There is a difference between ‘church work’ and ‘the work of the church’. For many churchless believers, they are weary of the ‘busyness of churchwork’ and hungry to engage the mystery of the ‘work of the church’. The ‘work of…
21st century ministry: Like growing potatoes on Mars
While engaged in a conversation with some of my closest colleagues about the changes and challenges of pastoral ministry, Bill Wilson, Director of the Center for Healthy Churches, made a comment that summarized some thoughts that had been simmering in…
Your congregation needs to know what Lyle Schaller taught me about vision
The father of post World War II practical church consulting, Lyle Schaller, was my most significant consulting mentor and spoke prophetically into my life. He taught me amazing things about congregations, how to consult with them, and how to bring…
Churchless Believers: A fresh path for engaging inactive members
A notable prevalent trend among church life is about half or more of members are absent from church services on any given week. In fact, in many traditions, most cannot even locate half or more of their membership. Could it…
Churchless believers – Searching for anchors for the next phase of life
Churchless believers is an unfolding conversation I’m having with some colleagues, neighbors, friends and churches. The more we talk, the more dimensions appear that intrigue me and help me understand and possibly explain some of what is going on in…
Brace yourself: It’s the ‘post-everything’ age, say church leaders
By Jeff Brumley Churches already overwhelmed by the postmodern, post-denominational and post-Christian eras should brace themselves, experts say, for another layer of change: the “post-everything” age. That’s the term Baptist pastor and congregational coach Mark Tidsworth uses to roll together…
The genericization of the evangelical church
By Mark Wingfield Is it possible that America’s evangelical churches have merely traded one form of uniformity for another? One of the criticisms of the old model of churches driven by denominational identity is that they were all the same….
Millennial ministry: It’s time we drop the adjective
By Aileen Lawrimore Collegiate ministry. My Facebook newsfeed is full of articles that have something to say about ministry to or with young adults (often referred to formally as Millennials). And if you read BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post or other…
Churchless believers?
Emerging Paths for Fresh Ministries The religious and church landscape is definitely shifting today! We have the traditional members and churches, the missional communities of faith, the multi-site congregations, workplace ministries and a growing host of faith-based non-profits and para-church…
Moving beyond denial to determination: Pathway of engaging newcomers
With church attendance on the decline in many communities and an increasing disinterest in church attendance and membership, newcomers, visitors/guests are a rare and seemingly desired and valued group by churches today. I have been in a clergy role, lay…
People moving around less; Baptist News Global asks what that means for today’s churches
“Doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore?” Carole King asked musically. Well, researchers at the Barna Group have the answer: More and more Americans are doing so. And Jeff Brumley of the Baptist News Global operation looks at whether people…
What’s in a name? Religious nones and the American religious landscape
Over the last several years the term religious “Nones” has become a major topic of discussion and analysis by those who pay attention to religious trends.