When Facebook briefly rolled out a new Pride Flag emoji last month as a reaction option on users’ posts, some adopted it enthusiastically. Others asked for additional emojis — including a Christian cross.
Spontaneous Millennials can be tapped as bigger church givers, studies show
Millennials are more generous with their money in some cases than older Americans, a new report says. The study by the Barna Group examined motivations behind giving to various causes, including family needs, charitable giving and serving God. The findings…
Trump action won’t faze Cuban-U.S. church relations, pastor says
Donald Trump’s decision to negate the normalization of U.S.-Cuban relations may further American isolationism, but it will not sever the relationships between churches in the two countries. The “prophetic role of religious partnerships … will continue their fight for normalized…
Border wall, immigration among top concerns for Hispanic Baptists, leader says
President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, deteriorating relations with Mexico, and the arrests and deportations of immigrants — many from their own communities — strike at the heart of the Hispanic community.
Political parties and denominations share key trends in post-Christian age
As a congregational coach and clergy consultant, Mark Tidsworth is always looking for ways to illustrate to his clients how society and the world are constantly shifting around them. But he hadn’t expected to find such lessons embedded in new…
Baptists, of all people, should embrace creation care, activists say
With their emphasis on water in baptism, Baptists, like other Christians, have the language and ancient practices that are helpful in bringing people into a more meaningful relationship with the elements that give life.
Psychologists have a name for the emotional impact of a Trump presidency. Pastors offer a cure.
Pastors are seeing a surge in church members, colleagues and friends emotionally battered from months of relentless dread generated by national politics. Psychologists have even coined a term for it: Trump anxiety. Julie Pennington-Russell has seen plenty of it. Recently,…
Former Southern Baptist youth pastor, now LGBTQ activist, booted from annual SBC meeting
Brandan Robertson said he has yet to become fully accustomed to the feelings of public condemnation and rejection that come with his work as a bisexual Christian seeking LGBTQ inclusion in evangelical churches. Robertson, 24 and a former Southern Baptist…
In U.S., post-Christian cities overtaking Bible-believing urban areas
Used to be, research and polling organizations interested in American religious life regularly documented how much Christians are, or aren’t, going to church. The Barna Group did just that in a recent survey which found that residents of Chattanooga, Tenn.;…
Author dispels small thinking behind small-church myths
A lot of Christians share the assumption that the bigger the church, the more blessed it is. One of the biggest flaws in that assumption is that it’s poor theology. “God is not more concentrated because there are more of…
‘Tiny House Nation’ helps Baptist minister launch Hawaii retreat center
A very small home, a pastor’s Baptist identity and her evolving spiritual direction have found unlikely expression on the hit reality series “Tiny House Nation.”
Research finds Americans are obsessing over morality — again
The human penchant for worrying about the state of morality is ageless. In the 1950s, the popularity of rolled-up jeans, slicked back hair and rock’n’roll music frightened Americans so much that many feared juvenile delinquency would be the ruin of…
Besides gore, zombie films offer rich spiritual formation lessons, prof says
Zombie dramas are known for being full of blood and guts, horror and death — lots and lots of death. But is it possible they also offer lessons in ethics and spiritual formation? Greg Garrett, a Baylor University professor, author and…
Songwriter sees ‘good news’ in declining role of church music
Some people were surprised — and worried — to learn from an April poll that sermons are a much stronger draw to church attendance than music. And it was worse than that for music lovers. The Gallup survey presented a list of…