<rss
xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"
xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"
><channel>
        <title>Christian Daily International | Oceania</title>
        <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/oceania</link>
        <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
        <image>
            <title>Christian Daily International | Oceania</title>
            <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/oceania</link>
            <url>https://assets.christiandaily.com/img/logo.png</url>
        </image>
        <copyright>Christian Daily International © 2026</copyright>
        <language>en</language>
        <lastBuildDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2026 16:17:48 -0400</lastBuildDate>
        <atom:link href="https://www.christiandaily.com/oceania?format=xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <atom:link href="https://www.christiandaily.com/oceania" rel="alternate" type="text/html"/>
        <generator>Xiaoman</generator>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Baptist report highlights gap between fashion brands’ commitments and workers’ rights]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/baptist-report-highlights-gap-between-fashion-brands-commitments-and-workers-rights</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/baptist-report-highlights-gap-between-fashion-brands-commitments-and-workers-rights</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/54/5431.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Female worker in Bangladesh RMG industries.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Shanjir H | Photo4life AU - Unsplash ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Female worker in Bangladesh RMG industries. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2026 21:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A major Baptist report on global fashion supply chains has highlighted a persistent gap between corporate commitments and progress for garment workers, finding that 87 percent of assessed companies could not demonstrate that workers in any of their facilities were paid a living wage.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A major Baptist report on global fashion supply chains has highlighted a persistent gap between corporate commitments and progress for garment workers, finding that 87 percent of assessed companies could not demonstrate that workers in any of their facilities were paid a living wage.
The 2026 Ethical Fashion Report, published Oct. 20 by Baptist World Aid Australia, assessed 138 companies representing 543 global brands across 48 ethical and environmental indicators.
Despite 93 percent of companies having formal policies on workers’ rights and sustainability, the industry’s average score was 31.5 out of 100, an increase of just 0.2 points from the previous survey in 2024.
“Policies alone don’t change workers’ lives. What matters is whether those commitments translate into fair wages, safe conditions and protected rights,” said Melissa Lipsett, CEO of Baptist World Aid Australia. “We believe every person is made in the image of God and has inherent worth. Our desire is to see garment workers and their families experience the fullness of life God intends.”
The report highlighted systemic shortcomings in worker empowerment and environmental stewardship. While 71 percent of companies met the requirements for modern slavery disclosures, only 9 percent demonstrated union representation or collective bargaining in most final-stage facilities. Additionally, half of the companies reported having no targets to reduce supply chain emissions.
Although the use of sustainable fibers rose from 30 percent to 38 percent over two years, researchers noted that increasing production of synthetic, petroleum-based materials continued to offset environmental gains.
Katherine Halliday, ethical fashion lead at Baptist World Aid, urged Christians to consider the human and environmental costs of fast fashion.
“Every item of clothing passes through the hands of people made in God’s image,” Halliday said, calling on consumers to use their purchasing decisions to demand greater accountability from global retail brands.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Report highlights role of short-term trips, church apprenticeships in long-term mission]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/report-highlights-role-of-short-term-trips-church-apprenticeships-in-long-term-mission</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/report-highlights-role-of-short-term-trips-church-apprenticeships-in-long-term-mission</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/53/5378.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[christians]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Vince Fleming / Unsplash ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Short-term mission placements and church apprenticeships can help prepare people for long-term gospel ministry, according to a report published by mission agency Crosslinks.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Short-term mission placements and church apprenticeships can help prepare people for long-term gospel ministry, according to a report published by mission agency Crosslinks.
The Pathways to Mission survey, which gathered responses from 87 Crosslinks mission partners, provides data on how individuals moved from an initial interest in cross-cultural ministry to active service overseas.
“I think the best thing someone can do who is zealous for the progress of the gospel is to give them opportunities to go out to a country and serve on a summer camp or for a year,” said Tom Trump, a mission partner serving in Belgium.
The report comes as European and global mission agencies face broader changes in applications for full-time ministry and enrollment at theological colleges.
The survey found that 76% of long-term mission partners had undertaken between one and 10 short-term mission trips before committing to full-time overseas ministry. Eight percent had completed seven to 10 short-term placements.
“If we want to see the next generation of long-term gospel workers raised up, we must give them mini tasters of ministry life overseas,” Crosslinks said, pointing to summer camps, gap years, language years abroad and church mission teams as potential entry points.
The survey also highlighted the need for local churches to provide patient, long-term pastoral support. The journey to the mission field was often lengthy: seven to 10 years was the most common period between initial interest and departure, while more than a quarter of respondents said the process took longer.
Obstacles and concerns cited by candidates included adapting to another culture, the potential impact on children and learning a new language.
Practical preparation was closely connected to local church involvement and theological training. More than half of the surveyed mission partners had completed a church apprenticeship before departing for overseas ministry.
Almost all respondents had completed formal theological training, including at institutions such as Oak Hill Theological College, the Cornhill Training Course, Belfast Bible College and George Whitefield College. Only three mission partners had no formal theological training before going overseas.
Hearing directly from existing mission partners and gaining practical ministry experience in their home churches were also cited as significant factors in preparing candidates.
In its communication to supporters, Crosslinks said it hopes the findings will help local churches and sending agencies identify barriers, manage expectations and better equip future candidates for long-term ministry.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Australian school principal resigns after refusing to host LGBTQ+ event]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-school-principal-resigns-after-refusing-to-host-lgbtq-event</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-school-principal-resigns-after-refusing-to-host-lgbtq-event</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5284.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Janelle Rowe resigned from her role as an Australian school principal.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Australian Christian Lobby ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Janelle Rowe resigned from her role as an Australian school principal. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:18:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[An Australian school principal resigned after education officials directed her to host “Wear It Purple Day” promoting gay and transgender ideology among primary school students as young as 4 years old.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
An Australian school principal resigned after education officials directed her to host “Wear It Purple Day” promoting gay and transgender ideology among primary school students as young as 4 years old.
Wear It Purple is an annual LGBTQIA+SB awareness event held across Australian schools, workplaces, and community groups, with the acronym standing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual, with SB adding Sistergirl and Brotherboy to include gender-diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. 
Organizers state the event aims to build “safer and more inclusive environments.” The 2026 theme, “Colors of Courage,” celebrated Aug. 28, highlighted “bravery” required to drive change in institutions where conversations about LGBTQIA+SB topics rarely occur.
