In church life, it seems we always desire to be relevant. We want relevant teaching and preaching with practical application. Relevant youth and children’s programs, and even relevant music. There is, however, a danger in always trying to be relevant…
Christians shouldn’t be culture’s morality police
“I like your Christ,” said Mahatma Gahndi, “but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” There’s a billboard outside the city limits where I live. The canvas is white and in large black letters,…
Popular ‘it’s a God thing’ phrase reveals troubling theology, pastors say
By Jeff Brumley You may have used this popular phrase a few times yourself. Or maybe you’ve heard others say it when some unexpected miracle happens. “It’s a God thing.” Usually it involves some unbelievable circumstances behind that job promotion,…
The roots of left/right polarization in the United States
By David Gushee follow David:@dpgushee Early this week at Notre Dame an impressive group of Catholic scholars will gather for a conference called “Polarization in the Catholic Church: Naming the Wounds, Beginning to Heal.” I was invited to participate and…
Survey results could push church beyond its walls into new ministries
By Jeff Brumley A new survey confirms a shift in American attitudes toward faith that should motivate churches to rethink how — and for whom — they do ministry, Baptist and other experts say. The Barna Group study found that most Americans…
Be creative, not afraid, as the religiously unaffiliated rise in U.S., experts tell churches
By Jeff Brumley New research shows that the religiously unaffiliated are gaining on Christian traditions across much of the United States. The Public Religion Research Institute’s American Values Atlas, released earlier this month, finds that Catholics and the religiously unaffiliated…
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Pastors eager to find preaching’s place in modern church
By Jeff Brumley The subject of preaching is often lost in today’s urgent talk about church decline, closure and relevance. Most of the buzz centers around embracing technology, social media, worship styles or whether to stay in or sell the…
Small town churches embracing identity as sacred space
I was once on staff at a small church in the Houston area. We had less than 150 people weekly, but our property situated on a busy road where nearly 30,000 cars a day passed us by. One might think…