Tuesday's Catch: 'Is there a revival in the US? The real data says no' And More

VOICES: Is there a revival in the US? The real data says no
I have spent 20 years measuring what people actually do with their Christian faith. I also run a Scripture engagement organization, which makes me exactly the person who would truly be thrilled if a revival were taking place in America. Read everything that follows with that in mind.

No, the United States is not in a revival. Not as of the summer of 2026, not by the standard the Christian tradition has historically used and not by any standard the data can support.

The Rooted Leader: An Interview with Eric Geiger
Thom and Jess welcome Eric Geiger to The Church Answers Podcast. In his new book, “The Rooted Leader: Seven Rhythms of Leaders Who Bear Fruit That Lasts” (Tyndale Momentum, August 2026), Eric provides practical guidance for leaders in any area of life, helping them grow in influence and impact. Drawing from the biblical story of Nehemiah, often called history’s first leadership book, he introduces seven intermingling rhythms that result in the fruit all leaders desire: vision, conviction, servanthood, perseverance, credibility, transformation, and resolve.

Eric serves as senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California, and has been heavily involved in the Rooted Network, a discipleship program impacting thousands of churches nationwide.

When Personnel Costs Are Too Low
Thom and Jess discuss the challenges if personnel costs fall below about 40%.

Every Church Has a Troublemaker. Here’s How to Stop Them Before They Blow Everything Up.
Every church experiences disagreement. Not every disagreement signals disloyalty, and not every critic is a troublemaker. But when someone repeatedly spreads gossip, recruits people into factions, rejects correction, or disrupts the church’s mission, leaders cannot afford to look away.

The best defense is not a dramatic confrontation. It is a healthy church with emotionally mature Christian leaders, clear expectations, trusted reporting processes, and the courage to address destructive behavior before it spreads.

Church of England urges prayers for those impacted by heatwaves, drought and wildfires
The Church of England is encouraging its parishioners to pray for those impacted by drought, heatwaves and wildfires, in what could well become Britain’s hottest and driest summer on record.

This summer there have already been five heatwaves. According to the green think tank Verdant, the heatwaves may have cost Britain £4.4 billion in lost productivity.

Winchester churches make most of heatwaves with outreach initiatives
Churches in the Diocese of Winchester have been making the most of the unusually hot summer by heading out into the community and holding worship and other events outside.

This summer Britain has experienced five heatwaves, potentially causing significant damage to the economy, driving up food prices as agriculture suffers, and leading to thousands of “heat-related” deaths.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom.

Nigeria Witnesses Return of Traditional Religion
Significant numbers of young Christians in southeast Nigeria are turning to African traditional religion, including ritual practies that predate Christianity’s arrival in the 17th century. The trend has attracted public commentary and statements by some clergy, and has also generated academic discussions.

Does this trend parallel the trend of Western youth to turn to the older Christian traditions like Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy?

Blood-red moon over US sparks Armageddon fears as biblical prophecy appears to unfold
While scientists emphasize the natural beauty of the phenomenon, the blood moon has also sparked apocalyptic speculation online. Some social media users suggest it could be 'the one mentioned in the Bible.

Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund, trailblazing religion scholar, dies at 87
The Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund began her career in academia in the 1960s and went on to reach a series of milestones for women in theological institutions.

Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon and Woman of Faith, Dies at 80
Country music legend Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, made an announcement about her death.

Consistency-based rewards could build lasting cooperation better than punishing free-riders
In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, two Dartmouth researchers find that rewarding the people who consistently cooperate does more to sustain that cooperation than punishing those who don't.

How does your church reward its volunteers? Recognition from the pulpit? T-shirts? Volunteer appreciation events? Special perks?

Do Religious Families Actually Have More Kids?
Or, why the Duggars really are an outlier.

Battling the Fall Doldrums (Part 1)
In ministry terms, the fall doldrums refer to the short season after the end of summer and back-to-school season and before the Christmas holiday ramp-up.

Also See: Battling the Fall Doldrums (Part 2)

Smallest, Largest Churches See Strongest Discipleship Scores
The size and location of a church may reveal more than we realize about the discipleship of its churchgoers.

11 Signs of an Emotionally Mature Christian
Most Christians have been taught what to believe. Far fewer have been taught how to be. The gap between the two is where a lot of the damage gets done.

Monday's Catch: 'Why Church Scandals Are on the Rise (5 Safeguards You Can Implement Immediately)' And More

Why Church Scandals Are on the Rise (5 Safeguards You Can Implement Immediately)
Church scandals are getting more attention. That much is obvious. The media reports them quickly. Documentary filmmakers spotlight fallen pastors. And while megachurches often receive the headlines, smaller congregations are not immune. The public perception is clear: something is wrong. Whether the issue is systemic across church life or isolated to specific ministries with poor practices, the challenge for local churches is the same. We need safeguards. We need them now. And we need to implement them in our own churches before a crisis emerges, not after one explodes.

Church Announces Partnership With MinistrySafe After Sex Offender Controversy
Pawleys Island Community Church (PICC) announced that it is partnering with MinistrySafe as leaders work to evaluate and improve church policies and procedures designed to protect children. PICC has been at the center of controversy since mid-July when it came to light that certain church leaders had allowed a registered sex offender to volunteer on the church’s campus, which at the time was shared with a school.

SBC President Willy Rice and Other Prominent SBC Leaders Listed in New Protestant Accountability Database
Protestant Accountability, a survivor-led nonprofit, announced the launch and expansion of ProtestantAccountability.org, a searchable database that collects publicly available information about Protestant clergy and other spiritual leaders who have been accused of committing, enabling, or mishandling sexual abuse.

Why Fallen Pastors So Rarely Walk Away
Have you ever wondered why pastors who have been disqualified from ministry so rarely concede to the reality of their disqualification and just move on? Have you ever wondered why they so often disappear for a year or so and then turn up at another church or in a different denomination? I have wondered often and have formed a theory about the matter.

Belief Isn't Dying, It's Just Getting Less Certain
New data from Pew's Religious Landscape Study shows young Americans are less certain God exists — but very few are becoming atheists.

Loving the God We Don’t Understand
Coming to faith is like falling in love. For some, it is head-over-heels love at first sight, with a rush to the altar. Others find the entire idea of spiritual things wholly to their unliking, only to discover that many of their first impressions were mistaken. A begrudging acceptance moves toward appreciation and then, almost unnoticed, slips over the line into heartfelt embrace.

Yet in either case, Malcolm Muggeridge was right in observing that in the end, coming to faith remains for all a “sense of homecoming, of picking up the threads of a lost life, of responding to a bell that had long been ringing, of taking a place at a table that had long been vacant.”

