Gen Z and Belonging to the Church
Is the attraction to Christianity consumerism, a desire for superficial belonging, or something else?
The Hyper-Traditionalist Movement in Church Architecture (Is Anyone Really Building Churches This Way?)
Sam interviews Todd Brown and Isaac Brown of Brown Church Development Group. A growing number of church leaders, architects, and donors are reconsidering what sacred space should look like. In this episode, we explore the rise of the hyper-traditionalist movement in church architecture—a revival of classical, Gothic, Romanesque, Byzantine, and other historic styles that aim to communicate permanence, beauty, and theological depth. While this movement is still niche in North America, it is more than an aesthetic preference. It reflects a broader conviction that church buildings should feel unmistakably sacred rather than utilitarian or disposable.
When a church caters to the aesthetics of a few and puts form before function in the construction of a sanctuary or worship center, the result is not only a more expensive building but one that ill-suited to the needs of a 21st century congregation. Despite the claims of "if you build it, they will come," architectural evangelism is an ineffective means of evangelism.
These houses of worship are older than America. How they outlasted wars, schisms and lawsuits.
Only about 1% of houses of worship in the U.S. today existed in 1776. Here are four that predate the revolution — and still hold services.
Protesters Stormed a Church. Now States Are Criminalizing Worship Disruptions.
The large protest that erupted inside a Minnesota church earlier this year led to high-profile arrests and federal charges. Another byproduct? Tougher legislation.
At least seven states have been debating bills that increase penalties for people who enter churches unlawfully to disrupt worship services and harass congregants or pastors. So far, four states and one New York county have enacted such laws, which critics say infringe on free speech and expression.
Archbishop Duncan named Interim Bishop of the Western Gulf Coast
The ACNA's College of Bishops at a meeting on Thursday, May 21st opted not to elect a Bishop Ordinary for the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast and named former Archbishop Bob Duncan as Interim Bishop for a period of not more than a year, during which time it is hoped the diocese will settle on a replacement for retiring Bishop Clark Lowenfield.
Speaker says God "raised up" Trump to build White House ballroom, sparking online backlash
A preacher’s comments claiming that God “raised up” Donald Trump to build a ballroom at the White House have sparked widespread reactions online. The remarks were made by preacher Eric Metaxas during a nine-hour prayer festival where he discussed Trump and a proposed ballroom addition connected to the White House complex. Clips of the statement quickly circulated across social media platforms, triggering both criticism and support from viewers.
Architect reveals how to cool your home without AC this summe
As heatwaves become more intense and widespread, staying cool indoors is shifting from a comfort issue to a health priority.
In recent weeks, millions of people across the US have been placed under extreme heat warnings, with forecasters describing some events as “once-in-a-century” heatwaves. Temperatures across parts of the Northeast have surged into the triple digits, while experts have warned that a developing “super El Niño” could make future summers even hotter and more difficult to manage.
Taking these measures may reduce the need for air conditioning but they will not eliminate its need during periods of dangerous heat!
The largest US groundwater supply is running out
The largest underground water supply in the United States—responsible for sustaining a vast share of the nation’s farming—is steadily running dry, raising concerns about future food production and price volatility as supplies come under strain.
The Ogallala Aquifer, which lies beneath eight Great Plains states from South Dakota to Texas, provides roughly 30 percent of the groundwater used for irrigation in the U.S. and supports around a fifth of the country’s agricultural output.
Entire month of rain falls in US desert city in 2 days
Albuquerque has recorded more than two months’ worth of its average rainfall in May, an unusually wet stretch for a city that typically sees limited precipitation at this time of year.
The high amount of rain comes at a time when rainfall is typically lower, weeks before the monsoon season gets underway. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Albuquerque warned of showers and thunderstorms several times earlier this week, and at times, rainfall was heavy enough to prompt flash flood warnings across the forecast region. Because Albuquerque sits in a high desert environment, rainfall often runs off quickly over hard, dry ground, making even brief storms capable of triggering dangerous flash flooding and underscoring the need for residents to stay alert during heavy rain.
