Monday's Catch: 'The Danger of “Realistic” Thinking Without Faith' And More

The Danger of “Realistic” Thinking Without Faith
Every church needs realism.

Leaders should understand their context. They should know their numbers. They should face challenges honestly. Denial helps no one, and ignoring reality only delays necessary decisions.

But there is a danger that often goes unnoticed.

Realism, when separated from faith, becomes limitation.

Why Christians Have Become the Problem
Are Christians actually making it harder to turn to Jesus? The honest answer might be yes and it's something we need to talk about.

If your social feed is like mine, it's more polarized, partisan, and angry than ever. And Christians aren't providing an alternative to the outrage online. Too often, we're fueling it.

When Christians lose their minds, people lose their faith. In this video, I break down why this matters more than most of us realize — and give you five practical things you can do to protect your influence and stop driving people away from the faith.

Why I remain an Episcopalian
Bad bishops are not a new problem. Bad doctrine promoted by those charged to guard the faith is not a new problem either. What is new, at least for many traditionalists in the Episcopal Church, is the exhaustion that follows years of controversy, litigation, decline, and the wearying sense that every General Convention or episcopal election will bring another test of conscience.

The temptation is understandable: walk away. Find a purer body, a safer jurisdiction, a parish where the fight is over. But the Anglican answer should be slower, sterner, and more catholic. The first duty of a faithful Episcopalian is not escape, but fidelity. One may have to resist. One may have to protest. One may even have to disobey a particular command that contradicts the Word of God. But one should not make separation the default proof of seriousness.

This is not an argument for staying no matter what. That would be servility, not Anglicanism. Fidelity is owed first to Jesus Christ, to the Holy Scriptures, and to the apostolic gospel.

If remaining in a particular parish, diocese, or institution requires the denial of Christ, complicity in sin, or the surrender of the gospel, then conscience has reached a grave boundary. My own journey through the Episcopal Church over the past thirty years has brought me hard up against this boundary, compelling me to leave the Diocese of Pennsylvania, denying me parish calls, blocking preference, promotion and prestige as it is measured among clergy in the church.

Anglican without Canterbury or why is Sydney in a fellowship with women priests?
One measure of something important being announced is whether people are still talking about it afterwards. The conservative Anglican network Gafcon’s conference in Abuja in March passes that test because it is still being talked about.

First women priests ordained in the Church of the Province of Central Africa
The first women to be ordained as priests has been held in the Province of the Church of Central Africa. 14 women were ordained on May 17, 2026, at a service at the Anglican Holy Cross Cathedral in Gaborone, Botswana.

Catholic group issues warning to Vatican ahead of potential schism
The traditionalist Catholic Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and the Vatican appear headed toward a collision course over the group’s plan to ordain bishops without papal approval.

The SSPX has said it will proceed with consecrations on July 1, despite a Vatican warning that such a move would constitute a “schismatic act” and trigger automatic excommunication under Church law.

Anti-Christian Bias report exalts Calvinism and lies as normative
Those of us who identify as Christian and do not adhere to the government’s preferred version of Christianity are in this administration’s crosshairs. We must recognize this moment for the theological crisis it is; we must understand that our expression of Christian faith is under attack and act accordingly.

This report and the government’s elevation of a form of Reformed Theology as the normative expression of the faith is a direct consequence of Christian nationalism.

It is one thing for people to abide by Reformed Theology (or Calvinism). It’s another for the government to promote this version of Christianity.

Pentecost: Its meaning, significance and relevance for Christians today
Today is Pentecost - a special day in the Christian calendar that many Christians may have heard of, but do not always fully understand. Yet Pentecost is incredibly important, because it is deeply connected to the work of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

So, what exactly happened on that day? And why does Pentecost still matter for us as Christians today?

Anglicans and Methodists have traditionally celebrated the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus' followers on the Day of Pentecost not only on Whit Sunday but also for the entire week after Whit Sunday. This week of celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit is called Whitsuntide.

What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
24 May 2026 is Pentecost Sunday, when Christians recall the importance of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are the virtues that are produced in the life of a believer through the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the story....

Why Don’t Our Sermons Change People?
Many of us in conservative evangelical churches rightly prize biblical preaching. We want careful exegesis. We want theological depth. We want context, structure, precision, and faithfulness to the text. And rightly so. The preacher is not called to entertain, speculate, or offer therapeutic musings detached from Scripture. He is called to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2).

But somewhere along the way, many sermons have quietly become lectures with a Bible verse attached.

The result? Congregations leave informed but remain unchanged. Minds stimulated, consciences untouched. Notes taken, but sins unmortified. We explain the text carefully, but often fail to press the text home.

And then we wonder why transformation feels rare.

In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV says AI must serve humanity, not the powerful few
In ‘Magnifica Humanitas,’ Leo's 83-page manifesto on AI, the pope tackles the social, economic and political challenges associated with artificial intelligence.

Also See: With his first encyclical, Pope Leo hits it out of the ballpark

How to Pick a Winning Children’s Ministry Curriculum
Is finding a new children’s ministry curriculum on your mind? Consider these factors to ensure you choose the best fit for your ministry.

Spiritual Matters Missing From Many Churchgoers’ Conversations
Living unashamed is a key signpost of discipleship, but many churchgoers don’t see spiritual matters as pervasive throughout their lives.

Cultivating a Congregation That Lives Unashamed of the Gospel
As believers mature, they grow increasingly unashamed of their faith, unabashed in displaying the work of the gospel in their lives.

Sundays at All Hallows (May 24, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, Whit Sunday, often contracted to Whitsun, celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the upper room as promised by Jesus. It is called Whit Sunday after the white robes worn by the newly baptized on this Sunday which was a major baptismal feast day in the early Church. In some Christian traditions, Whit Sunday, also known as the Feast of Pentecost, still is a major baptismal feast day.

This Sunday’s message unpacks 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 and its meaning for today’s Christian.

