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        <title>Christian Daily International | US & Canada</title>
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            <title>Christian Daily International | US & Canada</title>
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        <copyright>Christian Daily International © 2026</copyright>
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                <title><![CDATA[Religion linked to better mental health by 10-to-1 margin, major research review finds]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/religion-linked-to-better-mental-health-by-10-to-1-margin-major-research-review-finds</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/religion-linked-to-better-mental-health-by-10-to-1-margin-major-research-review-finds</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/45/4518.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Worshippers, congregants, church, catholic, service]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash / Kaylee Stoll ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Worshippers attend a church service in a generic file photo. A new report from the Wheatley Institute, drawing on thousands of medical and social science studies, found that religious participation is associated with improved mental health nearly 10 to one over negative outcomes. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 08:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A comprehensive analysis of thousands of medical and social science studies has found that religious involvement is associated with better mental health outcomes far more often than not — with positive findings outnumbering negative ones by nearly 10 to one, according to a new report released by the Wheatley Institute.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A comprehensive analysis of thousands of medical and social science studies has found that religious involvement is associated with better mental health outcomes far more often than not — with positive findings outnumbering negative ones by nearly 10 to one, according to a new report released by the Wheatley Institute.
The report, "The Religion and Mental Health Connection," published earlier this month, draws on studies catalogued in the Oxford University Press Handbook of Religion and Health (2024) and covers a broad range of mental health domains, including depression, anxiety, suicide, substance abuse, stress and emotional well-being. It is the first in a three-part series on religion and health; upcoming installments will examine physical and social health.
Of more than 1,000 high-quality studies reporting significant findings, 961 found positive associations between religious involvement and mental health, compared to 101 that found negative associations, the report states.
"Across the mental health domains we examined, the best available science indicates that religious beliefs, practices, and participation in faith communities are most often linked to improved mental health outcomes," said Loren D. Marks, the report's lead author.
Suicide, depression and anxiety
The findings carry particular weight given rising rates of mental illness and suicide in many parts of the world. Christian Daily International previously reported on calls by Christian counselors for churches to take a more active role in confronting the mental health crisis, with panelists at a National Religious Broadcasters forum earlier this year describing current suicide rates in the United States as a national emergency.
The Wheatley Institute report adds a substantial body of empirical data to that conversation. Of 76 high-quality studies on suicide, 89% found lower rates among more religious individuals, the report states. Researchers cited in the analysis have estimated that declining weekly religious attendance may account for roughly 40% of the rise in the U.S. suicide rate. One study tracking nearly 110,000 health professionals found that women who attended religious services weekly were 75% less likely to die by suicide over a 16-year period, with men 48% less likely over 26 years.
Depression and anxiety showed similar patterns. Of 247 high-quality studies on depression, 74% reported better outcomes among more religious individuals. A longitudinal study of nearly 49,000 nurses found that weekly attenders had a 25% lower probability of depression over 16 years. Of 85 studies on anxiety, 69% found lower levels among more religious participants.
Hope, meaning and coping
The evidence was strongest in the area of positive emotional well-being. Of 251 high-quality studies, 93% reported that religious involvement correlated with greater life satisfaction, happiness, hope, self-esteem and optimism. On coping with stress, 86% of 103 high-quality studies found links between religious practice and constructive responses to adversity.
The report identifies what it describes as a "threshold effect": the mental health benefits of religion appear most pronounced among those with sustained, high levels of engagement — typically weekly or more frequent religious participation — and hold across age groups, racial and ethnic backgrounds and faith traditions.
"It is not nominal affiliation but committed religious involvement that appears to matter most," the report states.
Policy implications
The authors offer several recommendations based on the research, including building referral connections between healthcare providers and faith communities, equipping congregations to support suicide and substance abuse prevention in underserved areas, and recognizing religious participation as a voluntary complement — not a replacement — to professional mental health treatment.
The report also calls for protecting religious freedom and pluralism so that the documented benefits remain accessible across different faith traditions.
While acknowledging that harmful or coercive expressions of religion exist, the Wheatley Institute report concludes that the overall pattern across the available evidence is clear: religious belief and practice are strongly associated with better mental and emotional well-being.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[International Day for the Unreached set for Pentecost Sunday, May 24]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/international-day-for-the-unreached-set-for-pentecost-sunday-may-24</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/international-day-for-the-unreached-set-for-pentecost-sunday-may-24</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/46/4618.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Each dot on the Light the Nations map represents a prayer offered for an unreached people group. The tool, available at prayermap.joshuaproject.net, was developed by the Joshua Project ahead of the International Day for the Unreached on Pentecost Sunday, ]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Joshua Project ]]>
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                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Each dot on the Light the Nations map represents a prayer offered for an unreached people group. The tool, available at prayermap.joshuaproject.net, was developed by the Joshua Project ahead of the International Day for the Unreached on Pentecost Sunday, May 24. ]]>
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                                                                                                <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/46/4617.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Believers are sharing photos of the Third of Us symbol — three lines representing the roughly one-third of the worlds population without access to the gospel — as part of social media awareness efforts for the International Day for the Unreached on Pente]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ A Third of Us ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Believers are sharing photos of the Third of Us symbol — three lines representing the roughly one-third of the world's population without access to the gospel — as part of social media awareness efforts for the International Day for the Unreached on Pentecost Sunday, May 24. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 13:11:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Christian organizations are calling believers worldwide to pray, share and mobilize for the roughly 3.2 billion people who have no access to the gospel, as the International Day for the Unreached returns on Pentecost Sunday, May 24.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christian organizations are calling believers worldwide to pray, share and mobilize for the roughly 3.2 billion people who have no access to the gospel, as the International Day for the Unreached returns on Pentecost Sunday, May 24.
The observance, now in its 10th year, centers on an estimated 7,000 unreached people groups — communities where no indigenous church exists with the resources to evangelize the wider population without outside assistance. Missio Nexus and partners in the Third of Us Alliance have released a range of resources ahead of the day.
Among the new tools is a digital prayer map called Light the Nations, developed by the Joshua Project at the request of the Third of Us Alliance. Available at prayermap.joshuaproject.net, the map allows users to select an unreached people group and pray for them; each prayer lights up that group's location on the map.
A seven-day prayer guide walks participants through the world's major religious blocs and can be used at any point during the year. On May 24 itself, organizers are encouraging congregations to hold "concerts of prayer" focused on the least-reached populations. Missio Nexus will host its own online concert of prayer that evening via Zoom. Supporting materials include a PowerPoint guide and selected PrayerCast videos.
For churches and small groups looking for teaching content, available resources include a sermon outline for Pentecost Sunday, a seven-day devotional called Journey to Pentecost, a PowerPoint overview of what organizers call the "Unfinished Task," a small group discussion guide and an activity guide for youth programs.

To mark the day publicly, organizers are encouraging participants to post on social media using the Third of Us symbol — three lines separated by a space — along with downloadable graphics. Some participants have adopted the practice of drawing the symbol on their hand and posting a photo online. A downloadable poster and branded merchandise are also available.
As a follow-up to May 24, Missio Nexus is encouraging churches to formally adopt Frontier People Groups — defined as the highest-priority unreached peoples with the least known evangelical presence. Adoptions are being facilitated through the Joshua Project. Churches are also being invited to join the Third of Us Alliance, which connects congregations with mission agencies working in areas where the gospel has the least reach.
Further information and access to all resources is available at athirdofus.org/day-for-the-unreached.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Survey finds most American parents open to the Bible but rarely read it with children]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/survey-finds-most-american-parents-open-to-the-bible-but-rarely-read-it-with-children</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/survey-finds-most-american-parents-open-to-the-bible-but-rarely-read-it-with-children</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/33/3344.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Family discipleship begins at home, where couples and parents pass on faith by reading and living out Scripture together.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash / Shelby Murphy Figueroa ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Most American parents pray with their children regularly, but Bible reading together remains far less common, according to the American Bible Society's 2026 State of the Bible report. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 09:11:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Most American parents express openness to the Bible, yet fewer than one in seven reads Scripture with their children on a regular basis, according to a new report from the American Bible Society.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Most American parents express openness to the Bible, yet fewer than one in seven reads Scripture with their children on a regular basis, according to a new report from the American Bible Society.
The findings come from the second chapter of the organization's annual State of the Bible report, released May 14. The survey, fielded by NORC at the University of Chicago, drew on 2,649 online and phone interviews with American adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, conducted in January 2026.
Work-family balance topped the list of challenges facing parents, cited by 42% of respondents. Parenting fatigue and financial pressure each came in at 27%. The report found that Millennial parents were more likely than other generations to struggle with both work-family balance (49%) and exhaustion (35%), while Gen X parents were more likely to cite difficulty providing wise guidance to older children (29%).
The gap between mothers and fathers also appeared in the data. Mothers were more likely than fathers to report parenting fatigue, at 32% compared to 23%. Mothers more often named setting appropriate boundaries as a challenge (23% vs. 15%), while fathers more often cited discipline (22% vs. 16%).
Despite those pressures, the report found that parents scored higher than non-parents on measures of meaning, purpose, and life satisfaction — though they scored lower on financial and material stability.
More than one in four parents said they pray daily or often with their children. By contrast, only one in seven does the same with Bible reading, and more than half of caregivers rarely or never engage their children in either practice. The gap persists even among more committed believers: the American Bible Society report found that among Practicing Christians, 72% pray regularly with their children, but only 45% read the Bible with them at the same frequency.
"Most American parents are open to the Bible, but behavior hasn't kept pace with that openness," said Dr. John Farquhar Plake, the organization's chief innovation officer and editor of the State of the Bible series. "They're curious but not deeply engaged."
When parents do teach Scripture at home, children's story Bibles are the most widely used resource, cited by 48% of parents. Bible-based videos and Bible songs each came in at 26%, while Bible memorization tools were the least common approach, at 7%.
The report also found differences in religious identity between parents and non-parents among younger generations. Sixty-four percent of Millennial and Gen Z parents identify as Christians, compared to 47% of their non-parenting peers. Among non-parents in those same generations, 42% claim no religion — nearly double the 27% rate among young parents. The report noted no comparable gap between Gen X parents and non-parents on faith identity.
Parents also showed a notably lower rate of Bible disengagement than non-parents, at 46% versus 59%, though the American Bible Society said that greater openness had not translated into deeper engagement with Scripture.
For churchgoing families, the data offered a more encouraging picture. Nearly three-quarters of parents who attend church said they feel supported by their congregation, and 63% said their children enjoy going. The enjoyment, however, declined with age: according to their parents, 72% of children ages 2 to 5 like attending church, compared to 66% of those ages 6 to 12 and 61% of teenagers.
Plake called on church leaders to take the data seriously. "Church leaders and fellow Christians need to intentionally invest in parents during this demanding season of life," he said. "Parents are carrying a heavy load, and all of us in the Church can help them carry it."
The State of the Bible series publishes a new chapter monthly through November 2026. Upcoming installments will cover topics including artificial intelligence, calling and purpose, and the supernatural. The full second chapter is available at StateoftheBible.org.
The survey was designed by American Bible Society and conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago using their AmeriSpeak panel.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[4 highlights from Rededicate 250: 'We pray mercy upon our land']]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/4-highlights-from-rededicate-250-we-pray-mercy-upon-our-land</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/4-highlights-from-rededicate-250-we-pray-mercy-upon-our-land</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Attendees during Rededicate 250]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Graeme Sloan/Getty Images ]]>
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                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Attendees during Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving, on the National Mall, on May 17, 2026, in Washington, DC. Leading up to the America 250 celebration later in the year, thousands gathered on the Mall for a day of scripture, testimony, and prayer organized by Freedom250. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 02:46:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Several high-profile Christian speakers addressed thousands who gathered Sunday on the National Mall for Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving, an all-day prayer and worship festival ahead of the 250th anniversary of United States independence.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Several high-profile Christian speakers addressed thousands who gathered Sunday on the National Mall for Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving, an all-day prayer and worship festival ahead of the 250th anniversary of United States independence.
Held to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Second Continental Congress designating "a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayers" amid the trials of the Revolutionary War, several prominent faith leaders and Trump administration officials who spoke at the event stressed the importance of returning to that same spirit of humble repentance and reliance upon the Lord.
Several attendees from around the country who spoke to The Christian Post also expressed hope for spiritual renewal and a cultural shift in American society.
Here is a list of some of the event's most notable speakers, who highlighted the Christian heritage of the United States while calling on its people to return to their spiritual foundations for its 250th birthday.
1. Franklin Graham: 'America has become morally rotten'
Samaritan's Purse CEO Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, offered a sobering assessment of the moral condition of the U.S. in a recorded video message.
"Our nation was born in a struggle 250 years ago, and we're still in a struggle today. Our struggle then was to be free from British rule, but our struggle today is to be free from the rule of sins that are weakening the foundations of our great republic," Graham said.
Echoing his father, who said at the end of his life that he had "wept" over his country, Graham noted that much of the behavior that has become rampant in American society echoes the violence of the world in the days of Noah and the description of evil men in the latter days, according to 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Graham warned that while the average American at the time of the Revolution had some semblance of biblical literacy, such a common spiritual heritage has largely withered over the centuries.
"The spiritual climate of 2026 is vastly different than the country that our Founding Fathers established in 1776," he said. "The vast majority of Americans then had at least a basic understanding of the Bible. Today, the vast majority have little to no understanding of biblical truth."
"America has become morally rotten, completely sick with sin," Graham later said, offering widespread violence, sexual immorality and gender confusion as "just the tip of the iceberg." He said faith in Jesus Christ and personal repentance are the only solution to such deep-seated brokenness.
"We have an insatiable appetite for violence, and I believe this grieves the heart of God, and will bring His judgment if we don't repent as a nation. I'm asked all the time if I believe there will be revival in America. I would love to see that, but there can be no revival without prayer and repentance," he said.
He played a clip of his father offering the invocation and issuing a similar warning at former President Richard Nixon's inauguration in 1969.
"My prayer for a miracle on [America's] 250th birthday is the same as my father's prayer over 57 years ago," Graham said. "I pray that we, as individuals and as a nation, will humble ourselves before God, confess our sins to Him and turn back to the God of our fathers in repentance."
He exhorted his listeners to accept the gift of salvation and repentance, warning that such a decision cannot be put off indefinitely.
2. Vice President JD Vance: 'That should give us all hope'
Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance offered recorded video messages for the event. Trump's video was a replay of him reading 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 from the Resolute Desk, which was first recorded for the Bible-reading marathon last month at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
The passage Trump read recounts the Lord appearing to King Solomon in a dream following his dedication of the first temple in Jerusalem, during which God promised national blessing for obedience and warned of national calamity for disobedience.
Vance observed in his remarks that Christianity has been inextricable with America since its founding, tracing its religious heritage and reliance upon God from Plymouth Colony Gov. William Bradford's first Thanksgiving proclamation in 1623 through the Founding Fathers, the Civil War and the present day.
