Sunday, November 1, 2026
Voters in Missouri, Idaho, Virginia, and Nevada face abortion measures on Tuesday, and Virginia’s ballot also asks voters to redefine marriage. At least 60 Orthodox Christians were killed in two ambushes in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. Church insurance premiums have jumped as much as 30% this year, a federal appeals court heard the Summit Church’s zoning case, and Ouachita Baptist will ask its faculty to sign its doctrinal statements. Pew finds the youngest adults attending church more often than their parents’ generation, and one of the largest United Methodist churches in the country has voted to leave. On All Saints’ Day, a week to pray for the persecuted, vote with a clear conscience, and look hard at the fine print of the church’s insurance policy.
Annual meeting, entities, ERLC, resolutions, denominational politics.
Church insurance premiums soar. Baptist Press reports that churches saw insurance rate increases of 12% to 30% in 2026, driven by severe weather, abuse claims, changing state laws, and rising jury awards, while premiums for other large commercial properties have been falling since 2023. One Mississippi church’s coverage rose 119% in three years. A GuideOne executive said a pastor told him, “I have to make a choice between insurance and my salary.” GuideStone has moved its insurance arm from a single carrier to a broker model now serving 13 southeastern states, and its property and casualty lead says the market has begun to soften. One broker’s advice: have someone other than your agent review the policy every year, and ask specific questions about field trips, mission trips, and older buildings. Worth putting on the budget-season agenda. Biblical Recorder (Baptist Press)
Ouachita Baptist will ask faculty to sign its statements. Trustees at the Arkansas Baptist school unanimously adopted a covenant in March, and faculty and staff will find affirmation language in their 2027–28 employment agreements next April. They will affirm OBU’s Statement of Faith, its statement on sexuality, gender, and marriage, and its statement on race and Christian community. Many faculty object, and a petition against the mandate drew 2,261 supporters. “Ouachita’s positions have not changed, but families and churches want to know where a Christian university stands,” said President Ben Sells. Watch whether other state-convention schools follow. Biblical Recorder (Baptist Press)
Lifeway names the habits that most shape disciples. A Lifeway Research analysis of 2,130 Protestant churchgoers tested more than 100 variables and found 25 that best predict spiritual growth. Praising and thanking God and praying for chances to share Christ rank near the top, along with Bible reading and involvement in the local church. The average churchgoer scored 68.1 out of 100, and “sharing Christ” was the weakest area. Only 52% of pastors say they have an intentional discipleship plan, and 30% use any way of tracking growth. “There isn’t a single discipleship practice that suddenly makes you holy in all areas,” said Scott McConnell. Biblical Recorder (Lifeway Research)
State meeting season. Mississippi Baptists met Oct. 27–28, reelected President Andrew Chesteen, adopted a $32.2 million Cooperative Program budget, and raised the national and international share to 40%. They reported 9,306 baptisms in 2025, the most since 2016. New Mexico Baptists met Oct. 19–20 and reelected their officers. Biblical Recorder
Announcements from Ohio and the networks. The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio holds its Annual Celebration at First Baptist Kettering–Sugarcreek in Dayton, with an IMB Sending Ceremony the evening of Nov. 9 and the annual meeting Nov. 10; resolutions are due today, and the proposed budget is posted. Harbor Network holds a Renewal Gathering for pastors and wives in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Wisconsin on Nov. 4 and a digital town hall Nov. 19. Send Network has a run of “One Day” events this month, including Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and the Twin Cities. SCBO Harbor Network Send Network
Reformed Baptist, Presbyterian (PCA/OPC), confessional churches and networks.
9Marks on conversion and membership interviews. In an Oct. 27 article, David Burnette argues that elders need a clear doctrine of conversion to judge membership candidates, because a sincere testimony can still describe change that is not rooted in the gospel. Rather than look for a dramatic story, eloquence, or mature godliness, he offers four questions: does the person understand the gospel, recognize their need of a Savior, show present fruit, and have the affirmation of a previous church? When someone is not ready, explain why and invite further study. 9Marks has spent October on conversion, and its Pastors Talk episode this week features Mez McConnell on his own radical conversion. Practical reading for any elder board that does membership interviews. 9Marks 9Marks
Founders marks Reformation week. Founders’ homepage features a cluster of Reformation pieces: Tom Nettles on the Reformation as “a barrage of confessional correction,” Tom Ascol on developing a Reformation mindset, Jeff Robinson on eight ways the Reformation shaped his ministry, and Scott Lee on one church’s journey to being reformed by the Word. Registration is open for the 2027 National Founders Conference, “The Law and the Gospel,” Jan. 21–23 in Southwest Florida, with Joel Beeke and Conrad Mbewe among the speakers. Announcements, not news. Founders Founders
Heidelblog on Zanchi and on kinism. Today’s Heidelcast features historian Patrick O’Banion on Girolamo Zanchi, the Italian Reformed theologian. Heidelblog also excerpted Erick Erickson’s argument that kinism, racism, and ethnonationalism are “ultimately a spiritual problem rather than a political one,” spreading inside churches. Elders should know the vocabulary; these ideas are reaching young men online. Heidelblog Heidelblog
Grimké Seminary was checked directly; its homepage showed nothing new or dated. Liberty Church Network’s latest post is its Oct. 2 newsletter. No dated PCA or OPC news surfaced this week.
