Good News for Today

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is asking believers to think about their opinion on in vitro fertilization to make sure it aligns with their theological convictions. They write, “While many claim that IVF is simply a treatment for infertility, there are a range of ethical considerations with the process. Many individuals feel and even have been told by doctors that IVF is their only ho...

The two-day meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention wraps up today in Indianapolis. Messengers to the meeting make financial and governing decisions for the world’s largest group of Protestant believers.   Central to the work of the meeting is the commissioning of new missionaries to take the Gospel to the nations. This year, the IMB put forward more than 80 missionaries to be sent through the...

The Southern Baptist Convention begins its 2024 Annual Meeting today in Indianapolis. More than 10,000 messengers are gathering to hear reports related to missions, church planting, and the work of the convention. Messengers are considering recommendations on sexual abuse response and reform as well as ways to improve cooperation among the convention’s 47,000 churches. The meeting represents the g...

When Eric Costanzo became pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church in 2016, his congregation began supporting local refugees. They discovered a nearby Syrian family, which led to connections with numerous international families. The church's involvement expanded, helping English Language Learners and starting an International and Refugee Ministry, now serving people from over 30 countries. With ERLC s...

Following the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion rights has taken center stage in state-level politics. This has resulted in numerous state ballot initiatives being decided by voters this fall, many of which relate to abortion and either seek to protect or harm preborn children. As the legal landscape has shifted, both pr...

There are thirteen states potentially considering abortion-related ballot initiatives this election year. At least 11 of them have been labeled anti-life by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. In Florida, the ballot initiative amends the Florida constitution by barring the government from “prohibiting, penalizing, delaying, or restricting abortion” before fetal viability or to protect a w...

Almost a decade after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country, most pastors remain opposed, and the supporting percentage isn’t growing.   One in 5 U.S. Protestant pastors (21 percent) say they see nothing wrong with two people of the same gender getting married, according to a Lifeway Research study . Three in 4 (75 percent) are opposed, including 69 percent who strongly...

The decades-long increase in the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans in surveys – sometimes called the rise of the “nones” – may be slacking off, according to a recent analysis, but the reasons for that remain unclear. “The rise of the nones may be largely over now. At least it won’t be increasing in the same way it did in the prior 30 years,” Ryan Burge, an American Baptist pastor and da...

Communicating with the Deaf community in its heart language is a key concept of Jesus: A Deaf Missions Film portraying the story of Jesus entirely in American Sign Language (ASL), billed by Deaf Missions as the first-ever ASL adaptation for the silver screen.   The film removes all barriers Deaf people face when viewing spoken-language films with subtitles, a standard that Josselyn says makes it d...

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has released a letter urging Congress to consider three pro-life policy priorities during funding negotiations for the 2025 fiscal year.   With Congress beginning the negotiations process for the 2025 appropriations bills (the 12 bills which annually fund the government), the ERLC authored the letter to express its desire for both the House and...

Many of us are feeling the pinch of increasing health insurance costs. Your pastor is probably among that group. Over the past 10 years, the average family health insurance premium has increased 47 percent while inflation has been just 30 percent, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation , an organization that compiles health care information. Yet the U.S. health care system applies the greatest...

Relief crews are at work across the U-S as disaster relief continues following deadly weekend storm.   Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky and other states are dealing with the aftermath of strong storms that killed almost two dozen people and affected thousands of families.   Send Relief is working to provide help to those who need it most. -- The Supreme Court is expected to rule on a Texas case centered...

 The State of Idaho v. United States of America case involves a dispute on the relationship between the State of Idaho’s pro-life Defense of Life Act and the federal government’s law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). In 1986, Congress passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which ensured that hospitals could not deny emergency care to individuals due t...

A bill to make abortion pills controlled substances received final approval of Louisiana legislators May 23, positioning the state to be the first to add such limitations to the medications. The bill becomes law upon Republican Gov. Jeff Landry’s signature, which is expected, further regulating mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV controlled substances, on par with various sedatives, pain p...

Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are working alongside peers in Iowa to help residents recovering from an EF-3 tornado that destroyed sections of this city May 21. It was among a tornado outbreak that ultimately killed at least five people and injured at least 35. The size estimate of the Greenfield tornado could increase as National Weather Service investigators continue to survey dama...

The Louisiana House passed a bill May 21 designating abortion pills as controlled substances, classifying their use as racketeering and creating the crime of coerced criminal abortion.   Designating mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV controlled substances is on par with various sedatives, pain pills and depression and anxiety drugs with a low potential for abuse and dependence.   The Sena...

Trail Life USA was founded in 2013. Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life, and others formed the organization to offer a Christ-centered alternative to BSA.    Since 2019, Boy Scouts of America has experienced a significant decline in membership, losing over half of its members, influenced by policy changes, a sex abuse scandal, and COVID-19. In contrast, Trail Life has grown steadily, with over 1,200 t...

A cross-denominational belief in believers’ baptism allowed Southern Baptist pastor Mark Brown and Pentecostal pastor Mark Francey to collaborate in sponsoring Baptize California, a statewide event that baptized more than 6,000 believers May 18-19.   The Pentecost Sunday weekend event chiefly sponsored by Francey’s multisite Oceans Church in Orange County and supported by Brown’s 14-campus Sandals...

More than 150 Mexican believers in Hidalgo, Mexico that have been forced from their homes because of their faith are protesting a local government plan to let them return home if they pay their persecutors $9,026, CSW (formerly Christian Solidarity Worldwide) said May 16.   Under the plan offered by the city, the members of Great Commission Baptist Church would pay the collective fine (150,000 Mex...

Salvation in Christ Jesus was offered in National Statuary Hall May 16 at the unveiling of a statue of the iconic late global evangelist Billy Graham, which has John 3:16 and John 14:6 carved in its base. International Mission Board trustees approved 83 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 15-16 meeting. While gathered near Richmond, Virginia, trustees also affirmed numerous...

Homes were under water, but the hands of Texans on Mission volunteers kept hope afloat in Rising Star, a small town north of Brownwood. Resident David Grissom experienced the heaviness of the effects of a May 3 flood as water began to fill his home. Grissom said he was in shock at the amount of water surrounding the house. Delaware Raceway Ministry (DRM) is running strong after 31 years. And thoug...

A coalition of 18 states filed suit May 13 against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for including gender identity in Title VII protections against sex discrimination. Florida Baptist Disaster Relief teams aid tornado victims In Tallahassee; Storms keep Missouri Disaster Relief active; Okla. tornado relief continues, prayer support needed; Texans on Mission volunteers keep hope afloat. B...

Messianic Jews expressed outrage over rising antisemitism in the U.S. at a recent conference for Jewish evangelism, energizing their Gospel mission and affirming the value of all human life amid the Israel-Hamas War. A statue of the late Billy Graham set to stand inside the U.S. Capitol to represent North Carolina will be unveiled this week in a ceremony.

Over the past month, the Biden administration has finalized numerous problematic rules that undermine religious liberty, widen access to abortion, and harm children and families. Some rules, such as the rule implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, directly conflict with direction from Congress. As the security crisis in Haiti continues, the humanitarian aid group Haiti Family Care Network...

Episode 616 Disaster Relief care for those affected by tornadoes, flooding; Most Americans don’t see spiritual benefit with AI; Wilberforce on civility Disaster Relief teams cares for those affected by tornadoes, flooding; Most Americans don’t see spiritual benefit with AI; Wilberforce on civility http://media.blubrry.com/goodnewsfortoday/gn4t.s3.amazonaws.com/Episode616.mp3 Host Brandon Porter Re...