Ministry is a tough calling. It demands more than sermon preparation and hospital visits. It requires the whole person.

Pastors are expected to give spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically, often without a clear system of care for their own well-being.

Recognizing that gap, Bobby Contreras and several ministry peers helped launch a ministry designed not just to serve churches, but to serve the people who lead them.

That vision became The Whole Pastor, a growing effort focused on helping pastors and ministry leaders pursue health in every area of life.

What began as a shared concern among Texas Baptist leaders has become a central hub of encouragement, resources, and advocacy for holistic pastoral health.

For Contreras, the mission is professional and personal.

His own experiences in ministry, along with seasons of illness and recovery, shaped his conviction that caring for pastors must extend beyond spiritual checklists to include mental, relational, physical, and financial well-being.

According to its mission, The Whole Pastor exists “to help pastors, families, and communities find a more holistic way to be healthy.” The organization’s work is rooted in the belief that the health of a pastor directly impacts the health of a church and its surrounding community.

“The easy math says a healthy pastor plus a healthy pastor’s family equals a healthy church community,” Contreras said.

Studying the problem

That conviction was reinforced through a collaborative study involving Texas Baptists, San Antonio Baptist Association, and Baptist Health Foundation in San Antonio.

The findings challenged assumptions about pastoral well-being—especially during a season when many pastors were stretched beyond capacity.

“The Whole Pastor Blog was my response to a team of folks from Texas Baptist, San Antonio Baptist Association, and the Baptist Health Foundation San Antonio coming together to study and find out that pastors aren’t as healthy as we thought,” Contreras said. “And the crux of this study was done right in the middle of COVID.”

The pandemic intensified existing pressures on pastors, highlighting burnout, isolation, and emotional strain. For Contreras and others involved, the data confirmed what many had been experiencing anecdotally for years: pastors were carrying heavy loads with limited support for their own holistic care.

A shared effort

Contreras and his colleagues launched The Whole Pastor to address those gaps by creating a space focused on the full spectrum of pastoral health. The ministry emphasizes five key areas: spiritual, physical, mental, relational, and financial well-being.

“The Whole Pastor Blog began as a dream shared by a group of Texas pastors who care deeply about spiritual, physical, mental, financial, and relational health,” Contreras said. “Our aim is to help pastors, families, and communities find a more holistic way to be healthy.”

Rather than functioning as a single program, The Whole Pastor serves as a platform and resource hub—offering encouragement, reflection, and practical tools designed to help pastors sustain long-term ministry.

Contreras noted, while many organizations are now emphasizing holistic approaches to ministry health, The Whole Pastor is part of a broader movement rather than a stand-alone solution.

“One note is that many groups have been and are now focused in on this holistic approach too. This isn’t exclusive to just us,” he said.

Personal wholeness

Still, for Contreras, the work took on deeper meaning through personal experience.

“Coming out of my cancer season, this holistic awareness was very real for me,” he said. “The physical side of things were great during recovery, but the spiritual and mental side of things lagged.”

That season reinforced the importance of addressing all dimensions of health, not just the ones easiest to measure. It also shaped his passion for advocating for pastors who may be strong in one area but struggling silently in others.

Contreras has been lead pastor of Alamo Heights Baptist Church in the Alamo Heights community of San Antonio for the last seven years. He and his wife, Hannah, have lived in that community for 18 years.

He also has served on the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board, including two years as board chair, and the board of the Baptist Health Foundation in San Antonio.

Contreras’ passion for ministry started when he was in elementary school in El Paso. By middle school, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

The Whole Pastor

At its core, The Whole Pastor is about helping pastors remain in ministry for the long haul. Contreras sees it as a way to advocate for sustainability, resilience, and long-term faithfulness.

“Simply put, The Whole Pastor, as I see it, is a central hub of encouragement for pastors and ministry leaders, their families, and their church communities,” he said. “I want pastors and ministry leaders, young and old, to be in their called craft for the long haul. But we must stay holistically healthy to accomplish that. The Whole Pastor is a way I can advocate for this.”

The Whole Pastor also works in tandem with other initiatives connected to Contreras’ ministry life, including The Daily Gaze and a newer podcast venture.

