Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 30, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows. This Sunday, the third Sunday after Easter Sunday, or the Fourth Sunday of Eastertide, is called “Good Shepherd Sunday” because of the Scripture readings appointed for the day in the lectionary.

Readings: Acts 2:42–47, 1 Peter 2:19–25, and John 10:1-10

Message: The Voice of Jesus

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-30.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Are Worshipers Looking for More Authentic Worship....' And More

Are Worshipers Looking for More Authentic Worship...

Are people today looking for a more authentic, biblical worship experience, void of the trappings of a high-production environment with lights, fog, loud music, worship leader subcultures and more? What is happening at Asbury and other college campuses may be urging us back to a better way.

9 Reasons People Aren't Singing in Worship
Worship leaders around the world are sadly changing their church’s worship (often unintentionally) into a spectator event, and people aren’t singing anymore.

Worship Evaluation Checklist
When was the last time you did an honest evaluation of your worship service? I’m not talking about just sitting around on Monday morning asking, “How did it go Sunday?” While that kind of evaluative interchange can be helpful, doing a much more intensive evaluation will be better at helping us give our best to God in worship.

Preparing for Revival
Revival is breaking out in various places around the US, a movement that seemed to have been birthed at Asbury University this month and is spreading to many college campuses.

What Every Pastor & Worship Team Needs To Consider Every Week
Sunday is more than songs – it’s planning, administration, prayer, practice, and ministry.There’s so many details to consider every week. But there’s something else to consider. And it’s more important than all the others. We’ll get to that in just a bit.

Should Men Still Pray with Lifted Hands?
What’s the connection between lifted hands and holiness? And what about lifted hands and prayer? Is this practice culturally dated, or is it a relevant one we should adopt today in our corporate church gatherings?”

Posture of Prayer
Why don't we kneel in our church while we pray? Why do we pray sitting with eyes probably closed and head bent?

While Susan Krohner writes from a United Methodist perspective, she does offer a helpful explanation of a number of prayer postures.

How to Pray
Prayer is a conversation with God (silent or speaking out loud) about anything at anytime and anywhere. You don’t need to use big or fancy words; just be honest and sincere.

One of the reasons that Anglicans and Episcopalians struggle with prayer is the mistaken belief that their prayers must be couched in eloquent language like those in The Book of Common Prayer.

Friday's Catch: 'How Do Church Networks Cultivate Renewal? By Planting Churches' And More

How Do Church Networks Cultivate Renewal? By Planting Churches

It’s hard to read our Bible and miss God’s commitment and call to multiplication.

Becoming a Trauma-Informed Church
Learn how to become a church that recognizes and responds well to trauma.

6 Elements for Building Community
Pastors can implement the essentials of building community in the church in various ways, accounting for spiritual and cultural implications.

What Does 'Salvation" Mean?
The Bible reveals that God saves believers from their sin, the power of Satan, death, and the judgment to come. Taken together, these four aspects of the work of redemption help us understand the full-orbed biblical teaching about the salvation that God provides through the person and work of Christ.

The Door to the House: Proclamation and Response
This article is the fourth in a series called "A Good and Joyful Thing: A series on liturgical spirituality."

The United Methodist Book of Worship's basic pattern of worship is very similar to the ecumenical pattern of the Holy Eucharist found in more recent Anglican service books. The United Methodist Church, however, permits local congregations far greater flexibility in determining the order and content of their services of public worship than do most Anglican Churches.

Can We Pray to the Holy Spirit?
Greg Allison summarizes the arguments made on both sides of this issue and then explains his own view.

Implications of Online Education for the Future of the Church, Part 1
A growing number of seminaries are offering MDivs by distance learning.

The FAQs: Anglican Group Calls on Church of England’s Leader to Repent 

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) recently met in Kigali, Rwanda, for its fourth meeting. During the event, attendees crafted and released a statement called the “Kigali Commitment 2023.” The statement comments on eight separate topics, including the current crisis within the Anglican Communion, the failure of the current archbishop of Canterbury, and steps necessary for “resetting the Communion.”

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 27, 2023) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. We are not born into God’s family like we are born into our biological family. We are made God’s children by grace by faith in Jesus Christ. God’s family is a diverse group of people—men and women; young and old; poor and rich; white, brown, and black, speaking many different languages and living in many different parts of the world. All are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Reading: Ephesians 2: 11-22

Message: A Holy Temple for God

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_27.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: 'The Simplest Way to Impact Your Community Right Now' And More

The Simplest Way to Impact Your Community Right Now
We might get so fixated on “attempting something great” that we miss the opportunity right in front of us - an opportunity that is readily available and also very simple. The best opportunity you might have to impact your community right now is through hospitality. What’s more, that’s not a new phenomenon.

Autism In The Church – A Parent’s Perspective
Sophie Killingley offers her top three tips for those wanting to help autistic people and their families in church.

Does I Corinthians say women have to cover their heads?
This issue surfaces from time to time in social media conversations.

Scripture Engaged: Who Are American Bible Readers?
U.S. adults who are engaged with Scripture are becoming increasingly rare but are also uncommonly hopeful.