Janelle Rowe, former principal of Bonython Primary School in Canberra, served in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) public education system for 34 years. Rather than celebrating Wear It Purple Day, Rowe requested to swap the event for Bullying No Way Week, a national anti-bullying initiative covering all children regardless of the reason they experience bullying.
“I believe Wear It Purple Day is not a harmless dress-up day,” Rowe told The Daily Telegraph. “It requires teachers to explain what these lifestyles are about to children, and I don’t feel it’s the place of schools to be talking about sexualized issues with infants and primary students. At age 4 through to 12, these are still issues for parents and for families.”
Following her decision, the ACT Education Directorate summoned Rowe to its head office, presented her with a list of internal allegations, reported that staff members were ready to quit over her stance and placed her under direct supervision.
David Miklos, a writer for the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), noted that one staff member privately admitted to Rowe, “I completely agree with you, but I would never say anything.”
Rowe submitted a three-page reply to the directorate after receiving what she described as a “pointed question” asking if she would wear purple and participate in the event. Choosing to stick to her convictions, she resigned.
Meeting with Rowe, Miklos expected to encounter a “hard-done-by, fire-breathing campaigner,” he recently wrote.
“Instead, I met a warm, measured, highly capable and articulate educator, wholly committed to her calling and the children at the heart of it,” Miklos wrote. “Janelle is a woman who had to leave the profession she was made for, who is shell-shocked and inwardly grieving at what her beloved vocation has become, and who is still, in every way that matters, a principal.”
Freedom of Information records from the directorate’s own files showed past performance reviews describing Rowe as “outstanding” and “highly capable,” with one supervisor writing, “the best leader I have ever worked with in my 40-year career.”
Miklos noted that Rowe never objected to the color purple itself. Instead, she objected to requiring teachers to explain sexual identity acronyms to children as young as 4 – a requirement she believed breached teacher codes of conduct and child-safe standards regarding age-inappropriate sexualized content.
“She was applying the policy she had been trained on,” Miklos wrote, pointing out that Wear It Purple organizers state participation should be voluntary for both students and staff. “It was not voluntary for Janelle.”
While the public school system failed to back Rowe, support arrived from unexpected quarters once her story went public. Miklos noted that supporters included “a lesbian mother of a 4-year-old, a gay man, and a woman who says plainly she is not a Christian.”
When officials told Rowe she was taking this stance only because she is a Christian, Miklos noted that while faith explained Rowe’s convictions, it did not explain the support coming from non-Christians.
Referencing Ephesians 6:13, where the Apostle Paul encourages Christians, “having done all, to stand,” Miklos wrote: “‘Stand’ is a defensive verb. Janelle was not trying to take ground; she declined to give any up.”
Miklos called for prayer for Rowe, for school staff who share her views privately to speak out publicly, and for Australian primary school children.
“Pray that common sense returns to those who set policy for our schools – that a child in kindergarten should not be introduced to adult questions of sexuality and gender by the state,” Miklos urged.
The Human Rights Law Alliance (HRLA) has officially taken up Rowe’s case.
“HRLA is standing with Janelle because freedom of conscience must include the freedom to respectfully question prevailing policies without fear of professional punishment,” the organization said in a statement.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Global study finds a third of young people have an AI companion as close friendships narrow]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/global-study-finds-a-third-of-young-people-have-an-ai-companion</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/global-study-finds-a-third-of-young-people-have-an-ai-companion</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5280.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[A young woman using a smartphone. AI. technology. Mobile phone.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ iStock/pocketlight ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ A global study released Sept. 10, 2026, by the Christian youth ministry Young Life found that 35% of adolescents and young adults surveyed across 11 countries report having an artificial intelligence companion, and that 60% of those users say they are more comfortable confiding in it than in some friends or family members. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:26:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[More than a third of adolescents and young adults surveyed across 11 countries say they have an artificial intelligence companion, and most of that group say they find it easier to confide in the software than in some of their friends or relatives, according to research released Thursday by Young Life.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
More than a third of adolescents and young adults surveyed across 11 countries say they have an artificial intelligence companion, and most of that group say they find it easier to confide in the software than in some of their friends or relatives, according to research released Thursday (Sept. 10) by Young Life.
The RELATE Project 2026, the second wave of a global study by the Christian youth ministry, surveyed 7,105 people ages 13 to 24 online between November 2025 and January 2026 and followed the survey with 22 focus groups involving 97 participants, most of them Young Life volunteers or staff. Young Life said the findings point in two directions at once: the number of close relationships young people report has fallen since 2023 and conversational AI has moved into part of that space, yet the same respondents say they increasingly prefer to meet in person.
Nearly all those surveyed — 89% — said they use AI in some form, most often for practical tasks, the report said. About one in three use it relationally. Within the full sample, 35% said they have an AI companion, a figure the study reported at 45% among 13- to 15-year-olds and 29% among 22- to 24-year-olds. Young men were somewhat more likely than young women to report one, 38% to 32%.
Of those with an AI companion, 60% agreed strongly or somewhat that they are more comfortable with it than with some friends or family members, according to the study. The report also said roughly one in 10 adolescents manage stress by talking with an AI companion.
Spiritual questions put to chatbots
The survey asked for the first time whether young people treat AI as a source of religious guidance. Across the sample, 41% agreed that AI is a reliable source for spiritual questions and 30% disagreed, the report said, with the youngest respondents the most willing to trust it in that area.
Identity questions showed a smaller but notable shift. Asked whom they trust most when working out who they are, two-thirds of respondents named friends or family. Teachers, coaches, pastors and other religious leaders ranked at the bottom of that list. Eight percent named AI.
Young Life cautioned in the report that AI companions are built to supply constant validation, simulated empathy and immediate availability, and that leaning on them in place of people may leave young users without practice in conflict, disappointment, apology and repair. The organization described the technology as functioning for the next generation as a low-risk substitute or supplement for human relationships.
That concern was echoed by young people themselves. In focus groups, older members of Generation Z said they worried about how readily their younger peers accept AI and wished they were more skeptical, according to the report.
"The RELATE Project tells us that while young people are constantly connected online, they are craving authentic, in-person community," said Newt Crenshaw, president and CEO of Young Life, in a statement accompanying the release. He said respondents were looking for "trusted, consistent adults" who would earn and keep their trust and listen.
What counts as listening
One of the study's more pointed findings concerns how young people define good listening. Asked what matters most, 42% chose giving full attention and putting devices away, and 33% chose responding without judgment. Asking follow-up questions came last, cited by 19% — a break from the active-listening model taught to earlier generations, the report said.
