New offline YouVersion Bible app launched for use in countries with poor internet access

Responding to the needs of Christians in parts of the world where it is difficult to access the internet, the developers of the popular YouVersion Bible app have launched a new version of it which can be used offline, Christianity Today (CT) reports. App developers from Life.Church in Oklahoma joined with the global Bible ministry Biblica in creating the offline YouVersion Bible App Lite.

Utah school district bans KJV Bible in lower schools for “vulgarity and violence”

Amid an ongoing conservative movement to ban books considered inappropriate for minors in school libraries, the Davis School District north of Salt Lake City in Utah has banned the King James Version of the Bible for elementary and middle schools on the grounds it contains verses that are too violent and sexually explicit for younger children, the Associated Press reports. The complete Bible will still be available in high school libraries across the 72,000-student district.

Britain, Wales see dramatic drop in Christian populations, Falls Below 50% for first time

A new census shows the number of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales has fallen below 50% for the first time, although researchers say this does not mean Britain has turned its back on religion, Christian Today (CT) reports. The census also shows that the percentage of the English and Welsh population who said they had no religion rose sharply from 25.2% in 2011 to 37.2% in 2021.

Myanmar: Burmese army bombs Baptist seminary

Continuing its violent attacks on Christian civilians, the ‘Tatmadaw’ Burmese military junta bombed a Baptist seminary in Kachin state last week, injuring four men in their dormitory, Christian Headlines (CH) reports.

Less than a third of Americans believe Bible should determine right and wrong

A new study published Tuesday shows that less than a third of US adults believe the Bible should be America’s guide to determining right and wrong, the Christian Post reports. The study was the fourth installment of America’s Values Study carried out by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.

Open Doors Founder Brother Andrew Dead At 94

Dutchman Anne van der Bijl, known as the “Brother Andrew” who founded Christian charity Open Doors and became a voice of voiceless persecuted Christians, has died, his group confirmed Wednesday. He passed away in the Dutch town of Harderwijk at age 94.

Chinese Christians seek refuge in Thailand after asylum denial from South Korea

A congregation of Christians escaping government persecution in China are applying for refugee status in Thailand after being denied asylum in South Korea, DW reports. In its efforts to impose “Sinicization” on the country, China’s ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been engaged in a formidable crackdown on independent evangelical churches that will not register with the state-controlled Three-Self Patriotic movement.

India: Six Christian women arrested, imprisoned

Six Christian women in India’s Uttar Pradesh state were charged with forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity and were imprisoned on July 30, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. With the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party in power since 2014, India’s Christians have become increasingly vulnerable to harsh anti-conversion laws which are frequently abused by Hindu extremists looking to harass and imprison believers.

Worthy Christian News