Trinity Baptist Church in Lebanon, New Hampshire, had twelve people in worship yesterday. Ten adults and two children. We sang, we prayed, we greeted one another. They listened to my sermon. We all stayed for lunch, then gathered for another…
Unprofessional Christianity
Quitting your job is scary and hard and weird and exciting and nauseating, but when you’re a pastor, it’s a lot like leaving a cult. For most people, the phrase “You know, it was just time” is a sufficient…
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…
The truth about the church and social justice
What a time to be alive in American history. Political tensions are high, racial tensions are high, sexual orientation tensions are high… people are fighting for their beliefs with passion and commitment on both sides, and that in and of…
How to be a family of faith
Twenty years ago our congregation adopted five core values. The one which speaks to our internal relationships says, “In relationships…Family.” Our church covenant expands this core value: As a group of gathered believers, we understand ourselves to be a part…
One millennial’s response to the recent Pew Research findings
My name is Seth Vopat, I am a husband and father of two boys, who happens to work in ministry as well. At age 33, I belong to the millennial generation which continues to make headline news. I continue to…
Missions: Almost an out-of-body experience
[This is the third (missions) of a nine-part series on empowering a faith community to impact the world. Already hospitality and evangelism have been explored.] You’ve been there before. It’s that place of connection and you realize God is surreptitiously…
Want millennials back in the pews? Stop trying to make church ‘cool.’
Rachel Held Evans is a blogger and the author of “Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church.” Bass reverberates through the auditorium floor as a heavily bearded worship leader pauses to invite the congregation, bathed in the light…
Is your church a window-seat or aisle-seat church?
I had my choice between the window seat and the aisle seat. Sitting by the window offers a great view, but it makes me feel cramped, if not trapped. There are benefits to the aisle seat. You have greater freedom…
Understanding the role of your pastor
Churches on the chamber of commerce list
Economic development. Networking. Community engagement. These phrases may come to mind when someone thinks about chambers of commerce. Varying in size and capacity, they mobilize businesses and organizations in order to promote economic growth. And, yes, they’re known to engage…
The No. 1 reason teens keep the faith as young adults
The holy grail for helping youth remain religiously active as young adults has been at home all along: parents. Mothers and fathers who practice what they preach and preach what they practice are far and away the major influence related…