Monday's Catch: Minimal Church and More

Minimal Church: Where the Future Church Is Headed

It is time to revisit the need to simplify. It is time to look at how effective churches of the very near future (like in the next few months) will do only a few things well and eliminate the rest. Read More

8 Reflections on Returning to an In-Person Worship Service

For the first time since COVID began, Pam and I returned to a Sunday morning worship service yesterday. We were out of town, and we decided to visit a church with friends who live in that area. Here are my thoughts.... Read More

I posted a list of questions in the comment section after this article, questions that may be helpful in sizing up the precautionary measures a church has taken or plans to take in resuming public worship. The list is not exhaustive. You may think of other questions that should be asked.

Complementarianism and the Abusive Male

n this post Scot McKnight looks at male abuse of women and how that might be connected to present-day complementarianism or “patriarchy” or what Andreas Köstenberger calls “patricentrism” (father/male centeredness). Read More

The male abuse of women is a problem with multiple causes. Men who abuse women may themselves have a history of being abused as a child or witnessing the abuse of women by men or both. Cultural attitudes toward the relationship of men to women is also a contributing factors. They include the culture attitudes found in a particular church or ecclesiastical tradition. Men who engage in violence against women may justify it on religious grounds. They may also justify violence perpetrated against children in the same way.

The Hard Truth Every Youth Pastor Must Accept about COVID-19

Here’s the hard reality: COVID-19 is not going away in 2020, and probably not 2021 either. If you have put your ministry on pause with the assumption that you will resume business as usual this fall or sometime during the 2020-21 school year, your ministry is probably in big trouble. Read More

How to Share the Gospel for All to Hear [Video]

Sam Chan delivered a message during a breakout session at The Gospel Coalition’s 2019 National Conference titled, “How to Tell Your Friends About Jesus Without Becoming That Guy.” Many of the things that we believe will help to convince others of the truth of the gospel—such as facts, evidence, and data—are actually the least powerful factors in doing so. Far more powerful are community and experiences. This means the most effective methodologies for helping others to hear and understand the gospel include experiences that merge Christian and non-Christian friends and offer opportunities to listen to and learn from one another. From these things, fueled by prayer, opportunities for gospel conversations will inevitably arise. Watch Now