Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Wednesday's Catch: 'Churches viewed favorably nationally, Barna Cities research shows' And More


Churches viewed favorably nationally, Barna Cities research shows
More than 75 percent of adults have a positive view of the church in Nashville, in the center of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. A prevailing positive perception of the church is common in research the Barna Group has unveiled.
It would be interesting to see how widespread this positive view of churches is, in what age groups, in what parts of the country, and what are major contributing factors.
4 Factors That Predict Church Growth
Pastors and leaders can evaluate their congregations by asking four questions associated with predicting church growth.

How to Create an Awesome Internship Program
Internships are great ways to find and develop your future church staff. When done right, you can have a lasting impact on the kingdom by the way you develop and mentor the up-and-coming church leaders of tomorrow. Let’s learn some best practices and how your church can train up the next generation of leaders.

Why Work from Home Won’t Work for the Church
...having a couple of office days is important. Why? Five reasons stand out.

Let’s Say NO to Winging It
 
When it comes to leading worship, say no to winging it! The goal is not to be scripted, flawless, flashy, or impressive. The goal is to be ready.

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

How to Nurture a Disciple of Jesus
This is a follow-up to the last post on what a Disciple of Jesus looks like. It came out of a discussion in a clergy study group....
While the means of grace are important in the spiritual growth of a disciple of Jesus, spiritual formation is key. This includes teaching new Christians and longtime Christians on how to employ the means of grace to their best advantage. Spiritual formation needs to become a far more deliberate process in local churches than it has been.
Fewer Churches Face Limited Cash Reserves
Compared to 2016, churches are more likely to have more than seven weeks of cash reserves. Additionally, few have had someone embezzle funds from the congregation.

38 churches suing Maryland-based UMC Conference over disaffiliation process
 
A group of 38 congregations that have decided to leave The United Methodist Church over theological issues have sued the denomination over objections to the process of disaffiliation. Filed last week in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County, the lawsuit accuses the UMC Baltimore-Washington Conference of “holding their church buildings and property hostage.”

Judge rejects lawsuit against United Methodist Church over disaffiliation process
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by over 30 congregations that sued a regional body of The United Methodist Church and its bishop, accusing the denomination of an unfair disaffiliation process. Last November, a group of 38 congregations filed a lawsuit against the UMC Western North Carolina Conference, its board of trustees and its bishop, Kenneth H. Carter, arguing that the regional body had an unfair disaffiliation process. North Carolina Superior Court Judge Richard L. Doughton issued an oral ruling on Monday, in which he granted the Conference’s motions to dismiss the departing churches’ lawsuit.

Judge dismisses lawsuit by 36 United Methodist churches
The North Carolina churches sued in state courts to leave a denomination they view as having strayed from its theological moorings on LGBTQ issues.

Court rules on General Conference questions
The United Methodist Church’s top court has ruled on questions from the Council of Bishops about the coming General Conference, now scheduled for 2024. The bishops had asked about filling delegate vacancies and whether another General Conference needs to be scheduled after the postponed 2020 General Conference takes place in 2024. The Judicial Council also has released two other rulings, including a memorandum about complaints in the Congo Central Conference
.

No comments: