VENTURA, CA – The Barna Group published a book by David Kinnaman in 2011 entitled You Lost Me. Kinnaman identified three trends that the expanding growth of a digital culture might have on the Christian community: Access, Alienation, and Authority. In October 2019, Barna described Christianity in America as an “accelerated, complex culture that’s marked…
VIENNA – The world water crisis is real. More than 2.3 billion people live in water-scarce areas. While the crisis may not affect you personally, about one-third of the world’s population contends with water scarcity daily. Water stress occurs when less than 1,500 cubic meters of water per year are available to residents of any…
ROCK VALLEY, IA – Hope Haven International is a Christian faith-based organization (FBO) committed to unleashing the potential in children and adults who are mentally or physically challenged. Founded in 1959, the first Hope Haven community opened in 1964 with three staff members serving 11 children in a caring, Christian environment. Today, Hope Haven provides…
WILLS POINT, TX – The emergence and spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated headlines for nearly a month. A Google search on the word “coronavirus” yields a return of over 4.5 billion responses, even though most people were unaware of the virus until early February. There is no cure for coronavirus, nor is…
NASHVILLE, TN – Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the late evangelist, Billy Graham, and president of AnGeL Ministries in Raleigh, North Carolina, spoke to the assembled crowd at the Closing Gala Dinner of the NRB’s 2020 Christian Media Convention on Friday evening, February 28th. In no uncertain terms, she encouraged her listeners to, “Read your…
VENTURA, CA – The Barna Group has released the second of its monthly articles on the State of the Church 2020. The March 4th report is entitled, “Signs of Decline & Hope Among Key Metrics of Faith.” Unfortunately, there are more signs of decline than of hope. The report is based on more than nearly…
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – The Jerusalem Post has reported that Israeli scientists are “on the cusp” of delivering an effective vaccine to prevent the new coronavirus. The good news comes while the country itself is contending with its first cases of the influenza. The bad news is that the WHO has labeled the risk of the…
NEW YORK – Many faith-based organization (FBO) workers witness the abuse of women and female children nearly every day. Some FBOs are entirely devoted to aiding women and those who are disadvantaged due to cultural discrimination. Many other FBOs that began with the objective of ministering to the poor in the name of Jesus discover…
NASHVILLE, TN – Pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, spent 23 years serving the Lord in Turkey, hosting a house of prayer. He and Norine were taken into custody, falsely accused of terrorism, in October 2016. Norine was released and returned to North Carolina. Andrew spent the next two years in a Turkish prison….
NASHVILLE, TN – On the last Friday of February, the Resolutions Committee of the National Association of Religious Broadcasters (NRB) published six significant resolutions in conjunction with its annual convention in Nashville.The sixth and final resolution applies to the preservation of certain inalienable rights recognized by the United States Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.The…
SHANGHAI – On this day 166 years ago, a man sent from God set foot in China for the first time. It would change his life. More importantly, it would change the life of the Chinese people for more than a century and a half until this present day in 2020.That man was James Hudson…
NASHVILLE, TN – On February 11, 2020, LifeWay Research released the results of a survey of pastors on the subject of same-sex marriage. The study was conducted to assess the changes, if any, among Protestant pastors of various denominations, educational achievements, race, and gender since LifeWay conducted a similar review a decade ago. There have…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) VP Danny Yohannan encouraged Christians to leverage Lent to pray for the coronavirus crisis, and those suffering from its impact, and to prepare our hearts to help those in need around the world. In a press release featured on Fox News, Yohannan said: “Our world today desperately…
WASHINGTON, DC – Out of fear and an abundance of caution, the coronavirus has been dominating news headlines just as we enter the Christian celebration of Lent.Pundits, physicians, and politicians are debating the potential of a coronavirus pandemic. Some say there is no reason to worry about the deadly virus that has already claimed the…
VIENNA, AUSTRIA – World poverty. It’s bad. We all know that. But how bad is it, really? Is it as pervasive as we imagine? Or is it worse? And how are we doing to achieve the Number 1 Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations to eradicate world poverty by 2030? Extreme poverty is defined…
MARION, NC – The specialty of Equip International is unique among faith-based missions organizations. Barrie and Tillie Flitcroft founded Equip in 1996 after serving on several mission fields. Despite distinct differences in the countries where they served, they, nonetheless, observed some common needs they felt led to address. The Equip International website explains that: “After…
ENGLEWOOD, CO – The followers of Christ have had to stand in the face of onslaughts of everything from outright antagonism to subtle introductions of heresy within the church. During the 1930s and 40s, a movement of “higher criticism” began questioning the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible and historically accurate and closely-held precious beliefs…
