Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, August 31, 2023) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

This Thursday evening, we continue the message series about Jesus’ teaching. As we learned in last Thursday’s message what Jesus taught can be gleaned from conversations he had as well as instructions he gave, stories he told, and remarks he made. Disciples of Jesus show their love for the One whom they call Lord by following his teaching and example. They do not pass judgment on what he said and did but rather are guided by his words and actions.

Reading: Matthew 8: 14-22

Message: What Did Jesus Teach about Following Him?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_30.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: 'Have We Lost the Thread of God’s Grace?' And More

Have We Lost the Thread of God’s Grace?
Religious traditions aren’t all bad. It’s important, even necessary, to respect our past. But religious traditions can go wrong. The biggest danger is this: Our traditions are always at risk of having lost the thread of the grace of God.

VOICES: Is Christianity really a white man's religion?
This question is imperative in a time like this. Christianity is seriously under attack from enemies within and without.

As pastors age, majority struggle to find mature young Christian successors: study
As American pastors continue to skew older, with an average age of 52, a majority now say it is becoming increasingly difficult to find mature young Christians willing to do their jobs as they prepare to retire, data from a new Barna study shows.

5 Physical Ways Pastors Prepare for Sunday
Pay attention to the physical side of preaching. If you are a church member, consider passing this along to your minister and incorporating this into your life as a worshiper. What can be said of preachers can also often be said of worshipers. If you are tired or in poor health during worship, it will impact you more than you think.

10 Tips for Preaching Students
As a new semester begins at Bible colleges and seminaries, many students look forward to taking their first preaching course. Some have no preaching experience and hold the syllabus tightly with nervous fingers. Some have experience teaching in various capacities and received glowing reviews from well-meaning church members, so they assume there is little to learn. Both should enter the upcoming semester with humility, patience, and at least eight other perspectives.

AI-Powered Preaching: How Much Should Silicon Valley Impact Sermon Prep?
With the expansion of AI, the over-reliance on technology can impact every way we communicate, including the Sunday morning sermon.

From the Archives: Worship in an Era of Permanent Change
It has been quite accurately observed that we live in a world of permanent change. Change is, in fact, the only constant factor in the history of our planet. The pre-Socratic philosophers recognized this. The little old lady who complains, “Things just aren’t the same as when I was young,” has recognized it. And it is true.

A Helpful Tool for Anglican Chant
The St. John’s Cathedral Psalter was created by Timothy Tuller, canon for music at St. John’s Cathedral, Jacksonville, Florida, and Dr. Carole Clifford. In an attractively bound spiral book, all 150 Psalms are presented and pointed for ease of use in a traditional Anglican Chant format.

Anglican chant requires strong musical leadership and the right acoustics and is best left to cathedral and large church choirs. Small churches which form the larger proportion of Anglican and Episcopal churches need a collection of metrical and responsorial settings of the psalms and canticles, which they can pull off under less than ideal conditions.

African Festival Promotes Traditional Hymns
An international festival, now in its 10th year, aims to preserve traditional Anglican hymn-singing in Central and East African nations. As with many churches throughout the world, hymns often must compete with folk and pop settings, or different worship music entirely.

Three Bad Ways We Read the Bible and Three Tips to Improve
As part of its annual State of the Bible report in 2022, the American Bible Society found that about 26 million people mostly or completely stopped reading the Bible in the last year. As Christianity Today noted in its article about the report, that's the steepest, sharpest decline on record.

5 Reasons Why Children Like Going to Church
Is your church a place where children like to be? One of our goals should be to create a place where kids love to come. We want to see kids dragging their parents to church rather than parents having to drag their kids to church.

I went to church as a child because going to church is what my family did on Sundays. It was a part of our way of life and it continues to be a part of my way of life to this day.

How to Encourage Prayer in Small Groups
What if there was a way to encourage prayer for yourself and those you lead to pray daily and encourage the ones they are praying for at the same time?

Wednesday's Catch: 'American Democracy Is in Danger, and So Is the Gospel' And More

American Democracy Is in Danger, and So Is the Gospel
In this article Bill Leonard, founding dean and the James and Marilyn Dunn professor of Baptist studies and church history emeritus at Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, N.C., adds his voice to a growing number of voices drawing attention to what is happening in evangelical churches across the United States.

How to Lead Your People to Deeper Church Commitment
One way to build momentum is by aligning people to the vision. Churches that succeed in aligning people to vision teach and empower people to commit to Christ, the Word of God, a prayer life and deeper church commitment.

Feeding the Community Together
Micro-pantries are a useful adjunct to community food banks and church food pantries for times when these resources are closed and a family or individual needs emergency food assistance. However, they are not a replacement for SNAP, WIC, and other government food assistance programs or community food banks and church food pantries. Food insecuity is too greater problem in the United States.

Making the Decision to Go to Seminary: Six Considerations Before Going
Some denominations and jurisdictions require anyone who feels a call to ministry to obtain a degree from a seminary, receive training at the judicatorial level, or complete a course of independent study as a requirement for ordination.

Pastors’ Average Age Stable Over Past Decade
The average age of Protestant pastors in the U.S. has remained stable over the past 10 years, according to analysis of Lifeway Research data.

7 Principles for Preaching to the People in Your Pews
These seven preaching principles can guide us in our quest to speak to the sheep we’ve been called to shepherd.

5 Bad Ideas That Will Make Your Service Fake
We have all been there. Everything may sound fantastic, look attractive and was planned with purposeful intent. But, something just doesn’t seem right. You feel fake vibes when hoping for authentic ones. Regardless, 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.

3 Simple Ways to Reach College Students
Satan knows the college campus is strategic. Will more churches wake up to this reality?

