Leonardo Blair
Christians urged to pray as American missionary pilot is abducted in Niger
Prayers are now going up around the world for American missionary pilot Kevin Rideout after he was reportedly kidnapped from his home in the highly secure Château 1 neighborhood of Niamey, the capital of Niger in West Africa.
TD Jakes voluntarily dismisses defamation lawsuit against man who accused him of sexual assault
After nearly a year of duelling filings and a failed effort to recover more than $76,000 in legal fees, Bishop TD Jakes has voluntarily dismissed a defamation lawsuit against ex-pastor-turned-registered sex offender Duane Youngblood, who accused Jakes of sexually assaulting him 40 years ago.
Nearly 40% of Gen Z women identify as atheist, agnostic or have no faith - Barna
As they grapple with a profound disconnection from their parents and older adults in general, nearly 40% of young adult women in Generation Z — those born between 1999 and 2015 — now identify as religiously unaffiliated, according to new data released by Barna Research.
More men attending church than women, especially among Gen X and millennials
In a shift that has become much more noticeable in five of the last six years, men, especially among millennials and Generation X, have been outpacing women in church attendance. The trend spiked significantly this year, a new Barna report has found.
Tony Evans restored to ministry after discipline for undisclosed sin
Elders at the 11,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas, announced Sunday that while founder Pastor Tony Evans has been restored to ministry after stepping down more than a year ago due to a sin that was not publicly disclosed, he won't be returning to a staff position or any leadership role.
Robert Morris to spend 6 months in prison after pleading guilty to child sex abuse
Robert Morris, the founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, will spend six months in prison as part of a 10-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty Thursday to sexually abusing the now 55-year-old Cindy Clemishire beginning when she was 12 in the 1980s.
Joel Osteen's mother, Dodie, dies at 91
Joel Osteen announced his mother's passing on his social media on Wednesday night, saying she died "peacefully at her home" of "natural causes."
Pastors can endorse political candidates without risking tax-exempt status, says IRS
The Internal Revenue Service agreed on Monday that pastors and other religious leaders can endorse political candidates to their congregation without threatening their tax-exempt status under a decades-old legislation called the Johnson Amendment.
Pastors faring worse than others in relationships and well-being but most don’t get help
Despite faring worse than practising Christians and US adults in general in their relationships, physical, emotional and mental health, most pastors don't get professional support.
Christian share of global population shrinks despite remaining largest religious group - study
Muslims are the fastest-growing religious group.
Despite frustrations, few pastors leave pulpit annually - study
Though record levels of pastors, including more than half in mainline Protestant churches, seriously considered leaving full-time ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic, only about 1% of them have been leaving ministry work annually in the last decade, a new Lifeway Research study finds.
More churches embrace AI in ministry but pastors prefer to write their own sermons - study
More churches across the U.S. are embracing the use of Artificial Intelligence in their ministries, but pastors have stopped short of using the technology to prepare their sermons, data from the State of the Church Tech 2025 report shows.
Americans are swapping organized religion for personal truth - study
While respected Christian researchers like George Barna have been sounding the alarm on the dangers of syncretism to a biblical worldview in recent years, a new study published Monday suggests more Americans are leaving organized religion in search of personalized faith perspectives that embrace syncretism — a fusion of different religions.
US missionary kidnapped at gunpoint is rescued unharmed
Five days after he was kidnapped by armed men from his church in Motherwell, South Africa, Tennessee missionary Josh Sullivan was rescued and “miraculously unharmed” following a “high-intensity shootout” that left three people dead.
Gateway Church founder Robert Morris charged with child sex abuse
Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma on Wednesday. The indictment stems from allegations made by Cindy Clemishire last June that he sexually abused her over multiple years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12.
TD Jakes denies claims he 'harbored carnal desires' for men in defense of defamation lawsuit
Megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has formally denied allegations he sexually assaulted former pastor Duane Youngblood when he was a teenager or his older brother, Pastor Richard Edwin Youngblood, in a legal response to a motion seeking to dismiss a defamation lawsuit against his accusers.