Nigerian Christians express appreciation for U.S. military action against Islamic militant targets in far northwestern Nigeria on Dec. 25.

The strike follows U.S. President Donald Trump announcing on social media Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern in response to the ongoing killing of Christians in the country.

In a separate social media post, Trump threatened military action in Nigeria “to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

Since the Dec. 25 strike, several news outlets have reported continuing attacks against Christians in parts of Nigeria.

Baptist Standard reached out to contacts in Nigeria for their response to the Dec. 25 strike.

‘Joy, relief and encouragement’

“Many Christians celebrated President Trump’s” social media post threatening military action and “were looking forward to a concrete action,” Joseph John Hayab, Baptist minister and chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria Northern Region, stated.

While the strike was a surprise, it was “a surprise that brought joy, relief and encouragement that has strengthened the faith of Nigerian Christians” in U.S. promises “that something serious would happen to the terrorists and bandits that have been terrorizing innocent citizens, especially the killing of Christians,” Hayab continued.

No churches or religious places were affected by the strike, Hayab reported. And “no record of any attempt for retaliation was recorded apart from a few elements” who politicized the U.S. strike “but did not gain ground and have since [gone] mute,” because the majority of Nigerians want the killing of fellow Nigerians stopped, he added.

Impact on churches

Asked what churches in the region anticipated ahead of the U.S. strike, pastor and peace advocate Gideon Para-Mallam said churches in the area of the strike did not expect anything “and were not afraid to meet on Christmas Day for service, but they were security conscious.”

Some churches did anticipate “possible terrorist bombings and attacks on Christmas Day, especially during Christmas Day church services and in Christian communities,” Para-Mallam stated. “So, news of the strike by America was seen as a welcome development in the fight against terrorism.”

Though churches are located where the U.S. strike occurred, “none was affected by the air strikes,” Para-Mallam said.

Echoing Hayab’s comments, Para-Mallam said “the U.S. Christmas Day attacks came as a pleasant surprise. Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims, are tired of the deadly activities of these terrorists’ killers. … Make no mistake about it, both Christians and Muslims in the area welcomed the air strike targeting terrorists.”

“There are concerns about possible retaliations by the terrorists in response to the air strikes,” Para-Mallam acknowledged.

Nigerian security failures

Many Nigerian Christians believe the Nigerian government has failed to maintain security in their country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency in Nigeria on Nov. 26, three weeks after Trump issued his threat of military action in Nigeria.

One source who must remain unnamed for security reasons said he “wholeheartedly support[s] this action as the Nigerian security authorities [have] clearly failed to protect its citizens, both Christians and Muslims.”

“If it will take the U.S. intervention for [the Nigerian government] to sit up and prioritize the safety of their citizens, then this is most welcome,” he added.

This support does not extend to “the U.S. military on the ground,” which the source is concerned “may escalate the conflict and turn Nigeria into a theatre of war. But targeted airstrikes to demobilize these terrorists or weaken their capacity to do evil is most welcome and appreciated.”

The source went on to describe the complexity of “handl[ing] the terrorists who have assimilated into local communities” and elsewhere.

“Any attempt to go after this category of terrorists will result in high civilian casualties and can turn the civil populace against the U.S. and Nigerian government. It’s a dicey situation,” he stated.

(RNS)—Philip Yancey, a beloved evangelical author and speaker, will retire from public ministry after admitting to a long-term affair.

“My conduct defied everything that I believe about marriage,” Yancey, 76, wrote in a letter to Christianity Today. “It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families.”

Christianity Today, where Yancey had been a columnist and contributor for decades, reported the news of his retirement.

Known for his thoughtful and poignant books on faith, with titles such as What’s So Amazing About Grace, Disappointment With God, and Where Is God When It Hurts, Yancey connected with millions of evangelical readers, helping them wrestle with doubts about their faith and the hardships of life.

His books sold a reported 15 million copies, and Yancey was a popular speaker at churches and Christian events, continuing to accept speaking engagements even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2023.

He had been scheduled on Wednesday, Jan. 7, to speak at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, Calif., at a service commemorating the wildfires that struck that community, before news of his retirement broke.

In his letter to Christianity Today, Yancey, who has been married for 55 years, said he has withdrawn from all writing, speaking, and social media, and entered a counseling program to deal with the damage caused from what he called an eight-year affair with a married woman.

“Instead, I need to spend my remaining years living up to the words I have already written. I pray for God’s grace and forgiveness—as well as yours—and for healing in the lives of those I’ve wounded,” he wrote in his letter to Christianity Today.

In a statement, Yancey’s wife, Janet, asked for prayer, saying she knows God has forgiven her husband. She also said she was dealing with the trauma of betrayal.

“God grant me the grace to forgive also, despite my unfathomable trauma. Please pray for us.”