8 Keys to Personal Prayer
Every believer can have a dynamic personal prayer life. The Bible gives us the keys we need to develop a powerful prayer life.

Boys in Worship: 5 Reasons They Don’t Sing During Church
Do boys sing in your children’s ministry and church? Take a close look next weekend during worship time. You’ll probably find many guys just standing there while everyone else sings.

When I was a boy, I sang hymns in church. However, I also sang hymns at the schools that I attended--a Church of England day school and a village, and I had a grandfather who sang hymns at home as well as at church. Cathedral choirs consisted of both young boys and men. Congregational singing was an integral part of services in college and non-conformist chapels as well as Church of England cathedrals and parish churches. Hymns, psalms, canticles, and anthems sung by boys and men's choirs and by men's choirs were broadcast on the radio. This is not the kind of environment that boys are growing up in this day and time.

The Brain & the Small Group
What encourages continual transformation within the heart of a believer?

UMC top court rules disaffiliating clergy don’t automatically lose credentials
A Wisconsin bishop had required clergy whose churches were disaffiliating to give up their jobs or their credentials.

Wednesday's Catch: 'The Way Forward May Be Simpler Than You Think' And More

The Way Forward May Be Simpler Than You Think

The way forward can be found in ministry basics—telling people about Jesus, helping them feel at home in your church, and disciplining them in the faith.

Five Cultural Trends Killing the Church' Mission
Michael Frost identifies five cultural trends which he believes represent significant challenges to the mission of the local church in the twenty-first century.

The Top Three Ways Lead Pastors Can Serve the Second Chair
This post is about second chairs but directed to first chairs. How can lead pastors serve those whose main item on the job description is to serve them?

When to Speak Up – And When Not To
...you might be the right person and the right time, but if you get the solution wrong or carry it out in an insensitive way, it can be unproductive or even cause damage to a relationship.

Should We Use the Words "Old Testament"?
Occasionally a Bible reader will push back on the nomenclature, arguing that Christians should call those books the “Hebrew Bible” or the “Hebrew Scriptures” or the “Tanak” or the “First Testament” or the “Jewish Bible” instead of the “Old Testament.” The Old Testament is indeed written in Hebrew, and those thirty-nine books are indeed Holy Scripture. But should we really avoid the label “Old Testament”?

5 Things Every Kid Wants from Your Ministry
No matter what they are mentally or physically carrying as they walk into the doors of your church, there are 5 big things they want from your children's ministry. They may not be able to articulate these 5 things, but it is what they are longing for.

Find Your People . . . Offline
In relationships that help us grow, maybe proximity matters more than affinity.

10-Point Vision for Missionary Teams
Ed Smither examines the continued relevance of the Serampore Agreement penned by the father of modern missions, William Carey.

Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali?
"Strong words came out of the Gafcon conference of biblically orthodox Anglicans last week in Kigali, Rwanda." writes Julian Mann. "But will the actions of the orthodox Anglican Churches in the global majority be as strong as their words?"

Tuesday's Catch: "8 Dangers of ‘À la carte’ Christianity" And More

8 Dangers of ‘À la carte’ Christianity
Literally, “à la carte” means, “at or according to the menu”—and we’ve understood it to mean choosing what we want from a smorgasbord of options...Here are some dangers of that approach—dangers that might also signal if we’ve moved in this direction....

Creating a Positive Guest Experience ...the church’s message to the outside world should not conflict with the inside experience of a guest.

Leading From a Position of Peace
Jesus wants you to have peace, but He is the only one who can genuinely give it. As a pastor, how can you lead from a position of peace?

From Church Juice – Secrets of Great Church Websites
It’s now easier—and more cost effective—than ever to have a great looking church website. Despite that fact, the vast majority of church websites are in dire need of attention.

How a Healthy Small Group Prays: 5 Simple, Christ-Centered Practices
You can tell how Christ-centered a group is by how they pray.

5 Reasons Why Prayer Must Accompany Evangelism
Here’s why any outreach strategy must be grounded in prayer....

Don’t Overthink Cross-Cultural Evangelism
You must know your actual audience—not just who the books say is your audience—in order to engage with them.

55 Oklahoma Congregations Leave United Methodist Church
Fifty-five congregations in Oklahoma have disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church, joining a wave of churches departing the mainline Protestant denomination since last year. At a special called conference held on Saturday, delegates at the UMC Oklahoma Conference voted to recognize the disaffiliation votes of 55 congregations, representing over 10% of their 425 member churches.

To date the number of congregations that have disaffiliated from the UMC have not significantly reduced the number of congregations in the denomination. Whether it remains that way depends on the outcome of 2024 General Conference as UMC progressives push for a more liberal policy toward LGBTQ clergy and same sex marriage.

GAFCON IV: Lessons from a Communion in Birth Pains
Despite 25 years of persistent warnings by most Anglican primates, repeated departures from the authority of God’s word have torn the fabric of the Communion.

GAFCON has its own internal divisions as does the Anglican Church in North America. Having severed ties with Canterbury, we can expect these divisions to become more apparent and more pronounced.

