Questions & Answers

Yes. According to the Holy See Press Office, reported by The Christian Post, Pope Leo XIV was diagnosed with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma after doctors found a small, localised nodule. The lower lobe of his right lung was removed on 13 October 2026.

The Vatican described the video-assisted thoracic surgery on 13 October 2026 as successful with no complications. On 15 October his doctors reported good recovery of the operated lung.

Yes. Religion News Service reported that Pope Leo XIV left Rome's Gemelli hospital on 17 October 2026, four days after his lung cancer surgery.

Lakepointe Church in Texas baptised 882 people on 27 September 2026, up from nearly 700 in September 2025, according to CBN News.

Biltmore Church in North Carolina baptised 458 on 13 September; The Church of Eleven22 baptised 2,552 at a Jacksonville beach in May; Baptize the World reported more than 17,900 across 49 countries on 24 May; and Baptize California reports 50,790 over two years.

A three-day global communion observance from 24 to 26 September 2026 marking the United States' 250th year, held at 156 sites across every US state and abroad, including Jerusalem.

One Communion 250 gathering met in Renfro Valley, Kentucky, in the region of the 1801 Cane Ridge revival — a camp meeting that began as a communion gathering and became a defining moment of the Second Great Awakening.

According to CBN News, police raided Wera Forum in Duisburg in summer 2025 after a former attendee alleged Pastor Alexander Epp had an illegal firearm. The accuser later admitted the allegation was false. Epp reports a broken nose and bleeding in his right eye.

No. Epp says the raid increased interest, and the church has grown to more than 1,000 members across four locations.

The reporting reflects Pastor Epp's account, who describes it as the worst persecution he has experienced. German authorities' reasoning is not included in that reporting, and an armed response to a firearms tip is not by itself proof of religious motive. What is established is that the allegation was withdrawn and, by Epp's account, no apology or compensation followed.

Biltmore Church in North Carolina baptised 458 people on 13 September 2026 — the largest single-day baptism in the church's 137-year history, surpassing the 389 it recorded in 2025.

Baptize the World is a global baptism initiative that reported more than 17,900 baptisms across 49 countries on a single day, 24 May 2026.

Because nobody has to be handed off. Travelling events face the problem of connecting new believers to a congregation afterwards; people baptised in their own local church are already home, with a Sunday that comes round again next week.

It covers a reported UK ocean baptism gathering, research on loneliness among young American men, U.S. international religious-freedom appointments and worship among persecuted Christians.

Yes. The article visibly links to CBN News, the Institute for Family Studies, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Open Doors US.

Readers can welcome someone into community, pray for new believers, follow religious-freedom work carefully and pray consistently for one persecuted Christian community.

Jane “Cissie” Lynch was nominated for the role, subject to Senate confirmation.

USCIRF welcomed the appointments of Andrew Brunson, Robert Barron and Joe Grogan.

USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. commission that monitors freedom of religion or belief abroad and makes policy recommendations.

It is a concise, source-linked Thy Kingdom News roundup that connects current Christian news to specific prayer and practical response.

The briefing covers Kevin Rideout's return, Nepal flood response, Asabe's trauma healing in Nigeria and Henry Lozano's recovery testimony.

Every item links to its named source in the article's Sources and further reading section.

Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List records 3,490 Christians killed for their faith in Nigeria, out of 4,849 worldwide — approximately 72 percent of the global total.

Open Doors cites two overlapping drivers: jihadist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province that target Christian communities directly, and recurring violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt between predominantly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farming communities.

Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang ordered security agencies to shut down unauthorised activities by a group reportedly operating as Hisbah, warning that anyone attempting to enforce Islamic rules in the state would be stopped.

According to UniteUS figures reported by CBN News and God Reports, more than 700 students made decisions to follow Jesus at the UniteUS outreach at Appalachian State University's Holmes Convocation Center in October 2026, and about 100 were baptised immediately afterwards.

UniteUS's next scheduled events are at the University of South Alabama in Mobile on 27 October 2026 and Belmont University in Nashville on 10 November 2026.

According to The Christian Post, about 80,000 people attended ACCESS — That Powerful Hour of Prayer at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on 10 October 2026. The free tickets sold out in eight hours.

ACCESS is hosted by 2819 Church in Atlanta, led by Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell. A previous ACCESS gathering in 2019 drew more than 30,000 people to State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Maranatha is an Aramaic prayer meaning "Come, Lord" or "Our Lord, come," preserved in 1 Corinthians 16:22. It echoes the last prayer in the Bible: "Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

According to The Baptist Paper, 59 people were baptised in one week in August 2026: six on the Tuesday night of revival at the church, 52 on the final night in troughs in a Pearl River Community College parking lot, and one young man the following Sunday.

The final night of First Baptist Poplarville's revival was held at the Brownstone Theater on the campus of Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi, which seats about 850–900 people. Earlier nights were held at the church.

The guest evangelist was Ronnie Hill, who suggested the parking-lot baptism troughs. The church's pastor is Kipp Smith.