"In times of suffering and in times of triumph, millions of Americans continue to turn to prayer and their faith in God," he said, but went on to warn of the ruinous consequences if that spiritual foundation erodes.
"John Adams famously said that our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. 'It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.' It was obvious to the Founders that our faith was the ground upon which America stands. It was our very foundation as a people, and if this foundation were to crumble, so too would the very values that make us Americans."
Citing an observation from his "dear friend," the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, that "all law reflects a morality," Vance said, "Neither law nor morality appears in a vacuum, but ultimately come from religion, and the morality and religion that formed the American consciousness were decidedly Christian, founded upon the principles and the divinity of Jesus Christ."
Noting that George Washington proclaimed in 1783 that "imitation of divine charity is necessary for the mutual affection of our citizenry and the happiness of our nation," Vance warned that exhibiting such charity is the fruit of understanding and accepting God's love. He expressed optimism that young Americans are increasingly showing a spiritual hunger.
"If we do not see that God loves us, we have little reason and little inspiration to love one another. This love, which forms our morality, is the foundation of a peaceful and healthful society. That's why it's so encouraging to see a renewed sense of faith emerging among America's young people," he said.
"Defying predictions, the experts said that religion and faith were dying today. A wave of young Americans is returning to the pews, and we know that they're looking for meaning, for authority, for direction, and of course for closeness with God. That should give all of us hope for our future together as Americans."
"It certainly gives me hope as your vice president, because prayer is not merely something we do in times of crisis. It is a continual disposition of love toward God, and through that love toward one another, through our fellow citizens," he said.
3. House Speaker Mike Johnson rededicates US as one nation under God
During a 10-minute prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., offered the event's keystone formal rededication of the U.S. as one nation under God.
Echoing many of the other speakers, Johnson opened by acknowledging the hand of divine providence in American history since the voyages of Christopher Columbus and the settlers at Jamestown and Plymouth. He noted the extraordinary courage of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, which came less than two months after the Second Continental Congress called on the colonists to humble themselves in repentance.
Johnson listed other profound examples of courage in American history, such as the Civil War, World War II, the Cold War and the heroes of 9/11, but warned that America faces "a new set of challenges in a new era" from forces that seek to undermine its spiritual foundations.
"In recent years, we've seen sinister ideologies sow confusion and discord among our people. We witnessed attacks on our history, on our heroes, and the cherished moral and spiritual identity of this great nation," he said. "These voices insist to the young and impressionable that our story, the American story, is one of oppression and hypocrisy, and that this story can only be understood through the lens of our sins."
"Father, we reject that, we rebuke it in your name," he said to applause.
Johnson later invoked divine guidance, adding, "Lord, never let us be separated from your mercy and your love."
"Today, here, Lord, in this 250th year of American independence, we hereby rededicate the United States of America as one nation under God. Look upon us with favor upon your country as we celebrate this momentous anniversary, and let your Holy Spirit descend upon this land, so that future generations will look back at this day in this present age, and once again see your providential hand at work," he added.
4. Pastor Jack Graham: US is 'at the brink of blessing'
Pastor Jack Graham, who leads Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, offered a message of hope for a nation in crisis and those who fear they are beyond repentance.
Referencing Joshua 3:5, when Joshua commanded the Israelites to "sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you," Graham explained that God's supernatural work goes hand in hand with His people separating themselves through holy living.
"He is the God of wonders. It's been said that revival is a new beginning of obedience to God. May God give us a new beginning," he said.
Graham asserted that "there is no person too hard for God to save, there's no problem too hard for God to solve, there's no prayer too hard for God to answer."
"There's no mountain too hard for God to move, there's no marriage too hard for God to restore, there's no body too broken that God cannot heal. There is no soul too divided that God cannot restore. There is no prodigal too far from God that He cannot forgive. Why? Because our God can do anything but fail."
Graham said he believes the U.S. is "at the brink of blessing," but exhorted Americans to reconsecrate themselves if they hope for God to heal their land.
"It's never too late for a new beginning in your life. The greatest miracle — we've been talking and hearing about miracles today — but the greatest miracle is the miracle of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the salvation of a soul that trusts in Him."
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[More Americans say religion is gaining influence, but most want churches out of politics, survey finds]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/more-americans-say-religion-is-gaining-influence-but-most-want-churches-out-of-politics-survey-finds</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/more-americans-say-religion-is-gaining-influence-but-most-want-churches-out-of-politics-survey-finds</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[pulpit]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Mitchell Leach | Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 08:53:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A growing share of Americans believe religion is becoming more influential in public life, but most still oppose churches endorsing political candidates or taking sides in day-to-day political debates, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A growing share of Americans believe religion is becoming more influential in public life, but most still oppose churches endorsing political candidates or taking sides in day-to-day political debates, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
The survey, conducted April 6–12 among 3,592 U.S. adults, found that 37% now say religion is gaining influence in American life — the highest proportion recorded in Pew surveys going back to 2002. That figure has climbed 19 percentage points in just two years.
Despite the uptick in perceived influence, 79% of respondents said churches and other houses of worship should not endorse candidates during elections. Two-thirds said religious institutions should stay out of day-to-day social and political matters. Those figures have changed little in recent years.
Overall, 55% of respondents expressed what Pew described as a positive view of religion's role in American life — meaning they either welcomed religion's growing influence or regretted its decline. Twenty-two percent held a negative view.
Sharp partisan divide
The survey revealed deep disagreement between Republicans and Democrats on the value of religion's role in public life. Three-quarters of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents expressed a positive view of religion's influence, compared with 38% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. Democrats were nearly as likely to hold a negative view of religion's role (37%) as a positive one.
Republicans were also considerably more likely to support government engagement with Christianity. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 27% said the federal government should declare Christianity the nation's official religion — up 6 percentage points from roughly two years ago. By contrast, only 8% of Democrats said the same.
Among all U.S. adults, 17% now favor declaring Christianity the official state religion, up from 13% in 2024. Forty-three percent said the government should not make Christianity official but should promote Christian moral values, while 38% said the government should do neither.
Bible, church-state separation
The Pew survey found no meaningful change in the share of Americans who want the Bible to guide U.S. law. About half (51%) said the Bible should have at least some influence on legislation, consistent with results going back to 2020. Among White evangelical Protestants, 85% held that view, and 62% said the Bible should take precedence over the will of the people when the two conflict.
The share of Americans who want the government to stop enforcing the separation of church and state has actually declined, falling from 19% in 2021 to 13% in 2026. The share supporting enforcement has remained essentially flat at 54%.
On one question that sometimes appears in discussions of Christian nationalism, just 5% of respondents said they believe God favors the United States over all other countries — unchanged since 2021, and a view rejected by majorities in both parties.
Christian nationalism more familiar, more polarizing
Familiarity with the term "Christian nationalism" has grown considerably. According to the Pew report, 59% of U.S. adults said they have heard or read at least a little about it, up 14 percentage points from two years ago. As awareness has spread, so have both favorable and unfavorable opinions.
Ten percent of respondents said they view Christian nationalism favorably, up from 5% in 2022. Unfavorable views rose more sharply, from 24% in 2022 to 31% in 2026. Forty percent said they have never heard of the term, and a further 19% said they lacked a clear opinion.
White evangelical Protestants were the most likely religious group to view Christian nationalism favorably (20%) and to support positions associated with it, such as declaring Christianity the national religion or giving the Bible precedence over popular will. Majorities of Catholics, White nonevangelical Protestants and Black Protestants said they hold a positive view of religion's role in society, though those groups were far less likely than White evangelicals to support formal ties between government and Christianity.
