Thursday's Catch: 'Want to fix America’s woes? Start by getting to know your neighbors, researcher says" And More

Want to fix America’s woes? Start by getting to know your neighbors, researcher says
Seth Kaplan, a researcher at Johns Hopkins who studies fragile states around the world, argues that rebuilding social capital— including religious congregations — can help address some of the more pressing social problems.

'Parish Ministry" Outside of English Parishes
...Anglicanism outside England and Wales “has been replicated in the nonconformist model, the gathering of the faithful,” rather than in the form of churches that have included the entire public in a particular place. Parish and congregation are nearly synonymous for us, and the publics to which we Americans belong assume that our church is simply a matter of personal choice.

Start Preparing for December Now
By preparing your heart, schedule, and leadership plans, December can truly be “the most wonderful time of the year.”

‘All You Want to Do Is Worship’: A Student Reflects on 8 Months After Asbury
In the spring of 2023, J. T. Reeves was a senior at Wheaton College. He and his friends drove to Asbury University when they heard the reports of the spiritual awakening happening on that campus. Eight months later, TGC asked Reeves to reflect on the lasting effects of that experience in his life and the lives of his fellow students.

Develop Guests into Future Leaders
As the church begins to win new visitors, invariably there will be pushback from current members who feel threatened by the new people, thoughts and actions. As a church leader, you must find ways to integrate the old and the new into church membership. While there might be a tendency to lean toward one group or the other, know your role is to support each group to help shape them into one.

Churchgoers and Leaders Find Value in Ministry to Women
Women’s ministry leaders and women churchgoers see positive efforts in ministry to women while recognizing growth opportunities.

7 Ways Ministry to Women Strengthens Your Whole Church
The State of Ministry to Women report from Lifeway Research confirms that intentional ministry to women strengthens the whole church.

Co-Laborers: 3 Ways Pastors Can Support Women’s Ministry Leaders
Women’s ministry leaders should know their value and feel our support so we can pierce the darkness with the light of the gospel. Together.

5 Ways Your Church Can Invest More in Ministry to Women
The State of Ministry to Women acknowledges progress in churches’ ministry to women and identifies areas where churches can invest more.

What Is Gossip? Exposing a Common and Dangerous Sin
You don’t want to be a gossip. There is no upside to being one. Gossips hurt neighbors, divide friends, and damage reputations and relationships. The Bible labels gossips as untrustworthy and meddlesome (Proverbs 11:13; 20:19; 26:20; 1 Timothy 5:13) — and even as worthy of death (Romans 1:29, 32). At your best in Christ, you don’t want to be one.

5 Elements of Worship for a Great Service
God does what He does when He wants to. There’s no special formula to create a worship service with a worshipful atmosphere. But with a humble heart, consider these elements of worship that will encourage an attitude of worship in the hearts of your people.

Softly playing music under a prayer can be a distraction. It is not becessary to fill every space in a worshp service with music. Silence has a place in worship as does spoken prayer without a musical background. Some worship leaders talk too much. They need to pause before opening their mouths and ask themselves, "Does what I am about to say really contribute the congregation's worship experience?" As for using familiar songs, it is a no brainer. Don't expect the congregation to sing if it does not know the song, it is sung at too high a pitch, and no one is playing or singing the melody. It aint gonna happen!

HuddleCam HD Review
When you need a good webcam, you certainly have a lot of them to choose from, but that doesn’t mean they are all alike. The HuddleCam HD webcam gives you the same quality as their many other products, and it’s super affordable at around $90. This wide-angle lens webcam is great for conducting classes, conferences, and various presentations. If you’re interested in finding out the advantages and disadvantages of buying this camera, keep reading.

Hybrid church is here to stay, folks. It is not going to go away. Today's local churches need to have both a physical presence and a digital presence in the community. Since some members of the community may ot have cable TV or iternet, they also need to have a presence on the local radio station.