WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - MAY 14, 2025
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Pope Leo XIV: The First American Pontiff In History
Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States was revealed Thursday as the next pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Read more at Million Voices.
THINK.
- The Conclave announced the selection of Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome in a statement shared on the Vatican News website on Thursday, May 8.
- Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, and is the first Pope to hail from the U.S., and only the second to come from the Americas, following the late Pope Francis.
- “[Prevost] spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy,” Vatican News reported.
- “He’s somebody that, even though he’s from the West, would be very attentive to the needs of a global church,” CNN’s Vatican Analyst Elise Allen noted. “You’re talking about somebody who spent over half of his ecclesial career abroad as a missionary in Peru.
PRAY.
Dear God, we know you have chosen Pope Leo XIV for a great reason. We pray that he helps guide us through the growing turmoil of today, that You work through him across borders, boundaries of the mind, body and soul toward a united spirit. We do not have to be Catholic to respect his Holiness, as we respect all those who you’ve made on this Earth. We embrace this next step in the journey. Amen.
ACT.
We’re in the middle of a Great American Revival, and we know there are so many incredible stories of faith being shielded by the corporate mainstream news media. Please tell us your great stories of faith today as we want to start sharing them — anonymously or as directed — with our readers as early as July 4, 2025! Email kay@millionvoices.org to get involved today.
Politicians Try To Forcibly Seize 160-Year-Old Church Property To Build Public Park
Council members from a New Jersey town voted in late April to acquire the 11-acre campus of Christ Episcopal Church through eminent domain. Read more at Million Voices.
THINK.
- Christ Episcopal Church is not for sale, but that hasn't stopped Toms River's elected council members from forcibly seizing or forcing the sale of the land to the town so they can build two parks, according to Episcopal News Service.
- The move by the town council comes as the church has fought to open a 17-bed homeless shelter. The town did not allegedly tell the church of the proposed vote.
- The region is apparently undergoing a significant homeless crisis. Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has recently been accused of being “highly critical of the presence of people experiencing homelessness,” and going so far as to suggest that Ocean County is “dumping” homeless people in the town.
- The practice of “dumping” homeless people in certain jurisdictions is a common practice, with many states allegedly busing homeless and mentally ill people to places like California.
- This cycle of deprivation and social decline doesn’t have to continue. There are plenty of tried-and-proven programs that help the criminally insane, drug addicted, and mentally ill people who make up most of America’s homeless population, leave their circumstance and reenter the world as contributing members of society.
- These programs do not receive the right funding or support from elected officials, but your voice can change that.
PRAY.
Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that you cast Your light upon every seemingly forgotten member of our society. They are not forgotten and we know they can be saved. We pray you turn the hearts of those in power toward those among us who need our help. We pray Your light snowballs, allowing each and every saved person to go on and save others. We do not have all the answers Father, but know You do. Thank You for all we are about to receive. Amen.
ACT.
Politicians you elect in your city, county, and state usually have a greater impact on your daily life than anyone in the federal government. During “off-years,” these local races send ripple effects throughout American communities. It is up to you to shape them. We will be bringing you localized news from across the nation as a means of normalizing the understanding that your neighborhood matters. This means your voice matters! Learn more about how Million Voices is turning your voice into action today by clicking here.
Faith Leaders Call On Trump To Protect Christian Refugees
A large group of pastors sent a letter to President Donald Trump in May to “act swiftly to protect Afghan Christians from deportation to Afghanistan.” Read more at Million Voices.
THINK.
- “President Trump, your Administration has rightly prioritized international religious freedom as a central pillar of American foreign policy. Under your leadership, we have seen unprecedented efforts to elevate the cause of persecuted religious minorities worldwide — hosting the historic Ministerials to Advance Religious Freedom, launching the International Religious Freedom Alliance, and taking courageous actions against regimes that persecute religious minorities, you have championed the rights of the oppressed. We are deeply grateful for these efforts,” the group of pastors wrote in the letter, which was CC’d to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
- “Afghanistan is among the most dangerous places in the world for Christians. Conversion from Islam is considered apostasy under Taliban rule and is punishable by imprisonment or execution. According to reports, including by Fox News and Christian Broadcasting Network, Afghan Christians living in the United States now face the terrifying prospect of forced return to a country where their faith puts them at daily risk of death. Many of these individuals found safety in America only to now be told they must self-deport within a week — an impossible timeline given the grave dangers they would face.”
PRAY.
Dear God, please guide us in this crisis in how to help our church at home and abroad. We know the threats we face live among us, but we also know Your protection is here. When all feels in chaos, we Thank You for the calming nature of Psalm 23. We also Thank You for bringing so many of us together to finally face these battles for our faith under a united revival. Whatever is Your will, we will not pretend to always understand, but we can always promise our trust. In your name and the voice of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
ACT.
Recent reports from around the world have highlighted the threats faced by Christians within many Islamic nations. “There are Taliban fighters in Syria right now … the second thing I’ve heard is that they’re killing a lot of religious minorities and many, many Christians. They’re being slaughtered on a daily basis,” one expert told “The Shawn Ryan Show” in March 2025. “Unless the U.S. President [Donald] Trump takes action, this is something that will continue very rapidly.” How do you feel about this issue? Tell us today by emailing kay@millionvoices.org
More Than 7,700 Baptized In Largest Single-Day Baptism In America. Ever.
More than 7,750 people were baptized on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in early May in the largest single-day Baptism event in American history. Read more at Million Voices.
THINK.
- Some 30,000 attendees showed up from more than 300 churches across California to take part in the event on Hunting Beach.
- “You were part of the largest water baptism in American history,” Oceans Church pastor Mark Francey told the crowd (Francey also organized the event). “Who thinks that God could do it in the other states of America?”
- The event is called “Baptize America,” and it aims to do just that! “We’re going to flood local churches in every single one of our states, and we’re going to see a mass water baptism across our land,” Francey added in a social media post.
- The movement is not limited to any single church, “It’s about churches across the nation united, pursuing the fulfillment of the Great Commission,” the website reads.
- The next major event will take place on June 8, 2025. Are you taking part?
PRAY.
Dear God, We Thank You again that throughout the strife, You continue to give us opportunity to celebrate you. Our purpose on this Earth is simple because of You. Though our path through life is never straight, narrow, nor within our control, the gift of free will in Your guidance allows us to rejoice even in the darkest of times. To experience life is a wondrous thing. To do it with You is everything. Thank You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
ACT.
What an emotional rollercoaster 2025 is shaping up to be. We exist on two paper-thin edges of a delicate balance. One side teeters toward violence, chaos, danger and horror, that, let’s be honest, has been the norm for almost all of human history. On the other is salvation, the peace and wonder of knowing that there is a reason for all of this, even the worst things. The ever-hanging question of “why,” which lurks over time on Earth, is not supposed to be answered here. We are supposed to go through this life without ever finding an answer, yet always in endless pursuit. It’s like an emotional scavenger hunt and we’re so blessed to share this strange and God-given place with you, Intersect readers.
If you’re one of the people taking part in Baptize America’s next big event on June 8, or any revival-style event, from a small family gathering, to a massive festival – tell us about it (kay@millionvoices.org). Our readers exist far outside the reaches of our Christian demographic. By sharing our stories (anonymously unless otherwise requested), we have the opportunity to bring just one more soul into his salvation. Join us in this ever-lasting mission today!
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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