U.S. Pastor Stranded in India Awaiting Hearing
NEW DELHI, India (BP) -- A U.S. pastor attending a Sunday School conference in India could be stranded there until December after being arrested for failing to report money he was carrying.
World Vision Tinkers With Its 70-Year-Old Child Sponsorship Model
(The Conversation) World Vision, among the largest Christian humanitarian agencies on Earth, is now flipping the script on child sponsorship. Instead of donors always getting to choose children, children are beginning to choose donors.
China Frees Christian Prisoner Amid Ongoing Persecution
CHINA (BP) -- China has freed an imprisoned Christian but continues a reign of persecution including church demolitions and restrictions barring foreign students from worship, religious liberty advocates reported.
Kenyans See ‘Hand of God’ in Kipchoge’s Record-Breaking Marathon Run
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — As Eliud Kipchoge arrived back home in Nairobi on Wednesday (Oct. 16), citizens of his country pointed at a “hand of God” in his record-breaking, sub-two-hour run on Saturday in Vienna.
As Fewer Refugees Enter the US, One Chicago Group Decides to Go to Them
CHICAGO (RNS) — A woman dressed in beautifully designed fabrics had invited guests into her home and taken great care to show them hospitality. But the refugee's home was a tent made from tarps, insulated against the crisp air as best as possible.
Ukrainian Believers: ‘Standing on Our Knees’
KHARKOV, Ukraine (BP) -- What compels Ukrainian believers to get up daily and kneel in the snow? Why is it so important to meet together when they could whisper a prayer from the warmth of their beds?
Brunson Reaped Spiritual ‘Hunger’ in Turkish Prison
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) -- Two years in filthy Turkish prisons reaped for pastor Andrew Brunson a spiritual "hunger, desperation and running after God" that he hasn't felt since his release.
Baptists Finalize Plans for Rebuild in Bahamas
FREEPORT, Bahamas (BP) -- After three days surveying the damage from Hurricane Dorian, an eight-member team of Southern Baptists returned to the United States with a keen appreciation of the Bahamian people and a commitment to partner with Baptist churches there.
Disputes Loom as Émigré Church Leader Switches Loyalty to Moscow
PARIS (RNS) — The network of émigré Russian Orthodox parishes in Western Europe appears to be headed for years of complex canonical and legal disputes after their archbishop announced that he would rejoin the Moscow Patriarchate and urged his followers to accompany him.
Archaeologists Uncover Mosaic Floor From 5th Century Church Near Sea of Galilee
JERUSALEM (RNS) — A fire that destroyed an ancient Holy Land church near the Sea of Galilee around 700 CE appears to have preserved the church’s beautiful mosaic floor, which includes depictions of baskets, loaves and fish as well as inscriptions.