Less than half of born-again Christians believe Jesus lived sinless life on Earth: study
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, fewer born-again Christians now say that Jesus lived a sinless life during his time on Earth, and church attendance has dropped by some 15 million people weekly, a new study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University shows.

This study and other research point to the deterioration of core Christian beliefs in the self-identified Christian population of the United States. Their findings suggest that what Chuck Lawless describes as 'a la carte' Christianity may be the dominant form of Christianity in the United States, a development which does not bode well for the future of Christianity in this country.

Monday's Catch: 'The Life Cycle of a Pastor (Updated)' And More

The Life Cycle of a Pastor (Updated)

For almost 30 years, we have tracked the tenure of pastors. Though some of the categories are the same, the time periods and the descriptions of the periods continue to evolve. We are now in a post-pandemic, post-Christian era. The changes are significant.

7 Signs of a Controlling Pastor
...many controlling pastors never really know they are one. They may actually even believe they are being good leaders—making sure things go well for the organization.

When a Pastor Falls, What Then?
Whether they are simply being made more public through social media or there is an actual increase in pastoral failings, it seems we are being inundated with stories of pastors having affairs, abusing children, misusing church funds, falling prey to pride or anger, abusing power and authority, and more.

Generosity is Not Driven by Income
Our recent study shows that the giving-to-income ratio remains consistent across income levels.

‘Suzume’ Opens a Door to the Spiritual Discipline of Delight
To journey out of nostalgia and amnesia, we need to pay attention to God’s presence in our present.

How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game<br/> As Witch Trials makes a compelling case that the internet has helped erode free exchange of ideas, it neglects to observe how Rowling herself often played into this dynamic.

Students seeking retribution for professors' speech is on the rise amid cancel culture: report
Attempts to get college professors fired for their views have increased dramatically in recent years with the ascent of “cancel culture,” according to a new report.

What Not to Do in Your Relationship with the Holy Spirit
...here are three things that we should avoid as we seek to enjoy communion with the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of the Pew: Sunday Morning for Normal Christians
If you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ, you have something to contribute to your local church every Sunday morning.

Why Rock Star Worship Leaders Are Getting Fired
Some megachurches have been hiring rock star worship leaders (RSWLs) and are finding out they’re not all they’re cracked up to be. A megachurch is a unique breeding ground for a RSWL—he probably couldn’t survive in a smaller ministry.

From Fear to Friendship: How Itroverts Can Find Community in Small Groups
Jeremy Sauve offers four ways to move introverts from fear to friendship.

12 Things Not To Say in a Small Group
Ben Reed identifies 12 statements which can wreck the community small group leaders are striving for in their small group.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 23, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

Life has been compared to a journey. The older we grow, the farther we are along in that journey. At times we journey with companions. At times we journey alone. If we are a disciple of Jesus, there is one companion that we can count on always being at our side. It is Jesus. He walks beside us wherever life takes us.

Reading: Luke 24:13–35

Message: We Meet Jesus in Many Guises

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-23.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Earth Day: How Creation Care Displays Christians’ Worldview and Character' And More

Earth Day: How Creation Care Displays Christians’ Worldview and Character
The greatest task of every Christian is to get the gospel to the ends of the earth. Yet as we fulfill that mission, we should be working to bring substantial healing to all areas of the world.

Nashville Shooting Intensifies Attention Around Christian School Safety
Administrators are seeking ways to “be alert and sober minded,” adding specialized training, personnel, and physical upgrades.

5 Things for Church Planters to Remember
Ron Edmondson offers a word of encouragement to church planters durig a difficult time for many church planters.

Once More, Church and Culture
The West will always carry within it its Christian past — whether as a living wellspring, a lingering shadow, a haunting ghost, or an exorcised demon — but it is indisputable that whatever the West has become, it is not what it once was. Christendom is no more.

The Main Ingredient in Effective Prayer
It’s tragic how easily we can miss the main ingredient in effective prayer.

How Skipping Church Affects Your Children
Could skipping church affect your children more than you realize? Should you let your kids skip? At what age is it appropriate to give them such choices?

The Great Commission Requires So Much More Than Simply Inviting A Friend To Church
Caring about the souls of others is about more than inviting others to church services, events, and conferences.

Most adults in US, 16 other nations say belief in God, morality not always linked
Pew Research Center released the findings — that also hold true among most of those affiliated with a religion — from its Global Attitudes Survey.

Friday's Catch: 'A Theology (Not Ideology) of Creation Care' And More

A Theology (Not Ideology) of Creation Care

In recognition of Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, the Church & Culture Team felt this blog, first published last year, was worth another read. Enjoy!

How Do You Help the Single Dads in Your Church?
When many people think “single parent” they automatically think of the single mom. While single moms do make up the majority of single parents, single dad households are on the rise.

Four Common (and Unhelpful) Responses to the Exclusivity of Christ The most offensive part of the gospel, and the most common objection to Christianity proper, is the idea that there is only one way to God: Jesus. It’s offensive because it seems arrogant, bigoted, and narrow-minded. The claim is often met with one of four common and unhelpful responses. They might sound legitimate, but they aren’t. Here’s why.

