The Philippines Has the Longest Christmas Season in the World

How Christians keep Christ at the center when commercial forces extended the six-month celebration. (edited) The act of a mall shop worker putting up Christmas décor might seem an ordinary sight in December, November, or even October—but this was August. “I took a video on the phone. I had to document it,” said Steve Pardue, who grew up as a missionary kid in the Philippines and now serves as program director at the Asia Graduate School of Theology in Metro... Read More

Duke University Study Finds More Sin in the Rain

Embezzlement, drug use, and other crimes go up when church attendance goes down. When it rains on Sunday morning, fewer people go to church. When fewer people go to church, more people buy drugs, commit forgery, and embezzle money. A new study from Jonathan Moreno-Medina at Duke University reveals a consistent correlation between church attendance and crime in data from 1,361 US counties over a period of 36 years. His research found that an hour of Sunday morning rain reduces church... Read More

My Work Almost Crushed Her Family. Now I’m Welcomed at Her Table.

The former spokesperson for Ravi Zacharias reflects on a Christmas miracle that demonstrates the great hope—and great cost—of restoration. The dining table was set for a fine yet intimate family dinner, accented by festive holiday decor and aglow with candlelight. The aroma of food filled the cozy Canadian home, along with family chatter after a Saturday out braving cold temperatures and Christmas crowds in the city. I asked the hostess if I could help with anything. “No,... Read More

Agency: Haiti Missionaries Made ‘Daring’ Escape to Evade Kidnappers

New details emerge over how the remaining 12 hostage missionaries, including young children, ended up free from the 400 Mawozo gang. Captive missionaries in Haiti found freedom last week by making a daring overnight escape, eluding their kidnappers and walking for miles over difficult, moonlit terrain with an infant and other children in tow, according to the agency they work for, officials said Monday. The group of 12 navigated by stars to reach safety after a two-month kidnapping ordeal,... Read More

Glad Tidings Come in Times of Terror

The nativity story is the advent of God’s love to a fear-filled world. It might seem like a strange thing to say, but my adult life has been consistently marked by the terrorist attacks of our era. I was out of college and in my second year at Princeton Theological Seminary when the World Trade Center was attacked just an hour’s train ride away. As a St Andrews doctoral student living and working in Cambridge, England, I experienced the trauma and heartache from the environs of... Read More

Missionary Hostages Forgive Haiti Gang, Sang Psalm 34

“Jesus taught us by word and by his own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force,” says director of Christian Aid Ministries, which will keep working in Haiti. All the former hostages from a US-based missionary group kidnapped in Haiti have been flown out of the country after a two-month ordeal, the leader of their Ohio-based missions organization said Friday, as he also extended an offer of forgiveness to their captors. David Troyer, general... Read More

Mark Lowry, Did You Know Your Mary Song Would Be Controversial?

The success of “Mary Did You Know?” is a miracle to the songwriter, three decades later. For Mark Lowry, almost every day is Christmas. Whenever the storyteller and singer takes the stage for a concert, he always closes the show with the same song—“Mary Did You Know?”—no matter what time of year it is. “When you have one hit, you better end with it,” Lowry said in a recent phone interview. Lowry co-wrote “Mary Did You Know?” with Buddy... Read More

Trucker Ministry Continues Amid Holiday Hustle and Bustle

While headlines warn of a driver shortage and supply chain crisis, chaplains say the demands of the industry have always been arduous. With reports of a supply chain crisis causing delivery delays this holiday season, many Americans were praying for truck drivers to get their Christmas goods delivered on time. Meanwhile, a fleet of ministers stationed at truck stops across the country were praying for the drivers themselves. Despite the headlines, news of a trucker shortage this year has... Read More

US Senate Confirms Rashad Hussain as First Muslim Religious Freedom Ambassador

(UPDATE) Bipartisan vote of 85–5 installs Biden nominee championed by many Christian IRF advocates. Rashad Hussain has become America’s new ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, after the US Senate voted 85–5 last night in favor of his historic nomination as the first Muslim to hold the position. Previous IRF ambassador Sam Brownback praised the decision and its bipartisan majority. “Religious persecution is rampant around the world, and the... Read More

All I Want for Christmas Is a Song that Mentions Jesus

Most-played hits around the world celebrate love, snow, and chestnuts before getting around to Christ. Jesus is the reason for the season. But he doesn’t show up much in the top Christmas songs played on Spotify. According to October 2021 data from the streaming service collected by Every Noise, the most-played Christmas song around the world is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” followed by Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” and Ariana Grande’s... Read More