Tuesday's Catch: "Don't Let Politics Ruin Your Witness" and More

Don’t Let Your Politics Ruin Your Witness

I know a lot of people personally who love Jesus, who would tell you that their only hope is in him and what he accomplished on their behalf, who lead their families lovingly, serve others selflessly, and partner with their churches faithfully. The problem is that you would never know any of this based on what they choose to post on the internet. Read More

David Prince offers a much needed word of caution in an era in which politics threatens to overshadow the faith of many Christians and to damage their witness to world in great need of Christ. From a spiritual warfare perspective exploiting the human weaknesses of Christians and embroiling them in the political divisions of the day looks like one of the schemes that Wormwood in C. S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters might have cooked up to divert the attention of a Christian from following the teaching and example of his Lord and to hamper the Church in its mission of spreading the gospel to all peoples.

Churches Experiment with In-Person Gatherings but Many are Split and Unsure About Their Return

Regardless of whether churches are meeting in-person or not, this summer is a wonderful time to take advantage of granting leaders rejuvenation and a vision for the next season. Read More

COVID-19 Church Survey Third Round Report [Free Resource]

"Churches are displaying both courage and caution in returning to in-person gatherings this summer." Learn More

Why This Is the Christian Side Hug’s Moment

Will our disgust for germs get the best of us? A psychologist weighs the risks and benefits of human touch in a pandemic. Read More

COVID-19 has raised people's awareness of how they can become infected with a disease. While Brad D. Strawn points to one possible outcome of this heightened awareness, we also need to be aware of the corresponding danger of romanticizing a number of practices to which Strawn refers to in his article. Human beings do need physical contact to grow and develop as infants. However, how much physical contact adults will have with older children and adults, as sociologists will tell you, varies from social group to social group and is culturally determined. For example, Italians tends to be physically demonstrative while the English tend to be reserved. Some individuals may welcome physical touch while others experience it as a violation of their person. Practices like "passing the peace" and anointing with oil are not essential to the life and worship of the church. A number of church traditions do not follow these practices and have flourished without them.

5 Small Group Principles That Change Lives

Here are five small group principles that you can use as a new Small Group leader in creating a culture where “No Perfect People Are Allowed” and life change can happen.Read More

3 Principles for Living on Mission Outside of Your Church

Let me share three things I learned about non-religious people while planting a church.... Read More

How might we adapt these three ways of reaching our neighbors to the realities of the COVID-19 era?

Supreme Court: Employment Law Protects Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

In the case of Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that employers who fire someone for being gay or transgender violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Read More

This Supreme Court decision will affect church hiring policies and practices, some churches more than others. It remains to be seen how it will affect these policies and practices.