Competing frustrations
The survey also asked about perceived overreach from opposite directions. Fifty-two percent of respondents said conservative Christians have gone too far in pushing religious values into government and public schools. Forty-eight percent said secular liberals have gone too far in working to exclude religious values from those spaces. Roughly one in five (18%) agreed with both statements simultaneously.
Despite the disagreements on policy, there was one area of broad consensus across party lines: majorities of both Republicans and Democrats said churches and houses of worship should not endorse political candidates.
The survey was conducted as part of Pew Research Center's long-running series on religion, politics and society.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA['Growing spirit of optimism': 20,000 to attend SBC's Annual Meeting in Orlando]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/growing-spirit-of-optimism-20-000-to-attend-sbc-s-annual-meeting-in-orlando</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/growing-spirit-of-optimism-20-000-to-attend-sbc-s-annual-meeting-in-orlando</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Southern Baptist Convention]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Baptist Press/Roy Burroughs ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Attendees gather for the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas, on June 11, 2025. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Southern Baptist Conventions Annual Meeting]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Courtesy Baptist Press ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ More than 45,000 messengers gathered for the Southern Baptist Convention's Annual Meeting held in Dallas, Texas, June 11-13, 1985. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 08:29:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Southern Baptist Convention is preparing for one of its largest gatherings in years, with organizers expecting roughly 20,000 people to attend next month’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Southern Baptist Convention is preparing for one of its largest gatherings in years, with organizers expecting roughly 20,000 people to attend next month’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.
The SBC's Annual Meeting and its Pastors’ Conference are scheduled to be held June 7–10 at the Orange County Convention Center. 
Dr. Richard Land, executive editor of The Christian Post and former president of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told CP he believes the projected increase in attendance "reflects a growing spirit of optimism about the SBC's future."
Land added that this is "reflected in the recent reports of significant increases in baptisms and regular church attendance at the local level and the smooth and contention-free recent election of new chief executive officers at Southeastern Seminary in North Carolina, along with Lifeway, the publishing arm of the Convention in Nashville, and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the public policy arm of the convention."
Convention Manager Lynn Richmond told Baptist Press (BP), the official news outlet of the SBC, that signs of large attendance began last year when hotels first became available.
“When SBC hotel availability opened in October, the response was immediate,” Richmond explained to BP. “We sold out of room blocks multiple times and added hotels to keep up with demand.”
Jonathan Howe, vice president for convention administration, told BP that the 20,000 attendees will include over 13,000 messengers, who are delegates to the SBC's Annual Meeting.
“This will be our largest annual meeting since Nashville in 2021, and we can’t wait to see SBC families from across the country come together in Orlando,” Howe told BP.
“With more than two dozen partner hotels in the area — many of which are not walkable from the Orange County Convention Center — we are pleased to offer complimentary shuttle service again this year to help facilitate getting messengers and guests to the convention center in an orderly fashion.”
The largest Protestant denomination in the United States, the SBC meets annually in June for convention-wide business, including the election of officers and hearing reports from agencies.
The SBC's Annual Meeting is among the largest deliberative bodies in the country, typically gathering over 10,000 messengers for the purpose of proposing, debating and voting on items.

At present, the record for the largest number of annual meeting attendees in SBC Convention history took place in June 1985, when 45,500 messengers met in Dallas, Texas.
A major focus of that year’s annual meeting was the Conservative Resurgence, a movement within the SBC that sought to remove liberal and modernist theology from the convention.
Charles Stanley, a notable theologically conservative pastor, was re-elected SBC president with 55.3% of the vote, defeating moderate opponent Winfred Moore, who received 44.7% of the vote.
Regarding this year’s annual meeting, two individuals are expected to be nominated for SBC president: South Carolina Pastor Josh Powell and Florida Pastor Willy Rice. Other potential candidates might be nominated later. 
Current SBC President Clint Pressley was elected in 2024 and then overwhelmingly reelected in 2025 with 92.64% of the vote. Per convention law, he cannot run for a third one-year term.
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Canadian evangelicals commend Alberta province for adding safeguards to medical assistance in dying law]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/canadian-evangelicals-commend-alberta-province-for-adding-safeguards-to-medical-assistance-in-dying-law</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/canadian-evangelicals-commend-alberta-province-for-adding-safeguards-to-medical-assistance-in-dying-law</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[euthanasia]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Freepik ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 13:20:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Alberta has passed legislation adding safeguards to medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in a move praised by evangelical leaders.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Alberta has passed legislation adding safeguards to medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in a move praised by evangelical leaders.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) commended policymakers for passing Bill 18, the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act, on April 22.
Under the new rules, MAiD is allowed only for adults who are expected to die within 12 months. The law also limits access where mental illness is the sole medical condition.
Julia Beazley, director of the EFC Centre for Faith and Public Life, told Christian Daily International that the move sets an example for other Canadian provinces.
“We're encouraged to see Alberta pass this legislation adding much-needed limits and safeguards to the delivery of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in their province,” said Beazley.
“Alberta’s legislation doesn’t change the federal law, which allows MAiD as an exception under the homicide laws in certain circumstances. Provinces regulate how they deliver health care, and this is an example for other provinces of ways to protect Canadians in vulnerable circumstances.”
Beazley, on behalf of the EFC, sent a letter of commendation on April 27 to Mickey Amery, minister of justice and attorney general for the Government of Alberta, strongly supporting the bill. In the letter, Beazley said the law helps promote life-affirming care and puts in place safeguards to protect Albertans in vulnerable circumstances.
Beazley emphasized the importance of the law in complementing recommendations by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to repeal Track 2 MAiD, which assists people to die whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness. She made a similar point about UN recommendations against MAiD for mature minors.
“We firmly believe that in order to protect persons from feeling pressured to request hastened death in moments of vulnerability and to avoid undue influence by medical professionals, it is essential that conversations about medical assistance in dying be patient-initiated,” wrote Beazley.
“Many faith-based institutions provide senior care, extended care and hospice care. The care they offer is an expression of the deeply held beliefs of the communities that provide the care. We are thankful these institutions will not be compelled to facilitate or allow assisted death on their premises.
“It is essential to maintain MAiD-free spaces where patients are not offered MAiD and do not feel pressured to seek it, and where medical professionals who object to MAiD are not required to participate in it. These spaces are a protection for both patients and staff.”
Alberta’s move follows similar restrictions in Quebec and comes ahead of the federal expansion of MAiD eligibility for mental illness, scheduled for March 2027. However, Alberta is the first province to restrict MAiD for patients who are not dying.
Derek Ross, executive director of Christian Legal Fellowship, in a March 23 article for The Globe and Mail, said about 76,000 Canadians have died from MAiD since it was legalized in 2016.
He said 5% of all deaths in Canada in 2024 occurred through MAiD, with reasons including “isolation, loneliness or being a perceived burden on others” cited by many who chose assisted dying.
“Some may feel that they have no other choice to escape their socioeconomic distress,” added Ross.
He pointed out that federal law only decriminalized MAiD in certain circumstances.
“The Criminal Code does not automatically add MAiD to provincial health care systems, nor could it, as that is a matter of provincial jurisdiction,” wrote Ross.
“The essence of Alberta’s legislation is to exclude certain forms of MAiD from health care in the province.”
Ross added that because the Criminal Code does not prohibit an act, it does not mean a province must perform, facilitate or fund it.
“While the federal government gets to determine what counts as a crime, each province gets to determine what counts as health care, and they may choose — as Alberta has done — to prioritize life-affirming care for patients,” he said.
