Churches decline for two main reasons—both having to do with a shift in priorities. First, they lose passion for the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Second, as a result, they no longer give God glory. When a church no longer pushes outward with the gospel, the people will no longer look upward to God’s glory. A church lacking both an outward and upward perspective will inevitably move in the other two directions: inward and downward. Inward churches always decline. Misaligned priorities happen over time, and they pile up on each other. What do they look like in a church?
Why Cool Church Doesn’t Work Anymore (and 5 Things That Do)
Everything has its season. And the season of the cool church is, in many ways, coming to an end.
How to Cultivate a Grateful Church
Cultivating a grateful church begins with you and your own practice of thanksgiving, specifically what you say and what you do.
Generosity and the Brain
In this post Charles Stone explains two significant processes in our brains that influence generosity: the sense of reward we personally experience when we give and the empathy we feel toward the recipient of our gifts.
Before You Go On the Attack
...a classic strategy in times of church conflict or theological debate is to demean the person who believes what you do not. Even if you do not quite regard the other person as an animal, you can regard him as a heretic or an enemy of the faith, as something other than a Christian. If the strategy of military leaders is to make their soldiers regard the enemy as less than human, the strategy of many believers is to regard their theological enemies as less than Christian. After all, the Bible provides clear instructions about the love, respect, and honor we owe to our fellow Christians. We permit ourselves to circumvent such instructions when the other person is an apostate or unbeliever.
5 Tips For Rehearsing Great Worship Song Outros
How do we rehearse song outros? Song outros provide transitions for your worship set, as they are the finish of a song that anticipates the beginning of the next. Outros are crucial for maintaining an atmosphere of worship for your congregation as the set progresses song to song. Here are five tips for rehearsing the “tail” of your worship songs – the outros.
Intercessory Prayer for Christians
Many of us have prayer lists for our daily devotions like the prayer lists of our parish for the Prayers of the People. But that is often the extent of it: mentioning the names and perhaps the plight of those who need our prayers and those we love. A vocation to intercessory prayers includes offering payers for other people, whose names have been given to us, even those who are unknown to us.
3 Secrets of Best Practices for Church Websites
Whether you’re building a church website for the first time or updating it for the 10th time, you might feel in over your head. There is a lot to keep in mind when it comes to building a truly great church website. But for now, focus on best practices for church websites big-picture guidelines, and you’ll be much closer to a church website that is welcoming to visitors, helpful for members, and true to your church.
Social media graphics from UM News
UM News shares stories and information daily on our social media channels. We also provide memes based on the United Methodist lectionary.
The United Methodist Lectionary is the Revised Common Lectionary used in the churches of a number of denominations.Small Group Purposes During the Holidays
We all know that with the holidays approaching, our schedules get very busy – for everyone. However, we shouldn’t let the busy-ness stop our Small Groups from fulfilling our purposes. If we’re intentional, December can be a month full of meaningful celebrations, worship, service, learning, and outreach. Below are 5 ways fulfill your small group purposes together during the holiday months, despite busy schedules.
When a Friendship Falls Apart: Finding God’s Path for Healing, Forgiveness, and (Maybe) Help Letting Go
Even in the closest friendships, sometimes hurt happens. Misunderstanding. Distance. Disagreement. Even betrayal and deceit. Perhaps you have experienced this kind of anguish, this kind of brokenness, firsthand. The loss can be staggering, a blow not only to your happiness and way of life but also to your confidence and sense of identity. The pain may haunt you for years to come.
Over 7,000 churches have left the UMC amid homosexuality schism
The number of congregations that have left the United Methodist Church amid the schism over the denomination's stance on homosexuality has passed the 7,000 mark. Over the weekend, the number of churches that have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019 reached 7,286, according to UM News, with over 5,200 leaving this year alone.
Even in the closest friendships, sometimes hurt happens. Misunderstanding. Distance. Disagreement. Even betrayal and deceit. Perhaps you have experienced this kind of anguish, this kind of brokenness, firsthand. The loss can be staggering, a blow not only to your happiness and way of life but also to your confidence and sense of identity. The pain may haunt you for years to come.
Over 7,000 churches have left the UMC amid homosexuality schism
The number of congregations that have left the United Methodist Church amid the schism over the denomination's stance on homosexuality has passed the 7,000 mark. Over the weekend, the number of churches that have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019 reached 7,286, according to UM News, with over 5,200 leaving this year alone.
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