Is the Holy Spirit an “It”? 7 Proofs for the Spirit’s Personhood
Is it wrong to call the Holy Spirit an “it”? Contemporary English speakers use the words “it” and “he” in distinctly different ways. As a general rule, a person is a “who,” and a thing is an “it.”

Leading Your Church to Know God and Understand His Ways
As we live in the world, we are well-acquainted with the ways of the world. But how do we lead our churches to walk in God’s ways?

10 Ways NOT to Be an Effective Worship Leader
"If you’re wondering how to be an effective worship leader, I have a few thoughts on some things you could stop saying. So this is a post in which a crusty old curmudgeon rants a little about annoying song leader banter. Don’t take this too seriously, except maybe do."

Unpacking “You Do You”
This article is part of the Unpacking Culture series in which we examine a well-known axiom and weigh any true or positive aspects of it against any negative or misleading connotations of the phrase.

Is Gen Z More Likely to Attend Church Than Millennials? The Surprising Answer
Are the trends reversing? Could younger people return to church in greater numbers? Perhaps. It’s too early to tell, but one researcher gives a little hope.

GAFCON Rejects Archbishop Justin Welby’s Leadership
On April 21, primates representing a large majority of the Anglican Communion formally repudiated the historic leadership of the See of Canterbury.

How Long Will We Put Up with Mass Shootings?
On a single day this month, April 2023, there were seven mass shootings in the United States. So far this year, there have been more mass shootings than days. And if we keep going the way we’re going, nothing is going to change.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 20, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. Jesus whose victory over death Christians around the world celebrate this Eastertide and throughout the year, calls men and women, young and old, from all walks of life to come and follow him today as he called the first disciples during his earthly ministry. The first disciples heeded his call at a time when they did not fully understand who he was. Jesus may also call us when we do not fully understand who he is.

The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopal priest, writer, and co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, offered this advice to university students and others. Follow as much of Jesus as you understand while seeking to understanding him better and to follow him more. He recognized that our understanding of Jesus can grow over time and with the growth of our understanding, our surrender to Jesus' lordship over our lives can grow too. Our lives can become more oriented to Jesus and less to the world.

Reading: John 21: 1-14

Message: An Unexpected Breakfast on a Lakeshore

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_20.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: 'Church Evaluation: The Story We Tell Ourselves' And More

Church Evaluation: The Story We Tell Ourselves
Depending on our disposition, our church evaluation may be too optimistic or too skeptical. Either way, we rarely know why we see what we do.

Two Main Types of Churches
There are two main types of churches that say they very much want to reach the unchurched.

4 Insights about Leadership I Learned from a Bunch of Creatives
Charles Stone shares what he learned from book marketer, Chad Cannon and eight creatives at an intensive one-day book marketing session. He "came away not only with a head full of ideas on book marketing but a few insights on leadership as well."

The Great Ministry Myth: Why Fun and Games Won’t Lead to Lifelong Faith (and titles like these)
"I have come to the conclusion that the only goal we should have in any ministry, no matter what age it is aimed at, is to make disciples," writes Christina Embree. "Disciples that are on a journey of lifelong faith formation as followers of Jesus."

The “Read the Labels” Technique
The “Read the Labels” technique is an easy way to freshen up our Bible reading. While reading, identify and track the labels that an author uses for characters in the story.

Learning From Those Who Pray All Night
How can two cultures prioritize the means of spiritual growth so differently?

6 Ways Christian Students Can Prepare for College: #5 Doubting Your Faith Does Not Make You a Bad Christian
This series is based on a recent lecture Michael J. Kruger gave to the Regents School in Austin, Texas, where he laid out 6 principles designed to help rising college students think more clearly about what’s ahead. It’s also based on his book, Surviving Religion 101.

How Christians Should Respond in the Age of Skepticism
There’s no question, Americans are—and have been for quite some time—becoming less and less religious.

Exiting Florida churches’ lawsuit dismissed
A Florida judge has granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by churches seeking to leave The United Methodist Church without the costs associated with disaffiliation. The Florida Conference hailed the ruling, noting that it reaffirms the principle in the U.S. Constitution that civil courts do not have a role to play in church doctrine. While not ruling on the merits of the case, the judge appeared to welcome the prospect of an appeal.

Clergy and congregations disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church are not migrating en mass to the newly-formed Global Methodist Church. Some have migrated to existing Methodist entities such as the Free Methodist Church and Congregational Methodist Church. A number of them are forming their own church network; a number of them are becoming non-denominational.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Rejection: How if Affects Leaders' And More

Rejection: How if Affects Leaders
Disapproval and rejection can sting and wound. We’ve all felt it. What do we do when important people in our lives (or even those that we don’t deem important) reject us? How do we respond as did Jesus when he was rejected and scorned?

5 Reasons You Did Not and Cannot Reinvent Yourself
Human beings are social animals. A growing body of research—some parts surprising, some parts amusing—indicates the extent to which we are profoundly relational creatures and pushes against any notion that anyone is a self-made self.