Unseasonal heavy rain is not absorbed by the ground and does not replenish local aquifers. When it occurs for an extended period, it can not only cause flash flooding in dry gullies and dangerously high water in rivers and streams but it can seriously damage local agriculture--causing soil erosion, delaying planting of crops, and waterlogging existing crops causing plants to rot in the field.
Research paper warns that there’s a massive experiment at work to geoengineer the Earth’s climate
The idea of manually tampering with our atmosphere to combat climate change, such as by seeding clouds with reflective particles to dim the Sun, remains extremely controversial. These acts of geoengineering could deliver us from climate doom, the thinking goes, or backfire spectacularly in ways we never anticipated — which is why scientists are proceeding with caution.
Also See: A climate fix with a hidden catch: Cutting methane reshapes ozone layer's comeback in unexpected ways
Antarctica is hiding a terrifying secret. It could put the world at risk.
Understanding sea level rise is complicated. A team of scientists working with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes its best estimates using the most up-to-date understanding of glacier and ice shelf dynamics, but as past studies have shown, these features are being pushed to a point never before witnessed. As a result, understanding the behavior of these complicated natural systems is far from simple.
Also See: Sensitivity of Antarctic ice to climate change sharply increased after ice age shift, study shows; Bare supercontinent may have tipped ancient Earth into 'snowball' phase
A Theology (Not Ideology) of Creation Care
We have been charged to care for God’s creation. To be stewards of all that God has made and entrusted to us. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been able to do more care for creation than ever before, as well as more harm.
That harm has ramifications that border on the nightmarish, and no one is more affected than the poorest of the poor. No matter what you may think is behind it all – natural causes, human causes, or both – that creation is suffering in unprecedented ways is without dispute.
Can Agentic AI Pastor Your Church
Churches and seminaries are facing a new challenge: the automation of pastoral work through agentic AI. Unlike generative tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini, agentic AI doesn’t wait for weekly prompts. Ask your AI agent once to prepare Sunday sermons by a certain day and time, and that’s it. The agent works around the clock and notifies you when the manuscript is ready for review.
OpenClaw, for example, enables your AI agent to live on your own hardware. It’s able to scan every file—from notes and meeting minutes to photos, texts, and emails—to craft sermons from the raw material of your life. Earlier AI tools could produce solid general content. Agentic AI goes further: It personalizes that content, drawing from recent congregational events and your own experiences for illustrations, and your people’s felt needs for application points. It can sound more like you than you do.
This isn’t a distant scenario. It’s here. And it raises serious challenges for preaching and pastoral ministry. Here are four.
The people who actually want AI to replace humanity
“I want AI to be a tool that allows human flourishing!” exclaimed Brad Carson, a former member of Congress. “There is an option out there where AI is just a tool for us.”
This is a normal thing to say in most circles. But Carson was speaking at an invite-only symposium dedicated to the idea of creating a “Worthy Successor” — an AI so impressive, so beyond the mere human, that we’d actually want it to replace humanity.
Also See: Top AI models showing disturbing behavior as they become more advanced; Humanity may reach singularity within just 4 years, trend shows
Trump order endorses plan to halve vaccines recommended for children
An executive order signed by Donald Trump with little fanfare on Friday could have a huge impact on the health of US children, as it instructs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cut the number of recommended childhood vaccines almost in half.
The vague language of the order, which refers to “a scientific assessment that compared United States childhood immunization recommendations with those of peer nations” published in January by anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy’s health and human services department, does not explicitly state that the new recommendation removes vaccines against seven diseases from the schedule.
5 Keys To Open Up Faith-Building at Home
Today’s parents come with a wide variety of home-life circumstances. Church leaders need these five keys to open up faith-building at home. Use these tools to understand today’s parents. Then, help your parents pass on their faith to their children.