Major debates, books, controversies, council and committee statements.
A Missouri Baptist apologist on the Latter-day Saint gospel. In the fourth column of a series on engaging Latter-day Saints, Rob Phillips of the Missouri Baptist Convention argues that the LDS gospel is “a different gospel,” one that adds works to grace and offers a second chance after death. He encourages Baptists to ask their Mormon neighbors what they believe and to answer with salvation by grace alone. A useful primer as Idaho churches face Tuesday’s ballot (below). The Pathway
“Own your sermons.” At an Oct. 16 webinar hosted by the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Theological Commission, an AI specialist told pastors that if they use AI for sermon outlines or Bible studies they must “take full ownership of what they preach,” and should never enter personal or pastoral information into public AI tools. Theologian Vinay Samuel argued that AI cannot become conscious as humans are. Both points apply well beyond India. The Baptist Paper (Christian Daily)
Religious liberty, ethics, politics affecting the church, cultural engagement.
Abortion and marriage on Tuesday’s ballots. Missouri’s Amendment 3 would roll back the 2024 amendment that expanded abortion access and would bar gender transition procedures for minors; MBC Executive Director Wes Fowler called it “a step in the right direction.” In Idaho, a proposed amendment would make abortion a right in a state that now bans it. WORLD reports it could reach roughly seven or eight months, and it needs only a simple majority. More than 200 Idaho pastors signed a letter against it, and the LDS Church and the Catholic Diocese of Boise have given to the opposition. Virginia’s Question 1 would loosen third-trimester limits, and Question 2 would redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. Religious groups are backing lawsuits that could void both even if they pass, and a day of prayer and fasting is set for Nov. 3. Nevada also has an abortion measure on the ballot. The Pathway (Baptist Press) WORLD WORLD
At least 60 Christians killed in Ethiopia. Militants ambushed Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in the Sherka and Merti districts of Oromia’s Arsi Zone between Oct. 20 and 24, killing at least 60, wounding 20, and destroying 20 homes. No group has claimed responsibility; a local official told the BBC the attackers belonged to a new rebel coalition that includes the Oromo Liberation Army. The Orthodox synod called the attacks “disgraceful” and asked for memorial prayer services. Open Doors says Christians there are being targeted for their faith. The Pathway (Baptist Press)
Death sentences in the killing of Ugandan evangelists. A Ugandan High Court on Oct. 7 sentenced five men to death for the August 2024 murder of evangelists Robert Baguma and Moses Okech, who were beaten and stoned after a three-month outreach to fishermen on Lake Victoria. The Baptist Paper (Morning Star News)
Summit Church’s zoning case reaches the Fourth Circuit. A federal appeals panel in Richmond heard arguments Oct. 27 in Chatham County’s appeal of an injunction won by The Summit Church, which says the county denied its rezoning request for a 50-acre campus out of religious bias. The county does not dispute that the federal religious land-use law (RLUIPA) applies; it argues a court cannot dictate how commissioners vote on reconsideration. The Justice Department sided with the church. Any church planning to build should watch the ruling. Biblical Recorder
ASU professor says he was penalized for being “too Christian.” Owen Anderson, a tenured philosophy professor at Arizona State for more than two decades, says his dean cut his review score and merit pay over his 2025 teaching, citing five quiz questions about God and two student complaints. The provost rejected his appeal this week. These are his claims, made in a first-person column; the university’s side is not reported. The Baptist Paper (Decision)
Notable controversy and media shake-ups — reported with discernment, not appetite.
The youngest adults are in church more than their parents’ generation. A Pew Research Center report released Oct. 28 found that 41% of adults ages 18 to 22 attend services at least monthly, above the national 33% and second only to those born before 1950. Young men attend more than young women (47% to 35%). Adults ages 23 to 26 had the lowest numbers of any group. Pew cautioned that the sample is small and “there’s definitely no signs that today’s young adults are way more religious” than earlier cohorts. Still, many churches are seeing college-age visitors, especially young men. Be ready to disciple them. The Baptist Paper (RNS)
A Dallas megachurch votes to leave the UMC. About 90% of the 4,775 members of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas who voted Oct. 25–26 chose to separate from the denomination, and the church will worship as Highland Park Methodist Church. The regional conference, which sued the church in August over changes to its governing documents, says a congregational vote “does not, by itself, sever” the relationship, so a long court fight is likely. A reminder that who holds title to church property matters. The Baptist Paper
North Point’s congregational vote. Results of North Point’s vote on Joel Thomas as Andy Stanley’s successor were to be announced at services today; no tally had been reported as this issue went out. Christian Post
A pastoral takeaway for your leadership team this week.
On All Saints’ Day we remember that the church is one body across time and place, which includes 60 Orthodox believers buried in Ethiopia this week and two evangelists stoned on the shore of Lake Victoria. Pray for them by name this morning. Then turn to the ordinary stewardship work that is also yours. Tuesday’s ballots touch life and marriage; help your people think biblically without turning the pulpit into a campaign office. And as budgets are set, the insurance story is worth an hour of the board’s time, because a policy no one has read is a risk no one has measured. So ask: when did someone other than our agent last review our church’s insurance, and does it cover what we actually do, from youth trips to mission teams? And then: what is our plan to welcome and disciple the college-age visitors, especially young men, who are showing up?