Wednesday's Catch: 'Church Budgeting: 5 Ways to Take Care of Your Staff' And More

Church Budgeting: 5 Ways to Take Care of Your Staff
How can your church develop a solid budgeting plan that helps demonstrate your commitment to your pastor and staff?

How Much Money Should My Church Save?
We assume preaching, evangelism, and discipleship are truly spiritual activities while finances are an unfortunate necessity.

Ministry: Convenience or Calling?
God’s call gives us a task that is more than a role or a job. It involves our entire being, not just our gifting or talent in service to the Lord. So, it is a call to being as well as doing.

How to Be More Vulnerable Without Freaking Out Your Church
Vulnerability is a two-edged sword. Many appreciate the honesty of tender leaders revealing their secret struggles. Overshare anxieties, however, and you can disrupt the church with unnecessary angst.

Megan Hill on Why Church Is Good for Kids
Little kids can seem like a swarm, but each one is a unique person and it communicates a lot when adults take notice and simply say hi.

Why Do We Need a Small Group Agreement?
For whatever reason they joined or what they expect, the key to successful group life is a thoroughly-discussed and well-articulated group agreement.

Do You Have to Be Committed to a Local Church to Be a Christian?
The importance of the local church in the life of a Christian is powerfully clear and obvious in the New Testament. Today, however, many Christians minimize the role of local congregations. Sam Rainer asks ThomRainer several questions about this issue in light of Thom’s new book, “I Am a Christian.”

Christians are now a minority in England and Wales: census
For the first time since 1801, when the United Kingdom took its first census, less than half of the population identify as “Christian,” while the share of individuals who say they have no religion has swelled by millions, the latest data from their census show.

Christian population in England and Wales falls below half for first time
The results of the latest Census of England and Wales have been published today, showing a drop in the number of people identifying as Christian.

An All Hallows Advent Service of the Word for Wednesday (November 30, 2022) Is Now Online

 

The structure of this Service of the Word is adapted from ideas for similar services in the Church of England’s New Patterns of Worship (2008). The service begins with the lighting of the Advent wreath. The service is suitable for use in the evening or some other time during the day.

The Scripture readings are Deuteronomy 30: 11-14 The Choice of Life or Death and Romans 10: 5-17 Salvation Is for Everyone.

The message is “Messengers of the Good News.”

The link to this Service of the Word is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/an-all-hallows-advent-service-of-word.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Tuesday's Catch: An Advent Guide for Better Samaritans

An Advent Guide for Better Samaritans

Resources to help you do Advent differently this year (and beyond).

3 Warning Signs Your ‘Multisite Church’ Isn’t One
Are your multisite campuses truly one church in multiple locations?

Thom Rainer: This Is What Is Necessary for Churches To Survive
An interview with Thom Rainer, the founder and CEO of Church Answers, a popular speaker, professor, dean, and author. 

Eric Geiger: What the ‘Alarming’ State of Theology Report Means for the Church
An interview wth Eric Geiger, the senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California, former senior vice president of LifeWay, and author or co-author of several books, including the best-selling church leadership book, Simple Church.

Why 50 to 100 in Attendance Has Become the New Growth Barrier (But a Great Opportunity)
The common growth barrier for churches for over 50 years was 200 in average worship attendance. Thom Rainer and Mark Clifton argue that the new barrier is 50 to 100. But they not only tell you why it is the new growth barrier, they share how your church can burst through the barrier.

3 Benefits of Writing Your Prayers
Aaron Armstrong shares three benefits to writing your prayers if you want to give it a shot....

6 Surprising Ways Evangelism Helps Teenagers Mature
As a dad, Greg Stier has noticed six surprising ways evangelism helps teenagers mature.

Anglican Realignment Pioneer John Rodgers Dies at 92
The Rt. Rev. John H. Rodgers, Jr., an evangelical theologian and seminary dean whose controversial 2000 consecration in Singapore sparked the Anglican Realignment Movement, died November 23 at 92.

Historic Church in Tombstone, Arizona – ‘the town too tough to die’ – Gains New Life
In Tombstone, Arizona, the spirit of the Old West lives on, embodied in the costumed characters that stroll the dusty streets, the gunfight reenactments – and the Episcopal church that has stood at the corner of Third and Safford streets since 1882.

Monday's Catch: 'The New Very Large Church' And More

The New Very Large Church
It’s time to rethink church size.

5 Leadership Reminders from Launching 4 New Congregations
Eric Geiger shares five leadership reminders garned from his church's launching of four new congregations in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pros and Cons of Labeling Singles Ministry
Should churches have a specific singles ministry or integrate singles into the rhythms of the church? Here are pros and cons to consider.