3 Layers of Life-Changing Transformation
The power of the Gospel is transformative in nature. “Transformative: causing or able to cause an important and lasting change in someone or something.” With that being true, why is it so challenging to see the change we pray for and desire?

4 Important Questions That Can Lead to Strategic Change
This is a time for change, like none the church has seen for a few years. Could this Spring be an opportunity to realize ministry from now through the Summer in a more fruitful way? Could that lead to long term breakthroughs?

Voices: Does 1 Timothy 2:12-15 prohibit women from teaching or having authority over men?
Philip B. Payne explains why he no longer believes that 1 Timothy 2: 12-15 is a universal prohibition of women teaching or exercising authority over men.

Voices: Can women be pastors? What I discovered during 50 years of research.
This article is related to the preceding article and offers some insights into the meaning of several texts from the letters of the apostle Paul.

27 Questions Every Leader should Ask before Taking a New Job When a pastor (or any leader) considers a move to a new church setting or any leader considers a new job, he or she should do whatever is possible to define reality.

On the Porch: The Entrance
Wesley’s fantastic image of prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace as the porch, door, and room of a house serves well to illustrate the journey through the Word and Table liturgy. The first portion of the service, the Entrance, is the porch, and prevenient grace calls us there. What is it about a porch that might suggest what the Spirit may be up to as a congregation gathers?

How the teen mental health crisis is turning some youth pastors into first responders
Young people, youth pastors say, are pushing the church to be more willing to talk about mental health.

Benefits of Journaling: Teach This Spiritual Discipline to Children
The benefits of journaling — especially Bible journaling — are profound. Even children can benefit from this practice. Read on to discover how!

Small Group Evangelism & The Bridges of God
What are the bridges of God? How does the gospel spread from my small group to a lost and dying world?

Tuesday's Catch: '4 Signs Your Church Is Not Healthy' And More

4 Signs Your Church Is Not Healthy
When churches are unhealthy, far from being a transformative presence in their communities, they can wreak havoc in the lives of the people who interact with them or who languish in their midst. But what are the warning signs that a church is cultivating an environment that is unhealthy or even toxic? Here are four signs that your church is not healthy.

5 Marks of Relevant Churches
Central to the mission of the Church is offering a compelling witness to the life-saving and life-transforming power of the gospel message. In other words, we are called to show the world around us that the message of Jesus is relevant, both in this life and in the next. Nevertheless, being “relevant” doesn’t always entail what we think it does.

Carey Nieuwhof: 8 Reasons Churches Don’t Break the 200 Attendance Mark
Why is it that most churches never break the 200 attendance mark?

According to Thom Rainer at Church Answers the barrier to church growth is now lower than 200 attendance mark.

Next-Level Church Planting
Every generation shapes the church for the generation to come, but today we may be at a particularly malleable hinge point. If that’s true, our efforts over the next two decades may have a greater impact on the future than any other 20-year period in the history of the American church.

3 Steps to Help Revitalize a Church
"...the seeds planted decades ago can still germinate and come to life," writes Desmond Barrett.

Hebrews 11 and Cancel Culture
Cancel culture has also come to evangelical Christianity as both contemporary and historical figures are judged to be unworthy because they said or did something deemed to be oppressive or incorrect. Former allies are persona non grata. What once were close personal friendships have been severed.

8 Practices in Culture the Church Must Challenge
Studying the practices the Lord declared detestable in Ezekiel, we learn how God may view our culture today and how the church can respond.

6 Questions for Pastors to Ask a Grieving Person
No matter the reason for the grief, here are five (sic) simple questions to ask any grieving individual in order to understand how to best offer spiritual care.

There is actually six questions listed in the article.

Waiting Takes a Village Too
No Christian should walk through infertility or miscarriage alone.

The Family of God in a World Without Families
How does the decline of the family alter the way we understand the church? It’s not enough to ask how the church can address the breakdown of family relationships; we must also consider how these new challenges affect church relationships.

Engaging and Embracing People with Disability
How can we welcome people with disability—often forgotten or neglected—so that they feel like they really belong to the body of Christ?

A Small Group "Summer of Purpose"
Many groups tend to “take a break” for the summer, meeting for times of fellowship and fun. Why not encourage your small group members to make it a “Summer of Purpose?”

How To Go From Good to Great in Church
Some thoughtful suggestons on how local churches may remain in outward focused ministry despite the various distractions that may beset a particular congregation.

Parishes Go Multi-Site for Mission
When it launches Trinity North Campus next year, the Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Augustine, Florida, will become one of a number of Episcopal churches to adopt a multisite structure, a vehicle for church growth common among evangelical churches but less often adopted in the Episcopal Church.

In the 1980s the Episcopal church I attended as a youth and later an adult adopted an ambitious long-range plan. The plan included planting a new church, as well as constructing a church day school and retirement community/assisted living facility. It was envisioned that the chapel of the church day school would eventually become the meeting place of a second new church. While the church achieved its first three goals, it did not achieve the fourth goal.

