Journalist · 1 articles indexed on Christgiving
Payton Lechner is a bylined journalist whose reporting appears on Christgiving. We aggregate Payton Lechner's work from trusted local sources with full attribution, linking back to the original publisher. To learn more about how we select and review stories, see our editorial standards.
Affiliated with: Mission Network News
USA (MNN)—From June 29 to July 4, indigenous young adults from across North America will gather together for five days of learning who Jesus is—and who he isn’t—at the Warrior Leadership Summit (WLS).
Recent reporting and curated coverage across every beat we cover.
Countries: Iran (Islamic Republic of), Afghanistan . Essential civilian infrastructure has been damaged, exacerbating deep humanitarian needs, warned Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) during a visit to the country. “Families here in Iran, both vulnerable Iranians
. This Short Update describes events occurring in Daw Hpah Hkoh (Thandaungyi) Township, Taw Oo (Toungoo) District. On 13 February 2026, the Burma Army dropped two bombs from a drone into Ab--- village, Way Htoo village tract, damaging six villagers’ houses. Then, on 28 March 2026, the Burma Army dro
![Philippines: Mayon Volcano Summary of 24Hr Observation 1 June 2026 12:00 AM [EN/TL]](https://reliefweb.int/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/previews/77/2e/772eee32-c2d6-4623-9253-a83a8957b9e1.png)
.
.
For generations, it was a given that women in the church outnumbered men, both in the pews and in volunteer service. But this reality is shifting. According to Barna, as of 2025, 43 percent of American men attend church regularly, while only 36 percent of women do. Unfortunately, this isn’t simply b
USA (MNN)—From June 29 to July 4, indigenous young adults from across North America will gather together for five days of learning who Jesus is—and who he isn’t—at the Warrior Leadership Summit (WLS). The event is an annual leadership and discipleship conference for Native American youth. “A lot of
China (MNN) — Chinese believers continue to need strategic prayer from Christians around the world. And the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, observed every May 24, provides a helpful opportunity to focus on the needs of the Chinese Church. China Partner's Erik Burklin says: “I think God
India (MNN) — Consequences from the May 2023 ethnic violence in India’s Manipur State continue. A surge of kidnappings, attacks, and killings over the past two months has shaken the region yet again. The clashes first came between the chiefly Hindu Meiteis in political power and the primarily Christ
The Gospel Coalition invites young adults to reflect on and write about kicking unhealthy habits, committing to the church, and staying human in an AI world. Writers aged 16–25 (born between 2001 and 2010) may submit their essay to this summer’s essay contest. The winning writers will receive a priz
. Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Minister of Communication and Medias, and the visit of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. This high-level visit comes at a challenging time, as the country responds to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The Ministry of Health repo
.
. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “Two weeks after the declaration of the Ebola disease outbreak in Ituri Province, the situation is deeply alarming and a legitimate source of anxiety for communities and frontline health workers alike. Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon aft
. KEY MESSAGES • Air attacks and damage to energy infrastructure from 2022 to 2025 had a significant and multifaceted impact on the functioning of the economy, financial infrastructure, and local markets. In particular, they limited the operating hours of local shops and financial service providers.