Former Christianity Today editor David Neff, a longtime colleague of Yancey, said news of Yancey’s misconduct left him speechless.

“Fortunately, Philip makes no attempt to gloss over his deeds, blame the victim, or turn this into a launching pad for further ministry,” he said in a post on Facebook. “His statement shows a solid biblical understanding of the nature of sin and grace. Pray for Philip and Janet at this difficult time.”

Baptist world leaders are responding to the developments taking place in Venezuela after the U.S. entered Venezuela to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The Baptist World Alliance released a pastoral statement in response to the event:

“We recognize that these recent developments have drawn public attention and given rise to diverse and multifaceted opinions at a time when polarization is too often accepted as normative. We urge churches as well as religious, social and political actors at the local, regional and multilateral levels to exhaust all resources and means to promote civic responsibility, safeguard human life and dignity, and uphold a firm commitment to democratic values.”

The National Baptist Convention of Venezuela issued a statement via Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas:

“These events, framed within a political and military scenario, have a direct impact on a population that longs to live in calm, in order to contribute to the progress and well-being of the family.

“And in the midst of the situation currently being experienced,” according to the statement, “the fervent desire of the faithful Christian for a Venezuela that recognizes God as sovereign Lord and Savior is highlighted—one capable of providing health and integral life to every person who submits to His Word.

“The prayers of the Christian people are for a country that places its trust in the Lord Jesus Christ,” the statement continues, “while at the same time assuming personal and family conduct marked by prudence and caution in light of the events occurring throughout the national territory.

“To believers and nonbelievers alike, our exhortation is to remain attentive to developments and to foster an atmosphere of tranquility—first within the family environment and also within the community. In this regard, Christians are called to be a blessing to others,” the statement adds.

President Trump gave U.S. forces the signal to initiate a surprise U.S. strike on Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the capital of Caracas in the early morning on Jan. 3.

Details regarding the U.S. strike on Venezuela and Maduro’s ouster by the U.S. were discussed at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, Jan. 4.

Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio continue to emphasize the U.S. will run Venezuela until the transition of power to a new leader takes place.

Maduro appeared before a federal court judge in Manhattan on Monday, where he pled “not guilty” on U.S. drug trafficking charges and added, “I am still president of my country,” the Associated Press reported.

Debate continues over the intent of the U.S. strike on Venezuela, who will run the country, and whether Maduro’s removal was for the purposes of ceasing the traffic of illegal drugs into the U.S. or to take control of oil reserves within the region.

NIGER STATE, Nigeria (BP)—Militants have killed at least 58 individuals in Christian villages in northeastern and northcentral Nigeria since Christmas, and kidnapped others from a Catholic boarding school, according to numerous reports.

The attacks Dec. 29 and Jan. 3 followed U.S. launches of more than 16 Tomahawk missiles on targets in northwest Nigeria Dec. 24, which the U.S. said were aimed at Islamic terrorists who have targeted Christians there.

Reported attacks

The Nigerian government blamed the killings of dozens of individuals Jan. 3 in two villages in Niger State—a state in northcentral Nigeria separate from the neighboring country of Niger—on “terrorists suspected to be fleeing from Sokoto and Zamfara following the United States’ airstrikes on Christmas Eve,” the New York Times reported Jan. 4. But the full impact of the U.S. strikes on Christmas Eve has not been reported.

The Jan. 3rd attacks occurred in Kasuwa Daji village in the Borgu Local Government Area, where residents initially reported 37 deaths, and in the neighboring village of Kaima, where five people were killed, the Times reported.

Reuters News Service attributed the Jan. 3 attacks to the deaths of at least 30 individuals, but said the attack was on a Kasuwa Daji market in Demo village, which is in the vicinity of Kasuwa Daji.

The combined death toll for Kasuwa Daji (or Demo) and Kaima had risen to 50 by Jan. 5, Anadolu News Agency reported. A mass funeral was held as the injured were hospitalized, Anadolu News reported.

Attackers kidnapped an undetermined number of individuals during the attacks on Kasuwa Daji and Kaima, including some who attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in the village of Papiri, the Times reported.

Islamic militant attacks

On Dec. 29, Islamic militants killed 14 people in attacks on villages in a predominantly Christian area of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria, Open Doors reported Jan. 6. Days earlier, militants killed a couple as they fled an attack on a church in the neighboring country of Niger during a Christmas Eve service in Mailo village, Open Doors said in its Jan. 6th report.

“It’s reported that armed individuals entered the church at around 11 p.m., firing shots into the air,” Open Doors said. “As the worshippers fled, one man and his wife tried to hide in their home, but they were caught and shot dead.”

The attackers also stole cattle, witnesses reported, leading many to believe the attack was perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen. Fulani have conducted numerous deadly Christmas attacks on Christian villages in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, but none during the 2025 Christmas season have been reported to date.