Ross questioned how Canada can be committed to suicide prevention and supporting people with mental health issues at the same time as “offering them state-sponsored death.”
He added that any idea of MAiD offering “durable, error-free safeguards” is illusory.
He referred to 428 cases of MAiD in Ontario alone between 2018 and 2023 where assisted dying may have been provided illegally. “We ignore these reports at our own peril,” he added.
The legal expert said the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not require provinces to offer MAiD within health care systems for mental illness or for patients who are not dying.
“Given how MAiD has unfolded in Canada, it is increasingly difficult to argue that provinces are ever required to offer it as health care,” he wrote.
“Alberta is the first province to robustly challenge this idea. We hope it is not the last.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[IFES launches podcast series on Generation Z]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ifes-launches-podcast-series-on-generation-z</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ifes-launches-podcast-series-on-generation-z</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[youth praising]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Ismael Paramo / Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 12:50:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) launched a new podcast series on Thursday, May 7, aimed at helping the global church understand and engage Generation Z.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) launched a new podcast series on Thursday, May 7, aimed at helping the global church understand and engage Generation Z.
The four-part mini-series, titled Gen Z Insights, features voices from more than a dozen countries, including Lebanon, Sri Lanka and Bolivia. It explores how Christian leaders can engage a generation that makes up about 25% of the world’s population and is often described as spiritually open.
“There’s been much debate about the rumblings of revival among Gen Z in the West, and this podcast series amplifies global voices in that critical ministry conversation,” said Annette Arulrajah, associate general secretary of IFES and host of the English-language version of the series.
“Come and listen in on what God is doing among spiritually hungry university students around the world and be inspired, challenged and propelled to engage, disciple and empower this influential new generation.”
The podcast builds on findings from a December 2025 report, Gen Z Insights for Global Student Ministry, published by IFES.
Each episode focuses on one of four defining traits of Gen Z: digital immersion, cultural awareness, pursuit of well-being and spiritual openness.
Because most Gen Zers live in the Majority World, IFES designed the series to move beyond Western perspectives. Each episode pairs an IFES staff member with a Gen Z student or recent graduate to provide a grassroots view of student ministry. The series also features guest speakers from the broader Christian landscape, including author and Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God host Justin Brierley and Jason Watson, host of the Lausanne Movement podcast.
The series addresses topics such as how to distinguish biblical authority from personal preference in an age of fluid spirituality, and how to move students from digital information overload to authentic encounters with Jesus. Other episodes focus on student mental health and the balance between self-care and spiritual growth.
The first episodes are available in English, French and Spanish on major podcast platforms and on the IFES Gen Z Insights webpage. IFES will release additional English episodes weekly.
The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students is a global network of student-led Christian movements present in nearly every country. It works to build communities of disciples transformed by the gospel.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Netflix reveals release date, cast for adaptation of CS Lewis’ ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/netflix-reveals-release-date-cast-for-adaptation-of-cs-lewis-narnia-the-magicians-nephew</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/netflix-reveals-release-date-cast-for-adaptation-of-cs-lewis-narnia-the-magicians-nephew</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Narnia]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo: REUTERS/PRNewsFoto ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ An undated image of the ''Narnia'' character Aslan. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 21:40:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Netflix has announced a release date and star-studded cast for “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” the first installment in its new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy series, directed by Greta Gerwig.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Netflix has announced a release date and star-studded cast for “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” the first installment in its new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy series, directed by Greta Gerwig.
The streaming platform announced last week that the film will open in IMAX and theaters worldwide on Feb. 12, 2027, with exclusive IMAX previews beginning Feb. 10, before arriving on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
Written and directed by Gerwig, the project marks the first-ever screen adaptation of Lewis’ 1955 novel The Magician’s Nephew, which serves as the origin story of Narnia and explores the creation of the fantastical world.
The cast includes newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell in leading roles, alongside Emma Mackey and Carey Mulligan, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, with Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep rounding out the ensemble.
“Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary and IMAX continues to be an incredible partner,” Gerwig, the director behind "Little Women" and "Barbie," said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. “I cannot wait for people to see the film in theaters on February 12 and on Netflix on April 2.”
Gerwig described the adaptation as a deeply personal project, reflecting on her early connection to the story. The director said that it was because of Lewis and the Narnia series that she "believed in magic and hidden worlds and adventure," adding: I believed that anywhere could be enchanted and that anyone could be swept up into an epic. That wonder and awe was available to everyone, even ordinary people like me. ... It transformed me.”
“I was a child when I first read The Magician’s Nephew, and I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life,” she said. “It is the honor of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being.”
The release strategy — pairing a global theatrical rollout with a later streaming debut — signals Netflix’s push to position the film as a major cinematic event, per the streaming platform, drawing on the enduring popularity of The Chronicles of Narnia franchise.
Producers include Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith and Gerwig, with executive producers Patricia Whitcher, Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams representing the C.S. Lewis Estate.
In a statement, the estate praised Gerwig’s vision, saying it brings “joy, heart and genuine love for the story” as the film introduces a new generation to the world of Narnia.
Though he died in 1963, Lewis, who was famously friends with Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, remains one of the best-known Christian authors worldwide. 
Over the years, his fiction writings have been turned into numerous family-friendly films and TV projects, including a 1988 BBC version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and three movies produced by Sony Pictures that grossed more than $1.5 billion worldwide. 
In June, Fellowship for Performing Arts, the New York City-based theatrical company known for its faith-driven productions rooted in Lewis’ writings, announced it had secured the rights to adapt The Screwtape Letters into a feature film.
FPA founder Max McLean, an acclaimed theater actor who has since spent much of his life adapting Lewis’ work for the stage, told CP he believes Lewis’ ability to appeal to both intellect and imagination is why his work continues to influence lives. 
“Lewis didn’t shy away from the hard questions,” McLean said. “He understood the tension between what we feel and what we believe. He said if we feel but don’t act, eventually we become numb to both.”
 “He had a steel-trap mind, could remember everything he read, and translate it into powerful prose and speech,” McLean said. “But he did it all under the headship of Christ. That’s what sets him apart.”
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[World Cup 2026 outreach campaign aims to equip 100,000 Christians to host friends, neighbors]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/world-cup-2026-outreach-campaign-aims-to-equip-100-000-christians-to-host-friends-neighbors</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/world-cup-2026-outreach-campaign-aims-to-equip-100-000-christians-to-host-friends-neighbors</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 05: World Cup signage is displayed at the Kansas City airport ahead of the 2026 World Cup on May 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jamie Squire/Getty Images ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 05: World Cup signage is displayed at the Kansas City airport ahead of the 2026 World Cup on May 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 20:26:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Cru￼ has launched a nationwide initiative tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, seeking to equip 100,000 Christians and 10,000 churches in the United States to host watch parties and use the tournament as a setting for faith conversations.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Cru has launched a nationwide initiative tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, seeking to equip 100,000 Christians and 10,000 churches in the United States to host watch parties and use the tournament as a setting for faith conversations.
The campaign, called “Victory Beyond the Cup,” was announced Monday with organizers saying that the effort is designed to encourage believers to invite friends, neighbors and co-workers into their homes or churches during the monthlong tournament, which begins June 11 and concludes July 19.
The initiative is being led by Cru in partnership with organizations including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Alpha USA and I Am Second.
Heather Reddy, executive director of Victory Beyond the Cup, said organizers see the World Cup as a rare global event capable of bringing together people from different cultural backgrounds.
