On the first Sunday of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, churches across America took to their knees and their feet, and turned to song and silence to utter their prayers for Ukrainians under siege. “When people were sharing their prayer…
Brian Flores, the Rooney Rule and some lessons for churches seeking diversity
“It happened again!” That was my thought when I got up to leave the church interview. Although this was pre-social media, I can remember it like it was yesterday. A very well-meaning friend sent my name into the medium-size church…
Charitable giving bounces back in 2021 but more for secular than sacred causes
Americans’ giving to charitable causes bounced back in 2021 after a dip at the start of the pandemic, but most of the recovery was in the secular nonprofit world, not the religion sector. New data from Gallup show 81% of…
Why church expectations for a youth minister may be unrealistic and how to change them
For several years, as an adjunct professor teaching youth ministry courses and giving leadership to the Center for Church and Community at Campbell University, I have received requests that sound like this: “We are looking for help finding a youth…
How the church in Maryland became the primary auction block for slaves
The Maryland General Assembly passed the first of a series of race laws in 1664. The first iteration transformed enslavement to a lifelong identity rather than a state of indenture or a condition that could be changed. The Maryland General…
How code-switching might explain why people aren’t coming back to church
In March 2020, my congregation had just begun to stabilize from the loss of about one-third of the congregation and staff after we voted to welcome LGBTQ believers into full membership. It had been a long, difficult and meaningful season…
12 cures for the hollow church
It’s been several years since the huge oak on the property of First Church came crashing down into the empty parking lot one Saturday night. A blast of straight-line winds proved more than the 250-year-old icon could withstand. The tree…
Why have so few U.S. congregations experienced even a single COVID death?
With more than 800,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in America alone, observers might wonder why some U.S. congregations have taken a seemingly cavalier approach to fighting the pandemic. One possible answer emerged this week from new survey data released by…
Survey says: More than half of U.S. congregations started new ministries during COVID
Here’s one more silver lining to the dark cloud of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic: “The level of new and intensified social outreach and community ministry undertaken by the nation’s churches is monumental.” So reports the Hartford Institute for Religion Research…