The question of who qualifies as an evangelical and how many evangelicals exist worldwide continues to puzzle scholars, church leaders and mission researchers alike. That was the central theme of a Sept. 2 webinar hosted by the World Evangelical Alliance and released publicly Sept. 5, featuring two leading voices in global religious demography. Dr. Gina A. Zurlo, editor of the World Christian Database and a lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, and Jason Mandryk, longtime editor of Operatio...| The Roys Report
For the first time in decades, Gen Z and Millennials are attending church more frequently than older adults, Barna and Gloo reported Sept. 3 from its latest State of the Church research. But despite the rise, the average Christian still only attends church 1.6 times per month, or twice every five weeks, researchers said. “We were able to analyze our data in a fresh way to show what many pastors feel — that even really regular churchgoers do not attend that often.| The Roys Report
The First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, North Carolina has dismissed its senior pastor after an investigation showed a five-year history of committing adultery, then trying to cover it up. The Christian Post reported that Pendleton Barnes Peery, a sixth-generation Presbyterian minister, was recently dismissed as senior pastor for breaking his marriage and ordination vows. According to WCCB-TV, an independent Charlotte station, Peery admitted to breaking his marriage vows in a letter to...| The Roys Report
The Rev. Hunt Priest, the founder of a society dedicated to helping clergy integrate the use of psychedelic drugs into pastoral care, has been deposed from the ministry of the Episcopal Church by Bishop Frank Logue of Georgia. An August 5 accord announcing the action concludes a 13-month Title IV process resulting from a complaint filed by the Rev. Joe Welker, a Presbyterian pastor who worked with Priest at Ligare, a nonprofit agency that aims to educate faith communities about the largely...| The Roys Report
A new survey finds that nearly half (45%) of American Christians did not attend church in the past six months, according to data from the American Bible Society (ABS) as part of the 2025 State of the Bible project. About two-thirds of American adults – 64% – say they are Christian, but of those only 55% attend church, ABS stated in its fifth chapter of the study released Aug. 14. In this latest chapter, ABS polled church attendees to determine levels of church engagement, viewed as involv...| The Roys Report
Four years ago, the Rev. Matt Conner presented his congregation in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a stark reality: Newell Presbyterian Church had about 18 months of financial solvency ahead. The time had come to seriously consider its future. Chartered in 1890 in what was then a sleepy part of northeast Charlotte dotted with dairy farms and tobacco fields, the church grew, and then started a slow decline. These days about 50 people attend Sunday morning services and the church has an annual ...| The Roys Report
In the main auditorium of South Walker Church of Christ in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 10 flags hang from the vaulted ceiling. The banners represent the countries from which members hail, including Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. At its foundation, the south Oklahoma City church is “for everyone.” It’s the congregation’s slogan — “A church para todos!” Around 30 years ago, South Walker’s leadership recognized the area’s shifting demographics. A community with a 20 percent...| The Roys Report
A 28-year-old man was gunned down July 31 outside a church in Seattle’s university district, prompting the church’s pastor to call the slaying “an assassination.” Russell Johnson, pastor of the non-denominational church Pursuit NW identified the victim as Lebron Givaun, a recent convert, according to King5, the NBC affiliate in Seattle. The shooting occurred on July 31 during a young adult ministry event. Givaun died at the scene from a gunshot wound to his chest, King5 reported.| The Roys Report
(Opinion) Southern Baptist social media was abuzz last week when a prominent Baptist theologian announced his departure from the Southern Baptist Convention for the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Matthew Barrett, a professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City for the past eight years, will depart that institution (among the largest seminaries in the country measured by enrollment) for a new role as a Research Professor of Theology at Trinity Anglican Semina...| The Roys Report
The long-awaited trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, who faces allegations of mishandling sexual abuse allegations in the Upper Midwest Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America, continues to face serious setbacks two weeks after it began. On July 18, just days into the trial, the church prosecutor resigned, calling the proceedings “irreparably tainted,” causing the court to pause the trial until Aug. 11. A week later, the lawyer who served as the prosecutor’s assistant counsel fol...| The Roys Report
As their congregants live in fear of deportation, pastors look to reassure & care for congregants, but to financially sustain their churches.| The Roys Report
Texas megachurch Gateway Church has canceled it popular annual conference in the wake of a sex abuse scandal involving founder Robert Morris.| The Roys Report
James Morris, who was slated to take over leadership of Gateway Church, has resigned in the wake of his father's sex abuse scandal.| The Roys Report
The decline of First Baptist Mt. Vernon follows a larger pattern, as the avg. church size has shrunk from 137 in 1999 to less than 60 today.| The Roys Report