Jason slipped into a seat at the back of the worship center just after the choir entered. This was his first time at worship this month. He grew up in church as part of a family present practically every time…
Five things that might happen if your church never got another member
By Derek Penwell My dad was six-foot-one-a fair sized man. As a child I thought he was pretty much what God intended when creating men. Big. Strong. Smart. Obviously, my dad was a lot of things I wanted to be….
Mundane work, internal politics drive many from church, experts say
By Jeff Brumley A team of sociologists in Colorado say they were stunned recently by data showing a growing wave of once-dedicated church goers leaving their congregations. Their findings inspired the now-popular term “dones,” denoting Christians deciding to go it alone on…
You’ve met the ‘nones.’ Now meet the ‘dones.’
By Jeff Brumley It figures. Just as churches, seminaries and congregational consultants were wrapping their heads around the concept of “the nones” in religious life, yet another term emerges for yet another category of Americans abandoning the church: “the dones.”…
No longer singing alone
By Amy Butler Last Sunday I stood at the front of the church, as I do most weeks, to welcome the community to worship. After I finished my remarks, I made my way to my seat on the side of…
The end of church membership?
By John Chandler While visiting friends last spring, Mary and I were invited to worship at a Presbyterian church. Our friends were active and enthusiastic members, and their invitation reminded me of an old truth — that far and away…