Those criteria closely match what chatbots are designed to do: express empathy, keep what is said private and withhold judgment. The report drew the comparison directly.
Fewer people to turn to
The average number of close relationships young people reported fell from 5.3 in 2023 to 4.4 in the latest wave, Young Life said. On average, respondents said they had two people they could talk to about things that really matter.
Four in 10 said they were not fully confident that any adult in their life is genuinely interested in listening to them. Satisfaction with friendships has held steady, with 58% rating their contentment at eight or higher on a 10-point scale, but focus group participants described relationships as central to their lives and, at the same time, unreliable.
Trust is conditional. In every country surveyed, confidentiality ranked as the first priority in building trust, with 73% calling it extremely or very important. Loyalty was the trait most respondents wanted to be known for, chosen by 53%. Focus groups defined both as not repeating someone's story without permission — a definition shaped, participants said, by growing up with parents and peers who post about them without asking.
"This starts with proving we are safe enough to listen — protecting their confidentiality and offering space for them without immediately trying to offer advice or judgment," said Kimberly Nollan, director of research and practice at Young Life.
Preference for face-to-face contact rose over the same period. Sixty-four percent named it as their preferred way to communicate with close friends, up from 54% in 2023. Yet 63% said they find it easier to express themselves online than in person, a pattern the report said was strongest among the youngest respondents.
Stress, sleep and mental health
More than a third of respondents, 35%, said they feel a lot or a great deal of stress regularly. Their most common worries were thinking about the future, cited by 57%, money at 49% and school at 42%. Mental health ranked as the top concern across the full sample and among the top three in nearly every country surveyed.
Sleep was short almost everywhere. Only 40% of 13- to 15-year-olds reported eight hours or more, falling to 25% among those ages 22 to 24. Music was the most common way respondents said they relieve stress, chosen by 57%, ahead of time with friends, exercise and time outdoors.
Faith described as lived rather than inherited
Across all countries, 71% said they follow their family's religious affiliation. More than four in 10 expressed a commitment to faith and a desire to grow in it, the most frequent response in every country surveyed, regardless of religious background.
Among respondents who identified as Christians, 71% said they believe they are important to God and the same share said their faith is important in their life. Fewer reported having a relationship with God, at 55%, or having made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ, at 57%. Only 26% felt strongly that their beliefs help them understand the world and how to live in it.
The report found a link between feeling important to God and believing oneself worthy of being loved. Sixty-two percent of respondents rated their worthiness of being loved at eight or higher; among those with no religious affiliation, the figure was about half. Religious adolescents also reported a greater sense of being able to make a difference in others' lives than those who identified as atheist, agnostic or unaffiliated, 42% to 45% against 28%.
Focus group participants described faith less as a fixed system of belief than as something practical and tested, and said Generation Z has little appetite for a faith that is inherited or taught in the abstract. They judge the credibility of Christianity, according to the report, by whether adult leaders live out what they preach.
On forgiveness, 36% said they almost always forgive someone who makes a mistake and 39% said they often do. Some focus group participants questioned those numbers, suggesting their peers may prefer to think of themselves as forgiving while avoiding the work of repair. The report connected that pattern to the premium placed on staying calm and avoiding conflict.
The survey covered the United States, with 1,672 respondents, the United Kingdom, 880; India, 822; Mexico, 804; Hong Kong, 706; Ethiopia, 426; Nigeria, 400; Kenya, 356; Argentina, 353; Liberia, 345; and Zimbabwe, 341.
Young Life, founded 85 years ago, works through volunteers who build friendships with adolescents and introduce them to Christianity. The ministry said the RELATE findings are already shaping how it trains leaders and equips parents. The full report and regional breakdowns are available at relate.younglife.org.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Darlene Zschech reflects on struggles that inspired popular worship song 'Shout to the Lord']]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/darlene-zschech-on-struggles-that-inspired-shout-to-the-lord</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/darlene-zschech-on-struggles-that-inspired-shout-to-the-lord</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5234.webp">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Darlene Zschech reflects on struggles that inspired popular worship song Shout to the Lord]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Hoganson Media Relations ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Darlene Zschech ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Veteran worship leader Darlene Zschech believes the Church is once again entering a season in which God is moving powerfully and new expressions of worship are emerging.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Veteran worship leader Darlene Zschech believes the Church is once again entering a season in which God is moving powerfully and new expressions of worship are emerging.
The Australian singer and songwriter, formerly of Hillsong, reflected on the relationship between worship and revival during an interview with Michael Foust on his "Crosswalk Talk" podcast. 
Looking back at earlier periods of revival and comparing them with what she sees happening today, Zschech said she believes the Church is living in “revival days again.”
“The new song has always coexisted with a fresh revival on the Earth, wherever it was,” she said. “It was always a new song that accompanied historical revivals, and we’re there again.”
She is encouraged by a new generation of Christian songwriters emerging within the Church and urges them to build upon the foundations laid by those who came before them.
“Seriously, I’m in awe of some of these songwriters now that are picking up these new frequencies, but their job is still the same,” she said.
“When we’re creating worship for the church, we’re not trying to be clever; we’re trying to release something out of people.”
Zschech said she wanted younger worship leaders and songwriters to “get on our shoulders and go as high and as wide as you can,” adding that she found this season “so exciting.”
Her reflections came as she discussed "The House of Worship,"    a new film bringing together influential worship artists and looking back over 25 years of songs that have shaped contemporary Christian worship.
Zschech recalled experiencing what she now recognizes as revival during the formative years of the modern worship movement in Australia, when worship services would frequently lead directly into calls for people to respond to the Gospel.
“We were living in revival days,” she said. “We’d lead worship, and rather than, you know, polite clap and someone walks up and preaches, [we’d] lead worship and someone would do an altar call, and just heaps of people would come and get saved.”
Although acknowledging there was “some messiness later,” Zschech said those years had a profound impact on her own faith and the community around her and that she “wouldn’t be sitting here today … without those days, where God really shaped us as a community of faith.” 
“He shaped us as a community of worship, leaders of worship, musicians, production, writers. We were being formed and forged together.”
She said one of the blessings of that period was that those involved were largely unknown outside their own circles, allowing their spiritual foundations to develop away from wider attention.
“It was like God hid us for a season while the roots went down deep,” she said. “And I’m so thankful for those days.”
During the interview, Zschech also reflected on the unlikely beginnings of “Shout to the Lord,” one of the most popular contemporary worship songs in the world.
She wrote the song during a difficult period in her family’s life, when she and her husband were raising two young children and struggling financially. Their business wasn't doing well, and Zschech was singing advertising jingles to help bring in money.
Against that backdrop, she sat down at her piano one day and began pouring out her heart to God. The song came together in around 20 minutes.
“I just sang it, and I sang it, and I sang it, and it was just a prayer to the Lord,” she said.
At the time, Zschech lacked confidence in her songwriting and initially didn't show it to her church’s worship pastor.
When she eventually played it for him, she was so embarrassed that she asked him to turn his back while she sang and kept offering to change parts, fearing they were not good enough. By the time she finished, the worship pastor had tears in his eyes and told her the church would sing it that weekend.
A visiting minister told her that day that the song would quickly travel around the world, a prediction she initially struggled to comprehend.
What followed was particularly meaningful to Zschech because it happened before social media and today’s opportunities for musicians to promote their work internationally.
“It was a miracle of God,” she said. “There was no kind of master plan, and I really liked that, because none of us can take credit for it.”
She recalled beginning to receive letters from people around the world and wondering how they had even encountered the song.
“God took this song and just breathed on it,” she said. “When God wants something out there, He can do it.”
More than three decades later, Zschech said she remains humbled when she hears congregations singing songs she has written, often becoming so absorbed in worship that she forgets she wrote them.
Looking ahead, Zschech said she believes worship will continue to have an important place in what she sees as an emerging spiritual awakening.
“I think we’re on the brink of something so magnificent,” she said.
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Australian homelessness worsens as charity calls for data in 2026 Census]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-homelessness-worsens-as-charity-calls-for-data-in-2026-census</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-homelessness-worsens-as-charity-calls-for-data-in-2026-census</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/47/4790.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Helping Homeless]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Halfpoint/Adobe Stock ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:52:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Mission Australia says better data must lead to stronger action on housing and homelessness.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Mission Australia wants homeless people to take part in the 2026 Census, being conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Aug. 11.
It comes as Australia marks Homelessness Week from Aug. 3 to 9, amid indications that homelessness is becoming more widespread.
Mission Australia, a Christian community services and housing provider, said housing affordability and rental stress were causing systemic problems.
According to data from the 2021 Census, 122,494 people experienced homelessness, but Mission Australia said the number was “likely to be higher today” because a lack of affordable homes has forced more people into unstable living conditions like overcrowded or temporary housing, and other forms of insecure accommodation.
Mission Australia Chief Executive Officer Sharon Callister said homelessness was becoming more widespread but harder to see.
“Homelessness is not always what people expect,” Callister said.
“It includes people staying with friends or family because they have nowhere else to go, people living in overcrowded homes, and people moving between short-term and unstable accommodation.
“Young people are also being deeply affected by the housing crisis. We are seeing more young people trying to study, work and live their lives without the stability of a safe and secure home.”
For some of those affected, homelessness is the result of family conflict, but for many it is the simple reality of being unable to find or afford a place to live, according to Callister: "The housing crisis is driving more people into these situations, and we expect the numbers have increased since the last Census."
Callister believes the Census has a critical role to play in understanding homelessness, but only if everyone is counted.
“The Census is one of the best tools we have to understand homelessness in Australia,” she said.
“But it only works if people are included. If people aren’t counted, they remain invisible in the data, and it becomes harder to respond effectively.”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is offering help for homeless people to complete the Census on Aug. 11, whatever their living situation.
ABS staff will visit known locations where people are sleeping rough, including in cars or tents. The survey can also be completed online and accommodation providers like hostels, refuges and boarding houses will supply forms to complete on Census night. Those temporarily “couch surfing” with family or friends will receive instructions at those addresses from late July.
Mission Australia staff and frontline services are also supporting people experiencing homelessness to complete the Census, which is confidential.
Callister said better data must lead to stronger action on housing and homelessness.
“We know what works,” she said.
“When people have a safe, stable and affordable home, homelessness can be prevented or resolved. We also know that targeted support makes a real difference in keeping people housed.
“Nearly all people who receive tenancy support through our services are able to stay housed or avoid homelessness. That shows what is possible when housing and support work together.
“But we cannot end homelessness without more housing. We need a sustained increase in social and affordable housing so it makes up at least six per cent of all homes over the medium term, and 10 per cent over the longer term.”
Mission Australia is campaigning for authorities to “act on the evidence” and commit to long-term reform of the housing system so that more people can access safe, stable and affordable homes.
That includes more youth-specific housing options and supported models like Youth Foyers, as well as targeted housing pathways for young people at risk of homelessness.
“We know from our Youth Survey that young people are being hit hard by the lack of affordable housing, and too many are being pushed into homelessness early in life,” she said.
“They need stable and affordable housing options that actually meet their needs.”
Homelessness Week is a reminder that action must match awareness, she added: “The theme this year is Homelessness Action Now, and that is what’s needed.
“It means making sure homelessness is properly counted, understanding the full scale of the problem and committing to the level of housing investment required to actually end it.”]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Less than 1% of trafficking victims are ever identified, but church can help, anti-trafficking leader tells UN forum]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/less-than-1-of-trafficking-victims-are-ever-identified-but-church-can-help-anti-trafficking-leader-tells-un-forum</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/less-than-1-of-trafficking-victims-are-ever-identified-but-church-can-help-anti-trafficking-leader-tells-un-forum</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/49/4936.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Sarah Scott Webb, representing the World Freedom Network, tells UN forum delegates that fewer than one percent of trafficking victims are ever officially identified.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Christian Daily International ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Sarah Scott Webb, representing the World Freedom Network, tells UN forum delegates that fewer than one percent of trafficking victims are ever officially identified. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Fewer than one in a hundred victims of human trafficking is ever formally identified, a global anti-trafficking advocate told a United Nations side event Monday, calling the gap a fundamental failure of protection systems worldwide — and a challenge the church is uniquely placed to help address.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Fewer than one in a hundred victims of human trafficking is ever formally identified, a global anti-trafficking advocate told a United Nations side event Monday, calling the gap a fundamental failure of protection systems worldwide — and a challenge the church is uniquely placed to help address.
Sarah Scott Webb, founder and director of the Oceania Freedom Network and a leader within the World Freedom Network, addressed the High-Level Political Forum side event "From Commitment to Action: Urban Solutions to Human Trafficking in Liberia and Sierra Leone," held July 13 at the Salvation Army's International Social Justice Commission in New York.
