Monday's Catch: 'Hiking, disc golf, flower arranging: UMC initiative connects people around non-church interests' And More

Hiking, disc golf, flower arranging: UMC initiative connects people around non-church interests
'Fresh Expressions' is a denominational initiative intended to connect people who may not be interested in church but are interested in learning a new skill or making new friends.

How evangelicals promoted, then abandoned environmental stewardship
Rising temperatures made 2023 earth’s hottest year on record. Climate scientists say human activity increases heat-trapping gasses that contribute to weather-related disasters, which in 2022 forced more than 3 million Americans from their homes and cost the world $360 billion in damages. But most evangelical Christians largely reject this scientific consensus, making their tribe the least likely to see climate change as a problem, according to Pew and PRRI. Many evangelical leaders use their influence to oppose climate-friendly legislation.

The nation’s future will be 'decided in the pulpits and sanctuaries of American churches': columnist
Last month, the Pew Research Center noted in an article that for much "of the last decade, observers have been trying to understand why so many highly religious Americans have a favorable view of Donald Trump, asking how values voters can support a candidate who has been divorced twice, married three times and found liable for sexual abuse." In a Sunday, April 21 op-ed published by the New York Times, columnist David French points points to the juxtaposition of "great good" and terrible evil" often on display throughout American Christian churches.

Transgender Meds for Kids? 4 Findings from New Report
This month saw the publication of “the largest review ever undertaken in the field of transgender health.” Led by Dr. Hilary Cass, a former president of the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics, it was commissioned by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) with the stated goal of figuring out “how best to help the growing number of children and young people who are looking for support from the NHS in relation to their gender identity.” The findings of this four-year review were written up in a 388-page report which is, as The Economist puts it, “damning of practices that were commonplace in England until recently and remain widespread in other countries, notably America.” 

What You Don’t Know about your Church May Kill You 

Many pastors begin a new assignment and get blindsided from issues they never expected. When that happens, it can be deadly. I’ve found that creating a genogram of your church, called a family diagram in psychology, can yield much insight into how people may have perpetuated unhealthy patterns in a church. It’s simply taking a bird’s eye view of your church’s past, looking for connections, and drawing them out.

The Church Should Mind Its Spiritual Business
The calling, or mission, of the church as the church is to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, not to be another merely (or even chiefly) political, social, or economic institution. The church, in its full-orbed existence, may have political, economic, or social concerns that develop out of its mission, but those aspects are not what primarily mark and define it.

12 Attractive Traits for Senior Leaders
There are some attractive traits for in successful senior leaders. If a leader has these, he or she will be more likely to have loyal followers...These are some of the “best of the best” traits for those who attempt the daunting responsibility of leading others.

Counting the Cost: Why Having Children is Priceless Despite the Price Tag
Even if you pinch pennies, there’s no getting around the financial cost of having children. But what is the cost of not having children?

Why I Attend Church
Thom Rainer shares ten reasons he attends church.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 21, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. The Gospel readings for this Sunday are traditionally taken from the “I am the Good Shepherd” discourse in the Gospel of John.

Today's message looks at one way that we can search the Scriptures by looking for God's grace in every passage that we read.

Readings: 1 John 3:16–24; John 10:11-18

Message: Looking for Grace in All the Right Places

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-21.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Christianity's global centre has shifted, conference hears' And More

Christianity's global centre has shifted, conference hears
The Global Christian Forum's (GCF) fourth global gathering kicked off in Accra, Ghana, with an emphasis on major demographic shifts in global Christianity. With the theme That the world may know, the event held from April 16 to 20 brought together 240 participants from 60 different countries representing all major Christian traditions.

Learning from Farmers: Innovation for Churches
What are churches to do in this increasingly secular era? We can mourn the bygone era of high attendance and moan about how things are not like they used to be., Or we can reinvent ourselves in response to the needs of a changing society while still remaining faithful to Scripture and Christian tradition.

The Power of Hymns
There is a reason God’s people have sung the poetry of our faith ever since faith began—the beautiful reality of shared truth, conviction, and hope. There is a tangible bond when people of faith speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit—a reality that we truly are surrounded by the promised great cloud of witnesses (who are probably singing with us); that the music we make even within the limitation of our little human experience is somehow hardwired into the “music of the spheres.”

4 Functions of a Church Choir
I originally posted a link to this article this past December. In a number of churches a worship band has taken the place of the choir in the services of the church but not assumed its functions. Indeed, it has become one of the reasons for the decline in congregatioal singing in these churches. As the late Betty Pulkingham observed, "every local congregation has need of a worship leadership group, a group thoroughly committed to the corporate worship life of that body of people." Whatever the group was called, she identified as its purpose "to aid all of God’s assembled people to be released into praise."

If you have not read Betty Pulkingham's Sing God A Simple Song, it is available on the internet free in PDF format at https://www.communityofcelebration.com/Books/sgass.pdf.

The Case for Children's Worship Services
As Tim Cahllies wrote, "You don’t have to agree with everything an article says to benefit from it. And that was the case for me with this one (though I am generally in favor of offering some programming for at least the youngest children during services)." Two decades ago I wrote an unpublished occasional paper on how to integrate children into the worship of the church and I have not changed my mind on that subject. However, like Challies I also see a need for some programming for at least younger children during services.

