Church attendance across the Diocese of Portsmouth increased significantly in 2025, with new figures showing growth rates well above the national average.
Data released by the diocese shows weekly adult attendance increased by 3.3% in 2025, outperforming the national growth rate of 0.7%.
Peyton Jones: Reimagining Church Planting—Part 1
In the more than 25 years that veteran church planter Peyton Jones has been in ministry, he has served in almost every incarnation and context of church. He is founder of the New Breed Church Planting Network and is an expert in the field of missional engagement strategy. A self-described “accidental church planter,” Jones has planted in a Starbucks and in inner-city Long Beach, California, and serves as the church planting catalyst of the Western U.S. and Canada for the North American Mission Board.
Jones is also the host of the Jump School Core Team Training Series, managing editor of Church Planter Magazine and the co-host of the weekly Church Planter podcast. His latest book, Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches (Zondervan), represents what he calls his magnum opus, distilling hard-earned principles of early-church-style ministry from his colorful and poignant experiences in modern contexts.
Martin Gordon, Bishop of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has asked for prayer and international support as the country battles its 17th outbreak of Ebola in 50 years.
An outbreak was officially declared on 15 May, with the World Health Organisation declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) two days later. So far it is estimated that around 250 people have been killed by the disease, with the number of suspected cases rising to over 1,000.
An Anglican Reception of Magnifica Humanitas
This essay is a part of a series on AI and Pope Leo XIV’s May 26, 2026 encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. A round-up with links to all essays will be available later this month.
“Prayer, Advocacy, and Ending Hunger” featuring Angelique Walker-Smith
How can churches move from charity toward advocacy? In this episode, Angelique Walker-Smith draws from her work with Bread for the World to discuss the church’s responsibility to address hunger and poverty through both direct service and systemic change. She notes that moving beyond charity models and embracing advocacy is a core expression of Christian discipleship.
Clean drinking water gaps linked to hunger and unsafe food worldwide
A new global study has found that people without access to clean drinking water are significantly more likely to experience food insecurity and food safety threats, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated global action to address these issues together.
Why the Arctic's rivers are rusting now and where toxic orange water could spread next
Scientists have identified the two biggest reasons that once-pristine rivers across the Arctic are growing cloudy with toxic orange iron particles that smother insects and suffocate fish.
‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds
Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico before the end of this century, authors say.
Here’s a common occurrence for me on social media. I post a graph that’s really basic: how a bunch of religious traditions feel about a controversial political issue. Could be a pathway to citizenship for folks who came here illegally, could be access to an abortion, or maybe a question about gender identity. I have all the traditions listed: white and non-white evangelicals and Catholics, mainline Protestants, Jews, Muslims, atheists, etc. What the data consistently shows — across a wide variety of dependent variables — is that white Catholics are not as socially conservative as white evangelicals.
This makes a lot of anonymous people on Twitter very angry, of course. I’m guessing that many of them are Catholics who believe that Catholicism, correctly measured, will exhibit results similar to their evangelical cousins. The replies are always something like, “No, show us what REAL Catholics believe on this issue.” Which I think is shorthand for: I want you to only compare weekly attending Catholics to weekly attending evangelicals. Their assumption is that if I do that, the statistical differences will disappear.
Why Teaching Deep Theology Matters to Your Church
We often shy away from teaching new believers deep theology. But the church is called to disciple believers into theological depths.
Healthy church leadership depends on accountability, but not the kind rooted in guilt, control, or micromanagement. Jonathan Page outlines three principles for creating a culture of accountability that is restorative, chosen, and mutual—helping churches stay focused on their mission even during the slower rhythms of summer.
Tech podcast warns AI leaders 'envisioning a deity of sorts': 'Delusion of grandeur to think you can create God'
Do tech gurus at the forefront of the AI movement believe they’re creating a species seen as “superior to humans”?
