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6 Christian Organizations Making a Global Impact in 2025

Christian organizations 2025
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In 2025, the world continues to face a mix of humanitarian crises, cultural tensions, and economic uncertainties. In the midst of these challenges, Christian organizations are stepping up with transformative efforts rooted in faith, compassion, and service. Christian orginizations 2025 — whether it’s disaster relief, education, medical outreach, or evangelism, these groups are actively shaping communities and shining a light in some of the darkest places. Here are six Christian organizations in 2025 making a meaningful global impact.

Some of the Top Christian Organizations 2025

1. World Vision International

With a presence in nearly 100 countries, World Vision remains one of the most influential Christian humanitarian organizations in the world. In 2025, it continues to focus on long-term development, emergency relief, and child sponsorship programs that empower communities and protect vulnerable children. This year, World Vision has expanded its efforts in conflict zones such as Sudan and Ukraine, providing food, clean water, education, and trauma counseling to displaced families.

World Vision’s holistic model includes partnerships with local churches and governments, helping to create sustainable change through faith-based community empowerment. Their Christian ethos underpins their commitment to serve “the least of these,” drawing from Matthew 25 as a central motivator for action.

2. Compassion International

Compassion International remains a global leader in child development through one-on-one sponsorship. In 2025, the organization is celebrating over 70 years of ministry, and its work now extends to more than 25 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Unlike many aid models, Compassion works exclusively through local churches, strengthening their capacity to serve children in their communities. This year, Compassion launched a new initiative focusing on digital literacy and vocational training, preparing young people in underserved regions for the global workforce. Their model of pairing physical care with spiritual growth continues to produce generational change.

3. Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, is widely recognized for its quick and robust disaster response. In 2025, it has been on the front lines following natural disasters in the Philippines, Central America, and the southeastern United States. The organization continues to provide mobile hospitals, clean water systems, and emergency shelter.

Perhaps best known for its “Operation Christmas Child” program, which delivers shoeboxes full of gifts and Christian materials to children around the world, Samaritan’s Purse emphasizes both compassion and gospel proclamation. In 2025, the organization is also expanding its medical training and capacity-building programs, equipping local health workers in remote areas.

RELATED: 50 Years of Samaritan’s Purse

Find more of the top Christian organizations 2025 on Page Two . . . 

3 Ingredients for True Worship

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God is seeking people that will worship—truly worship—and he has promises that if you are faithful to worship on His terms that there are endless rewards and blessings. I challenge you to engage in true worship. There are three ingredients for true worship in which we all can grow.

Ingredients for True Worship

#1: True Worship Has Humility

Recently I observed a church on TV. I switch to this station right in the middle of one of their songs. They were singing “Holy Spirit, Thou Art Welcome”. During the song every person that the camera showed just stood their and read the words off the wall. When the song was over, the congregation sat down and the rest of the service went off like clockwork.

As I watched this I began to think about how we have lost sight of what worship really means. Jesus said in John chapter 4 that there is only one true way to worship. Jesus set up the system of worship, so when we decide to enter into worship, we are no longer in control of ourselves, but we are entering His turf and submitting ourselves to the will of God. This is where humility kicks in.

Humility is the first key to any successful time of worship. Throughout the entire bible the primary Hebrew and Greek words for worship mean humility. Without humility you cannot truly worship. Humility means to lower yourself and submit yourself to the will of another. So when you worship, you are coming under submission of the Holy Spirit, and allowing Him to act, walk, and speak in and through you. Romans 12 says it best by saying that you should present, or submit, your body to God as a living sacrifice.

Many of our churches today will not come under submission of the Holy Spirit. They have a schedule to keep, this song has to be sung, these announcements have to be made, the pastor has to get done by 12:00. All the while the Holy Spirit is trying to point out people that are hurting, a marriage that is falling apart, or someone that might be contemplating suicide.

RELATED: How to Prepare Your Heart for Worship

As long as we stay in control, we will go on and have church as usual so that we can get to the buffet line by 12:15. But when we let the Holy Spirit takes control we will stop having church and start being the church. When the Holy Spirit is actually involved in our services sickness will be healed, marriages will be restored, joy will reign in our midst once again, and the lost will come to Jesus.

Will the services go past twelve o’ clock? Probably. But who cares? When I choose to worship, I expect the Holy Spirit to take control. I don’t want Him hanging around in the back corner somewhere. I want Him center stage. I want the lost to see Him and come running. I want the broken to see Him and start shouting because they have been healed. I want the proud and stubborn to see Him and start weeping in humility.

That is true worship! Worship in truth is great and wonderful—singing the songs, raising your hands, clapping, and all the other tangible stuff. But we must go beyond that and learn how to worship in the Spirit and let the Holy Spirit have his way.

#2: True Worship Has Faith

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

In a previous study we saw that the first ingredient required for worship was humility. We cannot come to God with a proud or haughty spirit. Pride can do nothing but die in the presence of God. God will not allow it into His presence.

‘Whole Thing Needs To Burn’—Former Newsboys Producer Steve Taylor Discusses Michael Tait-Newsboys Scandal

Steve Taylor Newsboys Michael Tait
(L)CAMP BELL PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (R) Newsboys Official Account, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Earlier this week, Steve Taylor, former Newsboys producer and songwriter, shared his take on the Michael Tait scandal with Christianity Today’s Mike Cosper.

Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of alleged sexual assault that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.

On Jan. 16, Tait abruptly announced that he was leaving Newsboys. He had been the band’s lead singer since 2009. Tait was previously a member of DC Talk, a band that has been on hiatus since 2000.

RELATED: Skillet’s John Cooper Calls for ‘Reform in the Christian Music Industry’ Following Michael Tait Scandal

Since leaving Newsboys, Tait has been accused of grooming, sexually assaulting, and drugging young men—including minors—as well as of watching a young woman be raped in 2014.

