By Jonathan Howe
“On the Horizon” is a quick glance at important news items for your week.
Saddleback Baptizes 50,000th Person
This weekend, Rick Warren and Saddleback Church celebrated their 50,000th baptism since the church’s launch in 1980.
That comes to an average of 3.6 baptisms per day over the life of the church—an incredible testimony to how God has used Pastor Rick and Saddleback to grow the Kingdom.
Sex Abuse Cases Continue to Call Church Leaders into Question
A story in The Washington Post on recent clergy abuse issues and the arrest of another Baptist pastor last week headline an ongoing issue facing all churches—widespread sexual abuse by those trusted the most.
Some churches have handled the fallout well. Some not so much. One thing is clear, however, these situations will likely get worse before they get better.
Foreign Economies Crumbling
Reports from Iran, Turkey, and Venezuela over the past week all share one common thread: economies on the precipice of failure. Venezuela is already there, but Turkey and Iran both are seeing falling currency values and high inflation.
Increased sanctions and economic pressure on both political regimes will exacerbate the problems internally. Erdogan and Rouhani both face pressure in their respective countries to improve economic conditions.
Is Tiger Back?
Tiger Woods may not have won the PGA Championship this weekend (he finished second to Brooks Koepka), but he turned back the clock with shots and putts that were reminiscent of his game in the early 2000s and showed why he’s the greatest golfer of his generation—if not the greatest ever.
With strong showings in the final two majors of the year, Woods may find himself on the American Ryder Cup team when the event is held next month in France.
World Humanitarian Day
Sunday, August 19, marks World Humanitarian Day. This year, the focus is on giving “attention to the millions of civilians affected by armed conflict every day.”
Be sure to check FactsAndTrends.net throughout the week for continued coverage of these stories and much more.
JONATHAN HOWE (@Jonathan_Howe) is Director of Strategic Initiatives at Lifeway Christian Resources.