Raise Your Church’s Capacity: 3 Moves To Make Now
Todd Wilson has spent decades studying the American church. His diagnosis is direct: The church growth movement started with the right instinct—reach more people—but built the wrong operating system. A well-intentioned movement was gradually co-opted into consumer logic. Attend. Receive. Repeat.1 The pastor became the product. Every system flows to him. Every decision waits on him.
Barna research confirmed in 2024 that roughly 40% of U.S. senior Protestant pastors are at high risk of burnout.2 The problem is not weak pastors. It is wrong architecture—one that concentrated ministry in one office and trained the congregation to be spectators.
That model has a ceiling of exactly one person. And that person is already maxed out. The question is not how do you work harder. The question is how do you stop being the bottleneck.
How to Make Your Life Burnout-Proof: Burnout 20 Years Later, Part 2
Twenty years after burnout almost took him out, Carey is back with Part 2—the recovery playbook. You don’t need to get back to normal. Normal is what burned you out. In this solo episode, Carey shares seven strategies to burnout-proof your life: stop managing time and start managing energy, move to a fixed calendar, guard your green zone, and stop letting the wrong people hijack your best hours.
South Carolina capital campaign kicks off churchwide ‘pay it forward’ fundraising initiative
The Diocese of South Carolina is using seed money from The Episcopal Church to launch its first capital campaign since resolving a property lawsuit with a breakaway group in 2022. The new fundraising is seen both as a way to invest in the Charleston-based diocese’s own priorities, like congregational revitalization and racial reconciliation, and as a pilot program for supporting other dioceses’ capital campaigns.
Also See: We Are The Diocese of South Carolina
‘God at work’ - Baptist leaders report signs of growth across churches amid ministry challenges
Baptist leaders have reported fresh signs of growth across churches in England and Wales, with rising baptism numbers, increased worship attendance, and a modest rise in membership offering encouragement after years of decline in several areas of church life.
Speaking at the Baptist Assembly, Baptists Together General Secretary Lynn Green said the latest Annual Returns painted a hopeful picture of “God at work” across the movement, while also acknowledging ongoing structural and demographic challenges facing Baptist churches, reports The Baptist Times.
Also See: Baptists Together
In conversation with Meredith Stone about Mohler’s amendment
As Southern Baptists prepare to consider Al Mohler’s so called “Truth and Unity Amendment” at their annual meeting in Orlando next month, many Baptist women are becoming weary of Southern Baptist men defining “unity” as joining together to silence women.
Also See: More Baptist Faith and Message 2000 fallout
Canadian evangelicals confused about core Christian doctrines, survey finds
A major new survey examining religious beliefs in Canada has found that many evangelicals hold views that deny historic Christian teaching, prompting renewed calls for stronger biblical discipleship and theological education within churches.
The findings come from the 2026 State of Theology Canada survey, carried out by Ligonier Ministries Canada alongside Lifeway Research.
Also See: Most Canadian Evangelicals hold unbiblical beliefs, poll suggests
Think it's hot now? The next five years will smash records, UN says
In the next five years, the Earth is overwhelmingly likely to surge again and again past the international climate threshold set as safe and shatter its hottest-year record along the way, according to new United Nations climate projections.
The World Meteorological Organization also forecasts an overheating Arctic that warms nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.66 degrees Celsius) between now and 2030 and a dangerous drought with potential wildfires for the Amazon, a crucial part of Earth's natural defenses to lessen human-caused climate change. A hotter globe from the burning of coal, oil and gas means more extreme weather including floods, droughts and heat waves, scientists said.
Longer, hotter summers are going to have a significant negative impact upon the worship, ministry, and life of local churches particularly those that have aging congregations.
This summer is going to kill a lot of people
Summer hasn’t even started in the Northern Hemisphere, and thermometers around the globe are already fit to burst.
In India, at least 16 people have died during a pre-monsoon season heatwave as temperatures reach a scorching 116 degrees Fahrenheit, with conditions expected to worsen over the coming days.