Readings: Acts 2: 1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:3-13, and John 7: 37-39

Message: In Our Weakness

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/05/sundays-at-all-hallows-may-24-2026.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 Challenge of Eastern Orthodoxy

The Challenge of Eastern Orthodoxy: Comparing Evangelical and Eastern Orthodox Theology
The Eastern Orthodox Church has held an allure among Evangelical Protestant Christians for some time and continues to do so to the present day. In 1990 the Evangelical world was stunned when Frank Schaeffer, the son of the well-known Christian apologist and philosopher Francis Schaeffer converted to Eastern Orthodoxy.[1] In 2017, Hank Hanegraaff of the radio program The Bible Answer Man, converted to Eastern Orthodoxy.[2] A disturbing headline came out in 2024 by Rikki Schlott entitled, “Young men leaving traditional churches for ‘masculine’ Orthodox Christianity in droves.”[3]

On a personal and pastoral level, I have been contacted by a number of people belonging to Evangelical churches who have raised concerns that members of their own families converted or were in the process of converting to Eastern Orthodoxy. But before we ask ourselves “why is this happening?” and “what can be done?” we first must become familiar with the theology of Eastern Orthodoxy—and why it is dangerous. This article is by no means exhaustive, but in what follows, I will deal with some of the most important points of Eastern Orthodox belief, especially as they differ from evangelicalism.[4]

The Burge Report: Boomers Can’t Save Us Forever: The Hard Truth About Church Demographics
In this episode, we break down Ryan Burge’s demographic analysis of American Protestant churches and the uncomfortable math behind membership decline. Using age-distribution data across major denominations, Burge argues many churches aren’t stable—they’re simply being “buoyed by the Baby Boomers.” With modal ages in the late 60s, shrinking numbers of young adults, and fewer children in the pipeline, many groups are approaching a demographic tipping point. Decline won’t be gradual; it will feel slow and then sudden. Unless leaders plan now, some denominations could lose 30–50% of their adult members over the next couple of decades. The message is clear: this isn’t a theological or programmatic problem. It’s an actuarial problem, and the clock is already ticking.

ACC Members Discuss Hopes for Meeting
Anglican Communion News Service has gathered the expectations of five members of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC). None of the published remarks mention the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals.

Nevertheless, the webpage devoted to the 19th meeting of the ACC mentions the Proposals multiple times, including pre-event briefings focusing on the Proposals’ underlying theology.

England’s cathedrals remain vital civic and spiritual ‘beacons’ despite mounting pressures – report
A major new report examining the role of England’s Anglican cathedrals is being unveiled this week at Bristol Cathedral, where hundreds of delegates from every Anglican cathedral across England have gathered for a four-day national conference focused on the future of cathedral life in modern Britain.

The conference, which opened on Monday, brings together 380 cathedral representatives, church leaders, academics and cultural figures to discuss the findings of Living Stones - a new report published by Theos examining the spiritual, cultural, social and economic significance of England’s 42 Anglican cathedrals.

Albert Mohler Says Woman Answering Sermon Questions on Church Podcast Is a ‘Problem’
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, believes that a woman appearing on a podcast alongside other church staff members and pastors to answer questions related to the church’s sermons is a “problem.”

Don’t Overlook Adult Children of Divorce
Gray divorce now accounts for 36 percent of all divorces, and the unseen carnage is the adult children.

What the Bible Really Says About Apostasy
Can someone commit apostasy? Walking away from salvation is an important question facing the church in light of our entry into a post-Christian world, one where increasing numbers are claiming to have once been Christians and now claim to be “nothing.” This rise of the nones raises not only cultural questions, but also theological ones. How should we view a newly minted “none”?

The Aging Pastorate: Sam Rainer on the Looming Pastoral Retirement Crunch (Ep 128)
“If you are intentional on the front end and create a process for your church, then you're leading them.”

Comparison Makes Your Ministry Heavier
If you want to make ministry heavier than it already is, start comparing your ministry to others. That trap rarely shows up all at once. It slips in quietly. You hear a gifted preacher and think, I wish I could communicate like that. You watch another church gain momentum and wonder why your ministry’s growth feels slower. You see somebody else’s influence grow and you start questioning the value of your own assignment. Paul says it plainly: “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV). Comparison is not a small issue. It will wear you out.

'Time for a temporary moratorium': US citizens, state officials sound alarm on AI data centers
As the United States races to build thousands of new data centers to power artificial intelligence (AI), rural communities and state officials in Texas and beyond are sounding alarms over the strain on local resources and infrastructure.

With more than 1,500 new facilities in various stages of development nationwide. Texas leads with around 140 new projects, closely followed by Virginia with 136, according to a Pew Research survey published in April.

Also See: The Rise of Techno-feudalism

How to Share Your Faith Without Being Pushy
Evangelism has become a curse word, and we want nothing to do with it.

So my question to you as a Christian is this: Are you going to perpetuate, ignore or change that image?

As a Christian, you have to pick one.

Friday's Catch: 'America Needs a Better Gospel than Christian Nationalism' And More

America Needs a Better Gospel than Christian Nationalism
As I heard the typical talking points for, at its most benign, American civil religion and, at its worst, full-blown Christian nationalism on the Mall, my first thought was America deserves a better gospel than this. But then I repented of my own form of Christian nationalism.

America doesn’t deserve the gospel. Neither do I. Neither do you. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” the apostle Paul told us, “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9, NKJV). But America does need a better gospel than what we often see in nationalist rallies.

Also See: Many UK adults link Britishness with being Christian - report

Why Netflix’s ‘Inside the Manosphere’ is a wake-up call for the Church
As president of a Christian university who sees hundreds of young men up close each year, I view this documentary not as a distant cultural curiosity but as a window into forces that are shaping boys before they arrive on any campus. It is uncomfortable viewing because it exposes an online world where young men are surrounded by role models driven by ego, self-aggrandizement and the pursuit of money and luxury. Women are treated like objects, and misogyny is encouraged and applauded, so that contempt is marketed as confidence and restraint is mocked as weakness. The documentary exposes the truth that boys see this unfiltered and unchallenged and consume it as truth and normal behavior.

Many parents, teachers and pastors have sensed these influences for years because they have watched boys grow more cynical, more distracted, less patient and less prepared for adult responsibility. The film forces the question into the open: How did this come to pass, and how did so many young men end up learning “manhood” from men who profit by inflaming appetite, resentment and contempt?

When pastors elevate charisma over godliness, churches suffer
Over the past several years, Christians across the country have watched a steady stream of pastors and ministry leaders fall into scandal, abuse, and moral failure. In many cases, believers are left asking the same painful question: How did this happen? But perhaps the deeper question is whether many of these collapses began long before these leaders ever stepped behind a pulpit.

The modern church has often prioritized gifting, charisma, and influence while neglecting the slower, harder work of spiritual transformation and character formation. And when wounded, unhealed, and spiritually immature leaders are elevated too quickly, the consequences can become devastating for entire congregations.

The Ancient World Had No Word for Child Abuse
In 1 BC, a man named Hilarion wrote a letter to his pregnant wife, Alis, while he was away on business in Alexandria. The letter survives on papyrus, preserved by two thousand years of dry Egyptian air. He asks about her health. He tells her to take care of herself. And then, almost in the same breath:

'If you bear a child, if it is a boy, let it live. If it is a girl, expose it.'

One sentence without anguish or apology. Just instruction.

What Does the Bible Say About Abuse? Probably More Than You Think
I could tell this conversation would be difficult.