According to CBN News, 70 inmates were baptised at Walton County Jail in July and 45 at Okaloosa County Jail in August — 115 in total.

Rev. Jonathan King, a volunteer chaplain from First Apostolic Church of DeFuniak Springs, working in partnership with New Life Church of Santa Rosa.

During World Harvest Ministry's crusade on 26–27 September 2026, large numbers of children and youth responded at extended altar calls and baptisms continued throughout the weekend, according to CBN News. Families reported salvations across generations, and one woman was reported walking without her walker after eight years.

Evangelist Jacob Ebersole of World Harvest Ministry, who said Whitmire was one of the crusades 'that mark you forever'.

Organisers are discussing a 'Small Town Movement' to bring the same approach — united local churches, sustained prayer and an evangelistic crusade — to other small communities across South Carolina.

World Harvest Ministry is holding an evangelistic crusade in Whitmire on 26–27 September 2026, following years of local prayer for revival. Mayor Billy Hollingsworth and State Representative Joe White have both said publicly that they expect a spiritual awakening.

Historically, awakenings have usually started with small groups praying persistently rather than with large events — the Hebrides Revival with two elderly sisters, the 1857 Prayer Revival with six people at a lunchtime meeting, and the First Great Awakening in a frontier town.

On 29 September 2026 at the Watsco Center, University of Miami, hundreds of students made decisions to follow Jesus and hundreds were baptised, according to CBN News.

Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina on 13 October 2026, then the University of South Alabama in Mobile on 27 October 2026.

UniteUS is a college campus outreach movement founded by Tonya Prewett. Since autumn 2023 it has held more than two dozen large campus gatherings, reporting over 100,000 students reached and tens of thousands professing faith in Christ, often with baptisms held on site.

Thousands of students gathered for a UniteUS outreach at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Hundreds chose Christ and many were baptised. Speakers included Madi Prewett Troutt and Grant Troutt.

The next UniteUS gathering is scheduled for 29 September 2026 at the Watsco Center, University of Miami.

The reported gathering took place at Bigbury-on-Sea on England's southwest coast.

CBN News reports that more than 170 people were baptized during the gathering.

The New Testament pattern joins baptism with teaching, fellowship, prayer, communion and life in a local church.

Yes. Sweden's annual Youth Barometer — a national survey of roughly 15,000 people aged 15 to 24 — named Jesus 'Influencer of the Year,' a result reported widely and picked up by Christian World News on 4 September 2026.

The share of young people attending church in Sweden has roughly doubled over four years, to approximately 34 percent, with young men particularly prominent in the increase.

Vicars writing in Sweden's largest newspaper reported that young men began attending Sunday services specifically asking for Bible-centred guidance, and observers point to the influence of confessional, doctrinally serious preaching.

UniteUS is a college campus movement in the United States that has reported large numbers of student conversions and baptisms, including 1,600 decisions for Jesus at the University of Central Florida and baptisms performed in pickup truck beds at the University of Pittsburgh, where physical healings were also reported.

CBN News reported 1,600 students making the decision to go all in with Jesus at the University of Central Florida, with hundreds baptised and a notable number of students who previously identified as atheist now identifying as Christian.

The gap between decision and discipleship. Campus movements typically face their hardest test a few months in, when initial momentum fades and new believers need sustained teaching, mentoring and a local church home to remain in the faith.

CBN News reports a modern tent revival moving across the United States with record numbers of salvations and baptisms, with organisers saying it is shifting the nation's spiritual landscape. It sits alongside other simultaneous movements including the UniteUS campus revival and rising Gen Z church attendance.

A tent in a field removes the barriers that keep people out of church buildings — there is no membership, dress code, or sense of arriving late to something. Baptism tanks on site also mean people can respond and be baptised the same night rather than waiting weeks.

The decisive factor is whether local churches receive and disciple the new believers. Historically, tent revivals that were handed off well to local congregations produced lasting church growth; those that were not tended to fade once the tent came down.

Ahmed Joktan is a former Muslim from Saudi Arabia, the son of a mufti, who became a Christian after a dream of Jesus while studying in New Zealand. He co-founded Mecca to Christ Ministries International and wrote From Mecca to Christ.

Many former Muslims, including Ahmed Joktan, describe a dream or vision of Jesus as the beginning of their journey to faith. Scripture describes God speaking through dreams and visions (Acts 2:17), and in accounts like Joktan's the dream typically leads the person to look for Christians and the Bible to understand it.

Gabe Poirot sustained a severe brain injury in an electric skateboard accident. He reports encountering Jesus in heaven during the experience, and his survival and recovery have been described as nothing short of a miracle.

As testimony rather than doctrine. Scripture is the authority on what follows death; a near-death account is a person's report of their own experience and carries the weight of a witness. Paul's own account in 2 Corinthians 12 models the posture — honest, attributed, and deliberately restrained about the mechanics.

