Wednesday's Catch" Healthy Churches and More

Seven Traits of Healthy Churches Today

Thom Rainer identifies what he believes are seven traits of healthy twenty-first century churches, based upon conversations, observations, and research. Read More

5 Reasons Church Online Might Be a Distraction to Your Church’s Vision

Church online can stunt your church’s impact if you don’t manage it correctly. Read More

Convenience Store Christianity

Much of North American Christianity seems to be what I call “Convenience Store Christianity.” I’ll let you determine the comparisons.... Read More

In the two comments that I posted in response to this article I offer two different views of convenience stores. A major factor for the difference between these views is cultural context.

Defend Your Volunteers

If you’re a ministry leader, you’re eventually going to create a practice, policy, or procedure that’s not all that popular. And chances are, your volunteers are going to be the ones to enforce that policy on the front lines.... Read More

The FAQs: What Christians Should Know About the Enneagram

Joe Carter weights the pros and cons of using enneagrams and offers cautions for those who enthusiastically champion the use of enneagrams and those opposed to their use. Read More

Two Reasons the Trinity Matters

Most of us have retained a formal belief in the Trinity. What we need to recover is an understanding and a felt sense of why it matters so much. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. Read More

Why I Don’t Prefer the Phrase “Criteria of Canonicity”

Michael Kruger gives the reasons why he doesn't prefer the concept of "criteria of canonicity." Read More

Church Members Must Keep an Eye on Their Elders

In this post, I want to consider a church member’s responsibility to hold elders accountable. The first area concerns what they teach, and the second area involves how they live (and lead). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy comes to mind to frame this up: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Finally, I’ll conclude by remembering the precious commodity of trust in a healthy congregation. Read More

This is a real challenge for small Anglican churches which may be yoked with one or more other churches and must share a priest or which must engage a supply priest in order to celebrate Holy Communion. While the other churches with which the church is yoked may regard favorably what the priest teaches and how he lives, the church may, when comes to guarding the gospel in the way described in this article, conclude that the priest's doctrine and way of life is not acceptable. At the same time they are held captive by their circumstances. The supply priest,while he may have the recommendation of others and the approval of the bishop, may prove weak or even unorthodox in doctrine. If he travels some distance, the church will not be able to keep an eye on his life. They may have difficult doing so even he comes from a church in a nearby community. Here again they may be captives of their circumstances.

8 Easy and Affordable Children’s Ministry Area Update Ideas

It doesn’t take a huge budget to make a children's ministry area kids and parents will love. Read More

More International Students Are Staying in the U.S. after Graduation

“Preaching the gospel to the nations” might look more and more like preaching the gospel in your very own city, as a growing number of international students extend their stay in the U.S. after graduation. Read More

God’s Global Mission in an Era of the Autonomous Self

How do we approach mission work in a context of hyper-individuality and globalization? Read More

What Does It Mean to Be Welcoming?

LGBT questions pose a difficult challenge for denominations and the churches who are a part of them. Read More