A church elder—I’ll call him John—had called, complaining about a young woman my wife and I were assisting. John was certain her reports of childhood abuse were greatly exaggerated, that she was inventing problems to injure her “fine” family. John didn’t trust secular psychology, which he believed had made me harmfully alarmist. In his view, abuse was exceedingly rare, not a prevalent problem.

The irony is that John belonged to a church that was doggedly committed to the authority of Scripture. The tragedy is that he, like countless other church leaders, was blind to all that Scripture says about abuse.

Yet as a young pastor, I was no different. I’ve since discovered hundreds of passages in Scripture about abuse. Abuse is woven throughout Scripture, offering rich teaching on what abuse is, how it affects us, and how God responds to it.

Does Acts 2:38 Teach that Baptism Saves?
Years ago my former pastor was preaching through Acts. As he made his way through the text he arrived at Acts 2:38. It’s always interesting to see how preachers navigate this passage because it can be confusing and perhaps seems contradictory to other texts of Scripture.

But as my pastor carefully pointed out, it’s not.

Acts 2:38 reads, “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

The knee-jerk reaction is to say that one must repent of their sin and be baptized in order to receive forgiveness of sins; and if so, it would be a clear indication that baptism is required for salvation. However, the Bible is clear elsewhere that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

Anxious Times: What You Need to Know About Childhood Anxiety
Feeling anxious about the rise in childhood anxiety today? Read on to discover what anxiety is, how to help kids through anxious moments, and what our Father God wants us to remember during anxious times.

Thursday's Catch: '4 Marks of Success in a Rural Church' And More

4 Marks of Success in a Rural Church
How can pastors and church leaders effectively measure “success” in a rural church, with the unique aspects of ministry in rural contexts?

What Is a ‘Friendly’ Church?
"In this book, I want to draw attention to a crisis in congregations that may not be on many people’s radars: too many churches are less friendly than they realize. Unfriendliness might be furtively devouring your church’s ministry, effectiveness, influence, and longevity...."

‘I’m Not Being Fed’ and Other Ridiculous Christian Complaints Every church makes a choice, whether consciously or not. And most churches never say it out loud: who are we actually designing this for?

The worship style, the Sunday morning vibe, the language from the stage, what gets celebrated as a win — all of it adds up to an answer. And that answer either welcomes people far from God or quietly tells them they don’t belong.

This is one of the most important and most avoided conversations in church leadership today. Let’s have it.

The Coming Baby Boomer Cliff: What Happens in Churches When They Are Gone? Replay 

If you missed the live webinar, I am posting the links to the replay and the slides. You may want to share this research with your church's leadership team.

Also See: The Coming Baby Boomer Cliff: What Happens in Churches When They Are Gone? Slides

Where Are the Young Adults? with Allen Wakabayashi
The Episcopal Church is aging. Where are the young people? A campus minister gives his perspective.

What Churches Should Do About Inactive Members
In this episode, Josh and Sam address a widespread reality in many churches: bloated membership rolls and shrinking attendance. Across North America, millions of names remain on church rolls even though those people haven’t attended in months... or years. In some cases, membership lists are four or five times larger than actual weekly worship attendance. The result? Confusion, unhealthy metrics, and weakened accountability. A growing number of congregations are rethinking the issue: clarifying expectations, tightening processes, and distinguishing between truly inactive members and those with legitimate life circumstances.

Benefits of Hosting a Digital Event for Women
A digital event can support your leaders, enhance the ministry you’re stewarding, and open new doors to invite women into what God is doing.

Have you seen the TEC Trajectory Study invitation?
Why we need your parish’s voice—yes, yours.

For the last few months, Forward Movement has been supporting the TEC Trajectory Study, a denomination-wide research project on Episcopal congregations led by the Rev. Dr. Christopher Corbin (Rector, Trinity Episcopal Oshkosh; Evangelism MAT Coordinator, Diocese of Wisconsin). It’s the full expansion of the narrower Bright Spots Study Forward Movement published last fall, and it’s now nearing the close of its main data-collection window.

Wave 2 closes May 27. If your parish was invited and hasn’t participated yet, this is the last meaningful window. If you weren’t invited and you think you should have been, we’d like to fix that—keep reading.

Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Reflections on the Pilgrimage to Anglicanism Nearly 40 Years After Webber’s Classic
By now, the pattern is familiar. A young evangelical becomes disenchanted with her religious upbringing, discovers the liturgical church, and “walks the Canterbury Trail,” joining an Anglican or Episcopal church. She may even conclude the Anglican tradition is insufficiently Catholic and turn to Roman Catholicism or the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Back in 1985 when Wheaton College professor Robert Webber wrote Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, the phenomenon struck many as an intriguing novelty. Decades later, the initial trickle has become a steady stream. Wheaton, Illinois, now boasts four Anglican churches and one Episcopal congregation chock full of former evangelicals. When the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) was formed in 2009 by theological conservatives who left the Episcopal Church, it provided an attractive alternative to the mainline Episcopal Church. Consequently, many ACNA parishes today include many converts from evangelicalism—often this group forms the majority.

What has driven pilgrims from evangelical Baptist, Presbyterian, Free Church, and non-denominational ranks? What have they found to be the chief attractions of Anglicanism?

Also See: “Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail” revisited

A Veil Before the Eyes of the Enemy: On Tolkien, Foolishness, and the Ordinary Means of Grace
In recent years, there has been a fair amount of criticism of our cultural institutions. Whether they be political, academic, or ecclesiastical, anyone comfortably in a place of leadership in any institution is in the crosshairs of this criticism. Things have only gotten worse on their watch, after all..

Older pastors and confessional churches have been lumped into this kind of criticism as well, either for not being focused enough on social justice and activism; or, by those sympathetic to Christian Nationalism, for having what seems to be an incredulous posture to politics and culture..

The general mood, even on topics other than culture and politics, is that the church and its gatekeepers have become comfortable, weak, and even corrupt.

Leader Stopped Doing — and Congregational Singing Got Louder
My congregation sings louder than they did a year ago. That sentence sounds simple, but if you lead worship, you know how hard it is to actually move the needle on congregational participation. I have been their worship leader for just over a year, and the difference is real: more voices, more volume, more engagement.

I started paying attention to why after reading about the ongoing decline of congregational singing in American churches. The trend is well documented and still very much alive today. Congregations are getting quieter while stages get louder. So why was our church going the other direction?

It came down to ten things I deliberately did not do. None of them are complicated. Most go against common instincts in modern worship culture. Here is what changed everything.

Image Credit: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Alton, Rhode Island

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (May 21, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

In this Thursday evening’s message, we unpack Matthew 28:16-20 and what it means for modern-day Christians.

