By John Chandler Other than sleep, humans spend more time on work than any other activity. In the United States, a Protestant work ethic land where work is something akin to religion, we are even willing to get less sleep…
It takes a village . . . to sing us to heaven
If it takes a village to raise a child, the same is true when life draws to a close and death ushers a loved one into the greater presence of God. Loss, particularly death, is difficult to face apart from the…
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…
Home field advantage
By Corey Fields We recently visited my wife’s family. Up where they live, you watch a lot of Yankees baseball. At one point they were playing a series against the Rangers in Texas. In one of these away games, the…
Is church a waste a time?
If I could have more money or more time, I’d take more time. No doubt. There’s so much I want to do in this world, too much to see, to experience, to know. Nothing puts me in a foul mood…
Welcome to the church of the casserole
Many non-mega congregations mistakenly believe they do not have any competitive advantages over a nearby mega church or one of its satellite campuses. Once again they are wrong. Their first mistake is the believing they have to compete. Beyond that…
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…
Scripture addressed social issues before they were cool
Let me begin with a confession: I am not that cool. Plastic-frame glasses would slide down my nose. Facial hair would make me look messy. V-neck shirts would look awkward on me. And I have neither the courage nor the…
More about what lay leaders say about their dying churches
Mildred is dying. Mildred’s church is also dying. She is 82 years old and has an illness that is killing her. She has attended her church for the 43 years her family has lived in the area. She is seen…