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Friday, March 03, 2023

Friday's Catch: 'Avoid These 5 Big Mistakes Pastors Make on Easter Planning' And More


Avoid These 5 Big Mistakes Pastors Make on Easter Planning
Easter is a busy time for churches. It is easy to make mistakes when you feel overwhelmed with all the extra work and preparation. To help make this Easter the best yet, here are five of the common mistakes pastors make on Easter planning that I have noticed–and you can avoid!

Why Every Pastor Should Invest in Friendships Outside of the Church
Cultivating friendships with those outside of the faith requires vulnerability, authenticity, and patience but can be rewarding in our lives.

A Damning Theology and Practice of Prayer
It matters to God how we pray.

Why Studyin Scripture in a Group is Vital for All Believers
There’s something special about sitting together with others and learning from God’s Word in community. It’s an important rhythm to incorporate in the life of every believer, but sadly it’s one that we don’t always prioritize in our busy lives. Why is it important to study Scripture with others in community?
While studying Scripture in a group has a number of benefits, we also need to be cognizant of the danger of what the late J. I. Packer called "hot tub religion." This is his description of the proclivity to immerse ourselves in the study of Scripture but to rarely apply what is learned if we applt it at all. Our study of the Scriptures does not result in life transformation. It becomes an end in itself. We read the Word. We study the Word. But we do not do the Word.
Bishop: Time to move from rancor to revival
Amid vitriolic rhetoric about disaffiliations and decline, Council of Bishops President Thomas Bickerton called people who are staying United Methodist to change the conversation. He also urged the denomination to reclaim its evangelistic mission to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” He pointed to examples of where that is already occurring, especially in Texas.

Church court addresses disaffiliation questions
The United Methodist Church’s top court released nine rulings March 1 related to a church law that governs how congregations can leave the denomination with property.The eight decisions and memorandum from the United Methodist Judicial Council all stem from questions raised about the Book of Discipline’s new Paragraph 2553 — approved by the 2019 Special General Conference in St. Louis.

Report Sheds Light on Disaffiliating Churches
The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has done a report that compares characteristics of disaffiliating churches with those remaining in The United Methodist Church.The large majority of exiting churches are in the South and Southwest. Disaffiliating churches are more likely than remaining churches to have a male pastor and to have a majority white membership. United Methodist Council of Bishops President Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton said the report has information that can help guide the denomination as it seeks to renew itself, including in areas where many churches have disaffiliated.

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