Reading: Matthew 28:,1-10, 16-20

Message: The Great Commission

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/05/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows-may-21.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: 'Aftershock: Most Pastors Are Rebuilding on Cracked Ground and Don’t Know It' And More

Aftershock: Most Pastors Are Rebuilding on Cracked Ground and Don’t Know It
Boston alone has lost approximately 45 buildings formerly owned by churches in recent decades. Storefronts that once held congregations are now dental offices, restaurants, and laundromats. The buildings are gone. The communities those churches served are still there.

The earthquake is not coming. It has already started.

The Coming Baby Boomer Cliff: What Happens in Churches When They Are Gone? Replay and Slides
If you missed the live webinar, you can watch the replay HERE and download the slides HERE.

This webinar and the accompanying slides you'll want to share with your church's leadership team.

10 Very Possible Reasons Your Church Isn’t Growing
Often problems whose origins seem mysterious to us are really not that mysterious to others. We just can’t see the truth.

The same is true for many of us who want our church to reach new people and are puzzled why that just isn’t happening.

Maybe it’s not as mysterious as you think. Sometimes attending church is hard.

South Carolina Calls for Greater Transparency in ACNA
As the Anglican Church in North America’s yearly governance meeting approaches, the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina has proposed resolutions seeking “justice and transparency” in the denomination, the diocese’s standing committee announced on May 15.

The ACNA’s Provincial Council is slated to meet in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 17-19 to conduct annual business and consider comprehensive reform to the church’s Title IV disciplinary canons.

‘Let’s Get This Thing Done’—Albert Mohler To Bring Motion at SBC Annual Meeting To Bar Women From Preaching
Dr. Albert Mohler, prominent theologian and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, announced Monday (May 18) that he will propose a motion to amend the constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to clarify women’s preaching and leadership roles in SBC churches.

This year’s SBC meeting will take place in Orlando, Florida, on June 9-10. Mohler will have an opportunity to present his motion Tuesday, June 9, during either the 9:35 a.m. or 3:45 p.m. new motions allotted time slots.

Is a split over the role of women in Christian ministry looming in the Southern Baptist Convention in the near future?

Author debunks America’s ‘Christian past that wasn’t’
The audacity of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick only scratches the surface of the lies generations of Christian nationalists have been telling in order to remake America in their own religious image, according to Warren Throckmorton, author of The Christian Past that Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths that Hijack History.

Throckmorton, a retired psychology professor, also hosts “The Christian Past that Wasn’t” podcast.

Also See: Separation of Church and State Was a Baptist Idea. What Happened?

'One Nation Under God?': 5 takeaways from RNS and NPR's '1A' live show
Host Niala Boodhoo was joined at the American University in Washington, D.C., by RNS national reporter Jack Jenkins, religious liberty lawyer and Muslim identity scholar Asma T. Uddin, Mark D. Hall of Regent University and Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center.

Prophets, Not Chaplains
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Kendal McBroom challenges church leaders to reconsider the relationship between faith, patriotism, and prophetic witness. At a time when many churches feel pressure to stay silent or safe, he asks what it means for pastors and congregations to choose justice over comfort and discipleship over nationalism.

White Americans oppose federal programs to spite other races: study
Research reveals that white people appear to support social safety net programs unless they perceive those programs as also helping nonwhites.

Christianity not a form but a force
Jesus’s followers needed the Ascension as both God’s final confirmation of Jesus’ identity and as the launch pad for their witness in the world. And so do we! We need an Ascension-scale vision of Christ to lift our eyes above the dark realities of our time and to determine the way we live.

Harry Emerson Fosdick told his congregation, “Amid the violent events of this warring world we need as wide horizons around our thinking as we can get. To see the eternal surrounding the temporal, the universal encompassing the local, helps to keep us steady and wise.” (GTBA p. 98) Based on Moffitt’s translation of Timothy’s words, “Though they keep up the form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force” (2 Timothy 3:5), Fosdick warned of “conventional acceptance of religion as a form, but with no corresponding experience of it as a force.” (GTBA, p. 89-90)

Being a Christian Is Not the Same As Being Religious
One of the interesting facts from early church history is that Christians were accused of being atheists.[1] They didn’t do the religious things that were expected by their contemporaries in the Roman world. That might be a surprise to many in the secular West, where Christians usually look obviously more religious than their secular neighbours. After all, Christians have faith, they pray, they attend worship services. Many go further by wearing crosses, carrying Bibles, fasting, and orientating their lives around priests, festivals, saints and pilgrimages.

As many of us witness an uptick in interest in religion, including Christianity, especially among young men, I wonder what these new inquirers are attracted to. Is it Jesus and his saving work? Or is it religion, with the trappings of symbols and rituals? Exploring why the early Christians were accused of being atheists could be a helpful exercise for us in this moment.

Reimbursements: IRS Rules, Accountable Plans, and Common Church Mistakes
This article explains how church expense reimbursements work, what an accountable plan requires, and the most common areas where churches make mistakes.

The Most Neglected Element of Worship
Far be it from us to polish our songs, in which we sing of God, while neglecting Scripture, in which we hear from God.

I recommend William Sydnor's Your Voice, God's Word: Reading the Bible in Church.

Rushing Our Quiet Times
How long should quiet times take?

Thirty minutes? Forty minutes? An hour? Should we feel rebuked that we’re not getting up at 4 a.m. like a spiritual version of Jocko Willink? Or like Martin Luther, who is widely quoted as saying: “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Lately my answer to this question has become simple: the right length for a quiet time is long enough to be unhurried.

Tuesday's Catch: 'Why Your Church Stopped Growing' And More

The Reason Your Church Isn't Multiplying and Fresh Trends in Church Planting With Dave Ferguson
The vast majority of churches are plateaued or declining, and Exponential CEO Dave Ferguson talks about the reason most churches never grow, let alone multiply.

Plus, he shares the latest trends in church planting in this special episode recorded backstage at Exponential Global Conference in Orlando.

The Hidden Cost of Busyness in the Church
Jess and Thom have both seen it again and again: churches that are incredibly busy but not particularly effective. In this episode, we talk candidly about the hidden cost of busyness in the church. Full calendars and constant activity can feel like signs of health, but they often mask deeper issues of focus and clarity. Together, we’ll explore why doing more is not the answer—and how simplifying ministry can actually lead to greater impact and renewed energy.

The Danger of a Big Vision
In this episode, Jess and Thom take on a topic that may sound counterintuitive: the danger of a big vision. We both believe vision matters—but we’ve also seen how it can quietly become a distraction. Too many church leaders spend time talking about where they want to go and not enough time taking the next step to get there. We’ll walk through how big vision, when not grounded in action, can actually slow a church down—and how to refocus on the simple, practical steps that lead to real progress.

