SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE SUNDAY MAY 3rd, 2026

Evangelist Marilyn Hickey passes
Teacher and Evangelist Marilyn Hickey has passed. Her passing was announced last week on the ministry’s social media pages. Hickey ministered and taught on radio and television for more than 50 years, paving the way for women everywhere to have teaching ministries in the media. She ministered in over 140 countries in her mission to “cover the earth with God’s Word” and find common ground for people of different cultures, faiths, and governments. She authored more than 100 books and ministered with her daughter, Sara Bowling, in her weekly broadcast and at various ministry events. Marilyn Hickey was 94 years old.  

Christian group announces latests persecution stats
he Voice of the Martyr is reporting a rise in persecution. The organization reported various attacks on Christians in Nigeria, which occurred prior to Resurrection Sunday. Sixty Christians were killed in the attacks. Watchdog groups are calling for pressure on the Nigerian government to protect them from continued persecution. Christians were also attacked in Syria. Organizations working with Christians in that country say the number of Christians has dwindled significantly.  Syria once had almost 2,000,000 Christians, but watchdogs are now reporting only 300,000 Christians remain in that nation.  

President announces ceasefire
President Trump has announced another ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist group Hezbollah. The president announced recently the peace deal would extend by three weeks and used the announcement to warn Iran not to give funding to the terrorist group.  He also repeated that Israel has every right to defend itself from enemies on all sides. Israeli officials did confirm the news but say they are interested in a peaceful negotiation without Hezbollah leadership.  

SNBC HEALTH: What if aging isn’t decline?
Aging in later life is often portrayed as a steady slide toward physical and cognitive decline. But a new study by scientists at Yale University suggests an alternate narrative — that older individuals can and do improve over time, and their mindset toward aging plays a major part in their success. In a study of over 11,000 older Americans, lead author Dr. Becca R. Levy, PhD, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH), found that nearly half of adults aged 65 and older showed measurable improvement in cognitive function, physical function, or both, over time.  The improvements were linked to a powerful but often overlooked factor: how people think about aging itself.  “Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” said Dr. Levy.  Improvement in later life is not rare; it’s common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process.  Over a follow-up period of up to 12 years, 45% of participants improved in at least one of the two domains, according to the study.  They found that those with more positive age beliefs were significantly more likely to show improvements in both cognition and walking speed, even after accounting for factors such as age, sex, education, or chronic disease. Dr. Levy’s prior studies have found negative age beliefs predict poorer memory, slower walking speed, higher cardiovascular risk, and biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  The authors hope their findings will reverse the popular perception that continuous decline is inevitable and encourage policy makers to increase their support for preventive care, rehabilitation, and other health-promoting programs for older persons that draw on their potential resilience.  

SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE SUNDAY APRIL 26th, 2026

Court rules in favor of Texas state law
A federal court has upheld a Texas state law. Texas representatives voted in favor of the Ten Commandments being displayed in all classrooms in the state as part of the school curriculum. Critics claimed the law was a violation, arguing the separation of church and state. Supporters claim the display is to acknowledge that U.S. laws were created based on the Bible, but not as a form of intimidation for non-Christians. The justice in the case agreed, upholding the law. Attorneys defending the law say the ruling proves that the historic foundation of U.S. laws is not only allowed, but consistent with the Constitution. 

America Reads the Bible event kicks off
Washington, D.C., leaders and well-known public figures participated in a special week-long event.
The Museum of the Bible was the host location for the week as notable figures read the Bible. This is part of the festivities for the nation’s 250 birthday celebration. The event is designed to help Americans recognize the source of America’s morals and law foundations; The Bible. America reads the Bible was held from April 18-25 and featured speakers reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Each speaker would read assigned passages either live or on a recorded message. Speakers included President Trump, U.S. officials, public figures, and those in the Christian community. 

 
Bible readers surveyed
According to a new study almost half of U.S. citizens have read the entire Bible. The American Bible Society released a recent study on how many Americans study the Bible and have read at least half of it.  The study found half of the group had read 48 percent of the entire Bible. The remaining group surveyed found 14 percent read the Bible and consistently read scriptures. The study reports a small spike in the number of readers of the Bible on a consistent basis. The numbers are believed to be moving due to ongoing revival in the nation, which started on college campuses in 2023 and continues to grow across the U.S.  

