Church Leadership Radar - Friday, July 17, 2026

It's Friday, July 17, 2026 — here's your daily catch-up on what matters in church leadership. Today's stories: Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church issues a public statement following a pre-dawn federal raid of his home — and what every church leader should ask themselves about their own governance and documentation. A group of current and former members of New York's historic Abyssinian Baptist Church file an appellate brief challenging their senior pastor's 2024 election — a bylaws dispute that every church should pay attention to. Churches are adopting AI tools without formal policies — and the legal exposure is real. Copyright questions, privacy risks, employment law implications, and governance gaps your board needs to address. The Bright Spot: 22 people responded to the gospel during a week-long mission trip in Mexico through a partnership between an American church team and local pastors on the ground. Source Links: Greg Locke Federal Raid Coverage Abyssinian Baptist Church Governance Dispute AI Legal Risks for Churches Subscribe to the Church Leadership Radar Newsletter: churchleadershipradar.com Listen to the Healthy Church Staff Podcast: healthychurchstaff.com