Papua New Guinea is officially a Christian country. The preamble to its constitution has been amended to “acknowledge and declare God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Son; and Holy Spirit, as our Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and the source of our powers and authorities, delegated to the people and all persons within the geographical jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea.” Prime Minister James Marape, a Seventh-day Adventist, said Christianity is an essential anchor for the country’s national identity. Some Christian leaders there have expressed hope that the change will help bring national harmony and advance efforts to end violence and corruption. Others, such as Catholic bishop Giorgio Licini, warn it will likely lead to disillusionment. The constitutional change has not altered guarantees of religious freedom.
United States: Pastors paid better than roofers, worse than therapists
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average hourly wage for American clergy is $30.64. For comparison, chief executives earn an average of $124.47 per hour; human resources managers earn $74.39; funeral home managers, $40.77; marriage
and family therapists, $33.04; roofers, $26.85; short-term substitute teachers, $20.95; and fast-food cooks, $14.31. Individual salaries, of course, vary widely.
United States: Library has visitor No. 2 million
The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina, welcomed its 2 millionth visitor. Gabriel Salstein, a 17-year-old from Florida, wasn’t even born when the museum opened in 2007. But he wanted to see it after reading the evangelist’s autobiography, Just As I Am, and his parents agreed to take him, his brother, and his sisters over their summer break. Graham’s son Franklin, who currently heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said that when the library was built, he had no idea how many people would want to come and “see how God used a North Carolina farmer’s son.”
Icon Sportswire / GettyUnited States: Michael Tait confesses abuse
Former Newsboys frontman Michael Tait confessed to abusing drugs and alcohol and touching men “in an unwanted sensual way.” The statement was posted to Instagram days after multiple men came forward with allegations that Tait sexually assaulted them while he toured with the chart-topping Christian band. Tait said he would dispute some of the details but the accusations “are largely true.” Industry insiders say there were widespread rumors about misconduct, but band members and Newsboys owner Wes Campbell deny any knowledge. Capitol Christian Music Group has dropped the Newsboys, and the K-Love radio group has stopped playing its music.
Honduras: Pastors’ murders go unsolved
An association of pastors is accusing public prosecutors of “institutional apathy and negligence” in the face of staggering rates of violent crime. Honduras had an average of five homicides per day in the first six months of 2025. The Association of Pastors of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela said more than 35 ministers have been killed since 2013 yet no charges have been filed.
United Kingdom: Historic typos preserved
The Church of England dedicated £260,000 (about $350,000) to preserve hundreds of historic religious artifacts, including a Bible known for its typos. Printer John Baskett’s 1717 edition of Scripture famously labeled the parable of the vineyard in Luke 20 as “The parable of the vinegar.” Some of the money for the historic preservation projects comes from the UK national lottery.
Sweden: Moral standards trump labor law
A Swedish court ruled that a Pentecostal church in the city of Västerås had the right to dismiss its pastor on moral grounds, even if he did not break any laws. Daniel Alm, a prominent evangelical leader in Sweden and former head of Pingst FFS (Pentecostal—Free Congregations in Collaboration), confessed to inappropriate relationships with two women but compared his misconduct to speeding. The church argued that even if sexual harassment could not be proven, the work of a pastor requires moral integrity. This is the first time labor law has been applied to a nonstate church.
Spain: Friends tell friends about Jesus
The majority of new Christian converts in Spain first heard the gospel from someone they knew and trusted. A Lausanne Movement working group surveyed 170 people from nonevangelical families who have converted in the past 15 years and found few responded to street preaching, public events, or Christian media. Evangelist José Pablo Sánchez, one of the Christian leaders involved in the survey, said the results confirm “relationships have always been and will continue to be the key to evangelism.” Churches are encouraged to create more social spaces where Christians can share the gospel “in a contextualized manner.”
Tanzania: Pastor says government silences critics, gets silenced
Government officials closed an evangelical church in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam after the pastor, who is also a member of parliament, preached against human rights violations. Josephat Gwajima said in a Sunday sermon at Glory of Christ Church that authorities have wrongly detained and disappeared critics of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Party of the Revolution). Tanzania’s most prominent opposition leader has been charged with treason, and others have been jailed and deported. Gwajima is also a member of the ruling party but has supported those calling for election reform. He reportedly went into hiding after his church was deregistered.
Russia: Global Methodists become more global
Four more regional groups have joined the Global Methodist Church, under the leadership of Moscow-based bishop Eduard Khegay. Half the denomination, which was formed in 2024 out of a split with the United Methodist Church, is now outside the US.
This article appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Christianity Today as "National Unity Linked to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit".
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