Church Bodies

More people are attending church services in the U.K., and many are sharing their theories behind this rise.

According to Peter Oborne of The Telegraph, although figures have shown church attendance in the U.K. to have declined since the 1980s, recent figures show this is now changing. The report refers to one British church, St. Mary's congregation, which he claims has seen a 20 percent rise in church attendees in the past twelve months.

In the U.K., 76.8 percent are said to be religious according to sources, with Christianity being the dominant faith. more >>

The first of January hailed not only the start of a new year but also the implementation of a church body for Anglican congregations transitioning to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter was officially created on Jan. 1. The Ordinariate will allow Anglican churches in the United States to join the Roman Catholic Church while retaining their Anglican tradition.

Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the Ordinariate, told The Christian Post that the planning of this new church body was the result of years of processing and planning for disaffected Anglicans. more >>

Memorial services for Pastor and Calvary Chapel Bible College teacher Bob Hoekstra, who died of poor health two weeks ago, are scheduled to take place at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Friday.

Hoekstra, 71, who had been suffering from poor health for more than two years, sent out a note through his website “letting his friends and family know that he felt like God was calling him home to heaven. And a few days later he was home,” wrote Josh Turansky, a former student of his.

Two ministries that Hoekstra led, Living in Christ Ministries and International Prison Ministry, posted an announcement about his passing on Dec. 20. more >>

Christian leaders throughout the nation say the focus for their churches and ministries for 2012 will be an increased effort to reach people with the saving Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Whether it be from the platform of their church’s pulpit or through a specific ministry, pastors and ministry leaders say they want to advance what they already have been called to do – tell others about God’s grace.

The answers to which methods the Good News is shared by Christian leaders may be many, but one thing is clear, pastors made their presence increasingly known on the Internet in 2011. Through the continued mastery of social media and effective websites, they plan to continue their online evangelism in 2012. more >>

When Osama bin Laden's death was reported in May, some church leaders rejoiced while others denounced his killing and the celebration that followed by many Americans. Christian leaders were torn about the news, which is why it is first on The Institute on Religion and Democracy's list of top church news stories in 2011.

After President Barack Obama announced that the al-Qaida leader had been killed in a firefight, church leaders like those from the National Council of Churches and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) said they didn't agree with the president's assertion that “justice has been done.” Popular Christian leaders like Brian McLaren were critical of Americans who celebrated the killing after it was announced.

But not everyone agreed. Some leaders, like Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C., celebrated bin Laden's death. more >>

A drive-thru prayer service has popped up near Atlanta. But volunteers at Snellville United Methodist Church say it’s not just for convenience, it’s for the connection as well.

Drivers sitting in rush hour traffic along busy Highway 78 can pull in for a quick prayer and a little stress relief. Iris Green, a volunteer for Drive-thru Prayer, said on a video for the project: “A lot of people, through their busy life, don’t take time to pray. Or sometimes they might feel that their prayer is not heard and if they can get someone to pray for them and with them, that kind of encourages them.”

Volunteers for the service stand out in front of the church waving a small red flag with signs that read: “Drive Thru Prayer Today.” Cars can drive up to the church underpass and volunteers will take prayer requests and pray with them through their car window – in true drive-thru fashion. more >>