After producing three albums for Newsboys, Taylor started his own Christian record label, Squint Entertainment. Taylor’s record label helped jumpstart the careers of bands Chevelle, Sixpence None the Richer, and Burlap to Cashmere.

Taylor started working with the Newsboys in the early 90s after being introduced to band cofounder Peter Furler. Taylor wrote for and produced Newsboys’ iconic album “Not Ashamed,” which made them a household name. Taylor worked on Newsboys’ next two albums, “Going Public” and “Take Me to Your Leader.” He later rejoined the band to produce “Thrive” and “Adoration: The Worship Album.”

“I never saw any hint of any kind of weirdness or impropriety or anything like that,” Taylor told Cosper. “They were big practical jokers. They loved to race go-karts or go to paintball things. They loved all that kind of stuff. And even though I’ve not had as much contact with them, I still hold them in high regard.”

Taylor never worked with Newsboys while Tait fronted the band. Taylor said that after Furler left the band and Tait joined, the sound of Newsboys “shifted from kind of a interesting, quirky, kind of Euro rock pop to an American sounding band.”

RELATED: Michael Tait Accused of Watching Sexual Assault of a Young Woman He Drugged

Cosper asked Taylor to share his reaction to the sexual abuse allegations surrounding Tait.

“How does this sit for you?” Cosper asked. “Is this just the industry for people who actually live here? Is this like, no alarms and no surprises? Or is this like, this is a shock?”

“I found it very, very distressing,” Taylor responded, praising The Roys Report for publishing the work of Jessica Morris. Morris’ report came after more than two years of investigation.

Walter Kim: Reaching Every Generation—Curiosity, Connection, & Culture Wars

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Image courtesy of PastorServe

In this week’s conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Walter Kim. Walter is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With Walter Kim

View the entire podcast here.

Keep Learning

Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed. Find your Weekly Toolkit here… Love well, Live well, Lead well!

Baylor University Accepts Grant To Research LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Churches

Baylor university
Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Zereshk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Baylor University, a private Christian institution in Waco, Texas, has received more than $643,000 for a study titled “Courage from the Margins: Inclusion and Belonging Practices for LGBTQIA+ and Women in Congregations.”

The Center for Church & Community Impact (C3I), which is part of Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, announced the award on June 30. Researchers plan to conduct confidential interviews, focus groups, and surveys of two groups of 25 young adults (ages 18 to 24) from across America.

The goal, according to the center, is to “better understand the disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women in congregations to nurture institutional courage and foster change.” C3I said it will use research results to develop “trauma-informed training resources” for churches.

RELATED: Doctor, Baylor Grad ‘Sacrificed Himself’ To Save Others During Racially Motivated Church Shooting

The grant is from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, which “supports progressive, inclusive, nonprofit organizations that reflect the love of Christ.” It does so “by providing assistance to those in need, enriching the lives of children and youth, keeping faith communities informed and engaged, and guarding the wall of separation between church and state.”

Baylor University Study Will Help Churches Be ‘More Just & Welcoming’

In an announcement about the grant, C3I Director Gaynor Yancey said the project “will focus on the lived experiences of emerging adults” and “assist us in filling out the bigger picture of congregations’ practices that result in an environment of belonging.”

Yancey added, “This is about our hearts, for sure, and how we act on God’s softening of our hearts toward those who live life in the margins and shadows, rarely experiencing a sense of belonging.”

“Congregations are uniquely positioned in community life to be those places of care,” she said.

C3I works to “nudge faith-based organizations to be proactive in establishing institutional courage.” The center indicated that the “Courage from the Margins” project will guide congregations to develop “greater cultural sensitivity and humility, trauma-informed approaches to ministry, concrete steps toward genuine inclusion, and environments where all members can thrive.”

Jon Singletary, dean of Baylor’s Garland School, said the grant allows C3I to “deepen its work at the intersection of faith, justice, and community and is both timely and essential.”

Despite having the “potential to be spaces of healing and belonging,” Singletary added, congregations “too often…become sources of exclusion and harm. This grant equips us to listen deeply, study carefully, and partner faithfully with churches seeking to become more just and welcoming communities.”

Critics Say Baylor’s Study Isn’t Biblical

News of the grant and study sparked controversy online, due to Baylor’s ties to Texas Baptists. Some conservative commentators criticized the research as woke and unbiblical. “Baylor is apostate, but @TexasBaptists maintains affiliation with it,” Texas Pastor Mike Miller wrote on X.

How To Grow Generous Givers: 10 Church Stewardship Tips

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Several years ago, I committed myself to teach all of God’s Word, including giving. In the years since, I have seen God work in our church in amazing ways, and he has brought our people to new levels of maturity.

Here are 10 principles I’ve learned about growing givers:

1. Plan Ahead

The biggest reason capital stewardship campaigns increase offerings by more than 50% is not the new building, but the church’s thoughtful strategy. Churches can attain similar results every year without a building project.

In my first church, when I implemented a thorough plan, offerings increased by more than 20% in one year.

2. Emphasize Discipleship

God has supplied human resources, divine resources (such as prayer), and physical resources (such as buildings and money). How we develop each of these determines the success of our ministries.

Effective resource development is not a money grab. It has a spiritual foundation that makes discipleship its primary goal. The key to resource development is growth in people.

3. Bathe It in Prayer

Without prayer, a financial program loses its spiritual foundation. We begin our stewardship focus with a call to prayer. We hold special prayer times and conduct a 24-hour prayer service.

