The Top Five Reasons Pastors Should Get Out of the Church Office
What gets you out of the church office? Josh and Sam talk about key reasons why pastors need to venture out more. It’s good to connect with homebound people, other pastors, and community leaders. But pastors also need to recharge and share their faith.
U.S. Latinas embrace spiritual practices outside traditional religion
Many U.S. Latinas have turned to sound healing while seeking spiritual practices outside of traditional religion.
Yoga, Reiki, sound healing, and other Eastern spiritual practices are not not only attracting Latinas, but they are also attracting Anglos--Anglos who were a few years ago active in evangelical churches.
Why the Church and Politics Aren’t Polls Apart
Scott Monk reviews Michael Jensen's book, Subjects and Citizens.
‘Wall of Silence,’ a podcast about abuse in ACNA, was silenced. Now, it’s back.
A spokesperson said no one from ACNA’s national office had knowledge of Archbishop Beach or his staff asking for the podcast to stop.
Episcopal diocese rejects 'misinformation' amid claims it failed to enforce 'safe church' policies An Episcopal diocese in California is defending itself amid accusations that it's failing to properly enforce policies meant to protect its churches from sexual predators.
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
Calloway County, in which Murray is located, is one of several western Kentucky counties that has been officially declared to be in a drought. August has been a very dry month. Calloway is a rural county, and the lack of rainfall may have a negative impact upon agriculture in the county. It will increase the risk of wildfire. Trees and grass are already showing the effects of the drought.
Gardeners will have to water their gardens more often. Otherwise, what plants they have in their garden will not flourish. Plants need water to grow as well as sunlight and good soil.
Our lives in some ways resemble a garden. The things in our life to which we give the most attention flourish and those which we neglect, they do not thrive.
Being human, we may not always give enough attention to what rightly warrants our attention, and we may give more attention to the things that we would do well to let go off—things like anger and resentment. We water these negative feelings, and they take over our life.
In the message we look at what the Scriptures teach us about anger.
Readings: Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-9; James 1: 17-27; and Mark 7: 1-23
Message: What Do the Scriptures Teach Us about Anger?
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-september.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:
-It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.
-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.
3 Possible Approaches The Church Can Take To Cultural Shifts
If we want to engage people, we need to spend time with them, listening, asking, and answering questions and do so with humility.
10 Important Ways That Big And Small Churches Are Opposites
Big churches and small churches don't just operate differently. When the gap becomes wide enough, some principles get reversed.
3 Ways the Church Can Provide Respite for Special Needs Families
What can the church do to provide respite for special needs families? How can we build relationships, offer support, and provide rest?
Haunting the Father: MacDonald’s Diary of an Old Soul
George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Congregationalist minister. He as a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature. His best known fantasy novels are Phantastes, The Princess and the Goblin, At the Back of the North Wind, and Lilith. As well as fantasy novels and fairy tales, MacDonald also published several volumes of poetry and sermons. He was a strong influence on Lewis Carroll, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkein, and other writers.
Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight
I’ve always found the “armor of God” passage in the sixth chapter of Ephesians a rich vein of Scripture; specifically, its instructions for how we can stand strong in our faith in the face of enormous, ferocious opposition. Our spiritual lives are not pursued in a vacuum. Rather, our lives are part of a vast spiritual realm, and not all of it is benevolent. There is open war. At stake are God's purposes in your life and in the world.
5 Reasons Leaders Stumble and Fall
The Church is imperfect because people are imperfect, but the living, breathing body of believers focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ ultimately can’t fail because God can’t fail.
Steps To Balancing Structure And Spontaneity In Worship
Here are some tips on creating that ideal balance between structure and spontaneity, and how to lead your band through spontaneous moments.
6 Benefits of Churchwide Bible Study
A churchwide Bible study allows church members to personally study at their convenience while maintaining accountability and community.
How, why and hyperbole
There are three trends in copywriting that have been so overused they should now be avoided.
7 Tips for A New Academic Year
There is a change in the air. The weather still feels like summer, but the shift is undeniable. We are leaving the slower summer days behind and heading into the more structured, disciplined focus of fall. One of the primary reasons for this shift is the academic calendar. Multitudes of children and adults are back in school or will be shortly. Even if you are not a student or teacher, you cannot help but feel the change, and it is an excellent time to evaluate our lives in this new season.
