Good News for Today

 Episode 575 Supreme Court Hears Abortion Pill Case, “Jesus” Film Coming to a Screen Near You & When We Blame Others For Ministry Difficulties The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on March 26 in a case that will rule on the availability of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in medication abortions. Sight & Sound’s “Jesus,” portraying the Savior’s life in a theatrical musical, will b...

 Episode 574 Easter Sunday Remains a High Attendance Day, Gospel’s Power Showing & Prayerfully Waiting on God’s Timing Most pastors are expecting one of their largest crowds on Easter, but those expectations have tempered some in the past decade. Ministering to people in recovery centers and homeless shelters has resulted in some amazing Gospel success stories at Faith Baptist of Myra. And, in...

 Episode 573 U.S. Funding Bill, Waco Youth Revivals & Fruit That Did Not Last The latest Congressional spending package allows federally funded gender transitions and essentially bypasses current restrictions on government-funded abortions, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) told Baptist Press. In 1945, a group of Baylor students began leading a series of worship gatherings tha...

 Episode 572 Pastors Getting Their Groove Back, Paschal Full Moon & Recovering Pharisees Find Grace It may be hard to believe the beginnings of the COVID pandemic began more than four years ago. That could be because so many effects of the pandemic took years to withdraw. This week is a special week in the life of the Christian faith as believers look toward resurrection Sunday. And, in the pa...

 Episode 571 Most Americans Say Religion’s Influence is Waning, Kendrick Brothers ‘The Forge’ Movie & Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep Will Scatter A new poll from Pew Research says religious influence on society is shrinking. It mirrors a family reunion from the best of the Kendrick Brothers’ work. “The Forge” revives beloved characters from “War Room” and features actors from “Courageous” a...

 Episode 570 A Heart for the Orphans, Unique Work in North Florida & What Easter Demonstrates Pastor Jim Shiner has a heart for orphans – the church kind. He feels for churches that seem forgotten, abandoned, in need of intensive care. Churches withering from neglect, abuse, strife. Lydia and Asa Greear are doing a unique work in North Florida. And, Easter is a demonstration of the power of Go...

 Episode 569 Church Festivals Mark Solar Eclipse, Prayer is a Key Component to Knowing Christ & Turn Your Small Group in an Outward Direction Americans are preparing for a total solar eclipse that will spread across the country on April 8. Prayer is a key component of someone coming to know Jesus Christ. And, how can you small group be more outwardly focused? Here’s a couple of ideas from Chuc...

 Episode 568 Latest Developments in Israel-Hamas War, Christian Aid Workers Stuck in Haiti & The Death of the Baby Boomers The pressure on Israel from world leaders to establish a cease fire with Hamas is mounting. A group of Christian aid workers from Louisiana are stuck in Haiti. And, in the Baptist Press Toolbox, Thom Rainer says churches will miss much when baby boomers begin to die. http:...

 Episode 567 Disaster Relief Assess Damage in Ohio and Indiana, Movie Displays A Mother’s Unwavering Faith & Showing Gratitude Indiana Disaster Relief is responding to damage in the towns of Selma and Winchester, with assessors, storm recovery, chaplains and a feeding unit. Based on a 2022 book by Rebecca St. James, “Unsung Hero” is a story of a mother’s love and guidance. And, in Philippians...

 Episode 566 Return of Easter Pageants, Alabama IVF Bill Undermines The Unborn & Books Prayer Leaders Should Read For 29 years, Southview Church in Lincoln, Nebraska enjoyed their annual Easter play. It was a tradition for the church and the community. The Covid pandemic not only stopped the play in 2020, but the effects would be felt for four Easters. Inconsistencies between Alabama’s strict...

 Episode 565 ERLC Asking To Oppose the VFHSA, NC Church Mourns Loss of Pastor’s Wife & Prioritizing Spiritual Growth A Christian ethics group is calling on the Biden administration to withdraw the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) planned expansion of in vitro fertilization (IVF) insurance coverage which would include service members who are single or in same-sex relationships. The congrega...

 Episode 564 IMB Senders Summit, God Is For Life & Ways to Turn Your Small Group in an Outward Direction The International Mission Board (IMB) Senders Summit, held near Richmond, Virginia, gathered 124 participants to discuss and share strategies for missionary training and sending within their churches. As debate surrounding the issue of life takes center stage in America’s political debate,...

