News

Go Figure

Recent numbers on female senior pastors, abortion, and the megachurch.

10% Senior pastors of Protestant churches who are female, double the proportion of a decade ago. 58% Of all female senior pastors, those who are in mainline churches. 23% Of all male pastors, those who are in mainline churches. Source: Barna Research

*  *  *

8% Self-described liberal Democrats who say abortion is a critical issue. 34% Liberal Democrats who said this a year ago. Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

*  *  *

47% Americans who say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 54% Americans who said this last year. Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

*  *  *

34% Megachurch pastors who are involved with a sports league outside their church 32% Megachurch pastors who are part of a denomination. Source: Leadership Network

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Related Elsewhere:

See our earlier Go Figure postings from October 2009, September 2009, August 2009, July 2009, June 2009, May 2009, April 2009, March 2009, February 2009, January 2009, December 2008, November 2008, October 2008, September 2008, and earlier issues.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

News

Songs of Justice, Missions of Mercy

Excerpt

'Tithing' by Douglas LeBlanc

A Middle Way

Review

Mourning as Gospel Drama

Quick Media Takes

My Top 5 Movies on Thankfulness

The Green Baptist

The Next Redesign

'A Voice for Sanity'

Trees Of Life

Review

The Cleaner

Christ at the Center

Wilson's Bookmarks

'O, Evangelicos!'

The Best and Worst New Tech

Readers Write

News

A Different Kind of Neighbor

News

Beauty Will Rise

News

Less Charity, More Justice

News

Clean Water, Clean Blood

My Top 5 Books on Life Ethics

Review

Mystic with a Spreadsheet

The Mushroom Hunt

Let us Tell You a Story

Matrix: International Religious Liberty Advocates

Editorial

Looking for Clear Signals

News

Most Improbable Dialogue

News

Not All Evangelicals and Catholics Together

News

The Litmus Test

News

Splitting Babies

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Nigeria: Christian Movie Capital of the World

News

Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslims?

Sin: The Rest of the Story

News

Quotation Marks

Destiny or Free Will?

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Mass Arrest: Christianity and the Deadly Mexico Drug War

American Idols

View issue

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The Black Women Missing from Our Pews

America’s most churched demographic is slipping from religious life. We must go after them.

The Still Small Voice in the Deer Stand

Since childhood, each hunting season out in God’s creation has healed wounds and deepened my faith.

Play Those Chocolate Sprinkles, Rend Collective!

The Irish band’s new album “FOLK!” proclaims joy after suffering.

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Wall Street’s Most Famous Evangelical Sentenced in Unprecedented Fraud Case

Judge gives former billionaire Bill Hwang 18 years in prison for crimes that outweigh his “lifetime” of “charitable works.”

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How a Dark Sense of Humor Can Save You from Cynicism

A bit of gallows humor can remind us that death does not have the final word.

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Died: Rina Seixas, Iconic Surfer Pastor Who Faced Domestic Violence Charges

The Brazilian founder of Bola de Neve Church, which attracted celebrities and catalyzed 500 congregations on six continents, faced accusations from family members and a former colleague.

Review

The Quiet Faith Behind Little House on the Prairie

How a sincere but reserved Christianity influenced the life and literature of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

‘Bonhoeffer’ Bears Little Resemblance to Reality

The new biopic from Angel Studios twists the theologian’s life and thought to make a political point.

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