6 Ways to Protect Your Congregation from Scammers
What is your church doing to protect your church members’ personal data and the potential trauma of getting scammed?

5 Ways to Guard Against Sexual Sin
Implement these simple, yet powerful habits to stand strong against lust.

Maryland church that left UMC must raise $4 million to keep property
A Maryland congregation that voted to leave the United Methodist Church has only a few weeks remaining to raise enough money to pay $4 million to keep their property or they will lose their church building.

Oklahoma Supreme Court blocks congregation's vote to leave UMC
An Oklahoma congregation seeking to leave the United Methodist Church through a disaffiliation process is temporarily disallowed from holding another vote on the matter after earlier votes failed, the state's highest court has ruled.

Short docket brings more church-exit questions
The United Methodist Church’s top court has set its shortest fall docket in years. But the Judicial Council continues to face questions related to church exits. Also before the church court are two questions about the COVID-delayed General Conference.

1 in 6 churchgoers have had, paid for or encouraged an abortion, survey finds
One out of every six regular churchgoers in the United States has had, paid for or encouraged an abortion, while one-fifth doesn't believe the Bible identifies when life begins, a new study suggests.

Tuesday's Catch: '5 Cultural Trends Driving the Growth of Microchurches' And More

5 Cultural Trends Driving the Growth of Microchurches

Microchurches are the primary form of church in the New Testament and in most movements around the world. However, they have often struggled to be recognized as such in the Western world... Given what we see in the early church, it’s clear that “microchurch” is simply a new name for an old idea. It is a form that has existed throughout time in different movements, such as the Moravian Revival and other non-Western church-planting movements that have brought the gospel into new places.

The clericism and sacerdotalism that have become institutionalized in the Anglican and Episcopal Churches will be a significant obstacle to the development of microchurche in these church traditions.

Is your town a good place to grow old?
It's true that generally people are living longer and in better health than in generations before, but there are increasing challenges for older men and women in our communities.

Going to Church Leads to Increased Theological Understanding
The State of Theology offers a compelling case for the value of church attendance in helping people grow in their knowledge of God.

This observation is partly valid. Its validity depends upon whether sound Biblical theology is preached from the pulpit and taught in the Sunday school classroom. Regular attendees of a church may acqire more knowledge of God but will this knowldge lead to the transformation of their lives? While regular church attedance increases the likelihood that church attendees may experience life transformation, it does not guarantee it. Other factors must be considered.

10 Things that Surprise Rookie Pastors
Pastors, what most surprised you in your early years of ministry?

Serve in Children’s Ministry. It’s Bigger Than You Think.
Children’s ministry is, at its core, a ministry of hospitality.

20 Great Digital Pastoral Tools
In a world full of smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, we have the opportunity to utilize many pastoral tools for the glory of God. In fact, there are so many great pastoral tools that it may seem a little overwhelming....

6 Ways to Improve Communication via Digital Signage
Clear messages are more important than ever. Digital signage can greatly improve your communication and help your congregation to navigate in your church. You can communicate safety expectations, guidelines, information on where things are, what’s new, what has changed.

6 Elements of a Good Icebreaker Question
If you use an icebreaker question that does these six things, your question will pave the way for a good discussion around God’s Word.

Jesus, Jason Aldean and small-town Christianity
In this article Shannon Makujina, an 18-year-old blogger in upstate South Carolina, draws our attention to what is a disturbing trend in a number of churches: politics has replaced Jesus, his message, and his teaching in the hearts of members and attendees of these churches.

White Christians think too many people see racism when it’s not there, new survey finds
A new survey from Pew Research revealed once again how deeply divided religious Americans are when it comes to matters of race.

I have lived in the South for more than six decades of my life. While racial attitudes have changed during that time, the racism that once characterized many parts of the South has not disappeared entirely. It is more pronounced in some population segments than others. I cannot speak about other regions of the United States.

Over Half of Protestants Say They Have Interacted With Dead Relatives: Report 

A new study published by Pew Research has found that moderately religious Americans, including Christians, are among the likeliest to attempt to communicate with dead relatives.

Americans have long had a fascination with mediums, seances, and spiritualism. The Bible, however, clearly prohibits communication with the dead, a practice of various ancient peoples who sought advice and guidance from the dead. King Saul defied this prohibition and sought to consult with the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel with the help of the witch of Endor who practiced necromancy. In doing so, he only added to the sins that cost him the throne of Israel.  

Monday's Catch: '10 Traits Of Post-Pandemic Churches With Growing In-Person Attendance' And More

10 Traits Of Post-Pandemic Churches With Growing In-Person Attendance

Brian Dodd's findings are based upon his conversations with a number of church leaders. They are promising observations but hard data is needed to support them.

How a Small Church Can Be a Sending Church
Small churches can care deeply about the Great Commission and be fruitful in obeying Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations. We just need to be intentional and thoughtful in our approach. Here are four ways small churches can do their part in global missions.

The Great Leadership Shortage in Churches: Five Ways to Address It
One of the most common challenges we hear from church leaders, particularly pastors, is the need for more leaders in the church. The vacuum seems the greatest among elders, deacons, and teachers.

5 Truths to Remember About New Leaders in Your Church
As new leaders step into their ministry calling, we must prioritize discipleship and enabling them to find success in their new role.

How to Fix a Mediocre Worship Music Mix
Does your mix suffer from these four common mix maladies? If it does, that’s OK because there is a remedy for each one. The next worship service could be your best worship music mix.

Why Volunteer Burnout Is Not Their Fault
If you want to see your volunteers go the distance with you, then don't place them where you need them, place them where they need to be.

6 Traits of the Best Small Group Hosts
Who really makes the best small group hosts?

Three Questions to Ask Yourself in Seasons of Spiritual Dryness
If you are trudging through a season of spiritual dryness, you are not alone. How can we overcome the spiritual doldrums?

