The FBI arrested a nondenominational Ohio pastor

Chinese churches have become the fastest growing Christian community in Britain due to the influx of migrants from Hong Kong.

After an unprecedented mass shooting in Thailand last week, we hear theological views on gun ownership from Christian leaders in nine countries.

In India, theologians raise concerns about “soft-prosperity gospel,” incorporation of Hindu myth, and New Age spirituality as threats to Christian orthodoxy.

C. S. Lewis and Narnia superfans, this book is for you: a deep dive into the apologist’s imaginary world and the faith it portrays.

Behind the story

One theme that comes up in CT stories from time to time is the idea of a “missional moment.” We’ll report on how Christian communities see current circumstances—be it a natural disaster, a political move, a financial blessing—as an opportunity to spread the gospel and serve their neighbors. But we don’t always get the chance to see if their efforts to take advantage of that opportunity were effective. Sometimes the work of the church is slow and immeasurable.

Yet sometimes we’re lucky enough to get a clear snapshot of the work of the church in a particular place. It was just last year that CT reported on the potential for hundreds of thousands of people from Hong Kong to move to the United Kingdom under a new visa provision for overseas nationals. Thanks to the most expansive study of Chinese churches in Great Britain, we’ve already been able to get a glimpse of how congregations have welcomed people from Hong Kong. Pastors of Chinese congregations there report membership doubling and tripling, according to the research, which came out this month. The report also underscored the significance of this “missional moment” for the UK, saying non-Christian Hong Kongers are more open to exploring the faith than non-Christians from mainland China or who already live in Britain.

In other news

The FBI arrested a nondenominational Ohio pastor who was allegedly part of the mob attempting to overturn the presidential election at the US capitol in 2021.

One of the stranger initiatives on any ballot in the upcoming election: Should West Virginia churches have the right to incorporate?

For the last year, this UK Anglican church has been ministering with a combination of baptisms and body slams.