4. Identify Specific Goals

Early in the budget process, we ask all leaders to make a wish list of new ministries or purchases for their area. We do not allow people to designate their giving to these projects, though, because that would undermine giving to our general budget. Instead, we say if our total offerings exceed the budget, we will undertake wish-list items.

5. Get Commitments

If I don’t get a specific commitment from people, my Bible teaching has little effect. The first year we had a stewardship emphasis, the line on our offering graph remained horizontal. The following year I used commitment cards, and giving went up 20%.

6. Involve More People

Seventy percent of offerings will come from those who serve in the church. That means one of the best ways to increase giving is to increase the number who serve. During our stewardship emphasis, we teach the stewardship of time and talents. We conclude by asking everyone to fill out a ministry service commitment for the coming year.

7. Build Trust

Trust is earned by how we spend the church’s money. I must be frugal and spend wisely. People are more generous when they see they can trust me to get maximum ministry value out of the budget and not to overspend. They will also be more supportive of my ideas.

Why Core Christian Beliefs Still Matter: Reclaiming Essentials of Faith in an Age of Disorganized Discipleship

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A few weeks ago, my family and I were driving across Texas to visit our two college-aged kids who are working at a Christian camp for the summer. We were making good time on a familiar route when suddenly all the lights on the dashboard lit up, and then our van lost power.

After several kind “Good Samaritans” couldn’t get the van working again, a mobile mechanic came to the rescue. The mechanic’s diagnosis was simple: a failed alternator. The essential component of the van stopped working, and so we couldn’t get where we wanted to go. 

As I waited for repairs, I reflected on a parallel truth in the Christian life. Just as our van needed its fundamental systems working properly to reach our destination, believers need grounding in the essential truths of our faith to experience spiritual growth. Too often, we focus on secondary features while neglecting the core components that power everything else.

Throughout church history, believers have consistently affirmed certain core truths found in Scripture: the Trinity, salvation by grace through faith, the authority of Scripture, and Jesus’s death and resurrection, to name a few. These aren’t arbitrary human opinions, but biblical truths that have unified Christians across denominations and centuries.

Today, however, we’re navigating an age of disorganized discipleship. There’s no shortage of spiritual content available online—but there is a shortage of clarity. Many people have a shallow understanding of the gospel and other essential Christian doctrine.

In an age of digital overload and disorganized discipleship, church leaders must help believers cut through the noise by returning to the essentials of the Christian faith—the foundation for clear and lasting spiritual formation.  

This isn’t a problem we can ignore, hoping it will resolve itself. The mission of the church matters, and that mission is compromised when God’s people don’t understand the essentials of their faith.

The Challenge: Digital Overload and Disorganized Discipleship 

Today’s Christians navigate an unprecedented landscape of spiritual influence. On social media, we are being discipled by a thousand voices—many of whom contradict one another. Instagram theologians, YouTube preachers, and TikTok devotionals flood our feeds with spiritual content, creating an overload of information but a disorganized discipleship strategy. 

To be clear, new Christian content isn’t the problem. I’m grateful for the men and women faithfully sharing biblical truth online. But here’s the challenge: not all content is grounded in Scripture—and most believers aren’t equipped to tell the difference. Church leaders have the responsibility to disciple people to discern truth in this flood of online content.

How are people discerning what is true? Recent research reveals that most American adults rely on feelings rather than Scripture to discern moral truth, with only 44% turning to the Bible for guidance—roughly equivalent to those who trust cultural norms or public policies. We’re seeing the effects of this shift in real time. Social media is filled with people openly deconstructing their faith and sharing their spiritual journeys online. According to Barna, 42% of adults have deconstructed the faith of their youth. Barna also reports that the next generation of Gen Z Christians are “marked by uncertainty and questioning.” 

The pandemic only amplified this reality. As political and cultural tensions grew, many walked away from the church—not because of doctrinal issues, but because of secondary disagreements. Sadly, we watched as non-essentials were elevated, and essentials were forgotten or confused. 

Dallas Jenkins Explains the Approach ‘The Chosen’ Writers Took to Season 5 and the Season’s ‘Slower Pace’

Dallas Jenkins
Screengrab via Facebook / @Dallas Jenkins

Dallas Jenkins, who is the creator, writer, and director of the hit series “The Chosen,” recently explained the writing team’s approach to Season 5, addressing the season’s “slower” pace. 

“The Chosen,” which depicts the life and ministry of Jesus Christ through the eyes of his disciples, has continued to grow in popularity and acclaim with each passing season.

Season 5 focused on Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. 

RELATED: Dallas Jenkins, Other Cast and Crew Overcome with Emotion Filming Jesus’ Crucifixion in ‘The Chosen’

In a lengthy written Facebook post, Jenkins said that the writing team focused on two big “issues” when approaching the season. The first was, “How do we portray the disciples’ wrestling with Jesus outright telling them he’s going to be tortured and crucified? How do we explain and portray that they’re not ridiculously stupid for not understanding when he was so explicitly clear?”

The second issue was, “How do we show, in a fairly short amount of time, how a crowd can go from worshiping him to wanting him dead?”

“Both of those story points, like many other story points we’ve faced in our show, require time and character development,” said Jenkins. While he acknowledged that viewers might anticipate “the big moments, the famous moments, the tear jerking moments,” Jenkins wanted those moments to feel earned.

“We’ve always taken the time, like any good show should, to make sure we EARN those moments and they actually make sense from an artistic and human perspective,” said Jenkins.

Reflecting on the show’s depiction of the disciples grappling with Jesus’ prophecy that he would be killed and rise again, Jenkins added, “You might think, ‘this isn’t how I saw it,’ or ‘it’s always seemed to me that…’ or ‘I don’t believe this is how it would go,’ or ‘the Bible doesn’t mention _____.’”