. Description of the Event Date of event 16-08-2025What happened, where and when? Heavy monsoon rains were triggered in June 2025 with severe flash flooding across Pakistan, initially affecting Gilgit Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The situation e
Countries: Kenya, Ethiopia . Description of the Event Date of event 15-11-2025What happened, where and when? On 15 November 2025, the Ethiopia Public Health Institute (EPHI) confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) following laboratory testing of samples collected from a cluster of suspe
. A. SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis In late 2025, the Philippines faced a series of overlapping disasters that significantly escalated the humanitarian needs on the ground. A powerful earthquake in Cebu province marked the onset of the humanitarian crisis, followed by Typhoons Tino (Ka
. Government institutions, United Nations agencies, and national stakeholders gathered in Cairo for a national workshop jointly organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in coordination with the National Committee
. Description of the Event Date of event 30-09-2025What happened, where and when? On the 30 of September 2025, at precisely 9:59 PM, a strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Bogo City, marking it as the strongest recorded earthquake in Cebu province to date. The epicentre was locate
. Key Messages Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes remain widespread across Honduras, with Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes emerging in the Dry Corridor between June and September as above-average prices, below-average labor demand, and previous harvest losses exacerbate seasonal trends. While many househo
There’s a Mother’s Day meme that says, “Mom, we’ve hired a few people to fill in for you while you relax on Mother’s Day.” The picture is crowded with eight people — from a taxi driver to a chef — trying to do everything a mother does! A young husband laughs at that funny meme. But then, at some poi
If I wanted to learn more about how the cultural values of 1950s and ’60s America have shaped contemporary literary fiction, I might ask Google or ChatGPT for an overview. The search results might present accurate and balanced information on America’s democratic tradition and the other community val
As U.S. President Donald Trump flew home from Beijing after meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, we recorded this timely VOM Radio conversation with Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, to provide a current update about our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in China. Chinese Chr
Paul doesn’t just want Christians to know the truths of the Bible — he wants us to set our minds on them. But what does that mean, and how do we do it?Watch Now
Reading God’s providence rightly takes great faith in the power and wisdom of God, and communicating it kindly takes great humility. Paul displays both.Watch Now
This month, Catholic bishops from Pakistan visited the Vatican for their special Ad Limina visit. The group included three archbishops, four bishops, and a cardinal. During the visit, the bishops went to different Vatican departments to submit their reports and meet with Pope Leo XIV. Bishop Samson
By Pieter Vermeulen, ICC Board Member, as part of a series, “Persecuted but not Forsaken.” As we reach the final biblical foundation of this series, the Book of Revelation brings us into a remarkable scene. Throughout Scripture, we have seen the pattern unfold. Abel’s blood cried out from the ground
G. Sudharshan lives with his wife, Renuka, and his children, aged 8 and 5, in a half-built rental house on the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. He drives an auto rickshaw—a motorized version of a pulled rickshaw—while his wife works as a domestic helper in a nearby upscale neighbo
This piece was adapted from CT’s books newsletter. Subscribe here. Sissy Goff and David Thomas, Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience (Bethany House, 2026) In Capable, family therapists Sissy Goff and David Thomas observe the trend of today’s kids
The Syllabus is a column that features student opinions on timely national and international topics. We aim to highlight how evangelical students in the US are thinking about important issues and how the Christian faith informs their worldview. Students should use this link to submit a response for
Last week, Emmanuel Nwachukwu showed how Christians are coping after the loss of their church communities in Omdurman. Today, he describes the war’s impact on Christian families split apart by violence. In April 2023, Kilani Rahama heard gunshots crack through the air as he walked to church in Port
Why does Christ suddenly seem beautiful to some but not others? John Piper shows from John 3:1–10 how the Spirit makes Christ irresistibly compelling.Watch Now
“I just never got around to it.” This must be one of the worst thoughts of those tormented in hell who heard the gospel in life. They passed through church doors a few times. Maybe they even admitted they were sinners. They were open to being saved — really, they were — and even planned on getting a
How do we move forward when everything around us is crumbling? How do we hold on to hope? Drawing from her experience of losing an infant son, losing her marriage, and being diagnosed with a debilitating disease, Vaneetha Rendall Risner shares questions she asked God in suffering, the beautiful ways
DRC (MNN) – In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), entire Christian communities are running into the jungle with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Earlier this month, more than 80 Christians were killed in a series of Islamist attacks. “It’s really chilling, that’s for sure,” says
USA (MNN) — New findings from Barna Research show that 48 percent of practicing Christians trust their spiritual growth to artificial intelligence. One in three U.S. adults says AI is just as reliable as a pastor for guidance. Keys for Kids Ministries’ Greg Yoder calls the findings a bad sign. “It b