WASHINGTON — A new Baylor University study provides evidence of the virtuous effects of religion on mental health among prisoners, affirming the mission of Prison Fellowship International (PFI) in-prison program, The Prisoner’s Journey® (TPJ). “This study confirms what we have believed for a long time,” said David Van Patten, Chief Operating Officer of PFI. “That…
LOVES PARK, IL — A one-of-a-kind podcast featuring inspiring stories from Ukraine, Russia, former Soviet countries and Israel will give Americans the hope they’re looking for, its producers say. “We’re delivering an entirely new type of podcast,” said Michael Johnson, president of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org) that produces “Encountering Hope – The Podcast.” “They’re…
NIGERIA — In the 2014 Nigeria kidnappings, Boko Haram kidnapped over 270 girls from their school in Chibok in northern Nigeria. Nine years on, nearly 100 girls are still missing, and their parents are in agony. Open Doors speaks to those mothers and fathers as they continue to deal with the trauma of their children…
EXPORT, PA — According to the latest Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research report, 99% of evangelical Protestants believe praying, reading the Bible, and having a strong Christian faith all contribute to positive mental health. Only 1% of evangelicals do not believe this. Ninety-six percent (96%) believe a strong Christian faith contributes to positive physical…
OKLAHOMA — Life.Church Worship released two new singles today and announced their brand-new live album, Sing As One, releasing July 21. The singles, titled “Clean Heart” and “Faithful (You Are),” showcase a diverse sound and heartfelt lyrics that aim to cut out distractions and help people fully experience the presence of God. The first song…
MICHIGAN – Joni and Friends Family Retreat specifically focus on families navigating the challenges of disability. They strive to create a rich, Christ-centered environment at each Family Retreat that is safe and accepting for each member of the family. Find out how life-transforming this was recently for the Rojas family. Gerardo Rojas: Our idea of…
NEW YORK — Christian pastor and author Timothy J. Keller died this morning at age 72. Timothy Keller was the son of William B. Keller and Louise A. Clemente Keller. He was born and grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, receiving his B.A. from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Seminary in S….
EUROPE — Over the past seven years Sports Chaplaincy UK has more than trebled the amount of people they have serving in the sports community across the country. GNA reporter Peter Wooding caught up with their chaplain at Chester Football Club Guy Lister. Each week a rapidly growing number of Christian chaplains faithfully minister behind…
NIGERIA — This month, Leah Sharibu from Nigeria turns 20. Her teenage years were spent mostly in captivity after bravely refusing to renounce Jesus after she was among more than 100 girls kidnapped in February 2018. Open Doors caught up with her mother, Rebecca, to find out how she and her husband are doing as…
ORLANDO, FL — Christ for all Nations (CfaN) has just completed a landmark campaign, making history in mass evangelism. Over the past two weeks, the trailblazing ministry, led by Daniel Kolenda, has conducted 11 mass evangelistic campaigns in 11 different cities and districts across the nation of Zambia. These campaigns lasted 5 nights in each…
ARGENTINA — An agreement in conjunction with the Chief of Cabinet of the Nation aims to unite actions in society to combat and fight human trafficking and exploitation. The Alliance of Evangelical Churches of Argentina, ACIERA, signed an agreement with the Committee on the Fight against the Treatment and Exploitation of People, an organization belonging…
BOGOTÁ — In Colombia, the “March for Life” was held, which reaffirms the country’s friendship with the Jewish people and rejects any type of anti-Semitism. Thousands of people attended this event, which took place in Bolivar Square. The March of Life began in 2007 when grandchildren of the authors of the Holocaust against the Jewish…
NAMIBIA — As God works through Operation Christmas Child to reach the remote Himba tribe in Namibia, southwest Africa, they are hearing, believing, embracing, and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Pastor Rizera Hipakua – Volunteer: Jesus Christ is my Savior. He’s my personal Savior. I really love Jesus. I want to follow Jesus…
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA — Joni and Friends works to equip and mobilize churches to welcome and embrace people with disabilities by removing barriers and creating a church culture that sees all people as indispensable parts of the body of Christ, created in God’s image, and worthy of dignity and respect. Parent 1: Our experience with…
ROMANIA — Didina was paralyzed at age 22 due to an unknown condition. Then for 30 years she lay in a small dark bedroom wanting to die to get free from the bed that felt like a prison.Joni and Friends Wheels for the World volunteers heard Didina’s story and came to provide her with physical…
NORMAN OK — A crowd of approximately 16,000 people converged on Oklahoma Memorial Stadium April 29 for “Fill the Stadium” (FTS). This Christian outreach included award-winning recording artists Chance the Rapper, Kari Jobe, and Chandler Moore and a message from Evangelist Nick Hall. The first-of-its-kind student-led event successfully reached a total of 50,000, including nearly…
ALBANIA — Christian leaders from 30 countries across Europe gathered in Albania recently for a conference to be equipped, inspired and pray for a move of God across the continent. GNA reporter Peter Wooding was there to find out more about the impact of this event. More than 120 believers who head up various ministries…
NORTHERN IRAQ — Sharo and Alex Ahmedi with Hope For Communities share how they are helping some of the most marginalized people and children in the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq. In partnership with the Christian children’s charity CRY they are teaching young people English and empowering them with life skills. Sharo & Alexis Ahmedi:…
LOVES PARK, IL — The Ukraine war and growing desperation in hard times are driving a surge in the number of children expected to flock to Bible camps this summer across the former Soviet Union, a region once steeped in atheism. Amid fears the Ukraine conflict could escalate at any moment, Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association…
GRAND GEDEH, LIBERIA — Samaritan’s Purse is helping mothers and children in Liberia where malnutrition and infant mortality rates are high by providing access to safe delivery rooms and critical maternal healthcare training. Daniel Ruiz – Samaritan’s Purse: The needs for mother and children across Liberia are many. Malnutrition rates are high. Maternal and infant…
COLOMBIA — Like many of the youth in Colombia, Reina* was recruited to the illegal armed groups who fight to gain and control territory for drug trafficking and other criminal activities. Now according to Open Doors in her forties, Reina has found faith in Christ and left her old way of a criminal life behind….