However, Jenkins said, “that’s not the correct measuring stick for what’s real or plausible. Your perception isn’t necessarily reality, and silence in the Bible doesn’t mean something didn’t happen.”

RELATED: ‘Can I Play Too?’—Dallas Jenkins’ Dad, ‘Left Behind’ Author Jerry B. Jenkins, Discusses Writing Novelizations for ‘The Chosen’

“Most times the Bible leaves out historical or cultural context because the readers at the time would have understood the very things we ‘add’ to the story,” Jenkins argued. “So because we’re storytellers and creating a TV show, not a history book…we have to show what normal human beings would have done and said in response to Jesus’ words.”

Restoring Relational Circuits: Polyvagal Theory & Faith

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Polyvagal Theory, conceptualized by Stephen Porges, delves into how our nervous system influences our ability to connect with others and respond to stress. It introduces the concept of the vagus nerve, a key component of the autonomic nervous system, which plays a pivotal role in our emotional regulation and social interaction. This theory divides the nervous system’s response into three primary states: ventral vagal (safe and social), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (freeze or shutdown). Understanding these states offers a lens through which we can view our relational dynamics, particularly in how we “show up” in relationships.

When Relational Circuits Are Shut Down

When our system shifts into the sympathetic or dorsal vagal states—responses triggered by perceived threat or overwhelming stress—our capacity for connection and social engagement diminishes. This is often described as our relational circuits being “shut down.” In these states, individuals may exhibit:

Sympathetic State (Fight or Flight): Here, one might become more irritable, defensive, or aggressive in their interactions. Relationships may suffer as the focus shifts towards self-protection, leading to conflict or withdrawal from social engagement.

Dorsal Vagal State (Freeze or Shutdown): This state can manifest as disconnection, numbness, or a sense of being “checked out.” Individuals might appear distant or unresponsive in relationships, struggling to communicate or engage emotionally with others.

These responses, while part of our biological wiring to handle threat, can strain relationships, making it challenging to maintain healthy, supportive connections.

When Relational Circuits Are Online and Engaged

Conversely, when we are in the ventral vagal state, our relational circuits are considered “online,” fostering a sense of safety and openness that is conducive to connection. In this state, individuals are more likely to:

Engage Socially: Demonstrating curiosity about others, initiating and reciprocating social interactions, and expressing themselves more openly and authentically.

Regulate Emotions: Exhibiting a greater capacity for managing emotions constructively, leading to more harmonious and understanding interactions.

Show Empathy and Compassion: Being in a ventral vagal state enhances one’s ability to empathize, listen actively, and respond with compassion, strengthening relationships.

This state is marked by a sense of safety and connectedness, allowing for deeper, more meaningful interactions. It’s the foundation upon which healthy, resilient relationships are built.

Bridging Theory and Practice

In the context of Neuroscience Informed Christian Counseling® (NICC), these concepts are aligned with the understanding of how God designed us for connection and community. Biblical teachings often emphasize the importance of relationships, compassion, and understanding—qualities that flourish when we are in a ventral vagal state. NICC integrates these neuroscientific insights with spiritual wisdom, providing a holistic approach to fostering healthier, more Christ-centered relationships.

By recognizing and addressing the states of our nervous system, we can better navigate our emotional landscapes and relational dynamics. This not only enriches our personal growth and healing journey but also reflects the relational essence of God’s love for us and his desire for us to live in harmonious connection with others.

Haitian Congregations Relieved After Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt To Deport Migrants

Haitian Congregations
FILE - Haitian immigrants gather at a park after a church service where they shared food and sought out answers about their legal status, April 13, 2025, in Dumas, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

(RNS) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s plans to end temporary protected status for Haitian migrants before it is set to expire in February 2026.

In his Tuesday (July 1) ruling, New York-based Judge Brian Cogan said Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem didn’t “have statutory or inherent authority to partially vacate a country’s TPS designation.”

The ruling comes months after Noem announced the administration would cut TPS for Haitians, which would have ended their legal status on Aug. 3. The lawsuit was filed against her and President Donald Trump by a group of Haitian migrants and advocacy groups, including the Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association.

RELATED: Haitian Aid Workers Worry American Christians Donors Could Worsen Crisis

For recently arrived Haitians, many of whom fled the gang violence-stricken island, Tuesday’s decision brought a glimpse of hope. Now, the nearly 350,000 Haitians in the country under TPS status have more time to apply for other legal immigration statuses. The program can’t be suspended without a 60-day advance notice, Cogan said in his ruling.

A mother carries her son as she runs past a burning barricade during a protest against the government in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Nov. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

The decision gives Haitians in the country under the law “a little bit of relief,” said Springfield, Ohio-based Pastor Viles Dorsainvil, co-founder of Springfield’s Haitian Support Center, and one of the plaintiffs.

“They have a little chunk of time just to make arrangements if they decide to stay here, or if they decide to go somewhere else because I think that Aug. 3 was too much on short notice for them to do what they had to do,” he said.

The decision is a “victory” that will protect “350,000 immigrants from imminent deportation to Haiti,” wrote attorneys Andrew Tauber and Geoff Pipoly of law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, which represented the plaintiffs.

“This is a victory not only for our clients, who bravely stood up for what is right, but also for the rule of law,” they wrote in a statement.

The Trump administration said it was prepared to appeal the decision.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in an emailed statement that the ruling “delays justice and seeks to kneecap the President’s constitutionally vested powers under Article II,” referring to his executive powers.

Jean-Michel Gisnel cries out while praying with other congregants at the First Haitian Evangelical Church of Springfield, Jan. 26, 2025, in Springfield, Ohio. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)

“Haiti’s TPS was granted following an earthquake that took place over 15 years ago, it was never intended to be a de facto asylum program, yet that’s how previous administrations have used it for decades,” she said in the statement. “The Trump administration is restoring integrity to our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe, and we expect a higher court to vindicate us in this. We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side.”

