The past three decades brought a proliferation of where congregations assemble in the United States. What can we expect in the coming decade? 1. Increasing importance of church buildings. John Chandler “Here is the church, here is the steeple; open…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Larry Leader watches and learns
t all started with a Yogi Berra quote, of all things. After another long day on the job, Larry Leader is watching a little TV. His small construction business is beginning to pick up again but finding new jobs feels…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Churches lost $1.2 billion in recession
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Even as membership remains relatively stable in U.S. churches, the effects of the recession have caused contributions to drop by $1.2 billion. According to the 2012 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, the almost $29 billion contributed by church…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Getting to the core of a church budget
Baptists are starting a ministry for this, a committee for that, and taking a missions trip here or there. It all looks good—but in the end, finance committees are crunching the numbers and, whoops—the money isn’t there. Again. “Churches lack…
OUT LOUD
“If you don’t love America, if you don’t like the way we do things, I have one thing to say—get out! We don’t worship Buddha … we don’t worship Muhammad, we don’t worship Allah, we worship God, we worship God’s…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Report says church giving on the rebound
WASHINGTON (RNS)—The recession and a sluggish recovery have made for a lighter collection plate in recent years, but a new study shows that giving to U.S. congregations bounced back in 2011 as the economy improved. According to the fourth annual…
OPINION: Diversity, unity and reconciliation
“God bless you if you do, God help you if you don’t.” These words came as a challenge from Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance during his Friday sermon at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina’s…
HeraldBeat
GOT NEWS? Send information for this page to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Even better — add the Herald to your church’s newsletter email list, send us a link to your online newsletter or mail your newsletter to…
Religious freedom ambassador settles into role
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Nearly a year into her stint as the State Department’s point person on religious freedom, former Baptist minister Suzan Johnson Cook has traveled to eight countries and seems to have moved beyond questions about her lack of…
Religious freedom ambassador adapts to role
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Nearly a year into her stint as the State Department’s point person on religious freedom, former Baptist minister Suzan Johnson Cook has traveled to eight countries and seems to have moved beyond questions about her lack of…
Peace group opposes war with Iran
By Bob Allen Directors of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America adopted a statement March 28 urging “diplomacy over bombs” in the United States’ relations with Iran. “The people of the United States have been living in a state…
Southeastern Seminary rallies support for gay-marriage ban
By Bob Allen Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary devoted a special chapel service March 28 to rally support for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in North Carolina. Richard Land Keynote speaker Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s…