What can your church do to help senior adults and other vulnerable segments of the population survive the heat?
Legal and Tax Issues Every Church Leader Needs To Understand
Setting compensation for pastors and church staff is not just a budgeting exercise.
Church compensation decisions have legal, tax, and governance consequences that differ sharply from those faced by for-profit employers.
Executive pastors, administrators, finance leaders, and board members all play a role—and misunderstandings can expose a church to penalties, audits, or loss of tax benefits.
Here are the compensation issues every church leader should understand.
7 Sexual Boundaries Every Pastor Must Know (And Protect)
Pastoral ministry is one of the most intimate callings in human life. People come to their pastor at their most vulnerable: grief, failing marriages, spiritual crisis. That intimacy is a gift. It is also a trap, and every year it claims men who never intended to fall.
This is not a theoretical danger. The statistics on pastoral sexual misconduct are sobering, and the stories behind them follow a pattern that almost never starts with predatory intent. It starts with small compromises, invisible lines crossed so gradually that the pastor barely notices until he is standing somewhere he never meant to be.
What follows is a practical framework drawn from decades of pastoral experience. Not rules for their own sake. Not a list of fears. A set of clear, actionable boundaries that protect the pastor, the people he serves, and the ministry God gave him.
Most ministry failures begin with small compromises that do not initially feel dangerous.
Preach to the Choir
There are two types of heretics: accidental and intentional. Most heretics in our churches are accidental heretics. They’ve got bad theology, don’t know the Scriptures, and are worldly in their assumptions about humanity, God, and the purpose of life.
The 2025 Ligonier and Lifeway report on the State of Theology of self-identified evangelicals should make pastors sweat....
Advice on How to “Preach the Gospel” to Yourself
Although the phrase became popular more recently, the idea of “preaching the gospel to yourself” isn’t something new or novel. This practice is found throughout the pages of Scripture. In the Psalms, we see David “preaching” to himself the truth about God’s saving character when he felt depressed and abandoned (Psalm 42:5). We see Peter, Paul, and John regularly preaching gospel truths to their readers before exhorting them to holy living (ex. 1 Peter 1:3-21; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Col. 3:1-17; Eph. 4:17-32; 1 John. 4:9-11; etc.). Clearly, who we are and how we live was meant to be shaped by who God is and what He has done, is doing, and will do to save us through Christ.
Preaching the gospel to ourselves is a discipline that we should consistently practice in order to mature in Christlikeness. But what does that actually look like? Practically, how do we “preach the gospel” to ourselves? Recently, a young woman in our church asked me those very questions—ones you may be wondering about as well. If so, I hope the advice I gave her will be helpful to you too.
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.
In the Anglican and Methodist traditions, the week after Whit Sunday, the Day of Pentecost, is known as Whitsuntide. It is devoted to the celebration of the gift and work of the Holy Spirit. It also contains the three summer Ember Days (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), days of abstinence, fasting, and prayer. Ember Saturday is traditional associated with the ordination of clergy, deacons and presbyters (elders) but not bishops.
In this Thursday evening’s message, we consider what else we may learn from the apostle Paul about the place of the spiritual gifts in the worship, ministry, and life of the local church.
Reading: 1 Corinthians 14: 1-33, 37-40
Message: The Gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Local Church
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2026/05/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows-may-28.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.
The Church “Fault Lines” That Could Become Ministry Tsunamis
In this episode, Josh and Sam use a striking metaphor to talk about church health: fault lines and tsunamis. Just like unseen shifts beneath the ocean floor can trigger devastating waves, hidden weaknesses inside a church can quietly build until the damage is sudden and overwhelming. The good news? Fault lines can be repaired before disaster strikes. The call for leaders is simple: face reality now, simplify ministry, refocus on mission, and deal with issues while they’re still manageable.