"Less than one percent of trafficking victims are ever officially identified," Webb told the gathering. "That means for every one victim who reaches protection and assistance, more than ninety-nine remain invisible — invisible to governments, invisible to services, invisible to justice, invisible to us."
Webb argued that victim identification is the single most critical bottleneck in the global anti-trafficking response. "Victim identification is the gateway to every other part of the anti-trafficking response," she said. "Without identification, victims aren't protected, traffickers aren't held accountable, communities remain vulnerable, and the true nature of trafficking stays hidden."
The side event was planned by the World Evangelical Alliance's UN New York team as part of its ongoing advocacy on human trafficking policy, and co-organized by the World Freedom Network, Rain Collective, and World Hope International. It brought together UN member states, UN agencies, researchers, civil society, and faith-based organizations to examine evidence-based approaches to combating trafficking, with a particular focus on Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Speakers discussed research findings from both West African countries, where grassroots programming by trusted local networks is working to strengthen community resilience against emerging forms of exploitation. The session was framed around Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
At the heart of Webb's address was a challenge to how victim identification is understood. She said the standard definition — the moment an official authority formally certifies someone as a trafficking victim — is correct but incomplete, because it captures only the end of a much longer process.
She drew on her home country as an illustration. In New Zealand, she said, victim identification is considered to have occurred at the moment Immigration New Zealand formally certifies that the legal threshold for trafficking or exploitation has been met. That determination unlocks legal protections for the person involved. "That's how victim identification is commonly understood — and it's not wrong," Webb said. "But it's incomplete. Because it's only the very end of the identification process, not the whole thing."
"Victim identification begins long before that moment of formal determination," she said. "It is more accurately defined as a process — a series of interactions where different people, at different points of contact, notice indicators of trafficking, build trust, ask the right questions, share information, and make decisions that shape what happens next in a victim's journey to safety."
Webb illustrated the point with an account of a young migrant woman who passed through a health clinic, a factory labor audit, a place of worship, and an immigration encounter — each interaction a missed opportunity. "At every point she was visible. She interacted with multiple systems designed to protect people. And yet identification never happened. Not because no one cared, but because each point of contact saw only one piece of her story."
She contrasted this with a different version of the same encounters, in which a health worker asks whether the woman is free to leave her job, a labor auditor notices her passport is not in her possession, a faith leader recognizes fear rather than stress and knows who to call, and an immigration officer pauses to ask questions before issuing a penalty. "Nothing about the victim changed," Webb said. "Everything changed about the ecosystem."
Webb emphasized that victim identification requires awareness, trust, screening, referral, and partnership across multiple sectors. Governments, law enforcement, health professionals, businesses, researchers, churches, and civil society all have a place within it, she said, but none can do the work alone.
The role of churches and faith communities drew particular emphasis. Webb noted that faith communities often hold the trust and local access that formal systems lack, giving them the ability to reach people who would never approach a government office or law enforcement agency.
"Civil society and faith communities bring trust, local knowledge and access to vulnerable communities," Webb said. "Together, we create the conditions in which victims can be recognized, protected and supported."
That argument has a long international pedigree, she noted. The Palermo Protocol — the United Nations agreement that has formed the legal backbone of the global anti-trafficking response for more than two decades — has recognized partnership as one of the foundations of an effective response since its adoption. SDG 17 reinforces the same principle, she said, affirming that complex global challenges can only be solved through strong, multi-stakeholder collaboration.
She noted that the importance of partnership was affirmed at the same day's ministerial session of the UN General Assembly. "Partnership is essential," she said, "emphasized by the president of the General Assembly at this morning's ministerial session at the UN."
Webb also highlighted the need for evidence over assumption. Research into why victims remain hidden — what barriers exist, where systems break down, which partnerships make the greatest difference — is what makes better policy and practice possible, she said.
"If we can't understand why victims remain hidden, we cannot build the ecosystems that help them be found," she said.
The stakes are high: an estimated 50 million people live in modern slavery globally, with 27.6 million trafficked into situations of forced labor. The response to those numbers, she said, depends on persuading every sector of society — including the church — to see victim identification as a shared responsibility rather than a task delegated to authorities.
"We need to stop seeing victim identification as an event," she said, "and start seeing it as a shared responsibility. Our responsibility."]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[New book calls churches to make child protection a gospel priority]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-book-calls-churches-to-make-child-protection-a-gospel-priority</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-book-calls-churches-to-make-child-protection-a-gospel-priority</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/48/4869.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Gods Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding: Practical Theology from Global Perspectives]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Book cover ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ God's Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding: Practical Theology from Global Perspectives ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:59:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Church leaders, theologians and child advocacy practitioners from around the world gathered online to launch God's Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding, a new volume urging Christians to view safeguarding not as an administrative requirement but as a central expression of the gospel.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Church leaders, theologians and child advocacy practitioners from around the world gathered online to launch God's Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding, a new volume urging Christians to view safeguarding not as an administrative requirement but as a central expression of the gospel.
Published by Langham Publishing in partnership with VIVA, the Lausanne Children at Risk Issue Network and the Global Child Protection Alliance, the book brings together more than 30 contributors from five continents to address child abuse through biblical theology, practical guidance and case studies drawn from ministry contexts around the world.
During the online launch, co-editor Dr. Martin Munyao said the book was written to help fill a significant gap in theological education and ministry resources.
"We cannot ignore" the scale of abuse facing children, Munyao said, citing global estimates that one in four girls and one in 13 boys experience sexual abuse before age 18, while more than 600 million children live in conflict or humanitarian settings. He also noted that abuse within churches remains widely underreported and that many theological institutions still lack child protection frameworks.
"What we're talking about today is safeguarding. It's not just an optional extra for Christians. It's a gospel imperative," he said.
Munyao described the book as more than an awareness resource. Covering issues including gender-based violence, child trafficking, online sexual exploitation, child marriage, disability, family violence, humanitarian crises and church ministries, each chapter combines a global overview, biblical reflection and practical case studies. The book is intended for seminaries, churches, Christian organizations and NGOs.
Co-editor Dr. Nativity A. Petallar said she hopes the book will encourage churches to confront difficult realities rather than avoid them.
"My hope is that this book will break through church discomfort by forcing an honest conversation about an unthinkable reality — abuse happens within religious institutions," she said. She expressed hope the resource would help readers move "from passive bystanders to active advocates" who foster safer church cultures and take proactive steps to prevent abuse.
Asked what she hopes church leaders will remember from the book, Petallar said safeguarding should never be viewed as merely another policy.