The World Day of Social Justice has been observed on January 20th by a declaration of the United Nations General Assembly since 2008. Social Justice sounds like a worthy cause. It is, in fact, a term often used by NGOs to describe the nature of their charitable work. However, it has become increasingly apparent that…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) founded by KP Yohannan. The question is, “Why Bangladesh?” For the answer, let’s begin in Iowa. Iowa ranks as the 26th state in land area, measuring 310 miles by 200 miles. Its population is about 3.1 million people. I drove through Iowa once, but I don’t…
HAITI – “Do you want to know what it is like to live in Haiti? I mean really, do they have it THAT bad there? “Picture your house, mentally remove EVERYTHING that uses either electricity or running water. Now, remove all carpeting and stuffed furniture, including the bed. Replace this with a straw mat. No…
Thirsty? Grab a glass and fill it with water from the tap in the kitchen. Or, you might want to draw it from your refrigerator door along with some ice, crushed or cubed. Or, you might reach inside the fridge and grab a bottle of purified water you purchased at the grocery store. Then sit…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World), founded by KP Yohannan. The bicycle had not been invented yet when the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome. If they had existed, when Paul wrote Romans 10:13-15, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how…
One of the most read books about Christianity of the past 60 years has been The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. It is a powerful and challenging book. Every believer should read it.Former megachurch pastor Francis Chan wrote a similar best-selling book in 2008, entitled Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. Both authors…
SAO PAULO – Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro appeared unexpectedly at the Send Conference in Sao Paulo, surprising the 140,000 people in attendance at the Brasilia National Stadium. Bolsonaro appeared at his own initiative and was, of course, invited to speak to the crowd assembled to worship together and to hear teaching by noted evangelical Christian…
LANSING, IL – Not many ministries are blessed to have been active for more than 130 years. When Willian E. Blackstone published Jesus Is Coming in 1878, it became the precursor for forming the Chicago Hebrew Mission nine years later.The thrust of the ministry was to help meet the spiritual and physical needs of the…
SAN JUAN, PR – Pray for the people of Puerto Rico. The U.S. island territory is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in July 2019. It is now suffering from a series of damaging earthquakes over the past month. Only one death has been reported as of mid-afternoon on January 8, but…
ST LOUIS, MO – As I sit down to write, it is somewhat ironic that Spring Training for Major League Baseball is about to begin. This story is about how Jesus Christ transformed All-Star first-baseman Albert Pujols just before he started his major league career. For those unfamiliar with Pujols, his baseball stats put him…
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Ranches is a Christian organization that is dedicated to “Rekindling Hope in Today’s Youth.” Missions Box News typically features faith-based organizations that operate in distant and even remote parts of the world. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that there are families and children right here in America who face similar…
WASHINGTON, DC – The passage of the FY2020 Federal spending bill on December 19th ensures government funding for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom for another three years. Congress must re-approve funding of the USCIRF before the 2023 fiscal year. Although many government programs are included in the $1.4 trillion package, the USCIRF came…
KERALA, INDIA – January 26 is celebrated annually as Republic Day in India. The holiday observes the anniversary of the date in 1950 when the Constitution of India became law. Although the actual document was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on the 26th of November, 1949, the effective date was purposely set as January 26…
VENTURA, CA – George Barna may be one of the most often quoted laypersons by pastors and Christian educators. His creation of the Barna Group in 1984 has grown to be recognized as the leading social research entity in the fields of faith and religion in America.This April 28, the Barna Group will release its…
KARACHI – Pakistan has already begun to feel the leading edge of what is currently the worst locust outbreak in more than 25 years. The locust invasion of more than 360 billion creatures started in the Middle East, moved to Africa, and is now invading South Asia. The swarm, described as “Biblical in proportion,” has…
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – During the weekend from May 14 through 17 this year, the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and Breakpoint will present China Aid founder, Bob Fu, with the 2020 William Wilberforce Award. The Wilberforce Weekend is the annual flagship event for the Colson Center. The China Aid website describes Bob Fu as…
WUHAN – Americans have become aware of Wuhan, China because it appears to be the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus. Wuhan is also making headlines as one of the regions where the police have already begun implementing the Administrative Measures for Religious Groups slated to become law throughout the country effective February 1, 2020. “The…
FORT WASHINGTON, PA – The staff and missionaries at World Evangelization for Christ (WEC International) live according to this well-known statement of its founder, and missionary to the world, C.T. Studd. “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” In fact,…
SAO PAULO – Jair Bolsonaro has been the elected President of Brazil since January 1, 2019. Brazil’s liberals and secular humanists were unable to prevent Bolsonaro from winning his 2018 presidential campaign. Christians and conservatives rallied to support his campaign that opposed homosexuality, same-sex marriage, abortion, and drug liberalization with 55 percent of the vote….