9 Marks of a Healthy Worship Leader
Alex Duke shares a few thoughts has developed as he prayed through what his church is undertaking in calling a new worship leader and what your church may be going through right now.

25 Tiny Ways to Welcome Kids in Church
"The little things church members did when my kids were small taught them to expect to be included and valued every Sunday—no matter how old they get."

5 Must-Have Church Evangelism Strategies
Through the years of helping design missional initiatives and evangelism training, I have found five essentials that church evangelism strategies MUST have in order to work in your local culture.

Pajama drive brings Northwestern Pennsylvania community together to help children in need
There’s a good way to tell it’s November in Oil City, Pennsylvania: Sarah Margherio has 437 sets of pajamas gift-wrapped in a bedroom of her home, and she’s not done yet.

What unmet needs in your community might your church meet?

All Hallows Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for Sunday (November 27, 2022) Is Now Online

The order of service for this Sunday's services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer comes from The Church of England’s service book, Common Worship (2000). The morning readings are different from the evening reading, as are the songs and the homily.

The morning service begins at the top of the page at the Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day. Scroll down the page for the beginning of the evening service as the Blessing of the Light.

Morning Readings: Isaiah 2: 1-5 The Lord’s Future Reign and Matthew 24:36-44 Jesus Speaks about the Future.

Morning Homily: “How to Live with the Uncertainty of Not Knowing When Jesus Will Come Again as He promised”

Evening Reading: Romans 13: 8-14 Love Fulfills God’s Requirements.

Evening Homily: "Does How We Live as a Christian Make a Difference?"

The link to this Sunday’s services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-morning-prayer-and-evening_26.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check autoplay to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Why Your Church Should Hang Christmas Lights This Year' And More

Why Your Church Should Hang Christmas Lights This Year
Here are the top three reasons why your church should hang Christmas lights this year, and why it’s worth the time and effort to do so.

A Lament for a Church Sign
This article was originally posted in 2019. Church attendance has plummeted since that time.

Who Should Follow Up With First-Time Guests?
Today...who actually follows up with your first-time guests? Is it a team? A person? A paid staffer? A freebie volunteer? Here’s the case … and the buts ... for each....

Stop Waiting For Someone Else To Solve Your Leadership Problem
The viral pandemic launched a plethora of secondary pandemics.

10 Little Tips That Can Make a Big Difference in Your Children's Ministry
Here are 10 little tips that can make a big difference in your children's ministry.

Pastors and Church Planters: Get On Campus!
Pastors and churches make two opposite mistakes when it comes to engaging with college students.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (November 26, 2022) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

This Sunday begins a new Christian year. While many families here in the United States have decorated their homes in anticipation of Christmas Day, this Sunday and the next three Sundays have traditionally been a time for Christians not only to prepare to celebrate the nativity of their Lord but also to look forward to his second coming.

The name of this season is Advent, taken from the Latin adventus, which means “coming, arrival.” The Season of Advent dates back as early as 567 AD. It has its own hymns, carols, and sacred songs as well as customs and traditions.

This Saturday evening is the eve of the First Sunday in Advent, also known as Advent Sunday. Traditionally Sundays and holy days begin at sundown on the evening before.

The reading for this Saturday evening is Matthew 11: 20-30 Judgment for the Unbelievers.

The homily is titled “Faith Makes the Difference.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_25.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

Friday's Catch: "Many Religious 'Nones' Believe in God or a Higher Power, Study Finds" And More

Many Religious 'Nones' Believe in God or a Higher Power, Study Finds

Surveys of 'Nones" in the United States have found similar beliefs in this segment of the US population.

Catholic Woman in the United States
This groundbreaking study by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, or CARA, confirms that more than 70% of young women in the United States were drifting away from the Catholic Church, a much higher rate than men.

African Christianity Thrived, Long Before White Men Arrived
Christianity was present in Africa 1000 years before the first European Colonialists arrived.

The Seed of Korean Christianity Grew in the Soil of Shamanism
An awareness of the spirit world was a crucial component in missionary efforts to spread the gospel.

4 Ways Churches Can Embrace Refugees
The annual ceiling for refugee admissions to America is likely to be raised. Are we ready to serve them?

In ‘Stealing My Religion,’ Liz Bucar takes on murky forms of appropriation
Bucar invites readers to 'interrogate the stance that we are entitled to take religious practices from others for our own needs.'

Thursday's Catch: '5 Places That Celebrated Thanksgiving before Plymouth Colony' And More

5 Places That Celebrated Thanksgiving before Plymouth Colony
In American popular culture, the “first Thanksgiving” is generally believed to have occurred at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, featuring European settlers and the Wampanoag tribe sharing a harvest feast. There are multiple sites elsewhere in North America that claim to be the location of the first Thanksgiving, however, and will point to how their celebrations took place years before the celebration at Plymouth.

