“What Is the Essence of the Church?” U.S. History Traced From Faith Community to Nation, Korea From Bible Study to Church

“What Is the Essence of the Church?” U.S. History Traced From Faith Community to Nation, Korea From Bible Study to Church

A public forum titled “Seeking the Essence of the Church” was held on the 25th at Queens Central United Methodist ...
  • CCP Detains Pastors at Beijing Church as House Church Crackdown Expands
    Chinese authorities have detained multiple pastors and church workers from Beijing Jiaquan Church, an independent house church that has operated in the capital for more than two decades. ChinaAid founder and President Bob Fu said his organization is “urgently concerned for the safety, health and legal rights of every Jiaquan pastor and church co-worker who has been taken away.”
  • SBC President Seeks New Baptist Faith & Message Article on Gender and Human Sexuality
    Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice has proposed amending the Baptist Faith & Message in response to what he considers cultural confusion over gender and marriage. Speaking before the SBC Executive Committee on Monday, Rice said that marriage has been “redefined in ways unprecedented in human history.”

Biltmore Church Baptizes Record 458 People at Annual Outdoor Service

A North Carolina multisite church baptized 458 people in one day, marking the largest baptism event in the congregation’s 137-year history. Biltmore Church held its annual Outdoor Baptism event Sept. 13 at a private property in Fletcher, North Carolina, where a lake provided the setting for the baptisms.
  • Episcopal Diocese of Florida Chooses New Bishop After Years of Election, LGBT Disputes
    The Episcopal Diocese of Florida has elected a new bishop after operating without a permanent diocesan leader for nearly three years amid disputes over a previous election process and LGBT-related concerns. The diocese chose the Rev. J. Randolph Alexander Jr., rector of Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill in Alexandria, Virginia, to become its ninth bishop. He secured the election on the third ballot with 86 clergy votes and 78 lay votes.
  • UMC Launches Solar and Battery Pilot Program for U.S. Churches
    The United Methodist Church has introduced a pilot initiative aimed at helping congregations across the United States install solar panels and strengthen their sustainability efforts through specialized training. The UMC Solar and Battery Pilot Program was launched jointly by the General Board of Global Ministries Environmental Sustainability and the United Methodist Committee on Relief U.S. Disaster Response.
  • Sydney Pastors Say “LGBTQ Left-Wing Activists” Attacked Home, Threatened to Kill Family
    A married pastoral couple in Sydney, Australia, say four men described as “LGBTQ left-wing activists” targeted their family home and threatened to kill them only days after their address was reportedly shared online. Echo Church, the Pentecostal congregation led by Andrew Sedra and his wife, Noleen, said in a Facebook post that the men confronted the couple at their home along with relatives Martin and Millicent Sedra and the relatives’ newborn baby.
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  • Global Methodist Church Adopts Articles of Faith, Elects Eight Bishops at Johannesburg Conference

    The Global Methodist Church adopted a new set of Articles of Faith and elected eight bishops to its first regular Assembly of Bishops as its General Conference concluded Sept. 5 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The bishops were chosen over five ballots and consecrated on the conference’s final day. They will serve as general superintendents during the 2026-2032 term beginning Nov. 1.

  • Southern Baptist Senior Pastor Pay Slips as Inflation Rises, Study Finds

    Average compensation for Southern Baptist senior pastors has edged downward since 2024 even as inflation continued to climb, according to a new compensation study conducted by Baptist state conventions, Lifeway Research and GuideStone Financial Resources. the Consumer Price Index, a widely used measure of inflation, increased 6.3 percent since 2024. Over the same period, average compensation for full-time senior pastors declined 1.5 percent, while their average total pay package fell 0.4 percen

  • Church of England Faces Backlash Over St. Paul’s Cathedral Concert Deal With Nightclub

    The Church of England is facing criticism after St. Paul’s Cathedral in London entered a multi-year agreement with Fabric, the nightclub whose license was revoked in 2016 following two drug-related deaths, to host concerts inside the cathedral. Under the arrangement, Fabric has exclusive rights to stage concerts at St. Paul’s through 2030, according to the BBC.

  • Wisconsin Cathedral Names First Trans-Identifying Dean in The Episcopal Church

    A Wisconsin cathedral has installed what is believed to be the first trans-identifying dean in the history of The Episcopal Church. The Very Rev. Micah Cronin, a woman who identifies as a man, became dean of All Saints’ Cathedral in Milwaukee on Aug. 16, according to Episcopal News Service. Cronin described being raised Methodist, joining The Episcopal Church at age 19 and beginning to identify as transgender that same year.

  • California Pastor Creates 24/7 Digital AI Version of Himself

    A California pastor has developed an artificial intelligence version of himself designed to provide members of his congregation with guidance when he is unavailable. Pastor Justin Lester of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Vallejo created what has been described as “an AI digital doppelganger,” allowing church members to interact with an AI-generated version of their pastor around the clock for advice and answers to questions.

  • U.S. Church Attendance Rises as Share of Previously Unchurched Newcomers Falls

    More than half of U.S. Protestant pastors say their churches are drawing larger weekend worship crowds than they did two years ago, even as the share of newcomers with no previous church involvement continues to decline. According to the findings, 54 percent of Protestant pastors said average worship attendance at their congregations had risen by at least 4 percent since 2023.

  • Grace Community Church Appoints Nathan Busenitz as John MacArthur’s Successor

    Grace Community Church in California has appointed Nathan Busenitz as its new senior pastor, filling the leadership role once held by longtime pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur. Church elders unanimously chose Busenitz for the position last Thursday, about a year after MacArthur’s memorial service, according to an announcement.

  • Dallas Megachurch, UMC Conference Continue Clash Over Governing Documents and Property Rights

    Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas and the Horizon Texas Conference remained at odds this week over changes to the megachurch’s governing documents. The Horizon Texas Conference filed a lawsuit in Dallas County District Court on Aug. 10, asking the court to resolve questions surrounding Highland Park UMC’s governing documents and a property deed that has been in place for decades.
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