4 Reasons to Show Mercy to Others
God wants you to be an agent of mercy in the world. Everyone needs mercy because everyone has messed up. We’ve all hurt other people and made mistakes. We’ve all sinned and we all have hurts, habits, and hang-ups as a result of the mistakes we’ve made. Mercy changes the lives of people who have made mistakes, and we who have received mercy freely can change the world around us by showing mercy to others.

C. S. Lewis Shows Us How to Care for Doubters
There are moments of enchantment even the most ardent naturalists struggle to dismiss, times when the sacred leaves us longing for more.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, August 27, 2023) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

Every believer is called to a ministry of some kind regardless of their circumstances. A homebound believer may minister to other believers and those who do not yet know Jesus by praying for them. They may call others in similar circumstances to theirs to check on how they are doing.

All believers are called to be witnesses to Jesus in both word and deed. This may prove more difficult for some than others due to their particular circumstances, but God has a way of ministering to others through us despite our limitations. God also provides us with an abundant supply of his grace to help us.

Reading: Romans 12:1–8

Message: Gifts of Grace

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-august-27.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: 'Why is Church Planting so Important?' And More

Why is Church Planting so Important?

"We face an interesting time in our history: Both the supply of churches and the demand for them seems to be decreasing. Never has there been a greater need for more churches than right now," writes Chris Dowd. "Considering this context, let me share with you five reasons why church planting is crucial today."

What One of the World’s Smartest Leaders Taught Me
Charles Stone shares what he learned from leadership expert Malcolm Webber.

The Preacher’s Guide to Preparing Sermons With a Team
Lane Sebring explain why he prepares sermons with a team.

Don't Begin With the Needs of Your People
Taken too far, the needs of people — not Scripture — will dictate what we preach and teach.

College Students Are Back in Town—Is Your Church Ready?
Perhaps you already have plans in place to support families in the back-to-school shuffle. But if your church is near a college or university, you also have an opportunity to support incoming students

Share Your Faith: 7 Steps for Equipping Teens for Evangelism
Do your teens know how to share their faith? And do they actually do so? Read on for insights about student evangelism and how to make that a reality.

ReAwaken America is back. So is the right wing roadshow’s antisemitic rant.
The potential for violence might be ReAwaken America’s biggest threat.

Jesus and the apostles warned about false teachers who would lead people astray. In 2 Timothy 4: 3 Paul warns, "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear."

Friday's Catch: 'The Great Dechurching' And More

The Great Dechurching: An evening with Jim Davis, Michael Graham, and Bishop Justin Holcomb
We are currently experiencing the largest and fastest shift in American religious history. It's bigger than the First Great Awakening, Second Great Awakening, and every revival our country has ever experienced combined. But this isn't a great awakening, it's a great dechurching.

3 Powerful Impacts of Group Culture on Congregations
Group culture is the “way we do things.” Churches, denominations, and even committees have a group culture. While ethnicity, region, and generation impact the way a group functions, group culture gets at something deeper. In this article, I’m going to share with you 3 powerful impacts of group culture on congregations. And how you can leverage it to maximize your influence on the communities you serve.

What's Your Congregation's Personality Type?
Which of the five congregational personality types and their core Biblical value describes your church?

3 Questions for Church Leaders to Ask NOW
According to Ron Edmondson, there are three questions for church leaders to ask NOW – and regularly.

7 Steps To Accomplish a Turnaround
Gavin Adams offers guidance for those confronted with a turnaround.

4 Dimensions of Loving God
We don’t just have a heart, soul, mind, and body. We are the sum of those things. What does loving God with each of these dimensions entail?

What Does C. S. Lewis’s ‘The Abolition of Man’ Have to Say After 80 Years?
The Abolition of Man is a powerful work for our day because, in many ways, Lewis predicted the future.

Calling vs. Career: Where Does Children’s Ministry Fit, Exactly?
Calling vs. Career. Which label would you use for children’s ministry?

A Jesus-Shaped Life
Christianity is in crisis because self-identified Christians are using their own political, social, moral, and cultural views to assess the soundness and relevance of Jesus’ teaching. Strictly speaking, for Christians it should be the other way around. We should test the validity of our thoughts and the trustworthiness of our passions by whether or not they adhere to what Jesus says.

Is Jesus’ Mission Your Mission?
Jesus is not after passive surrender. The cross was his instrument of world salvation, so to take it up means actively devoting your life to his mission. So many Christians believe you must simply obey all the Ten Commandments and then go on with life as usual, unless God appears to you in a burning bush. But following Jesus means accepting his mission as your own and pursuing it wholeheartedly.That mission is defined by two trajectories: evangelism and caring for the poor.

Prosperity gospel on the rise among US churchgoers, survey finds
An increasing share of American Protestant churchgoers believe that financial prosperity is part of God's plan for them and that giving more money to their church and charities will result in blessings from God, according to a recent study by Lifeway Research.

Thursday's Catch: 'The Future of Denominations' And More

The Future of Denominations, Part 1
Thom provides a summary overview of denominational realities today, and the future of where they are headed. He shares some of the paths forward he sees for denominations in two parts. Some are encouraging, but many are not.

The Future of Denominations, Part 2
Thom provides a summary overview of denominational realities today, and the future of where they are headed. He shares some of the paths forward he sees for denominations in two parts. Some are encouraging, but many are not.

Discovering the Hungry in Your Community
The Bible says to “offer yourself to the hungry” (Isaiah 58:10, CSB), but how do we know when hunger is an issue in our communities?

The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Volunteer Engagement
If we’re not helping people engage the mission as part of the body of Christ, we’re not helping them become more like Jesus.