[Pin]spiration for a Meaningful Mother’s Day Celebration 

Reach mothers and mother figures with these 9 ideas for a Mother’s Day celebration at your church. Create keepsakes that will touch hearts for years to come!

Small Group Evangelism & The Bridges of God
What are the bridges of God? How does the gospel spread from my small group to a lost and dying world?

This truth is applicable to choirs, ministry teams, Sunday School classes, men's clubs, women's circles, youth groups, and other groupings in the local church.

5 Tips for Building Bridges with Immigrants in Your Community
God calls the Church to show and share his love to everyone.

Friday's Catch: 'The Blessing of Constraints' And More

The Blessing of Constraints
Early in the pandemic, a friend recommended the book A Beautiful Constraint to me—a book for marketplace leaders that encourages them not to think like a victim when an unforeseen constraint happens, and not even to think like a neutralizer who simply works around the constraint, but to think like a transformer and view the constraint as a gift. The book helped me ask the question: “How can the pandemic actually help us launch new congregations?”

Near Chicago, a Lutheran church finds new life at the YMCA
A struggling Lutheran church has found new life by giving its building to the YMCA.

Open-Air Celebration
St. David’s in Washington, D.C., grows by taking its gatherings into the neighborhood.

How Does Church Planting Benefit the Sending Church?
Here are six ways.

4 Habits of A Healthy Team
Commit to creating a healthy culture for your team that supports, encourages, and propels the mission forward.

Making People Want to Listen to Your Sermon
Forty-seven seconds. If you are a preacher — or, really, any kind of public speaker, you have 47 seconds to catch your listener’s attention. How do I know that? Keep reading and you’ll find out.

Why We Preachers Need Sermon Feedback
If teachers of God’s Word want to continually refine our craft, we should build formal sermon feedback into our schedules.

The Great Rewiring of Childhood
....the younger generation today is different from the generations that came before it. That difference is expressed in many different ways, though perhaps the ones we notice most are the levels of anxiety experienced by young people along with their relationship to social media.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 18, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday evenings at All Hallows.

Christians are called to make a difference in the world, in their community and in the wider world. They are called to be salt, light, and yeast.

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18

Message: Are Christians known by their love for one another?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_18.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: "Ryan Burge explains ‘casual dechurching’" And More

Ryan Burge explains ‘casual dechurching’

The majority of Americans leaving the church do so for rather humdrum reasons, sociologist of religion Ryan Burge said during a recent episode of the “CBF Podcast.” This phenomenon is known as “casual dechurching” and is typically overlooked because it’s not as headline-grabbing as disputes over gender and politics, said Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University known for his books and surveys tracking U.S. religious trends.

Finding the gospel amid a ‘churchgoing bust’
In a recent Atlantic essay titled “The True Cost of the Churchgoing Bust,” columnist Derek Thompson writes that “more Americans today have ‘converted’ out of religion than have converted to all forms of Christianity, Judaism and Islam combined. No faith’s evangelism has been as successful in this century as religious skepticism.”

Surprising Mourners for the Decline of Christianity
In an interview with LBC in London, famed atheist Richard Dawkins offered two startling admissions: first, that he mourned the loss of much of what reflects the Christian faith in the world, and second, that he would consider himself a “cultural” Christian.

How the Gospel Confronts Culture
In every time period and historical context during which it has been shared, the gospel has confronted culture in one way or another.

The Challenges and Opportunities of Intergenerational Leadership
Due to longevity, it’s not uncommon for four distinct generations of adults to be vying for leadership within our churches, says Melissa Cooper. She explores how the church can be a place of unity and reconciliation that uses the gifts of every generation.

VOICES: Who prays for you and your church?
John Wesley (1703-1791) was a traveling preacher and founder of the Methodist Church. Wesley said, “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”

Youth Ministry Tasks You Can Delegate to Volunteers and Teens
Youth ministry tasks aren’t just for youth ministers. How well do you delegate? Are you reluctant to hand off certain responsibilities? Do you think you’re the only one capable of tackling some jobs?

How to Find Your Purpose in Life
Let’s take a brief look at how to discover your God-given purpose...There are at least three things you can do that will help in the process of discovery.

Everyday Evangelism
Evangelism in the modern age is defined as spreading the gospel witness through preaching or public witness. Yet, in most churches, the pastor is expected to preach and share the message while the congregation sits and watches. Every member can reach out to someone, and you can help them do it.

Wednesday's Catch: 'What Will It Take to Turn Around Your Church?' And More

What Will It Take to Turn Around Your Church?

What will it take to turn around your church? It’s time to evaluate your priorities, inspire your team, equip the church, and set the course.

‘Weaponizing’ Clergy Disciplinary Canons for Ideological Purposes
In late 2023, at least four Episcopal priests faced or were threatened with serious disciplinary charges related to their participation in a discussion group for theologically conservative Christians. The priests have separately told TLC that they believe they were targeted by a progressive activist seeking to drive conservatives out of the Episcopal Church. There is evidence to support their belief. One of the priests has, in fact, left the church. All have left the discussion group.