Why So Few Pastors Quit Each Year, Even Though Most Are Exhausted
... although pastors aren’t walking away in substantial numbers, a majority of them aren’t okay. For the same person, both facts are often true at the same time, often for years.

3 Overlooked Groups You Should Call to Pray
There are at least three rarely noticed groups of people who pastors and church leaders can intentionally disciple to pray.

Why the Internet is Making Men and Women Hate Each Other
Lindsay Clancy is on trial in Massachusetts for the murder of her three children. She has confessed to the killings, but has pled insanity. Her defense argues that she had been suffering from an extreme case of postpartum psychosis and was hearing voices in her head telling to kill her kids.

The Internet is, of course, very interested. And the way particular social media platforms and groups are participating in the discourse illustrates again one of the most important things anyone can realize about the modern Internet:

It’s a place where each sex is learning to loathe the other.

Why We Never Speak to Each Other
And what to do about it.

Why Small Groups? The reason behind intentional Christian community.
Churches use all sorts of names for small groups—life groups, growth groups, home groups, cell groups. They also use various models, numerous strategies for connection, various plans for assimilation, and church-specific vision and goals for their group ministries. Yet all would agree that small groups are a means to an end, not an end in and of themselves. Small groups exist as a way for people to engage in biblical community that helps them become more like Jesus in every area of their lives. The following are a few key biblical foundations, ministry purposes, and benefits of small groups. 

How do I get my church congregation to invite? Playlist 

Check out this Church Fuel series on how to get your congregation to invite! The Church Fuel team shares the top ideas to help your church develop a culture of invitation!

Sundays at All Hallows (August 23, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, August 23, 2026, is the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. It is the Twenty-First Sunday of Ordinary Time. This year is the sixth year that All Hallows Murray has been online. All Hallows Murray was primarily launched to serve those who are unable to attend a church in their locality for one reason or another and to provide services for small groups gathering for worship in houses, apartments, and other non-traditional settings.

A secondary purpose of Thursday Evenings and Sundays at All Hallows is to introduce small and medium-sized churches to the wide variety of hymns, worship songs, and service music that is available to churches with limited musical resources.

For this Sunday’s Invitatory Psalm you have a choice, the original version of Michael Perry’s metrical paraphrase of the Venite (Psalm 95), “Come Worship God,” or the inclusive language version. The organ accompaniment for both versions is the same-- Joseph Francis Thrupp’s hymn tune EPIPHANY.

Alternative hymn tunes include the seventeenth century French plainchant, O QUANTA QUALIA; Southern Harmony’s shaped note hymn tune, STAR IN THE EAST; and the Irish folk melody, STREETS OF LAREDO (THE BARD OF ARMAGH). You will find recordings of these tunes online.

In this Sunday’s message we take a look at the different ways people answer a question Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?”

Readings: Isaiah 51: 1-6, Romans 12: 1-8, and Matthew 16:13-20

Message: “Who Do You Say I Am?”

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-august-23-2026.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:

-It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.

-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: 'The Burge Report: Why Immigration Won't Reverse America's Secular Drift'

The Burge Report: Why Immigration Won't Reverse America's Secular Drift
A common argument says immigration could help reverse America’s secular drift because immigrants are assumed to be more religious than native-born Americans. Ryan Burge’s analysis challenges that assumption. Using Cooperative Election Study data, he finds that immigrants are only slightly more religious than Americans whose families have been in the United States for generations—and not nearly enough to shift the country’s overall religious trajectory. The larger story is assimilation: immigrants, like the broader American population, are becoming more secular over time.

ACNA Bishop Jones Guilty on All Counts
The Anglican Church in North America’s Court for the Trial of a Bishop has granted summary judgment against the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones, the church’s former chaplaincy bishop. Resolving the case without a trial, the August 19 judgment declared Bishop Jones guilty of violating denominational canons, abusing ecclesiastical power, and promoting and causing schism.

Christian nationalists’ professed support for religious pluralism is often drowned out by perceptions that Christians are under threat
Two political scientists explain why Christian nationalist beliefs endure.

Leading Your Church Faithfully Through Elections
When discipleship extends into public life, what does faithful Christian leadership look like? Kendal McBroom equips leaders with practical resources and practices to build spiritually grounded communities that engage civic life with courage, humility, and a commitment to the common good.

Birmingham church bombing wasn’t an isolated act of terrorism – there were dozens of attacks on Black houses of worship during the Civil Rights Movement
More than 100 Black churches across the South were targeted from the 1950s-70s. Another wave of violence followed in the ‘90s – and there have been attacks in recent years, too.

Why Tom Wright Remains Anglican While Others Change Denomination
In this clip from Ask NT Wright Anything, host Mike Bird and Tom Wright explore how their very different denominational journeys have shaped their Christian lives. Mike explains that he did not grow up in a Christian home and first came to faith through a Baptist church in Sydney while serving in the army, later studying at a Baptist theological college. Moving to Scotland then drew him deeper into the Reformed and Presbyterian world. He also shares how discovering that biblical scholar F. F. Bruce combined a Greek New Testament with the Book of Common Prayer prompted him to try Anglican daily offices, a practice that eventually led him into the Anglican tradition and ordination.

Tom Wright, by contrast, describes being born and bred within the Church of England, surrounded by Anglican clergy and lay leaders in his family. He recalls moments as a student when zealous Baptist friends urged him to leave what they saw as a corrupt Anglican structure, yet he remained anchored by the rhythm of Anglican morning and evening prayer and the central place of Scripture in that worship. Tom reflects on the freedom and breadth within Anglicanism, its commitment to the Bible, and his ecumenical engagement with Methodists, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Pentecostal movements. Together, Mike and Tom show how modern Christians often move more fluidly between denominations while still seeking a solid scriptural and liturgical centre.

We Need Healthy Tribalism
It’s OK for you to have a tribe and to learn from people outside your tribe. It’s even OK to recognize that the Lord might use someone outside your tribe to do great things for his kingdom. And so I want to give you a framework—four helpful truths as we maneuver this hypertribal world while trying not to become hypertribal ourselves.

Get Nervous Before Preaching? 3 Remedies
Do you find yourself getting nervous before you preach? Maybe even nervous while you're preaching? Maybe even struggling with fear? I made this video specifically for you. Watch this before Sunday and say goodbye to those preaching nerves.

When Screens Become a Theological Question
An aesthetic objection to adding a large screen became a theological question about how worship spaces distribute attention, ease and participation.

Imagining what another person needs is not the same as asking.

Access begins by asking people what helps them worship and allowing their answers to shape the room.

How to Gather Well: 5 Ways to Prepare for Corporate Worship
I almost called this article, “Getting the Most out of the Gathering,” but I was cautious about accidentally communicating something in the title that I don’t mean. To be clear, I don’t believe the gathering is primarily about us getting something. I trust we all understand that it would be wrong to come to church with the mindset of expecting to have our preferences catered to. That is not the ‘getting’ that I mean.