Faithful Futures: Nurturing the Next Generation of Believers
Youth ministers are in the field of building faithful futures. So are pastors, teachers, and parents. Guiding young people spiritually is a privilege and also a challenge. With all the pressures and distractions teens face, youth leaders play a vital role in nurturing young believers. Faithful futures is a term that reflects God’s promise to give his children hope and a future. That’s why Jeremiah 29:11 is such a popular confirmation and graduation verse. But faithful futures also represents the commitment that young people make to God. Church leaders help shape the next generation of believers. So let’s look at our commitment to ensuring faithful futures for teens.
Little Missionaries: Teaching Kids to Spread God’s Love
Developing little missionaries in your children’s ministry is doable. In fact, it happens weekly in Sunday school classrooms. Young evangelists profoundly impact people all around them by sharing Jesus’ love. By nurturing seeds of faith in young hearts, we empower kids to spread the gospel everywhere they go. Learn how children’s ministry leaders and parents can inspire kids to be everyday missionaries.
Going Through The Waiting
I believe there are four specific reasons why God allows His children to wait.
Start the School Year with Purpose
If you or your kids are headed back to class this fall, that means it’s time to Gospelize!
When we read the Old Testament, we may think to ourselves, “How does what happened to the people of Israel in ancient times apply to me? I live in the twenty-first century. The world has changed.” It is true that may things have changed since ancient times. Human beings, however, have not changed greatly. The people of today are prone to the same failings as the people of ancient times. We can learn from the mistakes that they made and not repeat them.
In the message we look at one such failing and how we can avoid it.
Readings: Exodus 32:1-14; James 1: 1-8
Message: Single-Minded
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_29.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:
-It is recommended that after reading or hearing a lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows the lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.
-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.
Church Renewal Requires Property Renewal
Revitalizing a parish often begins with addressing its physical condition. While spiritual renewal is crucial, the state of the buildings can either foster or hinder that renewal. Neglected facilities become a source of anxiety, shame, and distraction, making it difficult for the congregation to focus on their mission. Gerald Keucher explains how a well-kept building can bolster a congregation’s self esteem, promote revitalization, and create an environment where hope and spiritual growth can flourish as it fulfills its mission.
The Feeling of Unworthiness in Gen Z—And How We Can Help Fix It
According to new data from The Relate Project, which surveyed more than 7,000 adolescents worldwide, more than 40 percent of teenagers do not feel worthy of being loved. And it’s my hunch that these feelings of unworthiness may stem from this digital infiltration as they consume the internet or their social media platforms, looking for acknowledgment from others and vying for ways to stand out. This, they’re led to believe, is what validates. This is what some think affirms that they are worthy of love.
4 Ways to Mobilize Young Adults to Serve
It’s no coincidence that churches reaching young adults also involve them in meaningful work within the church.
Christians and Public Policy: Be Engaged, Informed, and Conflicted
As we navigate our opinions on public policy and electoral choices, it’s tempting to delegate our critical thinking to others. Miranda Zapor Cruz writes that Kingdom citizens must resist this ease and strive to stay engaged, informed, and even conflicted. By doing so, we uphold our responsibilities as faithful citizens, ensuring our actions reflect thoughtful and conscientious participation.
“Coop’s Soups, an Innovative Business and Ministry” featuring Cristin Cooper
A call to ministry along with a desire to make friends and fight off loneliness led Cristin Cooper to launch Coop’s Soups, an innovative business and ministry. She shares how loving God and loving neighbor led her to reach people in new and creative ways.
VOICES: 7 reasons you need the Holy Spirit
od consists of Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father sent His only Son to be our redeemer, and the Holy Spirit enables us to believe in Jesus and empowers us to follow Christ as our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit dwells within the body and soul of every believer. The Apostle Paul wrote to believers in Corinth: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" (1 Corinthians 6:19) Regardless of your spiritual condition today, here are 7 reasons you need the Holy Spirit...
Charismatic movements in the 20th and 21st centuries
In the 20th century a great deal of discussion – and controversy and disagreement – was generated by contrasting viewpoints concerning the way the Holy Spirit is experienced by individuals and communities and the impact of this on services and worship. That dynamic conversation and exploration continues. It has its roots in the experiences of the Early Church.
5 Secrets for Ordinary People to Build Extraordinary Community
People will attend and stay at a church where they have friends. But what role do the church members, not the leaders, have in creating such an environment? I want to offer five ways for church members to create extraordinary community. You’ll notice that these are more pragmatic in nature. I didn’t mention things like small groups, Bible study, etc. Those are sort of assumed. I’m talking here really of just developing friendships.
4 Ways to Make Your Church Safer
With a variety of safety concerns, how can churches take the next step in providing a safer and more secure place of worship for congregants?