TRANG BANG, VIETNAM – On June 8, 1972, a South Vietnamese pilot mistook a group of villagers from the village of Trang Bang. Believing them to be North Vietnamese military, he dropped his load of napalm bombs on the already frightened villagers.The tragedy wrought on those innocent citizens that day would have been entirely indescribable…
CHICAGO – The Pacific Garden Mission is the oldest continuously operating rescue mission in the United States. George and Sarah Clarke originally opened PGM in a small storefront on Chicago’s South Clark Street. 2020 marks the beginning of the mission’s 143rd year of transforming the lives of the city’s homeless and destitute. The transformation starts…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) has just released an updated special report entitled “Progress in the Fight Against Leprosy.” The most important word in that title is “progress.” Progress suggests that there is hope for eliminating leprosy. And, there is. The Gospel for Asia (GFA) report, an addendum to 2019’s “Leprosy: Misunderstandings…
BEIRUT – CNN reported this morning on the growing and potentially crippling crisis in Lebanon. A crisis of which most of us have been unaware. The National Crisis “Lebanon [is] mired in its worst economic crisis since its 15-year civil war. The country is buckling under a severe liquidity crisis, with informal and irregular capital…
SOUTH ASIA – Christians are under attack on all continents. It is quite clear why Jesus called us to be lights in the darkness. So much is reported about the darkness, we need to be reminded that some people are still drawn to the light and are finding joy in Jesus. And the Lord is…
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Congratulations are in order for ORPHANetwork as it celebrates 20 years of ministry during 2020. It all began when a youth group from a church in Virginia Beach went on a short-term mission trip to Nicaragua in the 1990s. Their eyes were opened and their hearts were broken because of the…
BEIRUT, LEBANON – Missions Box News has published myriads of articles over the past several years informing our readers of the global refugee crisis. The families displaced by the Syrian conflict have been a major focal point of the crisis for global media outlets.Recently, reports have begun to surface, not only about the common plight…
SHORELINE, WA – The beginning of what is now the CRISTA Family of Ministries was clearly orchestrated by the hand of the Lord. When, in 1948, Mike Martin prayed to establish a youth home in an abandoned tuberculosis sanitorium, circumstances were not at all favorable. Nonetheless, the county eventually leased the property to Martin for…
KERALA – My mother had a sewing machine. Both of my grandmothers had sewing machines. I haven’t seen a sewing machine up close in the 21st century. I had actually thought sewing machines had gone the way of IBM Selectric® typewriters and the manual typewriters that had preceded them.I certainly never thought of a sewing…
WASHINGTON, DC – The Gallup Organization released its Decade in Review report on New Year’s Eve 2019. The report includes four segments, focusing on Persistent Issues and Concerns, Striking Moments, Revolutionary Changes, and Lasting Effects. Among the Revolutionary Changes identified, Religion is listed along with Political Polarization, The US Economy, Marijuana, and Same-Sex Marriage. Did…
ALEXANDRIA, VA – What images come to mind when you think about The Salvation Army? A bell-ringer and a red kettle at Christmas? Thrift stores? Sadly, that is about the extent of what people generally know about this evangelistic Christian church/charity founded in 1865 by William and Catherin Booth. The Booths left the traditional pulpit…
TROY, MI – One of my earthly heroes has finished his mortal race. Jack Van Impe is safe in the arms of the Savior he loves. The January 18 announcement on the Jack Van Impe Ministries website simply stated “The beloved Dr. Jack Van Impe was welcomed into Heaven by His blessed Savior and Lord,…
MONUMENT, CO – With so many faith-based organizations focusing on the 10/40 Window across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, we rarely hear about the relatively few that are committed to spreading the Gospel throughout Europe. Europe is at the heart of GEM, Greater Europe Mission. They might even be tempted to borrow the…
KANSAS CITY, MO – Think Eternity, the ministry of evangelist Matt Brown, is inviting and encouraging 1,000,000 believers to begin this new decade with fasting and prayer for the days ahead. The movement is called the Roaring Twenties Fast. The fast is aimed primarily at young people so they will approach the 2020s with prayerful…
