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Monday, August 07, 2023

Monday's Catch: 'Why Your Church Will Die within Five Years' And More


Why Your Church Will Die within Five Years
Thom Rainer strikes a somber note in his article explaining why a growing number of churches will die within five years and what church leaders can do about it.

Church attendance dropped faster during the pandemic, but parishes are adapting: Statistician
Canon Neil Elliot, statistics officer for the Anglican Church of Canada, says the church needs to start planning for a future of smaller communities and new expressions of church life in response to the pandemic's acceleration of already declining attendance.

What If Churches Ask for More and No One Says Yes?
Jake Meador has a provocative proposal for reversing dechurching. But it may not be that simple.

The Underground Church
Although we tried to get them involved, the new believers simply didn’t fit very well in the established churches in our community. It seemed clear that there was a need for new church structures that would effectively be home to converts from a variety of backgrounds. That’s why Jesus said we need to put new wine in new wineskins. “… Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:16-17).

Garden for All’ Episcopal ministry alleviates hunger in central Ohio
Community gardens, whether started by a church or some other community group or organization have demonstrated their usefulness in reducing food insecurity and increasing the availability of nutritionally-dense foods to low income families.

Worship bands strike a discordant note
Julian Mann joins the chorus of voices drawing attention to how praise bands are contributing to the decline of congregational singing.
To my mind "passive worship" is not worship at all. If we truly honor and reverence God, we will show it, and showing it require more from us than listening to a band and a talk.
John Wesley, Hymns, and “Directions for Singing”
In Select Hymns: with Tunes Annext (1761), John Wesley included a short guide to singing his collection of Methodist hymns. Titled “Directions for Singing,” Wesley lays out seven principles when it comes to hymns.

Top 10 Things I Love That Worship Leaders Do
"I love it when worship leaders...," writes Jared C. Wilson. He goes on to list 10 practices that characterize a good worship leader.

6 Ways Digital Events Benefit Women in Your Church
As you evaluate ways to invest in women in your congregation, consider bringing digital events to ladies in your church.

What is Christian Hospitality?
For a Christian to show hospitality to whomever the Lord puts on our path it must be exempt from xenophobia, racism, ethnocentrism, classism, pride, or prejudice.

Where Does Mission Happen? How the Church Wins the Lost
In your mind, what are the most appealing aspects of our churches for nonbelievers? Is it the personal invitation? The welcoming and thrilling atmosphere? The uniqueness and oddity of Christian worship?

Abiding Fuels Evangelism
We can’t authentically offer others what we don’t have. We must live as branches in the vine.

Only Half of Americans Believe in God With No Doubts
Half of Americans say they believe God exists and have no doubts. In 1993, 65% of Americans said they were certain God existed.

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