But it is clear through the pages of the Bible that God has ordained the Christian gathering to be a place for us to not only offer worship to him but also to receive grace from him.

The Biggest Intellectual Struggle Christians Face at College Isn't What You Think
In this video, Michael Kruger shares the biggest intellectual struggle Christian's face at college.

Michael J. Kruger is the Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a leading scholar on the origins and development of the New Testament canon. He blogs regularly at michaeljkruger.com. He is the author of 'Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College'.

How to Streamline Your Adult Discipleship Ministries - The Church Revitalization Podcast 

Is your church overwhelmed by a maze of groups, classes, and ministries, or struggling to get people engaged at all? On this episode, we break down how to streamline your adult discipleship ministries for greater clarity and real spiritual growth.

Your hosts, Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from The Malphurs Group, bring years of hands-on experience revitalizing churches. Each week, they share practical strategies for church leaders to create healthier, more effective ministries—no matter your church’s size or context...

Friday's Catch: "US churches healthier than expected despite ‘massive discipleship gap’ – new study" And More

US churches healthier than expected despite ‘massive discipleship gap’ – new study
American churches are receiving high marks from those who regularly enter their pews, despite new research showing that more than half of self-identifying Christians attend services less than once a month.

The latest findings from the American Bible Society’s ‘State of the Bible USA 2026,’ which focuses on church health, suggest a mixed picture of the Church in the United States, with relatively strong levels of satisfaction among churchgoers contrasting with continued disengagement among large numbers of Christians.

Highland Park UMC pastor compares standoff with regional conference to Cain and Abel
A regional body of the United Methodist Church and Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC) in Dallas continued their public disagreement this week over changes to the megachurch’s governing documents, with both sides issuing statements defending their positions in the ongoing civil lawsuit.

On Aug. 10, the Horizon Texas Conference filed suit in Dallas County District Court seeking court clarification on questions involving the church’s governing documents and a longstanding property deed. The conference said the action followed months of unsuccessful efforts to resolve the matter directly with HPUMC leadership.

Rural Churches Today: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lasting Impact
While rural church pastors share many ministry delights and challenges with pastors in other contexts, certain aspects of rural church life make it unique.

Imminent danger to humanity as scientists warn of mass extinction event on Earth
A report backed by 17 experts has warned that Earth is heading toward a future marked by mass extinction, declining health, and climate-driven upheaval that threaten life as we know it.

The report argues that the planet is in far worse shape than most people realise, and that immediate action is needed.

Insiders unmask Trump's private pet projects list that has left national parks to rot
While President Donald Trump gilds horse statues and swaps out brick paver steps at the White House, dumpsters overflow and wildfires threaten remote parks across America, insiders told The Atlantic that the rot is only beginning.

The National Park Service now runs a three-tier funding scheme, according to documents and five current and former officials cited by The Atlantic's Michael Scherer. There's the untouchable "White House priorities" list, a "high priority" list, and a "low priority" pile where 1,573 projects languish. Many of those projects would have sailed through under past administrations, officials told the outlet.

White nationalist takeover plot for rural America exposed after secret Rome meeting
White nationalist leaders gathered in Rome, Italy, this year to map out how they could exploit America's collapsing local news industry, openly celebrating the death of community journalism as a golden opportunity to organize unchecked in rural areas.

Phil Williams, a legendary local reporter from Nashville, reported the development for the Confront the Hate Substack.

Two outside white supremacist groups, the Klu Klux Klan and the Workers Party, a 21st century iteration of the American Nazi Party, have attempted to recruit new members in my community, a modest-sized university town located in a largely rural area of Kentucky. Their efforts were opposed by a local alliance of churches and church leaders. I recall a young man boasting to a fellow university student that he was a Nazi. The young woman did not appear to be impressed.

University of Houston cuts 40% of core curriculum, including climate change and LGBT studies courses 

University of Houston cut about 40% of its courses from its core curriculum, meaning new students can no longer take classes like "Intro to Global Climate Change" or "Introduction to LGBT Studies" to satisfy their general education requirements.

The move comes as Texas colleges and universities face pressure to eliminate what conservative lawmakers see as "indoctrination" in the classroom. Some students and faculty have disputed that characterization and believe the targeted courses should be included to promote academic inquiry.

While states like Texas are suppressing academic freedom at the university level and promoting a particular brand of purported evangelical Christianity in elementary, middle and high school classrooms, white supremacist groups are indoctrinating young men in their ideology on the internet. And according to one report the Department of Homeland Security has been spying on churches. What next?!

11 faith groups accuse Trump administration of violating court order while spying on churches
Religious groups now argue that the government has committed ‘multiple egregious violations’ of a preliminary injunction handed down in their case back in February.

Federal appeals court upholds ban on ICE raids at churches
A federal appeals court panel has reaffirmed a block on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy that allows agents to conduct raids at houses of worship, schools and other community locations.

In a decision released Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower court decision in favor of a coalition of multiple Quaker meeting groups, a Sikh Temple and a Cooperative Baptist congregation.

What Happens When Easy Christianity Fails?
Research shows doubt is a reality for many believers. How can believers keep the faith when the ground is shaken and easy Christianity fails?

Keith Getty says Christians must ‘sing the Bible’ in the age of AI ahead of Sing! Conference
Ten years after Keith and Kristyn Getty launched what was intended to be a one-time event celebrating a book about congregational singing, the Sing! Conference has grown into an international gathering of pastors, theologians, musicians and believers focused on strengthening the singing life of the Church.

This year, the conference will return to Nashville on Sept. 7–9 with the theme “Symphony of Scripture,” marking the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s English New Testament and examining the influence of the Bible on worship, theology, language, culture and the arts.

5 Questions to Help Someone Find the Right Bible
Before recommending a particular Bible, ask these five questions to choose the right one based on who it’s for and how it will be used.

OpenAI halts AI training on advanced model as it detects dark signs emerging
OpenAI says that it’s slowing down development and release of new models due to security and alignment concerns.

The ChatGPT maker announced the decision in a Tuesday blog post, citing two events as drivers of the indefinite training halt. One was the recent incident in which an OpenAI agent escaped its training sandbox without OpenAI’s knowledge and coordinated with other agents to launch a bizarre cyberattack against the AI training repository Hugging Face in an effort to cheat on its training tests. The blog post also — more mysteriously — cited “preliminary evidence” that an unreleased new model called Astra “may meet the critical cybersecurity capability threshold” under OpenAI’s “Preparedness Framework,” which mandates that OpenAI slow down development if a model “could introduce unprecedented new pathways to severe harm.”

