It's Monday: 'The 30-40-30 Hypothesis for the Post-Quarantine Church' and More

The 30-40-30 Hypothesis for the Post-Quarantine Church

Thom Rainer draws our attention to what may be an emerging church attendance pattern in North America. He noteds that more research may be needed and invites readers to share their own observations.

2 Priorities Every Pastor Must Embrace During the 2020s
Scott McConnell gives his opinion of what whe believes should be the two priorities of pastors in this decade.

When You Can’t Gather: Help and Hope for Those Worshiping from Home
The Gospel Coalition website has been posting a series of 9-Marks articles dismissing online church as a valid form of the church. Amomg the problems that I have with the their authors' theology is that they have a very narrow definition of what it means to gather. They associate the Body of Christ solely with the physical gathering of church and make such assertions like the church does not exist if one of its members is absent from this gathering. They also reject multiple services as well as online church. Their theology of the church makes little or no room for the invisible church and the believer's mystical union with Christ and others believers through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. In this Gospel Coalition article the author recognizes that a need exists for online church but only in a very limited way.

The Top 7 Reasons Guests Return To Your Church
Dan Reiland identifies 7 of the most common reasons people return to your church after their first visit or two.

7 Posts to Help Your Determine God's Will
Discerning God's will in a particular set of circumstances can be a challenge. We want to align our will with God's but how do we discern his will in these circumastance.

Songs That Preach

While David W. Manners offers solid advice in this article, I have a problem with his assertion that all songs must preach. As Betting Pulkingham wrote in Sing God a Simple Song, the hymns and songs that we use in our services should release the whole congregation into praise. Edifying the congregation is only one purpose of the hymns and songs in our services. It is an important purpose but it is not the sole purpose. The hymns and songs are not a preparation for the sermon or an adjunct to the sermon.

10 Ingredients for an Awesome Children's Ministry
Dale Hudson looks at 10 ingredients it takes to make an awesome children's ministry.