Young Pastor's Guide: 5 Shifts to Revitalize Your Traditional Church
So you’re a young pastor, and you lead a traditional church. What are your first moves to help revitalize your church or help it grow, maybe for the first time?

In this video, I share five critical shifts traditional churches need to make to see genuine rebirth and sustainable growth.

This podcast and the next three posts are taken from the Anglicans Ablaze archives. They are recommended viewing and in the case of the article, reading.

3 Reasons Engagement (Not Attraction) Will Grow Your Church
So, you want your church to grow? Well, if you’re still doing the things churches did fifteen years ago, you’re probably not seeing much growth.

The Attractional Church had its time, but has that time ended?

In this video, I share 3 reasons engagement, NOT attraction, will drive growth at your church.

Your Church Is Facing a Community Disconnect: Now What?
Many churches naturally drift from their community, creating a church disconnect. Here’s how to address five common disconnects.

7 Strategies + Ways to Grow Your Church
How can you grow your church?

Discover and eliminate the barriers that keep your church from growing. Whether you're a church planter or pastor of a 30-year-old church, these 7 strategies for church growth can be implemented in your church.

Wait! Doesn’t God Grow a Church?

Only God can give growth, but it’s your job to position your church for that growth.

Think of it as an Acts 6 kind of moment dynamic. As the early church grew, the Apostles became overwhelmed and burdened by the practical demands of ministry. So they restructured, recruiting other leaders to tend to the daily distribution of food to those in need so they could focus on teaching and prayer. And when they did, they kept growing, and everyone was better served. They structured bigger to grow bigger.

That’s what this is about....

Treasure to Share: Why Plant New Churches?
In this article the Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop of San Diego, gives the seven best reasons to start new churches, based on the research she did for her 2015 book, God Gave the Growth: Church Planting in the Episcopal Church.

'Quiet revival' claims 'laid to rest' once and for all as study shows UK churchgoing continues to fall
Newly released figures from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey confirm that church attendance in Britain remains below pre-Covid levels and that there are no signs of a revival among young people.

The data - published by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) - shows that within Britain's adult population, only 5% attend a Christian service weekly - down from 8% in 2018.

Postcards from Rededicate 250
Overall, the vibe of Rededicate250 was somewhere between an evangelical outdoor revival meeting and a Trump rally.

Denominational Health Depends on the Understory
Every summer, when news comes out from various denominational meetings, you’ll notice a pattern. There’s always a controversial vote. A social media storm. Commentators declare the institution either irredeemably corrupt or finally on the right track, depending on what side they’re on. There’s the noise of newsletters and statements, frequent hand-wringing about the future, especially in light of statistics pointing to decline.

Meanwhile, what makes up the bulk of denominational life continues on, unnoticed and undiscussed. Missionaries board planes to the places God has called them. Church planters continue the setup and teardown in their local school, with dozens on their core team and more than a few who have recently come to faith. Pastors sit with grieving families. Seminary students encounter great texts from church history for the first time, joining a conversation that takes on a denominational shape across generations.

None of these elements makes for a news headline, but they’re all part of the engine of what makes denominational life worthwhile, despite the mess.

Monday's Catch: 'When Churches Start Thinking Beyond Mere Possibility' And More

Episcopal Mission of Franklin, New Hampshire

When Churches Start Thinking Beyond Mere Possibility
Most churches do not lose faith overnight.

They simply begin to think differently.

Over time, conversations shift from What can God do? to What can we realistically expect? It sounds reasonable. It even sounds responsible. But that shift quietly reshapes the future of a church.

Western Gulf Coast election synod deadlocks — matter referred to ACNA College of Bishops
The electing synod of the Anglican Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast (DWGC) concluded today without electing a new diocesan bishop. After seven ballots, the convention deadlocked between the two nominees— the Rev. Fr. Russell Martin and the Rev. Fr. Ben Sharpe—prompting the convention to refer the election to the ACNA College of Bishops.

More evidence of the growing internal divisions in the 17-year-old Anglican Church in North America?

The “Contradiction” Still Isn’t: GAFCON and Doctrinal Triage
The latest criticism of GAFCON’s Abuja settlement raises a fair question, though not a fatal one: how does a confessional Anglican communion distinguish between first-order doctrine and secondary disagreement?

That is a serious question. But it is not answered by declaring GAFCON incoherent. The latest assault against GAFCON comes by using the Vincentian Canon as if it were a theological vending machine: insert patristic consensus, receive ecclesial verdict.

The Meaning of "Reformed Catholic": A Response to Gerald McDermott
In his review of Bishop A. P. Forbes’s An Explanation of the Thirty-Nine Articles—a new edition of which was recently published by Nashotah House Press—Gerald McDermott compares Forbes’s work to that of Edward Harold Browne and finds the former “deeper and richer,” with Browne being “decidedly Protestant in his approach, while Forbes is reformed catholic.” Putting aside the judgment that Browne’s engagement with the Articles is inferior, to call Forbes “reformed catholic” is a total misappropriation of that term, and one that is likely to mislead unfamiliar readers. In order to understand McDermott’s thinking and respond adequately, though, some background is required.

The myth of the Anglican "via media" has been repeatedly debunked since John Henry Newman concocted the theory in the 19th century. Newman himself rejected the theory as untenable and became a Roman Catholic. Writers who should know better, however, keep perpetuating the myth.

Christian nationalists need to look again at their religious DNA
The ancestors of today’s Christian nationalists weren’t the leaders of Christian America — they were the heretics.

The newest Trump monument disobeys the biblical commandment to 'flee from idolatry'
It is a story found in the Torah, the Bible and the Koran: Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, only to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. He then angrily destroys it and the worshippers are punished for the sin of idolatry.

After a 22-foot gold-covered statue of President Donald Trump raising his fist, known as the “Don Colossus,” was dedicated at the Trump National Doral Miami last week, Trump ally and evangelical pastor Mark Burns defended it in a long and meandering post on X.

MAGA world baffled by beef export push amid record prices
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins took to social media Saturday to celebrate a series of new “commitments” from China – namely, the export of American beef, an announcement that came amid U.S. beef prices reaching their highest level in recorded history, sparking a considerable backlash from MAGA-aligned figures.

More evidence that easing the cost of living for ordinary Americans is not a priority for the Trump administration. As the cost of living goes up, it will impact local churches in a number of ways. It will affect giving to local churches and exacerbate their financial difficulties and is likely to lead to more church closures

Pastoral Transition: Setting Your Church Up For Ministry Success After You’re Gone
An equipped church is healthy enough to weather the challenges that come with a pastoral transition.

