Articles by CDI Staff
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Citing a dramatic escalation of targeted attacks against Christians and other minorities in their countries, human rights advocates from South Asia called for stronger European Union (EU) engagement on freedom of religion or belief at conference in Brussels on Dec. 4. -
Renewed cultural interest in Scripture noted in final chapter of annual State of the Bible report
A renewed cultural interest in Scripture is recorded in the just-released 9th and final chapter of the 15th annual State of the Bible report by the American Bible Society (ABS). Latest findings come from a nationally representative survey for ABS by NORC at the University of Chicago, using their AmeriSpeak panel. It involved 2,656 online interviews with American adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with data collected from Jan. 2–21, 2025. The concluding chapter summarizes signif -
550 leaders gather in Brussels for annual European Parliament Prayer Breakfast
Delegates gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, for the annual 28th European Parliament Prayer Breakfast (EPB), where they focused on prayer, fellowship, and strategic collaboration. The EPB, held on Dec. 2-3, functions as an annual, non-political event in the European Parliament that brings together Christians involved in European politics and advocacy for networking and fellowship. -
Isaiah 41:10 named YouVersion’s most popular Bible verse as app logs record engagement in 2025
YouVersion identified Isaiah 41:10 as its most engaged-with Bible verse of 2025, marking the fourth time in six years the passage has taken the top spot. The announcement comes as the Bible app platform reports its highest-ever levels of global Scripture engagement, driven in part by the first Global Bible Month held in November. -
New report hails local churches as 'unseen force' battling UK poverty
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has released a new report, "Beyond belief: the local church and poverty," revealing that local churches and Christian organisations are an “unseen force” providing vital support to 12.5 million people across the UK in the last five years. -
U.N rights chief slams Pakistan’s constitutional amendment
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Friday (Nov. 28) sounded an alarm over Pakistan’s recent constitutional amendments, saying they raise “grave concerns” over rule of law and protection of human rights, including religious freedom. -
Sri Lanka evangelicals launch emergency aid appeal as Cyclone Ditwah death toll surpasses 330
Christian leaders in Sri Lanka have launched an emergency relief effort as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah and widespread flooding rose to more than 330, with hundreds still missing and tens of thousands forced from their homes. -
Tokyo Deaflympics 2025 offers rare opportunity to reach one of the world’s least-reached people groups
The 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo has become an unprecedented platform for global evangelism, giving missionaries rare access to one of the world’s largest and least-reached communities. As thousands of athletes and spectators from around the world gather for the international sporting event, mission workers say the moment represents a historic opportunity to share the gospel with D/deaf people who are seldom concentrated in one place. -
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Russia lowers criminal age to 14, exposing Ukrainian teens to life sentences for ‘sabotage’
Teenagers in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine now face the prospect of life imprisonment for “sabotage” after President Vladimir Putin approved amendments lowering the age of criminal liability, even as international negotiations continue over ending the war. -
EU mission to review Pakistan’s human rights record
Rights activists urged the European Union to investigate widespread human rights violations in Pakistan, including persecution of religious minorities, ahead of a review starting Monday (Nov. 24) by a key EU mission monitoring the country’s eligibility for preferential trade terms. -
Relationship more essential than AI for discipleship
Most church pastors in the U.S. agree that true discipleship happens in relationships and cannot be reduced to an artificial intelligence program, according to new data from the Lifeway Research State of Discipleship study. This consensus points to a belief that human connection is a non-negotiable element of Christian growth, a finding that emerges as the church grapples with the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in ministry. The study reveals that 95% of pastors believe disciplesh