The Irony of Thanksgiving
Each year, people—Christian and non-Christian—sit around tables and take time to answer the question “What are you thankful for?” People from religious and secular backgrounds express their thankfulness for family, for health, for food, for jobs, for time to enjoy life together. But here’s the irony: to whom are they thankful?

The Spiritual Discipline of Thanksgiving
Nowhere does the Bible say thanking God is easy. But nowhere does the Bible say thanking God is optional. It’s not a practice reserved only for the good times. It’s a spiritual discipline necessary at all times.

12 Ways to Build Thanksgiving into Your Life
We have so much for which to be grateful today. I fear, though, that we too often limit our expressions of thanksgiving to only this day. Because the Apostle Paul tells us to “give thanks in everything” (1 Thess 5:18), we need to practice thanksgiving. Here are some practical ways to build thanksgiving into your leadership role.

10 Blessings That Will Enrich Your Thanksgiving
With the avalanche of anxiety-producing stories in the news, aren’t you glad we can pause this week and express gratitude to God for our manifold blessings? Let’s consider 10 areas often overlooked that can cultivate the attitude of gratitude we need personally and in our families.

7 Reasons Intentional Encouragement Matters
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I try hard to offer encouragement and hope to my readers, even when I address something difficult. Here are some reasons I believe encouragement matters....

You Need to Hear (and Share) These Life-Giving Truths
I once had a pastor say, “Ron, you’re a giant killer!” He encouraged me to kill giants for the Kingdom of God. It changed the trajectory of my life. I possibly wouldn’t be serving the church as I am today without those words. They came at just the right time in my life.

Four Tips for Having Good Conversations
Have you ever gotten into a conversation at Thanksgiving you didn’t want to be in? Do you avoid certain people at Christmas parties because you don’t want to talk with them? I’ve done both, but it doesn’t have to be this way. What if I told you it’s possible to have great conversations with almost anyone without wasting your time, getting bored, or even offending anyone? Here are four tips to help you do just that this holiday season.

Wednesday's Catch: '15 Things You Might Forget to Be Thankful For' And More

15 Things You Might Forget to Be Thankful For
How many ordinary things do we forget to be thankful for? God is still worthy of our thanksgiving in the mundane moments.

What I Learned from Being a Bi-vocational Pastor
Bi-vocational pastors serve outside the spotlight. Though estimates vary, at Church Answers, we estimate there are around one million part-time pastors and staff in North America. They are many, but they get only a fraction of the attention given to pastors of larger churches. They receive little recognition, but they are the workhorses of churches who do much of the heavy lifting.

Why Trust May Be the Most Important Trait of a Great Leader
For this generation, trust doesn't come easily....

Holidays offer special opportunities for love and care
John McCallum knows the pain of struggling with grief and loss during the holiday season. But rather than sinking in sorrow, he’s using it to serve others.

6 Sustaining Lifelines for Leaders
The path of leadership is never constant; there are always highs and lows, good days and bad days. The challenge is to remain consistent through it all. Consistency elevates people’s trust and confidence in your leadership.

Two Medieval Misconceptions
When it comes to the period right before the Reformation, I’ve always had certain notions about what the church was like. As I’ve read more, I’ve come to realize that some of those notions are generally true, while others are only occasionally true. Two of those notions have to do with church buildings and the mass.

4 Reasons NOT to Give Altar Calls
...there are situations and reasons where giving altar calls is not only wrong, it is dishonoring to God.

6 Must-Ask Questions to Help Find Your Personal Calling
This article about personal calling is an excerpt from The Catalyst Leader:8 Essentials to Becoming a Change Maker.

Can We Make Evangelism Enjoyable?
Let’s be honest; for a lot of Christians, evangelism is more like kale than comfort food. How can we create momentum for evangelism that will cause believers to engage?

Episcopal Church releases 2021 parochial report data, offering snapshot of pandemic disruption
The Episcopal Church on Nov. 22 released parochial report data for 2021. The summaries of churchwide membership, attendance and revenue figures offer the fullest statistical picture yet of the unprecedented disruption to parish life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attendance Plunges 35%, While Offerings Rise 3%
It will come as no surprise to hear that church attendance, after years of steady decline, has cratered during the pandemic.

When church attendance declines, it is not unusual for giving to increase. It is not an uncommon reaction of a struggling church to declining attendance.

Tuesday's Catch: 'This Giving Season, Offer the Poor a Pew' And More

This Giving Season, Offer the Poor a Pew

Church structures and schedules often make it hard for the working class to participate. Let's change that.