“The Daily Gaze and The Whole Pastor run in tandem with each other,” he said. “The Daily Expectation is a new … podcast that me and Layton, our associate pastor, record weekly, Wednesday mornings at 5 a.m. Yes, 5 a.m! The Daily Expectation is based on Psalm 5:3.”

Together, these efforts reflect a broader commitment to spiritual formation, encouragement, and daily rhythms that support healthy leadership.

For Contreras, The Whole Pastor is more than a blog or a resource. It is a response to real needs, real data, and real stories of pastors who are exhausted, hurting, and still called.

By centering the whole person, Contreras hopes to help reshape how churches and denominational partners think about pastoral care—moving from crisis response to proactive, holistic support.

In a time when many ministry leaders are questioning how long they can continue, The Whole Pastor offers a different message: Pastors are not just called to serve. They are also called to be cared for, in every part of life.

The Daily Gaze

The Daily Gaze started more than 16 years ago, a form of outreach Contreras began while serving in student ministry. He wanted to engage students in such a way so they knew “the most profound and important thing that they could carry with them every day is God’s word,” Contreras said.

“The Daily Gaze comes from Psalm 27:4: ‘One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple,’” Contreras said.

“It started with a group of about seven teenage boys … who were in my small group. So, I just started every single day sending them a Bible verse and a photo,” Contreras said.

“I’m kinesthetic in my learning. I’m very hands-on, very visual. So, for me, when I pair a photo with the Bible verse, it kind of helps me, one, to remember it, but it also helps me to look up and to see the world around me and think, at least, ‘What does God have for me today?’”

Contreras’ weekday mornings consist of individually sending at least 265 people The Daily Gaze, a text message with a photo, Bible verse, and a short message to reflect on the Scripture of the day.

While others say it seems inefficient, Contreras’ desire is to be intentional, as he often prays for specific people and writes specific messages for some recipients.

A calling since childhood

“I’ve known probably since the eighth grade, for sure, that I wanted to be in some form of ministry,” Contreras said.

“My parents accepted Christ when I was in the third grade.”

From then on, his parents served in the children’s ministry, men’s ministry, and women’s ministry of Cielo Vista Church in El Paso. His father was a deacon.

“My brother and I were always in church with them. … When the church doors were open, I was there,” Contreras said.

His time spent in the church, engaging in ministry with his family and among ministry leaders, caused a love for the Lord, the church, and God’s people to grow.

The church poured into Contreras throughout his childhood and youth. He noted people like his youth pastor, James and his wife, Becky Robertson; Sally McWaters, a missionary to Costa Rica; Mary Mueller, a women’s ministry director at his church; Randy Voor; associate pastors John and Jolene Willoughby; and his parents.

“All these people … were extremely influential,” Contreras said, calling them a “great cloud of witnesses” in his life, referencing Hebrews 12:1.

“As an adult now, as a husband, as a father, it matters who I surround my family with, knowing that they will be influential for my kids, for my marriage. And the same speaks true for our congregation. It matters the village that we are a part of. Influential people matter,” Contreras said.

In fifth grade, during a mission trip to Arizona with high schoolers, he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

“Why [my parents] would let a fifth grader go with a bunch of high schoolers, I don’t know, but I vividly remember being on that reservation in Arizona and knowing … I wanted to be a part of this,” Contreras said.

Contreras didn’t know yet he would be a pastor. He just knew he wanted to share Jesus with others and enjoyed the relational aspect of ministry.

Contreras gave his life to Christ at age 13. By eighth grade, he knew he wanted to be in ministry vocationally.

It shouldn’t be such a strange thing for kids to decide early, like he did, Contreras said.

South Carolina pastor Josh Powell will be nominated for Southern Baptist Convention president at the 2026 SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

Tennessee pastor Jay Hardwick told Baptist Press he intends to nominate Powell this summer.

“I’ve known Josh as a close friend for 30 years, and the word I use to describe his character and relationship with God over these 30 years is consistent,’” Hardwick said.

Powell is the lead pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church in South Carolina. He has served the church since 2021.