Most Worship Leaders Get This Wrong About Worship
Most Christians think worship = singing. But what does the Bible actually say?

In this video, we break down the true biblical definition of worship, what corporate worship really means, and why understanding the difference between personal worship and corporate worship will transform the way you lead and participate on Sundays.

Whether you're a worship leader, worship team member, or someone who wants to better understand the purpose of Sunday morning gatherings, this teaching will challenge and expand your understanding of what it means to be a true worshiper.

Less than a third of parents say they pray with their children often, survey finds

Less than a third of American parents pray with their children, according to new research from the American Bible Society, even as younger parents remain more likely than non-parents to identify as Christian.

The American Bible Society released the second installment of its “State of the Bible: USA 2026” report on Thursday. Titled “Parenting with the Bible,” the chapter examines the spiritual practices of American parents and their experiences with the Church.

What Role Does Service Play in Discipleship?
Discipleship that doesn’t move people toward service is incomplete because it doesn’t fully reflect the life of Christ.

Image Credit: Episcopal Mission of Franklin, New Hampshire

Sundays at All Hallows (May 17, 2026) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, the Sunday after Ascension Day, is the only Sunday in Ascensiontide. It is also known as Expectation Sunday, the Sunday before Whitsun, or Pentecost.

This Sunday’s message examines what the charge the risen Jesus gave the apostles in Acts 1:8 means for believers.

Readings: Acts 1: 6-14, 1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11, and John 17:1-11, 20-24

Message: “You Will Be My Witnesses…”

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/05/sundays-at-all-hallows-may-17-2026.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: 'Missouri initiative seeks to involve children more meaningfully in churches’ worship service' And More

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Maryville, Missouri, Dissolved December 31, 2019

Missouri initiative seeks to involve children more meaningfully in churches’ worship services
Trinity Episcopal Church’s experimentations with intergenerational worship started in 2024 after a simple decision. The Sunday nursery at the church in Kirksville, Missouri, was getting too crowded and chaotic, so the congregation decided that children ages 7 and older would join their parents in the pews during worship services.

"What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9. More than three decades ago, in the 1980s, we worked to make our weekly celebrations of the Holy Eucharist at St. Michael's, a new church I helped to plant and pioneer in the diocese of Louisiana, not only child-friendly but also child-inclusive. In 2000 I wrote an occasional paper (unpublished) on intergenerational worship for the diocese's liturgy and music commission, the fundamental reasoning behind what we did, what worked well and what didn't, based on that experience and my own research.

Let the Children Come
What do you dream for the children in your congregation in their life with God?

How might you design worship and prayer practices to help them—and people of all ages—become the disciples you imagine?

5 Benefits of Hosting an All-Age Worship Service
Hosting an all-age worship service won’t solve everything, but it will move your church closer to being a unified body. Here are five reasons it’s worth doing—and how to start.

The difference between an all-age worship and intergenerational worship is that an all-age service is something done "every now and then." The goal of intergenerational worship, on the other hand, is to involve children in meaningful ways in every worship gathering.

All Age Worship
This resource pack was developed by Jane Tibbs, Children’s Adviser for the Diocese of Bath and Wells and from what I have read should be helpful to church leaders seeking to involve children more in worship gatherings in ways meaningful to them.

Won't Somebody Please Think of (Having the) Children!
What’s intriguing about the impending population decline across the world is that it is hitting every part of the globe, irrespective of culture, ethnicity and religion.

In an intriguing article in The Free Press, entitled, Peak Human Is Coming Sooner Than You Think, two of the world’s leading demographers, Nicholas Eberstadt and Patrick Norrick, unpack a phenomenon that is exactly the opposite of the 1970s fears, population collapse.

With some notable exceptions, e.g., Free-Will Baptists, the declining birth rate is affecting both conservative and progressive churches in the United States. Progressive churches are particularly hard hit.

Proposed Pell grant change misses the meaning of education
The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that would tie the availability of Pell grants and student loans to the earning potential of degree programs. This proposal is beyond terrible for a multitude of reasons.

First, it ignores the actual reason for education in the first place. This ignorance is not simply a Trump administration problem but a misunderstanding reflected throughout our society. We have a collective amnesia about the purpose of education.

Second, a rule of this nature will decimate a variety of careers that are crucial to the functioning of a healthy society. We are fortunate in our country that we still have people willing to fulfill a calling that isn’t tied to the accumulation of riches.

Jackie Hill Perry Called the Enneagram Demonic. Here’s What She Found.
Jackie Hill Perry didn’t whisper it. The Christian author, Bible teacher, and hip-hop artist, one of the most prominent evangelical voices in the country, posted on Instagram calling the Enneagram “legitimately doctrines of demons, divination, witchcraft,” then apologized for ever promoting it. The story expired before most people finished arguing about it.

Those are the two questions worth actually answering.

Choir Dress: The Vestment That Is Never Wrong
A loose fitting cassock is preferrable to a tight fitting one. The cassock was originally outdoor wear, an overcoat. The 1604 canons only require a surplice for divine ministrations. Since churches were unheated until modern times, clergy put their surplice on over their overcoat to keep warm.

Image Credit: Episcopal Asset Map

Friday's Catch: 'Are Sunday Morning Service Times Changing?' And More

St. James Episcopal Church, Milton-Freewater, Oregan, Closed January 18, 2026

Are Sunday Morning Service Times Changing? What the Data Says About the Future of Church Worship

For decades, 11:00 a.m. was the “sacred hour” of church life—the assumed, unquestioned start time for Sunday worship. But that era is fading fast. In this episode, Thom and Sam unpack the data and on-the-ground observations showing how churches are rethinking when they gather. From earlier services to multiple options to non-Sunday gatherings, flexibility is replacing tradition. What once served an agrarian culture no longer fits modern family rhythms. Growing churches are adapting their schedules to remove barriers and create more on-ramps for attendance.

Pastoring an Angry Church and Leading a Ministry You Didn't Start with Rich Villodas
I caught up with Rich Villodas backstage at Exponential to talk about the learnable skills that keep leaders and congregations non-anxious in an angry age, and the unique challenges and gifting needed to lead a church you didn't plant.

Clergy Transitioning at Local Episcopal Churches
The Episcopal Church of Christ the King in Sturgeon Bay and Holy Nativity in Jacksonport are preparing to bid farewell to their priest and welcome another.

Note the ages of the departing vicar and his replacement. This and the part–time appointment of the vicar for the two yoked churches does not bode well for their future!

Ocean City church won’t close shelter after city threatens ‘enforcement action’
Nearly six weeks after St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in downtown Ocean City, Maryland, opened its overnight shelter for unhoused people inside its building, city officials charged the parish with a zoning violation. The city is now demanding the church close the shelter by June 8 at 9 a.m. or be fined an unspecified amount daily until operations cease and face “further enforcement action.”

