Bob Smietana

Grief, fear haunt Nashville as residents gather to mourn in wake of Covenant shooting

Vigils and funeral services begin for the victims of Monday's shooting at a Christian school.
Report: LGBTQ Americans tend to be younger and have no religion

The new report from PRRI also found that many religious Americans support LGBTQ nondiscrimination rights, even those who oppose same sex-marriage.
$How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? It\'s complicated$
How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? It's complicated

Five congregations ousted this week were the first to be expelled from the SBC on a national level for having women pastors since the ban on women pastors was instituted in 2000.
New Tim Keller Center for Apologetics hopes to help churches reach a changing country

Named for the popular author and retired pastor, the new center hopes to help churches deal with a 'post-Christendom' America.
YouVersion Bible app hires former Facebook exec to fuel growth

Now in its 15th year, the team behind the popular Bible app has big plans for the future.
In Haiti, a crisis of violence, chaos, and cholera goes largely ignored by outside world

Charities do what they can to help the impoverished nation, but international action is needed to bring order and restore infrastructure, experts on the ground say.
Many Americans think the meaning of Christmas has been lost - survey

Three-quarters of those surveyed agreed with the statement "Most Americans have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas".
Watch out for the sheep: live animals bring spectacle and humour to Nativity scenes

Though they aren't mentioned in the Bible Christmas story, live animals have been part of nativity scenes since the 1200s. But sometimes things go awry, including a recent case of cows on the loose.
US: Giving to larger churches dropped last year, even as charitable donations rose

Churches with budgets under $2 million saw giving go down by 8%, while those with budgets of more than $20 million saw giving go down by 2.5%.
$Vineyard USA founder\'s widow, board members sue breakaway Anaheim pastors, alleging fraud$
Vineyard USA founder's widow, board members sue breakaway Anaheim pastors, alleging fraud

A pair of California pastors say God told them to lead the Anaheim Vineyard out of its home denomination. Former board members say the pastors committed fraud to do that. At stake is $62 million in assets.
Tennessee preacher and MAGA celebrity Greg Locke claims YouTube has banned him

Locke, who rose from little-known Nashville preacher to Christian nationalist celebrity preacher on the strength of viral videos, has lost access to one of his biggest channels.
Did faith fall off a cliff during COVID? New study says no

Religious life in America was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But did it lead to a loss of faith as well as a decline in churchgoing?