“He is a man of integrity, he loves God’s word, and he is diligent in his personal pursuit of growth as a disciple of Jesus,” Hardwick said. “He is humble, approachable, and wise, all qualities that stem from his walk with the Lord.”

In 2025, Taylors First Baptist Church received $5,794,403 in total receipts, according to the church. They gave $438,259 [7.6 percent] through the Cooperative Program, $273,673.79 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, and $52,414.49 to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. They reported 1,667 people in weekly worship attendance and 56 baptisms.

A pastoral legacy

Powell has a long legacy of pastors in his family as his father, grandfather, father-in-law, and grandfather-in-law have all served as Southern Baptist pastors. 

Hardwick says he has personally experienced the consistency of Powell’s leadership as he was a part of a church in South Carolina Powell helped revitalize.

“I had a front row seat as Josh led that church through a wonderful season of revitalization that was centered on the word of God and focused on the mission of God. That church is thriving today in large part because of how God used Josh and his family,” he said.

“Josh loves people, he loves preaching, and he loves being present and engaged in the community his church is serving. He is a consistent and effective preacher, and his ministry bears the fruit of his commitment to shepherd, disciple, and reach people with the gospel.”

Powell previously served Lake Murray Baptist Church in Lexington, S.C., and First Baptist Church Fairdale in Fairdale, Ky.

Powell’s personal story

Powell and his wife Allison have been married for 27 years and met at North Greenville University.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from North Greenville University and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

They have four children: Wilds, Levi, Macy Grace, and Paton. Their three older children are pursuing a call to ministry, according to Powell.

He told Baptist Press he has been on dozens of mission trips across five continents and served as an independent missionary in South Asia from 2009-2014.

In 2023, he spent a night in jail for publicly preaching the gospel during a mission trip, as told in a 2025 Baptist Courier story.

Powell has served as president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, a trustee at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, including serving as the trustee chair, and on the board of North Greenville University where he also served as chair.

Hardwick said Powell is a “product of and example of the great things God has done and is doing through the SBC.”

“I believe we need leaders who love Southern Baptists, who embody the best of who we are as Southern Baptists, who love and are personally invested in our SBC family and mission, and are leading their churches to be heavily invested in our cooperative efforts,” Hardwick said.

The 2026 SBC annual meeting is set for June 9-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced a new free tuition program for eligible first-time freshmen and new transfer undergraduate students beginning with the fall 2026 class. The UMHB Promise is open to students with annual family incomes of $65,000 or less who qualify for the federal Pell Grant. Participants must be first-time freshmen or new transfer students, reside on campus, and meet academic requirements: incoming freshmen must rank in the top 50 percent of their high school class or, if from a non-ranking school, have a minimum ACT score of 21, SAT score of 1070, or CLT score of 67, while transfer students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.

Howard Payne University has created a waitlist for the Chris Tomlin concert scheduled April 15. HPU will host the public for an outdoor night of worship with the Grammy-award winning musician at the Brownwood Event Center’s outdoor stage. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the event beginning at 7 p.m. Those who made group reservations but no longer need their full number of tickets are requested to revise their reservation orders by emailing communications@hputx.edu.

Baylor University has named Randall Bradley its 2026 Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year. Bradley is the Ben H. Williams Professor of Music and director of the church music program and Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies at Baylor.

Wayland Baptist University has named alumna Elexia Ruiz head coach of its revived competitive dance program. The competitive dance program, paused following the COVID-19 pandemic, will take the floor in fall 2026.

East Texas Baptist University is celebrating record-breaking enrollment for spring 2026, marking the highest spring enrollment in the university’s history. With a total enrollment of 1,709 students, ETBU experienced a 6 percent increase over spring 2025, surpassing the previous spring record of 1,657 students set in spring 2024.

Houston Christian University’s Narrative Arts Conference will be held on Feb. 7 in HCU’s Belin Chapel and Hinton Center. This year’s conference, “Process & Purpose,” will feature presentations by a wide array of guest speakers who will explore the craft of storytelling in fiction, film, and video games. Click here for details on the guest speakers, schedule, and registration.

Christians in Burma/Myanmar continue to suffer systematic violations of religious freedom carried out by the military junta known as the Tatmadaw, according to a Jan. 29 briefing hosted by the Burma Research Institute.