A major research report from Barna Group has upended one of the most assumed doctrines in American church life: that Christians are biblically required to give 10 percent of their income. According to the findings, only one in three U.S. pastors actually holds that view.
The implications are significant. If pastors themselves are divided on whether tithing is even a command, how should churches approach giving? And what happens to generosity when the rules stop being clear?
New Texas regulations affect Episcopal camps’ summer programs after Camp Mystic tragedy
Episcopal camps in Texas are navigating new state regulations as they prepare to reopen this summer, a year after one of the state’s camps was the scene of a deadly disaster caused by flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
Peter Toon Lecture & Choral Evensong - Fergus Butler-Gallie: The Prayer Book and the Quiet Revival Lecture by Fergus Butler-Gallie, Vicar, Charlbury (St Mary the Virgin) with Shorthampton
Also See: The New Scriptorium (Peter Toon Collection); Pusey House Oxford
Catholics fight Trump’s attempt to seize their land for border wall
The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces, N.M., is fighting the Trump administration’s attempt to seize a portion of its property to build a border wall.
California hit by strange weather phenomenon thanks to sizzling European heatwave
An immense high-pressure zone over Western Europe, causing a record heatwave in London, is warping weather patterns across the northern hemisphere, disturbing temperatures and winds throughout the United States - even as far as California.
Temperature milestones were shattered on Tuesday as a springtime heat surge baked portions of Western Europe, prompting official alerts about life-threatening conditions.
As snow droughts continue to threaten global food security, research calls for climate-resilient agriculture practices Global climate change is reshaping agricultural ecosystems. As warmer winters become more prevalent, snow droughts caused by insufficient snowfall are becoming more frequent. This leaves winter wheat, which relies on snow cover for insulation and water supply, vulnerable to low-temperature frost damage and water stress, posing a major threat to global food security.
New Fed report warns of ‘remarkable’ increase in households skipping meals due to food costs
There’s been a “remarkable” increase over the past few years in Americans struggling to put food on the table, and that’s likely contributing to record-low consumer sentiment readings, new Federal Reserve Bank of New York research showed Wednesday.
The New York Fed updated a 2020 analysis on the disproportionate financial effects of the pandemic with newly collected data from its closely watched Survey of Consumer Expectations.
Also See: Three out of five Americans had to alter grocery lists over high costs; 'Alarming': More than 700K kids lose food aid after Trump's big beautiful bill
The State of Theology
What do Canadians in 2026 believe about God, the Bible, and salvation? Ligonier Ministries Canada and Lifeway Research partnered to find out.
12 Relationship Principles Every Church Leader Needs
The great value of relationships along with the intentional care and effort required may seem obvious. Yet when under pressure, whether personal or professional, it’s not easy to practice this on a consistent basis.
When the Church stops singing (or, What I learned from the organ bench) One of the things I noticed while playing in different churches was how dramatically congregational participation could change depending on how music was led.
In some congregations the moment the introduction ended, the singing began. The sound filled the sanctuary almost immediately. Even people who did not sing especially well sang confidently because the music supported them.
Other congregations responded very differently. The musicians played beautifully, the sound system was excellent, but the congregation remained hesitant. A few voices scattered here and there, but many people simply listened.
This shift often happens gradually and unintentionally. Churches want music to sound good. Musicians want to serve faithfully. Technology makes it easier than ever to produce polished sound. But the unintended result can be subtle: music becomes something happening at the front of the room rather than something shared by the whole church. From the organ bench, that difference is unmistakable.
AI and the Deformation of the Student’s Soul
This article on students using of generative AI in the creative task of writing is absolutely worth reading, especially if you’re a teacher or lecturer. The writer Micah Nathan demonstrates an important tension regarding what it means to be human in the world of AI. He rightly states that the value of written assignments “lies not only in the object produced but in the transformation that occurs during its making.” In other words, learning really is a spiritual discipline that AI cannot replicate. By short-circuiting the process of learning, one short-circuits their soul. One cannot experience transformation —at least not in the positive sense of the term.