“With so many people interacting with the World Cup, whether watching with friends, checking scores, or even attending a game in one of the United States’ host cities, the opportunity for Gospel impact is too large to miss,” Reddy said when announcing the campaign.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to attract one of the largest audiences in sports history. Organizers behind the Christian outreach campaign cited estimates that as many as 5 billion people worldwide could follow the tournament through broadcasts and online coverage.
According to the Victory Beyond the Cup website, participants can request free physical or digital “host kits” intended to help organize watch parties. The materials include planning guides, discussion cards, printable tournament brackets, recipes from different countries and prayer resources.
The physical kits are available in English and Spanish for U.S. shipping addresses, while digital kits are offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
The gatherings are opportunities for relationship-building and conversation rather than formal evangelistic events, organizers say. The specific goal of the watch parties may vary depending on the host, but the idea is that the events would lead people “towards hope.”
Cru also said it has created an online community platform through Mighty Networks to connect participants involved in the campaign across the country.
The campaign is the latest example of Christian ministries organizing outreach efforts around major international sporting events, which often draw large crowds and offer opportunities for starting conversations around faith. Churches and Christian organizations have previously coordinated evangelistic initiatives connected to Olympic Games and past FIFA World Cups.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Rededicate 250 could be largest US religious gathering in 50 years, Robert Jeffress says]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/rededicate-250-could-be-largest-us-religious-gathering-in-50-years-robert-jeffress-says</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/rededicate-250-could-be-largest-us-religious-gathering-in-50-years-robert-jeffress-says</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[worship]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 15:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Thousands are expected to gather on the National Mall next month for a massive day of prayer and worship aimed at calling the United States back to God ahead of its 250th anniversary, with one pastor predicting it could be the nation’s largest religious gathering in more than 50 years.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Thousands are expected to gather on the National Mall next month for a massive day of prayer and worship aimed at calling the United States back to God ahead of its 250th anniversary, with one pastor predicting it could be the nation’s largest religious gathering in more than 50 years.
Multiple Trump administration officials and Christian conservative faith leaders will attend and speak at May 17's Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving. The event is one of many festivities planned as part of the nationwide Freedom 250 celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the U.S.
The all-day event, which is free and open to all Americans, bills itself as “a historic gathering" that will feature Scripture, testimony, prayer and "rededication of our country as One Nation to God.” Those unable to attend can access a livestream through partner churches, ministries and organizations. 
Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas in Texas, who is scheduled to speak at the event, likened it to Explo ‘72, a 1972 Campus Crusade for Christ conference attended by over 80,000 college and high school students in Dallas. The five-day gathering, which some say marked the height of the Jesus Movement, saw the late televangelist Billy Graham preach and Kris Kristofferson, a recent convert to Christianity, perform. 
In an interview with The Christian Post, Jeffress said Explo ‘72 was “a giant outpouring of enthusiasm for the Christian faith" and anticipates that Rededicate 250 “will be something that’s as big or bigger.” 
“I believe President [Donald] Trump believes, yes, we should celebrate the 250th birthday of America, and we will do it in a great, glorious way, but it’s also a time, he believes, for America to rededicate herself to God,” Jeffress, who has long supported Trump, said.
“If America is going to experience revival, then I first have to have a revival in my heart. For America to rededicate herself to Christ means I must rededicate myself to Christ. And that’s the angle that I’m going to take in my talk on the National Mall on May 17.”
Beginning with sunrise worship in front of the United States Capitol, the day will conclude with “an evening filled with music anchored at the main stage on 12th Street.”
Three pillars will undergird the day’s programming.
The first pillar is titled “The Miracles that Made Us,” which will consist of “a reflection on God’s providence throughout 250 years, honoring the faith that inspired America’s founders and has carried us forward in every generation since.”
The second pillar, “The Miracles Still in Our Midst,” will feature “personal testimonies of God’s healing in our lives and in our land.” The third pillar, “A New Birth of Faith and Freedom,” will involve a "collective expression of gratitude for 250 years of freedom," which will include a 'unified moment of rededication asking for God’s blessing, guidance, and grace for the next 250.” 
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is slated to speak as well as several members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will deliver a video message, while Dr. Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the first Trump administration, will also give remarks. 
Religious leaders scheduled to appear at the event include Bishop Robert Barron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, Pastor Jack Graham of the Texas-based Prestonwood Baptist Church, Pastor Jentezen Franklin of the Georgia-based Free Chapel, Pastor Jonathan Pokluda of the Texas-based Harris Creek Baptist Church, Pastor Gary Hamrick of the Cornerstone Chapel in Virginia and National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference President Rev. Samuel Rodriguez.  
Jeffress reflected on the words Founding Father John Adams delivered on July 2, 1776, two days before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The future U.S. president predicted that going forward, the day of July 4 would be a day of celebration but also an occasion where people would make “solemn acts of devotion to God.”
Billy Graham’s son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, who leads the Evangelical humanitarian aid group Samaritan's Purse, will deliver remarks at Rededicate 250 via video. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the former head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, will also address the crowd virtually.
Prominent figures within Christian media will also appear at the event, including author and radio host Eric Metaxas, author and ministry leader Cissie Graham Lynch and journalist Abigail Robertson Allen. 
In addition to “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the U.S. Navy Band, musical groups at several Christian colleges, the Fanfare Trumpets of the U.S. Armed Forces, Bagpipes from the U.S. Air Force Band and the Military Chaplains’ Prayer will be performing at the event.
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[EFC urges Canadian policymakers to support people with mental illness, not expand assisted dying eligibility]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/efc-urges-canadian-policymakers-to-support-people-with-mental-illness-not-expand-assisted-dying-eligibility</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/efc-urges-canadian-policymakers-to-support-people-with-mental-illness-not-expand-assisted-dying-eligibility</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[mental health]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Nik Shuliahin / Unsplash ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ People with mental illlness alone could opt for euthanasia in Canada from March 2027 unless planned legislation is repealed. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 10:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has told policymakers that plans to expand Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) for mentally unwell patients “fundamentally devalues human life and normalizes suicide.”]]></description>
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The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has told policymakers that plans to expand Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) for mentally unwell patients “fundamentally devalues human life and normalizes suicide.”
MAiD had been reserved for those whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable but a 2019 court ruling expanded this requirement with “Track 2” introduced for those who suffer from a “grievous and irremediable” condition. The exclusion for mental unwellness for MAiD expires from March 17, 2027, under the current framework.
The EFC expressed concerns in a letter sent April 20 to the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying in Ottawa, which is currently reviewing the expiration of the exclusion.
“We are gravely concerned that expanding eligibility on the basis of mental illness would disproportionately impact marginalized Canadians and undermine suicide prevention in Canada,” wrote the EFC.
The EFC reminded the committee that the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in an April 15, 2025 report, recommended that Canada repeal the expansion of “Track 2 MAiD” to allow people with mental illness to receive help to die.
The EFC added that the current system has serious problems, noting that the law does not require patients to try all available treatments.
Furthermore, the evangelical group pointed out that under existing frameworks, a psychiatrist is not strictly required for evaluation — a safeguard the EFC argues is essential if mental illness is ever included as an eligible condition.
“It only requires that eligible patients be informed of treatment options and seriously consider them,” read the EFC letter, noting Statistics Canada reporting a sharp increase in mental disorders in the past decade, especially within marginalized groups.
Other concerns include subjectivity in assessments — “What is a grievous or serious illness? An advanced state of irreversible decline? Who decides?”
The EFC feared that people with mental illness could face pressure to opt for MAiD and strongly urged robust safeguards to protect the vulnerable if the expansion goes ahead.
“MAID for mental illness must not become an option — and particularly not the most accessible option — when mental health care may not be accessible or affordable, when treatment and support are not available.”