Christians affected are in Chin, Kachin, Karenni, Karen states (those inhabited by the Karen ethnic group), and the Sagaing region. Systematic violations include church bombings, imprisonment of pastors, and killings of Christian leaders.

Robin Stoops, Burma Research Institute board chair and former associate general secretary of American Baptist Churches USA, and Zo Tum Hmung, Burma Research Institute president and CEO conducted the briefing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The immense violence in the region has resulted in the U.S. State Department designating Burma/Myanmar a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for discrimination against Christian and Muslim minorities every year since 1999. 

Examples of attacks on religion

Attacks by the Tatmadaw on houses of worship and religious communities continued to increase throughout 2025, Vicky Hartzler, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom chair, noted.

Tatmadaw refers widely to the Burma/Myanmar military and is used commonly to refer to specific forces that inflict harm on Christians and civilians.

Hartzler shared the story of an ethnic Chin pastor fleeing from religious persecution at the hands of the Tatmadaw. 

“The military council told him to cease any religious activities, including preaching and worshiping. He had no choice but to flee Burma with his wife and children,” she said.  

Hartzler described the junta’s plan to host a sham election on Dec. 28, claiming the junta reportedly encouraged Christian churches in Kachin state townships to conduct Christmas celebrations prior to Dec. 20 to prevent election interference. Airstrikes were carried out by the junta on Christmas day. 

According to Hartzler, the Tatmadaw is using deliberate tactics to demoralize the Christian communities in the country, noting the examples she shared “are just a few of the many atrocities committed against religious communities throughout Burma.” 

USCIRF’s “mandate is to monitor religious freedom worldwide using international standards and to make policy recommendations to the U.S. president, the secretary of state, and Congress,” Hartzler explained.

USCIRF has urged the administration to designate Burma/Myanmar Temporary Protected Status, she said. 

“Furthermore, we have recommended that Congress reintroduce past legislative efforts, such as the BRAVE Burma Act, to bring targeted sanctions against members of the junta and limit its ability to use military aircrafts,” Hartzler added. 

Report on religious persecution 

Roughly 6.2 percent to 8 percent of the population in Burma/Myanmar is Christian, with this religious concentration primarily in Chin, Kachin, Karen, and Karenni states, according to a report on severe violations of religious freedom in Burma/Myanmar presented by Zo Tum Hmung, president and CEO of Burma Research Institute. 

Chin state has the largest proportion of Christians, with roughly 85 percent of the population identifying as Christian. Many humanitarian concerns exist in these areas due to high levels of displacement, Hmung emphasized.

“As of the end of Dec. 2025, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 3.63 million people were [internally] displaced and 1.1 million [people] slept outside Burma as refugees,” Hmung stated.

According to figures on the UNHCR website, as of Dec. 31, 2025, Burmese refugees and asylum seekers number nearly 1.6 million. 

Christian churches destroyed 

Between 2021 and 2025, Burmese Research Institute estimates 343 Christian churches and buildings were damaged or destroyed by the Tatmadaw, Robin Stoops, BRI board chair, emphasized. 

Data pulled from Open Doors International stated 149 Christians had been killed and 218 imprisoned for faith-related reasons. Among these are 11 Christian pastors who have been killed and 21 arrested, with 13 still actively detained. 

Stoops explained how, despite Burma/Myanmar’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern, little action has been implemented to make a difference.

“BRI concludes the attacks on churches, clergy, and Christian communities constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” Stoops said. 

“International humanitarian law prohibits intentionally harming civilians and religious buildings that are not military objectives,” she continued.

BRI urges three actions

Burma Research Institute recommends three actions, Hmung explained.

The Trump administration needs to make a formal determination that crimes against humanity have been committed against Christians by the Tatmadaw, Hmung said. 

Also, “press for the release of Christian pastors and other clergy and for political prisoners,” he continued.

As recently as Jan. 4, 2026, Myanmar’s military granted amnesty to over 6,000 prisoners nationwide. Since the 2021 coup, the military has detained over 30,000 political prisoners. 