Job description of a church member
Here are 12 things that could be included in the job description of a church member....

5 Things God Never Said
Misconceptions of God can be costly because they can be very defeating.

Spiritual Conversations
...how can we build social capital? What leads our friends to being open to having a conversation about God?

Unchurched Less Likely to See Life as Exciting
Fewer than 2 in 5 Americans who never attend religious services (37%) call their life exciting, while 59% say they find life “pretty routine.”

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, August 24, 2023) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. All Hallows is a digital church and online worship ministry which was launched in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary suspension of the services of a number of churches. A simple format was adopted, one which did not require a participant to have a mike and a web cam and the ability to navigate the Zoom platform with ease, which encouraged active participation, and which could be used by a small group for its meetings. The focus group at which All Hallows is targeted are Christians who for any reason are unable to attend a local church, those who are traveling, individuals who wish to explore the Christian faith and way of life but are not yet ready to visit a local church, and anyone else who might otherwise benefit from the services. All Hallows offers two services, one on Thursday evenings and the other on Sundays.

Reading: Matthew 8: 5-13

Message: A Lesson from the Faith of a Roman Centurion

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_24.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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'With Eyes to See Addiction, Appalachian Churches Respond to the Opioids Crisis' And More

With Eyes to See Addiction, Appalachian Churches Respond to the Opioids Crisis
As the toll of overdoses continue to rise, congregations provide recovery, medical care, and redemption.

America’s loneliness epidemic is the church’s calling
In a recently released advisory, the U.S. Surgeon General raised an alarm about the “devastating impact of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in America,” citing harm to individual and societal health and calling on the nation to “prioritize building social connection.” At the same time, studies show a continuing decline in the percentage of Americans who regularly visit the one place where the ultimate connection is formed and joyful, relational communities thrive — their neighborhood church.

Drawing Back Those Who See Attending Church as ‘Inconvenient’
If some of your pre-pandemic congregation still aren’t attending church services again, consider these ways to help them return.

How to Faithfully Engage the Dechurched Movement as a Church in Exile
In this episode of As in Heaven, hosts Jim Davis and Michael Graham welcome Jake Meador to discuss the merits of having a posture of a “church in exile.” They explore how this exilic posture could help us close the back door of the church and regain our prophetic voice.

Keeping Your Church Young and Vibrant
To stay healthy and maintain its mission, any entity must be constantly reinventing itself, tweaking its systems, sloughing off the old and dead, birthing the new. Renewing, renovating, refining, rediscovering. Choose your term.

5 Signs of Complacency in the Church
A complacency in the church has to do with self-satisfaction, a sense of contentment regarding the state of things. And it all starts with complacency in a leader.

How to Discern If a Church Member Is Guilty of Gossip
Gossip is a destructive force in the church. Once the rumors of gossip spread, it’s hard to correct if they are false. Even if partially true, gossip is always wrong because what is shared is inappropriate and hurtful.

5 Ways To Handle Frustrating People
Understanding how to deal with frustrating people in the times when you are most frustrated is critical to creating a culture that produces great work and emotionally healthy staff.

Prosperity Doctrine Isn’t Just Wrong—It’s Harmful
Book Review of 'Stand Up for the Gospel' by Emmanuel Kwasi Amoafo

So, What Did Jesus Think about the Old Testament?
Here are three things that Jesus believed about the Old Testament....

20 Ways to Pray for Worship Leaders
Here are 20 ways to pray for worship leaders.

3 Questions to Ask When Trying to Find a Good Church
Finding a church is hard work. For many, it involves week after week of making visit after visit, scouring websites, and listening to multiple messages. Despite the difficulty, it’s good for us to take care when trying to find a church though. That’s because finding and committing yourself to a local congregation is incredibly important.

Clearer picture emerging of UMC’s future
Even before its official year of splintering is completed, United Methodists are carving out a clearer identity for the denomination’s future and a clearer picture is emerging of who has stayed and who has left, about clergy health and the state of LGBTQ inclusion.

Conservative cardinal predicts Synod on Synodality could lead to schism
Cardinal Raymond Burke is considered a leading voice among Catholic conservatives and papal critics.

New SBC head attends a dually aligned church and his wife is a ‘minister’
The new interim president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee is a member of a church dually aligned with the SBC and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and where his seminary-educated wife holds the job title “minister of students and discipleship.”

Tuesday's Catch: 'Growing Relationships Rather Than Numbers' And More

Growing Relationships Rather Than Numbers
When a church focuses on growing relationships rather than numbers, they begin to sense the heart of God in a new way. Experience has shown that investing in a person rather than a situation establishes a deeper, more meaningful connection than just a one-and-done event. The community outside your church’s doors does not need another concert but a relationship with the Father that can improve their lives.

A Big Footprint in Small Spaces: When Rural Pastors Band Together
The small size of rural communities creates unique challenges for ministry. Among the biggest challenges are low resources, vocational identity and loneliness.

Addressing Bloated Membership Rolls
Many churches have membership rolls that do not reflect reality. Thom shares healthy ways to get the rolls to reflect those who are really still connected to the church.

Good Works According to Titus 3
If someone tells you Paul and James disagree about the need for good works, point him to this chapter.

When you Feel Beaten Up
Remember, no matter how you feel, God sees you not as bruised and broken baggage, but as a beloved child of God, cherished and accepted beyond measure.

Finding a Voice
The new Buzard Opus 48 organ inspires parishioners at St. George’s, Nashville, to sing out.

The acoustics of the room in which a congregation gathers to worship God and the musical instrument that is used to accompany the congregational singing can help to enliven a congregation's singing or they can put a damper on its singing.