How to Care for Military Families in Your Church Around the Holidays
With all the sentimentality, family traditions, and memory-making, the holidays accentuate the needs a military family feels throughout the year.

Providing Pastoral Care in Growing Church Plants
When pastoral care must come from someone other than the pastor....

8 Texting Rules You Should Know -- Better Yet, Do!
I wish that I had known these rules earlier. Texting has its own etiquette which we ignore at our own peril!

What does “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” mean?
Kevin Halloran unpacks James 5:16b for us.

Are Kids Lonely at Your Church? 

Adults can be lonely at your church too.

Survey: The Powers and Pitfalls of Small Group Models
The purpose of this article is to give you a quick overview of the key models and then articulate the pivotal questions that you need to answer to shape a model that works for you.

4 Things To Remember When Trying To Reach Unchurched People
...here are four things for pastors and church leaders to remember as they seek to reach unchurched people.

Four Practical Ways to Cultivate Personal Evangelism
What are some practical ways we can all cultivate personal evangelism in our lives? Here are four.

An All Hallows Service of Thanksgiving Is Now Online

This coming Thursday, November 24, the fourth Thursday of November, is Thanksgiving here in the United States.

For those whose own church may not be offering a service of thanksgiving before, on, or after Thanksgiving or who are unable to attend their church’s service of thanksgiving, the All Hallows online ministry is offering a service of thanksgiving in place of its regular service of Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening.

Whether you live in Canada, the United States, or elsewhere in the world, please take advantage of this opportunity to give thanks to God not only for the fruits of the harvest but also for the numerous ways that God has shown grace and continues to show grace to you and those around you.

If you have already visited the All Hallows Murray blog spot, I have made one change in the service since I posted it earlier. I have replaced the hymn of praise with a different one.

The link to this service of thanksgiving is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/a-service-of-thanksgiving.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check autoplay to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Monday's Catch: 'Understanding the Differences between Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Tactics' And More

Understanding the Differences between Mission, Vision, Strategy, and Tactics

"As we anticipate releasing our new evangelism and outreach ministry in 2023 called The Hope Initiative, we have used these definitions to help churches reach beyond their walls."

Capitalize on Thanksgiving, the Hidden Christian Holiday
Thanksgiving can be a hidden Christian holiday for strengthening believers in the church and sharing with those outside of it.

Texas megachurch White’s Chapel departs UMC to anchor new Methodist ‘college’
'We want to work together, and we want to be a healing agent between all of Methodism,' said the Rev. John McKellar, co-pastor of White’s Chapel.

The Valley of Transition: 7 Lessons from 6 Months of Radical Change
What has happened within evangelicalism in the last few years has been an unveiling of our flaws and a reckoning with those on the fringe who are trying to find Christ in us. Much has been written about what’s going on within the evangelical movement.

Do You Underestimate the Impact of Being Kind?
Those who act with kindness often underestimate how much others appreciate their actions.

9 Ways to Build Prayer Into a Worship Service
"...if I were to attend only your church’s main worship service, would I think that your church is a house of prayer? If not, here are some options to build prayer into that service...."

Reading prayers on Sundays from a service book is no guarantee that your church is a praying church.

Preparing To Lead Intercessions In Church
If you are preparing to lead the intercessions in your church, you might find the following helpful. You could also use it to train others to lead the intercessions.

The Importance of Confidentiality
Before many of your members are going to share sensitive information, they need to know their information is protected from others finding out about it. They need assurances that they are in a safe environment. Confidentiality is extremely important. How can you set up a safe environment that incorporates confidentiality? Consider following these five tips

All Hallows Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for Sunday (November 20, 2022) Is Now Online

The order of service for this Sunday's services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer comes from The Church of England’s service book, Common Worship (2000). The morning readings are different from the evening reading, as are the songs and the homily.

The morning service begins at the top of the page at the Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day. Scroll down the page for the beginning of the evening service as the Blessing of the Light.

Morning Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6 The Righteous Descendant; Colossians 1:11-20 Christ Is Supreme

Morning Homily: “What Do the Words, “Jesus Is Lord,” Mean to You?”

Evening Readings: 1 Samuel 8:4-20 Samuel Warns against a Kingdom; John 18:33-37 Jesus Before Pilate

Evening Homily: "All Decisions Have Consequences.”

The link to this Sunday’s services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-morning-and-evening-prayer_19.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check autoplay to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Handling a Disturbance During Worship' And More

Handling a Disturbance During Worship
Churches want to be welcoming, safe places, but what happens when someone enters who disturbs worship, or could prove violent? How should the clergy and congregation respond?

Going home for the holidays? Boost, mask, and test beforehand.
Steps to take to protect your family from Covid-19, RSV, and flu.

