Today’s Briefing

Christian drug rehabs in Vietnam are outperforming government-run programs, and leaders see a revival breaking out among the outcasts of their society.

New Testament scholar Richard Hays has died at the age of 76.

Testimony: A former drug kingpin finds God’s peace in a prison chapel.

Taylor Swift sings about sin, angels, and a stone rolled away, but her Christian imagery doesn’t always land.

Behind the Story

From Southeast Asia editor Angela Fulton: When I was doing research on what to report on in Vietnam, I learned from local pastors that as the country’s economy improves, growth in Christianity has stalled in the cities. People are leaving the church to pursue business and make money.

Yet Christianity is still growing among the marginalized—including former drug addicts and their families, as well as ethnic minorities.

I’m reminded that God doesn’t overlook those whom society has forgotten but rather uses them to build his kingdom.

“God chose those people who are already rejected by society, those people who are nothing in man’s eyes, to reveal his glory,” noted pastor Nam Quoc Trung, a former drug addict and the founder of a Christian drug-rehab center. “Right now, my life is sweeter than any billionaire’s life.”

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In Other News

Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison talks about his experience with panic attacks and why Christians need medicine and prayer.
An NYC woman who fought off four teens who tried to rob her on her way to church said she forgave them because “they do not know what they do.”
Shōgun—which depicts Christianity’s arrival in Japan through Portuguese missionaries—took home four Golden Globes on Sunday, including the award for best drama series.

Today in Christian History

January 7, 367: Early church father Athanasius, famous for his battles against the Arian heresy, writes a letter containing a list of what he thinks should be considered the canon of Scripture. Over time, his list would be accepted by the church (see issue 43: How We Got Our Bible and issue 28: 100 Most Important Events in Christian History).

Recovery Ministries Try to Help Portland Get Clean

The litter in Portland is different. Every city has its share of trash, food wrappers, and cigarette butts ground into the sidewalks. But in Portland, particularly in Old Town just…

Report: Christians in Europe Face Rising Discrimination and Hate Crimes

After taking self-defense lessons and repeatedly calling on the police for protection, two nuns living in France decided the escalating hostility against them for their faith was too much. They…

Preaching Against the Odds

In 2023, the Brazilian government legalized online sports betting. In 2024, gambling became ubiquitous throughout the country. In the past year, fans have found themselves inundated with gaming advertisements in…

Your Likes Are But Dust

This New Year, the algorithms promise a new you. New diets, new fitness routines, new products. What better time to get on top of self-care? But it’s not just in…

in the magazine

As this issue hits your mailboxes after the US election and as you prepare for the holidays, it can be easy to feel lost in darkness. In this issue, you’ll read of the piercing light of Christ that illuminates the darkness of drug addiction at home and abroad, as Angela Fulton in Vietnam and Maria Baer in Portland report about Christian rehab centers. Also, Carrie McKean explores the complicated path of estrangement and Brad East explains the doctrine of providence. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt shows us how art surprises, delights, and retools our imagination for the Incarnation, while Jeremy Treat reminds us of an ancient African bishop’s teachings about Immanuel. Finally, may you be surprised by the nearness of the “Winter Child,” whom poet Malcolm Guite guides us enticingly toward. Happy Advent and Merry Christmas.

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