WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - OCTOBER 21, 2026
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Federal Probe Confirms Banks Discriminated Over Faith
"For years, Christian ministries and conservative groups said big banks were quietly shutting them out. Now a federal regulator says they were right." Read more at Million Voices...
THINK.
- Scripture is clear about treating people by their beliefs: "My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism" (James 2:1). Banks that sorted customers by faith and politics did what God forbids. Christians should demand fair treatment for everyone, even those we disagree with.
- The First Amendment limits government, not private banks. But regulators once pushed vague "reputation risk" rules that gave banks cover to cut off unpopular customers. In NRA v. Vullo (2024), a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that officials cannot pressure private companies to punish views they dislike. Freedom cannot be taken away through the back door.
- Religious liberty means more than worshiping on Sunday. The free exercise of religion includes paying a pastor, funding a pregnancy center, and keeping a Christian school open. Without access to banking, a ministry’s freedom exists only on paper.
PRAY.
Lord, You see every hidden act of injustice. Protect the ministries, churches, and Christian business owners who depend on fair access to serve their communities. Give regulators courage to follow through, and soften the hearts of those who would shut out Your people. Amen.
ACT.
If your ministry or business believes it was debanked because of its faith, file a complaint with the OCC or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Keep account closure letters and any explanations you received. Ask your representatives to support lasting protections for fair access to banking.
Nonviolent Felons Can’t Lose Gun Rights for Life
"A federal appeals court has ruled that an old drunk driving conviction is not enough to strip an American of the right to own a gun. The decision draws a clear line between people whose crimes show they are dangerous and peaceful citizens who made nonviolent mistakes years ago." Read more at Million Voices...
THINK.
- The Second Amendment says the right of the people "shall not be infringed." Scripture also honors defending home and family: "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed" (Exodus 22:2). A peaceful man with a decades-old mistake still has a family to protect.
- The gospel is a story of restoration. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). A law that marks a nonviolent person as dangerous forever leaves no room for the real change believers know firsthand.
- Romans 13:4 calls government "God’s servant for your good," bearing the sword against wrongdoers. That is a call to restrain evil, not to treat every citizen with a record as a threat. The court’s line between violent and nonviolent offenders reflects both biblical justice and the Founders’ understanding of the right to bear arms.
PRAY.
Lord, You are a God of justice and a God of second chances. Give our judges wisdom to protect the public from those who would do harm while honoring the rights of peaceful citizens. Help us reflect Your heart for redemption in how we treat those who have paid their debt. Amen.
ACT.
Stay informed on Second Amendment cases moving through the courts. Contact your congressional representatives and urge them to protect the gun rights of law-abiding Americans. Share this ruling with your church family so believers understand what is at stake.
Washington District Pays Price for Targeting Bible Classes
"A Washington school district that made children carry their Bibles in sealed envelopes has now apologized and agreed to pay $275,000. The settlement ends a federal lawsuit over how the district treated LifeWise Academy, a voluntary Bible education program for public school students." Read more at Million Voices...
THINK.
- God gave parents, not the state, the first duty to teach children: "And you shall teach them diligently to your children" (Deuteronomy 6:7). The Supreme Court agreed in Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), ruling that a child "is not the mere creature of the State." Released-time classes honor that order by letting parents choose.
- The First Amendment bars government from establishing a religion, but it also protects the free exercise of faith. When the Supreme Court upheld released time in Zorach v. Clauson (1952), Justice Douglas wrote, "We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being." Forcing children to hide their Bibles treats faith as contraband, which the Constitution never required.
- Daniel kept praying with his windows open even when the law told him to stop (Daniel 6:10). Everett families showed that same steady faith, not through defiance but by using the rights the Constitution guarantees. Believers can be both faithful and lawful.
PRAY.
Father, thank You for parents who stood firm until their freedom was respected. Give school leaders across America a spirit of fairness toward families of faith. May Your Word be welcomed, not hidden, and may a new generation grow up rooted in it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Find out how your local school district handles released-time religious instruction. If your community does not have a program, contact LifeWise Academy to learn how families can start one. Attend school board meetings and speak up for equal treatment of faith-based programs.
Southern Baptist President Calls Pastors to Action
"The leader of America’s largest Protestant denomination has a message for pastors as the midterm elections draw near. It is time to stop staying quiet." Read more at Million Voices...
THINK.
- When Peter and John were ordered to stop preaching, they answered, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20). Pastors who address life, marriage, and human dignity are fulfilling their calling, not leaving it.
- The First Amendment protects free speech and the free exercise of religion, with no exception for the pulpit. Colonial pastors preached election sermons and helped stir the fight for independence. The Johnson Amendment came in 1954, long after the founding, and the IRS now says it should not apply to speech during worship.
- America’s government rests on the consent of the governed, so every Christian citizen shares in the work of self-government. God called Ezekiel a watchman and warned that staying silent carries a cost (Ezekiel 33:6). A believer who skips Election Day leaves the watchtower empty.
PRAY.
Lord, awaken Your church. Give pastors boldness to teach Your truth on life, marriage, and the dignity of every person. Stir believers in every pew to care about their communities and vote with conviction. May Your people be salt and light in this nation. Amen.
ACT.
Make sure you are registered and have a plan to vote. Learn where candidates stand using a trusted voter guide, and study the issues with your family. Encourage your pastor to teach on the biblical issues at stake, and invite a friend from church to vote with you.
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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