Half a million migrants, many from Haiti, were granted TPS under Biden-era programs introduced in 2023 to create legal immigration routes for nationals of Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti. In October, the Biden administration announced that it would not renew the programs, after suspending them in August following an internal report that flagged possible sponsorship fraud. Despite the suspension, beneficiaries of the programs would still enjoy their legal status until it expired.

In March, the Trump administration overturned the programs, urging beneficiaries to self-deport by late April or prepare to face immigration arrests.

Evaluate Your Summer Church Communication Strategy

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It doesn’t matter what you say in staff meetings. What does the voice of your church, your communications, say are your priorities? Especially summer church communications.

Jesus told us that “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, (Luke 6:45)” and we know that’s true. If we are angry with someone, it always comes out. Maybe in nasty, little snide comments, maybe in screaming. If we love someone, we can’t help but smile when we are with them or thinking about them.

We may want to hide either emotion, but it seldom works. No matter what we say, “I’m not angry, just frustrated” or “No, he’s really just a friend” our words and actions will always show what is in our hearts.

It’s the same with your church. You can have the most biblical, Great Commission-centered mission statement ever. Your leadership board can decide that this year the focus will be on outreach and discipleship and the congregation can agree those are great goals. But are these truly at the heart of your church? Do you honestly care about reaching unchurched people with the good news of Jesus and growing your current members into mature disciples? Do these convictions result in action?

RELATED: Streamline What You’re Saying!

Evaluate Your Summer Church Communication Strategy

This is very easy to evaluate. Look at the recent communications—your social media, newsletter, church bulletin. What are they about? As I write this, it’s summer and I had the opportunity to compare two sets of church communications from two churches where they talk about their communications. The defining details are changed so as not to embarrass any member of the Body of Christ, but here is a summary of each one from an overview of their summer communications.

I selected summer as a time to evaluate because we tend to be very intentional about this time. Churches have incredible opportunities to either make a great impact for the Kingdom of God or to be selfishly inward-focused. The following are true stories.

Keys to Summer Church Communication

Summer is the time where this church holds special outreach and training opportunities.

Once a week, they have a low-cost family meal at the church, free child care, and then different classes ranging from ones that are designed specifically for people not familiar with the church, “Why is the Bible different from any other religious book?” and ones for current Christians who want to grow in their faith such as “What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in the secular workplace?” and theological classes such as “An overview of GRACE in the Old and New Testaments” taught by professors from the local seminary. They do an extensive amount of advertising to get people outside the church invited to these events and invitations and social media are created for church members to enable them to invite friends and neighbors. They look at summer as a time for intentional outreach to their community and a time to challenge church attenders to grow as disciples of Jesus.

Why Small Group Ministries Fail

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Many churches have attempted to start small groups, only to abort shortly after takeoff. I’ll share why small group ministries fail: the top 10 ways to ensure the failure of your group.

Why Small Group Ministries Fail

  1. Make sure the senior pastor isn’t in a group. If small groups aren’t modeled by the pastor, they won’t have much of a chance for success. (Amy and I host two small groups in our home.)
  2. Make sure the senior pastor doesn’t talk about small groups. If small groups don’t ever find their way into a sermon, it will help reduce the likelihood of success.
  3. Make sure small groups are not staffed or resourced properly. To guarantee your groups fail, don’t staff them, buy them curriculum, announce them or get your best volunteers involved.
  4. Make sure small group leaders aren’t trained. When you do get some small group leaders, don’t train them. Let them figure it out on their own.
  5. Make sure the church doesn’t address childcare needs. Pretend all small groups don’t have any childcare needs. Don’t open the church one or two nights a week to provide childcare. Don’t pay for childcare like I’ve heard North Point does. Ignore childcare needs completely.

RELATED: 35 Small Group Evaluation Questions

Find more reasons why small group ministries fail on Page Two . . .

Forgiveness Bible Lesson for Preteens: Free Study for Sunday School

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Use this free forgiveness Bible lesson with preteens at your church.

Forgiveness is difficult for anyone at any age. Letting go of the hurt and anger we feel when someone wounds us is challenging. And forgiveness is uniquely difficult for preteens. At this stage, kids develop fierce loyalties to friends. Plus, they’re testing newly discovered (and still awkward) social skills.

Preteens try on and discard ways of relating like clothing in a mall dressing room. Inevitably, one friend offends another, and hurt and confusion result. The upside? This dynamic creates ever-present opportunities for kids to practice forgiveness.

Preteens are also characterized by a keen sense of justice and concrete thinking (“it’s either this or that” and not much in between). When preteens feel a situation is wrong or unfair, they’re quick to grow indignant.

This lesson teaches preteens that even when people hurt us, God urges us to take the next step. We can forgive when we’ve been wronged because God, who’s been wronged infinitely more, has forgiven us.

To help preteens better understand this concept, use this forgiveness Bible lesson.

Forgiveness Bible Lesson for Preteens

Say: Sometimes we get tired of forgiving the same thing over and over and over. In Matthew 18, Jesus’ followers were trying to figure out when they could quit forgiving someone who did the same bad thing over and over.

Ask

  • Tell about a time you kept forgiving someone for the same thing over and over.

Say: One way Jesus responded to his friends was to teach them in parables, using a simple spiritual lesson with a point. This parable from Jesus has three main people. There’s a king and the first man, who owed the king a lot of money—millions of dollars in today’s money. Then there’s the second man, who owed the first man one day’s worth of pay.

Forgiveness in Scripture

Have kids form three groups, and give each group a Bible. Assign the following sections of Scripture to each group: Matthew 18:23-27; Matthew 18:28-31; and Matthew 18:32-34.