HOUSTON — On Saturday, April 29, churches and parachurch organizations from across the region descended on metro Houston to lend a helping hand to neighbors enduring varying levels of hardship. In partnership with Love Has No Limits (LHNL) for 1DayHouston, CityServe International resourced 96 local churches so they can provide tangible support as part of…
UKRAINE — A new report from the Institute for the Study of War claims Russia is ‘weaponizing religion’ in its conflict with Ukraine. It says Russia is persecuting churches in the occupied areas. Here’s Andrew Boyd from Release International. The report says Russian forces have closed or taken over 76 places of worship, looted or…
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Thursday, May 4, was America’s National Day of Prayer, a day when people of faith united to lift up pleas and intercessions before Almighty God on behalf of the nation. For nearly 22 years, The Presidential Prayer Team has actively encouraged prayer for the United States and those who are in positions…
ORLANDO, FL — Christ for All Nations (CfaN) has just completed an unprecedented week of coordinated events across Zambia. Over a two-week period, the trailblazing evangelistic ministry led by Daniel Kolenda will conduct large-scale evangelistic events in 11 different cities and districts throughout Zambia. This campaign marks a new milestone in the history of missionary…
WILLS POINT, TX – KP Yohannan, founder and director of GFA World (Gospel for Asia), whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, and Metropolitan of Believers Eastern Church, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide — shares on the impact of George Verwer, his life and ministry, radically changing lives….
CHAMPAIGN, IL — Helping mothers whose children are dying and honoring church members’ own mothers is a both/and. In a world where more than 1 million children under the age of five are expected to die this year, there are many grieving mothers. Many of their children will die from treatable causes. The leading causes…
NAPLES, FL — Biglife, a non-profit that empowers indigenous Christians to reach and disciple their local communities, has identified over 600 families — 8,500+ individuals, 80% of whom are women and children — under death threat by the Taliban because of their faith. Biglife aims to raise $4.5 million to secure the evacuation of these…
LOS ANGELES — Author Ray Comfort, CEO and founder of Living Waters Christian ministry, is giving away 500,000 hard copies of his book “Defender of the Faith: Ten Weird Facts about the Coronation,” to U.S audiences interested in the events happening in London this weekend to celebrate King Charles III’s official coronation. According to Comfort,…
TURKEY — Samaritan’s Purse has distributed over 3,500 tents and hygiene kits to families in Turkey whose homes were badly damaged or destroyed when devastating earthquakes struck the region. Fatma Daglen – Beneficiary: Life is very hard for us right now because most of Hatay has been destroyed in the earthquake. The working conditions have…
COLOMBIA — The Church Casa Sobre la Roca visited the women’s prison in the city of Armenia, Columbia, in alliance with the Colombian Prison Fraternity that supports people deprived of their freedom, the families of inmates, graduates of prisons, and victims of the Colombian armed conflict through various programs inside and outside prisons. Casa sobre…
LANCASTER, PA — After nearly four years of production, Sight & Sound® is thrilled to announce “DANIEL,” as the next brand-new original show premiering on their stage in Lancaster, PA, beginning in March 2024. Inviting audiences to witness one of the most powerful stories of the Old Testament, “DANIEL” carries a profound message of hope….