Yes. Paul describes a man in Christ caught up to the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, explicitly saying he does not know whether it was in the body or out of it. Scripture records such experiences while modelling caution about building teaching on them.

An April 2025 attack in Plateau State killed Asabe's husband and three sons; she, her daughter and her mother-in-law survived.

She describes strength through Scripture, church fellowship, a widows' group and a five-day biblically based trauma-care program.

Churches can combine prayer with trained trauma care, safe community, advocacy and long-term practical support.

Henry C. Lozano is a longtime drug-prevention and recovery advocate whose public testimony includes heroin addiction, federal prison, Christian recovery and decades of service.

Lozano credits the Holy Spirit and a community of committed believers, including his experience with Teen Challenge, with helping him resist temptation and rebuild.

No. It is a testimony and biblical reflection, not medical advice; people facing substance-use risk should seek qualified local care and emergency help when needed.

Converts commonly face loss of family, home, marriage, inheritance and community, and frequently live under threat to their physical safety. Nigeria is ranked among the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, with Open Doors recording 3,490 Christians killed for their faith there in the last reporting year.

Favourable rulings for converts are rare enough that a persecution watchdog described this one as shocking. Beyond protecting one individual, it establishes that such an outcome is achievable, giving future cases a precedent to point to.

Converts are often the most isolated believers in any context because they typically cannot return to their family or community. Practical support means becoming family — offering community, housing help, legal advocacy and consistent, informed prayer.

Ask a genuine question and listen: "Did you grow up with any faith?", "What do you think happens after we die?" or "Where do you find hope when things are hard?" Conversations about faith usually start best inside an existing friendship, after you've listened first.

Keep it simple: God made us and loves us; we have all turned away from Him; Jesus died for our sins and rose again; and everyone who trusts Him is forgiven and given new life (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Say it in your own words, alongside your own story of what Jesus has done in your life.

Use three parts — what your life was like before, how you came to trust Jesus, and what has changed since — in about two minutes, in plain language without church jargon. Writing it down once helps you tell it clearly.

Be honest: say you don't know but would like to find out and come back to them. Honesty builds more trust than a shaky answer, and it gives you a reason to continue the conversation.

Respect their freedom and stay their friend. A no today is not the end of the story; many believers came to faith after someone kept loving them for years.

Love on The World is a Christian movement founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 2014 as Love on Hamilton. It helps ordinary believers share the gospel, meet practical needs, make disciples and multiply weekly outreach groups in their cities. Its mission is "a global movement fulfilling the Great Commission — making disciples who make disciples."

Love on The World has active weekly outreach groups across 12 cities: Hamilton, Waterloo Region, Brampton, Moncton, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Burlington, Hagersville, Guelph, Simcoe, Brantford and Niagara. Anyone can apply to start a group at loveontheworld.com/start-a-group.

Jesus Festival Hamilton is a free, family-friendly Christian festival held each year at Gage Park, 1000 Main St E, Hamilton, Ontario — a weekend of worship, gospel hope, testimonies, prayer, food and practical love for the city. Admission is free and no ticket is required. The 2026 festival took place on 4–5 September; 2027 dates have not been announced yet.

According to early reports from Jesus Festival, more than 70 people gave their lives to Jesus and more than 50 were baptised at Jesus Festival Hamilton 2026, and more than 3,000 free hot dogs and drinks were served. Across 2024 and 2025, more than 10,000 people gathered at the festival in Gage Park.

SIX33 is a lifestyle and performance brand named after Matthew 6:33, built around limited apparel drops, athletes and creators, events, stories and real-world impact. Its stated heart is to glorify God, remind people to seek Jesus first and impact culture for His Kingdom, and a big part of that includes raising funds for Love on The World. SIX33 has not announced a launch date; people can join its Inner Circle waitlist at six33.world.

Daniel and Katie Ziedins, who lead the work, serve on staff with e3 Ministry Canada. You can give monthly or once through their staff page at e3ministry.ca/staff/katie-daniel-ziedins, and gifts receive a charitable tax receipt. You can also pray, volunteer at Jesus Festival or start an outreach group.

Both, depending on where and what you measure. Globally Christianity is growing, driven by Africa, Asia and Latin America. In the West, religious affiliation continues to decline, but church attendance among young adults has been rising for roughly five years. Barna data shows Gen Z churchgoers now attend 1.9 weekends per month against a 1.6 average for all churched adults.

Both figures circulate because they measure different things. Among those who attend church at all, Gen Z churchgoers are now the most regular of any generation at 1.9 weekends per month, nearly double the roughly 1.0 recorded in 2020. On the broader measure that includes all adults, Gen Z attendance fell from 46 percent to 42 percent. Fewer attend, but those who do attend more often.

American Bible Society's State of the Bible research found the proportion of Americans who never or seldom attend church fell four percent since 2024, representing roughly 8 million more Americans attending at least about twice a year.

In parts of it. UK church attendance among 18-to-24-year-olds quadrupled over eight years, from 4 percent to 16 percent. In Sweden, the national Youth Barometer named Jesus 'Influencer of the Year' and church attendance among young people roughly doubled in four years to around 34 percent.

