News
Reaction and Response: U.S. Divided on Revisiting Nation’s Racial History
A slim majority of the U.S. affirms the increased focus on racism and slavery in the nation’s history, but there is a strong partisan divide on this matter, a survey found. Several faith leaders offered their thoughts on the findings.
People of Good Faith: Cally Chisholm
Cally Chisholm is a graduate student at East Tennessee State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. She served as an Ernest C. Hynds Jr. intern with Good Faith Media for the summer of 2021.
Churches Continue Practicing, Supporting Conversion Therapy
Conversion therapy, now widely recognized as discriminatory and destructive, is still practiced and supported by local churches who believe you can “pray the gay away.” A forthcoming webinar and video series exposes this harmful practice and reveals the trauma it causes.
Go ‘Spelunking’ in Scripture with Two Nurturing Faith Books
The first two titles in a new book series from Nurturing Faith Books are now available. Join author Bruce Salmon in a spelunking adventure into Jesus’ birth narrative in Luke and into the letters of Paul.
People of Good Faith: Susan Fendley
Susan Fendley is a retired federal attorney, who has served as a church deacon and in committee leadership roles for nonprofit groups and boards. She is serving on GFM’s strategic advisory board for news and opinion.
Acknowledging Dysfunction Offers Rare Common Ground in Polarized U.S.
Shared recognition that democracy is not functioning well is a rare place of common ground for U.S. adults. A strong majority believes the nation’s democratic institutions are struggling, with general agreement on pathways to correct the problems.
More Black Americans Report Mistreatment
More than half of all Black Americans reported being mistreated in 2021, a Gallup survey found. The largest rise was in reports of unfair treatment while shopping.
K-12 Parents Diverge from General Public on COVID Mandates
Mask and vaccine mandates to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are supported by a majority of U.S. adults. However, a new Gallup report found lower levels of support among parents of school-age children.
U.S. Correctional Population Declines for 12th Straight Year
More than a decade of population decline in the U.S. correctional system continued in 2019, according to a new government report. Still, there were over 6.3 million people in the U.S. correctional system that year.
Free Webinar: “The Christian Case Against Conversion Therapy”
A free webinar exploring the dangers of conversion therapy for members of the LGBTQ+ community is scheduled for Aug. 24 at noon CT. The event is co-sponsored by Baptist News Global, Good Faith Media and Q Christian Fellowship.
Less than Half of U.S. Households Give to Charitable Causes
The number of U.S. households contributing to charitable causes fell below 50% in 2018, according to a new report. Giving to both religious and secular causes has been declining steadily since 2000, mostly due to fewer households making donations.
Investing Financial, Moral Capital Beyond Stained-Glass Walls
To help bridge the gap between religious institutions and faith-based social entrepreneurs, one nonprofit created a fund in which grants are distributed. The first five recipients, seeking to improve the common good, were chosen.
Gimme That Old-Time Religion? No Thanks, Say Many
After an uptick in 2020, public confidence in the church or organized religion slipped in 2021. The only institution that didn’t see a dip in Gallup’s annual survey was police, which also ranked third in terms of public confidence.
Pandemic Pushes 320M More into Food Insecurity
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact adds another layer of challenges to ending global hunger, bringing an estimated 320 million more people into a situation of food insecurity, a UN report said. And 161 million more experienced hunger.
Top Fall 2020 Sermon Topics: Election, Pandemic, Racism
Most US churchgoers heard sermons in the fall of 2020 that mentioned the pandemic, the election or racism; sometimes, they heard two or all three of these topics, a report found. COVID-19 was the most likely topic to be mentioned.
Latest Nurturing Faith Book Invites You on ‘Breathtaking Journey’
In Still Going to Mullinix, join Jerry Haywood on a ‘breathtaking journey’ of fun, suspense, interesting critters and intriguing people – the latest book from Nurturing Faith, the publishing imprint of Good Faith Media.
People of Good Faith: Skye Perryman
Skye Perryman serves as president and chief executive officer of Democracy Forward Foundation. She is a member of Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board for news and opinion.
S. Sudan Baptists Minister Amid Gov’t Instability, Hunger
Warfare, droughts, famine, widespread hunger, floods, locust swarms and a global pandemic – all of these have been endured by South Sudanese over the past decade. Through it all, Baptist pastors have been ministering faithfully.
Pessimism Reigns Over US Moral Values
Nearly half of US adults believe the state of moral values in the nation is currently poor, with more than two-thirds expressing the sense that the country’s moral values are getting worse, Gallup found.
People of Good Faith: Charlotte Cook Smith
Charlotte Cook Smith was a legal assistant for more than 40 years in corporate and private practice. She is currently serving on Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board.
Starlette Thomas, Alyssa Aldape Join GFM
Starlette Thomas and Alyssa Aldape have joined Good Faith Media. Thomas began today as director of the Raceless Gospel Initiative and associate editor, while Aldape started as a contributing correspondent in June.
‘Revs on the Road’ Podcast Launches Today
The newest addition to the Good Faith Media podcast suite, ‘Revs on the Road,’ premieres today (June 29), featuring Jenna Sullivan and Ashley Robinson exploring the country, searching for God, the church and faith in 8 episodes.
Most Believe Religion’s Influence Declining
Most US adults feel religion’s influence is in decline, Gallup found. Only 16% believe religion’s influence is increasing, a 22-point drop from April 2020 and only two points above the all-time low of 14% in 1969 and 1970.
People of Good Faith: Carol Boseman Taylor
Carol Boseman Taylor is the author of I Promise. Rejoice, a devotional guide published by Nurturing Faith, the publishing imprint of Good Faith Media. She and her husband have three adult children and five grandchildren.
US Prison Population Drops; Jail Numbers Surge
With an overall decline of 41,400 inmates through the first half of 2021, the total US incarcerated population stands at just under 1.77 million currently, with nearly 1.2 million in prisons and more than 573,000 in jails.
Baptist Chaplain to Lead Air National Guard Chaplain Corps
Colonel Leah Botona Boling has been chosen to serve as the director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps. As an Asian American Pacific Islander woman, she is the first person of color to hold the position.
Bible Reading, Prayer Most Common in Southern US Cities
The US cities where Bible reading and prayer are most common are in the south, a report said. Monroe, Louisiana, reported the highest percentage of residents who read the Bible weekly at 64% and the highest weekly prayer at 94%.
US Evenly Divided on Abortion’s Morality
US adults are evenly divided on the morality of abortion, a Gallup report found. Roughly half (46%) of respondents say abortion is morally wrong while 47% say it is morally acceptable – a three-point jump from 2020.
Reaction & Response: Reparations for Black Americans
What should be done when economic prosperity for Black Americans is denied due to racial terror and systemic oppression? Reparations have been brought to the forefront of many conversations about how to achieve racial equity.
Reaction & Response | Uber-Rich Pay Little in Taxes
The wealthiest U.S. citizens pay very little in federal taxes each year, a report found, while poor and middle-class households shouldered a greater share. Experts told Good Faith Media this regressive system can’t continue.