I believe there has never been a better day to be the church. Indeed, I believe the 21st century will find the church of Jesus Christ emerging from decades of slow decline to rediscover authentic community, witness and vibrancy.
Post-apocalyptic Downton Abbey
“Downton Abbey” is a six-season drama based on one aristocratic family in England who navigates the treacherous period before and after World War I. As the 1920s come rushing in, the English aristocracy faces a cultural shift that will bring…
Beer, Harry Potter and the future of faith
“We’re new to the area” he said. “We moved here to plant a church.” When I asked him where they were planting the church, he mentioned a nearby development where the cheapest loft is $190,000 and the houses start at…
What if church doesn’t matter?
Americans are a remarkably faithful people when it comes to spirituality, yet they are simultaneously, remarkably faithless when it comes to institutional religion. Why? This perplexity borders on cliché since it has been true for a number of years, but…
Is your church a movement or a program?
For the last half of the 20th century in America, local churches functioned as programmatic centers of activity. Embedded in a supportive churched and Christian culture, their role was to provide offerings that inspired, entertained and educated those who chose…
Some are writing obituaries for American religion. Krista Tippett is documenting its revolution.
Statistics show America is losing its religion, but Krista Tippett instead sees something powerful rising.
Finding a way forward: A church rooted in its community
Just over two and a half years ago, I stepped into the pulpit at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church for the first time and preached about the uncertain future we were entering together. Like so many churches across the United…
Atheist ministers, the search for meaning and the future of the Church
This week I watched a news story from CTV in Canada that quoted “atheist minister” Gretta Vosper, who serves at a church with the word “Christ” in its name. First of all, I’m mind-blown by the phrase “atheist minister.” More…
We can make it on the broken pieces
By LeDayne McLeese Polaski It was hot in the church that steamy New Orleans night, but the members of the congregation were far more focused on the fact that this was their first revival since Hurricane Katrina — a significant…
Vision is a movement of God that is memorable
How do you define vision? If you cannot define it, you may not know what it is when you have it. Vision is not the same as mission. The eternal mission of a congregation is the timeless understanding of the…
Churchless believers?
Emerging Paths for Fresh Ministries The religious and church landscape is definitely shifting today! We have the traditional members and churches, the missional communities of faith, the multi-site congregations, workplace ministries and a growing host of faith-based non-profits and para-church…
7 ways Lyle Schaller transformed the North American church
In the midst of the urban crisis and social upheaval of the 1960s, an interventionist who is now considered a giant among North American Protestants began to write, speak, and consult with local churches and denominations. From the foundation of…