Three Ways to Make the Local Church Feel More Like a Family
Here are three simple things your local church can do to feel more like a loving family and less like a stuffy institution.

Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church
Is there more spiritual abuse in the church now than there was in days past? Or could it be that the world has shrunk so that we simply see more evidence of it?

10 of the Most Dangerous Distractions for a Pastor
Unfortunately, so many who used to be pastors, no longer hold the position. Many of them fell into what Ron Edmondson call a dangerous distractions for a pastor. Sometimes it isn’t a blatant sin. Often it is a casual drifting that gets pastors in trouble. Often it is simply a distraction from what matters most.

3 Steps Christian Institutions Take from Orthodoxy to Sexual Immorality
Eastern University has become the first non-Mennonite Christian school in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) to amend its policies to allow for the hiring of LGBT+ faculty and to add sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination statement, according to Religion News Service. In response the CCCU has put Eastern’s membership is on “hiatus” and removed the school from its online list.

Returning from self-imposed hiatus, ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch works to regain trust
At a meeting last week, he addressed concerns raised about his handling of abuse allegations in his diocese.

Lawsuit accuses ACNA church of negligence that resulted in child sexual abuse
The case will be co-counseled by longtime sexual abuse attorney Boz Tchividjian.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (November 19, 2022) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

If you are not familiar with the Feast of Christ the King, it is celebrated in Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches and in some Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist churches on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, which this year falls on November 20. It celebrates Christ's messianic kingship and sovereign rule over all creation. Like all feast days, Christ the King Sunday has two eves, the first eve on Saturday evening and the second eve on Sunday evening. The following Sunday, November 27, begins the Season of Advent and the new liturgical year.

The readings for this Saturday evening are Isaiah 11: 1-9 A Branch from David’s Line and 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Paul’s Final Instructions.

The homily is titled “Life in a Goldfish Bowl.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_18.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

Friday's Catch: 'Showing Up Isn't Enough" And More

Showing Up Isn't Enough

For the evangelical church to survive the coming storm in North America, we have to abandon all of our corporate management techniques and get back to the basics of life-on-life discipleship. There are no shortcuts. It’s backbreaking, tedious, and dirty work, but that’s life on a farm - and that’s life making disciples.

A third of Americans say they attend religious services at least once per month, survey finds
Most Americans believe country would be better if more attended services.

Family engagement with churches has fallen post-Covid, study finds
This study was done in the United Kingdom, but I would be interested in seeing the findings of research into how COVID-19 impacted family engagement in the United States.

Practicing Giving Thanks as a Church This Thanksgiving
How can you encourage your church to be a place of thanksgiving, especially as Thanksgiving Day rolls around?

Suicide rates higher in countries that legalized euthanasia, assisted suicide: study
Nations that have legalized assisted suicide or euthanasia have higher rates of “self-initiated” suicides, a result that some experts contend has been a predictable side effect of making it legal for people to end their lives in certain circumstances.

Needing more than Jesus
The math does not make sense, but the truth of the equation is essential: when you add to Jesus, you actually subtract from Him.

Soul Care in the Small Church
The tradition of the care of souls in the community of faith is deeply biblical.

Confronting Mental Health Challenges in Rural America
Rural churches can play a vital role in bringing about the end of the suffering, silence and stigma surrounding mental illness in rural America.

Pastor, don’t underestimate your influence
It’s greater than you can see, and your role is vital.

Ban on church choirs during Covid was based on 'flawed' evidence 

Pandemic regulations that prevented church choirs from singing were based on an early investigation in the US that was "probably wrong" in its conclusions, according to a new study.

Why teens don't understand who Jesus is
Andy Peck urges caution in interpreting the Barna Group study finding of a largely positive perception of Jesus among teens.

Youth ministries must view children as ‘participants,' not 'consumers': Barna Group CEO
Youth ministries in American churches must shift their efforts away from molding children to be "consumers" to involving them as "participants" in the "Gospel mission," the head of the Barna Group has advised.

Commanding Respect (Not Demanding It) as a Leader
Commanding respect is a worthy goal for church leaders. But you can’t demand respect. Instead, your followers must freely give it to you. You can only command and earn respect; you can’t demand it.

Thursday's Catch: "‘Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants" And More

‘Nondenominational’ Is Now the Largest Segment of American Protestants

US Religion Census finds independent congregations have surged in the last decade.

You may need to register to read this article. Christianity Today has begun restricting the number of free articles that non-subscribers may read--an unfortunate development. I may discontinue posting links to CT articles.

Making the Most of Turkey Time: Thanksgiving on Mission
What if God had more for our kin this Thanksgiving than the Macy’s parade, tryptophan-induced naps, and NFL football? What if we saw our gatherings with extended family not as a chance to check out, but as an opportunity for Christian mission?