You Don’t Need to Know Every Answer to Share the Gospel
Not knowing every answer to theological questions is not a barrier to sharing the gospel but can actually be an asset. Admitting uncertainty during evangelism creates vulnerability that makes unbelievers more comfortable asking their own questions, opening deeper conversations. Pride drives the impulse to appear all-knowing, but scripture shows Paul himself evangelized in weakness and trembling, trusting that faith rests on God's power rather than human wisdom. The results of evangelism belong to God, not the person sharing.

Thursday's Catch: 'Anglican Church in North America finds breakaway chaplains group leader guilty of misconduct' And More

Anglican Church in North America finds breakaway chaplains group leader guilty of misconduct
An Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) court has unanimously found a bishop who oversees a breakaway chaplain group guilty of misconduct.

The ACNA Court for the Trial of a Bishop released an opinion Wednesday finding Bishop Derek Jones of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC) guilty of all four charges of misconduct.

Also See: ACNA court finds Bishop Derek Jones guilty on all charges

Pastors, Churchgoers Say Their Congregation is Multigenerational
Almost 4 in 5 pastors and 9 in 10 churchgoers believe their church is multigenerational, with active members from all generations.

Despite their perceptions, the statistical reality paints a picture of a congregation that skews older.

3 Questions to Ask Before You Recruit Your Next Volunteer
Allen T. Stanton says the goal of volunteers in church isn’t more programs—it’s discipleship. He gives three questions to ask to help leaders and their congregations flourish.

I’m Making a Ministry Change (Here’s Why)
Ministry changes are a big deal. At times, they can be a tremendous blessing. Other times, they can be challenging. Sometimes, they can be both. I recently made a change in my vocational ministry position. My decision-making process may be helpful to others who are contemplating their specific ministry calling. Here are the factors that helped me make my decision.

Study: Culture Is the Main Reason Most Pastors Consider Leaving Ministry
Of the 82% of pastors who’ve seriously considered leaving vocational ministry during the past five years, 74% cite “culture,” not pay, as the primary reason. And more than three-quarters of pastors say they wish they had learned how to model and multiply culture.

Conviction Without Contempt: Living Together Amid Theological Difference
For those very few of us in the Episcopal Church who hold more theologically traditional convictions, especially about sexuality and gender, ours is a vocation to patience, humility, and a willingness to see fellow Christians not first through the lens of disagreement but the grace of our common baptism.

5 Things Bivocational Pastors Wish You Knew
Few seminary students set their sights on work outside of vocational ministry. But almost half of evangelical pastors are bivocational.

Why Pastors Should Say “I Don’t Know” More Often
We think we’ll lose people's trust if we don’t have all the answers. The opposite is almost always true.

Exegesis vs. Eisegesis: Are You Reading Scripture or Reading into It?
I went to ten years of seminary and skipped out on fast food to buy Logos books because I wanted to know as best a human could how to interpret the Bible well. I had teachers and mentors—and especially one pastor—who clearly had the tools I lacked for pursuing a careful and confident understanding of Scripture.

My desire impelled me into the world of scriptural exegesis—and away from its doppelganger, eisegesis. I want to submit to the text, not make the text submit to me. But how can I make sure to exegete and not eisegete? Ultimately, the direction of your heart—toward the Lord or toward some other God—will determine whether you truly listen to his speech in Scripture. But if your heart is for the Lord but your mind needs some assistance gaining listening skills, I’ll try in this article to provide you some categories and tips that will help you engage in exegesis.

How to Pray: Adore, Acknowledge, Appeal
In Nehemiah 1, we read that Nehemiah, learning about the desolation of Jerusalem, was so deeply troubled that he went into a season of prayer and fasting that lasted 16 weeks. The prayer we have recorded in chapter 1 is a summary of his (many!) prayers throughout that time. While most of us won’t immediately start praying for 16 weeks, we can all learn something about prayer from Nehemiah’s example.

Specifically, we see the three primary elements of true prayer: (1) adoration of God, (2) acknowledgement of our sin, and (3) an appeal based on God’s promises.

Fostering Community Through Uncomplicated Hospitality
If you long to foster intentional community in your home, yet feel overwhelmed by the idea of hosting, here are a few tips to get you started.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (August 20, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

Jesus used stories taken from everyday life to teach eternal truths. In this evening’s message we unpack Jesus’ “The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.”

Readings: Ezekiel 33: 1-20; Luke 18:9-14

Message: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows-august_01239900049.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:

-It is recommended that after reading or hearing a lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows the lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.

-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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'The Unfriendly Folks of the ACNA' And More

The Unfriendly Folks of the ACNA
The compilers of the 2019 Proposed ACNA Prayer Book adapted enough textual material from the Episcopal Church's The Book of Common Prayer of 1979 that the 2019 book can be described as a knockoff of the 1979 book. This can be seen from a careful examination of the two books. In the world of fashion knockoffs are cheap versions of the latest fashions produced for sale to the larger public. They are made from less expensive materials and do not exhibit the quality of workmanship that went into the original.

From my brief interaction with an administrator of the Anglican Church In North America (Unofficial) Facebook discussion group it is evident that whoever is running that group prefers not to have the defects of the 2019 Proposed ACNA Prayer Book drawn to public attention. It is noteworthy that the book in question to my knowledge has never been formally adopted by the ACNA and it was left to the individual dioceses of the ACNA to decide what service books might be used in their churches.

This article is not an indictment of all ACNAers but rather a commentary upon a development within the Anglican Church in North America and the intolerant attitude of one individual toward anyone who does not uncritically embrace everything about the ACNA.

Canadian military chaplains told not to mention God at public events
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces have been informed that they should not mention God during public spiritual reflections.

A new set of instructions for military personnel, issued at the end of July, essentially treats military chaplains not as spiritual guides with their own faith traditions, but as spokespeople for the Canadian government.

Over 80% of US pastors have considered leaving ministry – survey
Over 80% of pastors in the United States have contemplated stepping away from pastoral ministry at some point during the last five years, with problems surrounding church culture emerging as a leading factor, according to a new survey.

The Top Preaching Distractions (What Stops Pastors Mid-Sentence in the Pulpit)
Josh and Sam have a little fun and talk about the preaching distractions most likely to get the pastor's attention.

If Jesus showed up today, would he play guitar?
During a gathering in Nashville, scholars looked at the theology, money and music reshaping how Americans worship and experience God.

Why You Should Use Hymns
These days many worship leaders believe they’re too hip or cool to include hymns in their cutting edge praise sets. It’s their loss – and their congregation’s.

In her epic book Worship Evangelism, Sally Morgenthaler reinforces what I’ve believed all along – the average person in your congregation, even the unchurched, are far less “hip” than the worship leader. They may love the new worship songs but they also love the old hymns...

