Relationship is the heart of mission involvement, and the form that relationship takes determines whether believers minister “with” or “to” others, missiologists insist. Today, they add, relationship translates as partnership, collaboration and reciprocity. Access to safe drinking water means healthier…
What makes ministry to older adults more effective?
Ministry to older adults must take many forms, depending upon the make-up of the group a church is trying to reach. As the U.S. population ages, congregations will have even more opportunities to engage older adults. Richard Martin, newly retired,…
Challenge for churches: How to care for caregivers
As churches minister to the most elderly and infirm among members, some also seek ways to serve their caregivers — often family members — who often labor around the clock. Frank Fain, director of educational services for The Baptist Home…
No single size or shape fits ministry to all older adults
Pretend for a moment a congregation has called you as youth minister and includes all individuals from 3 to 30 years old as your group. What is your reaction? Most people wouldn’t expect a youth worker to deal with such…
How senior are senior adults?
Jan. 1 not only marked the beginning of a new year, but also saw the first Baby Boomers turn 65 years old. And congregations face the evolving challenge of finding ways to minister with and to them. Bill Pigott, state…
Can a church be congregational in polity and have elders?
Baptists long have been known as strong advocates of the priesthood of the believer — the idea that every individual can approach God and have a personal relationship with the Creator. Each person has the right to interpret Scripture for…
Governing multi-site churches like franchising a business
As some congregations reach out to minister beyond their church campus, many have chosen to begin second or third or more sites under the church umbrella. Adding more sites usually means adjusting the congregation’s governing structure. Glenn Akins, assistant executive…
Moderate Baptists uneasy about evangelical political baggage
Are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Mainstream Baptists evangelicals? The answer is yes and no. Formed in reaction to the Southern Baptist Convention’s shift to the far right in the late 1980s and early 1990s, both the CBF and Mainstream focus…
Population shifts present challenges for rural churches
CHATHAM, Va. — Rural churches in America face a host of challenges as they seek to continue ministry in their communities. The continued population shift from rural areas to urban centers can drain rural churches, noted Chuck Warnock, an expert in…