For a small congregation meeting in a non-traditional worship setting, an upright piano may be the best choice of musical instrument to accompany congregational singing. The notes of the melody of a hymn, worship song, or service music are clearer when played on a piano and more people know how to play a piano than do those who know how to play an organ.

A guitar is not a good choice for accompanying congregational singing without strong vocal leadership. A guitarist plays chords on the guitar, not the notes of the melody which the congregation needs to hear to sing a hymn, worship song, or service music.

It’s Never too Early for Kids to Start Thinking About God
The church is instrumental in coming alongside kids and families to help them begin rightly thinking about God early in their lives.

6 Ways to Use Good Design to Connect with Gen Z
We’ve talked a lot about the value of strong design, how it can improve everything from your content to your bottom line. But design isn’t just about making things pretty; it’s a tool to help you communicate effectively and create a better brand experience. It can even be the key to cultivating a long-lasting relationship with an entire generation. Seriously, it’s a way to connect with Gen Z.

Monday's Catch: 'Adjusting Your Approach to Serve Those You Lead' Ad More

Adjusting Your Approach to Serve Those You Lead

While Michael Watkins created a framework that helps leaders evaluate the needs of the organization they will be leading, Ken Blanchard developed a framework, famously known as Situational Leadership, that helps leaders evaluate the development needs of each person the leader is leading.

Your Definitive List of Pastor Retreats & Getaways
Ed Stetzer has compiled a long list of numerous camps, retreat centers, bed and breakfasts, and others that have discounted or free opportunities for pastor retreats and their families to take some time away from home, away from everything that surrounds leading the people of God. The list is organized by state.

The ministry of a pastor is far more stress ful today than in the past and for United Methodist clergy, it is particularly stressful.

The Gospel in the Old Testament
What I have observed is a tendency for some preachers and teachers to focus too much on the Old Testament, even using pasages taken from it to justify ignoring Jesus' teaching and for others to ignore the Old Testament almost entirely. Our Old Testament was Jesus' Bible and he not only referred to it in his teaching but also he interepretd it for his disciples and the crowds that came to hear him and applied it to their lives.

How the Psalms have been central to worship through history
The Psalms have played an important role in Jewish and Christian tradition from ancient times until today. It is the oldest continually used songbook in human history. This is the story....

Engaging Families During the Back-to-School Season
The back-to-school season is full of incredible opportunities to partner with parents and encourage discipleship in everyday family life.

Did Your VBS Teach the Gospel?
Many lessons geared toward children tell the stories of biblical characters without connecting them to the Bible’s larger story of redemption.

Why Christian Nationalism makes American Christians less Christlike
What if the greatest danger to the witness of Christianity in the United States wasn't an outside threat? What if the danger was closer to home and looked so familiar that it was able to evade detection?

Pakistan: Christians hold open-air services after churches and homes destroyed
Christians in Pakistan were forced to worship in the open air on Sunday after their homes and churches were burnt down by mobs last week. At least five churches were burnt down and 21 more damaged during the wave of violence on 16 August, when thousands of Muslims attacked townships in Jaranwala, Punjab.

Church leaders plead with Israeli government as anti-Christian incidents increase in Holy Land
The incidents have been organized by extremist groups who consider Christians to be enemies of the Jewish people.

By attacking Christians in the Holy Land, Jewish extremists are fueling anti-Semitism elsewhere and giving ant-Semitic groups justification in their minds to attack Jews.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, August 20, 2023) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows. You are invited to take advantage of the silence after each reading to reflect upon what you heard and read and to take advantage of the silence after today's message to do the same. When you read a Scripture reading or the message, read them aloud so you hear the words as well as read them. Read the prayers aloud too and join in the songs whenever and wherever you can.

Readings: Isaiah 56:1, 6–8; Matthew 15: 21–28

Message: Jesus, Saviour of the World

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-august-20.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: 'Don’t Shrink Back from Discipling Adult Converts' And More

Don’t Shrink Back from Discipling Adult Converts
Many seasoned Christians and churches struggle to know how to help adult converts navigate the ‘now what’ of faith.

I am personally convinced that one of the major reasons that many US churches are experiencing declining attendance is the failure of theses churches not only to engage in evangelism but also to adequately disciple church members and attendees. While it is tempting to blame a changing culture, I believe that we would do well by taking Jesus' advice and looking closer at home for the reasons for the declining attendance. Churches have also adopted worship practices which encourages a consumer mentality and passivity in church members and attendees. Practices of this type can be found in both contemporary and traditional churches. They may take a different form but they produce the same results.

The Idolatry of Worship Service Flow
It appears the flow in worship is becoming the end goal, the measuring tool to gauge how successful a worship service was.

When it comes to worship flow, it is a balancing act between two extremes: we give it too much attention or we do not give it enough attention.

Why You Should Use Hymns
Hymns, even hymns sung to the older tunes, can be integrated into a ervice of public worship with more recent compositions.

How to Help Students Learn to Be Wise
...now more than ever, teenagers need help developing their critical thinking skills so they can wisely discern truth from lies out there in the massive marketplace of ideas (Philippians 1:9-11). They’ll drown if they don’t learn how to evaluate and synthesize information from a Christian worldview. And these critical thinking skills pretty much always involve encouraging them to ask questions—tough questions.

What Can We Learn From Children’s Ministry in Ecuador?
In Ecuador, an amazing: 26.1% of the population is under the age of 15. This percentage represents almost 5 million people—a lot of young lives to reach for Jesus. If you were to include Ecuadoran teens ages 15 to 19, that’s more than 1 in 3 people across the country under age 20.It’s no surprise, then, that the largest-attendance church in Ecuador has a thriving ministry to children and youth. What is surprising, though, is that their approach is quite simple, something any church of any size might try.

