World

In Kazakhstan, Pope Francis is expected to appeal for peace in Ukraine

The head of the Orthodox Church in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill, will not be attending the interfaith meeting with the pope.
Churchgoers are keen to build a greater sense of community after the pandemic

Building a strong sense of community in the local church is a top priority for Australian Christians over the next 12 months, a major survey has found.
Nigeria: young Christian killed in machete attack

A Christian posted in Yola, northeast Nigeria, as part of his youth service corps duty was killed on August 26 in what was suspected as a targeted attack, sources said.
China renews crackdown on churches

China is cracking down on churches with reports of pastors being arrested and congregations being shut down.
Fight over 'In God We Trust' displays in Texas schools may hinge on First Amendment rights

A new Texas law that requires all public schools statewide to display the national motto "In God We Trust" is facing a challenge over its rejection of signs with the phrase written in Arabic and one with a rainbow background.
Church leaders plead with UK government to help East Africa amid hunger crisis

Dozens of bishops from South Sudan and Kenya have issued a desperate plea to the UK government as East Africa grapples with a spiralling hunger crisis.
Franklin Graham pays tribute to Mikhail Gorbachev

Prominent American Evangelical Christian leader, the Rev Franklin Graham, paid tribute to former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died on Tuesday at 91, recognizing his pivotal role in history.
Israel sentences former World Vision aid manager to 12 years for alleged funding of Hamas

The evangelical humanitarian charity World Vision is disappointed that an Israeli court sentenced a former employee to more than a decade behind bars on terrorism charges, saying the judgment against him stands in "sharp contrast" to the facts of the case.
Acts 29 network asks Matt Chandler to 'step aside' from speaking engagements

Global church planting network Acts 29 said it has "asked" the president and chairman of their board, Matt Chandler, "to step aside from Acts 29 speaking engagements" following a decision by The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, to suspend him over his inappropriate communication with a woman who is not his wife on Instagram.
International response to East Africa hunger crisis is 'hugely inadequate'

The international community is not doing enough to mitigate the hunger crisis unfolding across East Africa, Christian Aid has said.
Myanmar urged to release former UK ambassador

A Christian organisation is urging Myanmar to release the former UK ambassador, Vicky Bowman and her husband.
China releases Early Rain house church member after 12 days in jail

China's Early Rain Covenant Church says one of its members, who was arrested in a raid during a recent worship service and suffered while in detention due to his medical condition, has been released on bail and had a celebratory dinner with his family.
China shuts down historic house church for refusing to join state-controlled movement

Authorities in China "liquidated" a historic house church in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, as part of a crackdown on churches that refuse to join the state-controlled Three-Self Church, rights advocates said.
Hillsong overhauls board in wake of scandals

A string of scandals have prompted big changes at Hillsong.
Hillsong giving and attendance fell in 2021

Hillsong Church Australia, the flagship branch for the global Hillsong Church brand, suffered significant drops in both giving and church attendance in 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic marched into its second year and a series of sex and financial scandals enveloped the church network in the United States and Australia.