Who’s an evangelical? New poll finds Southern Baptists separating from Christian nationalists on some points
The question of whether Southern Baptists should be counted among the nation’s conservative evangelicals is not a new one, but it is up for debate again thanks to results from a new Lifeway Research survey on faith and politics. That survey found some key differences between Southern Baptist pastors and laity compared to other broadly defined evangelicals.

How not to comfort the mourning: Hospital chaplain J.S. Park talks grief in new book
‘The biggest myth I see is that grief is a poison to get past,’ said Park.

5 Ways to Build Trust with your Team
Without trust, a church staff or ministry team simply won’t function at its best.

A New Testament Passage That’s Older than the New Testament
Within the New Testament books are early Christian creeds that predate the books themselves. These creeds show us what the earliest Christians believed and which doctrines existed from the inception of the church.

4 Creative Ways to Pray with Your Small Group This Spring
Prayer is a vital part of every Small Group gathering. It is also a part that can sometimes become routine, especially if your group prays the same way every time. Here are 4 creative ways you can pray together this spring.

It’s Okay To Be a Two-Talent Christian
From the parable we learn that God distributes opportunity according to ability, for “talents” are all that God distributes among his people—gifts, passions, abilities, influence, education, money, and anything else that can be used to honor (or dishonor) the Lord and carry out (or fail to carry out) his purposes.

A Long Walk to Jesus
Do what you can do and trust Jesus to do what only he can do.

Why Trying to Reach Everybody Is a Really Bad Evangelism Strategy
Trying to reach everybody is one of the fastest ways to ensure you'll reach nobody.

Tuesday's Catch: 'Gen Z and the Draw to Serious Faith" And More

Gen Z and the Draw to Serious Faith
Young people who visit a church expect to experience, well, whatever church is. The strangeness is the appeal. Now that fewer people have any family background in church, no one hears a worship band cover an Imagine Dragons song and thinks, “Wow! This isn’t my Grandma’s church!”—in part because Grandma is in her 60s and never darkened the door either.

For Ministry Success, Leverage Strengths and Recruit for Weaknesses
Here’s one simple strategy for increasing longevity in ministry: Leverage your strengths and recruit for your weaknesses.

Why Is Everyone So Frustrated? Uncovering and Addressing Expectation Gaps
Feeling the strain of unmet expectations in your team? Discover why everyone is so frustrated and how addressing expectation gaps can transform your organizational culture.

Aren’t Christians Just a Bunch of Hypocrites?
The people who are affected by hypocrisy deserve a response when their trust is shattered. But what can we possibly convey to those who have been disillusioned by the church? Here are some thoughts....

An asset map shows how churches are meeting the needs of older adults in rural areas
In recent years, there has been a growing concern about social isolation and loneliness among older adults, particularly in rural communities. Adults older than 65 make up one-sixth of the population of the United States, and that population is projected to increase as the Baby Boomer generation reaches that milestone.

How NOT to Help a Sufferer
In this video Gavin Ortlund shares four things NOT to say to someone who is suffering.

Launching Groups in Smaller Churches
When it comes to launching groups in a smaller church, there is a dilemma. There aren’t many great models. Most materials and training about small groups come from pastors of megachurches. Their models don’t work well in smaller churches. What works in a large church typically doesn’t work well in a smaller church, but what works in a small church will work in any church.

Podcasting Ministry the Easy Way
Livestreaming in houses of worship has become a prevalent practice as ministries seek modern ways to reach those they serve. The digital broadcasting of services has provided opportunities for congregations around the world to connect in ways never before possible. However, as effective as livestreaming has proven to be in creating connections of physical access and distance, it has done little to bridge gaps in availability.

Life in 6 Words App: An Evangelism Power Tool for Teens
5 reasons the LI6W app is an ideal way for youth to share the Gospel.

VOICES: Does evangelism make a difference?
Shane L. Bishop explains how evangelism has made a difference at his church.

Monday's Catch: 'Why Unreached People Groups are Hard to Reach' And More

Why Unreached People Groups are Hard to Reach
Unreached people and places are those among whom Jesus is largely unknown and the church is relatively insufficient to make Jesus known to its broader population without outside help.

5 Reasons Every Church Needs a Crisis Communication Plan
Every church should have a crisis communication plan for when the heat is turned up and it’s bombarded with many inquiries.

Discipleship Requires Management as Much as Leadership (Why Pastors Can’t Neglect Church Operations)
Pastors manage churches as much, if not more, than leading them. Making disciples requires pastors to be involved in the day-to-day operations of a church.

Developing Leaders – 10 Core Skills You Need
Without developing more and better leaders, it’s unlikely that you’ll realize all that God has in mind for your church.

Uncommon Skills Every Worship Leader Needs To Succeed
What does it take to be a great worship leader?

Worship Set List Tips for Powerful Worship Times
If you’ve never led worship before, you might think that worship leaders just choose a few songs to sing on a given Sunday then they’re done. But if you’ve ever led worship, you probably realize that a lot more goes into it.

In my own experience being purposeful in selecting the hymns and worship songs for a service is key. A question to ask ourselves is, "What I am I hoping to accomplish with this particular selection of hymns and worship songs?"