UMC bishop detained in Nigeria over visa dispute amid Church leadership debate
United Methodist Church bishop has been detained in Nigeria, reportedly over a visa dispute, as he traveled to the country amid a debate over who controls the regional denominational body. Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe was detained last Friday by the Nigeria Immigration Service while meeting with members of the UMC Southern Nigeria Annual Conference, The Herald reported. At issue was the effort to establish new leadership for the Nigerian Episcopal Area amid disputed claims over whether the regional body is still affiliated with the UMC.
Public Support for Polygamy Grows
Few U.S. adults (11%) believe having an affair is morally acceptable, but more than twice as many (23%) don’t have any issues with polygamy, according to Gallup.
Singing 'Amazing Grace' may be good for heart health, study finds
A new study has found a possible link between singing "Amazing Grace" and improved heart health. The study was carried out by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin to find out what effect singing the much-loved hymn might have on the cardiovascular health of older people with coronary heart disease, Premier Christian News reports.
4 Solutions to “I Hate Choirs”
As recently as 15 years ago, you’d find a choir in the typical church, even the smaller ones. After hundreds of years of dominance, the choir has strangely had a rapid and sad decline in a very short time. What happened? Let’s look at the problems and see if we can come up with solutions.
This may be a problem in some churches. In the early 1980s, his book, Renewal in Worship, Bishop Michael Marshall drew attention to the fact in their attempts to imitate the worship of large churches, many small church choirs were attempting to perform music that was beyond their ability to perform. He recommended that small churches tailor their worship according to their circumstances and not try to imitate large churches.
What I have found is that many worship bands are no better at encouraging congregational singing than choirs. Many contemporary praise songs are NOT participatory. They are pitched at an uncomfortable range for the average singer in the congregation. The worship band may have to rehearse them several times before performing them. The worship band does not repeat even the easier-to-sing ones with enough frequency for the congregation to learn and master them. Consequently churches are losing the bonding and mood elevation that group singing fosters and the other benefits of congregational singing.
When Bible Reading Doesn’t Produce a Neat and Tidy Takeaway
In our desire for a takeaway from our daily Bible reading, we may simply be confusing forms of Bible intake. Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible meditation are certainly related, but they are not the same.
The Early Church and Small Groups
How could the 120 disciples in the upper room possibly have taken care of 3,000 new converts? (See Acts, chapter 2.) These disciples were trained by their Master to take responsibility to disciple these new believers.
How to Help a Group Member Facing a Crisis
Whether it’s due to a crisis or to physiological causes, you will inevitably get the opportunity to help a fellow group member through his or her struggle with depression. The following, adapted from the chapter “Depression: Supporting Your Friend in the Darkness,” offers many practical ways to do just that....
4 Hopes for the Lausanne Congress (L4) in Seoul, Korea
Our world and its ideologies, worldviews, and cultural norms are constantly changing. Evangelicals must remain faithful to our mission and the historic Christian faith by clearly and boldly stating our beliefs in light of such issues. While I do not speak on behalf of the Lausanne Movement, I do want to share some reflections on defining our stand with clarity, and my four hopes for the theological commitments we make in Seoul at L4.
Effective Evangelism Requires Ongoing Discipleship
To lead the church to embrace evangelism, determine to take the long view of discipleship that aims at the heart, mind, and hands.
Understanding Gen Z Compared to Other Generations
It is essential for church leaders to understand Gen Z in relation to previous generations. Thom and Jess, a Boomer and Millennial, compare Gen Z to four other generations. Here are the four generations they will discuss....
Why Gen Z Is Called “The Anxious Generation”
Mental health statistics point to the severe emotional and mental challenges of Gen Z. Church leaders should be aware of the significant reasons why this challenge is taking place. Thom and Jess look at three key reasons....
How Churches Can Reach Gen Z
Gen Z could represent the first generation to return to church after decades of declining attendance. Thom and Jess look at four areas where local churches can connect with Gen Z in positive ways....
Simplify Evangelism
A challenge every ministry leader confronts at one time or another is how to consistently build relationships with unchurched people when their time is dominated by ministry. Many of our relationships are devoted to other Christians, leaving us little time for those outside our faith.
How to Mobilize Our Churches to Finish the Task
The church’s birth in Acts 2 gives us a great model for how we’ll reach the remaining unreached people groups on the earth. Within the story of these early Christians, we get the biblical foundation for mobilization.
5 Principles for Building an Evangelistic Culture in Your Church
For the Great Commission to be your church’s priority, it must be a part of your church’s culture. Five principles played a major role in how we approached evangelism during my time at Saddleback. They are universal principles that I believe any church can use to build an evangelistic church culture.
