Having a racially diverse congregation offers a path toward church growth, according to comprehensive study of The United Methodist Church. The national study found that racially diverse congregations are more likely to have better attendance and membership growth, especially if…
With $1 million grant, 25 Alliance of Baptists congregations are working to understand systemic racism and overcome it
Twenty-five churches associated with the Alliance of Baptists are participating in a five-year national scholarly study of how to expose and address systemic racism in their local contexts. The “Churches that THRIVE for Racial Justice” initiative is funded by a…
More churches defined as racially diverse but that doesn’t lead to racial justice work
Evidence that American churches have become more racially diverse doesn’t mean they have become increasingly active in promoting racial justice causes, according to a new sociological study. “We do see this slow-but-steady rise in the percentage of congregations in the…
Is the pandemic-era church a church without baptisms, funerals and other major rituals?
“I have to ask myself: am I doing anything I was called to do when I became a pastor?”
Don’t panic, mom and dad: your kid’s tattoo may reinforce religious identity
Parents are often disappointed when a teen or adult child acquires a tattoo. But a newly published study led by Baylor University scholar Kevin Dougherty suggests Mom and Dad may want to go easy when the images are religious in nature.
Unhappy with the neighbors? Try more church, study says
“The more you worship, the better you feel about people who don’t worship with you,” Dougherty said. “It’s a community building experience that extends beyond the doors of the religious community.”