Wednesday's Catch: Walmart Churches and More

In Praise Of Walmart Churches

Walmart churches don’t care how they look to others. They know who they are and who they’re called to reach. Read More

Why Some Church Members Don’t Want Their Church to Grow [Video]

In this Rainer Report Thom Rainer identifies some common reasons people do not want their church to grow. Watch Now

10 Answers to Inevitable Questions When Launching a New Group 

Chris Surratt shares his thoughts on starting a new small group. Read More

7 Signs That You’re Cocooned in the Church World

Studies have shown that many church members don’t do evangelism. Fear is often a primary obstacle, but so is the reality that many of us are cocooned and insulated in the church—thus, we’re disconnected from the very people we’re called to reach. Here are some signs that you’re cocooned in the church world.... Read More

Cacooning is not a unique Christian phenomenon. I have observed that the students at the university where I take classes tend to associate with groups of students with whom they are the most comfortable. While they are more likely than older people to have more diversity in their friendships, they still tend to hang out with people like themselves--foreign students from a particularly country with foreign students, from the same country, Black students with Black students, local students (students who come from communities in the region). with local students, and so on. Affinity plays an important role in relationships. For example, Ag students hang out with other Ag students. Sociologists and anthropologists have studied and documented this behavior in humans since the late nineteenth century. I don't think that Christians should feel guilty about this tendency but recognize it as a natural tendency that they need to overcome if they are to share their faith with others. One way that we can help our fellow Christians overcome this tendency is to share with them ways that Christians have successfully overcome the tendency individually and as a church or small group. Working with non-believers on community service projects is one such way.

Support for Same-Sex Marriage Plateaus

After a decade of almost continuous growth, the percentage of Americans who favor same-sex marriage remains mostly unchanged since 2017, according to a new study from Pew Research. Read More

Increased Societal Role for Religion Remains Complicated for Global Christians

In countries around the world, more people favor an expanded role for religion in their society than oppose it, according to a new study from Pew Research. Were this to become a reality, it would not be an unadulterated good for Christians worldwide. Read More

Image Credit: Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Plainville CT