Free Republic

For decades, American churches wrestled with a familiar problem: Where are the men? Women filled the pews, volunteered in ministries, brought the children and often carried much of the spiritual life of the family. Men consistently lagged behind in church attendance and religious participation. Something remarkable is now happening. The gender gap is reversing — and it may be starting much earlier than anyone expected. New research from Barna Group and Christ In Youth found that 57 percent of self-identified Christian teenagers attended a youth group within the previous three months. But buried inside that number is the real surprise....

New undercover footage shows a minister at Democrat U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico’s longtime church saying the congregation does not have “a lot of people who are religious” and describing St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as “not a belief-based church.” In the video obtained by Texas Scorecard, Rev. Carol Johnson describes St. Andrew’s as a “sanctuary church” and says an illegal alien from Guatemala who has “worked here for 8 years” has been living inside the church. “We don’t have a lot of people who are religious here,” said Johnson. “We’re not a belief-based church. We’re a values-based church,” she added....

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

Progressive Church To Allow Mail-In Attendance Church Sep 3, 2026 · BabylonBee.com PORTLAND, ME — Progressive local church First United Methodist of Portland announced that it would now be offering a mail-in attendance option for its parishioners. In an effort to avoid discriminating against attendees who may not be willing or able to actually appear for service in person, the church decided to give congregants the option to record their attendance by mail. "Mail-in attendance is no different than attending church in person. It counts exactly the same," explained Pastor Damien Wagner. "Simply request an attendance card from the church,...

Much has been made about Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico’s version, or perversion, of “Christianity.”The Democrat nominee has called St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin home since he was two years old, he says. It has been led for 35 years by Rev. Jim Rigby, whom Talarico calls a “mentor.” Rev. Babs Miller is “Minister to the Parish,” according to the progressive church’s website. So, one might conclude Miller knows a thing or two about St. Andrews’ congregants and their beliefs.“We still have people in this church who wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear,...

Till depth do us part! An extremely gutsy bride had a truly “wet wedding” — wading down the aisle of an utterly inundated church before tying the knot in the Philippines on Tuesday. Newlyweds Gilbert Chico and Liean Liza Chico got hitched at St. John the Baptist in Hagonoy, Bulacan, despite heavy rainfall that completely saturated the province this week, causing waist-high water to swamp the sanctuary, according to Viral Press. “We had been looking forward to this day for so long, and we did not want the rain and flooding to stop us from getting married,” said the lovebirds....

Maine’s highest court has ruled that a father can prevent his daughter from attending a Calvary Chapel with her mother in a contested custody case after a lower court accepted an expert's claim that the congregation is akin to a "cult." The Maine Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) released a unanimous ruling Tuesday in Emily A. Bickford v. Matthew A. Bradeen, authored by Chief Justice Valeria Stanfill. At issue is an order of “shared parental rights and responsibilities” between Bickford and Bradeen, in which the two disagreed over who would control their child’s religious upbringing. Bradeen objected to Bickford bringing the...

The First Amendment protects both freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, but those rights do not give activists carte blanche to invade a church and take over the service. Or so I thought. Now, however, a group of activists who did just that has filed a motion to dismiss federal civil rights charges, arguing that its conduct amounted to “pure speech and assembly” protected by the First Amendment. According to the motion, “The Constitution does not contain any exception to free speech in churches.” Such a statement might make sense if the agitators faced charges related to free speech,...

A troubling court ruling out of Maine should have Christians paying attention. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has upheld an order giving a father final authority to prevent his daughter from attending an evangelical church after arguments that the religious environment was psychologically harmful to the girl. At the center of the controversy is Calvary Chapel Greater Portland in Westbrook, Maine, where the girl's mother, Emily Bickford, had been taking her to services. Her father, Matthew Bradeen, objected. In 2024, a Portland District Court gave him authority to determine whether his daughter could continue attending the church, and Maine's highest...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God...