Hmung called for the redesignation of Burma/Myanmar’s Country of Particular Concern status and the enforcement of accountability by imposing sanctions against the regime and others responsible for atrocities. 

“The U.S. Congress needs [to use] funds to support the pro-democracy movement and resistance organizations in Burma,” Hmung said.

He also called for the Trump administration to “unfreeze” 1 billion dollars of Myanmar central bank reserves being held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

“Make [this money] available … for nonlethal assistance to pro-democracy groups and resistance organizations,” Hmung said.

He called on the administration to condemn and reject the sham elections and their results and to appoint a special policy coordinator for Burma/Myanmar.

Burma and Texas Baptists

“The war in Burma does matter to Texas Baptists,” Mark Heavener, director of Texas Baptists’ Intercultural Ministries and advocate for Burmese communities within the U.S. and abroad, stated in an email to Baptist Standard.

“That conflict impacts the members from 36 [Texas Baptist] congregations. Please engage in praying for peace, justice, and the love of Jesus to change Burma,” Heavener added.

Today, there are over 150 Burmese Baptist congregations in the U.S. 

For years, leaders of the Evangelical Immigration Table have summed up the Bible’s view of immigration in three words: Welcome the stranger.

In Bible studies, sermons, videos, and other resources, the coalition of denominational and nonprofit leaders has sought to remind churchgoers to see immigrants as their neighbors and people worthy of love and support.

They’ve advocated for reforms that ensure America’s borders are secure, keep immigrant families intact, and provide a pathway for undocumented immigrants to gain legal status.

Zach Szmara, an Indiana pastor and longtime supporter of EIT, said the Bible, not politics, should shape how evangelicals see the issue of immigration.

“Evangelicals may have room for disagreement, but we have to start with the fact that we are called to love and welcome immigrants, not view immigrants as threats or burdens,” Szmara told RNS in a recent interview at a church conference in Chicago.

When Szmara founded Immigrant Connection, a church-based network of legal clinics that assist immigrants, in 2014, some churches wanted to get involved, others said it was a good idea, and there was little resistance, he said.

Now, he said, critics treat his work as anathema and ask him if he’s lost his faith.

Divide over immigration

Support for immigration reform has become a flashpoint among evangelicals in recent years.

Last fall, the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, known as the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, broke ties with EIT, due in part to pushback in the denomination that the group had become too liberal on immigration.

The break was notable because Richard Land, a legendary SBC figure who led the ERLC for decades, had been one of EIT’s founders and had long promoted immigration reform.

That split highlights tensions among evangelicals over immigration that have grown during the Trump era of mass deportations—including in Minneapolis, the current epicenter of immigration enforcement.

Public polling shows evangelicals, in general, support reforms that would lead to secure borders and provide legal pathways to citizenship.

But a 2025 study from Lifeway Research, an evangelical firm, showed evangelicals are deeply divided in how they view immigrants.

According to the study, 44 percent of evangelicals said they see recent immigrants as a drain on the country’s resources, while 43 percent see those immigrants as a threat to the safety of Americans.

Over a third (37 percent) said Christians have an opportunity to show love to immigrants, while the same percentage said recent immigrants are a threat to law and order.

Most (80 percent) wanted Congress to pass immigration reforms last year.

EIT’s members include prominent organizations like World Relief, an evangelical humanitarian group that resettles refugees, and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Suspicion growing

Meanwhile, critics argue Christians are called to love immigrants, but that call to compassion and love has been misused.

“What we’re learning now is that illegal immigration is not compassionate. In fact, it’s not only bad for Americans, but it’s bad for people who are migrating illegally,” said Willy Rice, a Florida pastor who is running for SBC president, during a recent podcast from the Center for Baptist Leadership, a group that believes the SBC and other evangelical groups have become too liberal.

Carl Nelson, president of Transform Minnesota, an evangelical church network, said he’s seen support for ministry to immigrants and refugees decline in recent years.

“I see a moving away from being generally compassionate and favorable towards immigration—immigration that’s done lawfully and orderly, and particularly refugee resettlement—towards much, much more suspicion and resistance,” Nelson said.

