Month: March 2026

Source: Crosswalk, March 13, 2026

The recent surge in Bible sales isn’t just an American trend, as new data from the United Kingdom shows a similar rise across the Atlantic.

NielsenIQ BookData found that Bible sales increased 19% in the UK and Ireland in 2025, reaching their highest level since 1998, when records began, according to reports in The Independent and GB News.

Despite the strong performance of certain titles, overall nonfiction book sales moved in the opposite direction. Spending in the non-fiction category fell to its lowest level since 2014 and was roughly 5% lower than the previous year. Unit sales also declined, dropping 6% to approximately 59 million copies. Meanwhile, adult fiction moved the other way, with spending climbing 5%.

Bible sales in the United States have surged in recent years, reaching a 21-year high in 2025 with about 19 million copies sold, according to data from Circana BookScan released in January.

The full story includes links and some commentary.

March is Bible month in France, where more than 200 bookstores are participating in a national initiative to place Scripture at the heart of public life again. 

Meanwhile, consider the Ponyo Naga tribe in Myanmar. A powerful revival that began to transform their area in the 1970s. Though most Ponya Nagas are Christian, they have no Scripture in their language (Asia Harvest). Keep praying for Bible translation and engagement.

Source: To Every Tribe, fall 2025

My family and I live in Nangaritza County, Ecuador, where the foothills of the Andes mountains transition into the Amazon jungle. Our town, Guayzimi, is the largest in our county, with a population of around 4,000 people. If you drive south on the only road for about three hours until it ends in the middle of the jungle, you will arrive at Mariposa, one of the many small indigenous Shuar communities that are interspersed throughout the jungle. Along the way, you will come across some Saraguro communities as well—another indigenous group. The larger towns like Guayzimi are mostly inhabited by the majority Mestizo people, who have a mixed indigenous-European heritage.

For thousands of years, people here have lived and died without knowing Jesus Christ. The religion of most is a blend of animism, secularism, and nominal Roman Catholicism, with a strong focus on the worship of Mary. More recently, cults such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Oneness Pentecostalism have arrived and grown. But the common thread in all these beliefs is the pursuit of righteousness through the law—trying to earn God’s favor by doing good works. The vast majority of people here have not come to understand the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, the glorious news that the righteousness of God is attained not by the law, but by faith in Christ.

One example of the Lord’s mercy can be seen in the lives of Carlos and Susana, a young Shuar man and a Peruvian woman who are now a beloved brother and sister in Christ.

Today, Carlos continues to speak the word of God boldly among his neighbors in the communities upriver. In his own community of Mariposa, which celebrates a multi-day feast to Mary every year, Carlos has openly called his neighbors to put away such idolatry, teaching them from the Scriptures. This stance has led to backlash and harassment from those who were once his close friends. However, during the recent planning meeting for this year’s August feast, Carlos once again shared from the Scriptures why the Lord was displeased with their celebrations. This time, the consensus among the people was that what Carlos spoke from the Bible was true.

Read the full story or more stories from To Every Tribe.

Source: Christian Today, March 12, 2026

A Swedish couple separated from their two eldest daughters for nearly four years due to alleged “religious extremism” have had an appeal rejected by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Daniel and Bianca Samson’s ordeal began in late 2022 when government authorities took the daughters into their care. The intervention was prompted by an allegation by the eldest daughter [and later retracted] that her parents would not allow them to wear makeup or own a phone due to their “religious extremism.”

According to ADF International, which is helping the Samsons, the authorities could find no evidence that either girl had been abused in any way.

Despite this, the girls have still not been allowed to return to their parents and are being kept in separate foster homes. The girls have reportedly said they wish to be reunited with their parents and have started to suffer health problems. At present, the Samsons can see their daughters only once a month, under supervision.

Read the full story.

For another thought-provoking story about conflicts between church and state, read Rwanda’s Massive Church Closures Spark Debate Over What Truly Qualifies a Pastor. The president asserts that every religious leader should have a theological degree (Christianity.com).

Greetings, readers.

Some popular news sources start each Monday with a roundup along the lines of “Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend.” This weekend was dominated by the attacks on Iran that killed Ayatollah Khamenei and others and the retaliatory attacks around the region that closed down major airports and shook many.

Newsletters from people in the Middle East arrived in my inbox. “We are safe,” they said. “But please pray.” When I see such messages, I pray for peace for the stressed-out missionaries who now have to add “reassure people back home” to their long list of ways to respond. I also pray for wisdom about the should-we-stay-or-should-we-go questions and others.

One writes: “If you’re not already, we’d love for you to join us in praying for the people of Iran and all those impacted by the conflict throughout the region. Our Iranian friends are asking for prayers for the safety of their families, lasting peace and a better future for their country. Pray for the church that has rapidly grown in Iran over the last decade, that they would persevere with courage and cling to Christ during this time.”

You may have seen many reports and opinion pieces by now. Here are a few from other sources we follow. 

• Iranian evangelicals are staying put, tentative but hopeful, says pastor (Iran Alive Ministries, via The Roys Report) and a previous story from Iran Alive, this one in Mission Network News: Three bullets that killed his son, yet his faith endures.
• As Lebanon has joined the conflict, believers there are calling for Christians to work together to coordinate responses (Triumphant Mercy Lebanon, via Mission Network News).
• Also this weekend, Jim Denison reports, Austin, Texas suffered what appear to be Jihad-inspired attacks, but he then pivots to reminding Christians in America and beyond to turn from hatred or fear and lift their eyes to what God is doing to bring Muslims to himself in Iran and beyond. Includes some solid, Scripture-based prayer points. Take a look (The Denison Forum).

Grace and peace,
Marti

Source: Christian Aid Mission, February 12, 2026

At least 50 believers have been arrested in Yemen in recent months as persecution against Christians here increases, particularly against those from a Muslim background. The recent wave of arrests is something not seen here in years, and an indigenous ministry that supports Yemeni believers through online channels has received reports of not only increasing imprisonments, but also intense pressure on those who are arrested to provide information on other believers. Now, this ministry requests your prayers.

“Because of harsh punishment, information is being forced out of them,” the ministry leader said. “As a result, the arrests keep spreading. Families are carrying heavy fear and grief, and many are living under intense surveillance and threats.”

Read the full story and consider the experience of Khaled, who became a Christian after being disillusioned with Islam. Yet more Yemenis continue turning to Jesus.

See also Detainments among Yemen’s Christian community, report says (Mission Network News). And, for more context, read A Surprising Piece of History: The Jewish and Christian History of Yemen (Back to Jerusalem).

Recently, the European Parliament recognized and condemned the persecution of Christians worldwide (Christian Today).

Source: Arab Vision, February 17, 2026

In the spring of 2026, children from Zwolle and Groningen [two cities in the Netherlands] will take action. They will raise money to produce animations featuring stories about Jesus for children in the Arab world. “Never Too Small!” [is designed] to teach Arab children about Jesus and what life with him is like. You’re never too small to be a friend, to make a difference, to get to know Jesus.

A toolkit for primary school, Sunday school, or children’s church teach[es] Dutch children that everyone matters in the kingdom of God and that they can help share this news with children in the Arab world who don’t (yet) know Jesus.

Read the full story and watch a video. The captions are in Dutch, but you can adjust the YouTube settings to translate into English. The video is really cute.

For another story of children doing God’s work, read about new life in a Chinese village after local missionaries equip children for loving service to another vulnerable population (Christian Aid Mission).

We love stories that help us identify with other people despite cultural differences. You might enjoy Shane Bennett’s recent article about what it’s like to be a Muslim mom during Ramadan (Muslim Connect).

Source: United Bible Society, February 15, 2026

After 16 years of faithful work, the Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) was able to present the Komba people of Northeast Ghana with the complete Bible in their own language [in collaboration with several groups].

The launch, celebrated with great joy by more than 1,000 people gathered at Gbintiri School Park, marked not only the completion of a translation project but also an affirmation of hope for future generations.

Acts 2:6 provided the theme for the event:

“…They were all excited, because all of them heard the believers talking in their own languages.”

The BSG General Secretary described the Komba Bible as both a spiritual gift and a cultural safeguard. He said that this Bible will not only deepen faith but also serve as a “major repository” to preserve the Komba language and culture from extinction. For a people whose language and traditions face the risk of erosion, the Bible now stands as a living repository of the Komba language, preserving it for generations to come.

See the full story with pictures of the celebration.

For more on the lasting impact and ongoing need for Bible translation, read how Greenland got the Bible and how digital technology is bringing the Welsh Bible to more people (Christian Today).

Source: Mission Network News, March 2, 2026

Against a backdrop of anti-conversion laws and growing persecution, Christians in India are celebrating a recent win for religious freedom within the country.

In a ruling publicly released February 2, the high court over Utter Pradesh, India’s most populous state, stated that permission is not required for religious prayer gatherings held on private premises. The ruling came after petitions were filed by two Christian organizations, in response to frequent police disruptions of prayer meetings on private property.

“There was an act by a couple of states to try to even illegalize, basically, prayer in the home. They’re trying to attack the house churches and small groups or fellowships that are meeting in homes,” says John Pudaite of Bibles for the World. “It’s a tough situation there for the body of Christ when they can be dragged out of a church or a worship.”

The court ruling was based on the Indian Constitution, which states individuals have the freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion. This decision offers hope to Christians in India in the face of anti-conversion laws, which have been used to unjustly arrest religious leaders and have fueled persecution against Christ.

Read the full story.

Source: To Every Tribe, January 26, 2026

Jesus told Peter that he would build his church, and Satan would not be able to stop him. To Every Tribe missionaries are working to strengthen existing churches and plant new ones where needed, so that those who become believers have a local gathering of their new brothers and sisters in Christ to grow with.

For the last five years, I’ve worked as a missionary in a small town in Northwest Ontario, Canada, called Sioux Lookout. My goal as a missionary in Canada is to see First Nations people believe the gospel and become members of a biblical, First Nations-led local church.

Before becoming a missionary and joining a First Nations-led church, I had mostly been part of churches with a more structured order of service, where a few predetermined individuals, such as pastors and worship leaders, would lead in speaking or singing.

But being part of this First Nations-led church has helped me see how Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 14:26 can also play out in a different way. Each person in the church is there with various abilities and gifts to use during the service. Seeing this lived out in Sioux Lookout has helped me understand Paul’s words in a new light.

Read the full story.

See also The Fields Are White for Harvest which describes ministry efforts among Arctic Canada’s Inuit people (Ethnos360). While you’re there, you might want to peruse other articles in the recent Arctic-focused edition of the Ethnos360 magazine.