SNBC Health report: the health benefits of tomatoes and heart health
According to reports, tomatoes could be an effective part of your health regimen to protect the heart. Tomatoes contain lycopene, folate, potassium, and vitamins A, B, C, and E. These nutrients are all proven to have properties that benefit the heart. Though consumed mainly in savory dishes, tomatoes are considered a fruit. They are rich in fiber and the lycopene in tomatoes can be absorbed better when paired with certain oils.  Tomatoes can be consumed raw or cooked, but researchers advise consuming them as close to the original form as possible to receive all its nutrients.  

SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE SUNDAY APRIL 19th, 2026

President announces ceasefire against Iran
President Trump has announced a tentative ceasefire with Iran as negotiations continued between the U.S., Israel and Iran. So far Iranian officials have refused to accept the terms of the peace agreement. The main sore spot Iran’s refusal to stop developing its nuclear weapons program. Despite over 90 percent of their program being destroyed, Iranian officials still refuse to completely shut down the program. President Trump has come up with alternatives to make negotiations continue. The president recently announced Iranian ports will now be blocked. This will prevent valuable resources from that nation from getting in or out. Supporters of this tactic hope this will bring Iran back to the table and finally agree to the terms specified by Israel and the U.S. 

Pastor arrested for ministering the Gospel
A pastor in Great Britain is fighting back after being arrested and harassed by police. Pastor Dia Moodley was held and interrogated for several hours following the pastor speaking in public. Pastor Moodley was arrested following him witnessing in the streets of Bristol. Police claim the pastor was targeting Muslims by witnessing the Gospel in a public area where Muslim citizens may pass by. Officials claim the pastor was “inciting religious hatred” Moodley was arrested and later held in police custody for eight hours. The pastor says that police later came to his home and questioned him. The visit was part of a criminal investigation against him. Pastor Moodley is now being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom International. Attorneys say these so-called blasphemy laws are being used to target and silence Christians.  Moodley’s attorneys also pointed out that the pastor was accosted several times by passersby, including one that threatened to stab him if he continued preaching. According to attorneys, no charges have been filed against those individuals.  

 
UNITE US reports more souls won for Jesus
UNITE US is reporting another large group of students giving their lives to Christ. The group held a witnessing event at Samford University in Alabama.  The outreach was held in the school’s arena.
64 students accepted Christ as their Savior, with a large baptism following the event. The ministry reports that students across the U.S. are hungry for the Word of God.  There was a large response to events at Florida State University and the University of Pittsburgh.  Both events had thousands of students attending with hundreds accepting Christ as their Savior and being baptized as a declaration of their new faith in Christ. 

SNBC Health report: the importance of faith and mental health in public schools
A new movement is growing across the U.S. Public schools across the country are shunning woke trends and returning to faith. Several public-school districts are approving the use of Chaplains to counsel students and check on their mental health. Faith-based counseling is growing after a rise in student suicides. Supporters say that chaplains are able to help students cope with difficult situations and find solutions to their problems. Counselors are using coping mechanisms found in the Word of God to prevent self-harm and long-term issues. Several schools in Colorado, Arizona, Florida and across the U.S. are now adding ministers to their school staff.  Supporters believe this method will reduce the number of student suicides and make a difference in the lives of students.  

SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE SUNDAY APRIL 12th, 2026

IOC bans trans athletes from competition in women’s events
The International Olympic Committee has announced an official ban on trans athletes in women’s sports. The presiding board announced that only biological female athletes will be allowed to compete in the upcoming 2028 Olympics and qualifying competitions. The group, in addition to the announcement, gave more specifics concerning the qualifications for competition. All athletes will be subject to DNA testing to prove they are eligible to compete in the women’s category. Supporters of the ban praised the move as protection for women’s sports. The IOC will allow each sport's governing body to allow or exclude athletes based on their own rules, but Olympic qualifying competitions will be limited to female athletes. 