Allow time for groups to read their passages.

Say: Think about what happened in your Scripture passage. Then with your group, pretend that it’s later that evening, after all the action in the parable is over. The first debtor in the parable is exchanging text messages with a friend, trying to describe his eventful day.

Distribute paper and pencils. Then instruct groups to discuss what kinds of texts the debtor would send and then write them down.

Give groups 10 minutes to work. After time is up, have a representative from each group tell about its text messages in chronological order.

Kids Need Jesus and These 4 Key Truths from the Bible

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Kids need Jesus, just like grownups do! Learn practical tips for sharing Jesus and Jesus-centered truths with children.

The team at Group recently sat down with Christian mental health professionals who work with youth and families. As people who love and care for kids, we wanted to understand how we can equip leaders like you to serve kids and guide them through issues like anxiety, loneliness, and depression.

These counselors shared mental health challenges kids and families face today and ways the mental health community is acting. Then one seasoned professional exclaimed, “Yet as Christians, we have so much more to offer! We have true solutions.”

This truth resonated. In a wild world, we have Jesus.

The book of John records Jesus’ words to his closest followers just before his arrest and crucifixion. He knew that anxious times lay ahead for them. Jesus saw that they’d feel worried and alone. He already anticipated Simon Peter’s feelings of defeat and shame. Jesus knew their world would be rocked. So what did he say?

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

That’s what we want for kids—to take heart because they can trust Jesus.

Kids Need Jesus: 4 Truths That Matter to Children

1. Jesus welcomes and loves me—questions and all!

Kids are full of questions. In fact, a study found that kids ask on average 73 questions every day! They wonder about everything from “What’s for dinner?” to “Why didn’t God heal my sick friend?” It’s okay to allow kids to wonder about Jesus and ask questions. We can assure kids that Jesus welcomes our wonderings!

Think about Nicodemus. This learned leader approached Jesus with countless questions. By giving kids the freedom to ask, we show them our fearless faith in Jesus. We may not have every answer, but we trust Jesus to reveal his truth when we need it.

2. Jesus is a friend I can trust.

In the noise and clamor of children’s ministry, it may seem that no child is lonely. But simply putting kids together in a room doesn’t mean they’re connecting as friends. In a 2023 study, 40% of children and adolescents reported feeling mild or moderate loneliness, and 10% felt severely alone.

As we reach kids in our communities, it’s important to help them develop friend-making skills and point them to the truth that Jesus is a friend forever. Jesus assured his closest friends of this as he prepared to return to heaven. “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

3. Jesus offers the hope I desperately need.

The results of the American Psychiatric Association’s 2024 poll on mental health likely come as no surprise. Among adults, 43% say they feel more anxious than they did the previous year. And kids are sponges, soaking up our worry, depression, and fear. No wonder their world feels wild—out-of-control, unstable, and hopeless.

Now more than ever, kids need Jesus! What a critical time to point kids to the True North of Jesus! He offers rock-solid hope when the world seems upside down. Matthew’s Gospel shares Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus: “And his name will be the hope of all the world” (Matthew 12:21).

Children’s and family ministry gives kids and their grown-ups a firm bedrock on which to stand. The hope of Jesus provides comfort, peace, love, and eternal life!

New Life Church Faces More Fallout Linked to Robert Morris Abuse Allegations

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New Life Church's former Pastor Brady Boyd speaks on Sunday, April 27. Screengrab from YouTube / @NewLifeChurchCO

Less than two weeks after elders at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, announced they had asked Senior Pastor Brady Boyd to resign, it is now known the team has asked two other top leaders to depart as well. Lance Coles, executive pastor of adult discipleship, and Brian Newberg, chief financial officer and head of human resources, will leave New Life “after a transition period,” according to elders.

Coles and Newberg, who were on the 2007 search committee that hired Boyd, have been removed from New Life’s website. So has Pam Boyd, Brady Boyd’s wife, who had served as women’s ministry pastor.

In a question-and-answer handout distributed to congregants on Sunday (June 29), elders shared news about the resignations of Coles and Newberg. The seven-member leadership team also said it considers Boyd to be unrepentant and disqualified from ministry at New Life.

RELATED: Brady Boyd Resigns as Pastor of New Life Church Amid Accusations That He Knew About Robert Morris’ Alleged Child Sex Abuse

Meanwhile, supporters of Boyd demonstrated outside New Life’s main campus on June 29. Some congregants who spoke to the media said they’re frustrated with how church leaders have handled the situation.

New Life Church’s Connection to the Robert Morris Scandal

New Life, a nondenominational megachurch, has been rocked by its links to a sexual abuse scandal involving Robert Morris, founder and former pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. Before coming to New Life in 2007, Brady Boyd served as an associate senior pastor and elder at Gateway while Morris was on staff.

Boyd later appointed Morris as an overseer of New Life. The two pastors also occasionally preached at each other’s churches.

In June 2024, Cindy Clemishire accused Morris of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12 and he was 22. Previously, Morris had described the incident as “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady.”

Morris, now 63, faces five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 100 years in prison. His next court date is scheduled for September.

Although Boyd said Morris had previously confessed a “moral failure” from decades ago, Boyd has strongly denied knowing Clemishire’s age at the time of the alleged abuse. “I was deceived, I was lied to,” Boyd told New Life congregants on June 8.

Is the Mark of the Beast Really 666?—Wes Huff Explains Discrepancies in Biblical Manuscripts

Wes Huff on the Mark of the Beast
Screengrab via YouTube / @Wes Huff

As a Ph.D. student in New Testament, apologist Wes Huff has taken a deep dive into Scripture. In a recent social media post, Huff explained some discrepancies in the numbers associated with the Mark of the Beast.

