Beginner prayer guide
How to pray when you don’t know what to say
Begin with a short example prayer and explore Jesus’ teaching with Scripture in context.
Read the guide →Articles & guides
A little guidance for the next step
Original writing to help you read Scripture, begin praying, and explore Christian faith. Each guide links to its sources.
All articles and guides
Beginner Bible guide
Where to start reading the Bible as a beginner
Begin with Mark’s Gospel, understand Bible references, and practice reading a passage in context.
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Daily practice guide
How to begin a five-minute daily devotion
Try a complete example with Scripture, a reflection question, an original prayer, and one small action.
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Christian life guide
What does Scripture teach about forgiveness?
See how God’s mercy, repentance, forgiving others, accountability, and reconciliation fit together in Scripture.
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Beginner Bible guide
Five Bible books that make helpful starting points
Compare Mark, John, Matthew, Genesis, and Psalms, then open a first passage.
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Beginner questions
Beginning the Bible: six common questions
Choose a translation, understand references, handle confusing passages, and decide how much to read.
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Seven-day reading path
Meet Jesus in Mark: a seven-day reading path
Read seven short scenes from Mark with one question and one practical response each day.
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In the news
Pope Leo XIV needs no further cancer treatment: a prayer of thanks for his recovery
On October 21, 2026, Pope Leo XIV’s doctors said his lung cancer was localized and needs no further treatment after his October 13 surgery. What the Vatican said, a prayer of thanks, the traditional prayer for the Pope and the Scripture behind it.
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In the news
Did the rapture happen on October 13? What Jesus said about anyone who names a date
A pastor set October 12–13, 2026 as the rapture date after two failed dates in 2025. What Jesus and the apostles said about naming the day, the failed dates of history, and how the churches read 1 Thessalonians 4.
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Big question
What does the Bible say about the death penalty? Scripture and five traditions
Genesis 9:6, the law of Moses, John 8 and Romans 13 in five public-domain Bibles, with Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed and Anabaptist sources.
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In the news
Can a pope resign? What Church law says, and what happens if a pope is too ill to lead
Pope Leo XIV’s cancer surgery has raised questions about his papacy. Canon law on papal resignation, the popes who resigned, what happens when a pope is ill, and the Scripture behind the office.
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Hot topic · Christian life
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? What the Bible says and what churches do
The passages Christians cite, the real history of All Hallows' Eve, and what Catholic, evangelical, Reformed, Orthodox and Pentecostal churches advise.
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Advent guide
The O Antiphons: the Scripture behind each one (December 17–23)
The seven Advent O Antiphons in Latin and English, the Bible passages behind each title, the “ero cras” acrostic and the link to “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.
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In the news
Who was the pharaoh of the Exodus? What the giant Ramesses II statue does and doesn’t prove
A colossal Ramesses II statue found in Egypt has been called the “biblical pharaoh.” What Scripture says, the case for Ramesses II and for an earlier pharaoh, and how Christians read the Exodus.
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Free one-year reading plan
Read the Bible in 2027: a free one-year Bible reading plan
All 1,189 chapters from Genesis to Revelation, 3 or 4 a day from January 1 to December 31, 2027, every day linked, with a printable page for each month.
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Hot topic · Church history
Reformation Day 2026 (October 31): what Luther did in 1517, the verse behind it, and why Christians still disagree
Reformation Day is October 31, Reformation Sunday October 25. What Luther sent in 1517, the nailing debate, Romans 1:17 and 3:28, and each tradition’s view.
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Big question
What happens when we die? What the Bible says and what each church teaches
Sheol, Hades, Paradise and the resurrection in five public-domain Bibles, with Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed and Adventist teaching.
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Church year guide
When is Christ the King Sunday 2026? November 22 (Reign of Christ Sunday)
Christ the King Sunday, or Reign of Christ Sunday, is November 22, 2026. The date by church, the 1925 origin, this year’s readings and what “King” claims.
