March 27, 2025

This edition is sponsored by Hope Rises International

Today’s Briefing

Persecuted Christians fleeing Pakistan and Vietnam had sponsors waiting in the US but didn’t make it before the refugee program shut down.

Researchers found that most people who leave their childhood faiths end up with no religious affiliation.

In Broken Altars, a historian debunks the claim that secular regimes are intrinsically more peaceful.

One pastor’s story of struggling with depression and discovering the healing power of courage, community, and Christ.

Behind the Story

Carl Henry, the founding editor of Christianity Today, was not the kind of person who found New Testament authors to be lacking. But in April 1979, he did lament that the apostle Paul didn’t know anything about baseball. Paul would have loved opening day, according to Henry, and could have drawn many great lessons from the sport.

“I can just hear him telling those Corinthians, ‘You keep your eye on the ball and level off your swing,’” Henry wrote. “‘Dip your shoulder into the ball as it comes over the plate. Don’t you know that a home run hitter gets the prize?’”

Henry would not be the last editor to find a way to write something about America’s favorite pastime. As a few members of the news team enjoy opening day 2025, we thought we’d share a few of the pieces CT has run over the years:

J. I. Packer on whether the Chicago Cubs are cursed.
Edward Plowman on the spiritual and professional comeback of an Oakland A’s manager.
Tim Stafford on how the chaplain for the San Francisco Giants is a missionary to 65 people and Sarah Pulliam Bailey on how much an evangelical first baseman should get paid.
David Neff on whether God enjoys baseball.
R. C. Sproul on why ministers should play.
D. Z. Cofield on how talking about baseball with older people is one of the reasons you should go to church.
And Henry, describing his first time going to an opening-day game, after CT moved from DC to Chicagoland in 1977.

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Hope Rises International works with over 50 Christian organizations worldwide to bring physical healing and lasting hope to those who need it most. From delivering life-saving medicines to equipping pastors with resources to care for their communities, we meet both physical and spiritual needs through the power of the gospel.

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In Other News

An “infrastructure of helpers” drove up the abortion rate after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
A Jewish university has settled a lawsuit with an LGBTQ club, leaving the legal question unsettled for other religious schools.
The Anglican church in Iran faces a bleak future: no bishop, no open churches, and no chance to grow.
“Hallelujah” gelato in Rome has become a way to commemorate the gelato-loving pope’s release from the hospital.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide for Book Lovers

This holiday season, we invite you to share comfort, quiet, or excitement with each person on your gift list. From beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels and picture books,…

Today in Christian History

March 28, 1515: Spanish mystic Teresa of Avila, founder of a reformed Carmelite order, is born. Though her contemporaries noted her practicality and administrative skills, her legacy stems from her mysticism, evidenced in her Autobiography, Way of Perfection, Book of Foundations, and Interior Castle.

CT Partners are making a global impact through the One Kingdom Campaign

So much has already been accomplished since the launch of the One Kingdom Campaign in September 2024. From beautiful storytelling that lifts our eyes to Jesus working in our midst to global reporting that reminds readers of the cost of following Jesus around the world, God is at work through our generous CT Partners.

See what God is doing through the One Kingdom Campaign and how you can participate in this important community. Learn more.

The 700 Water Filters Caught in a US–Honduras Immigration Fight

A Christian ministry in Honduras has waited nearly two months to receive 700 water filters, 300 desks, and school supplies for 200 students. But the goods aren’t stuck on the…

Donated Clothes Still Being Sorted in Appalachia

The water that flooded the Doe River when Hurricane Helene swept through East Tennessee has long since receded. The National Guard’s helicopters have come and gone. Cars full of eager…

Yesterday, Today, and Forever 21

As an adult, I’ve watched plenty of brands slowly sputter and die: the Toys“R”Us of my childhood, the Bed Bath & Beyond of my wedding registry, the Jo-Ann Fabrics where…

Meet the Non-Christian Fans of The Chosen

About a year ago, Vicki Neulinger was experiencing what she now calls “the abyss”: suffering from anxiety, navigating a difficult divorce, and feeling completely apathetic about life. “I was in…

in the magazine

Even amid scandals, cultural shifts, and declining institutional trust, we at Christianity Today recognize the beauty of Christ’s church. In this issue, you’ll read of the various biblical metaphors for the church, and of the faithfulness of Japanese pastors. You’ll hear how one British podcaster is rethinking apologetics, and Collin Hansen’s hope for evangelical institutions two years after Tim Keller’s death. You’ll be reminded of the power of the Resurrection, and how the church is both more fragile and much stronger than we think from editor in chief Russell Moore. This Lent and Easter season, may you take great courage in Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18—“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

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