Clergy and church lay leaders make up an important subset of BNG’s regular readers, and our content reflects this as we often present articles addressing the inner workings of church life.
These include both news articles and opinion pieces written by those with years of experience in church leadership.
In case you missed these, here are two dozen articles from this year that are especially relevant to church leadership in these changing times:
“The Congregational Staffing Crisis,” by Bill Wilson, explains how difficult it is to find the right church staff members today, especially for roles other than senior pastor.
“The Present Crisis for Church Staff,” by Mark Wingfield, addresses the challenge of adaptation in a post-COVID era and how church staffing likely needs to be rethought.
“Escaping the Current Double Bind in Church Leadership,” by Mark Tidsworth, speaks honestly of the competing forces of pandemic exhaustion and enthusiasm for the church.
“I Pray for a Day when the Ordination of Women Is No Longer a Concern,” by Amanda Clark, explains the author’s hope for women in ministry.
“On Women in Church Leadership: When You Know Better, You Do Better,” by Anna Sieges, unpacks the findings of Baptist Women in Ministry’s latest report.
“As Church Staff Roles Evolve, the SBC is Forced to Define the Word ‘Pastor’” explains how the male-headship theology of the most conservative part of the Southern Baptist Convention is running headlong into newer trends in church staff titles.
“Two Viruses Threaten the Life of the Southern Baptist Convention,” by Ellis Orozco, addresses the dangers of male hierarchy and dominion theology.
“When the Door Closes: Tips for Transitioning Out of A Ministry Role,” by Amy Brundle, gives first-person experience on career transition as more clergy step away from the church.
“How to Avoid Hiring A Toxic Pastor or Church Staff Member,” by Mark Wingfield, explores the dangers and warning signs of church staff members who might appear good on paper but are catastrophes inside the church.
“Catering to the Crazies,” by Bill Wilson, warns against letting unhinged people dictate a church’s agenda.
“Half of U.S. Congregations Led by Solo Pastor But That’s Not What Most Churchgoers Experience,” reports on national data showing the majority of U.S. churches are small but the majority of churchgoers attend large churches.
“I’d Rather Swim than Worship,” by Bill Wilson, addresses the growing trend of those who find other Sunday activities more compelling than what’s offered at church.
“Do You See What I See? Lots of Missing Church Members on Christmas Eve,” by Mark Wingfield, calls church leaders to intentional action on the many people who have fallen away from church attendance in the past three years.
“What to Do with the Nones?,” by Bill Wilson, addresses the big question of the year: How to think about and reach out to those who claim no religious affiliation.
“Let’s Consider the Moral Courage It Takes for Some to Reconnect with Church after the Pandemic,” by Mark Tidsworth, explains the fears people have about coming back to church after a long absence.
“Seven Suggestions for Preventing Conflict Before It Happens,” by Bill Wilson, offers practical tips to avoid needing intervention after a crisis blows up.
“Church Conflict 101,” by Bill Wilson, is a primer on the most common types of church conflict today.
“Do the Arts in Church Still Matter?” by Doug Haney, makes a case for beauty amid pragmatism in the church.
“What the Church Can Learn from Chad Powers,” by Patrick Wilson, uses a popular football player’s disguise to consider what an honest evaluation of the church might find.
“We Need More but Different Churches,” by Patrick Wilson, talks about the need for a variety of church styles and cultures to serve diverse people.
“Before You Make Church Property Decisions, Consider Your Mission and Calling” reports on a webinar where experts discussed the need for informed decision-making as churches figure out the best use of their greatest financial asset, their real estate.
“New Baylor Study Finds Pastors Not as Well Trained in Trauma Care as They Need to Be” discusses research into the types of trauma care pastors are called upon to deliver and the types of trauma care they feel trained to deliver.
“10 Suggestions for Welcoming A New Pastor,” by Barry Howard, offers congregations practical tips on embracing a new pastor.
“How A 5-minute Phone Call Changed My View of Being A Pastor,” by Zach Lambert, tells about the power of prayer and how a pastor was reminded of his highest calling as a shepherd to the flock.