In comments sent to Christian Daily International, Julia Beazley, director of the EFC’s Centre for Faith and Public Life, said each person carries intrinsic value as a creation of God.
“The idea that our lives can lose meaning or value with age, illness, loss of ability or capacity, or that some lives are less valuable than others, is so contrary to what the Bible teaches,” said Beazley.
“We believe that each and every person is made by God, in His image and loved by Him. Each person’s life has dignity and value as one who bears the image of God, and none of this depends on our health or social condition, on our age or abilities, or on our productivity. It is God who gives us life and has a purpose for our days.”
These biblical truths inform the EFC’s ongoing work on the issue of MAiD, added Beazley.
“We call out and stand against the implicit lie underlying our MAiD laws that says that some lives are no longer worth living and can — and maybe should — be ended,” she said. “This is a devaluing of life and it fosters despair.”
Beazley said the EFC continues to be concerned about approaches to mental illness in regard to medical assistance in dying.
“We are concerned that suicidal thoughts and a closed view of the future are symptoms of some mental illnesses,” said Beazley.
“There has been a significant increase in the number of Canadians experiencing mental illness, and at the same time, significant challenges accessing proper treatment. More people are struggling and there is a lack of accessible, affordable and timely services and support.
“This expansion will further normalize suicide and put at risk the lives of marginalized people.”
Beazley encouraged Christians to pray for family members, friends, and neighbors struggling with mental health issues. She also requested prayer for Canada’s leaders as they study the issue, and “for a law to be passed to stop the expansion.”
A private member’s bill, C-218, brought by Tamara Jansen, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Cloverdale—Langley City, could change the situation. The bill calls for people with mental illness to be excluded from MAiD and given better supportive treatment. The EFC is praying it will be accepted.
“We are also praying — and asking others to pray — that our society would see all lives as having meaning and value,” added Beazley.
“We pray for medical professionals to be able to care well for their patients, and for the ability to have MAiD-free spaces, to protect medical professionals and to offer patients a safe place where they know MAiD won’t be suggested to them.
“We pray that our churches would be places of welcome and safety, where people can share their struggles and find support and community.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[DOJ releases report detailing anti-Christian bias under Biden]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/doj-releases-report-detailing-anti-christian-bias-under-biden</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/doj-releases-report-detailing-anti-christian-bias-under-biden</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks as FBI Director Kash Patel listens at a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 03:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A new report compiled by the Trump administration reveals that the Biden administration treated Christian organizations and individuals much harsher than their secular counterparts, pointing to a pattern of what acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche calls the “devastation” of Christians]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A new report compiled by the Trump administration reveals that the Biden administration treated Christian organizations and individuals much harsher than their secular counterparts, pointing to a pattern of what acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche calls the “devastation” of Christians. 
The U.S. Department of Justice released a report titled “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Within the Federal Government” Thursday. The report, which spans about 200 pages and contains over 300 pages of exhibits, was compiled by the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. 
“No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” said Blanche, who serves as chair of the Task Force to Eradicate Christian Bias. “As our report lays out, the Biden Administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans. That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to expose bad actors who targeted Christians and work tirelessly to restore religious liberty for all Americans of faith.” 
One of the main findings of the report was that the Biden administration imposed disparate penalties on Christian institutions and pro-life activists compared to their liberal or secular counterparts. The report cites statistics documenting prosecutions under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which subjects anyone who “intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person” who provides or assists in the provision of abortions to federal charges. 
In addition to subjecting pro-life protesters to federal charges, the FACE Act imposes federal charges on anyone who targets religious houses of worship, and its protections also apply to pro-life pregnancy centers.
“The Biden DOJ requested an average sentence of 26.8 months for pro-life defendants, compared to 12.3 months for pro-choice defendants,” the report stated. “Pro-life defendants were ultimately sentenced to an average of 14 months, while pro-abortion defendants were sentenced to an average of 3 months.”
The report also maintains that the Biden administration selectively enforced the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits nonprofit organizations, including churches, from engaging in political advocacy or supporting political candidates. For example, New Way Church in Florida was investigated by the Biden administration after a school board candidate spoke at the congregation, and Grace Church in St. Louis faced scrutiny for outlining “positions local candidates held” as a tool to educate voters. 
By contrast, the report found “no public indications” that the Biden administration opened investigations into the more than 1,600 faith leaders in the U.S. who backed former President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. 
The report cited data from the American Principles Project, finding that 59 of 87 actions taken by the U.S. Department of Education were targeted at “faith-based or career education schools.” This accounts for roughly 70% of all enforcement actions despite the fact that these schools only educate 10% of students. Another finding from the report revealed that the average fine imposed against a Christian school amounted to $815,000 compared to $228,571 against secular public and private institutions. 
One of the most notable enforcement actions taken during the Biden administration was a $37.7 million fine against Grand Canyon University for allegedly engaging in deceptive advertising, despite the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit finding no evidence of wrongdoing by the Christian school. Liberty University also faced a $14 million fine for allegedly violating a federal law requiring transparency about “public safety issues” at institutions of higher education.
Several years earlier, when Pennsylvania State University made national headlines for violating the same law by failing to report acts of child molestation by assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, it was fined a much smaller amount of $2.4 million. When Michigan State University was found to have violated the law by not reporting illicit sexual behavior by team physician Dr. Larry Nassar, its fine was $4.5 million. 
When the U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted faith-based outreach efforts between March 2023 and January 2024, the agency met with 20 Muslim organizations, 18 Jewish organizations, one Sikh organization and 20 organizations characterized as “interfaith groups whose invitees and content require further review to determine inclusivity.” Just two of the groups DHS met with as part of its faith-based outreach were explicitly Christian. 
“This disparity is notable given that Christians comprise an estimated 62 percent of the U.S. population,” the report states. The document also cites testimony from DHS employees who alleged that “Within the workplace, employees were directed to avoid explicit reference to Christian celebrations like Christmas, while similar directives were not provided in cases of holidays celebrated by other religions.” 
Additional actions taken by the Biden administration that were flagged as problematic in the report include the denial of economic injury disaster loans from the Small Business Administration to nearly 170 Christian organizations on the basis of their faith and awarding less than half of Federal Emergency Management Agency funding reserved for religious nonprofits to Christian organizations.
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[‘What caused you to not like who you are?’ De-transitioner urges churches to respond differently to gender identity struggles]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/what-caused-you-to-not-like-who-you-are-de-transitioner-urges-churches-to-respond-differently-to-gender-identity-struggl</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/what-caused-you-to-not-like-who-you-are-de-transitioner-urges-churches-to-respond-differently-to-gender-identity-struggl</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Timothy Goropevsek]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Walt Heyer speaks during an interview.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jason Kempin/Getty Images ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Walt Heyer speaks during an interview. File photo. Heyer, who previously underwent gender transition before later detransitioning, discussed gender identity, trauma and how churches can respond to people struggling with gender dysphoria in an interview with Christian Daily International. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 02:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[When Walt Heyer speaks about gender identity, he does so as someone who spent years trying to escape himself. The 85-year-old author and speaker remembers the confusion that marked his childhood long before he underwent what he later came to describe as a failed attempt to become someone else.]]></description>
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When Walt Heyer speaks about gender identity, he does so as someone who spent years trying to escape himself. The 85-year-old author and speaker remembers the confusion that marked his childhood long before he underwent what he later came to describe as a failed attempt to become someone else.