The Six Laws of Technology
There is a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal titled “The Six Laws of Technology Everyone Should Know.” It is based on the writings of Melvin Kranzberg, a professor of the history of technology at Georgia Institute of Technology.He wrote about these laws 30 years ago, based on examples taken from the Cold War. But they have become legendary among technologists, serving as something of a Hippocratic oath for all people who build things. It’s a fascinating list and worth thinking about deeply....

Is it ever OK to lie? Pastors and theologians respond
In a world where the truth is often tainted and an occasional white lie may seem more ethical than telling a brutally honest truth, many believers may wonder if exceptions exist to the Ten Commandments' prohibition on lying — or bearings a false witness.

Church in U.S. sees shift toward LGBTQ inclusion
In their regional meetings this spring and summer, U.S. United Methodists signaled their desire for the denomination to become more LGBTQ-welcoming. But even as they expressed openness to change some denominational policies, a number of annual conferences reaffirmed that United Methodists remain steadfast in their commitment to core Christian doctrines.

In abandoning the United Methodist Church socially-conservative clergy ad congregations may have facilitated the removal of the denomination's bans related to homosexuality by removing a major obstacle to the removal of those bands--themselves!

Friday's Post: '3 Strategies for Practicing Generational Intelligence" And More

3 Strategies for Practicing Generational Intelligence
Generational intelligence is a vital skill for church leaders. Generational intelligence is the ability to connect with each generation in a way that honors their unique experiences and perspectives while maintaining a unified mission and identity. When you practice generational intelligence, you effectively bridge the generational gap within a church. You also expand your capacity to lead a multi-generational congregation.

In the churches of my childhood and youth congregations consisted of several generations ministering and worshiping together. Today's churches are apt to be age-segregated, old people in one church and younger people in another and children relegated to children's church. Older people in the congregations of churches primarily composed of younger people are apt to encounter ageism. They are discriminate against because of their age. They do not fit the image that a particular church is trying to project. Too many old people it is believed will keep young people away and unfortunately in some parts of the country that has proven to be the case. A true Christian community, however, embraces people of all ages, from all walks of life.

Seven Common Comments Non-Christians Make about Christians
These comments may surprise you. Many Christians have what amount to biases against non-Christians which color their thinking and are often revealed in the statements they make about non-Christians. If we are going to reach non-Christians with the gospel, we need to rid ourselves of these biases.

Do Guests Notice the Little Things?
When a visitor shows up on one of our church campuses for the first time the little things matter. Or when a parent decides to trust us with the care of their children the little things matter. In the way we follow up with guests the little things matter. Most leaders and pastors believe this, but we often don’t pay attention to the little thing.

What Is the Purpose of Sunday School? 4 Key Program Roles
Elmer Towns is not just talking about children's ministry in this article. He is also talking about adult Sunday school which once played several roles vital to the life of the local church and individual believers. This, however, has changed in the past few decades  in which the focus of adult Sunday school in many churches shifted primarily from transformation to information and may have contributed to the decline in church attendance.

How to Recruit for a Successful Ministry
One of the biggest pain points children’s ministry directors face is how to recruit volunteers that love children, want to serve, and will stick around. To help ease the pain of recruitment, we’ve compiled our top six secrets to recruiting for a successful ministry.

How to Deal With People Who Don’t Like You: 3 Relational Tips
Do you know how to deal with people? How about dealing with people who don’t like you? Read on for guidance on what can be a tricky subject for ministry workers.

Meet the South Austin parish leaving ACNA for the Episcopal Church
If you ask the Rev. Shawn McCain Tirres, the story of Resurrection Anglican Church is much more about a local church than denominational politics.

What we may be seeing here is the emergence of a divide between two groups forming the Anglican Church in North America--the ex-Episcopalians who broke with the Episcopal Church over its positions on marriage and human sexuality and the post-evangelicals, as they have been described, who are attracted to the ACNA by the ambiance of liturgical churches and who have a taste for excessive ritual, worship centered on the sacraments rather than the Word, and that sort of thing. Their motives for affiliating with the ACNA are different from those of the ex-Episcopalians who have primarily seen it as a refuge from the changes occurring in the Episcopal Church.

A Baptist by any other name would...
These days, it appears Baptist churches and individuals across the theological spectrum are, for a variety of reasons, calling the very name “Baptist” into question. Truth is, that particular Protestant movement was called into question long before the name “Baptist” became its primary designation.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, August 17, 2023) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. As a part of an ongoing series about what Jesus taught, this evening's message will examine his teaching about mercy.

Reading: Matthew 9:9-13

Message: What Did Jesus Teach about Mercy?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2023/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_17.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: ''Coming Back From Decline' And More

Coming Back From Decline
Leading a church from decline back into a season of spiritual growth is not easy. But in Desmond Barrett's experience, these three ways to serve in the light of Christ can be great first steps.

Leading Local: What Life Is Like Serving Smaller Congregations
Lora Schrock of Outreach Magazine recently sat down with five pastors, who are on the front lines of small church ministry, to talk about their experiences, where they find encouragement, and their advice for pastors who are feeling discouraged.

The FAQs: What You Should Know About Suicide in America
What just happened? Suicides in the U.S. reached their highest number ever in 2022, according to new government data. Suicides are more common now than at any time since data began to be collected at the dawn of World War II.

4 Marks of a Powerful Sermon
Pastor, if you want to preach sermons that glorify God, offer tangible hope, prompt true heart change, and leave an eternal impact—not merely tickle ears for 30 minutes—consider four marks of a powerful sermon. (And church congregant: encourage your pastor to pursue these marks!)