In the Global South and parts of Asia. Iran is frequently described as home to the fastest-growing church on earth, with ministry leaders citing more than 5 million converts in recent years, despite conversion carrying severe legal and personal cost.

Discipleship depth. Lifeway Research's State of Discipleship found that while Gen Z churchgoers attend more frequently, they often lag in application — the gap between hearing teaching and acting on it. Rising attendance from a shrinking affiliated base is also not the same as cultural Christianity returning.

According to the American Bible Society's State of the Bible 2026 report, 49% of Americans believe Jesus' virgin birth is at least probably true, down from 66% in 2017 and 73% in 2014.

It found that 62% of Americans believe in the supernatural, 53% believe in Jesus' resurrection and 44% believe God parted the Red Sea. Among practicing Christians, 97% believe in the virgin birth, 99% in the resurrection, 90% report answered prayer and 69% report experiencing divine healing.

Four in ten respondents reported having two or fewer close friends, including 9% who reported none.

No. Faith participation was associated with stronger connection, but congregations still need smaller, consistent settings where people are known and supported.

Yes. Pastoral community can work alongside qualified care, especially when loneliness overlaps with depression, addiction, anxiety or risk of self-harm.

Barna's data shows Gen Z churchgoers attend 1.9 weekends per month and Millennials 1.8, compared with an average of 1.6 times per month across all churched adults — making young adults the most regular attenders among churchgoers.

American Bible Society's State of the Bible research found the proportion of Americans who never or seldom attend church fell by four percent since 2024, representing roughly eight million more Americans attending at least about twice a year. Many US Catholic dioceses also reported record or near-record numbers entering the church at Easter 2026.

Lifeway Research's State of Discipleship found that while Gen Z churchgoers attend more frequently, they often lag in application — the gap between hearing teaching and putting it into practice — making discipleship, rather than attraction, the central challenge.

AWAKE Houston takes place on Saturday 19 September 2026 at the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Texas. It is hosted by Leading The Way.

AWAKE America is a series of city-wide rallies hosted by Leading The Way that gather thousands of Christians across denominations for worship, prayer and preaching. AWAKE Houston is the third official rally in the series.

Attendance details, including registration and ticketing, are published by the host organisation Leading The Way on its events page. Check there for the most current information before travelling.

According to the Bible Access Initiative, reported by International Christian Concern in October 2026, more than 500 million Christians live in nations with restricted Bible access, and more than 125 million cannot access Scripture in any format.

The Bible Access Initiative's Bible Restrictions List ranks Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Turkmenistan, Libya, Sudan and Iran as the ten most restricted nations.

The Bible Shortages List ranks the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, India, Uganda, Tanzania, China, Indonesia, Angola and Mozambique as the ten nations with the greatest Bible shortages.

The Adoniram Judson Heritage Foundation, founded by Burmese diaspora Christians and led by Arthur Zawwynn Chen, bought the house at 145 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts for $875,000 in September 2024, according to Christianity Today.

Adoniram Judson (born 9 August 1788) was an American Baptist missionary who sailed for Asia in 1812, arrived in Burma in 1813, and completed a translation of the Bible into Burmese in 1834.

Algerian authorities close churches for lacking authorisation from the National Commission for the exercise of non-Muslim worship. However, no church affiliated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) has been granted a licence since 2006, and the Commission has left applications unanswered — making compliance effectively impossible.

At least 58 Protestant churches have been shut down since 2006, including 17 EPA member churches closed since November 2017. Reporting indicated only eight Protestant churches remained open nationwide by March.

In private homes, garages and small gatherings, with reports of congregations meeting outdoors under olive trees.

North Africa was a heartland of early Christianity. Augustine of Hippo — in what is now Annaba, Algeria — along with Tertullian and Cyprian, shaped Western Christian theology for centuries before the region's church was largely lost.

Kevin Rideout is an American missionary pilot who served with SIM alongside his wife, Krista, in Niger for 19 years.

He was abducted in October 2025 and released on August 14, 2026, after approximately 10 months in captivity.

Christians can respect the family's request for privacy, pray for long-term healing, intercede for Niger and support responsible missionary care.

Missionaries working in the region consistently report that dreams and visions of Jesus are the most common entry point for Muslims coming to faith, particularly in areas where evangelism is restricted or dangerous and where there is no other access to the Gospel. Ministry leaders describe it as God reaching people who have no other way to hear.

Ministry leaders including Georges Houssney of Horizons International cite estimates of more than 5 million Muslims coming to faith in Christ in Iran in recent years, largely through underground house churches, satellite broadcasts and personal encounters.

Discipleship. Mission leaders report that the number of new believers is outpacing available Scripture in heart languages, trained mentors and safe places to gather — meaning many people who have come to faith have little support to grow in it.

The World Watch List is Open Doors' annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, compiled from research with experts on the ground in 100 countries.