Wise Decision Making in Everyday Life
How do we pursue wise decision making about questions and decisions that are not explicitly mentioned in Scripture?
9 Ways Modern Churches Are Adapting Their Community Outreach Strategy
Almost every church leader understands that the congregation is called to be faithful to the Acts 1:8 command to be witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The practical application of that, of course, is to send members into our communities and, ultimately, throughout the world.
The good news is that more churches are indeed sending members throughout the country and the world. The bad news is that fewer and fewer churches are highly intentional about reaching their “Jerusalem,” or immediate community.
There is a direct connection between the demise of traditional outreach and the decreasing effectiveness of reaching the respective communities. Spending time in someone’s home was a highly effective connection that usually led to other relational opportunities. But, as noted, this type of outreach is highly problematic in most communities. What’s the solution?
America is becoming less neighborly, and it’s hurting Gen Z and millennials’ chances at economic mobility
Americans have grown far less likely to strike up a conversation with a stranger or get to know people living closeby, and it could be costing the country a lot more than neighborhood quaintness.
The average American now finds themselves living next to strangers. Around 25% of adults age 18 to 29 say they talk with their neighbors at least a few times a week, according to a survey released earlier this month by the American Enterprise Institute, down from 59% in 2012. That has implications for the country’s declining social engagement and rising rates of loneliness, but there’s an economic cost to losing neighborhood ties, too.
7 Signs Your Church Will Never Change (And What to Do About It)
You can feel it before you can name it. The same faces around the table. The same arguments, the same meeting, the same non-decision. If you’re leading a church that feels permanently stuck, you’re not imagining it. And you’re not alone.
A leader’s job is to move people from where they are to where God is calling them to be. That requires disruption. But some churches have built invisible walls against exactly that, and those walls have outlasted more than a few good pastors.
The mission doesn’t change. The message doesn’t change. The methods have to. Here are seven signs your church may be more committed to the past than to the future, and what you can actually do about it.
A growing number of Protestants say others don’t know they’re Christian
A growing share of Protestant churchgoers in the US say many people aren’t aware that they’re Christians. Still, a majority of them wouldn’t hesitate to let non-Christians know where they stand on their faith, according to a new Lifeway Research study.
In the study, 2025 State of Discipleship Living Unashamed, Lifeway researchers highlight the beliefs, desires and actions of Protestant churchgoers in the U.S. around living unashamed. Living Unashamed is one of eight signposts in Lifeway’s Discipleship Pathway Assessment used to measure spiritual maturity.
After a Minnesota church protest, states are toughening penalties for disrupting services
At least four states have adopted laws this year making it a crime to disrupt worship services, a reaction to a high-profile protest inside a Minnesota church that prompted outrage from faith leaders.
The Republican lawmakers sponsoring most of the legislation say those gathering at sacred sanctuaries deserve protection beyond what existing trespassing laws provide. They also say these new laws will prevent escalating clashes between congregants and protestors as many churches, mosques and synagogues remain on edge over recent mass shootings and acts of violence targeting religious groups.
Beth Moore: To Object to a Woman ‘Discussing a Sermon’ on a Podcast Is ‘Beyond Scripture’
Dr. Albert Mohler is facing backlash—including from high-profile leaders like Beth Moore—after asserting that a woman sharing sermon insights on a church podcast is “functioning as a pastor,” a situation Mohler believes is a “problem.”
“I’ve never pastored a church. Couldn’t pay me a jillion dollars to. Never been ordained. Have no desire to. The only paid staff position I’ve ever held in a church was as an aerobics teacher in our church gym,” said author and Bible teacher Beth Moore, Tuesday, May 26. “But how in heaven’s name a woman discussing a sermon on a podcast could be objectionable to some is beyond me and what I believe to be beyond scripture.”
'Mind-bogglingly crazy': Europe's deadly, early heatwave is smashing records
Temperature records are being smashed across Europe as parts of the continent swelter in a heat wave that is bringing extreme temperatures alarmingly early in the year.