Open Doors cited researcher and analyst Brant Philip, who posted on X a statement Islamic State in West African Province reportedly released with a video.

“All Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to ‘spare their blood’ by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Philip paraphrased the Islamic State in West African Province statement.

The jizyah tax is a penalty levied by Islamic State in West African Province on non-Muslims in predominantly Muslim areas, allegedly in exchange for the right to practice their religion without being murdered.

Christians in Nigeria

In its 2025 World Watch List, Open Doors ranks Nigeria as the seventh most dangerous place for Christians to live, based on several factors including violence and church, community and national life. Nigeria remains the deadliest country for Christians globally, with 3,100 Christians killed there in the 2024-2025 reporting year ending in January 2025.

Attacks on the Middle Belt primarily target Christians, while attacks in northern Nigeria, where several Islamic Caliphates have been established, have targeted Christians as well as moderate Muslims, according to decades of reporting by watchdog groups.

A study by Pew Research Center shows shifting religious demographics among young men and women. Young women, previously considered “more religious” than young men, are now considered roughly as religious as men in the same age group.

According to the 2023-2024 Religious Landscape Study, there is little difference between religious identification of young men and women. Fifty-seven percent of women ages 18 to 24 identify as religious, a statistical trend nearly mirroring that of men in the same age group (58 percent). 

While seemingly insignificant, the closing religious gender gap between young men and women reflects changing historical trends. A two-year study by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity revealed women’s historical attitude toward religion, with women reporting higher rates of church attendance, prayer, and identification. 

Changing attitudes toward religion are a big factor

The change in this historical tendency seems to be due in part to growing “unaffiliated” religious identification among women. Research conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute expressed changing trends in 2024, where 40 percent of women ages 18 to 29 identified as religiously unaffiliated, representing an 11 percent increase from 2013. The percentage of men in the same age group remained stable (35 percent in 2013 vs. 36 percent in 2024). 

These statistics seem to further reflect fluctuating attitudes of women toward churches, particularly those with more conservative views regarding women in church leadership positions. 

Growing rates of feminism in the U.S. have contributed to changing cultural attitudes as female congregants focus more on the unequal treatment of women. A recent survey highlighted higher rates of female disaffiliation in churches, with 65 percent of women claiming men and women are not treated equally. 

This seeming gender disparity is tied predominantly to Protestant denominations, particularly those that require women to submit to male leadership. 

As modern culture continues to push increasing female independence and empowerment, more traditional religious ideas have become difficult for women to reconcile within a transforming cultural background, the study indicates. 

In an interview, Faith Brack, a former Southern Baptist, argued: “A lot of women are driven away by patriarchal beliefs. Women see that the church is dominated by men and are told [to] submit to their husband and not worry about helping in the church [in more meaningful ways].” 

Shifting sociopolitical beliefs contribute to this change

A Survey Center on American Life study suggests women are not driven from churches purely due to gender roles. A lot of women have grown increasingly progressive, focusing more on church equality, individual rights, and social justice. 

Rates of women identifying as members of the LGBTQ community have also increased, resulting in many American women leaving churches that are not LGBTQ-affirming. 

Most American women leaving their faith do not attribute it to a single reason, but rather an accumulation of negative experiences and teachings that do not reflect the beliefs of a growing diverse culture. 

Some of these women also cite the inability of many more conservative Protestant churches to adapt to more commonly seen lifestyles and identities as having driven these women out or leaving religion altogether and identifying as atheists. 

Women contribute to church community-building

Further research indicates religious American women tend to participate more actively in churches, contributing more time to community building and volunteer efforts. 

Women also provide the bulk of church childcare, with mothers playing significant roles in the faith formation of their children, both within and outside of church.

Americans raised in religious households often cite their mothers as having greater influence in leading their religious upbringing than fathers. This trend is especially prominent in interfaith families, in which nearly half (46 percent) of those raised by interfaith parents cite the mother as having a more prominent role in religious upbringing. 

Craig Curry to Lubbock Area Baptist Association as director of missions effective Feb. 1, from First Baptist Church in Plano, where he was senior pastor.

Tyler Denton to First Baptist Church in Brenham as student pastor, from the North Campus of Second Baptist Church in Houston, where he was children’s sports associate pastor.

Jim Medley to Pleasant Valley Baptist Church as bivocational pastor. Medley retired in August 2025 from First Baptist Church in Lamesa, where he was pastor.

Chris Ruwaldt to Southside Baptist Church in Palestine as senior pastor, from First Baptist Church in Alva, Okla., where he was senior pastor.

