Out of sight of most Americans, African Christianity is thriving in New York and other cities, here and around the globe. It is a gift in our midst, a vivid reminder that Christ is about flourishing, says the author of “Word Made Global.”
An instructor teaches job seekers at a Jobs for Life class at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. Participants meet twice a week for eight weeks. Photos courtesy of Jobs for Life
Jobs for Life grew from a friendship between a businessman and a pastor into an international organization, with a training method and curriculum now offered through churches, rescue missions and community centers in 275 cities and nine countries.
The problem with 'outreach' is that it is 'out there,' and often presumes that we have no needs 'in here,' writes a denominational leader. But we are called to be near, to serve our neighbor both far away and in the next pew.
Detail from the cover of the book, “Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church Right Where You Are.”
The co-founding director of the Parish Collective urges Christians to look for what God is doing -- right now -- in their neighborhoods.
Children and counselors break open the LEGOs at a 2018 summer session hosted by The Center. Photo by J.M. Giordano
The pandemic canceled summer mission weeks at The Center in Baltimore. But having a blank slate freed the staff to be innovative and to listen differently for the leading of the Holy Spirit, writes the organization’s director.
Parents and professionals are working to provide safe and meaningful formation for youth this summer. Photo courtesy of Episcopal Church in Minnesota
Christian professionals and families partner to experiment with innovative approaches to youth formation in a socially distant environment.
Jesus Mendoza and Gabriela Izaguirre prepare lunches at the Global Blends deli. They are interns with the Baptist Student Ministry at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which runs the restaurant. Photos by Mark Menjivar
When the students at the Baptist Student Ministry in the Rio Grande Valley opened a deli near campus, they knew it was innovative. What they didn’t know was that their restaurant would become a vital source of meals for people in need.
Recipients examine books shipped from the United States to bolster their library. Faculty and administrators from under-resourced schools in 90 countries work with the Theological Book Network staff to build their collections. Photo courtesy of the Theological Book Network
Theological schools with few resources benefit from a nonprofit’s efforts to provide academically rigorous theological books.
Students learning in a pre-pandemic classroom at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia. The school offers a mix of online and in-person learning. Photo courtesy of the Biblical Seminary of Colombia
Developing rigorous theological education in the Latin American context is key to the future of the growing church, says the president of the Biblical Seminary of Colombia.
Mayra Zelaya plays with her son Eliel Zelaya during a church service at San Antonio Mennonite Church. Zelaya, a Honduran immigrant, has been in the United States with her family for 14 months. The church is helping her and other migrants and asylum seekers by providing shelter and resources. Photo by Wendi Poole
For the past three years, members of a Mennonite church in San Antonio have welcomed people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The experience has changed them and their understanding of the gospel.
Josary Moreno Mejia interprets as the Rev. Dr. D.K. Kearney preaches and the Rev. Cesar Moreno prays during a revival on the grounds of Turner Memorial AME in Hyattsville, Maryland. The two pastors and their congregations jointly hosted the four-week event in September. Photos by Pete Marovich
Two pastors built a friendship across barriers of language and culture, uniting their congregations and together reaching out to their community.
Billy Graham speaking in Amsterdam in 1983. Wikimedia Commons
Billy Graham’s method was as important as his message, historian Grant Wacker writes in his new book.
Maria Liu Wong, dean of City Seminary, works on a project outside the City Seminary gallery in New York City. Artists wrap objects with crocheted and knitted patches -- a method called "yarn bombing." The yarn-bombed trees are dedicated to Manuel “Manny” Ortiz, a mentor of the author. Photo by Daniel John/CSNY
His longtime friend Manuel “Manny” Ortiz showed the director of City Seminary of New York the importance of not just leadership but friendship for the future of the urban church.