News
Most US Protestant Churches Have Active Shooter Plans
Nearly two-thirds of Protestant churches in the U.S. now have active shooter plans, a LifeWay report found, and nearly half of pastors said their churches have armed members.
2 Key Challenges Face Worldwide Labor Force
Two key challenges facing laborers around the world are underutilization and inequality, a report says, with 13% of the world’s labor force, or 470 million people, underutilized, twice the global unemployment rate.
Vast Majority of US Churchgoers Satisfied with Sermons
Nearly nine out of 10 churchgoers said they were very or somewhat satisfied with sermons they hear in their places of worship, a Pew report said. Protestants were more likely than Catholics to express satisfaction.
Republicans, Protestants, 55-Plus Want Stricter Abortion Laws
Republicans, Protestants and adults 55 and older are the most likely groups to want stricter US abortion laws, a Gallup report found. Republicans had the greatest disparity: 42% want stricter laws and only 6% less strict.
More Than Half-Million Homeless in 2019 Real-Time Count
More than a half-million people experienced homelessness during an annual point-in-time count conducted in January 2019, a government report said, representing roughly 17 out of every 10,000 people in the US.
Christians Declined Slightly as Percent of Global Population
The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population declined ever so slightly over the past 20 years, continuing a century-long trend that’s expected to reverse course in the decades to come, a study says.
High Levels of Christian Persecution Increased 6% in 2019
Christians experiencing high levels of persecution rose 6% in 2019 to 260 million persons, a report said. The nations where Christians face the highest persecution are North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya and Pakistan.
Pope: Center Public Policy on Humanity, Not Power and Profits
Public policy should place humans, not power and profits, at the center of its considerations. That was Pope Francis’ message to participants at this year’s World Economic Forum.
41% of Pastors: Evangelism Will Hasten Christ’s Return
Protestant pastors in the U.S. are more likely to connect evangelistic efforts, rather than involvement in geo-politics, with hastening the return of Christ, a LifeWay report found.
Few Christians Feel Responsible for Helping Discriminated People
Given six possible choices, more than one out of five practicing Christians in the US feel a personal responsibility to help others facing discrimination, a Barna report said.
Garment, Footwear Supply Chains Becoming More Transparent
A growing number of garment and footwear manufacturers are disclosing details about their supply chains. Since 2016, the number of companies publishing info online about their top-tier factories has tripled, a report says.
World Facing ‘Double Burden’ Regarding Malnutrition
Malnutrition presents a ‘double burden’ as nations struggle to address both undernourishment and obesity at the same time, a report said. Up to one-third of lower- and middle-income nations struggle with this dual burden.
Capital Punishment Sentences, Executions Decline in 2019
The number of executions and new capital punishment sentences approached all-time lows in 2019, a report said. The 22 people executed in 2019 are 76 less than the all-time high of 98 in 1999.
Nurses Top Gallup Honesty List Again; Clergy Stay Near Middle
Nurses in the U.S. continue to receive high marks for honesty and ethics, a Gallup poll found, marking the 18th year in a row that the nursing profession has topped Gallup’s list.
On Most Issues, Majority Says ‘No’ to Religion Swaying Gov’t Policy
With few exceptions, a majority of U.S. adults don’t want religion influencing government policy, a new report says, which covered 10 issues including abortion, climate change, immigration and poverty.
Few Faith Leaders Make ‘Most Admired’ List for 2019
Few faith leaders appear in Gallup’s annual most admired people list for 2019. Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama made the top 10 male list, while no faith leaders appeared in the top 10 female list.