"The central message I hope church leaders would take from this book is that safeguarding is an essential expression of the gospel," she said. Over the next five years, she hopes theological colleges, churches and ministries will embed cultures of protection into everyday practice.
Phil Green, CEO of VIVA, said churches around the world have often done remarkable work for children but acknowledged they have also sometimes caused harm.
"Our motivation to do better when it comes to child protection and safeguarding needs to be that God values children and therefore so should we," Green said. "Keeping children safe is a biblical mandate." He added that safeguarding must become embedded in relationships and community life rather than existing only as written policy.
The launch also highlighted practical examples featured in the book. Tryphosa Kwagala, VIVA's monitoring and evaluation manager in Uganda, described how community networks have established "safe spaces" in police and judicial facilities to provide child-friendly environments for victims and witnesses of abuse.
She said local churches can play a critical role because they understand their communities and are well positioned to advocate for children's protection.
"They can link the teachings of Christ into how people should safeguard children," Kwagala said. "They can be big advocates of child safeguarding because they are already rooted in their communities."
The event also featured the Global Child Protection Alliance, which seeks to promote collaboration among Christian organizations working to protect children. Alliance representatives argued that child protection should be viewed as a matter of justice rooted in God's character rather than as an optional ministry emphasis.
World Vision International also endorsed the publication. Bill Forbes, the organization's global director for child protection and child participation, described the volume as an important theological and practical resource for churches.
"This book reminds us that safeguarding and protection are not optional extras," Forbes said. "They are a true measure of our faithfulness." He added that the book calls Christians to move beyond awareness toward intentional action to prevent violence and support healing and justice for children.
The launch concluded with prayer for children affected by abuse and for churches to become places of safety. Organizers also announced a three-part webinar series later this year that will explore the book's themes in greater depth.
Published by Langham Publishing, God's Heart for Child Protection and Safeguarding is available in print and digital formats through major booksellers and Christian retailers.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Australian churches show gains in child safeguarding policies, survey finds]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-churches-show-gains-in-child-safeguarding-policies-survey-finds</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-churches-show-gains-in-child-safeguarding-policies-survey-finds</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/48/4833.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Children participate in a church program. A new report finds most Australian churches now have formal child safety policies, though many congregants remain unaware of how to report concerns about abuse.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Children participate in a church program. A new report finds most Australian churches now have formal child safety policies, though many congregants remain unaware of how to report concerns about abuse. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:01:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The majority of Australian churches have developed formal policies for protecting children and vulnerable people, according to findings published in April from the National Church Life Survey, though a wide gap remains between what church leaders know and what ordinary congregants understand about reporting abuse.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The majority of Australian churches have developed formal policies for protecting children and vulnerable people, according to findings published by the National Church Life Survey, though a wide gap remains between what church leaders know and what ordinary congregants understand about reporting abuse.
The NCLS data, drawn from surveys conducted in 2016 and 2021, found that 83% of churches reported having well-developed safety and protection policies by 2021, while 87% said they had formal processes for lodging complaints about child abuse or sexual misconduct by a minister or church worker.
Both figures represent an increase from 2016, and the trend held across four broad faith traditions — Catholic, Mainstream Protestant, Evangelical Protestant and Pentecostal.
Larger congregations were more likely to report having well-developed policies in both categories, the survey found, suggesting that institutional size plays a role in safeguarding capacity.
A gap in awareness
Despite the policy gains, the survey revealed a striking disparity between leaders and ordinary church members. Nine in 10 senior leaders — 93% — said they knew how to lodge a complaint about child abuse or sexual misconduct in their church. Among general attendees, that figure dropped to just three in 10.
People serving in children's or youth ministry roles were more likely than other attendees to know the reporting process, the NCLS found. Senior leader awareness of complaint procedures also increased between 2016 and 2021 across all traditions surveyed.
On broader misconduct not related to child abuse, 88% of senior leaders said they knew how to file a complaint.
Training and confidence
In the three years leading up to the 2021 survey, 93% of senior church leaders reported receiving formal Safe Churches training, mostly in the form of refresher courses. The survey noted that standards for how frequently such training should be completed remain unclear.
Congregant confidence in church authorities, however, has been affected by the ongoing fallout from clergy sexual abuse scandals. Half of church attendees — 51% — said in 2021 that clergy sexual abuse had damaged their confidence in church authorities, a figure that rose from 2016 and was consistent across all faith traditions included in the study.
At the same time, 69% of respondents agreed that the church now appeared to be taking appropriate steps to meet its responsibilities, a slight increase from five years earlier. Leaders and those in ministry positions were more likely than general attendees to hold that view.
More work needed
The April report, drawing on National Church Life Survey data, concluded that while Australian churches have made measurable progress in safeguarding infrastructure, congregational awareness of how to report concerns about child abuse or sexual misconduct remains a significant gap requiring further attention.
The NCLS is a national research initiative that has tracked church life in Australia over several decades.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Ban on late abortions rejected in South Australia]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ban-on-late-abortions-rejected-in-south-australia</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/ban-on-late-abortions-rejected-in-south-australia</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/41/4144.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[baby]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Aditya Romansa / Unsplash ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 04:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The South Australian Parliament has decisively rejected a controversial bill that aimed to ban most late-term abortions in the state. Abortion is legal in South Australia for up to 22 weeks and six days. A late-term abortion, however, is allowed if two doctors agree the mother’s health is in danger or the child has severe fetal abnormalities.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The South Australian Parliament has decisively rejected a controversial bill that aimed to ban most late-term abortions in the state. Abortion is legal in South Australia for up to 22 weeks and six days. A late-term abortion, however, is allowed if two doctors agree the mother’s health is in danger or the child has severe fetal abnormalities.
The Family First Party introduced the law to ban abortions after 25 weeks by removing mental health and fetal abnormalities as legal reasons unless the mother’s life is in danger or the child would not naturally survive outside the womb.
The Termination of Pregnancy (Restrictions on Terminations After 24 Weeks and 6 Days) Amendment Bill 2026, introduced by Sarah Game, a member of the Legislative Council, narrowly passed the Upper House at Parliament House in Adelaide by 10 to 9 on June 17. It was immediately fast-tracked to the Lower House for a free vote, where MPs decisively defeated it by 36 votes to 9.
On social media, Lyle Shelton, national director of the Family First Party, accused Premier Peter Malinauskas of using his “thumping majority” in the lower house to “fast-track” the killing of the bill.
