A noticeable and disturbing trend that is beginning to catch the attention of church consultants, coaches and denominational leaders is that believers are losing interest in church. Not only is there an avoidance of church by many unbelievers, there is…
Don’t just tell me what you believe: Evangelical worship, part 1
Every week I plan worship for my church’s worship services. Our church has four of them; one is traditional, led by choir and orchestra, and the other three are modern, led by band and vocal teams. We are, for the…
This Lent, try using the ‘F’ word more
I don’t always use the “F” word, but when I do, it frequently happens to be Lent. What I like most about using the “F” word is that it has so many different meanings, connotations and contexts to it. It…
Essential practices for young congregations, part 2
Impacting the Vitality and Vibrancy of Churches For Decades to Come The ministry practices congregations establish during their first seven years of life, that must be re-envisioned and renewed every seven years thereafter, are institutionalized by the time congregations are…
Killing Kelly: An open letter to Georgia’s Christian citizens
By David Gushee Follow David: @dpgushee Dear Georgia’s Christian Citizens: Unless something dramatic changes, tonight, March 2, your employees in the Georgia prison system, enforcing your laws, paid by your tax dollars, will take a Christian woman named Kelly Gissendaner…
De-toxifying charity: Taking steps to make your mission and ministry projects more effective
In his popular book, Toxic Charity, Robert Lupton challenges churches and other charities to reconsider and revise their mission strategies in order to make them more effective. If a church deems Lupton’s assessments to be valid, what are the steps…
What Ash Wednesday taught me about drones
Ashes Unveil What’s Inside of Me From ashes I come, and to ashes I will return. Last week, like many, I participated in an Ash Wednesday service. A time to stop. A time to recognize like all those who have…
All politics is local? Forget it.
By John Chandler During Singapore’s recent World Cities Summit, National Geographic’s Jeremy Bentham opined on some of the megatrends of ascending urban migration. Noting that the United Nations projects that the world’s population will grow from roughly seven billion today…
Choosing sides, teams or labels in the CBF serves no purpose
A recent BNG article reported a seminary professor’s comments on the “moderate” label for some in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. In the 1990s I was a student at Southern Seminary in Louisville. The Southern Baptist Convention decided to create a…
Essential practices for young congregations
Part One Impacting the Vitality and Vibrancy of Churches For Decades to Come The ministry practices congregations establish during their first seven years of life, that must be re-envisioned and renewed every seven years thereafter, are institutionalized by the time…
There’s no danger in raising questions
By Starlette McNeill This week, I presented on the topic “The Double-Minded Church: Spiritual Formation and the Impractical Theology of Race” at ChurchWorks, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship conference for ministers of education and spiritual formation. I know. The title is…
Does loving my neighbor mean I have to be wrong?
Just the facts, ma’am Driving an automobile has been the source of an ongoing life lesson lately, and I’m pretty much ready to have the lesson learned and move on. Last weekend I had taken my son to Miami for…