Within Transform Minnesota’s network is Arrive Ministries, a Minneapolis-area refugee resettlement agency affiliated with World Relief.

Nelson said, to outsiders, the Twin Cities may look chaotic, while inside the cities, people are worried about their neighbors.

“The dissonance between those two viewpoints, I think, has deepened,” Nelson said, adding he also sees a divide between Christians in rural areas and those in urban areas.

Nelson said he has heard some Christians talk about what’s known as the “sin of empathy,” which views having compassion for others as suspect.

That suspicion is meant to put a firewall between compassion and action, he said.

As an evangelical, he said he was raised to believe the role of the church is to be salt and light in the world, a reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a well-known New Testament passage.

Cities Church, Minneapolis

Evangelical responses to immigrants and refugees vary even within the same church.

For example, while one of the pastors at Cities Church, a St. Paul Southern Baptist congregation targeted by activists, works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that church has also been involved in welcoming refugees, Nelson said.

Several organizers of a protest at the church were arrested for disrupting the worship service earlier this month.

On Friday, Jan. 30, journalist Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, and another independent journalist, who livestreamed the protest, were arrested in connection with it.

Youth from Cities Church have volunteered with Arrive, and some church members signed on to a 2017 EIT letter promoting immigration reform. Last year, a pastor at Cities Church used the idea of refugee resettlement to talk about the way Christians will be welcomed by Jesus into heaven.

“It’s like a refugee getting the exciting news from Arrive Ministries saying: ‘We’ve got a placement for you. It’s been secured. There’s a home here reserved for you,’” Cities Church pastor Max Kozak told worshippers in May 2025.

A spokesman for lawyers representing Cities Church said the congregation has no official ties to Arrive Ministries and has not given any money to the ministry.

“The church is still prayerfully exploring next steps following the Jan. 18 disruption of its worship service and is thankful that the Department of Justice has responded,” the spokesman told RNS, before news broke about the arrests of journalists.

Criticism of evangelical advocacy

Eric Teetsel, CEO of the Center for Renewing America, a nonprofit that seeks to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God,” said evangelical leaders focused on issues like immigration because those issues were socially acceptable, but they aren’t the issues that matter most to the average evangelical sitting in the pews.

Those folks care about religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and in what he called “traditional marriage.”

“Those were ignored and downplayed, and they ought not have been,” Teetsel told RNS in an interview last year.

Teetsel said evangelicals want their leaders to focus on issues the Bible is clear about, rather than issues like immigration, where Christians can disagree.

“It’s my contention that there is very little in Scripture that guides us towards immigration and border security policy in the 21st century,” Teetsel said.

He accused Democrats of defying the Bible’s beliefs, while evangelical leaders stood idly by and focused on other issues.

“These so-called evangelical institutions that do public policy are focusing their scarce resources on a question like immigration and border policy, rather than these more foundational, significant, and clear issues of life, marriage, and religious freedom,” Teetsel said.

Outside Chicago though, evangelicals have been involved in protesting against ICE, including taking part in efforts to track federal agents’ movements and in protests at an ICE detention center.

Broader effects

The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has also affected evangelical churches where immigrants make up a large percentage of congregants, including Southern Baptist churches in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“There are Hispanic churches that are not meeting right now because they are afraid of what’s happening in our part of the world, in part, because of the interaction between the federal government and the state government,” Trey Turner, executive director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, told RNS recently.

Some of the current debates about immigration have made evangelicals wary of ministry to immigrants, which Szmara said is unfortunate.

“I think we have to remind the church sometimes, when you love an immigrant, regardless of their status, you know you’re not breaking the law,” he said.

This article has been edited for length.

Scholars from around the world are gathering in Chicago this week to focus on Christian nationalism, which they say is growing in influence globally.

“Christian nationalism is not a single ideology, nor is it confined to one nation,” said Abimbola Adelakun, associate professor of global Christianity at the University of Chicago Divinity School and organizer of the conference. 

“Across the world, Christianity is being invoked to legitimize political authority and exclusionary visions of belonging. This conference brings global perspectives together to better understand how these movements operate and why they matter.”

The first of what organizers say will be an annual event, the conference is designed to look at issues affecting Christians around the world, Adelakun said. “This year, we’re looking at Christian nationalism, because it’s the most topical issue,” she said.