6 Key Evangelistic Strategies to Help Your Church Grow
Here are six evangelistic principles, modeled by Jesus, that will help your church reach new people.
Growing the local church is a byproduct of making new disciples. It is a mistake to let it become our primary motivation for making them.
Why You Need to Think Like a Fish
You can’t be a good fisherman unless you learn to think like a fish. You need to learn their habits, preferences, and feeding patterns if you want to catch them. Certain fish like smooth, still waters. Others like the rushing rivers. Certain fish are bottom-feeders. Others like to hide among the rocks. If you don’t understand the patterns of the fish you’re trying to catch, you’re wasting your time. The same is true when you’re trying to reach people with the Gospel. Jesus gives us a great example of someone thinking like a fish.
When Your Neighbor Accepts Christianity as Good (but Not True)
The New Atheism has given way to a cultural moment where Christianity is being spoken of warmly again.
Big, Unfriendly Churches Are Bad — But Small Unfriendly Churches Are Dangerous
Today’s post is not a slam on big churches. None of my posts will ever be that. Instead, it’s intended to serve as a caution to Small Churches. Friendliness is not more likely in a Small Church. But it is more important.
The Post-Pandemic Shift in Evangelical Church Engagement
Research confirms what many pastors are feeling. After the pandemic, church engagement looks different for congregants.
Orthodox churches boomed during pandemic, study finds, but calls growth ‘mixed bag’
Almost half of US Orthodox churches remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to only 12% of all religious congregations.
Study finds dramatic decline in people's desire to stand out from other people
A study by Michigan State University's College of Social Science found a dramatic decline in people's desire to stand out from other people over the past 20 years.
This development may prove a significant barrier not only to Christians spreading the gospel but also to non-believers embracing the Christian faith. It helps to explain why some Christians are reluctant to share their faith with others and why some non-believer who otherwise might embrace the Christian faith are reluctant to do so. Japan's conformist culture as been a major obstacle to the spread of the gospel in that country.
People need this 'essential' cognitive ability—and fewer have it than ever before, says psychologist: 'It's a major concern'
People are losing the cognitive and social skills they need for a thriving personal and professional life, says organizational psychologist Richard Davis. "We are at risk of losing this essential capability that I call receptivity," says Davis, the managing director of Toronto-based leadership consulting firm Russell Reynolds Associates. "It's the ability to have good judgment, to have insight about people, and it's a major concern."
Like the previous development, this development may prove to have negative ramifications for gospel work.
Church Planting is Changing: Here’s How to Change With It
Church planting is one of the most challenging things you can do as a pastor… but it can also be one of the most rewarding. And like almost anything in leadership, church planting is changing as culture changes. Some of the methods that worked to plant and grow a church a decade or two ago are not nearly as effective as they once were.
5 Truths for Global Church Planting Today
Data from written surveys and roundtable discussions reveal a universal interest in planting healthy churches, as well as challenges common to church planters the world over. [1] Consultations have produced a rich blend of experience, achievement, burdens and aspirations. After much sifting and reflection, we condensed this collective knowledge into five simple truths about planting churches in the early twenty-first century, hoping to spark yet more discussion on the issues....
3 Steps to Clarify Your Church Planting Vision
As honest and experienced church planters will tell you, there are mountains of work that go into planting a church. “Three steps” in any title barely scratches the surface of the prayer, planning, people-gathering, fund-gathering and other preparation that goes into the months—or years—leading up to the start of your new church. But as it relates to your church’s vision, there are three distinct and vital steps to go through before you declare your church’s birthday and throw a big launch party (or a simple first-Sunday gathering) for it. Skipping or moving too quickly through any of the steps can be dangerous.
Forging Faith: How Growing Churches Are Reaching Young Adults
Each year we seek out stories and principles behind the numbers that churches report for the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing Churches list. This year Lifeway Research interviewed those seeing encouraging things happening in their ministry to those in their 20s.
The little known story of the Bible's female prophets
The Bible includes a number of female prophets. This is the story....
7 Things That Make the Gospel of John Unique
“One of these things is not like the others.” That was a classic segment on Sesame Street, as well as the title of a popular children’s book. It proves again that everything you need to know in life you probably learned in Kindergarten. After all, when it comes to the four gospels, it has been long recognized that “one of these things is not like the others.” There are three Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—with very similar content, tone, and pacing. And then there’s the gospel of John.
12 Post-Pandemic Questions Every Worship Leader Should Be Asking
Pastor, author, and theologian David Manner recently presented twelve vital post-pandemic questions every church, every worship leader (and pastor!) should be asking right now.