7 Questions That Teens Need to Answer
"Be Alert. You are a teenager: that means you are in one of the most exciting and most important times of your life!" writes Paul Tripp. "I want to alert you to seven questions you will face that will influence the shape and direction of the rest of your life."

3 Big Things Today's Kids Are Looking For
But in spite of all the changes, there are 3 things that today's kids are looking for. These are things that every child longs for.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Religious Change in America: They Buried the Lead' And More

Religious Change in America: They Buried the Lead
The North American mission feld has changed. We still learning how much.

The 3 Phases of Church-Planting Churches
It seems for the last four decades or so, church communities have been talking about planting other churches. But much of that time was spent talking without taking action. The difference today is that people are actually walking out the talk. In other words, we’ve moved beyond just the idea of planting churches to actually doing it.

“Trends in Latino Congregations” featuring Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi
How are the trends in majority Latino congregations different from those in non-Latino congregations? We speak with Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi about her report Latino Congregations: Trends from the Faith Communities Today (FACT) and Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) Studies. It reveals that while Latino congregations face financial difficulties, a majority have experienced growth or remained stable in recent years.

5 Characteristics of Effective Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma
How would you preach next Sunday if a mass shooting, a natural disaster, or a public health crisis shook your community? Sadly, such events are so common that every preacher needs to be prepared. Preaching professor Kimberly Wagner outlines five characteristics of preaching in the wake of mass trauma that create a safe space for people to lay their experiences and brokenness down before God and one another.

“Brace Yourselves!“: The Reduction of Public Bible Reading
We are certainly a long, long way from being congregations which are devoted to the reading of Scripture. What on earth are we doing.

I’ve Been Rejected. Now What?
Your next step will often determine your future.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 14, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Easter. All around us in the Northern Hemisphere are the signs of spring—flowers, nesting birds, unfurling leaves. It is a time to celebrate not only the new life we see around us but most importantly the New Life that God gives to those who believe in his Son.

Readings: Acts 3: 12-19; Luke 24: 36-48

Message: A Changed Heart Leads to a Changed Life

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-14.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Friday's Catch: 'What can we learn from the Asbury Revival a year later?' And More

What can we learn from the Asbury Revival a year later?
The 2023 Asbury Revival confirmed young people are drawn to genuine and spontaneous expressions of faith and worship, said the author of a new book about the event that ignited a global religious and media sensation.

4 Ways to Strengthen Family Bonds in Church This Summer
Summer is just around the corner, and you know what that means – schedules loosen up, vacations get booked, and keeping families connected to the church can feel like a juggling act. But fear not, leaders! Summer presents a fantastic opportunity to strengthen family bonds in church. And nurture faith in a fun, relaxed way.

How Does a Congregation Worship?
Congregational worship is more than just a group of individuals having quiet times in the same place. It is the Body of Christ gathered together in unity and diversity centering adoration on the King of kings and Lord of lords and responding in obedience to Him. Congregation worship places the emphasis not upon “my personal experience,” but “our obedient response” to His revealed nature and character.

Ten Ideas That Will Destroy Worship
Ed Steele identifies ten misconceptions that will destroy worship.

What Makes a Song “Congregational?”
... here are some considerations that might help answer the question....

What Is the Biblical View on the Role of a Worship Pastor/Leader?
Ed Steele examines the difference betwee a worship ministry and just a worship leader.

10 Ways to Prepare Students and Adults for Church Camp
As the pastor of your church, you have a role to play in preparing for summer camp. Here are some ways you can be involved.

15 Characteristics of Today’s Unchurched Person
Since Carey Nieuwhof started ministry nearly three decades ago, there’s been a big shift in how unchurched people think. He describes how their thinking has changed.

Image Credit: Sarah Thomas Baldwin / Facebook

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 11, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday evenings at All Hallows.

The Season of Easter is not only a season in which Christians celebrate Jesus’ victory over death but also a season in which Christians recommit themselves to the mission which Jesus entrusted to his disciples. This mission can be broken down into three tasks. The first is to represent Jesus in the world, to the rest of humanity. The second is what is known as the Great Commission: it is to spread the good news of Jesus, to make disciples of all people groups, to baptize them, and teach them what Jesus commanded. The third task is to exemplify what it means to live the Great Commandment—to love God with the totality of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Reading: 2 Timothy 2:14-26

Message: The Words We Use Matter

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_11.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: 'After Easter, Now What?" And More

After Easter, Now What?
Easter Day is behind us. What do we do next?

Renovate by Innovating
If you are a pastor or lay leader, you are called to serve with a vision of the future and invest through discipling members. Innovation indicates that a church’s physical attributes and overall thinking are changing, leading to successful opportunities to reach more people with the gospel of Christ.

VOICES: Is biblical Christianity the same as today's Christianity? (part 1)
Many preachers claim that the early church, which is the biblical church, is completely different from the church of today.

US survey sheds light on Church exodus
The results of a comprehensive survey into the religious experiences of American adults have been released, offering some sobering food for thought to religious and faith organisations.

Why Church Attendance Is More Important Than Ever
Its decline has consequences for society and individuals—including those who profess no faith at all.