Each country is scored out of 100: up to 16.7 points for pressure in each of five spheres of Christian life — private, family, community, national and church life — and up to 16.7 points for violence against Christians and churches.

North Korea ranks first on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List with a score of 97, followed by Somalia (94), Yemen (93), Sudan (92), Eritrea (90), Syria (90), Nigeria (89), Pakistan (87), Libya (87) and Iran (87).

According to Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List, more than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination — about one in seven worldwide — including more than 315 million in the top 50 countries who face very high or extreme persecution.

Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List recorded 4,849 Christians killed for their faith, 4,712 detained and 3,632 churches and Christian properties attacked during its reporting period.

Mexico ranks 30th on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List. Other Latin American countries on the list include Cuba (24th), Nicaragua (32nd) and Colombia (47th).

More than 388 million Christians live under high levels of persecution and discrimination — roughly one in seven believers worldwide. Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List recorded 4,849 Christians killed for their faith in the reporting year.

Consistently three things: boldness to keep speaking, faithfulness so they will not deny Christ under pressure, and the strength to forgive those who harmed them. Requests for rescue, escape or political change appear but are rarely first.

Nigeria accounts for the largest number of Christians killed for their faith — 3,490 of the 4,849 recorded worldwide in Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List, roughly 72 percent of the global total. North Korea is generally ranked the most severe environment for practising faith at all.

Give it structure rather than relying on feeling. Fix one weekly slot, rotate a short list of four or five countries rather than praying for the world at once, pray for named individuals and specific situations, and pray the three requests the persecuted church makes. Persecution is chronic, so a repeatable habit outlasts an emotional response.

Yes — Jesus commanded it explicitly in Matthew 5:44. Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church before becoming its greatest missionary, which is the standing precedent for praying that persecutors become preachers.

Open Doors publishes the annual World Watch List, the standard reference. Global Christian Relief provides statistics and country profiles, International Christian Concern reports regionally, and Voice of the Martyrs publishes testimonies and specific prisoner cases.

According to The Christian Post, Pastor Ángel González of Calvary Chapel Irapuato and his wife, Irán Montes, were shot dead outside their home in Irapuato, Guanajuato, as they returned from a wake around 1 a.m. Police detained a suspect; no motive has been confirmed.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a Presbyterian church in Mindat, Chin State was bombed by military jets on 9 October 2026, and Htingnan Kachin Baptist Church in Banmaw, Kachin State was set on fire by soldiers on 12 October 2026.

Article 160 of Malaysia's constitution defines ethnic Malays as Muslims, and questions of a Muslim's religious status fall under Shariah courts. In practice Malay converts cannot legally leave Islam, and, according to International Christian Concern, cannot be baptised or receive Christian weddings or burials.

Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in Malaysia on 13 February 2017 and his whereabouts remain unknown. In November 2025 Malaysia's High Court found the authorities liable for his disappearance.

According to International Christian Concern, 24 South Korean Christians were arrested on 9 October 2026 at Nepal New Covenant College in Morang District over complaints of "illegal religious teaching, training, and promotion." The college's principal said they were meeting believers inside the college, not preaching in public.

Nepal's constitution and criminal code prohibit attempts to convert people from one religion to another. Christian groups say the wording is broad enough to be used against ordinary church activity.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, reported by The Christian Post, Maikel Pupo Velázquez was arrested on 26 September 2026 and charged with disobedience after officials ordered him to cancel a public prayer gathering in Camagüey. He had complied and was notifying attendees of the cancellation when he was detained.

After nine days at the Department of State Security headquarters without outside contact, he was transferred to La Cerámica Roja prison outside Camagüey City.

According to Morning Star News, Pakistan's Supreme Court on 7 October 2026 upheld Qaiser Ayub's blasphemy conviction and death sentence under Section 295-C, and acquitted his brother Amoon Ayub, who was released. Lawyers from the ACLJ and the Organization for Legal Aid plan to file a revision petition.

Section 295-C is the part of Pakistan's blasphemy law that criminalises derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad and carries a mandatory death sentence. It was added to the law about 40 years ago.

Wang Yi is the pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, an unregistered church in Chengdu, China. He was arrested in December 2018 and sentenced to nine years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" and "illegal business operations"; his release is expected in 2027.

According to reports from Christian Solidarity Worldwide and ChinaAid cited by The Christian Post in October 2026, Wang Yi may have late-stage liver cancer, with concerns that he has not received adequate medical care at Jintang Prison in Sichuan.

Over the weekend of 19–20 September 2026, attacks in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas killed at least nine people, according to The Christian Post, including a pastor and a companion shot while walking to church at Dorowa Babuje and five day labourers ambushed on the way to Gana-Ropp.

On 21 September 2026 the Plateau State Government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu local government areas, and banned motorcycles there, citing more than 20 deaths within 48 hours.

Senator Ted Budd said eight leaders of Zion Church remain behind bars, according to CBN News reporting published on 1 October 2026.