“He wanted to kill off further public debate and lobbying of MPs,” wrote Shelton. “Human rights for unborn babies and better support for their mothers cannot be allowed to suck up political oxygen.”
Even so, Shelton called the success of the initial vote in the upper house “significant and should be celebrated.”
“Pro-life initiatives in Australian Parliaments always generate intense and emotionally charged opposition,” he said. “This was no different.
“Abortion is a sacred cow for the radical left. They think it is healthcare, even though killing her baby is almost never medically necessary to save the life of a mother.”
Shelton opined that with awareness growing of the “brutality of abortion,” politicians are slowly shifting in their views. 
“Late-term abortion is procured by the injection of potassium chloride through the mother’s uterus into the baby’s heart,” he pointed out, “a painful procedure not allowed to be performed on animals.”
The legislation faced strong opposition from major medical bodies, including the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of GPs. The organizations argue that late-term abortions are highly complex, rare—representing roughly 1% of terminations in the state—and should remain a decision between patients and their doctors.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Scientists find far more climate-resilient coral reefs than previously thought]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/scientists-find-far-more-climate-resilient-coral-reefs-than-previously-thought</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/scientists-find-far-more-climate-resilient-coral-reefs-than-previously-thought</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/48/4832.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[New hope beneath the waves: scientists have identified 166,000 sq km of coral reef capable of surviving climate change — three times more than previously thought.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash / Francesco Ungaro ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ New hope beneath the waves: scientists have identified 166,000 sq km of coral reef capable of surviving climate change — three times more than previously thought. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 03:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Researchers have identified nearly 166,000 square kilometers of coral reef capable of surviving climate change — three times more than earlier estimates — raising cautious hope for one of the world's most threatened marine ecosystems, according to a study published Tuesday.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Researchers have identified nearly 166,000 square kilometers of coral reef capable of surviving climate change — three times more than earlier estimates — raising cautious hope for one of the world's most threatened marine ecosystems, according to a study published Tuesday.
The findings, reported by Reuters, draw on an analysis of 45,000 coral surveys combined with decades of climate and ocean data. Scientists mapped climate-resilient reefs across 71 countries and 100 territories, including areas of the Caribbean and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans not previously recognized as candidates for long-term survival.
Coral reefs support roughly a quarter of all marine life but have suffered severe damage in recent years from tropical storms, pollution and mass bleaching events driven by rising ocean temperatures. Some scientists have warned the ecosystems face irreversible decline.
"Coral reefs are often framed as ecosystems beyond saving," said Emily Darling, director of coral conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society and one of the report's authors. "This research shows otherwise: we know where the hope is and what we need now is political will."
The research comes as governments worldwide are developing action plans under the so-called "30 by 30" framework — a target to place 30% of land and marine environments under formal protection by 2030. Darling said only 28% of reefs currently fall within protected areas, and she pointed to a looming super El Niño event as further reason for urgency.
Co-author Stacy Jupiter, executive director of the WCS's Global Marine Program, said the data could help governments direct limited conservation funding toward reefs with the strongest chances of recovery.
"In certain cases, where reefs are below certain benchmarks for ecosystem function, it may be a case of triage, where we may need to leave those places," Jupiter said, according to Reuters.
The study offers a potential tool for policymakers as international negotiations over marine conservation continue ahead of the COP30 climate summit.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[‘Happy Father's Day in Heaven, Dad’: Nick Vujicic remembers father in moving tribute]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/happy-father-s-day-in-heaven-dad-nick-vujicic-remembers-father-in-moving-tribute</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/happy-father-s-day-in-heaven-dad-nick-vujicic-remembers-father-in-moving-tribute</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/48/4828.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Vujicic - No Limbs No Limits]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Screenshot/No Limbs No Limits ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Nick Vujicic ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:37:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Nick Vujicic reflects on the death of his father, Boris Vujicic, in a newly released clip from the upcoming documentary “No Limbs, No Limits: The NickV Story,” and shares how one of the most painful losses of his life deepened his understanding of grief and faith ahead of Father's Day.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Nick Vujicic reflects on the death of his father, Boris Vujicic, in a newly released clip from the upcoming documentary “No Limbs, No Limits: The NickV Story,” and shares how one of the most painful losses of his life deepened his understanding of grief and faith ahead of Father's Day.
The clip, released from the faith-based documentary set to arrive in theaters Sept. 25, features footage of Vujicic speaking at his father's funeral following Boris Vujicic's death in 2017. 
The evangelist, who was born without arms or legs and has spent decades sharing a message of hope around the world, chokes up as he begins speaking at his father's funeral, while Vujicic's wife, brother and sister reflect on the toll Boris' death took on his son. 
The documentary arrives nearly a decade after Boris Vujicic's death, a loss his son said is still difficult to process despite years of ministry and public speaking.
“Throughout my life, I’ve overcome countless challenges by the grace of God, but the loss of my dad was one of the most difficult chapters I’ve encountered yet,” Vujicic told The Christian Post.
“In the years since, I’ve come to understand more deeply that life is about going through those kinds of valleys and mountains, good days and bad days, learning about yourself and about life along the way, communicating the love of God to everyone around you as best you can, and discovering your purpose and the true meaning of life.”
The bestselling author and founder of NickV Ministries has often spoken about the critical role his parents played in helping him overcome the emotional struggles that accompanied growing up with a severe disability.
Born in Australia without limbs, Vujicic endured years of bullying and depression before finding purpose through his Christian faith. Over the past two decades, Vujicic has traveled to 87 countries, met with 37 presidents, addressed national governments and shared the Gospel with hundreds of millions of people. According to his ministry, nearly 1.5 million people have professed faith in Jesus Christ through outreach events connected to his organization.
In the documentary clip, he opens up about how he learned to navigate grief following his father's death. Vujicic adds that grief never fully disappears, though he has learned healthier ways to process it.
“I guess we all deal with things differently, and for me, I couldn't talk about my dad,” he says. “I've learned how to process it differently and not just let things pile up, but you never stop missing him.”
Boris Vujicic died in August 2017. At the time, Nick Vujicic announced the news on social media, writing that his father had “gone to Heaven to be with our Almighty God.”
Months before his death, Boris Vujicic appeared alongside his son in interviews promoting the book Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child: Facing the Challenges with Strength, Courage, and Hope. During one conversation, the elder Vujicic reflected on watching his son become an internationally known evangelist despite the challenges he faced from birth.
“I felt so proud that you have become a leader in some aspects, an internationally influential person; that God has turned your disability to be used as a powerful force to motivate not only those with disabilities, but also the world all over,” he told his son.
