If you’re worried about Charles Stanley being destitute in his old age, worry no more. He’ll turn 90 years of age on Sept. 25 and still draws a salary of more than half a million dollars annually from In Touch…
Despite financial hardships, Americans upped their giving to congregations during pandemic
The financial hardships many Americans faced during the COVID-19 pandemic did not result in the predicted revenue declines for U.S. churches, according to new research into congregational giving trends. In fact, the study conducted by the Lake Institute on Faith…
Frowns all around: World drops to new low on sadness scale
Globally, emotions took a deep dive in 2021, surpassing negativity levels documented the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and hitting all-time lows in terms of stress, sadness and worry, a new Gallup poll shows. The June survey revealed negative…
Church religious education took more of a hit than worship during pandemic
Much has been written about the challenges churches faced in maintaining corporate worship during the pandemic, but little has been reported on the changes brought about in religious education. Yet a new national study from Hartford Institute for Religion Research…
Yet another study confirms: Many pastors are hanging on by a thread
New research confirms that the past year has been an especially tough one for pastors in the United States as they’ve faced partisan rancor and feelings of isolation and stress that led a growing number to consider leaving full-time ministry….
I’d rather swim than worship
It was a haunting statement by a pastor. She was asked how her church had rebounded from the impact of COVID upon live worship attendance. Like most, she reported that only about 65% of the pre-COVID attenders had returned to…
Let’s consider the moral courage it takes for some to reconnect with church after the pandemic
Moral: the right thing to do, although it doesn’t feel right. Courage: doing the right thing anyway. This week, especially this week, there are people of faith in your community who are trying to work up the courage to reconnect…
Against the odds, the SBC is experiencing a double-digit increase in giving
On the heels of a global pandemic and amid its own multi-faceted schism, the Southern Baptist Convention is experiencing something few could have predicted: Financial gifts to the SBC for the 2021-2022 fiscal year are up — way up. The…
Smaller churches are both endangered and resilient, panel reports
The pandemic shoved most small American churches further into a post-denominational reality but also demonstrated their capability of surviving in a post-Christian culture, according to congregational consultant and coach Deborah Wright. She spoke during a recent webinar on the challenges…