The continent is grappling with a powerful heat dome, a persistent high-pressure system which acts like a lid on a pot, trapping hot air and pushing it downward. It can remain in place for days or even weeks and is a weather phenomenon made more likely and more intense by human-caused climate change.
As grocery prices climb, Trump rolls out a bad idea that won’t work
For reasons that have never been altogether clear, Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted that he’s successfully lowered the price of groceries. American consumers know better, and their perceptions are bolstered by real-world data. The Hill reported last week, “Federal inflation data confirms what you may have been feeling already: Groceries are getting more expensive. Unfortunately, things may be about to get a whole lot worse, economists are warning.”
'Insect apocalypse' is already fueling malnutrition in some regions, first-of-its-kind study reveals
Insects are disappearing, and they are leaving global food security gaps in their wake. Over the past three decades, bugs have been declining at an alarming rate across the globe — up to 1% per year, by some estimates. The drop has been so intense that some scientists have dubbed it an "insect apocalypse."
Because many insects pollinate crops, lower insect abundance has hurt everything from ecosystem health to crop yields. But historically, such consequences have been tough for scientists to measure directly. Now, in a new paper published May 6 in the journal Nature, researchers have quantified the impact of insect pollinator declines on human health for the first time.
Trump administration bans disease experts from speaking to WHO about growing Ebola outbreak: Report
The Trump administration has banned top federal health agency experts from weighing in on the ongoing Ebola outbreak, as the U.S. continues to step back from its former leadership role in global health issues.
Also See: Ebola epidemic spreading rapidly and outpacing containment efforts, US CDC seeks staff for Ebola screening as outbreak response expands, and North Texas once faced Ebola: A look back at the 2014 outbreak, what to know now
Showing Up with Questions: Listening in a New Setting
Strong leadership in a new ministry setting begins not with quick answers, but with intentional listening. Luke Edwards shares the key questions he plans to ask as he begins a new pastoral appointment at Huntersville United Methodist Church, offering a practical framework for leaders navigating transition, discernment, and community engagement.
Burnout Warning Signs I Missed: Burn Out 20 Years Later, Part 1
Twenty years ago this month, I almost became ministry road kill. After 11 years of 30%+ annual growth, I burned out—hard.
In Part 1 of this solo episode, I share 5 honest insights from two decades of reflection: why dysfunction gets rewarded in the church, how denial accelerates the crash, and why grieving your losses matters.
If your passion is fading, this episode is for you.
Pope warns of ‘digital neocolonialism’ and calls on Church to defend human dignity in age of AI in first encyclical
Pope Leo XIV has used his first encyclical to warn that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies risk deepening global inequality, concentrating power in the hands of a few and creating what he described as “colonialism in another form".
The new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), was signed on May 15 and officially released at the Vatican this week, coinciding with the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum.
Also See: In ‘Magnifica Humanitas,’ Pope Leo delivers on a people-first vision for AI; What is an encyclical? Inside Pope Leo's urgent warning about AI and the 'culture of power'
Why Youth Group Involvement Is Down (and What to Do About It)
I’ve served in youth ministry for 18 years. There’s always a temptation to look back through nostalgic, rose-colored glasses to the good ole days when things were easier and the sun shined brighter. But most veteran youth pastors will agree that leading a successful youth discipleship ministry is harder today than it was a decade ago.
Andrew Root’s book The End of Youth Ministry? Why Parents Don’t Really Care About Youth Groups and What Youth Workers Should Do About It validates this notion more empirically. Root echoed my sense that many youth pastors now struggle to get access to kids or garner regular attendance at youth group events. And when kids don’t attend consistently, it’s hard for youth ministers to connect relationally, build community, or disciple effectively.
What factors have led to this struggle, and what can we do about them?
What Does Evangelism Look Like in the Church?
Invite a friend to church.
