Christian News Media Digest
“Keep the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” – Karl Barth
It was the renowned theologian Karl Barth who said that we should keep the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. He emphasized that we should be grounded in God’s Word but also aware of what is going on in the world around us and interpret it through the Bible. This news digest is a curated selection of Christian news articles, interviews and more that speak to current children-related issues and developments that are relevant to the Church. They provide insights, inform and equip those who are serving in children ministries whether at the global, national or local level.
*All articles are used with permission. Some of the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the WEA Children’s Network.

Youth Hospitalizations for Suicidal Thoughts Rises 59% in 5 years: Report
Suicide rates and mental health-related hospital visits among youth were rising before the COVID-19 pandemic but surged even higher during the lockdowns, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics of the American Academy of Pediatrics, analyzed

37 Countries Sign Pledge to Uphold Pro-Life, Pro-Family Policies 2 Years after Geneva Consensus Declaration
The number of countries expressing support for a document explicitly stating that “there is no international right to abortion” continues to expand as nations around the world work to implement policies consistent with its mandate to make the family the

Just keep swimming…Supporting Children And Young People With Additional Needs
The more we practice at supporting children and young people with additional needs, the better we will get too. Can you swim? When did you learn? Were you inspired by watching one of the Olympic greats winning a clutch of

Family Engagement with Churches Has Fallen Post-Covid, Study Finds
Many families are less engaged with their church since the pandemic, according to new research. The study by Liverpool Hope University and the National Institute for Christian Education Research (NICER) found that Sunday morning church attendance has become “less of

42% of Gen Z Have Diagnosed Mental Health Condition, Majority Worried About Future: Study
Nearly 70% of Generation Z, people born between 1997 and 2012, say their mental health was adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 42% of adult members of the cohort reporting that they have been diagnosed with a mental health condition

An Online Game to Bring the Reality of Religious Diversity Closer to Teenagers
With the educational project Missió Humanitas, the Catalan authorities seek to arouse “curiosity” about the different beliefs, confessions and convictions present in the territory. Following the instructions of researcher Dorota, a woman with a passion for learning, we can travel to

Here’s Why an Unborn Baby Is Not One Person With Its Mom
Since unborn babies are completely defenseless, they need us to do whatever we can to help protect them. The main reason abortion is such a highly emotional issue in America is that unborn children are the most vulnerable people in

‘Generation Indoctrination’: What’s Being Done to Protect Kids Legally from Gender Ideology?
As gender ideology continues to pervade every realm of culture, legislators and public policy experts alarmed by its effects on children have taken numerous steps to thwart it from taking root in state laws. When Arkansas state Rep. Robin Lundstrum

Britain’s Hidden Education Crisis
Not only do we have our third prime minister in two months, we have our fifth education secretary this year. Last Monday, the new Ministers for the Education Department faced their first oral question time with MPs in the Commons.

Ministry Delivers 225K Bibles to North Macedonia, Where Many Can’t Access Scripture in Their Language
A Texas-based Christian ministry that once smuggled Bibles into the Soviet Union delivered the largest donation of children’s Bibles to the Eastern European country of North Macedonia, where many children don’t have access to Scripture in their own language. Founded

Teens Have a Positive View of Jesus But Do Know Little About the Bible’s Teachings
A survey interviewed 25,000 teenagers in 26 countries. “It’s rare that teens think poorly of Jesus. The global impression of Jesus is that he is trustworthy, generous, wise, peaceful”, the authors say. Barna Group recently released The Open Generation study, which aims

Mrs. Universe Tori Hope Petersen Talks Growing Up in Foster Care, Shares How More Christians Can Help
Mrs. Universe Tori Hope Petersen, a former foster child who defied the odds set against her at an early age, is a Christian foster youth advocate known for offering hope to children and encouraging adults to answer the call to