The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the decline facing most congregations in America, but the effects are not evenly distributed among all churches, according to the most comprehensive study to date of the pandemic and congregational life. The “Exploring the Pandemic…
10 observations about church health for the next chapter of ministry
I believe in the local church. Despite its foibles, the local church is where the action is in the demonstration of love and grace. It is the place and space where faith is formed, life is shared, and ministry is…
Need good news? Here are 10 reasons to feel optimistic about church
I needed some good news. Working with congregations and clergy these days is often an exercise in encouraging the discouraged. And sometimes, even the encourager gets discouraged. Data, surveys, media and real-life experiences combine to paint a bleak picture for…
Four viruses of the pre-COVID church and their vaccines
Romans 8:28 says God works all things together for good, not that God causes all things. I suspect God is even more grieved over this coronavirus afflicting this world than any of us, given God’s great love for humankind. So,…
Jason may be an obscure biblical character, but he offers insight for today’s church
The spirit of Jason is one of adventure and a willingness to embrace the possibility of the new, a spirit that embraces the upside-down way of Jesus. Maybe the church today needs more upside-down ways of thinking.
How our church doubled our Wednesday night attendance in one week
If Sunday and midweek attendance patterns are not going back to the 1950s, then every church should consider creative ways to engage people in the culture as it exists, not the culture in which our grandparents lived.
Unfocused: The name of these congregations is Legion
When I say, “Hello, my name is George, and I am a Facebook addict,” the proper response from a 12-step group is, “Hello, George.” I love posting on Facebook and sharing with folks what is going on, and particularly sharing…
A post-election invitation to action
Two weeks ago, Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon broke from their characters as presidential candidates on Saturday Night Live and spoke directly to their audience saying, “We cannot tell you how to cast your vote, but we can ask you:…
More than 80 percent of all church pastors should resign if …
The commonly accepted criteria for pastors’ leadership is that they bring a great vision with them when they become leader of a congregation, they know how to get people to follow their vision, and the results are a numerically growing,…