Is Raising Hands in Worship Biblical? What Scripture Says
The debate over raising hands in worship resurfaces every few years. A theology professor questions the practice publicly, a worship leader defends it from the platform, and congregation members are left wondering what Scripture actually says. One recent example made the rounds online and reignited a question churches have asked for centuries: do our bodies belong in worship, or only our minds and hearts?

Scripture answers that question directly, and the answer appears more often across the Bible than a quick read would suggest.

7 Reasons Not to Quit Youth Ministry (When You Want to Give Up)
For an overworked, frustrated youth leader, only one solution might seem apparent: leaving to pursue another job or calling. But I urge you not to quit youth ministry too soon. Not only are you having eternal impact on young lives, but those individuals are specially equipped and positioned to impact other souls for eternity.

Here are seven compelling reasons to stay in youth ministry...

Also See: How to Help Teens Renew Their Minds

Believer vs. Christian: What’s the Real Difference?
You can sit in the same pew every Sunday, sing every worship song from memory, and still be more of a spectator than a follower. That gap between admiring Jesus and actually obeying Him separates a believer from a Christian, and most people never stop to ask which side of it they stand on.

James made the point directly. Even demons acknowledge that God exists, and that acknowledgment makes them tremble instead of changing them. Belief alone has never been the finish line of faith (James 2:19).

4 Ways the Gospel Changes Our Service
Serving is part of every relationship, but it’s not easy. We often don’t know what to do. We struggle to serve with joy. Over time, we burn out.

How can we grow in serving with wisdom?

Tuesday's Catch: 'What Percent of a Church Budget Should Personnel Costs Be?' And More

What Percent of a Church Budget Should Personnel Costs Be?
Jess and Thom discuss the often-asked question about personnel costs in churches. Though there are guidelines, there is no simple answer.

Also See: When Personnel Costs Are Too High

What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Unchurched - Webinar Replay
The recent changes in the unchurched population in the United States are significant. In their recently held webinar, Thom and Sam Rainer shared the top five insights about the unchurched that you may not be aware of. They presented valuable research highlighting the demographic shifts among those who rarely or never attend religious services. If you missed the live event, don’t worry! You can still catch up by watching the replay. Discover the essential insights every church leader needs to know. You can also download the slide show.

Also See: What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Unchurched - Webinar Slides

People Meet the Vision You Set—Not the One You Hide
Aaron Graham is leading a $37 million building campaign with 900 people and explains exactly how to inspire people to give to something much bigger than themselves.

We also cover what it’s like to be held hostage by an enemy army at ten years old, how to unite a congregation in a divided world, and how to tackle cultural lies.

MAGA evangelicals think they've found their post-Trump savior
Evangelicals think that they've found their next great hope as they gear up for the 2028 presidential election.

Journalist Sarah Posner penned a report addressing the new chatter about Mike Huckabee as the new heir of the MAGA evangelicals to regain influence in the Republican Party after Trump has largely placated them.

European farmers face 'unprecedented crisis' after successive heatwaves
Successive intense heatwaves and an increasingly severe, continent-wide drought have left many of Europe’s farmers in an “unprecedented” crisis, with vegetable and grain growers in particular warning of “catastrophic” harvests.

The United States is also experiencing drought and heatwaves on top of aquifer depletion, agricultural labor shortages, rising fuel prices, and soil deterioration. We are also seeing an uptick of food-borne diseases.

Hidden Martyrs of the Faith
The 19th century evangelical bishop J. C. Ryle wrote once that “The last day will prove that some of the holiest men that ever lived are hardly known”. This is very true. While there were 16 heroes in the Bible explicitly mentioned by name in Hebrews 11, the overwhelming number of believers in the Bible, who contributed to the Kingdom of God, have been lesser-known saints.

The Shape of the Catechism
Ever since its 1549 first edition, the Book of Common Prayer has included a catechism. After half a century, the catechism received a significant addition, but otherwise it stood almost unchanged in prayer books around the Anglican Communion for more than four hundred years.

This classic Anglican catechism is very short. It has 25 questions, and in its original form, only 13 questions. Longer catechisms are in vogue now, with catechisms of more than 100 questions (Episcopal Church) and 368 questions (Anglican Church in North America), not to mention the behemoth that is The Catechism of the Catholic Church. The classic Anglican catechism is smaller than Luther’s Small, and shorter than the Westminster Shorter.

Slop, Slop, Beautiful Slop
I know. I know. Truly smarter people have already written about this. I’m also late to the conversation. I didn’t think I needed to join it. But sadly, the slop marches on. I’m seeing AI so frequently that I am worried that the problem is with me. I’m the crazy one. I must be seeing it where it isn’t. Right? But no, things really are that bad.

The era of literal AI book-chomping has begun
Here is an update on a story you may not yet have heard of. It manages to be at once fascinating, deeply disturbing and a perfect living metaphor of our age...

Also See: AI Companies Are Buying—And Destroying—Antique Books. Here’s Why.

'Ominous': Nearly a quarter of kids chronically absent from school
Nearly a quarter of U.S. students were chronically absent from school last year in what researchers called an “ominous” trend for the education system.

In 2025, 22.6 percent of students missed 10 percent or more of the school year, the American Enterprise Institute found.

Serve your children by inviting them to serve in church
As we know from Scripture, actions must follow God’s Word. Believers do not contribute merit to their salvation by obeying the Lord. Rather, living out the Christian life is a natural outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s work within our hearts. Our lives and how we conduct ourselves must be soaked in the words and actions of Jesus Christ.

The Carpool Question I Pray Every Kid Keeps Asking
Writing in 1947, Dorothy Sayers said that from a young age, kids should learn the “grammar of theology”; they should “become acquainted with the story of God and Man in outline—i.e., the Old and New Testament presented as parts of a single narrative of Creation, Rebellion, and Redemption—and also with the [Apostle’s] Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments.” Even if our kids don’t know those last three items by heart, most evangelical parents follow Sayers’ advice.

We teach our kids the Bible’s basic storyline and give them a clear Christian vision of faith, devotion and ethical living. Yet while teaching our kids these basics, have we also taught them how to use this “grammar” as a grid for interpreting and evaluating the confusing messages they hear in today’s world?

Monday's Catch: 'Oklahoma governor hosts ceremonial signing for camp safety bill' And More

Oklahoma governor hosts ceremonial signing for camp safety bill
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt held a ceremonial signing of HB-1675, a camp safety law requiring summer camps and outdoor programs across the state to assess their site-specific hazards and prepare for severe weather emergencies.

HB-1675 requires all camp facilities, youth camps and outdoor programs in Oklahoma to conduct a site-specific hazard assessment and develop an emergency action plan before Jan. 1, 2027, with reviews every three years thereafter. The law takes effect Nov. 1, and the new safety standards will be in place for the Summer 2027 camp season.