Foundations of Faith and the Future of Evangelism: A Look at the Lausanne Movement, part 1
Fifty years ago, evangelical leaders around the world recognized the need to think and work together for the mission God had given them. Meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974, they laid out the priorities for Christian mission at the end of the 20th century. This meeting birthed the Lausanne Movement.
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
Our Old Testament reading is an account of the dedication of the first Temple at Jerusalem. In the reading King Solomon anticipates a day when the Temple would not only be the focus of prayer for the people of Israel but also for foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. King Solomon’s words were prophetic. That day would come.
But God had more in store, more than King Solomon could imagine. God would send his Son to be Saviour not only of the remnant of the people of Israel but also of all humankind.
In the message we take a look at how the spiritual forces opposed to God are waging a spiritual war against both believers and those who do not yet believe and the place of prayer in that struggle.
Readings: 1 Kings 8:1, 6, 10–11, 22–30, 41–43; Ephesians 6:10–20; and John 6:56–69
Message: The Place of Prayer in Spiritual Warfare
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-august-25.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:
-It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.
-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.
WCC Calls Faith Communities to Work to Overcome Mpox
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is calling on faith communities to work alongside governments and wider civil society to overcome the Mpox outbreak. The World Health Organization declared Mpox as an international public health emergency on August 14. The current strain is transmitted through routine physical contact, even without intimate contact.
Related Article: African churches, church health organizations on alert as mpox spreads
Central Pennsylvania congregation sells church but remains active by renting back its sanctuary Costly maintenance and repairs, aging congregations, decreased giving, and declining attendance are not problems confined to churches in the Episcopal Church. They affect churches in a number of denominations.
Diocese of Georgia to sell diocesan offices, move into building of shuttered church
The Diocese of Georgia plans to move from its current diocesan offices into another Savannah building vacated last year when one of the diocese’s churches closed, a shift that Bishop Frank Logue said brings numerous financial and ministry benefits.
Christians and Muslims overrepresented in world’s migrants
Christians make up close to half the world’s 280 million migrants, followed by significant numbers of Muslims, agnostics and atheists, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. Released in August, “The Religious Composition of the World’s Migrants” report presents an analysis of 270 censuses and United Nations data collected through 2020, the most recent year global data are available. The study delves into changes in global migration, migration by region and how Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and the religiously unaffiliated are represented in migration numbers.
Prolific Church of England hymnist Timothy Dudley-Smith dies at 97
Timothy Dudley-Smith, a former bishop in the Church of England and the prolific hymn writer behind such songs as "Lord, Through the Years" and "Tell all, my Soul," has died at age 97. Dudley-Smith, credited with having written the lyrics for approximately 400 hymns, died in the early hours of Aug. 12, according to the Diocese of Norwich. He is survived by three children and four grandchildren.
Herbert O’Driscoll remembered as beloved writer, preacher and educator
Author, hymnist, liturgist and former dean of Vancouver’s Christ Church Cathedral Canon Herbert O’Driscoll died at home in Victoria, B.C. on July 25 after a four-year struggle with melanoma. He was 96. Friends and colleagues remembered O’Driscoll for his prolific writing, vibrant preaching style and work in theological education. He wrote more than 50 books, lyrics to dozens of hymns, and led many spiritual retreats and pilgrimages.
This article and the preceding two articles are more detailed than the earlier articles concerning the religious affiliation of migrants and the deaths of Timothy-Dudley Smith and Herbert O'Driscoll.
Six Words of Advice for Young Seminarians
For many pastors, time spent in formal seminary training is one of the most joyful seasons of life. Most seminary students are in their twenties or early thirties, learning God’s Word and how to walk by faith in all spheres of life. Toward that end I offer here six steps for maximizing the seminary experience.
7 Unseen Traits of Great Leaders
There are unseen traits of great leaders which are often unknown until tested. These unseen traits often help determine the success of a leader. I have often referred to this as the “backside of leadership”.
Related Article: 10 Things Every Leader Should Gift Their Team
8 Exciting Back-to-School Bible Activities
8 fun back to school Bible activities to help kids break the ice, build cooperation, sprout friendships, learn compassion, and reach for God!
10 Fantastic Fall Kickoff Ideas for Children’s Ministry
Here are 10 classic fall children’s ministry kickoff ideas to help you start a winning season.
4 Fall Festival Games for Your Children’s Ministry
These “everyone-wins” games and activities are perfect for a church fall festival.
Does God Have a Plan for My Life?
There have been many times I’ve wondered where this thing is headed—live seems off the rails and I wonder who is in control. Does God have a plan for me? Are all of these things really working together for my good and His glory (Romans 8:28-29)?
