News

Salvation Army Kettles Collect Fewer Coins

The bell-ringing campaign sees 20 percent decline in giving.

Tim Mossholder / Unsplash / Edits by CT

The Salvation Army bells are still ringing this Christmas, but coins don’t clink in the kettles as often as they used to. Giving to the annual fundraising campaign has dropped dramatically. Between 2019 and 2022, the decline was about 20 percent.

It is not clear why the church and charitable organization has struggled to raise as much money in recent years. Some have blamed the way people shop (online) and the way people pay for what they buy (with credit cards). But the downturn has come only in the past five years, long after these significant shifts in consumer habits.

Others have attributed the problems to culture war controversies. The Salvation Army has been accused of discriminating against LGBT people and of being infiltrated by progressivism. Still, the Salvationists have been welcomed to ring their bells in front of Albertsons, Kroger, Food Lion, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Walgreens, and Walmart. There just aren’t as many people putting their change—or the occasional gold coin, diamond ring, or lottery ticket—into those Christmas kettles.

Also in this issue

The Magi followed a “star when it rose” in order to find and worship the king of the Jews (Matt. 2:1–2). This month’s cover story explores the worship-inspiring wonder of the night sky—and the impact on humanity when our view of the cosmos is obscured by light pollution. Also in this issue: the ethics of embryo adoption, a Christian college goes nuclear, truth and mercy in Jude’s epistle, and an ancient scrap of parchment with Jesus’ words.

Cover Story

God’s Promises Are Clearest When We Turn Out the Lights

Frozen Embryos Are the New Orphan Crisis

For South Korean Christians, Christmas Is a Ministry Quandary

How Abilene Christian Saw the Nuclear Light

Let There Be Dark

What Evangelical Scholars Found Looking at a Tiny Piece of Papyrus

Wedding Fire Devastates Christian Community in Iraq

Pharaoh, Did You Know?

Glimpses of the Kingdom

Put Away Childish Narcissism

Excerpt

Keep Complaining to God. Just Don’t Ignore Him.

The Unusual Epistle that Helps Me Counsel on Sexuality

How AI Short-Circuits Art

Why Do We Want AI to Interpret Scripture?

Joseph Was Jesus’ ‘Real Dad’

Testimony

I Studied Christianity with the Hope of Debunking It

Intelligent Responses to AI Concerns

Mary Was More Than a Mother

Review

The Faith and Work Movement Is Leaving Blue-Collar Workers Behind

New & Noteworthy Fiction

5 Books to Read Before Becoming a Missionary

View issue

Our Latest

News

Black Clergy and Christians Grapple with Charlie Kirk’s Legacy

Many say the activist’s inflammatory statements on race should inform how we remember his life.

News

A Sudden Death: Voddie Baucham, Who Warned the Church of Fault Lines

Known for confronting critical theory, moral relativism, and secular ideologies, Baucham died a month into leading a new seminary in Florida.

Why Many Black Christians Reject the Evangelical and Mainline Labels

The history of a prominent church pastored by MLK in Alabama shows the reason African Americans often don’t embrace either term.

News

Pastor Abducted in Nigeria Amid Escalating Kidnapping Crisis

Armed gang continues to hold him after family paid the ransom.

Review

The Liturgy of American Charisma

Historian Molly Worthen studies dynamic leaders, eager followers, and their shared efforts to “consecrate a new reality.”

Inside the Ministry

The Next Gen Initiative

Casting a captivating vision of following Jesus for the next generation.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Bruce Deel: Mercy With A Spine

Creating real pathways to stability so families can flourish through housing, work, and dignity.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube