BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Many churchgoers say their church connects financial blessings with personal generosity, but most pastors see those ideas as bankrupt. A Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors finds few hold or teach beliefs connected to the prosperity gospel, the theological movement that teaches God wants to make followers materially wealthy and will do so if individuals hold certain beliefs or perform specific actions. A previous Lifeway Research study, however, found … [Read more...]
Son of Missouri Baptist church member returning to lead role in film, ‘I Can Only Imagine 2’
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (PRNewswire) – Fresh off the holiday hit The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company are in preparation for production on I Can Only Imagine 2, a sequel to the breakout hit I Can Only Imagine. The 2018 film I Can Only Imagine took in over $83 million in domestic box office. The sequel will be directed by Brent McCorkle and Andrew Erwin from a screenplay written by McCorkle. I Can Only Imagine 2 will continue the inspirational true story of … [Read more...]
‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin’ … an imperfect, but exciting film
KANSAS CITY – The Second World War is an endlessly fascinating mine for cinematic story-telling. Bullets, bombs, and clearcut villains and real-life, world-shaping stakes tend to do that. So it’s always a delight when an under-told twist on the stories makes it to the screen. Such is the case with Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. You may know the name behind this based-on-a-true-story film. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor who resisted the Nazi-fication of the church in 1940s … [Read more...]
Bible sales growth reflects multi-year trend, desire to explore Truth
NASHVILLE (BP) — A rise in Bible sales coincides with reports by Lifeway Christian Resources and reflects a growing desire to learn more about God’s Word, say Bible study leaders and those in the industry. “It’s an interesting time,” said Andy McLean, publisher of Bibles and Reference for Lifeway. “We’ve seen a general increase in the last two or three years with the Bible market. There are a lot of unique types of Bibles out there helping people in different ways understand the meaning … [Read more...]
A plea for prioritizing the singing of familiar Christmas carols
by Justin Wainscott Over the last several years during the Advent and Christmas seasons, I have noticed that churches seem to be singing traditional Christmas carols less and less. I’m not sure what all the reasons may be, and I’m certainly not attempting to impugn the motives of those who choose the songs. But I do believe it’s unfortunate for us if we hear familiar carols more in the shopping mall than we do in the local church. Therefore, I want to issue a plea for us to prioritize … [Read more...]
Less Than Half of Americans Attend Church at Christmas
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (Lifeway) – As Americans make their Christmas plans, slightly less than half say they usually attend a church service during the holiday season. A Lifeway Research study finds U.S. adults are split on whether they’ll be at church sometime this Christmas—47% say they typically attend church at Christmastime, while 48% say they do not, and 5% aren’t sure. “The very name ‘Christmas’ originates in the church’s celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. In the mid-14th century, the … [Read more...]
‘The Israel Dilemma’ film ties Scripture, archeological evidence to current strife
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (BP) – Defending itself against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted the nation of God’s chosen people is at war on seven fronts, not only against Iran, but also Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, terrorists in the West Bank and Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria. Are there biblical prophecies – along with corroborating archeological evidence – foretelling the nation’s predicament? That is the answer investigative Christian filmmaker Tim Mahoney sets … [Read more...]
‘Nones’ flatlines third year running, reachable by church, State of the Bible says
PHILADELPHIA (BP) – The percentage of U.S. adults not affiliated with a religion has flatlined at 26 percent since 2022 after decades of growth, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest release from the 2024 State of the Bible. But the diverse group of 70 million Americans designated as ‘Nones,’ 10 percent of whom say they’ve made a personal commitment to Jesus, are reachable by the Church, said John Plake, ABS chief innovation officer and State of the Bible editor in … [Read more...]
Pastors paint troubling picture of economic impact on churches
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (Lifeway Research) – Heading into an election where the economy is top of mind for many voters, pastors say finances have been difficult at their church this year. A Lifeway Research study found 66% of U.S. Protestant pastors say the economy is very or somewhat negatively impacting their church. The 2 in 3 pastors who report a negative economic impact is the highest since 2011, and the 14% who say the impact has been very negative is the highest ever recorded in the … [Read more...]
Evangelicals twice as likely to back Trump over Harris
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (Lifeway Research) – Entering into the final months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, former President Trump holds a sizable lead over Vice President Kamala Harris among evangelicals. Likely voters with evangelical beliefs are twice as likely to plan to cast their ballot for Trump than Harris (61% v. 31%), according to a study from Lifeway Research. Few say they are still undecided (5%) or supporting another candidate (3%). While Trump is winning among … [Read more...]
Book chronicles Adrian Rogers’ zeal amid NASA’s race to the moon
MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – A dozen or so miles from NASA’s launch pads at Cape Canaveral, a new pastor – Adrian Rogers – asserted in a sermon, “God has given us a golden opportunity” that “very few people get to see.” Arriving in Merritt Island, Fla., in 1964 amid America’s race to the moon, Rogers told First Baptist Church, founded 15 years earlier, “This church cannot be a normal church. “It should be large and strong. It should be attractive and exciting. It should be abreast of the … [Read more...]
Gen Z most fearful, anxious, but Scripture halves anxiety, study shows
PHILADELPHIA (BP) – Generation Z, the first to grow up with smartphones and tablets, is the most fearful and anxious of any age, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in its latest release from the 2024 State of the Bible. But regular Bible engagement, a practice that attracts only 11 percent of Gen Z, reduces anxiety by half and can improve other markers of emotional health, study authors said in releasing chapter six of the study Sept. 12. “Our youngest adults (ages 18-27) have more … [Read more...]
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