Despite the population shift from rural areas to urban areas and their outskirts, rural churches, irrespective of their denominational affiliation, continue to play a vital role in the lives of the people who attend them and the communities in which they are located.
"Religion's Important, But I Don't Attend"
Ryan Burge believes that religion has been reduced to little more than a tribal marker, much in the same way that people say they are a fan of the Yankees, or they are Irish, or graduated from Stanford. It’s a way to create an "us vs. them" dynamic.
Understanding America’s overlooked religious middle
In America’s religious landscape, the groups attracting the most public attention are those staking out the poles in our political divides: the shrinking, aging, but still influential group of white evangelicals on the right vs. Black Protestants and the growing religiously unaffiliated cohort on the left. With the media, political and philanthropic spotlights all focused on the edges, however, America’s important religious middle remains in the shadows.
The Suicide Epidemic Deserves Our Attention
Suicide rates are skyrocketing, and the church is not immune. According to the CDC, in the U.S., suicide is “the second leading cause of death in people aged 10–34 and the fifth in people aged 35–54.” This is staggering. In 2023, the U.S. surgeon general called mental health “the defining health crisis of our time.” That same year, more than 50,000 Americans committed suicide, “more than any year on record. It’s difficult to argue with the Harvard Medical School, “Suicide is an epidemic.”
Most Pastors Report Feeling Lonely
In a troubling sign for many congregations, half of pastors say they are often or frequently lonely, according to a report of clergy health.
When Intrusive Thoughts Come
Our minds are factories of thoughts—some intentional, some not. We strategize, reflect, and ruminate. And sometimes uninvited thoughts pop into our minds...How do we deal with such thoughts? Let’s consider four questions to help us examine and proactively fight against them.
35 Questions First-Time Worship Guests Are Probably Asking
We’ve all heard the adage about only getting one shot at a first impression. So in addition to evaluating sermons and songs, we should also evaluate our worship spaces and structures. Those first-time guests are inevitably asking themselves questions about their worship service visits. If we ask those same questions preemptively before they visit, then maybe their answers will be positive ones when they actually do visit.
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. The Scriptures are full of examples of men and women who walked with God and used prayer to impact their world, and you can do the same thing through prayer.