In an interview with Christian Daily International, Heyer repeatedly returned to one central conviction that he believes is key for pastors and Christian leaders to understand: people struggling with gender identity are often trying to flee pain, trauma or deep emotional distress rather than truly changing who they are.
“The most important thing for people to realize is that nobody can change their gender,” Heyer said. “A person can identify as a transgender. They can’t become one.”
Heyer, a former corporate executive who underwent gender reassignment surgery at age 42 and lived as a woman for eight years before later detransitioning, now speaks internationally about his experience. He has authored eight books and more than 60 articles and now serves as a senior fellow at the Family Research Council.
His latest book, “Embracing God’s Design,” co-authored with trauma researcher Jennifer Bauwens, seeks to equip pastors, families and churches to address questions surrounding gender identity through what the authors describe as biblical and psychological frameworks.
During the interview, Heyer spoke in direct and often very personal terms. He described childhood experiences that he believes shaped his later struggles with identity, beginning with his grandmother dressing him in girls’ clothing as a small child.
“Grandma cross-dressed me,” he said. “She caused the psychological emotional abuse. Then my dad physically abused me because of the dress, then because of the dress my uncle sexually molested me. And so all that before I was 10 years old.”
“Trying to escape some pain”
Heyer said those experiences left him deeply confused about himself for years. Looking back, he believes many people who identify as transgender are responding to unresolved wounds rather than pursuing a genuine change of sex.
“People who take on this identity called transgenderism are not trying to become a female or male,” he said. “They’re trying to escape some pain or discomfort or confusion they have.”
He linked his own eventual decision to undergo surgery to earlier trauma and fear.
“I’m sure this affected me in my later years, cutting off body parts so that no one would ever sexually molest me,” he said. “It was a protection against sexual molestation.”
Heyer stressed the importance of language, arguing that churches often adopt terminology that, in his view, reinforces confusion rather than helps people address underlying causes.
He objected strongly to the term “gender dysphoria,” describing it as a symptom rather than a diagnosis.
“If somebody has the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, then you need to change that to, ‘No, that’s a symptom of something down here that we need to work on,’” he said. “We need to find out what it is.”
The question he believes churches and counselors should ask people wrestling with identity issues is: “What caused you to not like who you are?”
“That’s the bottom line to this whole thing,” he said.
Churches facing fear and uncertainty
Heyer also addressed the uncertainty many churches feel when someone identifying as transgender begins attending services. He said congregations should avoid panic or hostility, but he also urged churches to respond intentionally rather than passively.
“The church needs to become educated in what language is appropriate,” he said. “Pastors and others really don’t know how to deal with it.”
Rather than leaving individuals isolated, he suggested churches appoint a trusted person — an elder, pastor or deacon — to walk alongside someone struggling with gender identity.
“You assign someone in the church to walk with that person,” he said. “Somebody that the church can fully trust and who’s got expertise in this.”
Heyer specifically suggested that individuals should write regular letters describing their struggles and spiritual journey and asking for prayer.
“Have that individual who’s struggling write a prayer letter every week,” he said. “Then they start praying for them.”
He described the process as a way of drawing people into community and spiritual accountability over time.
“And then over a period of time, can we expand this out to a larger group?” he said. “Can we have a home group that does this?”
For Heyer, willingness to engage in prayer is a significant indicator of whether someone is genuinely open to change.
“If you ask the person, ‘Can you write a prayer letter?’ and they say, ‘No, I’m not going to write a prayer letter,’ then you automatically tell them, ‘This is not a place we can help you,’” he said.
He believes it is important for the church to distinguish between what he described as a compliant posture toward faith and a defiant one.
“There’s the word compliant toward the fact that they believe Jesus Christ can restore their life and they’ll pray about it,” he said, contrasting it with “defiant where they don’t believe prayer works.”
Patience, prayer and long recovery
Heyer cautioned churches against expecting rapid transformation.
While he said some individuals may quickly rethink their identity after beginning deeper self-reflection, he described restoration as a process that often takes years.
“The expectation is maybe two or three years,” he said. “If they’ve struggled for 10 years, it might take them five years. If they struggled for 20, it might take them 10.”
Patience, he said, becomes essential.
“You have to be very patient,” he said. “This is where prayer really comes in handy and having them surrounded by people.”
At the same time, Heyer described moments where a single conversation triggered sudden reconsideration. “I’ve actually had people, when I’ve had that conversation, who struggled for many years,” he said. “Within a week, they’ve restored their life. They go, ‘This was nuts!’”
Still, he acknowledged that such cases are unusual. “Not everybody’s that healthy,” he said. “You can’t hit that all the time.”
What about pronouns?
Asked about how believers should deal with the sensitive issue of first names and pronouns, Heyer advised Christians not to use requested pronouns tied to a transgender identity. Instead, he suggested avoiding pronouns altogether or using surnames when necessary.
“When they say, ‘Use the pronouns,’ I can talk to you for three hours and never use a pronoun,” he said. “If they’re insisting on using the first name, then I insist on using their last name.”
He emphasized that, in his view, asking thoughtful questions can be more compassionate than affirming identity claims.
“The most caring, most wonderful thing you can do is get them to start having self-reflection,” he said.
Concerns about schools and culture
The conversation also touched on concerns many Christian parents face as discussions surrounding gender identity increasingly appear in schools and childhood environments in ways that previous generations did not experience.
Heyer expressed alarm about what children encounter in educational settings and said many parents feel they have little influence over those environments.
“Parents can’t control what goes on in school,” he said. “That’s the part that’s scary.”
He argued that schools often shape children more powerfully than family conversations once students enter those environments daily, and trans activists have been planting seeds in children’s minds.
“When they get to school, it’s their environment that they’re in that’s going to have bigger influence over their life,” he said.
Although he pointed to homeschooling or attending Christian schools as possible responses, he also acknowledged that many families around the world do not have that option.
The evidence has been there for decades
While the broader cultural debate surrounding gender identity has been developing for decades, Heyer emphasized that it has also been scientifically known for a long time that affirming someone’s gender identity and letting them transition is not a solution.
He referenced Dr. Charles Ihlenfeld, an endocrinologist and homosexual activist who, according to Heyer, administered hormone treatments to hundreds of men before later opposing gender transition procedures.
“He came out against it in 1979!” Heyer said. “He said, ‘I’ve worked with 500 of them, I’ve talked to them and I found too much unhappiness and too many have committed suicide.’”
Heyer also pointed to earlier media reporting questioning the effectiveness of sex-change surgeries. “We have all these data points,” he said. “It’s like the guy driving through a stop sign and finally he hits another car and crashes.”
Heyer argues it is important for churches to be informed in order not to be misled by mainstream narratives and trends that ignore the science and facts that have existed for a long time.
‘They never changed their gender’
Despite the emotional complexity surrounding gender identity, Heyer said he believes churches should approach the issue with hope rather than fear. Instead of viewing transgender-identifying individuals primarily through political or cultural conflict, churches should recognize pain, trauma and spiritual struggle.
For Heyer, the church’s task is not to treat gender identity struggles as uniquely strange or untouchable, but as part of the broader brokenness people experience in life.
“We work with people whose parents have died, people who’ve lost limbs, people who have cancer,” he said. “This is just something tragic that’s happened.”
“The most critical view of hope is that they never actually changed their gender,” he said. “We need to bring them back to how God created them.”
He emphasized that it is a scientific fact that men cannot become women and women cannot become men. Therefore, a person who underwent surgery has not in actuality changed their gender.
“No, they didn’t change them at the clinic,” Heyer said. “They don’t know how to do it. They’re not God.”
That perspective, he said, changes how congregations respond.]]></content:encoded>
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