News
Faith Thrives in Surprising Ways From Alabama Tent Revivals to Modern Worship Tech
Faith Facts
- Twelve Alabama Churches of Christ united to host a traditional tent revival on historic grounds where noted Restoration Movement preacher T.B. Larimore once founded Mars Hill Academy in 1871
- The Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis celebrated its 50th graduating class, continuing a legacy of preparing students grounded in faith and service to God and community
- A new worship app created by a Texas church member now serves thousands with free access to hundreds of worship songs, devotional materials, and ministry resources
Christians across America are finding innovative ways to honor timeless traditions while embracing modern tools for ministry. From old-fashioned tent revivals to cutting-edge technology, believers are demonstrating their commitment to spreading the Gospel and strengthening faith communities.
ALABAMA
FLORENCE — In a powerful return to traditional evangelism, hundreds of faithful souls gathered at Mars Hill Bible School for an old-fashioned tent revival that brought the community together in worship. Twelve local Churches of Christ organized the five-evening event on the historic Larimore Lawn, the former site of noted Restoration Movement preacher T.B. Larimore’s home and the Mars Hill Academy he founded in 1871.
Larimore later renamed the institution Mars Hill College and led it until 1887. The current K-12 school opened in 1947, continuing the Christian educational legacy.
Attendees packed in and around a large white tent — with standing-room only Wednesday night — demonstrating the hunger for Biblical preaching and fellowship. Guest preachers including area ministers and Bible School teachers Matt Heupel, Brad Adcock, Frank Mills, Harrison Chastain, and Dewayne Tapscott delivered messages on the authority of Christ, Christ and his church, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and the Great Commission.
The revival also exemplified Christian generosity, with nightly contributions supporting several ministries: Isaiah’s Call, North Alabama Christian Children’s Home, the University of North Alabama Christian Student Center, Heritage Christian University and World Evangelism Missions.
MISSOURI
ST. LOUIS — The Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis celebrated its 50th graduating class, aptly named the “Golden Graduation,” marking five decades of faith-centered education. The small K-12 school was founded in 1976 and is associated with Churches of Christ.
The academy hosted celebratory events honoring founders, donors and leaders who helped shape the school’s mission of “preparing students to live a life of value and meaning to God, society, and self.” At commencement, nine graduating seniors stood alongside alumni from the academy’s first graduating class and founding board member Bob McGuire.
“The Class of 2026 joins a legacy of alumni who have gone on to serve in ministry, medicine, education and the military, with most of CA graduates pursuing higher education, military service and the trades,” the school stated.
The academy also celebrated the retirement of longtime administrator and former student Carla J. Payne, who served as head of school for 35 years. Payne was an inaugural student, attending from 1976 to 1980, embodying the school’s lasting impact on successive generations.
TEXAS
FRITCH — Ministry League, a free app offering lyrics to hundreds of worship and devotional songs for more than a decade, has launched a major update. Developed by Tyler Brassfield, a member of the Fritch Church of Christ in Texas, the app has been rebranded as The Ministry Network.
Beyond Ministry League’s songbook and podcasts and teaching materials by members of Churches of Christ, the refreshed app introduces Anchor Studio — a collection of devotional and study books with podcasts by the book authors. This innovative tool demonstrates how technology can serve traditional Christian values and enhance spiritual growth.
The app also serves as a resource for participants of Exposure Youth Camp — an annual youth event in Huntsville, Alabama, where attendees can register and access the schedule, news, keynotes and more.
“The app’s intent is to help provide materials, opportunities (and) knowledge for those in ministry both professionally and vocationally to spread the Word,” Brassfield said.
The new app rolled out alongside the Ministry Summit at the Piedmont Road Church of Christ in Marietta, Georgia.
NEWSMAKERS
AWARDED — JOANNA ESTES, the Girl Scout Silver Award for her project, “Brighten Up the Blahs.” Joanna made flowers and butterflies from pipe cleaners to add color to hospital rooms where she stayed during her treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma. She and her parents worship with the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma City.
ALLEN WAI JANG, Master status from the American Tai Chi & Qigong Association. Jang is a member of the Sierra Madre Church of Christ in California.
MELVIN L. OTEY, the Student Organization Faculty Advisor of the Year award from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama.
HONORED — MALIK BEAUFORD and DESTINY CALDERON as Mr. and Miss Falcon Athletics by Florida College in Temple Terrace, Florida.
JASON and ERICA NOBLE for 20 years of service to the Friendly Avenue Church of Christ in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Jason is preaching minister.
NAMED — JEREMY ASHLIN, JENNA GOVE and KATIE WAMPLER to the theatre department at Harding University.
BETTY BRUSH and GARRY STEINBACH to the board of directors of Program for Humanitarian Aid, a Texas-based nonprofit that serves vulnerable Ukrainians and is supported by Churches of Christ.