“We are trying to understand this phenomenon of Christian nationalism. What does it mean for Christianity?” she said. “What does it portend, and where do we go from here?”

She said the scholars invited to the conference have defined Christian nationalism as an attempt to make Christianity the “defining or governing moral order of the nation,” a complicated undertaking in a democratic society. 

“From an ethical view,” she said, “Christianity is a great religion that can define the moral order. But then again, it is now being weaponized against different categories of people.”

Christian nationalism and democracy

The idea only Christians should wield political power can lead to a rejection of democratic ideals, Adelakun commented, including religious freedom. 

She offered the example of Zambia, which was officially declared a Christian nation in 1991. While Zambia bans discrimination against other faiths, there have been attacks on non-Christians, according to the U.S. State Department.

A Zambian scholar will be one of the speakers at the conference, which has registered some 60 scholars and members of the public in all. Others presenting case studies are coming from Ghana, Zambia, Cameroon, Norway, South Korea, Pakistan, Romania, and Russia, as well as the United States and several Latin American countries. 

The event began Wednesday, Jan. 28, and runs through Friday, Jan. 30, at the University of Chicago on Chicago’s South Side. Lectures will be streamed online. 

The conference will kick off with a keynote lecture from Nimi Wariboko, a professor of social ethics at Boston University. Valentina Napolitana, an anthropologist from the University of Toronto, will also give a keynote address. 

Adelakun said some Christians around the world have reshaped American Christian nationalism for their own context, while in other countries, the Christian nationalism is homegrown and often developed as a way to oppose colonialism. 

“It was a way to say we are not going to reject Christianity because of the defect it has, but we’re going to create an African Christianity,” she said.

She said Christianity can be a powerful force for organizing and allows people from different backgrounds and cultures to unite around a common faith. But it can also be used as a weapon against people who don’t share those beliefs.

James T. Robinson, dean of the divinity school, said the conference helps further the public understanding of religion. 

“Understanding the political uses of religion requires careful historical and comparative scholarship,” Robinson said in announcing the conference. “This conference reflects the divinity school’s commitment to examining religion’s public life with global reach and intellectual precision.”

Michael Evans Sr., Tony Evans, and Delvin Atchison will be the evening keynote speakers at the African American Ministries Leading Up Leadership Conference in Mansfield, Mar. 12-14.

Michael Evans Sr. is scheduled to speak during Thursday evening’s worship session, Tony Evans on Friday evening, and Atchison on Saturday morning.

Tony Evans is the founding pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and president of The Urban Alternative.

The first African American to earn a doctorate in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, Tony Evans was named one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English-speaking world by Baylor University.

Evans also wrote and published the first full-Bible commentary and study Bible by an African American.

Tony Evans stepped down from his role as pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in 2024. His son, Jonathan Evans, is now the senior pastor.

Michael Evans Sr. serves as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, where the conference will be held.

Michael Evans Sr. has held key leadership roles among Texas Baptists, including serving as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and as director of Texas Baptists’ African American Ministries. He is a graduate of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary.

Delvin Atchison is the senior pastor of Westside Baptist Church in Lewisville. He previously served as director of Texas Baptists’ Great Commission Team.

Atchison earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity with honors from Baylor’s Truett Seminary.

Training and encouragement

Carlos Francis, director of Texas Baptists’ African American Ministries, encourages ministry leaders to attend the conference and participate in conversations and training.

The conference is planned around what pastors say their churches need, Francis explained.

This year’s conference will focus on AI and media, leadership styles, and the mission and ministry of Texas Baptists.

Sessions will address biblical leadership, preaching, evangelism, apologetics, church finances, media, online discipleship, and the role of women in church leadership.

The conference also will highlight ministry innovation through sessions on artificial intelligence, digital communication, community engagement, and WAVE training for summer camp leadership.

In addition, a Seasoned Saints track will provide encouragement and practical guidance for older adults, focusing on legacy building, mental health, caregiving, grief and loss, safety, navigating Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and developing a Seasoned Saints ministry.

