Top headlines to know this week

Welcome to The Weekly, produced by TAB Media Group, which publishes The Alabama Baptist and The Baptist Paper. Each episode features news headlines read by TAB Media Group staff and volunteers. New episodes are released weekly on Wednesday mornings. Articles featured in this episode:

What does it mean to belong to a church?

Homeless World Cup: How a ‘beautiful game’ is changing lives across the globe

Lifeline’s Heritage Builders helps foster-care children

Mother’s faith grows amid ‘deepest grief’ after son’s murder

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Annual rodeo raises money for missions, ministry efforts

July 24, 2026

As grandstand lights illuminate the summer sky behind Polkville Baptist Church each June, thousands of spectators gather for an event that might seem unexpected for a local congregation: a professional rodeo.

Number of Americans seeing religion as positive influence is falling, study shows

July 24, 2026

Most U.S. adults believe the country would benefit from having a little more religion, but their number is falling.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak becomes fastest-spreading on record

July 24, 2026

Congo’s Ebola outbreak is the fastest-growing on record. The death toll has surpassed 1,000 fatalities in just over two months, according to the World Health Organization and Congo’s Ministry of Health.

First person: Reflecting on our ‘great out west adventure’ and life lessons

July 24, 2026

My family, especially me, still talks about our “great out west adventure” that covered more than 5,000 miles. We took the trip nearly a decade ago, but I fondly remember it like it happened earlier this summer — especially the part of the trip on Route 66.