Share Jesus with Your Friends
The miracle story in Mark 2 is a powerful one. Jesus confounds his critics and confirms his divinity when he tells a paralyzed man to take his mat and walk home. Each time I read this story, I am struck by the humor—Jesus is teaching and all of a sudden, the roof opens up. The crowd that made it impossible for the men to get to Jesus apparently had no problem stepping aside to let him walk out. However, the most stunning element is the activity of the friends who carried the man to Jesus. I think there are three evangelism principles we can learn from these brave, unnamed individuals.
Dining with “Sinners”
Like Jesus, we should build relationships with the lost—but without condoning their sin.
The Chemistry of Church Growth
Ever wondered what your high school chemistry class has to do with the struggles your church is experiencing in growth? I’m guessing you haven’t. But I want to introduce you to two words from your high school chemistry textbook that impact whether your church is able to overcome growth plateaus.
You Can Inspire Big Accomplishments by Celebrating Small Wins
Ever noticed how we, as leaders, often get caught up in the big picture, waiting for those monumental milestones to throw our confetti? Leaders love to win. To make progress. To see results. The bigger, the better. Meanwhile, the small victories, the everyday wins, go by unnoticed. And therein lies the problem.
Military Christians Need the Local Church
While on-base churches are valuable, I believe it best serves the military member’s soul to join a local church in the community.
How the Church Can Support Survivors of Domestic Violence
Domestic abuse is an epidemic issue that has been going on for generations right within the walls of the church. I believe that God is calling us to step up and into this place of sin and suffering in our faith communities.
Lay Presidency Comes to the Church of England
The Church of England’s blessings for same-sex couples, which stop short of marriage rites, have prompted a comparable protest from low-church evangelicals. St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, a large church in Central London, has turned to “lay presidency,” a practice long favored by the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The church commissioned laymen for “Christian leadership in Church of England churches,” including overseeing informal services of Holy Communion. Leaders of sympathetic parishes, including All Souls Langham Place and Holy Trinity Brompton, attended the commissioning service.
St. Helen's Bishopgate has published a video explaining the rationale behind the July 23 commissioning service. It is noteworthy that the Bible does not prescribe who should preside at a celebration of the Lord's Supper. Who presides at celebrations of the Lord's Supper in the provices of the Anglican Communion is determined by tradition.
Both the United Methodist Church and the Methodist Church in Britain license lay persons - called licensed local pastors in UMC and licensed local preachers in the MCiB- to plan and lead worship, preach sermons, preside at celebrations of the Lord's Supper, and to provide pastoral care.
REACH South Africa has a provision in its governing documents authorizing its presiding bishop to license lay readers to preside at ceebrations of the Lord's Supper under special circumstances and the Reformed Episcopal Church ad at one time a provision in its canons permiting missionary bishops to do the same thing in missionary districts. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic former Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies authorized lay readers to preside at the celebration of the Lord's Supper in remote communities and encouraged families in lockdown to celebrate the Lord's Supper in their own homes, pointing to their attetion that while it would not be an Anglican celebration of the Lord's Supper, it would be a Christian one.
How Jesus Really Feels About You
Iam often surprised and dismayed when I hear Christians speak about the way God feels about them. So many believers live with the conviction that God is generally displeased with them, that he regards them with a sense of disappointment. They may even believe he has a sense of regret that he reached out to them and saved them. While they believe they are forgiven and will someday be accepted into heaven, they carry the sense that God will welcome them reluctantly and more out of a sense of obligation than delight.
Seven Principles for Civil Engagement
In an age of interconnectivity, communication has never been easier. With the ability to interact and engage with fellow human beings at the touch of button, conversation has never felt so accessible. With such technological privilege, one would think that hyperconnectivity with our fellow man would naturally result in civil discourse, hearty debate, and charitable disagreement. Yet one has only to peruse their social media stream to realize that something has gone awry.
Related Article: So easily offended
The Fallacy of One-Size-Fits-All Discipleship
You can mass produce many things—cars, furniture, plastic bottles, etc.—but you can’t mass produce disciples. One-size-fits-all simply doesn’t work when you’re trying to help people become more like Jesus.
Finding Our Passion
You may not have heard of Billy Graham. A study once found that nearly one out of every three Americans under the age of 30 have not. Graham was a lanky, North Carolina farm boy who felt called by God to the ministry of evangelism. Before his life ended, he shared the message of Jesus with more people – and saw more of them respond to that message – than any other figure in human history.