The FAQs: Southern Baptists Debate Designation of Women in Ministry
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, is embroiled in a heated intramural debate over the designation of women in ministry. The debate concerns a proposed amendment to the SBC constitution referred to as the “Law amendment” (named after Michael Law, who proposed the amendment), which supporters say aims to clarify the SBC’s stance on women in pastoral roles and unify the convention around a traditional, complementarian understanding of gender roles in the church. However, the amendment has also faced significant opposition from critics who argue it’s unnecessary, divisive, and could infringe on the autonomy of local churches.

Mostly Quiet Along the Liturgical Front at GC Hearing
After years of acrimony at past General Conventions over what the teaching of the Episcopal Church should be regarding same-sex marriage, the upcoming convention will consider recognizing the reality that there are two teachings.

As Trump hawks Bible, debate over ‘Christian America’ spreads outside church
During the heyday of American churchgoing, some presidents sought to use religion to unite the country. In the age of Trump, it is one more thing to fight over.

Former Prsident Trump has a history of surrounding himself with chaos. A growing number of YouTube videos present him as an "anti-Christ" and give the reasons for this conclusion.

Trump's MAGA rallies have morphed
If the American people and their leaders want to save their democracy — and themselves — they need to heed the warnings and insights of a small and growing number of journalists and other observers>

Baptist leaders urge House Speaker Mike Johnson to support Ukrainian Christians
‘We believe that God has put you in this position “for such a time as this,”’ Southern Baptist and Ukrainian Baptist officials wrote the speaker.

Trump's GOP is 'actively pro-Russian': Financial Times columnist
The Financial Times' Edward Luce thinks that the Republican Party under the leadership of Donald Trump has become something far more sinister than an isolationist party. In his latest column, Luce argues that Republicans' refusal to supply Ukraine with needed military aid is emblematic of a party that seems to want Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion to succeed.

This is quite evident on social media on which a number of the more vocal internet influencers function as repeaters for Russian propoganda.

VOICES: Does Donald Trump want to make abortion gettable again?
In a contradictory and capitulating speech on abortion, presidential candidate Donald Trump retreated from his pro-life position and policies during his time as president.

As has long been observed, former Presidet Trump takes positions which he believes will advance him politically and personally. He is not one for taking positions in which he has always believed in an honest and moral way.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Why Are More Pastors Thinking About Quitting?' And More

Why Are More Pastors Thinking About Quitting?
More pastors are contemplating quitting ministry and leaving their church. Several factors increase the likelihood of those thoughts.

Eight Essential Qualities of Pastors Who Love Their Jobs
You can do your job well without loving it. However, for pastors, the calling often goes beyond mere duty. It encompasses a passion for serving and guiding their flocks. What distinguishes pastors who love their jobs from those who do their jobs? It boils down to several essential qualities.

US survey sheds light on Church exodus
The results of a comprehensive survey into the religious experiences of American adults have been released, offering some sobering food for thought to religious and faith organisations.

More Gen Z women leaving the church than men: survey
A higher percentage of young women have left organized religion and identify as religiously unaffiliated than their male counterparts, prompting concerns about the future of religion in the United States, according to a recent survey.

What Temptation Is and Is Not
We must understand sin, but we also need to understand temptation and how it relates to our sin. Maybe a few stories will help....

How to Unite for the Cause of Christ 

No ministry can single-handedly reach their community with the Gospel. Use the “5 G’s” to find like-minded ministries to partner with.

'Gender non-contentedness' commonly fades after adolescence: 15-year study
A recent study out of the Netherlands found that "gender non-contentedness" is largely a passing phase among young people if they are allowed to grow out of it.

At Yale, Christian pastors sign a declaration opposing religious nationalism
The declaration commits Christian leaders to preaching on moral issues and rejecting a political movement it says is exploiting traditional values to undermine democracy.

'Berlin 1936 anyone?' Conservative shreds media's recent shrugs at Donald Trump?
Conservative Rick Wilson warned Tuesday a normalcy bias in the media could have fatal consequences for American Democracy should former President Donald Trump regain the White House.

Inside Trump's plan to fight 'anti-white racism' in the White House
Now, with the very real prospect of a second term in office on the horizon, Trump and his team of advisers have begun working on plans to federalize one vector of that inverted interpretation of discrimination.

Tuesday's Catch:"'How to tell if it’s ‘Christian nationalism’ or not" And More

How to tell if it’s ‘Christian nationalism’ or not
Identification as a white evangelical doesn’t necessarily mean a Christian has become a follower of Christian nationalism, but it certainly doesn’t rule it out, said Amanda Tyler, executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

Cultural Enemies
If you are a true follower of Christ, you will have enemies. A lot of enemies. This isn’t a popular idea. Many Christians seem more intent on fitting into culture, or at least getting its affirmation, than opposing it. And the entire idea of being an enemy, or having one, seems out of sync with the Christ life. But it isn’t.

Turning Naysayers Into Allies: How Successful Leaders Do It
Learn a new approach founded upon one simple question that can turn naysayers into allies.

Growing Percentage of Americans See Declining Religious Influence
Four in 5 U.S. adults believe religious influence is declining in American life, and most aren’t happy about it, according to Pew Research.

