Nobody Ever Said 'Christianity is easy.'

Sickening.

 https://www.christianpost.com/voice/netflixs-narnia-is-an-attack-on-aslans-christ-figure.html

Birdies.

 

                                   

Indian churches fearing anti-conversion laws tell non-Christians: enter at your own risk.

Churches in Dhamtari, a town in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, have put up notices warning non-Christians that they enter at their own risk, weeks after a law against religious conversion came into force in the state. CT.

Britain's Lurch Into Darkness.

 https://mail.aol.com/f/newMail/messages/AANhMpL07LkfgHVaKN24pCpSTB2

Bibles Today.

                                 

500 million Christians worldwide face Bible access restrictions, report finds.

At the same time, more than 125 million Christians want a Bible but do not have one, according to the 2026 Bible Access List.

The 25% Plus Are Better Known As Non-Christians.

 More than one in four US Protestant churchgoers believe some biblical truths become outdated.

 (Photo: Unsplash / Sixteen Miles Out)

US Protestant churchgoers who hold evangelical beliefs are more likely than their non-evangelical counterparts to express confidence in the Bible and its continuing authority, according to new research from Lifeway Research.

The study found significant differences between churchgoers classified as having evangelical beliefs and those who were not, particularly over whether the Bible’s message can be interpreted differently by different readers.

Three-quarters of churchgoers with evangelical beliefs agreed that the truth of God’s Word can mean different things to different people, rising to 90% of those without evangelical beliefs.

There were also differences between denominational groups, with agreement highest among churchgoers from the Restorationist movement, at 96%, followed by Methodists at 92%. 

The figure fell to 80% among Baptists, 79% among Presbyterian and Reformed churchgoers, and 77% among those attending non-denominational churches.

Evangelical respondents were among those most confident in their ability to help other people understand or engage with the Bible, alongside churchgoers who attended services more frequently.

The survey was conducted online between September 2 and 7, 2025, among 1,200 US Protestant and non-denominational churchgoers who attended services at least once a month.

The results were compared with a 2019 Lifeway study of 1,002 churchgoers conducted using the same methodology. 

Lifeway found that while most churchgoers continue to express considerable confidence in Scripture, a growing minority believe some biblical teachings no longer apply or do not correspond with their personal beliefs.

Around a third of respondents (34%) said they accepted some biblical teachings but not others that conflicted with their own beliefs, compared with 30% in 2019. Men were more likely than women to hold this view (40% vs 29%).

Over a quarter (28%) agreed that some biblical truths lose their relevance as culture evolves - up from 24% seven years ago.

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said the findings showed that some churchgoers were becoming selective in their approach to Scripture.

“Most churchgoers enjoy trying to understand the Bible, but some are selective in what they believe in the passages they read,” he said.

He pointed to Jesus’ instruction to his followers to keep His teaching and to make disciples by teaching “everything I have commanded you”.

“His invitation was for the whole, not parts,” McConnell said.

He added: “The concepts in any other book will show signs of age requiring new editions. But the Source of the Bible is not Someone whose truths change. James refers to Him as ‘the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,’ (James 1:17, CSB). The thought of unchanging truth is an unprecedented concept even for many churchgoers today.”

Despite the signs of growing uncertainty about particular biblical teachings, the overall figures suggest that the Bible continues to occupy an important place in the lives of most Protestant churchgoers.

Some 95% said they liked studying the Bible to grasp its meaning, while 91% said they were generally able to relate Scripture to their personal circumstances. 

A majority (84%) expressed confidence that they could respond to someone questioning the truthfulness of Scripture, while 82% said they could help someone struggling with biblical morality and the same proportion felt able to assist someone who found a passage difficult to understand.

McConnell expressed some concerns, though. 

“While large numbers are confident they can address various difficulties others have with the Bible, less than a third of churchgoers strongly agree,” he said. 

“This is likely tied to their evaluation of their own ability to understand passages and relate them to life. Only 38% strongly agree they can do this, while the majority (53%) only somewhat agree.”

More than half of respondents (56%) said interpreting Scripture without help could be difficult. Women were more likely than men to report struggling with this, at 61% compared with 51%.

The findings revealed a marked generational divide, with more than half of churchgoers aged 18 to 29 (54%) agreeing that cultural change can make some biblical teachings seem less applicable. This fell to 40% among those aged 30 to 49, 19% among 50 to 64 year olds, and 13% of those aged 65 and over.