Canadian Diocese Wants to Save its Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada is in dire need of repairs, and the diocesan synod has voted not to take the quick-fix route of selling it to a secular entity. The repairs could cost $17-$18 million, and the diocese wants to raise another $5 million to create an endowment.

The cathedral is nearly 175 years old and is on Canada’s Register of Historic Places, which praises it as an example of Gothic Revival architecture.

ACNA: Imagination Forfeited
We have mule churches. We need rabbit churches.

Too many ACNA clergy and congregations display the same lack of enthusiasm and even distate for planting new churches and making new disciples that has contributed to the decline of the Episcopal Church.

Anglican Denominations & Communions: A Guide to Global Alignments
The landscape of global Anglicanism can be confusing, even for those well acquainted with it. In a single US city, one can find Anglican churches from two or three different dioceses of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), along with other congregations connected to the Anglican Province of America, the Anglican Mission in the Americas, the Anglican Catholic Church, the United Episcopal Church of North America, and The Episcopal Church.

All present themselves as Anglican. Yet even a little casual digging reveals more than minor differences in worship expression and ethos, including some major variance in doctrine and even disparate definitions of what constitutes the gospel. Matters become more confusing when the Anglican Church in North American and The Episcopal Church both claim to be part of the Anglican Communion while denying that status to the other.

Who are all these groups, and how does a church belong to the Anglican Communion, if such a thing exists?

Faith communities must lead on the hunger crisis — but they can't substitute for US policy
The need for faith-based leadership on hunger is a sign American policy is not working.

Are You Really Filled with the Spirit?
When I was a college student, a classmate asked me whether I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. At that time, I wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Now, I know that the Bible tells me everything I need to know about the filling of the Spirit.

Let’s ask and answer three questions of the Bible about the Spirit’s filling: Who in Scripture is “filled with the Spirit”? What does this expression actually mean? How can I pursue and experience this filling of the Spirit?

3 Keys to Healthy Disciple Making Relationships
Whether you’re leading a discipleship ministry or personally discipling someone, we all make missteps in these relationships.

How to Discover Your God-Given Purpose
Let’s take a brief look at how to discover your God-given purpose. I’ve never met a person who didn’t want to know why they exist and how to make a difference in their sphere of influence.

There are at least three things you can do that will help in the process of discovery.

Want to Share the Good News? Ask Good Questions
People like talking about themselves. They want to discuss the things they love, the things they hate, and the reasons you should love and hate those same things. This is powerful information for evangelism. If we want more opportunities to share the gospel with people, we need to get them talking about their beliefs. And one of the best ways to get people talking is to ask good questions.

Image Credit: St. James Episcopal Church, Milton-Freewater, Oregan

Thursday's Catch: 'Wisconsin priest’s survey of thousands of churches aims to pinpoint what fuels growth' And More

St Thomas Episcopal New Windsor New York, Closed April 14, 2025

Wisconsin priest’s survey of thousands of churches aims to pinpoint what fuels growth
When the Rev. Chris Corbin looks at The Episcopal Church’s membership and attendance numbers, he sees bright spots.

Corbin, a priest in the Diocese of Wisconsin, has launched a project with backing from Forward Movement called the Growing Episcopal Churches Study. In it, he already has obtained survey responses from hundreds of Episcopal churches, and hopes to potentially hear from thousands more, to help pinpoint what factors makes some “bright spots” churches thrive compared to others.

Episcopal Church Faces Stark Demographic Reality As Membership Declines
Episcopal Church leaders have long heard warning sirens in their annual reports, with brutal statistics supporting this reality: They have lost half of their members since the 1960s.

If trends continue, the mainline Anglican flock in America will lose another half of its membership by 2040, with some demographers predicting institutional demise by 2050. But that's better than the Anglican Church of Canada, which could be gone by 2040.

The Coming Baby Boomer Cliff: What Happens in Churches When They Are Gone?
This is a friendly reminder of the upcoming webinar you registered for! If you have not registered for this free webinar, you may still have time to do so. It begins at 1:00 PM EST, today, May 14.

“How Leaders Make Meaningful Connections” featuring Zach Mercurio
What makes people feel like they truly matter in your church? In a season where many are disengaging from church life, how can leaders help people feel truly seen and valued? In this episode, Jonathan Page talks with Zach Mercurio about his book The Power of Mattering, and how simple, everyday interactions can transform church culture. Discover practical ways to help people feel noticed, affirmed, and needed—and why that may be the key to deeper connection and lasting engagement.

What to Say (and Not Say) Immediately After a Church Crisis
When a crisis hits a church, the first few hours can either build trust or break it. In this episode, Sam interviews crisis communication expert Amy Whitfield and walks through what to say (and not say) immediately after a church crisis. We talk about the first statement, the first 24 hours, and the common missteps that unintentionally escalate confusion, fear, or anger. Amy offers practical language that pastors and church leaders can actually use, along with guardrails for accuracy and accountability, especially when facts are still developing.

Ocean City church says it will not comply with order to close indoor shelter
A dispute between the Town of Ocean City and St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church is escalating after the town ordered the church to stop allowing people to sleep overnight inside one of its buildings.

The town issued a zoning violation last week ordering St. Paul’s to stop using Dewees Hall for overnight sleeping by June 8. Town officials say the church changed the use of the building without going through the required approval process.

The church says it will not comply.

Also See: Ocean City Maryland continues efforts to shut down Episcopal low-barrier homeless ministry; Exclusive: Interview with St. Paul’s By-the-Sea Pastor Jill Williams on the church’s low-barrier homeless shelter. And information on how we can help.

Christian schools endangered by new Trump rule
The Trump administration has proposed a new rule that could devastate Christian higher education by tying student loans to the earning potential of degree programs.

The earnings metric would require recipients of undergraduate degrees to earn more in median income than 25- to 34-year-olds with only high school diplomas. And alumni of graduate programs would have to make more money than their peers with bachelor’s degrees. The government would rely on IRS and Census Bureau data for the policy, which would go into effect in 2027.

Current students in degree programs that consistently fail to meet the standard would be barred from receiving student loans and Pell grants, the U.S. Department of Education announced April 17.

Trump's May 17 rally recalls 250 years of failed attempts at a Christian nation
While it is fitting and proper for individuals and congregations to rededicate themselves to their God in prayer, it is not the role of government to unite America in faith.

Also See: Evangelicals will dominate at ‘Rededicate 250’ this weekend

How to Stay in the Word, Even When You’re Busy
Why is it that so many of us who’ve followed Christ for years can’t quite manage to read His Word on a regular basis?