What could be so hard about that right?
But we all know it’s more challenging than it appears. Culture has shifted, and while it is true that there is a resurgence of interest in God and spiritual life, it is also true that popular culture does not see a need for regular church attendance.
The Invitation Gap: Why Your Members Aren’t Inviting Others
In this episode, Jess and Thom address one of the most overlooked challenges in the church today: the gap between belief and action when it comes to inviting others. Most church members love their church—but they rarely invite anyone to attend. Jess and Thom explore why this gap exists, what holds people back, and how leaders can create a culture where invitations become natural, consistent, and effective.
This is a serious problem in too many churches.
Your Church Doesn’t Have a Vision Problem—It Has a Follow-Up Problem
In this episode, Jess and Thom challenge a common assumption in church leadership: that struggling churches need a better vision. In reality, many churches already have a clear vision—but they lack the systems to follow up with the people God is already sending their way. Jess and Thom walk through how ineffective or inconsistent follow-up is one of the biggest reasons churches fail to retain guests, and they offer simple, practical steps to close that gap immediately.
When I visited a local Episcopal church, no one asked me for my name, address, and phone number, the kind of contact information necessary for follow up.
Evangelical group condemns Trump policy change impacting immigrants who entered lawfully
An Evangelical humanitarian organization has condemned a Trump administration policy memo that could require many immigrants who entered the United States lawfully to leave the country while seeking lawful permanent residence.
World Relief, a Christian humanitarian organization that is authorized to resettle refugees in the U.S., said the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ policy would affect people who entered lawfully with visas, humanitarian parole or tourist status and later became eligible for a green card, often through a U.S. citizen spouse, parent or adult child.
Should Christians Flip Tables Like Jesus?
Scripture tells us to be like Jesus. Does that mean we should call hypocritical leaders “blind fools” and a “brood of vipers” like Jesus does in Matthew 23?
Does imitating Jesus mean we should make a whip of cords, curse a fig tree, and flip a table in a temple? Should we make it our goal to do the same? And if not, why not?
Also See: Jesus Raged? The Righteous Anger of God Incarnate
Avoiding The Trap Of A Punch-The-Clock Mentality In Ministry
It’s too easy to define our ministry by how many hours we put in. Then it's very easy to slip into the trap of defining our value by those hours.
Pastors Need Worship, Not Just Work
One way God keeps pastors going is through corporate worship. Worship is for God, always. And God uses gathered worship to do something in us we can’t manufacture on our own: He renews our faith and restores our joy.
And pastors experience this in a unique way. You’re not only coming to worship; you’re helping others come. You’re carrying the room. You’re praying ahead, noticing who’s drifting, making a dozen decisions, and still trying to be present before the Lord. It’s possible to lead worship and still feel like you never actually worshiped.
Corporate worship is not just another weekly responsibility. It’s one of the few places you can stand among your people as a fellow disciple and let the songs, the Scripture, the prayers, and the ordinary faith of the church do their steady work on you.
The lectionary doesn't flinch
The liturgical season of Ordinary Time runs from Pentecost to Advent, roughly twenty-six Sundays of green banners and counted weeks. The name comes from the Latin "ordinalis," meaning numbered, not mundane. But the distinction has been mostly lost. Ordinary Time has become, in popular imagination, the season of placeholder Sundays. The time between the dramatic seasons when the real work of Christian life is supposedly happening elsewhere.
This is exactly wrong. And a preacher who lived through a world coming apart once said so, loudly, from one of the most prominent pulpits in America.
Worship in Silence
As a priest in a liturgical tradition, I know quite well the value of wordy worship. And this tradition far predates Christianity, as the Hebrew Scriptures attest. Still, I am unable to shake the idea that something is profoundly lost when our wordiness is not balanced with silence. There really is something to the idea that God speaks to all his people, not only through the words and actions of the liturgy, and not only through the preaching and teaching of the clergy. Silence can be a means of fellowship with God.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