A new church was launched in the part of the parish (county) in which the school was located but it did not enjoy the support of the rector of the church albeit it had the support of the bishop. After meeting in private homes and then in a hotel conference room, the church would wind up meeting in the sanctuary of a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod church. The new church would enjoy modest growth until the events of 2003, after which it became a shadow of its former self and eventually disbanded. The events of 2003 severely damaged the public image of the Episcopal Church in what is a conservative part of the state of Louisiana.

Since that time a number of Episcopal churches have flourished and grown while others and the denomination as a whole have declined. From what I have observed, contributing factors have been population growth, population diversity, an outwardly-focused church, and a favorable public image of the church in the community. A possible fifth factor is that their particular way of doing liturgical worship appeals to large enough segment of the population to be a viable church.

Monday's Catch: 'Seven Insights from Churches about the Recent Easter Weekend

Seven Insights from Churches about the Recent Easter Weekend

Here are seven key takeaways Church Answers gleaned from church leaders about the recent Easter weekend.

Strategies to Launch A Healthy Church
...this conversation (along with a few more) focuses on how strategy plays a crucial role in each phase of the Church Life Cycle.

3 Relationships That Keep First Time Guests Attending Your Church
Timothy Parson explains why he believes that the three categories he identifies in the article contain the key to retaining first time guests who are searching for a church home.

Immigration is Complicated; Advocating for Dreamers is Not
By offering long-term, legislative solutions especially for Dreamers, the U.S. can make strides in moving the country forward on immigration reforms.

Beware of the Birds: How Satan Sabotages Sermons
Every Sunday morning, they perch among us. Listen closely and you can hear their wings flapping overhead. Singing voices have quieted, the preacher mounts his summit, the book is laid open. As the people fidget in the pew, readying to hear God speak through a man, the crows and ravens stir in anticipation. Caws and muffled croaks murmur in the rafters. Some sound eerily like a chuckle.

3 Principles for Enlisting Group Leaders
Enlisting group leaders is an important part of every church leader’s role. That may be especially true in a post-COVID era of ministry.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 16, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows. This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Easter, according to the liturgical calendar of the Western Church. Called “Low Sunday,” it concludes the Octave of Easter, an eight-day period that marks the beginning of Eastertide, the Fifty Great Days of Easter. The origin of the name “Low Sunday” is not certain. Traditionally John 20: 19-31 is read on this Sunday.

Reading: John 20: 19-31

Message: The Blessing of Believing

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-16.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: '4 Affirming Truths for Pastors — Especially on a Monday' And More

4 Affirming Truths for Pastors — Especially on a Monday
“Don’t quit on a Monday.” This is a common axiom among pastors, and with good reason. Monday is often the hardest day of the week for those who lead a church or ministry.

Navigating the Unholy Trinity of Burnout: Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Vicarious Trauma
In this podcast episode, Jamie Aten dives into the unholy trinity of burnout: burnout itself, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. This trio is familiar to many people in helping professions, ministry positions, or volunteer roles. Understanding their definitions and root causes is essential for preventing—and overcoming—each of them.

Grounded in Grace: A Christian Technique for Relieving Stress and Strengthening Faith
In this episode, Jamie Ate introduces a Christian grounding technique he and Kent Annan developed for the Spiritual First Aid certificate course, called Grounded in Grace: The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique. The technique is designed to help manage stress and anxiety by directing our attention to the present moment through our five senses. Because it incorporates prayer and visualization, this practice can also strengthen our faith and deepen our connection to God.

Please Bear with Me
Being a member of a local church is an intimate thing. In order to obey the “one-anothers” of Scripture, there is a closeness that is assumed among the people of God... This closeness is a benefit for the people of God in every way, yet anyone who has lived in close community with another person knows that things can get messy. Offenses are bound to come... The more two sinners interact, the more chances there are for misunderstandings, annoyances, and offenses. And when the church is most healthy, this will be even more the case.

10 Tips for Writing Worship Songs
The most important thing in a discussion about writing worship songs is to agree on the fundamentals of worship leading. Why? Because songs are the tip of the worship spear. I suggest that the fundamentals of worship leading can be summed up with the “three Cs”: Christ centered, congregationally accessible and consistent.

What Every Songwriter Needs to Know About … Verbs!
Here’s what every songwriter needs to know about verbs. (Yes, verbs!)

Copy Right or Copy Wrong?
Useful information for anyone that is creating your church’s social media, newsletters, or website content whatever your denomination.

Fear and the Great Commission
We feel a burden for the lost, but what should it be founded upon? How do we get started on the right track? 1 John 4:18–19 tells us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” If John is trying to motivate Christians to love, then he is not doing it with fear. In fact, he excludes its place altogether. This should inform our view of God’s mission.

Looking for Partners Helps Illinois Parish Grow
St. Luke’s story of renewal offers a hopeful vision of what remains possible for congregations struggling with declining numbers.

“Being honest about the demographics in your area and what growth is possible within your context is important. I also think playing to the strengths of your already existing congregation is essential. For us, partnering with other churches has really been life-giving and energizing in a way that we never could have done alone.” - Rev. Kat Banatas

Cathedral Visitor Numbers Rebound after Pandemic
Visitor numbers are returning to pre-pandemic levels across English cathedrals, according to latest figures. The Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) said that many recorded a more than 100 per cent increase on 2021 figures, when the pandemic was still causing disruption.