Eloy Felan Jr, senior pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Lubbock, died Jan. 2, at age 80. Born June 13, 1945, in Pearsall, Pastor Felan dedicated his life to sharing God’s love. After graduating from Wayland Baptist University, he began a ministry that spanned more than 51 years. Pastor Felan is remembered for his devotion to the church and deep love he held for his family. He and his wife, Lucia Felan, were married for 62 years. A man of leadership, humility, and strength, he touched many lives beyond the walls of the church. Beyond the ministry, he enjoyed playing golf, classic cars, hunting, racquetball, and fellowship with family and friends. Pastor Felan leaves behind a legacy of faith, compassion, service, and love. He is preceded in death by his son, David Felan; his parents, Eloy and Filomena Felan Sr.; and siblings, Ruth Garcia and Yolanda Ramirez. He is survived by his children, Eddie and Tonya Felan, Lori and Michael Parker, Rick and Maelynn Felan, Lisa Felan and Michael Rogers; 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; as well as siblings, Petra Carranza, and Ysidro Felan; extended family; and dear friends.

Richard Smallwood, a singer and pianist best known for his contemporary gospel music hit “Total Praise,” died Tuesday, Dec. 30.

Smallwood was 77. He died of complications of kidney failure at a rehabilitation and nursing center in Sandy Spring, Md., his publicist announced.

Nominated eight times for a Grammy Award, the Stellar and Dove awardee was known for combining Black gospel and classical genres of music.

His ubiquitous song “Total Praise,” introduced with his group Vision in 1996, was later covered in the group Destiny’s Child’s a capella “Gospel Medley,” performed by a cantor at New York’s Carnegie Hall and sung by a choir when President Barack Obama welcomed Pope Francis to the White House.

“When you write a particular piece, you have no idea what’s going to become of it—will people like it, or will people sing it?” he told Religion News Service in a 2024 interview when he was honored at the Kennedy Center.

“And so, to see the years of people embracing it really means a lot to me as a composer. It means a lot that something I wrote can make a difference in people’s lives.”

His “I Love the Lord” was featured in a remake on the 1996 “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack by Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir. Other hits, recorded with The Richard Smallwood Singers and, later, Vision, included “Center of My Joy,” “I’ll Trust You,” and “Anthem of Praise.”

An ear for music

The Atlanta native was raised mostly in Washington by his mother, Mabel, who used to take him to hear the National Symphony Orchestra, and his stepfather, the Rev. Chester Lee “CL” Smallwood, who pastored Union Temple Baptist Church in Washington’s southeast quadrant.

The young Smallwood started playing piano by ear by age 5 and was taught in high school by singer-pianist Roberta Flack. Before founding the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977, he was a founding member of Howard University’s Gospel Choir.

Smallwood was among the singers in the all-star choir that sang a new version of “Hallelujah” conducted by musician Quincy Jones on the 1992 album “Handel’s Messiah—A Soulful Celebration.”

Smallwood’s “Center of My Joy” was co-written with Bill and Gloria Gaither and introduced Smallwood to the white Christian community, publicist Bill Carpenter said.

That song, first performed with The Richard Smallwood Singers, became the group’s most popular hit.

He recorded “Journey: Live in New York” in 2007 and his final album, “Anthology Live,” in 2015. He published the book Total Praise: The Autobiography in 2019.

Personal struggles and community engagement

In the book and in interviews, Smallwood spoke of being diagnosed with depression.

“Music just tends to turn off the craziness, if you will, and brings a light of love and a feeling of peace,” he told RNS in the interview in 2024.

“Most of my music that I’ve done has come from personal situations from my life, things I’ve gone through, things that I’ve written about, things that I’m feeling, things that I’ve tried to convey to other people who may be hurting. Music has the tendency to heal hurt, and it certainly has healed mine in a lot of ways.”

Tributes to Smallwood

Smallwood’s death sparked accolades in musical, political, and civil rights circles.

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum played the notes of the start of the chorus of “Total Praise” in a video on Instagram.

“What a giant,” added Whalum. “Do you think maybe the angels in heaven will be singing that song ‘Total Praise’? I think they’re already tuning up. Be well, my brother, in the new Jerusalem.”

“Richard Smallwood was a musical genius and giant of a figure in the church and the gospel music world,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, posted on X.

“He was an inspiration to all who encountered his music. His songs got us through tough times, dark and difficult days. No grave can silence his voice. The melodies linger and the faith lives on!”

Sherrilyn Ifill, a civil rights lawyer and former president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, added on Bluesky: “They will call him a gospel music artist. He was that. But Smallwood was also one of the greatest composers, period, of any modern music form. My heart is heavy. A great musical legend has left us.”

Smallwood, who had been a music minister at Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Baptist Church, credited a range of artists for influencing his blend of musical genres, from classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach to the Roberta Martin Singers of the mid-20th century to gospel composers Edwin and Walter Hawkins.

 “I think any music that preaches Jesus and him crucified is a kind of music that is appropriate in the church setting,” he told RNS.