“Everyone knows the number of the beast from the biblical book of Revelation, right?” Huff asked. “It’s 666. That’s just common knowledge!”

We ‘Often Expect To Find the Variants We Do,’ Says Wes Huff—Including Details of the Mark of the Beast

Apologist Wes Huff has become well-known for his appearances on “The Joe Rogan Experience” and other podcasts. Between various interviews and discussions about Christianity, Huff has continued working towards his Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College.

In a series of posts, Huff covered a single topic from Revelation: the Mark of the Beast. The symbol of allegiance to the “Beast,” often referred to as the Antichrist, allows those who bear the mark to buy and sell goods. However, Scripture warns of punishment for taking the mark. Scholars have interpreted Scripture to mean that the mark is “666,” or the name of the beast.

“In the ancient world numbers held significance,” Huff said. “Many languages like, Hebrew and Greek, functioned alpha-numerically, with each letter equalling a number.”

Huff explained, “If you open a modern translation of the Bible to Revelation 13:18 it will read: ‘This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.'”

There are thousands of biblical manuscripts. Throughout the process of capturing stories and details from biblical times, countless scribes have preserved this sacred text.

Huff explained that the “oldest fragmentary copy of Revelation” containing this text is different. The same verse in this manuscript “lists the number as 616 (chi (600) + i (1) + stau (6)).”

The same number is found in Codex Ephraemi Syri, one of the “most important copies of Revelation” according to Huff. The number referred to in Revelation 13:18 is 616.

Huff isn’t the first person to uncover this discrepancy. In fact, Irenaeus wrote “Against Heresies” around the year A.D. 180. Irenaeus outlined the same difference in numbers, 666 versus 616, in Revelation. He concluded that the “earliest and most reliable copies have ‘666’ and that is the one to be taken and preferred as the original.”

With access to manuscripts and evidence, Huff concluded the same, with “all the evidence on the side of Revelation 13:18 reading ‘666.’”

While he found it fascinating to compare ancient manuscripts of the Bible, Huff argued that this difference isn’t all that important. In fact, scholars have come to expect variants and are “never caught off guard or at a loss.”

‘Are Pigs Flying?’—Riley Gaines Celebrates UPenn’s Agreement with Education Department Over Transgender Athletes

President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing a “No Men in Women’s Sports” Executive Order, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Abe McNatt). The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) entered into a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education regarding an investigation into UPenn’s compliance with Title IX over the university’s stance on women’s sports. Among the actions items UPenn agreed to was to update its women’s swimming records, which include those of transgender athlete Lia Thomas. 

“UPenn has agreed to right its wrongs, restore records to the rightful female athletes, and issue an apology to the women impacted by the man they allowed to compete as a woman,” said activist and 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines. 

Gaines became an advocate for keeping men out of women’s sports after tying for fifth place with trans athlete Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title. Gaines later publicly shared that she had to share a locker room with Thomas and that doing so made her uncomfortable.

“Are pigs flying?” Gaines asked in a July 1 post celebrating the news. “God bless @realDonaldTrump.”’

RELATED: Riley Gaines Expresses ‘Disbelief’ After Simone Biles Calls Her ‘Sick’ for Advocating Against Trans Athletes

University of Pennsylvania and Department of Education Reach Resolution Agreement

On Feb. 5, Riley Gaines appeared at the White House with other female athletes to show her support for an executive order (EO) from President Trump titled, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

The EO cited Title IX, which “prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance,” and stated: 

In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.

“It is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities,” said the EO, “which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

On Feb. 6, the Department of Education announced several investigations, including one into the University of Pennsylvania regarding whether UPenn had violated Title IX by giving Lia Thomas “a male, a roster spot on the Women’s Swimming and Diving team.” 

Also on Feb. 6, the NCAA responded to the EO by announcing a policy change regarding transgender athletes: “The new policy limits competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”

Why the Holy Spirit is More Relevant Now Than Ever Before

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The world feels louder, faster, and more confusing than ever. Technology has advanced, society is shifting rapidly, and many are feeling anxious, spiritually dry, or disconnected from truth. In the midst of all this noise, Christians are asking deeper questions: Where is God in all this? How do I stay rooted? How do I discern truth from lies?

The answer lies in one of the most powerful, often misunderstood gifts God gave us: the Holy Spirit.

Far from being an ancient theological concept or a mysterious church doctrine, the Holy Spirit is God’s living, active presence available to every believer—right now. And in a time when truth is contested, identity is confused, and faith is often mocked, the Holy Spirit is not just relevant—He’s essential.

Who Is the Holy Spirit?

Before we talk about why the Holy Spirit is so relevant today, we need to understand who He is.

The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Not a force, not an energy, and not a vague feeling, the Holy Spirit is fully God. He is the same Spirit who hovered over the waters in Genesis, empowered Jesus during His earthly ministry, and was poured out on believers in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost.

Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, the Helper, the Advocate, and the Spirit of Truth. In John 14:26, He said:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

The Holy Spirit is not limited by time, space, or circumstance. He was relevant at creation, relevant at Pentecost, and—perhaps more than ever—He is relevant today.

5 Powerful Ways the Holy Spirit Transforms Your Life and Ministry

1. The Holy Spirit Guides Us in a World Full of Noise

We are constantly bombarded by information—news headlines, opinions, social media posts, and cultural narratives. It’s easy to become overwhelmed or deceived by half-truths, trends, or even religious-sounding ideologies.

But Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth (John 16:13). That means we don’t have to navigate confusion alone.

The Holy Spirit brings clarity, conviction, and confirmation. He helps us discern between God’s voice and the enemy’s lies. He quiets the chaos and reminds us of who we are and whose we are.

