News
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.
New Nurturing Faith Book Shares Real Conversations with God
‘A Daily Prayer, Short and Sweet: Real Conversations with God’ is now available from Nurturing Faith Books. Author William G. Henderson Jr. shares conversations he’s had with God.
Majority Favors Death Penalty Despite Doubts
Six out of 10 US adults support the death penalty for people convicted of murder, a report found. This majority support continues despite significant misgivings among the general public regarding its fairness and deterrence.
People of Good Faith: Julie Cloud
Julie Cloud is vice president of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation. She currently serves on Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board, Interfaith Alliance’s board and Perkins School of Theology’s executive board.
Record Level of US Supports Same-Sex Marriage
A record number of US adults (70%) say same-sex marriage ‘should be recognized by the law as valid’ and convey the same rights as ‘traditional marriages,’ a report found, up 43 points since the question was first polled in 1996.
People of Good Faith: Jim Qualls
Jim Qualls is husband of 38 years to Janna, proud dad to two grown daughters, proud to have acquired two fine sons-in-law. He serves as a member of Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board for news and opinion.
Turnout Trends Up for In-Person Religious Services
US adults are attending in-person religious services in increasing numbers, a report found, with 20% saying they attended a religious service in the past week. Online service engagement, meanwhile, continues to trend downward.
White Evangelicals Most Likely to Affirm QAnon Tenets
Nearly one out of four white evangelical Protestants either mostly or completely agree with three core tenets of QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory group, a report revealed. That’s more than any other religious group.
People of Good Faith: Don Brewer
Don Brewer is a retired baseball coach and retired national sales manager for a foodservice equipment company. He’s lived in Gainesville, Georgia, for 51 years – almost long enough to be a native.
Good Faith Media Welcomes Summer 2021 Interns
Four interns have each already completed a semester working with Good Faith Media’s staff on a variety of projects. This summer, Cally Chisholm and Isaiah Anthony will join their ranks as GFM’s Ernest C. Hynds Jr. interns.
Alcohol, Drug, Suicide Deaths Doubled Since ’99
The number of annual deaths in the United States from alcohol, drugs and suicide has more than doubled in the past two decades, a report found, increasing to roughly 156,000 in 2019 from over 60,000 in 1999.
Reaction & Response: Nations Lean Toward Inclusivity
Fewer people in the US, UK, France and Germany believe that to truly belong in their nation a person must have been born there, among other factors. Faith leaders from around the globe share their views about the report.
Reaction & Response: Many Young Jewish Adults Claim No Religion
Four out of 10 younger Jewish adults – from 18 to 29 years old – in the US are more likely to say they have no religion, a Pew report said. Jewish faith leaders shared their insights on the trend with Good Faith Media.
People of Good Faith: Jack Moline
Jack Moline is president of Interfaith Alliance and a Conservative rabbi. He is a member of Good Faith Media’s strategic advisory board.
Most White Evangelicals Embrace ‘The Big Lie’
Nearly two-thirds of white evangelicals in the US believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump – the only faith group to have a majority affirm the disproven claim that has been dubbed ‘The Big Lie.’
Latest Nurturing Faith Book Offers Story of Grace, Mercy
Mercy Jeyaraja Rao’s sense of being called to be a teacher soon after graduation from high school would shape the next 48 years of her life. Her story of redemption and release is the latest offering from Nurturing Faith.
People of Good Faith: Cynthia Mitchell
Cynthia Mitchell is a retired college US history teacher. She currently serves as a member of the strategic advisory board for Good Faith Media’s publishing division.
Reaction and Response: Systemic Racism Can’t Be Denied
Politicians and pundits have offered divergent views on systemic racism and whether or not it exists in the US. Several faith leaders tell Good Faith Media that racism can’t be denied and to deal with it requires honest repentance.