Younger churchgoers were among those most likely to say that some biblical teachings did not align with their own beliefs, with 56% of 18 to 29 year olds agreeing. Some 87% of that age group said biblical truth could be understood differently by different people.

Church attendance appeared to be associated with how confident respondents felt about engaging with Scripture.

Among those attending worship between one and three times a month, 62% said they struggled to make sense of the Bible by themselves, falling to 52% of those attending four or more times a month.

Churchgoers in churches with congregations of fewer than 50 people were among the most likely to report difficulty interpreting Scripture alone, at 65%.

At the other end of the scale, respondents attending churches of 500-plus people were among those least likely to believe biblical teachings had become outdated, with 84% rejecting that view, while a quarter rejected the idea that biblical truth varies from person to person. 

Lifeway also found broad agreement about the importance of interpreting Scripture in context.

Some 96% said understanding the context in which the Bible was written was important, although the proportion who strongly agreed fell from 73% in 2019 to 67% in the latest survey.

Similarly, 92% agreed that the message and principles of Scripture should be applied to contemporary circumstances but the proportion strongly agreeing fell from two thirds in 2019 to 60% in 2025.

McConnell said: “We live in a re-mix world in which people apply phrases, pictures, tunes and memes to situations that may have nothing to do with the originals. AI often pulls from past content in the same way. 

“That may work for a laugh or to make something sound familiar. But the value of biblical principles is not to sound good. The message of the Bible was revealed to specific people in contexts we need to understand to know how that message applies to us today.”

     Do read the final chapter of The Book of Revelation.

The WEA.

 World Evangelical Alliance celebrates 180th anniversary

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has held an online celebration to mark its 180th anniversary. Hundreds of people from more than 22 countries attended, and the event was rebroadcast to accommodate different time zones.

                              

Why Worry.

 

Birdie.

 

Tauren Wells.

 Tauren Wells on church scandal, burnout and rediscovering God’s presence.

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Entertainment Editor Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Courtesy of Tauren Wells

Tauren Wells thought planting a church would be about what he could give to God, but instead, for the 11-time Grammy-nominated artist and pastor, the experience exposed how much God wanted to change him.

“I thought that I was going to plant a church and exert all of this change into the world,” the 40-year-old Michigan native told The Christian Post. “I was going to get all my ideas and all of my vision out, and I'm going to change the city and change the church. The biggest thing that has changed is me.”

 

The husband and father of four, who launched Church of Whitestone in the Austin, Texas area in 2024 after already having a successful music career, reflected on how the weight of those responsibilities became particularly acute last year when he found himself driving and feeling as though he was on the verge of a panic attack.

“I've never had a panic attack, but I feel like I was on the verge of one, just completely overwhelmed,” he said. “I was driving in my car, a million things going through my mind.”

Despite having a pastor, a supportive wife, close friends and others he could turn to, Wells said the moment revealed how isolating overwhelming pressure can feel.

“For some reason, when you're overwhelmed in a moment like that, you feel like no one can relate to you, no one could understand what you're going through,” he said. “I thought there's not one person I could call who would understand what I'm feeling right now.”

Wells discussed the experience with his counselor, who encouraged him to examine what his time with God actually looked like, and that conversation prompted a realization.

“I've been really good at doing projects with God, but I have not been great at just being with Him,” Wells said. “That has been a growth curve that I've been on for the last year. What does it look like to just be with God, not doing things for Him?”

The desire for God’s presence fueled Wells’ forthcoming live album, Here Comes the Church, which releases Oct. 2. Recorded before a sold-out crowd at the Austin City Limits Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, the project features artists from across Christian music, gospel, worship and hip-hop. CP.

Heroic Israelis.

 https://mail.aol.com/f/newMail/messages/AAI3J57l7JrIu3edrnqlecEfKVU

Afghanistan.

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Please pray Afghanistan Our partner for Afghanistan has a vision for seeing vibrant communities of Christians among the peoples of that country. The work of developing healthy, accessible fellowships, where Christians can share their faith, disciple other Afghans and contribute to society is supported through a radio ministry. Pray for the ongoing recording of a new radio series that will focus on the needs of women in Afghanistan and provide a biblical response to those needs. Pray the episodes will be a blessing to all who hear them. Pray for a training seminar in Germany: that it will provide encouragement to all who attend, and excite and equip them further in new and improved ways of radio production. Pray for our partner’s leadership team, that the Lord will grant them wisdom, guidance and insight in the decisions they have to make. Find out more For some background on the situation for Christians in Afghanistan, and the work VoPC supports, click the button below. LEARN MORE