The bill comes just a year after the first anniversary of the tragic floods at Camp Mystic in Texas, which killed 27 campers and staffers known as the Heaven’s 27. It is part of a growing national movement led by families of the Heaven’s 27, now known as the Safe Summers Foundation. The movement aims to establish stronger laws ensuring summer camps have reasonable protocols for emergency situations.

Women Ministers and the Evangelical Future
The battle over women in ministry is driven by the tensions in evangelicalism, not a slide into liberal theology.

Christian Nationalist Doublespeak
From the Moore to the Point newsletter: A state that can define who is in or out of the kingdom of God is a state that has the power to do anything.

Hell is no longer the driving force it used to be
Hell is having a moment, again.

On July 30, TikTok evangelist Whitney Lynn was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight for proselytizing passengers and crew during a delay on the tarmac. While Lynn’s antics clearly garnish a following and fill her bank account in turn, I’d argue the very concept of hell itself is what motivates her to stand in the middle of an airplane aisle and spout a most fearsome version of the gospel.

Hell can be quite the motivator, after all. But what happens when fear of the fiery inferno is no longer the driving force it used to be? What happens when people change their minds?

Miracle on the Vistula? Mary, War, and the Perils of Holy Nationalism
Pope Leo’s remarks to Polish pilgrims on August 12 raise a question Anglicans have never answered in one voice: how should Christians speak of God, Mary, and history? The issue is not whether God governs the nations. The Prayer Book assumes that he does, and Christians rightly pray for deliverance, justice, and peace. The issue is whether the Church may identify a particular military victory as the result of Marian intervention.

This essay argues that Anglican Evangelicals should decline to do so. The claim exceeds Scripture, sits uneasily with Article XXII and the Prayer Book’s Godward discipline of prayer, and risks converting national deliverance into a badge of divine preference. Anglo-Catholics may make a narrower claim: Mary, as part of the communion of saints, prays with and for the Church. But prayerful intercession is not the same thing as an independent heavenly agency, still less a warrant for sanctifying national victory.

Beyond Education: The Formation of Pastors
It takes more than academic success and excellence in ministerial skills to produce pastors. That’s because the biblical qualifications for the pastorate are matters of spiritual maturity and Christlike character, and an academic institution can only do so much—by design—to influence and assess such things.

3 Challenges of Pastoral Ministry No One Warns You About
More than a decade into vocational ministry, I can tell you exactly which difficulties nearly took me out. They were not the ones I trained for. Seminary taught me to exegete a passage and sit with a grieving widow. Nobody taught me what to do with a deacon who corners me after the service to say the last pastor had “real vision,” or a Tuesday that starts at 6 a.m. and still has three things undone at midnight.

I walk every intern I mentor through these same three challenges before they meet them cold. Knowing they were coming might not have made my own adjustment smoother. It would have kept me from feeling blindsided.

Before We Forget the Baby Boomer Pastors
One day, there will be no more baby boomer pastors serving our churches.

That statement is not intended to be dramatic. It is simply reality. Every year, more pastors from the largest generation of ministers in American history retire. Every year, others finish their earthly race and enter the presence of the Lord.

When they are gone, many of their stories will be gone as well.

That would be a tremendous loss.

Could Jesus preach in our churches today?
We’ve become remarkably good at talking about Jesus without expecting Jesus to interrupt the room.

The Case of the Missing Youth Pastors
Kyle Hoffsmith came of age in what might be one of the world’s most effective youth groups—by the time he and his two brothers hit college, they all wanted to be pastors or missionaries, even though neither of their parents was in full-time vocational ministry.

But none of them wanted to be a youth pastor.

Schools across the US banned phones. Teens are demanding more offline support
As students across the country return to school this month, many will be confronting a new reality: classrooms without smartphones.

Educators and parents have long fronted the fight against the debilitating influence technology can wield. Yet, many young people say they have been left out of important conversations around school phone policies, which are now in effect in at least 39 states and Washington DC.

Help Teens Navigate Friendship in the Social Media Age
Seeking belonging and finding a friend group in the middle and high school years is a normal part of teen life that has always required wisdom. But the rise of social media use among teens is complicating their friendships, and teens need guidance.

Here are three ways to help teens navigate friendships in the social media age.

Why We Need More Pastors, Not Just Missionaries
Missionary work that never produces local pastors only delays the inevitable collapse or stagnation of the churches it creates. Drawing on thirty years in Zambia, the author argues that the Apostle Paul's model was never long-term missionary presence but rapid elder training and departure, leaving self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating congregations behind. The real metric for mission success is not how many missionaries are sent but how many trained, indigenous pastors are left in place to shepherd, disciple, and plant churches indefinitely.

I have observed a similar situation in the Episcopal Church. While a growing number of Episcopal churches are priestless, four out of five in my region alone, these priestless churches are ill-equipped to function without a full-time, stipendary clergy member to lead them. This attributable to the failure of Episcopal clergy to equip the congregations in their care to perform the work of ministry and therefore be able to function independently of clergy due to a growing clergy shortage. Rather they have encouraged clergy dependence.

Sundays at All Hallows (August 16, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, August 16, 2026, is the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. In this Sunday’s message we wrestle with the topic of the place of mercy in the faith and life of a Christian.

Readings: Isaiah 56: 1-7, Romans 11: 13-32, and Matthew 15: 21-28

Message: What’s Mercy Got to Do with It?!

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-august-16-2026.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:

-It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.

-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: 'Why the Pastorate Is One of the Highest Security Jobs in an AI World' And More

Why the Pastorate Is One of the Highest Security Jobs in an AI World 

Thom and Sam explore why the pastorate remains one of the most secure callings in an AI world. Artificial intelligence can help with research and administrative tasks, but it cannot replace the heart of pastoral ministry: presence, trust, discernment, and shepherding. The more ministry is rooted in real relationships rather than production alone, the more durable it becomes. In many ways, the rise of AI may actually clarify what people need most from pastors in the years ahead.

Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 - Part 1
Thom and Jess Rainer revisit the insights from Thom’s 2016 bestseller “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” and provide a sobering update for today’s church landscape. In this episode, they begin unpacking the eight new signs that a church is nearing its end in 2025.

Also See: Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 - Part 2

A Look at "Autopsy of a Deceased Church" 12 Years Later
The only reason Thom wrote this book is that his blog of the same title went viral. The book became another number-one bestseller. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 12 years after it was published.

Why Church Autopsies Are Important
Mark and Thom delve into the painful issue of examing why churches died. They do so that future deaths might be prevented. They also show how churches today can move to health rather than death.

Most of the reasons that churches die are avoidable. Those who made the decisions in the church made the wrong judgment call.

Church Must Tackle Its Real Estate Crisis
While The United Methodist Church debates societal issues — LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, welcome of refugees and the like — its congregations’ real estate is eating away at the denomination and threatening its viability.