Friday's Catch: 'Patience in Slowness: Encouragement for Those Pastoring Small Towns' And More

Patience in Slowness: Encouragement for Those Pastoring Small Towns

How does the fruit of patience help us cultivate a sanctifying slowness? How can those pastoring small towns use slowness to their advantage?

The Great Evangelical Disaster
In a recently released Pew Research Center report, almost one third of all Americans expressed an unfavorable view of evangelicals – specifically Pentecostals and Southern Baptists – far exceeding negative views toward mainline Protestants or Catholics.

What Disappearing Churches Do Wrong
Every business on the planet suffers from attrition and must strive constantly to find new customers to replace those relocating, dying or disgruntled. The business which is not attracting new customers will soon be history.

6 Reasons People Leave Your Church
Whether you like it or not, if you’re a church leader, people will eventually leave your church. It’s one of the frustrating realities of church leadership...If you understand why people leave your church, it’ll help you to have better retention. So, what are some reasons that people leave your church?

How to Remove a Ministry Volunteer: Tips for a Tough Topic
Doug Fields offers four guidelines for removing a ministry volunteer.

5 Practices that Build Leadership Character to Last for a Lifetime
Good character takes a lifetime to build and a moment to destroy. The temptations we face, plus the pressures we experience, can lure us to deep regret without the discipline of strong character and trusting God to help us do what we cannot do on our own. God helps us, but He expects us to do our part too.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 13, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. For 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday (or Whitsunday), Christians in the Western Church celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and his victory over death. The Fifty Great Days of Easter, also known as Eastertide, is celebrated as a single joyful feast, which the Patristic writer, Athanasius, called the "great Lord's Day." This Thursday evening falls within the Octave of Easter, an eight-day period that begins on Easter Sunday and concludes on the following Sunday, Low Sunday. In churches that celebrate this octave, it marks the beginning of Eastertide.

Reading: Luke 24:35-48

Message: Who Is Jesus to You? What Place Does He Have in Your Life?

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_13.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: 'New Report: Hybrid Church Is Here to Stay' And More

New Report: Hybrid Church Is Here to Stay
Pushpay, a payments and engagement solutions provider for faith-based and nonprofit sectors, has released its 2023 State of Church Technology report, an annual study that surfaces digital trends in the church. Insights reveal priorities, concerns and expectations of church leaders.

Following Up With Church Guests
Your follow-up process helps guests move from simply being connected to your church to being committed to your church.

'How do we follow-up with online guests?' is a question which needs addressing.

5 Ways Your Life As a Disciple Shapes Your Effectiveness As A Leader
Your spiritual leadership cannot consistently out-perform your life with God.

Remember — Jesus Is Alive!
We just celebrated the most crucial, world-changing, heart-rendering, paradigm-shifting, life-reorienting truth in the universe: Jesus is alive....

Preaching Sermons That Engage Your People and Make an Impact
In this article, Ed Stetzer shares some practical tips for improving sermons and communicating God’s message effectively—from the preacher to the people, bridging the gap Between Two Worlds, as John Stott wrote, from the time of the Bible to our time today.

Serve Your Team: Have the Music Ready
Few things frustrate volunteer musicians more than arriving to rehearsal on time – only to spend an hour or more waiting for the worship leader to find, copy, and organize music.

4 Creative Ways to Pray with Your Small Group
Prayer is a vital part of every small group gathering. It is also a part that can sometimes become routine, especially if your group prays the same way every time. But there are creative ways to pray with your small group.

3 Communication Stats You Absolutely Need to Know
While we all agree that communication stats are helpful, they can also support almost any argument depending on the numbers you use. This article aims not to convince you that one medium for communication is better than another. The goal of this article is to give you a cheat sheet that will answer the question running around in your head: “What is the best way to communicate this?” Consider these three communication stats for better results.

We Know Americans Have Become Less Religious. Surprising New Data Shows Us Where
North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan saw drops in total religious adherents of at least 10%.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Five Solutions for the Weary Pastor: A Personal Note to Church Members

Five Solutions for the Weary Pastor: A Personal Note to Church Members

Pastors are tired. Many pastors are tired because of all the work they did leading to Easter Sunday. Pastors are tired. But it’s really bigger than that.

4 Essential Components of an Effective Church Internship
An effective church internship program can be invaluable in developing young leaders and energizing the congregation.

Holy Saturday: What Happened on Saturday To Jesus?
Holy Saturday, an Orthodox perspective.

Dialogical Preaching: Discovering the Lost Art of Sermonic Conversation
Should preachers spend less time writing sermons?

There’s a Reason Every Hit Worship Song Sounds the Same
A new study found that the most popular worship songs come from a handful of megachurches with a knack for writing pop songs about what God will do for you.

Sharing Your Faith in a Marketing-Weary World
How do we as Christians genuinely invite people to receive the gospel message without simply repurposing worldly marketing mechanisms to do so?