Jesus Also Had Unbelieving Family Members
More pain than we know must have been behind Jesus’s words, ‘a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.’

Preparing for a Fruitful Harvest
If we want to see revival and lives transformed for eternity, we need to get on our knees to pray.

5 Principles for Calling the Called to Ministry

God hasn’t stopped calling people, so we must get back to the business of calling out those He has called to ministry.

Mismatched Message & Method: Are Today’s Global Teens Issuing Church Leaders a Challenge?

Church leaders today are at a crossroads. This younger generation is calling them out on what they are seeing when it comes to the discrepancy of what the Bible says and how Christians are living.

Boundaries for Teenagers: 16 Resources for Guiding Youth
Why are boundaries for teenagers so essential? Why do we need to teach kids about the blessings of limits? Read on to learn the importance of this biblical concept. And discover loads of solid resources for youth ministers and parents!

How to Internet
Neither the Church nor individual Christians really know how to use the internet well as a tool. The culture of the internet (its language and customs) is honestly a foreign culture to the Church.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Nine Challenges to Church Planting' And More

Nine Challenges to Church Planting

Ed Stetzer identifies 9 challenges that could hinder the forward advance of church planting.

Does education ‘cure’ people of faith? The data says no
Despite a long-standing biased assumption among many that the uneducated cling to religion, studies show people with higher degrees are most likely to be religious.

Like Sisyphus, Are We Engaging in the Futile?
Too many churches are trapped in the Sisyphus dynamic of continually pursuing something that involves high effort and low reward, or even no reward.

4 Steps to Helping Your Church Identify Idols
Comfort tops the list of idols in churches, so how can pastors do the uncomfortable work of helping church members identify and destroy their idols?

8 Ways to Become a Praying Church
"As I prayed, a great desire grew in me that our little church might become a praying people."

Give Thanks to God — Even for the Trials
As a general rule, church people do not intend to be rude or unkind concerning newcomers. They do not intend to crush the spirits of those bewildered about the large church and all the choices and unfamiliar faces. But they do it anyway as a result of being thoughtless.

Giving When You’re Gone
"We know our wealth comes from and belongs to God, and we steward it in gratitude."

Evangelism Isn’t Disrespectful
... virtually everyone in the conversation about religious belief thinks they’re right and the other person is wrong.

10 Things You Should Know about Islam
Thinking critically about Islam.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (November 16, 2022) Is Now Online

  

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

One of the ways that we can get to know Jesus is to read the Gospels a passage or two at a time. Not a cursory once-over. But slowly, meditatively, and aloud. Then reflect upon what we have read. Imagine that we are the people in the passage. Imagine how they felt before they encountered Jesus. During their encounter with him. Afterwards. Finally, thank God for what he may have shown us.

The Scripture reading for this Wednesday evening is Matthew 8:1-13 Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy; the Faith of a Roman Officer.

The homily is titled “Two Healings and a Prophetic Word.”

The link to this Wednesday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for_15.html 

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check autoplay to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Tuesday's Catch: 'How Pastors Can Help Their Churches Overcome Apathy' And More

How Pastors Can Help Their Churches Overcome Apathy

Being a pastor has never been easy, but pastoring in America today seems to come with certain challenges that weren’t present even a few short decades ago.

Did faith fall off a cliff during COVID? New study says no
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, many Americans lost the habit of churchgoing after almost every church in the country closed down their in-person services and shifted online. But did some of them give up on God? Sociologists like Michael Hout want to know.

9 Signs You're Leading from the Past, Not for the Future
Too many leaders face present-tense challenges while living more in yesterday than today. Below is a list of characteristics of church leaders I’ve known who show this tendency....

Are Churches Looking for the Wrong Kind of Leaders?
For anyone paying attention over the last ten years, we have also seen the rise of a type of Christian leader that is, sadly, very different than Christ. Rather than being gentle, patient shepherds, some pastors (for a variety of reasons) are heavy-handed and domineering to the flocks under their care.

Take the Gratefulness Test to Find out how Grateful you are
The Bible says a lot about gratefulness. Answer these six questions to rank how grateful you are.

What Does God Want of Me?
In a difficult situation these three questions may help provide you with direction and guidance.

Four Ways to Follow Satan
Watch out for these! No one sets out to ditch God and follow Satan, but these shortcuts have exactly that effect....

Two Reminders for Gospel Conversations with Muslims (or Any Non-believer)
There are two important observations to keep in mind as Christians engage in gospel presentations among Muslims.

Monday's Catch: '5 Paths to Avoid the Coming U.S. Church Catastrophe' And More

5 Paths to Avoid the Coming U.S. Church Catastrophe

If nothing changes and statistical patterns hold, the U.S. church will continue to shrink in size and influence. But that’s not our only option.