Talon Keeney to First Baptist Church of Gatesville as senior pastor, from Tri-Rivers Baptist Area, where he served as associate director.

Baylor University announced a $30 million gift from the Moody Foundation of Galveston to the university’s School of Education, renamed the Moody School of Education. The gift will support scholarships, expand faculty research, and provide resources to grow academic programs. The gift also provides the following:

• L. Moody II Endowed Scholarship Fund, for students pursuing careers serving preschool through 12the-grade education populations;
• Russell Moody Endowment for Disability and Flourishing, to expand research and programs to better serve and improve the lives of those with disabilities;
• Frances Anne Moody Endowed Professorship for School Psychology, to fund a faculty position focused on research addressing mental health in school-aged children;
• Ross Rankin Moody Endowment for Developing Talent and Potential, to identify and serve students with high academic potential from low-income areas and to provide early math intervention for young learners in high-need communities; and
• Elizabeth Lee Moody Endowment for School Leadership, to deepen the Moody School of Education’s engagement with Texas educators through professional development and sustained collaborations with current and aspiring school leaders and their schools.

East Texas Baptist University was awarded a grant of $850,000 from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation. The grant will go toward the university’s Restoring Feagin Hall Initiative. Feagin Hall, built in 1950, was home for 64 years to men called to study at East Texas Baptist College and ETBU. The building was taken offline in 2014, when ETBU opened Steve and Penny Carlile Hall, previously named Centennial Hall. The Restoring Feagin Hall Initiative carries a total cost of $4,170,000, with $2,040,000 already secured through generous donor commitments.

Howard Payne University’s Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom Museum will soon expand its educational offerings to area schoolchildren thanks to an $881,000 grant recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will fund the facility’s rollout of a wide range of interactive learning opportunities for students in Brown County and surrounding counties. Grant funds will be used to host educator workshops and seminars, and the modernization of the MacArthur Academy’s learning environments through new furnishings, interactive technology, and student-centered events. The MacArthur Academy will offer cost-free museum visits, transportation support, and meals to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Wayland Baptist University is bringing back its competitive dance team for fall 2026. Recruiting for the scholarship sport is already underway for prospective dancers interested in joining the team.

A Protestant pastor, wife, and 3-month-old baby are temporarily staying with relatives in Oaxaca after being forcibly displaced after the pastor was told to kneel and pray to a Roman Catholic saint.

In November 2025, Mariano Velásquez Martínez, pastor, who led Iglesia Camino Nuevo y Vivo in the community of Santiago Malacatepec, San Juan Mazatlán Municipality, in Mexico’s Oaxaca State, was assigned the role of mayordomo, a stewardship role in which individuals are required to lead a traditional Roman Catholic festival and manage expenses.

On Jan. 15, according to a Christian Solidarity Worldwide report, a fellow mayordomo ordered Velásquez Martínez to light the candles, kneel, and pray to Saint James the Apostle. Velásquez Martínez told his fellow mayordomo such a request was not part of the agreement due to his religious beliefs.

The mayordomo complained to village authorities, who detained Velásquez Martínez for five days.

Velásquez Martínez was also bound with a rope and taken to an assembly of 180 men where an announcement was made that he was to be expelled from the village.

Velásquez Martínez was forced to sign a document, forcibly displacing him from the community.

Velásquez Martínez said he “fears it will be used to fabricate the story that he left the community voluntarily,” CSW reported.

Anna Lee Stangl, CSW director of advocacy, is calling on the government of Oaxaca to take swift action on the matter.

“The arbitrary detention of Pastor Mariano Velásquez Martínez and the subsequent forced displacement of him and his family is unconscionable,” Stangl said.

“This case is unfortunately not unique, and it is past time that the Mexican government, at every level, implements policies to uphold freedom of religion or belief for all, including in communities governed under Uses and Customs,” Stangl continued.

“We call on the government of Oaxaca to take swift action to hold those responsible for the forced displacement of this family to account under the law, and to take steps to make it clear that freedom of religion or belief must be upheld for all,” Stangl stated.

The case comes as sanctions have tightened in response to forced displacement in the state of Oaxaca. A prison sentence can last up to 18 years for perpetrators.