The Flawed Followers Who Changed the World
In 1 Corinthians 16:17–18, Paul says, “I am delighted to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore recognize such people” (CSB). I don’t know about you, but I want to refresh people. I want to be like a cool breeze on a hot day. Normally, I’m more like a stout punch in the teeth (pray for me on that).
Three Ways to Grow While You Wait
God wants to do something incredible through your ministry. No one can take that away. Your critics can’t. Neither can Satan. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have to wait for it. Sometimes God cracks a door and lets you see your future before you’re ready to walk through it.
When Projects Take Precedence in Ministry
In weeks when things don’t go as planned, do not give up or get discouraged. Instead, be encouraged that you have a fantastic opportunity to serve others and the Lord.
Episcopal bishop accused of not enforcing 'safe church' measures against pastor
An Episcopal Church bishop based in California has been accused of not properly enforcing disciplinary action against a pastor who allegedly failed to properly vet a sex offender.
Worship numbers drop as churches close, poll finds
Some people may never return to church if their own church closes its doors, a new poll has found. The survey of 2,667 UK Christians by National Churches Trust found that in-person church attendance may fall by over a quarter (29%) when a local church closes.
This poll was conducted in England but I suspect that if it was conducted in the United States, it would produce similar findings. The older people are, the less likely they are to migrate to a new church when their existing church closes.
4 Categories of Doctrinal Weight in Christian Theology
Some Christian doctrines are weightier than others. When discussing Christian theology, many of us have heard the helpful quote attributed to Augustine, “In the essentials, unity, in the non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity.” There is much to be learned from this quote, but did you know that many Bible teachers identify four different categories of doctrinal weight?
What I have observed from posts and comments on social media is a marked tendency to treat non-essentials as if they are essentials and an equally marked tendency to misrepresent the beliefs of those with whom the individual posting or commenting disagrees. .
The Necessary Work of Character Development for Pastors
What can pastors learn about their own character development from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount? What are you doing to become more like Jesus?
Paideia for Preachers: Aristotle, the Sophists, and St. Paul
“No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save.”
Get Nervous Before Preaching? 3 Remedies
Do you find yourself getting nervous before you preach? Maybe even nervous while you're preaching? Maybe even struggling with fear?
Church Youth Committee Roles and Responsibilities: 5 Jobs for Teens
Engage your imagination as to who is playing what roles. Then you can build and encourage kids’ talents and gifts.
You Don’t Have to Move Overseas to Make Your Life Count
Some of us are called to be missionaries, but every one of us is called to obey the Great Commission.
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows
Faith is like a seed planted in the earth. If it is watered, it will grow. Seeds which do not receive enough water may grow into a plant. But the plant may be stunted and may not flower and produce more seeds. While God works directly in an individual to arouse and strengthen faith, God also works through the people in the individual's life. God may use them to prepare the ground, to plant the seed, and to water it.
In the message we look at what the apostle Paul has to say about getting ready for Jesus’ return.
Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
Message: Getting Ready for Jesus’ Return
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/08/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_22.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:
-It is recommended that after reading or hearing a lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows the lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.
-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.
Confessions of a Church Merger
A church merger is a delicate dance in which one leads and the other follows. Regardless of church size and health of two merging churches, every church merger involves a lead church and a joining church. A church mergers is usually initiated by the joining church. If there is a joining church pastor, he or she typically remains on staff post-merger, but usually not in the same role. Mergers that result in a multisite outcome typically have higher rates of success and satisfaction.
Faith abounds at the Democratic National Convention, but don’t be surprised
Trump staffers have called the left ‘godless,’ but this year’s DNC painted a very different picture.
Red Letter Christians
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, loved to gather people and ask “How is it with your soul?” One of the largest questions of this election season! No one thinks conventions, ads, parties and politics make us better, holier or wiser. What throws you off balance, what makes you crazy, what divides you from your neighbor is not of God. The risen Christ visited the fearful, anxious disciples hiding behind locked doors, trembling over the troubles of their world – and he said “Peace.” Are you at peace?
“Judge Not”
... just because people can misuse a verse does not give us a reason to throw out that verse. The fact is that Matthew 7:1 is a necessary corrective that many Christians need to hear. If we can first clear away the false claims, we will be in a position to let Matthew 7:1 shape us as Jesus intended.
The ministry of buttons
Pastoral care is not only something that pastors provide to members and attendees of their church and those outside their congregation but also something they should teach to their congregations and model for their congregations so that they can offer pastoral care to others and one another.
Do You Know the Regulative Principle of Worship?