6 Church Members Who Build Up the Church
Healthy local churches make a powerful and attractive testimony to a watching world. This means that every member has to be devoted to building others up.

Four Words of a Dying Church: “I’ve Done My Time”
Perhaps the most unbiblical reason for no longer serving in a church are those four deadly words: “I’ve done my time.” Indeed, if many of your church members are responding with these words, your church may be on the descent to death. Here are five reasons why that is the case....

Dig Deeper
Think of the scriptures like a fancy layered dessert — maybe a cake or parfait. There are several layers, and each offers new delights. If you don’t dig down into all the layers, you’re missing out.

5 Bad Ideas That Will Make Your Service Fake
What makes a worship service fake might be boiled down to a few things even though there may be many things we can put on a list. Here are five bad ideas that promote the “fake factor” in church worship services.

How to Kick-Start Evangelism in Your Youth Group
Greg Stier shares 4 proven ways to ignite teens to share their faith.

Three Myths about Finding Your Calling
How do we know where, when, why, and how God might use us for His kingdom purposes? Daniel Darling thinks we can begin to discover this by shattering three myths about calling.

Religious Groups with Immigrant Members Grew Fastest over Past Decade
A decennial study of US religious life shows that the number of participants in congregational services has not kept up with the overall population growth. But religious groups drawing large numbers of immigrants have seen steady growth.

All Hallows Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer for Sunday (November 13, 2022) Is Now Online

The order of service for this Sunday's services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer comes from The Church of England’s service book, Common Worship (2000). The morning readings are different from the evening reading, as are the songs and the homily.

The morning service begins at the top of the page at the Acclamation of Christ at the Dawning of the Day. Scroll down the page for the beginning of the evening service as the Blessing of the Light.

Morning Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 An Exhortation to Proper Living

Morning Homily: “Let us be God’s light in the darkness….”

Evening Reading: Matthew 13: 1-9; 18-23 The Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

Evening Homily: "Fresh Gleanings from the Parable of the Sower."

The link to this Sunday’s services of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-morning-prayer-and-evening.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check autoplay to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first. If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May these services be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Ancient Stone Marks China’s First Encounter with Christianity' And More

Ancient Stone Marks China’s First Encounter with Christianity
What the Xi’an stele reveals about the rise and fall of the Nestorian church in the Tang Dynasty.

Without Answers, Long COVID Patients Keep the Faith
The uncertainty of the condition makes it a challenge for sufferers and caretakers.

See the Church of Tomorrow Today
TryTank has released a short documentary film about what the church might be like in 10 years.

14 Reasons to Dream with Your Church Staff Offsite
In reality, many church teams cannot afford to NOT get away for a short-term, focused season of team and vision development. With intentionality and planning, any team can find some way to get away together.

Let the Kids Lead
It's time we start giving kids the opportunity to lead in the church. As you look through Scripture, you will see that kids were often given the opportunity to lead.

3 Reasons to Be Gentle
The Christian is to be a gentle person, but that’s a hard thing, isn’t it? Especially when things aren’t going your way and the temptation is to be angry. Hurt. Entitled. Bitter.

Pastor, Don’t Forget to Add Personal Evangelism to Your Crazy Schedule
Mike Kubinec explains why he believes that pastors need to intentionally carve out time to invest in relationships with non-Christians for the purpose of evangelism.

Lord, I’m Caught in the Bubble [eBook] - Free
How to move from growing to going.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (November 12, 2022) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

Earthquakes, epidemics, famines, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wars, wildfires—such occurrences can shake our faith. God can also use them to strengthen our faith.

The readings for this Saturday evening are Isaiah 8:16-9:7 Hope in the Messiah and Matthew 6: 19-34 Teaching about Money and Possessions.

The homily is titled “Don’t Let Your Hearts Be Troubled.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/11/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_11.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

How Does God See Us?

 

By Robin G. Jordan

What does God see when he looks at us? I believe that God sees what he originally created us to be and do, the creation that he pronounced good.

I believe that God sees what we have become--as the lyrics of “To Christ the Seed” put it, “from birth to growth, from growth to age….” God sees our whole life spread before him. He sees what has shaped us, what has made us what we are to date.

God see us as our best self, his restored image in us no longer marred by sin.

God sees what we should have been, what we are, and what by his grace we can be.

If we were to see ourselves in a mirror as God sees us, we would not see a monster, but a shifting panorama of images.

