By Jeff Brumley Pastors and scholars familiar with a new book about liturgical worship say its publication signals the practice’s spread in Baptist churches who realize ancient Christian practices are inherently missional and may lure younger generations to the faith….
Church shares passion for orphan soles
By Jenny Pope Most churches greet the rush of the back-to-school season with special worship services and promotion Sundays, but one Houston church stays grounded with an annual project that has now helped protect the feet of more than 100,000…
The shocking un-truth about church budgets
By Amy Butler This is, hands down, the least favorite time of year for pastors everywhere: church budget planning season. Nobody likes budget planning, from the tedious work it entails to the way in which money necessarily informs the work…
Singing for community
By Amy Butler My city must be one of the easiest cities in which to meet people. With all the power that gets thrown around here, networking events and happy hours are a regular part of life in this town….
See where it takes you
By Jerrod Hugenot Over the years, I have heard the persistent worry of the sinking of the American Baptist Churches USA and its other mainline Protestant counterparts. Since the mid-1960s, “decline” has been shaping the narrative we tell ourselves and…
See where it takes you
By Jerrod Hugenot Over the years, I have heard the persistent worry of the sinking of the American Baptist Churches USA and its other mainline Protestant counterparts. Since the mid-1960s, “decline” has been shaping the narrative we tell ourselves and…
Welcoming the visitor: “what credit is that to you?”
A young woman described her experience of moving to a new community and finding a new church home. She wrote of how the church made an inspiring first impression on her: Everybody was super-accommodating, bending over backward to lend a hand….
Refugees reap blessing after Okla. twisters
By Jeff Brumley It was 97 degrees in Oklahoma City Friday afternoon, and the 22-mph wind made it even hotter as Missourian Amy Heap and her misson team from CrossHaven Church spent hours unloading four box trucks containing furniture. But heat…
Megachurch trends we small churches must face
The appeal of the megachurch is undeniable: big building, large worship setting, youth and children’s programs, and a semi-celebrity pastor. Yet many smaller churches have not learned from their large counter parts. There are some things megachurches are doing well…