationalist mob in India, the man convicted of leading the attack is seeking early release from prison. Gladys Staines, his widow, is again speaking publicly about forgiveness. The Odisha state government is being pressed to oppose the request.

Christians who lived in Gaza describe being regarded as outsiders by their neighbors even after generations in the territory. One recalls being told that his community were merely guests. Their accounts describe a small minority squeezed between the war and local suspicion.

A Florida chapter of Catholic Charities is warning supporters that scammers are impersonating the organization to solicit donations. The group says legitimate appeals come only through its published channels. Donors have been urged to verify before giving.

A South Carolina church has drawn protests and hostile contacts after being wrongly linked to the Myrtle Beach pastor featured in a new Netflix documentary series. Church leaders say they have no connection to the case. The documentary concerns the death of the pastor's wife.