MacArthur said the most important mark of his ministry was that he explained the Bible with the Bible, not cluttering up sermons with personal stories, commentary on current events, or appeals to emotion, but teaching timeless truth. The longtime pastor of Grace Community Church said a good sermon should still be good 50 years after it is preached. (Silliman, Christianity Today)
Read MoreKids’ favorite Bluey has kept its hold on the top of the U.S. streaming rankings for the first half of the year. Nielsen figures for January to June show the series has amassed 25.06 billion minutes of viewing this year — which puts it on a similar pace to last year’s total of 55.62 billion minutes. Bluey has appeared in Nielsen’s streaming ratings for 143 straight weeks, dating back to October 2022. (Porter, Hollywood Reporter)
Read MoreThe Glory of Christ Tanzania Church remains shuttered six weeks after the government shut it down following the pastor’s sermon against human rights violations, persecution watchdog group CSW lamented. (Chandler, Baptist Press)
Read MoreKnown for his expository preaching and his penchant for controversy, MacArthur was one of evangelicalism's most influential pastors for decades. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
Read MoreA month of sweeping immigration enforcement actions has sent people underground, leaving businesses empty and upending daily life across Southern California. It’s also sparked a crisis of faith for many Catholics who have spent their lives worshiping at Sunday Mass and are now questioning whether it’s safe to connect with God in such a public space. (Fry et al., Los Angeles Times)
Read MoreUsing open-source material, investigators documented threats and harassment against school officials from November 2022 through April 2023, and the same period two years later. They found such incidents rose by 170%. (Langfitt, NPR)
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