Monday's Catch: The Resurgence of Rural Ministry and More

Small Town Pastors See More Than Small Wonders

Rural ministry is experiencing a resurgence in the US even as economic and demographic numbers continue their decline. Read More

Where the American Dream Died 

You can find the communities where the American dream is dead by looking for vacant church buildings. Read More

These social dynamic may not be limited to the United States. They may have their parallels in other countries in which one or more segments of the population has become alienated from the mainstream. In the United States 'Alienated America' may prove to be a useful resource for church planters and pastors seeking to better understand a community.

6 Takeaways From “The Church Growth Gap” LifeWay Research Survey

We seldom see the value of smaller congregations, even when the facts show them to us. Read More

New Research and Insights on the Online Church

I see a pattern developing in online churches. Perhaps it is a trend. The overall pattern is that online ministries of churches are becoming a strategic part of the overall church ministry. They are not viewed today as much as a separate congregation than as an entry point for people ultimately to connect to the physically-gathered church. Read More

How Universalism, ‘the Opiate of the Theologians,’ Went Mainstream

Michael McClymond decries the rising popularity of an idea Christians have rejected for most of church history. Read More

Sin Is Cosmic Treason

“The sinfulness of sin” sounds like a vacuous redundancy that adds no information to the subject under discussion. However, the necessity of speaking of the sinfulness of sin has been thrust upon us by a culture and even a church that has diminished the significance of sin itself. Read More

How VBS Shapes Our Culture—and the Future of the Church

The ministries of local churches in teaching the Bible to the children of Christian families and communicating the gospel to neighborhood children who have never heard it is among the most important and effective aspects of Christian ministry today. Read More

5 Rules to Help You Fail Less Often with Social Media

In his new, thoughtful, helpful book, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction (IVP, 2019), Justin Whitmel Earley talks about five things he has started doing to retain some sanity when it comes to social media. Read More

7 Social Media Reminders for Pastors and Ministry Leaders

If social media is here, and an almost necessity these days in ministry, it stands to reason we should keep in mind it’s impact. This should actually influence our use of social media. That’s the purpose of this post. Read More