Building Bridges to Our Muslim Neighbors
America’s cities, towns and neighborhoods are increasingly religiously diverse. People of other faiths or no faith at all are moving in next door. This has provided a wonderful opportunity for outreach: So many of our new neighbors are eager to become friends with Christians. Why not take them up on it?

Tuesday's Catch: 'The Monday after Easter' And More

The Monday after Easter

James Emory White offers words of encouragement to church leaders disapponted by their Easter Sunday turnout.

After Easter: 5 Tips for Church Communication
After the work leading up to Easter weekend, it’s time to take a break and recharge as well as look ahead to the rest of the ministry year.

A Witness for the Creator (Part Two): Ideas and Resources to Help You Care for Creation
Stewardship of the Earth can be a winsome witness to both unbelievers and the next generation of Christians. Here are ways to take action.

Millennials Are the Least Mobile Generation (Your Church Can Reach and Keep Them)
Millennials are the least mobile of the last four generations. They don’t move nearly as much as their parents and grandparents. You might find this stat surprising. What’s going on?

6 Steps for Biblical Word Studies
Conducting a word study is many people’s first foray into deeper Bible study. You might do a word study when teaching the Bible, preparing for a small group, or reading for personal edification. Word studies can easily go awry, so here are six steps to help you conduct a word study with greater confidence.

6 Ways Biblical Word Studies Go Wrong
Recognizing the ways we can go astray can help us avoid interpretative disaster. Here’s how not to do a word study.

Anatomy of an Online Storm

Unfortunately, for organizations and people with influence who do the increasingly dangerous work of thinking out loud and in public, everyone is vulnerable to criticism that cascades into canceling. Within hours or days, scattered showers can become a hurricane. Here’s how it happens.

The Good of Good Works
Jesus’ goal is to create a people ‘…who are zealous for good works.’

What if Every Christian Shared the Gospel?
Everyone who is Jesus’ disciple is his witness (Acts 1:8) and is sent somewhere, whether locally or further afield. The New Testament shows us fishermen, tax collectors, former prostitutes, women who’d had 5 husbands, zealots, ex-Pharisees, old, young, rich, poor, educated and uneducated, sent out on mission to draw people to Jesus. So there’s no excuse for watching someone else do it instead of us.

United Methodist conference sues Pennsylvania church for trying to leave denomination
A regional body of The United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States, is suing a Pennsylvania congregation on the grounds that church leaders violated UMC bylaws by not properly disaffiliating from the denomination. The UMC Susquehanna Conference filed a lawsuit against people tied to Cortez Community Church of Jefferson Township, formerly known as Cortez United Methodist Church.

Monday's Catch: 'Predicting Your Worship Attendance for the Next Year' And More

Predicting Your Worship Attendance for the Next Year
Can you really predict your church’s worship attendance for the next year? Our answer is “maybe.”

Being the Church: Church Attendance Isn’t the Goal
Regular church attendance must always be the beginning of Christian responsibility but never the end of it.

A Witness for the Creator (Part One): Creation Care as Stewardship
Taking care of our planet can be a winsome witness to unbelievers and the next generation of Christians. Here are simple ways to get started.

Were Later Versions of Christianity Radically Different than Earlier Ones? Reflecting on Recent Scholarly Claims
"I think it’s fair to say that the last decade has witnessed a bit of a resurgence of academic interest in early Christianity," writes Michael J. Kruger.

3 Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection
It’s not just Christians who believe in improbabilities. We all live inside a glorious absurdity called existence.

5 Reasons to Go to Prayer Meeting
None of us needs another excuse to skip our church’s prayer meeting. What we need instead are a few reasons for going.

Does your church even have a weekly prayer meeting? My church has an intercessory prayer group and an intercessory prayer network, but it does not hold regular prayer meetings to which the whole congregation is invited. The intercessory prayer group's meetings are open to its members only. Intercessory prayer does not feature prominently in its Sunday services. How about your church?

The religiously unaffiliated celebrate Easter more widely than you'd think
... recent research finds that when it comes to Easter practices, some "nones" are perhaps not as irreligious as they are commonly depicted, especially if their social circles are likely to be celebrating the holiday.

Religious 'nones' reach record high in Spain after pandemic
The number of people in Spain with no religion has reached an all time high, according to a new report. The report, published last month by the Ferrer i Guardia Foundation, found that religious "nones" reached 39.3% of the population in 2022, a dramatic leap from 27.5% in 2019, prior to the start of the pandemic.Commenting on the findings, the foundation said that the pandemic had "accelerated the process of secularisation" in Spain.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 9, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows. This Sunday is a very special Sunday for Christians around the world. Different Christian traditions have different names for this Sunday—Easter Sunday, Pascha, Resurrection Sunday, and some Christian traditions observe this Sunday on a different Sunday from this particular Sunday in April, But they all do one thing in common on this Sunday: They celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, his victory over death.

Readings: Acts 10:34-43; John 20: 1-18

Message: What Difference Does Jesus’ Resurrection Make?

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-9.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-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.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.