5 Vital Elements That We Can’t Miss As We Re-Invent Church
t’s possible that the Church will change more in one year than it has in the last fifty years. I know that can be frustrating when the big question is “How will it change?” and so often the answer is, “We don’t know.” The truth is that we are all figuring it out together, and the future Church will be discovered by a combination of three things.... Read More
The Two Most Important Questions That You Can Ask Your Congregation
As each month passes with less answers and more waiting, many church members have been engaged in heated arguments on opposing sides of hotly debated issues. So much so, pastors report maintaining church unity during these divisive times is one of the biggest challenges they face. During such confusing times, there are two overarching questions pastors should keep in front of their congregations. Read More
How to Know When Political Views Have Become an Idol
Are your political views and convictions growing in intensity? Are you finding yourself feeling angrier than you used to be about a variety of political issues? Are people in your extended family, community or church becoming angrier? Read More
Sign of the Times
The apocalyptic internet movement QAnon is gaining followers by the thousands, and churches are slow to respond. In the pandemic lockdown, QAnon accounts exploded in popularity as people spent more time online. Many Christians have sunk so deeply into Q that it fills a lot of their conversations and most of their time online. Cult expert Steve Hassan said he is swamped with thousands of emails from family members concerned about their loved ones who are suddenly deep into QAnon. Read More
We’ve Been Here Before: Lessons from the Church’s Responses to the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919
“Unprecedented” will likely be the Merriam-Webster Dictionary ‘Word of the Year’ for 2020. While these times are truly unprecedented to us, a look back in history shows that in many ways these times are completely precedented. A century ago the world faced another deadly pandemic - the Spanish Flu. Like today, nearly every person and facet of society was affected by the deadly disease and the resulting upheaval to daily life. And just like today, churches had to respond quickly. Newspaper articles and church records from 1918-1919 reveal that there are stark similarities to how churches responded to the pandemic a century ago. Read More
Ahead of 2020 Election, White Evangelicals Still Concerned About COVID-19
Those who know someone who suffered from the virus are less likely to say they plan to vote for President Trump. Months into the pandemic, facing mixed plans for reopening churches and starting another school year, white evangelicals are still worried about the coronavirus. They are as concerned about the spread of COVID-19 as the rest of the population and as likely to know someone infected with the disease, according to a recent survey. Previous predictions that some segments of the population would feel isolated from the risks of the virus, or that evangelicals’ concerns may have been dwindling, have not borne out. This trend may have political implications. The outbreak has become one of the top issues in the upcoming election, so evangelicals’ continued worries over the coronavirus are expected to be a factor in how they vote. Read More
12 Questions Churches Are Asking about Re-Starting Children's Ministries
Some churches have already begun on-campus children’s activities, but others are still considering their options. Without my evaluating the questions or offering any responses, here are some of the questions pastors are telling me they’re considering.... Read More
Doing What You Can
Being human is learning how to live with limitations. Early on, we learn there are certain things we can’t do. We watch the birds in the air and long to join them in the sky, but as any kid who jumped out of the barn loft wearing a towel around his neck can tell you, we can’t fly. Most of our early lives are a series of embarrassing moments when we found out something else we can’t do. Read More
How God Uses Spiritual Dryness to Help You Grow
We all face dry periods. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in ministry. Dry periods are a part of everyone’s spiritual journey—a truth we often forget. When I find myself in a spiritually dry spot, I use it as an opportunity to evaluate my life and examine whether I’m living in the will of God. It’s easy to get out of the will of God, but it’s also quite easy to get back into it if you will simply ask God these three questions. Read More
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