VOICES: The decline of church attendance in America
Concerns about regular church attendance have always challenged most faith leaders. However, according to a recent Gallup poll, a decline in consistent church attendance is at an all-time low. The survey, conducted from 2021 to 2023 with over 32,000 participants, reveals that only 30% of U.S. adults are steady in their church attendance. Protestant churches and non-denominational groups were among the highest at 44%, while Catholics were at 33%.

10 Surprising Reasons Our Kids Leave Church
There are 10 surprising reasons our kids are leaving Christianity. And we can do something about it now! We all know them, the kids who were raised in church. They were stars of the youth group. They maybe even sang in the praise band or led worship. And then they graduate from high school and they leave church. What happened?

Win the Next Generation with Love
The evangelical church has spent far too much time trying to figure out cultural engagement and far too little time just trying to love. If we listen to people patiently and give them the gift of our curiosity, we will be plenty engaged. I’m not arguing for purposeful obscurantism. What I’m arguing for is getting people’s attention with a force more powerful than the right lingo and the right movie clips.

A dramatic schism over social issues? The United Methodist Church has been here before
The United Methodist Church will hold its General Conference, delayed several years by the pandemic, in April 2024. The meeting comes amid a dramatic divide over LGBTQ+ rights.

Trump announces abortion policy, but neither side believes he’ll do what he says
When Donald Trump announced his presidential campaign’s abortion policy April 8, advocates on both sides of the issue didn’t believe him. Of course, stretching the truth is nothing new for the presumptive once-again Republican nominee.

Monday's Catch: 'It Is Time to Stop Celebrating Church Transfer Growth: A Church Answers Research Article' And More

It Is Time to Stop Celebrating Church Transfer Growth: A Church Answers Research Article

“My church has been experiencing growth due to the decline of sister churches around the area. I feel sad for the declining churches, but this also creates a potential problem in my church: the complacent attitude of the members who believe that we don’t need to reach out to people. Can someone see the issue here?” 

46% Of Us Adults Now Unchurched
Barna makes these observations: “Attracting churchless people to corporate faith usually requires more than a few incremental refinements in outreach strategy and tactics. This is about more than improved marketing and having greeters at the church’s front door."

Trumpism Is Emptying Churches
The former president’s embrace of White Christian militantism coincides with a precipitous decline in religious affiliation in the US.

Also see: Linking the Decline in US Religious Affiliation to the Rise of Trump's Christian Nationalism

If You’re a Small Church, Stop Trying to Look Big
Why embracing your size, can make you remarkable....

I learned to avoid making this mistake from reading Michael Marshall's Renewal in Worship in the 1980s. At the time I was pioneering a new church plant and was involved in the planning of its worship services. We put into practice Bishop Marshall's recommendation that we tailor our services to our circumstances such as size, ministry target group, available resources, and the like, rather than try to imitate the worship of a larger church. It proved to be a wise decision. We would become the fastest growing church in the diocese.

'Forgotten Scot' who inspired Tolkien and CS Lewis
This year marks 200 years since the birth of George MacDonald, whose fantasy writing and ideas on faith inspired literary greats including JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.

Embracing Collaborative Leadership: Moving Beyond the CEO Model
In recent years, churches and organizations have undergone significant shifts across various facets, spanning from attendance trends to resource allocation and volunteer recruitment. However, one prominent change stands out amidst this evolution: a transition towards collaborative leadership.

10 Tests of Good Praise and Worship Leadership
How is your praise and worship leadership? How do you know if you are a good worship leader? Mark Cole suggests a few guidelines that will help to quantify your answer to these questions.

7 Ways to Prepare Your Church’s Small Groups for Summer
Don’t lose sight of the fact that your groups need to prepare for the summer months when attendance typically declines for a bit.

Also see: The Next Big Thing in Small Groups

Christian students talk self-censorship, death threats and why sharing faith is not optional
A study recently published by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) in 2022 revealed the reality of self-censorship, most prevalent among college students. A documentary film based on this study launched in January 2024. In it, students, who were identified only by their first names, admit to keeping quiet when they believe they should've spoken in name of their faith.

The Best Fuel for Your Ministry Fire
Losing heart? Try winning souls.

We do not "win souls" with our persuasiveess. Rather the Holy Spirit may use our words to move someone to repentance and faith.

How to Share the Gospel with Someone Struggling with Addiction
Addicts are people like everyone else. As such, they need the gospel like everyone else.

Trump says abortion should be left to states, declines to endorse national limit
Former president Donald Trump, who has wavered between highlighting and downplaying his role in curtailing abortion rights, suggested Monday that the politically volatile issue should be left to states, after months of mixed signals about his position.

At one time Trump was pro-choice. When he is not playing the victim at his rallies or appealing to his audience's fears and prejudices, he tells his audience what be believes what they want to hear, what will garner votes for him. One of the consequences is a tendency to vacillate on a number of issues. If, however, you look at his past conduct, his overall policies while he was president, and his more recent proposals, it is quite clear that he is not pro-life. Being pro-life involves more than being anti-abortion.