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Hot topic · In the news
Karak church attack in Jordan: what happened, and a prayer for the victims
Gunmen attacked a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, on October 23, 2026. What is reported, what churches said, and a prayer.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
Should Christians vote? What the Bible says about elections, and how churches differ
Jeremiah 29, Romans 13 and “render unto Caesar” explained, with what Catholic, Lutheran, evangelical, Anabaptist and other churches teach about voting.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the traditions
Is there such a thing as a holy war? What the Bible says, after Pope Leo’s Assisi message
Pope Leo XIV says “there is no such thing as a holy war.” Joshua’s wars, “put your sword back,” just war and pacifism explained, with what each church teaches.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the evidence
Has Noah’s Ark been found? The “charred remains” at Durupınar, and what Genesis actually says
A team says it pulled charred wood from 30 feet inside a boat-shaped mound in Turkey. What was found, what geologists say, and what the Bible does and does not claim.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the traditions
Is polygamy a sin? What the Bible really says, after an Ohio pastor introduced his second wife
An Ohio pastor says having one wife is “unbiblical.” Abraham, Jacob, David and Exodus 21:10 against Genesis 2 and Jesus, with what each church teaches.
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Hot topic · Prayer and Scripture
Spain train crash near Toledo: what happened, and a prayer for the victims
On October 28, 2026, a high-speed train hit a stopped train near Urda, Toledo, killing at least 68. What is reported, what Spain’s bishops said, a prayer for the dead, the injured and their families, and the Scripture Christians turn to.
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Hot topic · In the news
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church 2026 (November 1): who is suffering now, what the Bible says, and a prayer
November 1 and 8 are the 2026 days of prayer for persecuted Christians, after killings in Ethiopia and Jordan and a new report. Facts, Scripture and a prayer.
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Church year guide
Advent wreath 2026: what the four candles mean, and when to light them
Light the first Advent candle on Sunday, November 29, 2026. Why three are purple and one is pink, where the wreath came from, and what the Bible does not say.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
Can the pope vote? Pope Leo XIV’s mail ballot, what Church law says, and what the Bible says
Pope Leo XIV asked for an Illinois mail ballot for the US midterms. Is a pope allowed to vote? US law, canon law, the Lateran Treaty and Paul’s Roman citizenship explained.
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Hot topic · Church life
Can a church leave its denomination? Highland Park, the Methodist bishop, and what the Bible says about splitting
A Dallas megachurch voted 90% to leave the United Methodist Church and its bishop removed its pastors. Who owns the building, each church’s rules, and what Paul says about lawsuits.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the traditions
Does AI have a soul? Pope Leo XIV says machines are “tools, not persons.” What the Bible says
Pope Leo XIV told scientists on October 30 that machines are “tools, not persons.” What Genesis, Psalm 115 and Revelation 13 do and do not tell us about AI, and how churches differ.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the traditions
Can a pastor come back after an affair? Carl Lentz, the Biebers, and what the Bible says
Carl Lentz’s new book has revived his Hillsong scandal and raised a new claim about the Biebers’ apartment. What 1 Timothy 3, Peter’s restoration and several traditions say about fallen pastors.
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Big question · Church year
Is Thanksgiving a Christian holiday? 1621, Lincoln’s proclamation and what the Bible says about giving thanks
Thanksgiving 2026 is November 26. What happened in 1621, what Washington and Lincoln proclaimed, Bible verses and readings for the day, how churches keep it.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
Can a Christian be a Democrat? What the Bible says, as pastors preach against four Democratic candidates
Days before the US midterms, conservative pastors planned sermons against Democrats who campaign on their faith. What Scripture tests, what it does not, and our own view.
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Hot topic · Faith and everyday life
Does God care who wins? Pope Leo, Villanova, Notre Dame and what the Bible says about sports
Pope Leo XIV joked that he takes no side ahead of Villanova v Notre Dame in Rome. Does God pick winners? Is it wrong to pray for a win? What the Bible says, and our view.
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Hot topic · End times
Who is the Antichrist? What the Bible really says, as Peter Thiel and JD Vance bring the word back
The word “antichrist” is in only four Bible verses, and none is in Revelation. What John, Paul and Revelation say, what Thiel and Vance said, how churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Bible and history
What does the Bible say about slavery? The hard verses, the slave traders it condemns, and the reparations row
The Bible regulates slavery, and it also condemns kidnapping and slave traders. The verses both sides leave out, why the Antigua row has reopened the question, how churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Saints and history
Who are the Georgia Martyrs? The five friars killed in 1597, the second wife, and the story historians dispute
Five Spanish Franciscans killed on the Georgia coast in 1597 were beatified in Savannah on October 31. Who they were, what the Bible says about the marriage dispute, what historians question, and our view.
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Hot topic · Church year
Is Day of the Dead Christian? Aztec roots, All Souls, and what the Bible actually forbids
Día de los Muertos falls on All Saints and All Souls, but is it Christian? Where it came from, the verses on the dead, what Catholics, Orthodox and evangelicals say, and our view.
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Hot topic · In the news
Pope Leo XIV in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru: the dates, the cities and why Peru
Pope Leo XIV visits Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on November 6–17, 2026. The programme day by day, what has changed, why Peru, and who has left the Church.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
Should a pastor run for office? Adam Hamilton, James Talarico and what the Bible says about preachers in politics
A Methodist pastor and a Presbyterian seminarian won US Senate seats on November 3. Can a pastor serve in government? What Scripture says, how churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and the news
Does the Bible teach fasting to death? Shakahola, Paul Mackenzie’s 200-year sentence, and what Scripture really says about fasting
On November 6, 2026 a Kenyan court jailed preacher Paul Mackenzie for 200 years over the Shakahola starvation deaths of 191 people, 190 of them children. What the Bible teaches about fasting, what it never says, how to spot a false prophet, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
What is Christian nationalism? The meaning, the verses it leans on, and why the midterms put it back in the news
After the November 3, 2026 midterms, commentators said Christian nationalism took a beating. What the term means, who embraces it, the Bible verses on both sides, how churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and culture
Is Russell Brand a Christian? His baptism, his rape conviction, and what the Bible says about forgiveness and justice
Russell Brand, baptised in 2024, was convicted of rape and sexual assault on November 5, 2026. Can a convicted man be a Christian? What forgiveness does and does not cancel, what Scripture says, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and public life
What is the Christian left? Talarico, Hamilton and the Bible verses behind the “religious left”
After pastors and seminarians won on November 3, commentators say the Christian left is back. What it is, where it came from, the verses it stands on, what critics say, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and culture
Is Bob Dylan a Christian? The gospel years, Pope Leo’s rosary, and what the Bible says about judging someone’s faith
Bob Dylan met Pope Leo XIV on November 4 and left with a rosary. Is he a Christian? His 1979 conversion, his Jewish life since, his own words, what Scripture says, and our view.
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Big question · Church year
Remembrance Sunday 2026 (November 8): what “greater love” really means for the war dead
Remembrance Sunday is November 8, 2026. How it differs from Armistice Day and Veterans Day, what John 15:13 says on war memorials, and how churches differ.
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Church year
Nativity Fast 2026: why Orthodox Christians fast for 40 days before Christmas
The Nativity Fast begins November 15, 2026, or November 28 for Julian-calendar churches. What is given up, who is excused, and how it differs from Advent.
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Hot topic · News
Is there a Christian genocide in Nigeria? What the evidence shows, and what the Bible asks of us
No court has found genocide in Nigeria, yet Christians are being killed, some for their faith. What the law says, what the numbers measure, and what the Bible asks.
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Hot topic · Church and money
What does the Bible say about greedy pastors? Druski’s “Collect & Praise,” the prosperity gospel and the verses on money
Druski hosts SNL on November 7, 2026 and brings his money-hungry megachurch pastor to Netflix on December 1. What the Bible says about pastors and money, the prosperity gospel, how churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and film
Is Aslan Jesus? What C.S. Lewis said, what the Bible says, and why Meryl Streep’s Aslan has Christians arguing
Meryl Streep voices Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, and Liam Neeson asked, “Meryl is playing Jesus Christ?” What Lewis said about Aslan, the Bible behind the lion, whether a woman’s voice matters, how Christians differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and medicine
Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusions? The verses, the 2026 change, and what the Bible actually forbids
Jehovah’s Witnesses now leave blood components to each member’s conscience but still refuse whole blood. The verses behind the rule, what they meant in their setting, how other Christians read them, and our view.
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Hot topic · Faith and neighbours
Can Christians celebrate Diwali? What the Bible says, and why the Seattle “Stop Hindu Replacement” sign got it backwards
Diwali falls on November 8 this year, and a protester carried a “Stop Hindu Replacement of Christians” sign into a Seattle Diwali celebration. What Diwali is, what Paul said about meals, festivals and idols, how Christians differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Church and ministry
Can women be pastors? What the Bible says, and why Calvary Chapel is divided over it
Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, the church where the Calvary Chapel movement began, says it ordains women as pastors, and other Calvary Chapel pastors have publicly rejected it. What 1 Timothy 2, Phoebe, Junia and Deborah do and do not settle, how the churches differ, and our view.
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Hot topic · Scripture and the traditions
What is an evangelical? The word behind the election numbers, and what it really means
What evangelical really means: the Greek word, Bebbington's four marks, the four belief statements, what election polls count, and who they leave out.
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