3 Questions AI Is Forcing Your Congregation to Ask
As AI reshapes everyday life, pastors are increasingly facing difficult conversations about identity, truth, and human connection within their congregations. Kenny Jahng, Editor-In-Chief at Church Tech Today, outlines three major disruptions church leaders must confront: the loss of work and purpose through automation, growing confusion around truth and authority, and the erosion of authentic community in an age of frictionless digital connection.

Camp safety can’t wait
Many states, including Missouri, rely heavily on self-reporting, limited inspections and vague emergency planning requirements.

Targeted and Engaged Evangelism to the Eastern Orthodox
There are so many evangelistic books in the marketplace that it often becomes too hard to know which to read and give away, so in the end we don’t give any away. That may be because there are so many goals to meet in writing an evangelistic book; the author must decide between multiple ‘goods’ which often involves compromises.

Image Credit: Anglican Watch

The Ascension Day at All Hallows (May 14, 2026) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to the Ascension Day at All Hallows.

This Thursday is the Ascension Day, also known as the Feast of the Ascension. With Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun (or Pentecost) it is one of the major festivals of the Christian year. It commemorates a key event in the history of humanity’s salvation—Jesus’s bodily ascent into heaven forty days after he rose from the dead and appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the apostles, and to other witnesses.

In today’s message we examine the significance of this event as the Christian Church has historically understood it from New Testament times to this day.

Readings: Daniel 7:9-14, Ephesians 1:15-23, and Luke 24:44-53

Message: Why Do Christians Celebrate the Ascension Day?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-ascension-day-at-all-hallows-may-14.html

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

If you are new to the Ascension Day 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 the Feast of the Ascension at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Church of England celebrates continued post-pandemic growth' And More

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Manitou Springs, Colorado, Closed March 6, 2025

Church of England celebrates continued post-pandemic growth
Church of England attendance has grown for a fifth year in a row, according to an early snapshot of official figures published today.

Last year, Church of England congregations were attended by an estimated 1.023 million regular worshippers. In 2019, before the outbreak of the pandemic, regular worshippers stood at 1.11 million.

St. Paul’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church Faces New Deadlines From OC
St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Ocean City says it is facing new deadlines from the Town of Ocean City, demanding that its indoor shelter cease operations by June 8.

New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Hate Crime against Episcopal Rector
A 32-year-old New York man has been sentenced to one-and-one-third to four years in prison for stalking and threatening an Episcopal priest in what prosecutors described as an anti-LGBTQ hate crime.

Goat herd feasts on Michigan church’s invasive plants
For almost a century, cartoons have depicted goats as animals that will eat anything. In Walt Disney’s 1928 animated short “Steamboat Willie,” for example, a goat eats Minnie Mouse’s guitar and sheet music. In Sony Pictures Animation’s 2026 full-length movie “GOAT,” the protagonist, a pygmy goat named Will Harris, eats an unopened tin can of nuts.

Goats cannot, in fact, eat just anything, but as foragers that prefer a varied diet of brush over pastures, they’re great for controlling invasive plant species. That’s why St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Romeo, Michigan, hired a herd of goats to munch on poison ivy, honeysuckle, shrubs, vines, thorns and other plants that have colonized its nearly 11-acre property.

Anglicans and the Abuja Contradiction
The Abuja Affirmation marks the end of an era. The third largest Christian communion, Anglicanism (behind only Catholicism and Orthodoxy), has splintered. While its demise has been a drawn-out affair, the church has reached an inflection point. A crisis of authority has existed for over fifty years, a crisis that conservative Anglicans had long sought to resolve by returning Anglicanism to its scriptural roots. At a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, this March, bishops from around the communion declared that the crisis had been resolved; the authority of the Scriptures had been restored. Their announcement was triumphant. But it contradicted reality.

Also See: Analysis: The Abuja "Contradiction" That Isn't

Here’s what’s different about clergy sexual abuse claims in UMC
One of the most consequential rulings on clergy sexual abuse in the entire history of American jurisprudence has received virtually no media attention. Its defendant? The United Methodist Church.

In a 2024 ruling in Chestnut v. United Methodist Church, the Second Department of the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division held that the UMC is not a “jural entity” and thus cannot be sued in a court of law.

Synod study group calls for greater role for laity in the selection of bishops
The study group’s recommendations are practical and easy to implement. They could be quickly adopted in the United States.

A Christian nation? At 250, America is still fighting over what that means
Historians say American history is more Christian than secular advocates claim — and less religious than Christian nationalists would have us believe. A look at the contested history of America as a Christian nation.

Also See: Religious freedom is for Christians only, says Jenna Ellis

The Coming Baby Boomer Cliff: What Happens in Churches When They Are Gone?
Just a reminder. Don't miss this free webinar on May 14th at 1:00 PM EST. Register today.

Checklist: 9 Legal and Compliance Issues Every Church Should Review Annually
This annual church legal checklist is designed to help church leaders identify governance weaknesses, compliance gaps, and emerging legal risks before they escalate.

How to Stay Human in an AI World
If you think of social media as the drug fueling individualism, then with AI, that drug’s addictive nature has been made significantly more potent, like digital heroin.

Counter-Catechesis for Kids: Adapting ‘The Gospel Way Catechism’ for Gen Alpha
Catechisms are making a comeback. I hear regularly from pastors and church leaders who are interested in this question-and-answer method of Christian formation, both for children and adults. In a world with so many competing messages flowing to us through the endless scroll, we need the truth of the Christian faith to be pressed into our hearts.

5 Ways to Mobilize Your Church to Pray for Summer Camp
Churches that intentionally challenge their people to pray provide church-wide prayer support that impacts every moment of camp.

Churchgoers Look to Join With Others in Their Discipleship Walk
Churchgoers are getting better at building and deepening relationships within their congregations, but it’s still not a strength.

The Missing Reformed Doctrine for Spiritual Formation
Have you had the experience of feeling like your prayers simply bounced off the ceiling? Or your Scripture reading ceased to feel as meaningful as it once did? Have you looked back at seasons that felt like lush gardens of excitement, passion, and zeal for the things of God—but now feel more like you’re in the desert, spiritually barren, dry, and lifeless?

You might be surprised to know that the doctrine of spiritual desertion was a standard teaching of Protestant spiritual theology for centuries. Spiritual desertion is God’s act to lead his people into experiencing his absence to awaken them to the truth of how sinful and broken they truly are.

Spiritually burned out? Tish Harrison Warren and some ancient monks have advice.
Dealing with a sense of burnout and the weariness of modern life, author Tish Harrison Warren found help in the words of long-dead Christian mystics.

Image Credit: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Manitou Springs, Colorado