Wednesday's Catch: Church Planting Mistakes and More

6 Church Planting Mistakes I Made

These are the things I wish I could do over. Read More

6 (Non-Controversial) Ways Christians Should Deal with Disagreements about the End Times

Eckhard Schnabel—Mary French Rockefeller distinguished professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary—is the author 40 Questions about the End Times (Kregel, 2011). He gives the following advice—which he says should all be non-controversial—for followers of Christ who want to understand the biblical teaching and to avoid an unbiblical “party loyalty.” Read More

Does the Church Have a Senior Pastor Problem?

Anyone who has been in a church for any amount of time knows that every church has issues, but does every church have a senior pastor problem? The church is a collection of imperfect people seeking a perfect God. And we certainly tend to cause conflict with one another along the way. A pattern of these conflicts recently occurred to me. And they all started with one specific kind of person within the church—the senior pastor. Read More

Six Things Pastors Should Say in Every Sermon

To address the reality of the unreached and those lacking knowledge among us, here are six things pastors should say in every sermon. Read More

Ten Tips on Sermon Illustrations

Illustrations can be a glorious bridge in a sermon between the text of God's Word and the congregation. A good illustration can open up a passage of Scripture, bring understanding to God's people, and touch their hearts with application. They paint a picture upon the listener's imagination to bring clarity and ways to implement the spiritual truths being set before them. Yet an illustration can also distract and disorient if not done well. So here are ten tips that can help make illustrations connect for preachers with their congregation. Read More

Pew Report: Older U.S. Christians Being Quickly Replaced by Young 'Nones'

The United States is steadily becoming less Christian and the number of people with no religion is rising. Those are the twin headlines from the latest Pew Research report released Thursday (Oct. 17), which shows a dramatic decline in American religious habits over the course of a decade. The report, an aggregation of yearly political surveys that ask about religion, shows rapid changes in generational attitudes toward religion. Read More

9 Things You Should Know About Modern Satanism

A group of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen who follow the religion of The Satanic Temple recently announced in an email that “Satanic services” would soon be offered on the campus. After the email was leaked on a popular Instagram account, the Navy clarified that a group of midshipmen “with beliefs aligned with those practiced by The Satanic Temple” had requested a space for a “study group” to discuss their Satanic beliefs and not for holding Satanic religious services. “The USNA Command Religious Program provides for the exercise of diverse beliefs,” a spokesman for the Naval Academy said. “Arrangements were being made to provide the Midshipmen with a designated place to assemble as chaplains facilitate for the beliefs of all service members.”

This news, as well as other acts by Satanist groups, has sparked renewed interest and concern about this religion. Here are nine things you should know about the religious beliefs of modern Satanism. Read More

American Faith Groups Agree: Trump Should Act More Presidential

Americans disagree over just about everything — from gender roles and immigration to impeachment to whether the country is on the right track. But most agree that President Donald Trump’s personal conduct is an issue. Read More