Trump’s perverted and violent rhetoric requires a response
Donald Trump reposted a video to his personal social media website depicting President Joe Biden with his hands and feet tied together in the back of a pickup truck. Disgusting, but what’s new? Observing Trump’s perverse rhetorics — visual and verbal — can produce Post Trump Traumatic Syndrome.

A neuroscientist explains how Trump is using existential fear to win the election 

The 2024 election is heating up, and Donald Trump is back to using his number one political strategy to grab Americans’ attention and galvanize his base: fear.

Trump’s history of politicizing murders is outrageous — and par for the course
Donald Trump has used yet another violent crime victim to boost his presidential campaign. Trump has faced backlash since Tuesday for invoking the name of Ruby Garcia, a woman allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and for lying about having spoken to her family.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 7, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Easter. It concludes the Octave of Easter, a period of eight days that began on the First Sunday of Easter: Easter Day. In the Western Church it has historically been called White Sunday, Quasimodo Sunday, Bright Sunday, and Low Sunday.

John Wesley, an Anglican minister, a leading figure in the Eighteenth Century Evangelical Revival, and the founder of the Methodist Movement, received Holy Communion not just on Easter Day, the premier Communion Sunday in the Church of England, but also on every day of the Octave of Easter. It was Wesley’s practice to receive communion every four or five days and more often at Christmas and Easter. Wesley encouraged Methodists to celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week.

Reading: 1 John 5: 1-6

Message: “Perfected in Love”

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-7.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'How Fingernails Changed My Relationship with the Church' And More

How Fingernails Changed My Relationship with the Church
...how’s your church growing right now? Not “How should they grow?” The latter’s a great question, but don’t miss out on how Christ is remaking your church into his image right now.

Unlike Any Other Book in History
Understanding the Bible is a journey—much more than just reading; it’s about discovering its essence, connecting on a deeper level, and allowing its messages to resonate within our lives. The Bible is unlike any other book in history. It’s the only book that reads you while you read it. Finding ways to understand the Bible offers not just knowledge but opens the door to connecting with the Lord on a much deeper level.

The Secret To Leading an Amazing, Healthy Small Group
This article is about leading an amazing, healthy small group. And if you are reading this article, two things are probably true....

Sin Behind Passive Aggressive Behavior
As church leaders, we have to stop to take a look at any passive aggressive behaviors and the secret sin that may underlie those behaviors.

‘Girls State’ Highlights Abortion’s Role in Growing Gender Divide
It’s hard to ignore the growing political gender gap. Its implications are obvious for the present electoral landscape in the United States, as young women become an increasingly crucial part of the Democratic coalition while young men trend more conservative. But the gender ideological divide seems to be happening in other countries too, and the implications go beyond politics.

Catholic parishes disproportionately closed in poor, Black and Latino neighborhoods
Priest shortages have played a significant role in the decisions to close parishes.

The fight against Hindu nationalism in the United States is multifaith, says a newly formed coalition
A declaration from the newly formed coalition Savera: United Against Supremacy expressed the group's 'acute concern' of Hindu nationalism, which they say now 'finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right.'

In considering the suitability of a candidate to hold the office of President of the United States (or any other political office) a number of other critical factors must be taken into consderation beside the policies that the candidate proposes to pursue. These factors include their psychological make-up, their emotional and psychological stability, their mental acuity, their financial dealings, the foreign actors or others with foreign connections to whom they may be beholding, their moral character, their past and present behavior (particular their treatment of other people and their ability to build cooperative relationships and to work harmoniously with others),  their motives, their commitment to democracy and the rule of law, their actual truthfulness and trustworthiness as opposed to their imagined truthfulness and trustworthiness, their criminal record, their legal entanglements, the motives and plans of those who hope to benefit from the candidate's election, and the impact they are likely to have upon the cause of the gospel in the United States and beyond. 

The peril radicalizing some evangelicals goes beyond Christian nationalism
Christian supremacists are plotting the end of America as we know it.

Clinical social worker: "With the Trump Bible, one must consider dementia"
Fascism is a type of political religion. Donald Trump is preaching the religion of fascism.

Trump’s bizarre, vindictive incoherence has to be heard in full to be believed
Donald Trump’s speeches on the 2024 campaign trail so far have been focused on a laundry list of complaints, largely personal, and an increasingly menacing tone.

The overlooked detail in Trump’s Bible sales pitch
An important detail was lost in the outrage and disgust over Donald Trump’s decision to get into the business of selling bibles. It was overlooked, because few people in mainstream American culture recognize its significance, and they didn’t recognize it, because they were not raised and educated by white conservative Protestants.

MAGA’s Christian nationalism excludes a vast majority of Christianity
You have probably heard a lot of scary things in the news lately about something called “Christian nationalism.” Without going into the weeds about what these people want in terms of policy, it’s important to understand who they are, and who they are is pretty simple: people who believe America was founded as a Christian nation for Christians.

Robert B. Reich: Trump’s 5-step fascist plan
On Friday, Trump posted a video featuring an image of President Biden hog-tied — with hands and feet bound together. Trump has previously posted doctored photos and videos depicting him physically attacking Biden, such as hitting Mr. Biden with golf balls. It’s all part of Trump’s 5-step fascist plan.