IRPIN, UKRAINE — On the second day of their mobile dental clinic the team from Kyiv Jewish Messianic Congregation had already treated 27 patients in Irpin, an area near Kyiv badly hit by the war. Dentist: This is the 2nd day of our mobile dental clinic field trip. In total, 27 people received treatment. Each…
WILLS POINT, TX — Few people knew George Verwer, legendary founder of Operation Mobilization (OM) who died April 14, in the same way as KP Yohannan, founder of GFA World, who first met Verwer at the age of 17. More than a half-century ago, Yohannan, the self-described “skinny village teenager,” responded to Verwer’s radical invitation…
SENEGAL, WEST AFRICA — It’s every parent’s joy to see their baby take their first steps. But for Binti and Ibrahima in Senegal, something troubled them about their daughter, Sira. She struggled to walk and stand. When Sira was six, her legs had bowed outwards.Her parents prayed for healing. One day, they heard of Mercy…
KOMANDA — Violence is continuing to displace Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo – but believers have not been forgotten. Thanks to the charity Open Doors displaced Christians in Komanda have received food and other relief aid. Man: It’s clear that the displaced people suffer enormously. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, ADF, an…
UKRAINE — Since the war began Russia has targeted faith-based locations all over Ukraine. Pastors have been killed. Ukraine Churches have been emptied because Ukrainians are fleeing for their lives. But the church is growing. According to Mission Eurasia there were 4,000 baptisms in 2022 in the Union of Evangelical Christians – Baptists alone, and…
ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI — Samaritan’s Purse volunteers in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, are helping clean up properties after a fierce tornado swept through the area and damaged or destroyed homes. But mainly they are “loving on homeowners” as one volunteer said and sharing with them the hope of Christ. Daniel Gerardo – Volunteer: I’m Daniel with…
AFGHANISTAN — After the takeover of the country by the Taliban, Afghan Christians share their reality and needs. On August 15, 2021, the Taliban reached the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, in the final step towards complete military takeover of the country. Later that month, the US military forces withdrew from the country, and the nation…
NORTHERN IRAQ — In 2014 when ISIS entered Mosul persecuted Iraqi Christian Namir was forced to flee the city with his family and seek safety in Northern Iraq in Erbil. But he struggled to earn a living to feed his family until he received help from Christian charity Help The Persecuted to start up his…
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — YouVersion and OneHope created the free Bible App for Kids in 2013 to encourage children to engage with God’s Word. Since then, the app has been installed by families in every country in the world. While it took seven years to reach the first 50 million installs, the app saw another…
SOUTH EAST ASIA — Jade* is an Open Doors worker who supports Muslim-background believers in a country in south east Asia. Tragically, she lost her fiancé in an attack on a church. But despite the tragedy, it’s because of his example that Jade herself came to enter the ministry. *Name changed for security reasons Jade…
UKRAINE —Samaritan’s Purse is providing warming centers in Ukraine where people can come to get warm, gain access to news, charge their phones, eat a hot meal, and find shelter during bombings. Ryan Lane – Samaritan’s Purse: Samaritan’s Purse is here in southeastern Ukraine, and indeed, all across the country, setting up warming centers like…
COLOMBIA — Christian music is a powerful tool for strengthening the faith of young evangelicals and conveying a message of love and hope. Recognized Christian musicians emphasize its positive impact on the spiritual life of young people. Christian music has become an important part of the lives of many evangelical young people. Young people are…
MEXICO — As migrants of many nations gather in improvised camps near the U.S. border, hope can come in the form of a solar-powered audio Bibles. American seminary students and church members visit a camp in Reynosa, Mexico, to deliver the Galcom devices, entertain the children, and bring comfort and aid to those fleeing conflict…
HARLINGEN, TX — Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect, is calling on communities across the country to recognize the annual Blue Sunday Day of Prayer for Abused Children on April 30th. Since 1994, Blue Sunday has been raising awareness about the devastating effects of child…
USA — Dr. Charles Stanley received the call to ministry at the age of fourteen. He passed away April 18th at the age of ninety. In his 65 years as a minister of the gospel, Dr Stanley served as a pastor, author, Bible teacher, and international Christian broadcaster through “In Touch Ministries”. In 65 years…
LONDON — Naz is a young Londoner who was angry, depressed and felt empty. He was among the 50% who don’t know a Christian. But thanks to the Body and Soul gym outreach at Word of Life Church in London, Naz gave his life to the Lord and now attends church twice a week, has…
WASHINGTON — Women and girls worldwide face compound persecution and discrimination due to their religion or belief. Yet, until today there has been no global landscape analysis of the state of women and freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). FoRB Women’s Alliance’s Women At the Table: Accelerating FoRB Capacity is the first such global exploration…
LATIN AMERICA — In recent years, the Evangelical Church has experienced significant growth in Latin America, transforming the religious and social landscape of the region. The increase in the number of evangelicals has been notable in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, and has sparked the interest of experts and scholars. In the…