Five years later things have not gotten better.

We need Anglican ‘third places’
Theologically, Anglicanism charts a third way through the landscape of evangelical and catholic options: one that is not at odds with either, but nonetheless aspires, at its best, to be more than what either can offer on its own. It’s a combination of progressive thinking and traditional foundations that Canadian society sorely needs. Yet in this age of church decline and all-too frequent church closures, it’s an offering that seems to be falling flat in our secular world.

One solution may be to reimagine the one thing Anglicanism in Canada still has in abundance: its spaces.

Beach’s 2020 probe cleared Dobbs of claims now driving defamation suit
A confidential November 12, 2020 report and set of Godly Judgments issued by the Most Rec. Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America has emerged as a central exhibit in the federal defamation lawsuit the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs filed against the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones.

GAFCON Europe launches funding appeal
These are challenging days and yet times of opportunity for all Christians and Anglicans who are biblically orthodox. This is true both for those who are committed to staying within the existing structures, as well as those who have reached the decision to establish new and alternative Anglican structures. Both seek to strategically remain biblically orthodox and missional and Gafcon Europe is committed to seeing both prosper and play a significant role, alongside other bible believing Christians, in reaching Europe for Christ.

Following pandemic losses, schism, UMC merges 2 Georgia conferences
Two regional bodies of The United Methodist Church are merging into a single entity following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the denomination’s recent schism.

The UMC Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference voted 291-0 on Tuesday to approve the merging of the North Georgia Conference and the South Georgia Conference into one body.

Also See: Georgia unification gains final approval

Johnny Hunt’s lawsuit is over. The SBC’s abuse crisis isn’t.
Hunt is willing to pay to restore himself to his position of power and influence, but he is not willing to pay the victim who has paid the greatest cost. This is an apt metaphor for the leadership of the SBC.

Also See: Johnny Hunt's last defamation claims rejected by federal judge

Canadian family claim Christian grandmother was euthanised against her wishes
A family in Canada has alleged that their 83-year-old grandmother was euthanised despite her stated Christian beliefs and lack of mental capacity to consent to the procedure.

Literal or Symbolic? Reading Revelation Responsibly
Without a doubt, Revelation is one of the most difficult Bible books to understand. It has baffled ancient and modern commentators alike. Yet Revelation continues to capture the church’s imagination.

The church remains divided over how to interpret the Apocalypse. There are two main approaches for reading the book: the futurist perspective and the recapitulation perspective.

When Did the Church Begin?
Reformed theology agrees that Pentecost brought something new. It denies that Acts 2 created a second redeemed people unrelated to the saints who lived before Christ. God has one covenant of grace, one Mediator, and one people saved through faith in him. The church existed before Pentecost; at Pentecost it entered its universal New Covenant form.

Where the Font Lives Is What the Font Teaches
When someone walks into your church, what do they notice first? Do they see stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Scripture? A majestically high ceiling lifting their eyes upward to the heavens? What people see inside a church helps to teach them your church’s theology. The location of a baptismal font is one aspect of this teaching. Where a baptismal font lives can help teach not only the one being baptized, but the congregation as a whole.

While I would argue that there is no “correct” location for a baptismal font, where the font lives in a church can help to reveal the mysteries of the sacrament.

Shattering Illusions and Offering Hope: Christian Funerals
The funeral is not an interruption of our ambitious projects—our strategic plans, capital campaigns, diocesan commitments, or boundaries of “self-care.” Death pays no heed to any of them. No, the funeral is one of the primary sacramental functions of the priest. It is ministry, arguably our most important ministry in the lives of many of our families. Most of our sermons will be forgotten, our clever stewardship themes and our Christian formation classes will fade from memory, but the way we loved people in the most intimate moments of loss will indelibly shape their understanding of God and the gospel. Indeed, it will shape our own.

How to Avoid Individualism When Listening to Sermons
It seems obvious that no one is an “Army of One.” Yet it’s easy to function like a church of one. When it comes to hearing sermons, we often view ourselves as solo listeners, there to consume the message only for ourselves.

But the Bible says we’re a family of siblings, a body with parts, and a flock of sheep (1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 2:19–22; 4:15–16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 5:2–3). So you’re not an only child but a family member, not a prosthetic limb but a body part, not an isolated sheep but part of a flock.

You are not a church of one.

Friday's Catch: 'The Episcopal Church is a story of renewal, not decline' And More

The Episcopal Church is a story of renewal, not decline
Ours is a story of renewal and change, not decline and death. The invitation is simply to say so, plainly, and to live it across our communities and neighborhoods.

Also See: History: Parish and Building; Years after Long Island church’s closure, renovated building offers home to Latino congregation

Australian Synod Weighs Viability of Rural Dioceses
Rich diocese, poor diocese – budget issues have loomed like a dark cloud over an otherwise generally productive and co-operative General Synod in Australia.

Clergy Among Thousands Evicted from South Africa
Anglican clergy serving in South Africa are among the thousands evicted from the nation this month in a campaign launched by the March & March Movement. The movement put pressure on employers and landlords across the country to evict all undocumented persons by July 1, 2026, and recent reports note that more than 178,000 people have fled the country.

With three prisoners scheduled for execution, southern churches toll their bells
Faith-based anti-death penalty activists have used the bell-tolling tactic throughout the country in various waves.

UMC sues Dallas church for making unilateral governance changes
One of the nation’s largest and most affluent Methodist churches is being sued by its denomination for previously unreported changes made to its governing documents four years ago.

The Horizon Texas Conference — previously known as the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church — is suing Highland Park United Methodist Church claiming the church improperly removed oversight by the denomination and its own congregants.

Also See: Horizon Texas Conference Sues Highland Park UMC, Its Largest Congregation

Evangelical Press Association seeks new name and director
The Evangelical Press Association, which was founded in 1948 and counts more than 300 member organizations, publications and individuals that reach an audience of more than 20 million people, is weighing a name change and seeking a new executive director to succeed Lamar Keener.

Following a year-long strategic planning effort, EPA’s board has proposed a name change to Christian Communicator’s Network. EPA explained the rationale for the change in the July issue of its Liaison newsletter.

VOICES: How tyrants use religion — and how Scripture exposes them
A common strategy among tyrants is to use religion and a veneer of piety for their own political goals. Those in power — or those seeking power — can further legitimize their rule by cleverly manipulating religion and sacred texts for their own ends.

This strategy isn't confined to politics; it's prevalent in the Church, too. Have you ever heard a sermon, a devotion, or a town hall report where the leader declares that what God is doing aligns exactly with their personal agenda?

More than Money: Nathan Meador & Heath R. Curtis on Stewardship for the Care of Souls (Ep 134)
“Stewardship is pastoral care, and the task of pastoral care is theological in nature. It’s not enough that a stewardship program works.”