In a world where people are desperate for wisdom, the Holy Spirit is our divine Counselor.

2. The Holy Spirit Empowers the Church in a Time of Decline

Church attendance is declining in many parts of the Western world. People are leaving organized religion, and many feel disillusioned by church scandals, hypocrisy, or division.

RELATED: How the Holy Spirit Changed My Life in One Moment

But the early church didn’t grow because of clever branding or perfect leadership—it grew because of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8 says,

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses…”

The Spirit empowered ordinary people—fishermen, tax collectors, former outcasts—to preach boldly, love radically, and live sacrificially.

That same power is available today. We don’t need to manufacture revival; we need to make room for the Holy Spirit.

5 Reasons You Haven’t Seen Your Breakthrough Yet—and What God Might Be Doing Instead

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Have you ever felt like you were right on the edge of something big—like God was about to open a door, shift your season, or answer that long-prayed prayer—but somehow, it never came? That feeling of “almost there” can be deeply frustrating, especially when you’re doing your best to follow God, obey His Word, and trust His timing. You’re praying, fasting, believing—but still, no spiritual breakthrough.

If that’s you, you’re not alone. In fact, many believers experience delay or discouragement when waiting for a spiritual breakthrough. The Bible is filled with stories of people who waited, struggled, and wrestled before their moment came. So the question is not if God wants to give you a breakthrough—the question is what might be standing in the way.

Let’s explore some of the hidden reasons why you may be missing your spiritual breakthrough and, more importantly, how to stop missing it.

Understanding a Spiritual Breakthrough

A spiritual breakthrough is when something shifts in your life on a deep level. It’s when a prayer is answered, a long-standing battle is won, or a personal revelation changes everything. It’s when the wall you’ve been circling finally falls, when freedom replaces bondage, and when God moves in a way that transforms your heart and your circumstances.

Breakthroughs are real. They happen. But often, they don’t happen the way—or when—we expect.

The Bible shows us that breakthroughs usually follow seasons of perseverance, obedience, and preparation. Think of Joshua and the walls of Jericho. Think of Paul and Silas singing in prison. Think of Peter stepping out of the boat. Each breakthrough required trust, faith, and obedience in a moment of pressure or uncertainty.

So what’s keeping yours from coming?

5 Reasons You Haven’t Seen Your Breakthrough Yet

1. You’re Fighting in the Flesh Instead of the Spirit

One of the biggest reasons we miss a spiritual breakthrough is because we’re using the wrong weapons.

Ephesians 6:12 says,

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and the rulers of darkness…”

Trying to overcome spiritual obstacles with human strategies is like bringing a spoon to a sword fight. You can’t reason your way into freedom. You can’t manipulate your way into peace. You can’t achieve with effort what only comes by surrender.

Ask yourself: Am I trying to fix this with logic instead of prayer? Am I talking to everyone but God? Am I relying on my own strength more than the Spirit?

RELATED: Prayer: Breakthrough to Communion With God

If so, it’s time to shift your battle strategy. Prayer, fasting, worship, and the Word are not suggestions—they are spiritual weapons. And if you’ve stopped using them, you may have unknowingly laid down the very tools that bring breakthrough.

2. You’re Listening to the Wrong Voices

God may be speaking, but you might be too distracted to hear Him.

In today’s culture, noise is everywhere—social media, news, opinions, entertainment. Sometimes, it’s not the voice of the enemy that steals your breakthrough; it’s the constant hum of distractions.

Breakthrough often requires focus. Elijah didn’t hear God in the earthquake or the fire—he heard Him in the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12). That means we need quiet spaces to hear divine instruction. If you’re constantly filling your mind with the world’s voice, you may be tuning out the whisper of God.

How to Recognize a Divine Setup Disguised as a Setback

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What if your delay isn’t denial—but divine strategy?

We’ve all been there: doors close unexpectedly, relationships shift, plans fall apart, and everything you thought was certain suddenly unravels. In those moments, it’s easy to label the season as a setback. But heaven often calls it something else:

A setup.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (Genesis 50:20)

This is the revelation Joseph lived out. Betrayed. Abandoned. Forgotten. But not for long—because God was orchestrating a setup that looked like a setback.

God Moves Through Reversals

The Kingdom is filled with divine reversals:

  • Prisoners becoming rulers
  • Outcasts becoming prophets
  • Wilderness wanderers becoming warriors

And most of the time, the setup begins with disruption.

Why? Because God uses disruption to redirect us. He closes doors not to frustrate you, but to protect and reposition you.

RELATED: Your Greatest Setback Might Be God’s Greatest Setup

Signs You’re in a Divine Setup

It’s not always obvious when God is working behind the scenes. But here are signs that your setback may actually be a setup:

  • You feel pruned, but strangely at peace
  • What you lost is being replaced by something better—internally or externally
  • Closed doors led you into new clarity
  • Old habits are being removed, new hunger is rising
  • You’re starting to see the hand of God in the places you once saw chaos

In divine setups, faith is built in what you can’t yet explain.

The Pain of the Process

Let’s be real—setups hurt.

Jesus faced one too. The cross looked like a public failure. But it was the greatest setup in human history.

The resurrection wouldn’t have happened without the betrayal. The ascension wouldn’t have happened without the tomb. Your setup may feel like death, but it could be birthing destiny.

“Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed…” (John 12:24)

Sometimes God allows something to die so something greater can rise.

Setbacks Are Often Redirections

Moses was exiled before he was elevated. David was hunted before he was crowned. Paul was shipwrecked before he reached the island of miracles.

Your current interruption may be heaven’s redirection.

God doesn’t waste wilderness seasons. He doesn’t abandon dreams. He refines the vessel so the assignment won’t destroy you later.

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