 Pastor wins case against city in Ohio
A pastor has won a legal case after a three-year battle. Pastor Chris Avell has been in a legal dispute with the city of Bryan, Ohio over his ministry’s work with the homeless. Avell says that his homeless ministry, Dad’s Place, was banned from serving the homeless by city officials.  Officials claimed the church had several zoning violations and restrictions banning them from housing the homeless. A justice in the case ruled there was clear biased against the church. Justice James Bates pointed out that other businesses had been awarded special permission to help the homeless; a privilege that was denied to the church. Attorneys for the church say they hope they can now serve the community in peace. 

Resurrection Sunday witnessing event draws large crowds
A large witnessing event was held in Times Square in New York, with organizers calling it the first of its kind.  Pastor Mike Signorelli held a large-scale Resurrection Sunday service attended by hundreds.  
The event was the first of its kind according to the organizers. 40 thousand people also reportedly attended the service online. The pastor says that this event was designed to be a light in the darkness in the city of New York. Signorelli says that he is praying for change in New York City and around the U.S. 600 people accepted Christ as their Savior during the event. 
 

SNBC Health report: more health benefits are being discovered from Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV is a good source of helping with digestion and aiding in improving gut health. It can also help reduce diabetic symptoms. It can be used as a facial toner, disinfectant when brushing your teeth, calming acid reflux, and helping with upset stomach. It can also aid in soothing a sore throat.  The best kind of apple cider vinegar to use is the kind that has the mother (a mix of beneficial enzymes, proteins, and good bacteria). Organic or all natural is recommended. Nutritionists also advise keeping in mind that ACV is highly acidic and may need to be taken in small doses. 

SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE SUNDAY APRIL 5th, 2026

Police investigate synagogue attack in London
Investigators in London are looking for suspects following an attack outside a London synagogue. Four ambulances were set on fire, causing an explosion in front of the synagogue. The explosion shattered windows in nearby windows, but no one was seriously hurt. The ambulances destroyed were a part of a Jewish medical charity organization. The attack is currently being investigated by the British counter-terrorism division.  Investigators have announced they are looking for 3 suspects connected to the attack. There has been a rise in antisemitism and attacks on the Jewish community since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked at killed 12-hundred people, mostly Israeli civilians.  

Father sues after ban from school
A father in Michigan is suing after a school accused him of trespassing. Gary Shane Pruitt sued Gross Pointe Public School System after he was accused of trespassing officials. Pruitt says he attended a school event and saw several LGBT flags on display. The father says the display was inappropriate for young children. He later used his cellphone to record the flags on the school grounds. Following an attempt to speak about his issues with the LGBT flag in the school was unsuccessful, Pruitt posted the videos on social media. Following the post, the school banned Pruitt from the school grounds. Officials claimed the father intimidated, harassed, and put students in harm's way with his posts. Pruitt says he wants the accusations and statements made by school officials against him withdrawn. 

Revival continues to move throughout the world
In Mexico dozens of Christians took to beach resort areas to witness the Gospel of Jesus. Outreach volunteers with Reach Cancun witnessed those on the beach, to staff and guests at the hotels.  
The team says they had many opportunities to witness the Gospel and several accepted Christ of their Savior. 22 new Christians were later baptized in the ocean as a testament to their new faith. In Texas students at two universities made the choice to follow Christ. Jay Lowder of Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries reported standing room only crowds full of students at a recent event. According to organizers, the event at Stephen F. Austin State University ended with over 500 students accepting Christ as their Savior. Students at Abilene Chrisitan University showed up for a witnessing event. One thousand students attended with 80 later giving their lives to Christ. 

SNBC Health report: link between Vitamin D and respiratory issues
A recent study found a link between Vitamin D and reduced risk of respiratory issues. The report followed patients in the United Kingdom and found that one in six UK citizens had a deficiency in vitamin D. This issue led to various health problems including pneumonia and bronchitis. Researchers followed subjects who took daily supplements and found issues with respiratory illnesses lowered by 16 percent compared to those who took the placebo. Most patients showed improvements after four months. Researchers advise talking in foods that are rich in vitamin D, walking outdoors in sunlight, and monitoring your vitamin D levels.