Empowering the Next Generation: 5 Leadership Frameworks for a Changing World
What does it take to prepare the next generation of Christian leaders? Applying insights from an extraordinary gathering of ministry leaders, Elizabeth Tamez Méndez explores how churches can engage with Gen Z leaders. She shares five frameworks that can help experienced leaders build trust, foster collaboration, and intentionally pave the way for the future of the church.

The Rhythms That Sustain Ministry
Sustainable ministry requires more than working harder or managing stress. Drawing on biblical rhythms of Sabbath, joy, friendship, and receiving care, Laura Heikes offers practical ways church leaders can embody the patterns of rest they encourage in others.

How is Online Worship Working? Approaches to Strengthening Virtual Worship
Online worship has now become commonplace for many of our congregations, but it was not always so.

Some churches were offering worship online before the pandemic, but most were not. In 2019, the year before the pandemic, only 14 percent of United Methodist churches reported attendance for online worship. Most churches embraced virtual worship when pandemic safeguards prevented them from gathering in person. For many of these churches, their early attempts at online worship were often awkward. Leaders were ill-equipped. There were technological challenges. And most clergy and musicians had little experience in communicating effectively in this new medium. But as time went by, the services improved for most churches. As the worst of the pandemic subsided, most churches were managing their virtual worship relatively well.

Not all online services continued after in-person worship resumed. Some assumed from the beginning that virtual services would be unnecessary after the pandemic. But most church leaders understood that basic changes were taking place in how people live their lives and post-pandemic worship may not return to “normal.” Online worship would be needed for those unable to attend in person for health reasons. But also, there would continue to be an audience for online worship alongside in-person, as well as church worship services broadcast on radio and television. The decision of whether to continue an online service was no longer just a matter of providing access to members unable to attend because of the pandemic.

Carey Nieuwhof on AI, Authenticity & the Future Church
In this episode, Ashley LaLonde and David Kinnaman sit down with Carey Nieuwhof, bestselling author, podcaster, and founder of the Art of Leadership Academy, to explore new Barna data on AI and the church—including that 41% of pastors say AI has helped them with Bible comprehension and study. Together, they unpack why authenticity and a pastor's own voice matter more than ever in an AI-assisted sermon, Carey's litmus test for when AI use has gone too far ("if you're uncomfortable disclosing how you use it, you're probably overusing it"), and why the church may be the last truly human place in an increasingly artificial world. Plus, a bonus conversation between David and Pushpay CEO Kenny Wyatt discussing Barna's newest study with Pushpay, Technology for Missional Impact.

How to Do New Believer Follow-up With Kids
What could new believer follow-up look like with children in your church after the summer season begins to wind down?

A Theology of Mission
What is the mission of the church in the world today? In this episode of Logos Live, Kirk E. Miller sits down with author and missiologist Dr. Ed Stetzer to trace the mission of God from Genesis to the Great Commission.

Whether you are navigating between evangelism and social justice or seeking to avoid “mission drift” in your local congregation, this conversation provides a biblical-theological framework for understanding our purpose in God’s grand purposes.

Image Credit: St. John's Episcopal Church, Kingston

Thursday's Catch: '1 in 6 Protestant Churchgoers Attend Megachurches' And More

1 in 6 Protestant Churchgoers Attend Megachurches

Megachurches account for less than 1% of U.S. Protestant churches, but they draw 17% of churchgoers.

Unreasonable Hospitality: What Most Leaders Get Wrong
Every leader loses customers. Few know how to win them back. Will Guidara, the restaurateur behind Eleven Madison Park and author of Unreasonable Hospitality, joins me to talk about taking the anxiety out of service, the customer-service pet peeves that drive him crazy, what AI is actually doing to hospitality, and the lesson Simon Sinek taught him about leading people.

8 Reasons Most Churches Do Not Do Outreach - Part 1
In this episode of The Church Answers Podcast, Thom and Jess Rainer begin a two-part discussion on the widespread neglect of outreach in local churches. They unpack the foundational barriers that keep churches from obeying the Great Commission.

Also See: 8 Reasons Most Churches Do Not Do Outreach - Part 2

Embracing Creative Outreach in Your Ministry
In 1992, Saddleback Church became one of the first churches on the internet. Back in those days, the internet was an uncharted frontier: no web browsers, no search engines, just a few tech-savvy pioneers exploring a digital wilderness.

Yet, when we saw the internet as an opportunity to reach people in a new way, we jumped in with both feet, using FTP, Gopher, and Mosaic to share the gospel. Creative outreach is one of 10 values that we built Saddleback Church on, and that creative spirit has never left the church.

I believe every church should embrace creativity to reach new people with the gospel. Any church can learn to do this if they live out these five principles.

What Should a Pastor Do When One or Two Key Donors Keep the Church Doors Open
Josh and Sam discuss a scenario that is more common than most realize: when a key donor or two are the only ones keeping the church afloat.

The Benefits of Bivocational Ministry
While full-time ministry offers important advantages, the benefits of bivocational ministry are often forgotten in our “specialized world”. Bivocational ministers provide essential support to the broader church, particularly helping smaller and more rural congregations, and in turn receive significant benefits themselves.

4 Ways Pastors can Refill their Depleted Souls
Have you ever felt depleted? As a pastor I have. Some time back I heard the president of Heritage College and Seminary located near Toronto give an uplifting talk about how pastors can refill their depleted souls. He spoke at a monthly gathering of pastors and Christian business leaders in London, Ontario, where I serve as a pastor. With permission, I share his insights...

The Danger of Thinking Machines (It’s not AI)
Earlier this year InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an evangelical Christian ministry to colleges and universities, announced a technology partnership with Gloo. Gloo’s website describes their purpose as to “shape technology as a force for good — serving those who serve, to help them scale their purposes, so people flourish and communities thrive.” Among other technology and information services, Gloo provides, as a press released posted on Religion News Service describes, “values-aligned AI.”

This raises the question: Is there such a thing as “values-aligned AI”? InterVarsity’s move follows a long pattern of evangelical usage of emerging technologies. We can include John Wesley’s use of the printing press to produce pamphlets. Billy Graham and others used the radio to reach the world, and Graham quickly began using television. During the COVID-19 pandemic, evangelical churches were at the forefront of live streaming services.

Why 'sorry' is the beginning of divine healing
At the heart of an apology is the recognition of moral responsibility. To say “I am sorry” is to admit that one’s actions have had consequences for another person, whether intended or not. Without that acknowledgement, reconciliation becomes difficult because two people are no longer working from the same understanding of reality: one carries the experience of hurt, whilst the other maintains a sense of innocence. Even if both are sincere, they remain divided in perception.