A firebug suspected of torching a landmarked 173-year-old Brooklyn church was busted Tuesday when an eagle-eyed cop spotted him shoplifting a turkey sandwich and donuts from a Midtown CVS, sources said. John Jones, 24, was hit with a federal arson rap after he was picked up trying to swipe a free meal with a Coke to wash it down in the store on Broadway at about 1:39 a.m., sources said.

FAITH FACTS Church of England attendance has remarkably risen for five consecutive years, reversing decades of decline Digital ministry through online theology classes, social media Bible studies, and café conversations is reaching believers beyond traditional Sunday services Britain’s spiritual renewal is manifesting in unmeasured ways that traditional church statistics cannot capture A surprisingly remarkable transformation is unfolding across Britain as the Church of England reports its fifth consecutive year of attendance growth. But the real story of spiritual renewal extends far beyond what can be counted in pews on Sunday mornings. For decades, declining church attendance in Britain seemed inevitable....

All churches that truly love Jesus serve coffee, but did you know that you can actually tell what denomination a church is by what coffee it serves? Here are 17 different forms of caffeinated goodness and what church you'll find them in: Dunkin' — Southern Baptist: Obviously. Medium roast — Non-denominational: Smooth and palatable. Grande Caramel Macchiato in a venti cup, upside down, with split milks, extra shots, and no top drizzle — some friggin' Acts 29 church: You know who they are. Boba tea — the Korean church that meets after your church: So many Hondas in the parking...

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. "(1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

A historic church in Buffalo, New York, caught fire again this week, and it was determined to be the result of arson. St. Ann’s Catholic Church was built in 1886. It permanently closed down in August 2024 and was sold to an Islamic community for $250,000.

Community members gathered outside Pawleys Island Community Church Sunday morning, demanding accountability and justice following the arrest of a convicted sex offender who volunteered near children on campus. Protesters lined up outside the church holding signs calling for the protection of children and asking for answers and change. The South Carolina Probation, Parole and Pardon Services arrested 70-year-old Warren Perry Tuesday for violating probation. Perry is a convicted sex offender following a 2023 Sexual Exploitation of a Minor conviction for a crime committed in 2020. Perry volunteered at the church, which operates Pawleys Island Christian Academy on the same campus,...

Sunday morning, July 5, 2026. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Effingham, Illinois, sat peaceful under a quiet sky. Volunteers had just begun to arrive to prepare for services. Just the ordinary rhythm of a house of worship going about its day. Then a man driving a stolen car slipped inside, asking for the pastor. Church security didn’t blink. They noticed the out-of-state plates and saw the man approach. Safety team members made contact as he entered. The man asked for the pastor, but the safety volunteers sensed something was wrong. They called 911. Police rolled in. There was a struggle....

Join with fellow FREEPERS across the world to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, Technology, Religious Freedom and the Media. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.". (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Religion Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

Antisemitism has gone global. In one country after another, Jews are being excoriated over Israel’s conduct of the war in the Middle East. Israel stands accused of genocide, of baby-killing, of deliberately starving the citizens of Gaza. October 7, 2023 — the slaughter of some 1,200 Israelis and the dragging of roughly 250 hostages into the tunnels of Gaza — is now brazenly repositioned as payback for Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. Never mind that two million Arab citizens live inside Israel in peace and prosperity, with seats in the Knesset, judges on its Supreme Court, and doctors in every...

Police from the 102nd Precinct took a man into custody Thursday morning after he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at religious buildings in Ozone Park and Woodhaven. In the first incident, the 36-year-old vandal allegedly targeted the Iglesia Bautista El Mesias Baptist Church, located at 97-44 75th St. in Ozone Park, just before midnight on July 8, according to authorities. The vandal threw one of the firebombs at the front door, but it bounced off and exploded on the ground, causing a fire that did no damage to the church, police said. The suspect then walked about a half-mile north into...