3 Principles to Help Us Practice God’s Presence
The Practice of the Presence of God is a book based on the teachings of Brother Lawrence, a monk who lived in the 1600’s. One of the more famous passages points out that one can commune with God even in the washing of pots and pans, which was one of the friar’s daily duties. But this post is less a commentary on that little book, and more about that phrase....

The Worst Child Safety Habits and How To Replace Them
Let's make safeguarding children not only in the church but also in the community a #1 priority in all churches.

3 Keys to Digital Engagement Every Church Needs To Know
Churches need to have digital engagement strategies and content around insiders and outsiders. But outsiders—the people who are not currently connected to your church—have been left by the wayside.

The Absolute Small Group Bible Study Discussion Questions
Looking for the absolute best small group bible study discussion questions? One of the greatest skills that you need to run a good Bible study is the instinct to craft good questions.

6 Questions for Personal Accountability
A forest is a good metaphor of what the Christian life is like. We don’t have to stand alone. In fact, God doesn’t want us to. He has even created a “Family”—the church—for us to stay connected to and grow alongside.

What Do Mormons Believe About Grace?
In the web of Mormon scriptures, teachings, and practice, two aspects of grace are prominent.

Wednesday's Catch: 'What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting' And More

What Happens When a Church Exhausts Itself on Fighting
Church fights can have a crippling effect on those who leave and those who remain. This was evident in the Episcopal Church earlier in this century and is evident in United Methodist Church in the last five years.

Perspectives on American Dechurching from Post-Christian Europe
In this episode of As in Heaven, hosts Jim Davis and Michael Graham welcome Andrew Wilson and Glen Scrivener to discuss outside perspectives on dechurching in America, drawing from insights in the U.K., Australia, and Italy to compare and contrast the dechurching movement.

Focus on the Family falsely says only liberal churches are declining
Quiet quitting. Conscious uncoupling. The great dechurching. The “dones.” These are the terms coined to describe today’s historic downturn in church affiliation, including evangelical congregations. “More than one in 10 Americans — around 40 million of us — stopped attending church in the last 25 years,” reported Christianity Today. “There’s no denying the decline in church attendance.” But there is denying it.

Evangelical churches as well as mainline churches are not engaging in evangelism and making new disciples. It is only going to make matters worse by denying that evangelical churches are declining when the evidence shows that they are. It lulls people into complacency, into thinking that they do not need to do anything about the situation. even though it demands their attention. At the same time they may be tempted to look for scapegoats upon which to blame declining Christian influence in the United State when it is really themselves who are to blame.

You Can Recognize Them By Their Fruit
...what does all of this mean when a leader’s shadow life is revealed? James Emery White has been reflecting on at least four things....

3 Reasons Your New Member Class Isn’t Working
Is your new member class designed for the JFK or IDK generation? It’s time to fight some false assumptions by making these three shifts.

6 Benefits of Church-wide Bible Study
A church-wide Bible study allows church members to personally study at their convenience while maintaining accountability and community.

Getty Music’s annual worship conference: September 4-6, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee
Sing! The Great Commission, the 2023 Getty Music Worship Conference, will take place September 4-6 at the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville.

Reaching College Students
The life-altering impact college football has on its fans can serve as a microcosm and reminder of the importance of college students on our society and our churches. This weekend, as you watch your favorite college football team, consider these points.

Social Media and Anxiety: Addressing an Epidemic of Worry Among Teens
Social media may help connect people, but it also has serious impacts on impressionable users. Teens are especially vulnerable to the downsides of constant digital interactions. Not only can kids become addicted to cell phones and social media. But their self-image, body image, and mental health can suffer as a result. Depression and anxiety have spiked among teens, especially since the pandemic.

A church shopper’s guide to finding the right church for you
Daniel Day share seven questions which he beleieves that families and individuals should be asking when they are looking for a new church home.

Church that escaped damage in Hawaii wildfires helps others

 A church in Maui that's part of Pastor Greg Laurie's Harvest Christian Fellowship network has not been damaged by the wildfires that destroyed over 2,000 structures and killed nearly 100 people. However, members of Harvest Kumulani, a Lahaina-based congregation of about 1,000 regular attendees that recently celebrated seven years of being a Harvest campus, have suffered losses caused by the wildfires.

ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch will face church trial
A 10-person board of inquiry found there was probable cause to present Ruch for trial for violating denominational bylaws.

The Risky Work of Change: Our Parish Journey of Discernment toward the Episcopal Church
"On July 25, 2023, our parish voted to disaffiliate from the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and pursue affiliation with the Episcopal Church (TEC) in the Diocese of Texas, " writes Shawn McCain Tirres. "As big of a deal as this may seem, for those who know our parish, the real headline is far more interesting."

Trump’s Georgia Election Meddling Didn’t Just Look Wrong. It Was Wrong.
The ex-president’s new indictment isn’t about appearances. Some things are just as evil as they seem.

Two evangelical Christian leaders indicted along with Trump in Georgia
Two evangelical Christian leaders were among the 18 individuals indicted in Georgia Aug. 14 and charged with criminally conspiring with Donald Trump to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Pastor indicted alongside Trump in Georgia election meddling case
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor is charged with attempting to influence witnesses and conspiring to solicit false statements and writings, all as part of an effort to influence an election worker.

Tuesday's Catch: '6 Avenues for the Church to be Salt and Light' And More

6 Avenues for the Church to be Salt and Light
“Salt and light” is one of the most catalytic metaphors taught by Jesus about who we are as the body of Christ. To be salt and light to the world is one of the greatest responsibilities of the Church today, the question is how do we do that consistently in a practical way? Can church programs unintentionally get in the way?

Effective Compassion Loves the Whole Person
To be made in the image of the triune God means we’re relational.While targeting material needs, policymakers mustn’t overlook the importance of relationships to human flourishing.