That’s the question raised in the latest episode of the "All-In Podcast", where panelists took aim at what one described as the "Dr. Frankenstein theory" motivating certain AI labs to achieve so-called artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the pursuit of creating a digital “deity.”
1 in 5 US adolescents have turned to a chatbot for mental health help
Would you trust an AI chatbot to be your therapist, medical professional or confidante? New research shows that one in five American adolescents between the ages of 12-21 – or around 8.2 million – are turning to Big AI’s chatbots for help with their mental health.
That marks a more than 40 percent increase in the past year, rising from just one in eight the previous year, a 1,009-person survey from the non-profit research institute RAND found.
5 Imperatives for Maximizing Your Summer Recovery Days
Even if you refuse to do any of those things during your day off, they won’t disappear. They’ll be waiting for you upon your return, so no need to worry! Here’s some “veteran advice” for your summer recovery days...
Parents ditch kids' phones as screen-free childhood movement spreads across US
Parents across the U.S. and abroad are joining efforts to delay smartphone use and reduce children's screen time.
Why it matters: Concerns about smartphones' effects on children are fueling broader efforts around offline socialization, digital wellbeing and screen-free childhood initiatives.
A random weekday dog-walk epiphany prompted a new ministry effort in Greenwood, and its impact is reverberating in big ways.
Laundry of Love Brings Clean Clothes, Compassion to Edisto Fork
What began as a deeply personal experience for the Rev. Ellis White Jr. has become a lifeline of grace and practical help for neighbors facing financial strain.
The Laundry of Love Ministry at Edisto Fork United Methodist Church was born out of his desire to ease a simple but often overlooked burden: the rising cost of doing laundry during these tough economic times.
Data released by the diocese shows weekly adult attendance increased by 3.3% in 2025, outperforming the national growth rate of 0.7%.
Peyton Jones: Reimagining Church Planting—Part 1
In the more than 25 years that veteran church planter Peyton Jones has been in ministry, he has served in almost every incarnation and context of church. He is founder of the New Breed Church Planting Network and is an expert in the field of missional engagement strategy. A self-described “accidental church planter,” Jones has planted in a Starbucks and in inner-city Long Beach, California, and serves as the church planting catalyst of the Western U.S. and Canada for the North American Mission Board.
Jones is also the host of the Jump School Core Team Training Series, managing editor of Church Planter Magazine and the co-host of the weekly Church Planter podcast. His latest book, Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches (Zondervan), represents what he calls his magnum opus, distilling hard-earned principles of early-church-style ministry from his colorful and poignant experiences in modern contexts.
Also See: Peyton Jones: Empowering Every Believer—Part 2Goma bishop calls for aid and prayer in face of Ebola crisis
Martin Gordon, Bishop of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has asked for prayer and international support as the country battles its 17th outbreak of Ebola in 50 years.
An outbreak was officially declared on 15 May, with the World Health Organisation declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) two days later. So far it is estimated that around 250 people have been killed by the disease, with the number of suspected cases rising to over 1,000.
An Anglican Reception of Magnifica Humanitas
This essay is a part of a series on AI and Pope Leo XIV’s May 26, 2026 encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. A round-up with links to all essays will be available later this month.
“Prayer, Advocacy, and Ending Hunger” featuring Angelique Walker-Smith
How can churches move from charity toward advocacy? In this episode, Angelique Walker-Smith draws from her work with Bread for the World to discuss the church’s responsibility to address hunger and poverty through both direct service and systemic change. She notes that moving beyond charity models and embracing advocacy is a core expression of Christian discipleship.
Clean drinking water gaps linked to hunger and unsafe food worldwide
A new global study has found that people without access to clean drinking water are significantly more likely to experience food insecurity and food safety threats, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated global action to address these issues together.
Why the Arctic's rivers are rusting now and where toxic orange water could spread next
Scientists have identified the two biggest reasons that once-pristine rivers across the Arctic are growing cloudy with toxic orange iron particles that smother insects and suffocate fish.
‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds
Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico before the end of this century, authors say.
Also See: Climate-driven depopulation and adaptation realities in America’s coastal ground zeroAre "Real" Catholics as Conservative as Evangelicals?
Salt water intrusion up the Mississippi River has grown worse in the past four years despite efforts to contain it, threatening the fresh water supply of the city and the adjoining parishes. The primary cause is decreased rainfall in Ohio and other parts of the United States and Canada that supply the river with water.
Here’s a common occurrence for me on social media. I post a graph that’s really basic: how a bunch of religious traditions feel about a controversial political issue. Could be a pathway to citizenship for folks who came here illegally, could be access to an abortion, or maybe a question about gender identity. I have all the traditions listed: white and non-white evangelicals and Catholics, mainline Protestants, Jews, Muslims, atheists, etc. What the data consistently shows — across a wide variety of dependent variables — is that white Catholics are not as socially conservative as white evangelicals.
This makes a lot of anonymous people on Twitter very angry, of course. I’m guessing that many of them are Catholics who believe that Catholicism, correctly measured, will exhibit results similar to their evangelical cousins. The replies are always something like, “No, show us what REAL Catholics believe on this issue.” Which I think is shorthand for: I want you to only compare weekly attending Catholics to weekly attending evangelicals. Their assumption is that if I do that, the statistical differences will disappear.
Why Teaching Deep Theology Matters to Your Church
We often shy away from teaching new believers deep theology. But the church is called to disciple believers into theological depths.
Evangelical churches are not the only churches suffering from a lack of theological depth.Healthy and Helpful Accountability
Healthy church leadership depends on accountability, but not the kind rooted in guilt, control, or micromanagement. Jonathan Page outlines three principles for creating a culture of accountability that is restorative, chosen, and mutual—helping churches stay focused on their mission even during the slower rhythms of summer.
Tech podcast warns AI leaders 'envisioning a deity of sorts': 'Delusion of grandeur to think you can create God'
Do tech gurus at the forefront of the AI movement believe they’re creating a species seen as “superior to humans”?
That’s the question raised in the latest episode of the "All-In Podcast", where panelists took aim at what one described as the "Dr. Frankenstein theory" motivating certain AI labs to achieve so-called artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the pursuit of creating a digital “deity.”
1 in 5 US adolescents have turned to a chatbot for mental health help
Would you trust an AI chatbot to be your therapist, medical professional or confidante? New research shows that one in five American adolescents between the ages of 12-21 – or around 8.2 million – are turning to Big AI’s chatbots for help with their mental health.
That marks a more than 40 percent increase in the past year, rising from just one in eight the previous year, a 1,009-person survey from the non-profit research institute RAND found.
5 Imperatives for Maximizing Your Summer Recovery Days
Even if you refuse to do any of those things during your day off, they won’t disappear. They’ll be waiting for you upon your return, so no need to worry! Here’s some “veteran advice” for your summer recovery days...
Parents ditch kids' phones as screen-free childhood movement spreads across US
Parents across the U.S. and abroad are joining efforts to delay smartphone use and reduce children's screen time.
Why it matters: Concerns about smartphones' effects on children are fueling broader efforts around offline socialization, digital wellbeing and screen-free childhood initiatives.
Also See: The book fueling a movement against screens in schools; Cell phone bans are good for kids. They're not enough.Leaving the Building: ‘Community Care Day’ Gathers Congregation for Service Effort
A random weekday dog-walk epiphany prompted a new ministry effort in Greenwood, and its impact is reverberating in big ways.
Laundry of Love Brings Clean Clothes, Compassion to Edisto Fork
What began as a deeply personal experience for the Rev. Ellis White Jr. has become a lifeline of grace and practical help for neighbors facing financial strain.
The Laundry of Love Ministry at Edisto Fork United Methodist Church was born out of his desire to ease a simple but often overlooked burden: the rising cost of doing laundry during these tough economic times.
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