Although our relationship with God has become impaired by sin, by willfulness and rebellion, God loves us. Indeed, he dearly loves and treasures us. We may have no intrinsic value of our own, but God ascribes great value to us.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

                               Psalm 8, New Living Translation

If God thought that we are absolutely depraved and beyond all hope of redemption, he would not have troubled himself to become one of us in the person of Jesus and reconcile us to himself through suffering and dying for us on a cross.

When we believe in Jesus, our standing with God changes. God no longer sees our wayward selves but the obedient Jesus. Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to us.

But God does not stop there. God works invisibly in us, giving us the will and power to fulfill his purposes and enabling us to grow more and more like Jesus in our thoughts, desires, words, and actions, in our entire way of life.

Justification might be described as the door through which we step onto the path of sanctification and perfection.

God directs our feet to the door. God is the doorkeeper who opens the door for us. God may also give us a gentle shove so that, should we hesitate, we step through the door.

We should never underestimate God’s goodness toward us.

God sees the seed lying dormant in the earth. He see the sprouting seed pushing up its leaves to the surface of the earth. He sees the young plant growing in the sun and the rain. He sees the mature plant flowering and bearing fruit.

God, we forget, lives outside of time. He lives in eternity. He lives in our past, our present, and our future. They are all one to him.

Preaching to Unbelievers

By Mike Glenn

I’ve noticed a recurring topic in my conversations with other pastors. For some reason - and maybe it’s my gray hair or the fact that I’ve been serving at my current position for over thirty years - other pastors, especially younger pastors, want to know how things have changed since I began my ministry in the early eighties. Where do I begin? Obviously, there have been a few changes over the last forty-five years.

For one thing, there’s the whole internet thing. When I started, calendars were on paper and we stayed in touch with our church members by calling them on the phone...that was attached to the wall. Now, every book I used in seminary is an e-book that can be cross-referenced with just a few keystrokes. Sermons have gone from struggling to find the right word to finding the right video, slide, and music to enhance and strengthen the “sermon event.”

When preaching, I used to worry about the sermon holding the attention of the congregation. People’s thoughts would wander off and you would wonder if they were listening at all. Now, you know they aren’t listening. Everyone has their phone in their face. For someone to listen, the sermon has to be better than EVERYTHING on the internet or people will simply turn you off with a few swipes or clicks.

Yet, the most profoundly interesting, curious, and overwhelming reality is the number of unbelievers who will be in attendance on any given Sunday. A few years ago, you would hear pastors complaining about “preaching to the choir.” According to them, every person they saw on Sunday morning was already a believer. Pastors were always asking their members to bring their unsaved friends.

Not anymore. Most of the people in attendance in any church on any given Sunday morning are, in one way or another, an unbeliever. Let me explain. Read More

Do We Confuse New Believers With These ‘Churchy’ Phrases?

By Chuck Lawless

I recently shared my testimony of the 12-year-old classmate who led me to the Lord in seventh grade. What I thought about most, though (and I’m not even sure why I did), was just how little I knew about Christianity and church at the time. Everything was new to me.

It seems almost silly now, but here are some things/words/phrases I did not understand when I first heard the gospel and followed Jesus. These thoughts remind me that still today, we’re trying to reach people who might know even less than I did at the time. We need to keep that reality in mind as we evangelize and disciple. Read More

Anglicans and Episcopalians have a longer list of terms and phrases which cause confusion to visitors and newcomers to their churches. To make matters worse, Anglicans and Episcopalians often do not agree among themselves what these terms and phrases mean. 

Thursday's Catch: 'The Taxing Consequences of Constant Urgency for Pastors and Church Leaders' And More

The Taxing Consequences of Constant Urgency for Pastors and Church Leaders

The tyranny of the urgent has a real effect on church leadership because people lack self-awareness that their issue is less significant than someone else’s problem. Everyone wants attention now.

7 Examples of Lazy Leadership
In this article Ron Edmondson identifies 7 lazy leadership practices which can beset even hard-working leaders.

10 Things You Should Know about Limited Atonement
In this article Jonathan Gibson examines the doctrine of definite, or limited, atonement.

3 Secrets of Best Practices for Church Websites
Whether you’re building a church website for the first time or updating it for the 10th time, you might feel in over your head. There is a lot to keep in mind when it comes to building a truly great church website. But for now, focus on best practices for church websites big-picture guidelines, and you’ll be much closer to a church website that is welcoming to visitors, helpful for members, and true to your church.

9 Tools for Leading a Life Changing Bible Study
Having the right tools available can open a conversation around God’s Word that will eventually lead to discipleship. You don’t need seminary training to lead a great Bible study. All you need is some planning and a few tools.

People Are Increasingly Following Their Heart and Not the Bible - Poll
A new study reveals that less than one-third of Americans believe the Bible should serve as the foundation for determining right and wrong, even as most people express support for traditional moral values.