 Episode 563 Prayer Guide for Presidential Election, Haitian Gang Violence Hinder Southern Baptist Work & Helping Yourself So You Can Help Others It may be months before American –believers vote in a general presidential election, but the need to pray for the candidates and the country can’t start too soon. As escalating gang violence and political instability threaten civil war in Haiti, Chri...

 Episode 562 ERLC Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court, Disaster Relief Helps Texas Wildfire Recovery & Everyone Needs Jesus The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has filed an amicus brief in an upcoming Supreme Court case which will rule on the availability of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in medication abortions. In Canadian, Texas, residents and volunteer fire departments battle...

 Episode 561 Proposed Funding Minibus for ERLC, NOBTS Holds Sold-Out Abide Conference & Turn to Him For Our Soul Longings With Congress poised to pass a minibus package of funding bills on Friday (March 8), the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is celebrating the inclusion of several provisions, while lamenting the exclusion of others. Tara Dew emphasized the profound truth that believ...

 Episode 560 French Evangelicals Stand For Life, Christian Women Punished For Praying in Nicaraguan Prison & Tips on Speaking Effectively Evangelicals in France spoke up to stand for life earlier this week. Human rights advocates are speaking up for believers in Central America. And, it’s something people desperately fear. Speaking in front of a group. Oklahoma pastor Stephen Rummage believes...

 Episode 559 Pastors Remain Cautious of AI, Religious Freedom Restoration Act & Things to Consider When Using A Commentary According to a recent Barna study, pastors are becoming slightly more comfortable with Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool for some uses in the church but remain wary of its role when it comes to personal relationships. Iowa and Utah are the latest states to pass legisl...

 Episode 558 Father of Slain Student Teaches Forgiveness, Drug Dealer Turned Church Planter & Grieving With Hope The father of the 18-year-old student who was murdered at Campbellsville University in Kentucky spoke at the school’s chapel service last week and asked those assembled to choose forgiveness because “it’s the center of what Jesus is.” In Sterling, Virginia, Jefferson Hernández had n...

 Episode 557 Summer Camps Set to Run Ahead in 2024, How Alabama Court’s Ruling Affects IVF & How God Conveyed His Word to the Prophets Years after a summer of practically no camps, the institution is continuing its comeback. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) healthcare system announced that it was pausing all in vitro fertilization (IVF) fertility treatments. And, how did God convey Hi...

 Episode 556 Evangelicals Views on Immigration Reform, Relationships Drive Support of Urban Churches & You Gotta Have Friends Evangelicals’ nuanced views on immigration should encourage faith leaders to offer biblical responses to all concerns, key evangelical leaders said Feb. 28 upon the release of a new Lifeway Research study. In an inspiring union between Champion Forest Church in Houston...

 Episode 555 DR Teams Respond to Panhandle Wildfires, Evangelicals Back Immigration Reform & Pastoring Through an Election Year In the wake of devastating wildfires that sweeping through the Texas Panhandle, Governor Gregg Abbott declared a state of disaster for 60 counties. American evangelicals have complex perspectives on immigration and want a nuanced political response, but most want Cong...

 Episode 554 Royalty Rates Push Religious Webcasters Out of Market, Send Relief Partners Persevere in Ukraine & The Value of Keeping Alert Noncommercial religious broadcasters are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review copyright royalty fees, alleging they favor secular speech over religious expression. In the midst of Ukraine’s ongoing conflict, which has tragically claimed over 10,000 civil...

 Episode 553 ERLC Releases Guide For Gender Confusion, An Answer to Prayer by a Mississippi Church & Essential Resources for Sermon Illustrations The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has released a practical resource to help churches navigate difficult questions and scenarios surrounding the topic of gender confusion. A Mississippi church, Longview Heights Baptist Church, becam...

 Episode 552 770 Volunteers For Augusta Serve Tour, White Powder Scare At Mike Johnson’s Church & Signs of Spiritual Neuropathy While Augusta, Georgia may be known as the home of the PGA Masters tournament…it like most cities…has great needs. An envelope with a suspicious white powder on it found at the Louisiana church membership of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed no toxicity in fiel...

 Episode 551 ERLC Releases First State Policy Agenda, Alabama Ruling on Frozen Embryos & Spiritually Gifted for Vital Work The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has released its first state public policy agenda, which examines upcoming pieces of state legislation that are noteworthy. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled last week that frozen embryos are “children” for the purposes of a wron...