Now, in the spirit of Father's Day, Nick Vujicic said his father's legacy continues to shape his life and ministry.
“Happy Father’s Day in Heaven, Dad; we love you and will always thank God for your life.”
“No Limbs, No Limits: The NickV Story” chronicles Vujicic's life, faith and global ministry and will be released nationwide through Fathom Entertainment on Sept. 25.
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Australian Christian survey finds strong support for climate action]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-christian-survey-finds-strong-support-for-climate-action</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/australian-christian-survey-finds-strong-support-for-climate-action</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/45/4511.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Australian Christians who participated in a new climate survey by NCLS Research and Common Grace reported taking practical steps such as reducing energy use and installing rooftop solar panels as part of efforts to address climate change.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash / David Clode ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Australian Christians who participated in a new climate survey by NCLS Research and Common Grace reported taking practical steps such as reducing energy use and installing rooftop solar panels as part of efforts to address climate change. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:30:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A new survey released by Australian research organization NCLS Research and Christian advocacy movement Common Grace found that many Australian Christians who participated expressed concern about climate change and reported already taking practical steps to address it, including reducing household energy use, installing solar panels and engaging in civic advocacy.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A new survey released by Australian research organization NCLS Research and Christian advocacy movement Common Grace found that many Australian Christians who participated expressed concern about climate change and reported already taking practical steps to address it, including reducing household energy use, installing solar panels and engaging in civic advocacy.
The Climate Action Survey of Australian Christians, based on responses from more than 1,100 participants in late 2025, examined attitudes toward climate change, support for various climate-related policies and technologies, and the kinds of actions Christians say they are taking individually and through churches.
The findings offer a snapshot of climate engagement among a segment of Australian Christians at a time when environmental issues continue to shape political, economic and theological debates across many churches globally.
Researchers cautioned that the survey was not representative of the broader Australian church population. According to the report, participants disproportionately consisted of highly educated Christians and were largely from Protestant backgrounds.
Even so, the report said the data provides insight into what encourages or discourages climate-related engagement among churchgoers already interested in the issue.
According to the survey, nearly all respondents reported taking some form of consumer action connected to climate concerns. About nine in 10 said they had reduced energy use or undertaken measures such as installing solar power. Around seven in 10 reported participating in civic actions including voting, advocacy or discussing climate issues with family and friends.
The study also explored support for climate-related policy approaches and what respondents viewed as barriers to further action.
In comments released alongside the report, Common Grace National Director Gershon Nimbalker said many Christians involved in climate discussions are looking for practical ways to respond.
“This research confirms what we’re seeing across the Church and in our movement as well — many Christians care deeply about God’s creation and want to live out Jesus’ love in ways that ensure that their children, their communities and our global neighbours flourish,” Nimbalker said.
He added that many Christians are asking whether their actions can make a difference and whether others in the church share similar concerns.
Common Grace, which describes itself as a Christian movement focused on social justice issues, used the release of the report to renew its support for a proposed 25% levy on Australian gas exports. The organization said such a policy could help address cost-of-living pressures and fund public services, though the survey itself focused more broadly on attitudes and participation related to climate action.
The approximately 40-question survey covered demographics, beliefs about climate change, support for climate solutions, personal and church-based actions, and perceived barriers preventing greater involvement.
The report forms part of broader discussions within Australian churches over environmental stewardship, fossil fuels and renewable energy. Christian groups in Australia, as in other countries, remain divided on how climate policy should intersect with theology, economics and public policy.
NCLS Research, known for its long-running National Church Life Survey, describes itself as a research organization focused on church life, spirituality and community wellbeing. The organization said the climate survey was commissioned to help build a research base for understanding Christian engagement with climate-related issues in Australia.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
                                                        <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Mission Australia launches Youth Survey 2026, marking 25 years]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/mission-australia-launches-youth-survey-2026-marking-25-years</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/mission-australia-launches-youth-survey-2026-marking-25-years</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/43/4312.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[teens]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Tim Mossholder / Unsplash ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Mission Australia’s Youth Survey is marking 25 years of gathering the views of young people by inviting those ages 14 to 19 to “come to the party” and participate in the 2026 survey.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Mission Australia’s Youth Survey is marking 25 years of gathering the views of young people by inviting those ages 14 to 19 to “come to the party” and participate in the 2026 survey.
The survey opens today (March 19) and allows young people to share their hopes, views and concerns, according to the ministry.
Last year, more than 17,000 young people completed the survey, identifying cost of living (64%), mental health (29%), climate change and the environment (27%) and housing and homelessness (25%) as the top issues facing Australia.
This year’s survey will ask some new questions, including, “What’s one thing that could be changed in your neighborhood to make your life better?”, as well as young people’s opinions on barriers to participating in community events and the widely discussed social media ban.
Mission Australia deputy chief executive officer Ben Carblis said the Youth Survey provided crucial insights into what young people were thinking and feeling.
“For a quarter of a century, Youth Survey has given young Australians an outlet in which to not only communicate their concerns, but suggest changes they want to see,” he said.
“During that time, more than 500,000 surveys have been completed, and while fashion trends might have come full circle, young people’s responses have not.”
In the early years of the Youth Survey, responses to questions about key concerns showed a shift from issues such as alcohol and other drugs, family conflict and body image to coping with stress, school or study problems and mental health.
When the national issues question was added to the Youth Survey in 2010, the top issues included alcohol and other drugs, population or societal issues and equity and discrimination, while recent concerns focus on the environment, cost of living and mental health.
“In more recent years, we’ve seen young people primarily shift from concerns about the environment to focusing more on housing and cost of living,” Carblis said.
“Last year, cost of living was the top concern for the second year in a row and at the highest level since the question was first asked in 2010.”
Results of the survey will be published in November 2026 and shared with government, non-government organizations, schools and the public.
Carblis urged schools, community groups, local councils and families to “spread the word” and encourage young people to take part in the survey.
“For 25 years, Youth Survey data has been used by a range of decision-makers and stakeholders to inform policies and the development of programs and services that impact young people,” he said.
“We want as many young people as possible to participate in the survey, so we can make sure we are hearing from young people from a range of backgrounds and experiences across the country.”
Youth Survey 2026 is open from March 19 to Aug. 14 and takes about 20 minutes to complete.
The survey can be completed online through participating schools or groups, or individually via Mission Australia’s website.]]></content:encoded>
            </item>
            </channel>
</rss>