7 Practical Questions to Create Your Best Strategy
To successfully lead change, a smart strategy is always needed.

Why We Need to Ask More Numerical Questions about Our Church
...we often ask only the attendance growth numbers without regard for other numbers that matter, too. It’s not that we give too much attention to numbers; it’s that we give too little attention to them.

What I Teach at Our New Members Class
Whatever descriptor you use for the class, whatever time slot you choose to teach the class, every new member class should communicate three key points about your church: information, doctrine and expectations.

Suicide reached record high in 2022 as vast differences among sexes remain: CDC
Suicide rates in the United States reached a record high last year, with nearly 50,000 people ending their lives in 2022 alone, according to provisional data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention.

Seeking Revival Is the Pastoral Task
Personal piety is always the first lesson in pastoral theology. As we prepare students for pastoral ministry, we pray they’ll be ready to persevere.

How to Develop Fervency and Compassion in Your Prayer Life
D. L. Moody, considered by most of his contemporaries as the greatest preacher of his day, said that he would rather teach one person to pray than ten people to preach.

Prayer for Back to School: Ways to Pray for Students and Teachers
A prayer for back to school season is more important than any list of school supplies. As students and teachers head back to classrooms this fall, they need support, encouragement and prayers. If your church holds a Blessing of the Backpacks or a Teacher Dedication, you might already have some back-to-school prayers that make the grade. But if you need new ideas, we’ve collected powerful, creative prayers for back to school season.

Gloo makes texting free to churches
The no-cost texting service on Gloo will enable ministries to communicate with members, communities, and new visitors.

Three Essential Qualities of Christian Courage
Great things in the world are only accomplished through courage. Plenty of people have great intentions, but great intentions only come to fruition through courage.

5 Ways to Improve As an Active Listener
Active listening is a communication skill that all believers need to learn to be effective in serving in whatever ministry God has called them to serve and in representing their Lord in the world.

Monday's Catch: 'The Death of Evangelism: Five Issues We Must Address' And More

The Death of Evangelism: Five Issues We Must Address 

"The issue may be the biggest surprise of my ministry," writes Thom Rainer. "On the one hand, I am surprised at the decline of evangelism in most churches. But that is not the biggest surprise. The issue that perplexes and surprises me the most is that very few church leaders and members are even acknowledging the death of evangelism in their congregations and denominations."

The apathetic response in the Episcopal Church to the Decade of Evangelism in the 1990s focused my attention on this issue. The lack of opportunities for ministry and the resistance to evangelism and church planting in the Episcopal Church would be the primary rasons the Episcopal Churc and I parted company in 2002.

Leadership and Self-Awareness...
Sometimes silence is not golden. Such as those times when we could avoid an embarrassing moment if only someone would have pointed out something about ourselves we weren’t aware of.

6 Ways to Embrace Culturally Diverse Worship
Some of us can imagine our church filled with people of multiple colors, nationalities, economic levels and political beliefs all worshiping God together. The problem with that scenario is that most of us imagine how great that vision would be as long as those various cultures, tribes and tongues are willing to make adjustments to worship like we do. “Not in my style” may really and truly mean “not my kind of people,” except when it comes time for the yearly youth group trip to Mexico. We are willing to go outside the church for culturally diverse worship but fail miserably to do so within. So why are we so ready to defer when we travel around the world but not across the aisle?

A Unique and Fresh Approach to Bible Reading
"A few years ago author and discipleship expert Bill Hull introduced me to a fresh approach to Bible reading through one of his books," writes Charles Stone. "He explained an ancient yet growing Christian devotional practice called lectio divina, which includes four phases: lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. I took those four concepts and created my own acronym to make it more easily remembered: RIPE. RIPE stands for Read, Immerse, Pray, and Execute. Try reading your Bible in this way and see how it can freshen your experience. It’s also helpful to record insights you learn in a journal." 

7 Reasons Why Prayers Are Not Answered
God is not a cosmic genie who promises to answer every request if we just believe strongly enough in His power. There are qualifiers. Someone once said that God answers prayer in one of four ways: 1) “Yes,” 2) “No,” 3) “Wait,” or 4) “You’ve got to be kidding Me!”

The 3-Letter Word That Changed My Prayer Life
God’s initiating love humbles us. We didn’t choose him. He chose us. We sense God’s love in the reality that our hearts are still beating, our blood is still pumping, and our world is still spinning on its axis at the perfect angle and distance from the sun.

How to Overcome Objections When Asking for a New Group Leader
As we engage with a potential new group leader, we must help them move past reasons they may object to taking on the role.

A Discipleship Strategy Small Churches Can Actually Follow, with Darrell Stetler (Ep 38)
Darrell and Karl talk about the importance of discipleship in the life of the church – and as a central role in our calling as pastors.

Not Yet in the Fold
...the church needs clear lines of membership for those who are “inside” and those who are “outside.” But the church also needs a category for those who are unbelieving long-term friends, potential God-seekers as it were. Relational space and regular opportunities are needed where these can keep coming around in order to witness the love between believers that is such compelling evidence of our faith’s reality (John 13:35, 17:23).

Love Is the Greatest Apologetic
It’s absolutely vital for the church to practice demonstrable love, particularly between its members. This may be the most powerful motive for our neighbors to trust Jesus.

SBC president urges churches considering leaving to ‘press pause’
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention has urged churches considering leaving the SBC to “press pause” until they hear from a new task force on cooperation that has not yet been named and will have less than nine months to work. Meanwhile, anecdotal reports are circulating about large numbers of churches either leaving the SBC or being reported to the SBC Credentials Committee for investigation — all due to actions taken at the June annual meeting related to women in ministry.