Colleges and universities with roots and ties in the Church of Christ community have a strong history of seeking and welcoming international students to their campuses. Many of them see this as essential to their Christian mission to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Gospel of Matthew 28:19).

Rapid changes to federal policies, however, may be keeping some international students out of the United States and out of the Church of Christ colleges and universities they want to attend.

In this episode, one of The Christian Chronicle's 2025 interns, Kenzie James, talks about a recent story she reported on how federal policies are affecting these students and the colleges and universities that want to enroll them. She also talks about what it's like to be a college student herself, making plans for a career in journalism (in these wild times for journalists).

Link to Kenzie James's report on how federal policies are affecting Church of Christ colleges and universities and their international students

Link to an archive of Kenzie James's stories for The Christian Chronicle

Link to Kenzie James's true crime podcast, Case Closed

Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

Church of Christ congregations in the rural areas and small towns of the United States are struggling with closures and membership losses. What act of God and the Church of Christ together could lead to growth and health?

Dr. Anessa Westbrook is co-director of the new Center for Ministry at York University in York, Nebraska. In this episode, Dr. Westbrook unpacks some of the reasons that so many congregations in rural and small town America are struggling. She reveals some of the approaches that may position these congregations for new growth. That includes a new focus and stronger dependence on girls and women, who are often the heart and soul of church growth and yet are sometimes overlooked.

Link to The Christian Chronicle's report on Pepperdine University receiving $7.5 million Lilly Foundation grant to come alongside rural and small town Church of Christ congregations in the United States

Link to Episode 119: Unleashing the superpowers of rural and small town churches (Mike Cope)

Link to the Center for Ministry at York University

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Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

One Church of Christ congregation in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is going all in on producing live theatre for its community. Since giving its first stage production a try, Bouldercrest Church of Christ is attracting casts and crews comprising Church of Christ members from all over the city. And thousands are attending performances like Scenes from the Life of Christ.

In this episode, we hear from the woman at the center of it all. Sheri Gilbert-Wilson is a professional actor, director and writer who felt the nudge to bring the story of God and God's people to the stage at Bouldercrest.

Gilbert-Wilson shares how putting on a live stage production turns out to be a powerful body (of Christ)-building, disciple-making experience. And how it attracts and connects with people who would otherwise never step foot in a church building. She also tells the story of how she gave up a successful paralegal career at age 48 to go "all in" on theatre.

Link to Calvin Cockrell's Christian Chronicle story about Sheri Gilbert-Wilson and the burgeoning live theatre ministry at Bouldercrest Church of Christ

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

Send your comments, ideas, and suggestions to podcast@christianchronicle.org

Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

"Honorary title for this episode is 'Filling the Void.'" Listen and find out why (and thanks to Alonzo Rojo)!

Jóvenes for Christ is a summer camp for English-speaking young Christians growing up in bilingual or Spanish-speaking churches and homes. In this episode, we hear from Jóvenes for Christ board members, Kevin Rivera (Lakeview Iglesia de Cristo, Garland, Texas), Alonzo Rojo (Robinson Avenue Iglesia de Cristo, Springdale, Arkansas), and Yazmin Tabares (Robinson Avenue Iglesia de Cristo, Springdale, Arkanses).

They explain why growing up in English-speaking America and Spanish-speaking churches and homes is hard for young Christians. More important, however, is how this exposes the "generation gaps" common in so many Church of Christ congregations. While older generations in Spanish-speaking congregations may prefer to hold onto the Spanish language, does that come at the cost of driving away their English-speaking younger generations? And how might English-speaking younger generations honor and preserve what is precious from their Spanish-speaking elders?

This episode's cover features Jóvenes for Christ founder JuanRaymon ("J. R.") Rubio, who died in a car crash in December 2024. He was on his way home from a planning retreat for this year's Jóvenes for Christ camp. This episode is dedicated to his memory. Read The Christian Chronicle's report on Rubio's death and its impact on Jóvenes for Christ.

Link to The Christian Chronicle's coverage of the 2025 Jóvenes for Christ camp with its record attendance and baptisms

Link to Jóvenes for Christ (for more information or to support)

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

Send your comments, ideas, and suggestions to podcast@christianchronicle.org

Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient, Pulitzer Prize finalist and world famous investigative journalist Jerry Mitchell talks about how a relentless pursuit of the truth honors God and promotes God's desire for justice. In this episode, Mitchell talks about how he helped crack cold cases that brought to justice the murderers of five 1960s-era Civil Rights workers in Mississippi. He also makes a plea for Christians in society to renew and restore their collective and personal efforts to find and hold up truth, even when it hurts.

Link to Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era by Jerry Mitchell (Simon & Schuster)

Link to the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today

Link to Jerry Mitchell's recent investigative work

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

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Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

The two youngest members of The Christian Chronicle's full-time news team are incoming managing editor Calvin Cockrell (Gen Y) and outgoing managing editor Audrey Jackson (Gen Z). In this episode, they talk about how working with The Christian Chronicle is exposing them to the Church of Christ they never imagined or knew. They also talk about what it is like to be journalists at a time when the profession is under cultural, economic and political duress. And, if they were to start a new Christian Chronicle just for Christians under the age of 30, how would it be different from The Christian Chronicle of preceding generations?

Link to Audrey Jackson's farewell column as she leaves The Christian Chronicle for "greener pastures"

Link to Audrey Jackson's coverage of the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and the local Church of Christ response (referenced in the interview)

Link to Calvin Cockrell's report on a theatrical production at Bouldercrest Church of Christ (referenced in the interview)

Link to Calvin Cockrell's report on two churches merging in Spokane, Washington (referenced in the interview)

Link to The Christian Chronicle on TikTok (referenced in the interview)

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

Send your comments, ideas, and suggestions to podcast@christianchronicle.org

Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

In 1979, Church of Christ congregations in Chicago joined together in a concentrated campaign to evangelize the city. That event because the first "Crusade for Christ," an evangelism campaign that visited a major U.S. city every other year until the pandemic. Over the 40 years that the Crusade for Christ visited American cities, tens of thousands of volunteers evangelized tens of thousands of neighbors, leading to countless baptisms.

This July 2025, the Crusade for Christ returns and up to 2,000 Church of Christ members from around the U.S. will converge on Detroit to feed the hungry, heal the sick, knock on doors and participate in "marketplace ministry" for five days.

In this episode, Leonardo Gilbert, national director of the Crusade for Christ talks about why personal evangelism among strangers still works, even in a social media age when everyone seems to be afraid of "stranger danger."

Link to the Crusade for Christ event website

Link to The Christian Chronicle's archive coverage of past Crusade for Christ e events

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Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle

In early July 2025, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service changed its interpretation of the tax code to give houses of worship more leeway to engage in political speech, which may include endorsing candidates...even from the pulpit.

Is this a good thing for the church and its Great Commission?

Chris McCurley, preaching minister with the Walnut Street Church of Christ in Dickson, Tennessee, and host of the popular Dear Church Podcast, joins us to talk about politics in church. How much energy and time should preachers give to preaching and teaching on the politics of the day? When they do preach and teach on politics, what is the biblical way to do it? And should congregations and their preachers get into the political campaigning and endorsing business?

Link to a Church Law & Tax article that explains, in detail, the IRS's recent re-interpretation of the tax code and what it means to houses of worship in the United States

Link to the Dear Church Podcast

Link to the Journey to Hope Podcast (where Christian Chronicle Podcast host BT Irwin was a recent guest)

Donate to support this ministry of "information and inspiration" at christianchronicle.org/donate

Send your comments, ideas, and suggestions to podcast@christianchronicle.org

Learn more about how to visit the Bible lands as a graduate student at the Freed-Hardeman University Graduate School of Theology at fhu.edu/chronicle