Advocates including Todd Nettleton of The Voice of the Martyrs said they were disappointed the topic did not come up at the 24 September 2026 White House meeting.

A pastor and a church worker were killed and the pastor's son critically wounded in an attack roughly five miles from a previous massacre site in central Nigeria. Five Christians had been killed in the same region the day before, bringing the reported total to thirteen deaths over several days.

Masara Kim is a reporter with Truth Nigeria who was documenting the aftermath of a massacre when gunmen opened fire on his team. He filmed the incident and provided the footage to CBN News.

Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List recorded 3,490 Christians killed for their faith in Nigeria — approximately 72 percent of the worldwide total of 4,849.

Because it is chronic rather than episodic. The violence arrives as a steady sequence of village raids, road ambushes and church attacks over years, rather than as a single event, and international news coverage is structured around ruptures rather than attrition.

The report includes accounts from Mexico, Myanmar, Venezuela, Cuba, India and Nigeria.

The communities ask for protection, courage, wise leadership, peace, healing, restored homes and safe places to worship.

Share them with context and dignity, link the original field source, avoid sensationalism and continue praying after public attention moves on.

Open Doors reported that at least 11 churches had been affected as of September 1, including damage to buildings, equipment and materials.

Initial relief included tents, bedding, sanitary supplies, lights and power banks, alongside pastoral presence and longer-term recovery support.

Access to remote areas, missing-person reports and continuing hazards can cause official and local estimates to change during a fast-moving disaster.

Open Doors USA and World Relief report that fiscal year 2026 is tracking toward zero admissions of persecuted Christian refugees, compared with roughly 29,000 in fiscal year 2024. They describe it as likely the first year in at least 25 years with no persecuted religious minorities resettled through the US Refugee Admissions Program.

Roughly one in seven Christians globally face persecution for their faith, according to figures cited by Open Doors.

They are asking the administration to restore priority consideration for Christians and other religious minorities fleeing persecution, while maintaining all existing security screening protocols — not to relax vetting.

Talk to God honestly and simply. A good starting pattern is the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13): address God as Father, worship Him, pray for His kingdom and will, ask for daily needs, ask for and extend forgiveness, and ask for protection. Set a regular time and place, starting with five minutes a day.

The Lord's Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

No. Jesus warned against piling up many words to be heard (Matthew 6:7) and said the Father knows what you need before you ask. Honest, simple words — even "I don't know what to say" — are real prayer, and Romans 8:26 says the Spirit helps us when we don't know what to pray.

Paul wrote "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In practice that means a regular daily time with God plus short prayers throughout the day. Jesus also modelled withdrawing to pray alone (Luke 5:16).

Scripture shows God answering in different ways: Paul asked three times for relief and was told, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes not yet, sometimes something better. Jesus taught that we "should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1).

Prayer walking is praying on location — walking through a neighbourhood, campus or city and praying, usually quietly and conversationally, for the people and places you pass. It is intercession with your eyes open.

The term isn't in the Bible, but the practice follows biblical patterns: Nehemiah inspected Jerusalem's walls before rebuilding (Nehemiah 2:13–15), God told the exiles to pray for the city where they lived (Jeremiah 29:7), and Paul urged prayer for all people and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

Gather two or three believers, choose a 20–40 minute route near where you live or work, list a few anchor points such as a school, hospital and city hall, carry a Scripture to pray, and take turns praying short, conversational prayers as you walk.

Pray for the people in the homes, schools and workplaces you pass; for safety, healing and justice in local institutions; for every local church and pastor; and for open doors to serve and share the gospel. Turning Scripture into prayer is a simple way to keep going.

Twenty to forty minutes is enough. Consistency matters more than length — walking the same route regularly helps you notice needs and build relationships.

Find two or three committed people, fix one weekly time and place, keep meetings to 30–45 minutes, focus on prayer rather than discussion, begin with repentance, pray Scripture, pray specifically for your church and town, and commit to continue for a set season such as twelve weeks or a year.

Two or three. Jesus promised His presence where two or three gather in His name, and the 1857 Prayer Revival began with six people at a lunchtime meeting in New York.

Thirty to forty-five minutes is a sustainable length. Short, consistent meetings outlast long, occasional ones.

Psalm 85:6, Habakkuk 3:2, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 4:29–31 and Ephesians 3:14–21 are commonly prayed for revival.

Keep going. Historical revivals typically followed months or years of persistent prayer. The Hebrides Revival began with two elderly sisters praying for months before anything visible changed, and Jesus taught that His disciples should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1).

Daniel and Katie Ziedins are evangelists based in Hamilton, Ontario, serving on staff with e3 Ministry Canada. They founded Love on Hamilton in 2014 — weekly street evangelism and practical care for the city's homeless community — which grew into Love on The World, the Overflow Sunday-evening service, Jesus Festival Hamilton, Love Overflow Trainings and Evangelize.World. Daniel also publishes Thy Kingdom News.

e3 Ministry Canada is a Canadian ministry whose mission is "Equipping God's people to Evangelize His world and Establish His Church" — the three Es in its name. Daniel and Katie Ziedins serve on its staff, and e3 Canada also runs I Am Second Canada.

