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February 4, 2026

This edition is sponsored by The Connection Reset

Today’s Briefing

Since Maduro’s capture, the families of Venezuelan political prisoners have gathered outside detention centers to pray for their release.

Andy Olsen reports from Springfield, Ohio: Haitians who escaped violence gathered for a church vigil as they waited to see whether deportation raids would upend their temporary protected status.

What Christians contemplating assisted suicide need to hear, according to Russell Moore.

This Year of the Horse, Proverbs helps Chinese Christians rethink strength and success.

Chris Butler on what the Civil Rights Movement teaches about organizing wise protests.

How a Jewish archaeologist inspired American Christians to dig deeper into biblical history.

Behind the Story

From senior features writer Andy Olsen: Many journalists, myself included, don’t love reporting from a press pack. It can feel icky, like joining a herd of journalists trampling a town or following a celebrity.

When I arrived in Springfield, Ohio, on Monday to cover a church event raising awareness about the scheduled expiration of deportation protections for some 300,000 Haitian immigrants, a flock of media had already landed. They were rightly preparing to cover what could happen should immigration agents descend on the city. At the worship service, video cameras orbited at the edges of the sanctuary. Afterward, reporters crowded around community leaders and loosed a barrage of (sometimes predictable and redundant) questions.

But where the media can often feel like invaders in a small community, it was clear the churches involved that day viewed the journalists differently—as something more like an affirmation of their worth. Here were journalists from national outlets like The New York Times and from countless smaller and local outlets, all bearing witness to the estimated 1,000 people who showed up at a Monday-morning church service to sing and pray for immigrants, Haitian and otherwise.

José Salas, the pastor of a Hispanic congregation in Springfield, got emotional as he stood before the large crowd and took photos with his phone. “My church is suffering right now,” he said. “But when they see these pictures, I am hoping that their hope revives, that the depression, anxiety, and fear go away.”

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In Other News

A Texas Senate bill to mandate prayer and Bible reading in schools has divided clergy in the state.
After his family got swept out to sea in Western Australia, a 13-year-old boy swam 2.5 miles back to shore to get help. “I don’t think it was me who did it—it was God the whole time,” he told a local news station. “I kept praying and praying, and I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptized, I’ll get baptized.’”
An angel restored to look like Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni had its face scrubbed off following an outcry from clergy and politicians.

Today in Christian History

February 5, 1597: Twenty-six Japanese Christians are crucified for their faith in Nagasaki, Japan. By 1640, thousands of Japanese Christians had been martyred.

Bracing for ICE Raids, Haitians Get Temporary Reprieve

Two songs in, the fire official interrupted. Another 150 volunteers needed to leave the overcrowded church before worship could continue. More than 1,000 people descended Monday morning on a special…

The Great Omission

If I asked, could you summarize the entire story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in five minutes or less? Could you tell me what God made on each…

We Are Obsessed with Gender

I would just like to point out,” said Sara Jacobs, a California Democrat speaking from the House floor, “that I think it’s very interesting that my colleague from South Carolina…

Jesus Did Not Serve Grape Juice

When I teach evangelical college students about the practicalities of Communion, I’ll often begin with the Last Supper, with Jesus and the disciples, because it raises some straightforward questions. I’ll…

in the magazine

Cover of the January / February 2026 of Christianity Today.

When Jesus taught, he used parables. The kingdom of God is like yeast, a net, a pearl. Then and today, to grasp wisdom and spiritual insight, we need the concrete. We need stories. In this issue of Christianity Today, we focus on testimony—the stories we tell, hear, and proclaim about God’s redemptive work in the world. Testimony is a personal application of the Good News. You’ll read Marvin Olasky’s testimony from Communism to Christ, Jen Wilkin’s call to biblical literacy, and a profile on the friendship between theologian Miroslav Volf and poet Christian Wiman. In an essay on pickleball, David Zahl reminds us that play is also a testament to God’s grace. As you read, we hope you’ll apply the truths of the gospel in your own life, church, and neighborhood. May your life be a testimony to the reality of God’s kingdom.

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