GRANT BURNS, head men’s basketball coach for Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. The FHU Lions are defending NAIA National Champions.
KENNETH HAWLEY, dean of the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Honors College and KREGG FEHR, Dean of the J.E. and Eileen Hancock College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Lubbock Christian University in Texas.
ANDY MITCHELL, evangelist for the Wellsburg Church of Christ in West Virginia.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- The University Center has served Oklahoma State University students since the 1920s through the Stillwater Church of Christ
- The $1.1 million renovation preserves a 100-year-old ministry facility for future generations of students
- Leaders emphasize the project continues the legacy of inviting students to belong in community and believe in Jesus
A 100-year-old campus ministry recently cut the ribbon on a $1.1 million renovation of its 6,000 square-foot facility. The University Center, a campus ministry of the Stillwater Church of Christ, has served the students of Oklahoma State University since the 1920s. The center has served as a hub of the ministry’s work and activities since its construction in 1967, “serving as a place for students to worship together, share meals and do life,” ministry leaders said.
“The renovation took the building down to brick and concrete in order to update the building’s major systems and reconfigure the space for the ministry’s needs today,” the leaders said.
“This much-anticipated project reflects a commitment by the ministry and its many friends and alumni to continue the nearly century-long legacy of inviting the students of Oklahoma State to belong in community, believe in Jesus and become like him.”
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- Wes Woodell, a ministry technology strategist and Ph.D. candidate at Talbot School of Theology, is developing AI tools to spread the Gospel globally through Connect My Church.
- Woodell believes AI is a complex math equation with no soul and cannot think or process genuine thought, only compute data.
- He warns churches against using AI to write sermons, calling it dangerous and unhealthy for a preacher’s heart and spiritual life.
A Tennessee cybermissionary is offering biblical perspective on artificial intelligence as questions about its power and purpose continue to grow. Wes Woodell founded Connect My Church to create enclosed AI systems that can answer spiritual questions using trusted Christian resources.
Woodell spoke with Bobby Ross Jr. via Zoom this week from his home in Columbia, Tennessee. The 46-year-old Harding University graduate and former Church of Christ campus minister now pursues advanced theological studies at Biola University while building digital tools for global evangelism.
“So my question is, what if we could put something out like that which didn’t just play a recording?” said Woodell. “What if you could actually ask it questions, and it would give you answers? … You know, it’s not the open internet. It’s just an enclosed set of resources that we can put on there, and that’s essentially what we’re building.”
Woodell addressed concerns about AI’s potential dangers with measured clarity. He acknowledged real security risks but emphasized the need for America to lead in defensive technology rather than yield ground to hostile nations.
“There’s a lot of people afraid of that, and there are some real destructive capabilities when you think about security, when you think about where we’re going in the future with new technology,” said Woodell. “For instance, humanoid robots. If those things are deployed and successful, and now there are a million humanoid robots in 10 or 15 years, or maybe even sooner than that, what if something could hack all of those things at the same time?”
“What if a foreign, hostile government could take over those things and make them start karate-chopping people and kicking people in the head?”
Woodell also spoke directly to the spiritual question of whether AI possesses a soul. He rejected the notion outright, describing AI as nothing more than advanced computation without consciousness or divine image.
“I don’t think it can,” he replied. “This idea of supreme intelligence, I think, is a misnomer. When we’re talking about AI, we’re talking about a complex math equation. It doesn’t process thought. It doesn’t think. It processes. It’s a computer program.”
Woodell warned against the transhumanist vision popular in Silicon Valley, where some seek to merge human consciousness with machines in pursuit of immortality. He contrasted that humanist ambition with the Christian understanding that true eternal life comes only through faith in Jesus Christ.
While supporting the use of AI for administrative tasks like sermon optimization and social media scheduling, Woodell drew a firm line against allowing artificial intelligence to replace the preacher’s spiritual labor.
“What frightens me a little bit are preachers using AI to write their sermons for them,” Woodell said. “That has become a thing, and I don’t think that’s healthy.”
“AI can help give some feedback that’s helpful sometimes,” he added. “But I would not have it just draft the sermon for you. I think that’s very dangerous and also just not good for a preacher’s heart.”
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- Hillsong United worship leader Joel Houston has spoken openly about a season of deep personal reflection after facing significant challenges in recent years.
- The well-known worship artist revealed that he spent two to three years largely removed from regular church involvement during this difficult period.
- Houston’s experience highlights the reality that even prominent Christian leaders face seasons of testing and spiritual struggle.
Joel Houston, the frontman for Hillsong United, has been candid about navigating a challenging season marked by personal struggles and spiritual introspection.
The worship leader shared that this period led him to step back significantly from church involvement for an extended time.
“I spent two to three years largely away from church,” Houston stated regarding his time of soul-searching.
His honesty about this chapter in his life serves as a reminder that faith journeys are not always straightforward, even for those in leadership positions within the Christian community.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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