You can pray for the work, give monthly or once through their staff page at e3ministry.ca/staff/katie-daniel-ziedins, or get involved directly by joining an outreach or starting a group through Evangelize.World. Their story and updates are at KD-Ziedins.com.

Yes. Gifts are made to e3 Ministry Canada, which issues a charitable tax receipt for the full amount of the year's giving in February of the following year. As with most staff-support giving, gifts remain under e3 Ministry Canada's discretion and control.

It is a phrase made famous by the evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, drawn from Jesus' words in Mark 3:27 about binding the strong man and plundering his house. It describes evangelism as taking back people held captive by sin and darkness and bringing them into God's kingdom through the gospel.

Evangelize.World is Daniel and Katie Ziedins' current initiative to establish 100 multiplying outreach groups — small teams of ordinary believers who go out regularly to share the gospel and then train others to do the same.

In the Bible, being born again means receiving new spiritual life from God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again" (John 3:3), explaining that this birth is "of water and the Spirit" (John 3:5).

John 3:3–7, in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus. Jesus says, "You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again'" (John 3:7). Related passages include John 1:12–13, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5 and 1 Peter 1:3, 23.

New birth is God's work, received by faith. A person turns from sin and trusts Jesus Christ, who died for sins and rose again (John 3:16; Romans 10:9). The Holy Spirit gives new life to those who receive Christ (John 1:12–13).

Yes. In the New Testament, being born again is not a special category of Christian but how every person enters God's kingdom (John 3:3). Some Christians describe a dramatic conversion and others a gradual one, but Scripture describes all believers as born of God.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council who came to Jesus at night (John 3:1–2). He later defended Jesus before the council (John 7:50–51) and helped bury Jesus' body after the crucifixion (John 19:39).

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead, so that everyone who turns from sin and trusts Him is forgiven and given eternal life. Paul summarises it in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4.

Gospel means "good news." It translates the Greek word euangelion. The first four books of the New Testament — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — are called the Gospels because they tell the good news of Jesus.

A simple outline is: God created us and loves us; we have sinned and are separated from Him (Romans 3:23); Jesus died for our sins and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3–4); and we respond by repenting and believing (Mark 1:15; Romans 10:9).

According to the New Testament, a person is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by their own works (Ephesians 2:8–9): turning from sin and trusting that Jesus died for their sins and rose again (Romans 10:9).

They are related. The gospel is the message of good news about Jesus; the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are the four New Testament books that tell His life, death and resurrection.

Start with a Gospel — Mark is the shortest; John was written so readers would believe in Jesus (John 20:31). Then read Acts, Genesis and a psalm a day, followed by short letters such as Philippians, James or 1 John.

Most first-time readers do better starting with the Gospels rather than page one. The Bible is a library of 66 books (in Protestant Bibles) in many styles, and books like Leviticus make more sense once you know the larger story.

Readable, reliable modern English translations include the NIV, NLT, CSB and ESV. The NLT is the most readable, the ESV and CSB are closer to word-for-word, and the NIV sits between them. The best translation is the one you will read every day.

Start small: a short passage or a chapter, about ten minutes a day. Consistency matters more than quantity. If you miss a day, simply continue rather than trying to catch up.

Protestant Bibles contain 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include several additional Old Testament books.

Baptism is the Christian rite of washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, commanded by Jesus in Matthew 28:19. It symbolises being united with Christ in His death and resurrection and marks belonging to His church.

Baptism pictures dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:4), being clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27), cleansing and forgiveness (Acts 2:38) and joining the church (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Christians differ. Many evangelical churches teach that salvation is by faith in Christ and baptism is an outward sign of that faith, while Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions teach that God gives grace through baptism. All agree Jesus commanded it and that believers should be baptised.

Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions baptise infants of believing families. Baptist, Pentecostal and many non-denominational churches practise believer's baptism, for those old enough to profess faith themselves.

Practices vary, but at a typical believer's baptism the person may share a short testimony or answer a question of faith, the pastor baptises them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — often by brief immersion — and the church celebrates. Bring a change of clothes and a towel.

Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13–17). He didn't need forgiveness; He was identifying with the people He came to save and setting a pattern for His followers. At His baptism the Spirit descended and the Father declared, "This is my Son, whom I love."

A new Christian should start reading the Bible (a Gospel such as Mark or John is a good place to begin), pray daily, connect with a local church, and talk with a pastor about baptism. Having another believer walk alongside them makes all of these easier.

Exchange contact details and meet within a few days; read a Gospel together a chapter at a time; teach simple daily prayer; go with them to church; introduce them to other believers; prepare them for baptism; and help them share their story. Keep checking in through the first month and beyond.

Scripture says, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Assurance rests on Jesus' finished work and God's promise, not on feelings, which come and go.