'In office forever': Trump's Project 2025 partner calls for ending presidential term limit
Conservatives are advocating to repeal the U.S. Amendment that limits presidential terms, prompting President Joe Biden's campaign to warn an election year victory for former President Donald Trump could allow him to remain "in office forever."

Friday's Catch: '7 Preliminary Steps When Initiating Major Change' And More

7 Preliminary Steps When Initiating Major Change

...when making major change – change which impacts everyone – change which may be controversial – there are some steps to take before you begin to implement the change.

A Parish’s Commitment to “People Who Are More Challenging to House”
The story behind the 18-unit apartment house rising in the lot behind St. Paul’s Church in White River Junction began in a moment of prayer. Then things got complicated.

Only Bad Calvinism Abandons Souls: The Story Behind a Missions Revival
A persistent critique of Reformation theology is that a high view of God’s sovereignty reduces evangelistic zeal. While the criticism is often misguided, the danger is not historically unprecedented. Church history bears witness to unbiblical understandings of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. In the eighteenth century, one such view choked the life out of many Reformed Baptist and Congregational churches in England.

Why Cancel Culture Needs the Breathtaking Mercy of God’s Kingdom
The merciless approach of cancel culture drives us away from what sinful people like you and me most need: mercy.

Pastoring is Tortoise Work: A Lesson for the Young and Aspiring
As a young man, aspiring to the noble task of pastoring, do you recognize your need to learn patience? Do you see in yourself a tendency to idolize immediacy? Are you frustrated when things don’t happen as quickly as you expect?

7 Things We May Wish the Bible Didn’t Say About Worship
Some Bible verses about worship make us uncomfortable. Here are seven things you may wish the Bible didn’t say about worship.

‘Broken Churches, Broken Nation?’ A crisis of our times
There seems to be a closer link between the denominational schisms and the coming of the war than has been commonly recognized.

Is the nation really "broken"? Or are we allowing those who are promoting for their own personal advantage a false narrative that the nation is "broken"to dominate the conversation?

1 in 5 Americans think violence may solve U.S. divisions, poll finds
One in 5 U.S. adults believe Americans may have to resort to violence to get their own country back on track, according to the latest PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll, an attitude that experts say puts the nation in “an incredibly dangerous place” in the months before the 2024 presidential election.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 4, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday evenings at All Hallows.

The Octave of Easter is a period of eight days that begins on Easter Sunday and ends with Second Sunday of Easter. It marks the beginning of Eastertide, the Season of Easter. The first seven days of the octave are also collectively known as Easter Week. During Eastertide Christians not only celebrate the Jesus’ resurrection from the dead but also the spread of the gospel.

Reading: 1 Peter 2: 11-25

Message: A Method of Searching the Scriptures

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: '3 “New” Post-Easter Opportunities' And More

3 “New” Post-Easter Opportunities

As church leaders, we need to be careful not to let up or be let down after Easter.

The Importance of Innovation
One of the least talked about issues within churches is innovation. There is talk about the importance of evaluating current approaches in light of ongoing effectiveness, and how strategic it is to be willing to embrace new methods, but those topics are different from innovation. What most churches are talking about is whether to embrace something other churches are doing. They aren’t discussing creating something new on their own.

15 Ideas To Spark Extraordinary Church Growth
Not every church is the same, and not all church growth ideas are equally effective for every church. What works for one may not work for another. To help spark new ways to improve your church, Church Fuel recommends these church growth ideas.

Is the Lord's Supper a Feast or a Funeral?
Feast or funeral? That’s a major question as we approach the Lord’s Table. What are we here to do? Are we rejoicing, or are we mourning? Is this a festive banquet to which we have come, or is it a funeral service?

The strange world of Catholic ‘integralism’ — and Christian nationalism
‘There’s the sense that the liberal order is so corrupt that elite Catholics have to find positions of influence and use them in a kind of noble and appropriate way,’ said Kevin Vallier.

False prophets and politicians
The Bible warns against putting our trust in princes—and that applies to politicians as well.

A Colorado city fights back against the prosperity preacher trying to ‘take over’ their town
Voters appeared to reject Andrew Wommack’s plan to “take over” the city of Woodland Park, Colo., on Tuesday, electing a new mayor and four city council members who prevailed over candidates the health-and-wealth preacher endorsed.

Women and girls suffer disproportionately from religious freedom violations, experts warn
Special attention must be paid to the plight of women and girls in addressing religious freedom violations around the world, Nazila Ghanea said during a panel discussion hosted by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Report reveals surge in violence against Christians in India
The Evangelical Fellowship of India's (EFI) latest annual report on religious liberty sounds a chilling alarm over the escalating violence and systematic persecution faced by the country's Christian community.

Southern Baptist Convention lost over 1,200 churches in 2022, data shows
The Southern Baptist Convention, the United States' largest Protestant denomination, lost more than 1,200 member churches in 2022, according to a recent data analysis from LifeWay Research. According to the analysis of the SBC's 2022 Annual Church Profile published Tuesday, Lifeway found that, from 2021 to 2022, 1,253 congregations were no longer part of the SBC.