In the New Testament, baptism usually followed faith quickly (Acts 2:38–41; Acts 8:36–38). Churches have different practices, so a new believer should talk with their pastor, but baptism is meant to be an early, public step of following Jesus.

Jesus' parable of the sower describes faith being snatched away, scorched by trouble or choked by worries (Matthew 13:18–23). In practice, the most common factor is isolation — no one followed up. Consistent friendship, Scripture and a church family make the biggest difference.

Several observable factors coincide: young adults returning to church (Barna data shows Gen Z churchgoers now attend most regularly), large public events that make responding easier, social media spreading baptism videos, and local churches ready to receive new believers. Organisers themselves describe it as a move of God.

The 'Baptize the World' initiative reported over 17,900 baptisms across 49 countries on 24 May 2026. The Church of Eleven22 baptised 2,552 at Hanna Park, Jacksonville, with more than 14,000 attending. Biltmore Church in North Carolina baptised 458 on 13 September, a record in its 137-year history, and Lakepointe Church in Texas baptised 882 on 27 September.

Baptism is the public act by which a person identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, as Romans 6:4 describes. It is an act of obedience and a declaration before witnesses that marks the beginning of a life of discipleship.

No. Traditions differ on whether infants should be baptised and on the mode — immersion, pouring or sprinkling. The large outdoor events of 2026 are overwhelmingly believer's baptisms by immersion, typical of evangelical and Pentecostal churches.

In the book of Acts, people were typically baptised the same day they believed — at Pentecost, the Ethiopian official on the road, and the Philippian jailer that night. Many churches today offer regular baptisms and a short conversation beforehand.

Look for follow-up into local churches, ongoing teaching, repeat growth at the same place year on year, and changed lives that others notice. Year-on-year records at the same church — such as Eleven22 three years running and Biltmore two years running — are stronger signals than a single large day.

Revival is God restoring spiritual life to people who already possess it but have grown cold. The root word means to bring back to life something that had life and lost it, which is why revival is first a work among Christians rather than among unbelievers. Psalm 85:6 frames it as a prayer for God's own people: 'Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?'

Evangelism brings spiritual life to those who have none; revival restores life to believers who have grown cold. The mass conversions that accompany historic awakenings are the overflow of a revived church, not the revival itself.

Overwhelming conviction of sin, deep and specific repentance, restitution and reconciliation, restored love for Christ Himself, hunger for Scripture and prayer, evangelism that happens as overflow rather than programme, and lasting social consequence. Restitution is the most useful test, because unlike emotion it costs something and shows up in the record.

The First Great Awakening (1730s–40s) under Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield; the Second Great Awakening (1790s–1830s) including Cane Ridge in 1801; the 1857 Prayer Revival begun by Jeremiah Lanphier in New York; the Welsh Revival of 1904–05 under Evan Roberts with around 100,000 conversions; and the Hebrides Revival of 1949–52, which began with two elderly sisters praying in a cottage.

Almost without exception, with small groups of unremarkable people praying persistently over a long period, usually with no visible result for years. The 1857 Prayer Revival's first meeting drew six people; the Hebrides Revival began with two elderly sisters, one blind and one arthritic, praying in a cottage.

No. You can schedule prayer, preaching and gathering — all of which God has used — but revival is a sovereign act of God, not an outcome that can be produced by planning. Many churches use 'revival' to describe a scheduled series of meetings, which is a different use of the word.

There is a genuine cluster of activity: the UniteUS campus movement reporting over 100,000 students reached since 2023, tent revivals across the United States, Barna data showing Gen Z attending church more regularly than older generations, and an awakening among young men in Sweden. Revivals are generally named in retrospect rather than in progress — nobody in Northampton in 1734 knew they were in the First Great Awakening.

According to The Christian Post, Demarcus Dickerson, 33, was arrested on 6 October 2026 for selling water and Gatorade at a Memphis intersection; prosecutors declined the case. Pastor Gregory D. Stapleton Jr. of Greater Impact Faith Church and the community then gave him a car and helped him start a business.

According to Christianity Today, churches such as Friends Church and The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Ministry in western Kenya make monthly home visits, pray with families, cook, clean and do laundry, provide transport and hospital support, help with Social Health Assurance registration, give food and money, run seminars and offer counselling.

Christianity Today cites research showing a steep increase in suicide risk among Kenyan men over 50, peaking in men over 70, and a 2025 Central Kenya radio report documenting a surge in suicides linked to spousal abandonment and family conflict.

CBN News reports that a Christian grandmother running a faith-motivated community meal programme was told by government authorities to stop, and has refused to back down, continuing to feed people in her community despite the regulatory opposition.

In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus describes the final judgement entirely in terms of practical mercy — feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked and visiting the prisoner — saying that whatever is done for the least of these is done for Him. James 2:15-17 adds that faith which offers words instead of food is dead.

Many ministries find that addressing food-safety compliance early — permits, certified kitchen access, handler training — allows them to keep serving without giving regulators grounds to intervene. Compliance is not the same as compromise.