Throughout church history, there has been a tendency for serious, theologically-minded believers (and we should all want to be serious, theologically-minded believers) to fall into the trap of being overly critical of the way in which other believers approach the adiaphora [difference in Greek] circumstances of worship. More often than not, individuals who are serious about the regulative principle of worship put everything into the categories of “good vs. bad” instead of into what we may consider to be “good, better, and best” practices. Many times, what one considers an essential aspect of the regulative principle of worship is nothing other than a preferential circumstance of worship.
Anglicans have historically applied both the regulative principle and the normative principle to worshp.
3 Key Principles for Intergenerational Preaching
What does intergenerational preaching look like? David Csinos shares that it is an emergent, experimental, and highly contextual endeavor that disrupts traditional homiletical norms. He offers three guiding principles to help cultivate the practice of intergenerational preaching: simplify the language, encourage conversation, and share the pulpit.
11% of Protestants can't distinguish between Old, New Testaments
More than one-tenth of Protestants cited a New Testament story when asked about their favorite Old Testament passage, according to the results of a new study. Lifeway Research released a report last week titled “Protestant Churchgoer Views on Bible Stories” based on responses collected from 1,008 American Protestant churchgoers in September 2023. The survey asked respondents “Of all the stories found in the Old Testament of the Bible, which one is your favorite?”
Lifeway Research Report: "Protestant Churchgoer Views On Bible Stories."
Texting: The Underutilized Tool for Churches
Have you considered using texting as your primary form of communication? Here are a few ways you can use texting to engage with your people.
How Small Groups Bring Redemptive Relationships
Scott Hollingshead xplains three ways tat small groups nurture redemptive relationships.
College Freshman, Stick the Landing
Vance Greenwald offers college freshmen advice on how to naviage their first year with wisdom.
A Strategic Campus Ministry Is All About Relationships
Here are three tips for you and your church on reaching this unique demographic with the most important message in the world.
Why Paul Is a Complicated Missionary Model
Paul didn’t only have a unique role in the founding of the church; certain historical factors also make his example rarely replicable.
Nearly half of world’s migrants are Christian, Pew Research shows
US migrants are much more likely to have a religious identity than the American-born population.
Losing My Religion
A good friend of mine recently confessed, “I am giving up on organized religion.” He had been in an Episcopal parish that had torn itself apart over issues of human sexuality, with many conservatives splitting off to form a new congregation. It didn’t help his attitude that the new congregation soon split again.
The Call of the Road: Gathering of Nomads
A group of traveing domestic missionaries is reaching out to Americans who have adpte a nomadic lifestyle.
I Wish Someone Had Told Me
One of the benefits of aging is gaining a clear sense of what you wish you would have known when you were younger
Answering 2 Objections to Sola Scriptura
Tim Challies consider two of the most typical objections to sola Scriptura, the Protestant position on where ultimate authority over the church is located.
Truth Points Toward Protestantism
Nadya William reviews Gavin Ortlund's book, What It Means to Be Protestant.
Benefits of Being a Good Neighbor
What neighborhoods need is good neighbors—the kind who greet us, know our names, and invite us over for meals.
Srong Encouragment from the Apostle Paul to Pray Today for Your Church
Paul Miller’s book, A Praying Life, is one of my favorite books on prayer. Miller’s summary of Paul’s words about praying for other believers regularly challenges me to pray for my church. Perhaps they will move you in that direction toward your church today, too....
Your Holy Deeds Are Not Filthy Rags
John Piper urges his readers to bukle up because he's going to pack a lot into a very short space i this article — a kind of mini-theology of good works, how they relate to faith, how they relate to rewards, how they relate to prayer.
Christian Movies Useful as Discipleship and Evangelism Tool, Churchgoers Say
Most churchgoers say they have watched a Christian movie in the past year and agree Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.
Calls for international action on mpox to protect children and families
Christian aid agency World Vision is calling for urgent international action after a new deadly strain of mpox was declared a global health emergency. The virus has killed hundreds in Central and West Africa, and the World Health Organization fears that it will cross into other continents. The first case outside Africa was reported in Sweden on Thursday. World Vision said that children in poorer nations are particularly at risk.
Related Article: Christians asked to pray for areas affected by mpox
Religion, prayer most important in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, least important in Western countries
Europeans are least likely to say that religion is very important in their lives, compared to other parts of the world, and only 42 percent of Americans claim that religion is personally crucial to them.
Senior Researcher Johnathan Evans revealed the findings for Pew Research Center on Aug. 9, following the released results of an impressively long decade-and-a-half survey.
How a movement to resist Christian nationalism took on Project 2025
Project 2025 was the perfect test of this emerging movement’s capacity to see it, name it and fight it. And they did.
Under the guise of promoting religious values, Project 2025 would not only break down the separation of church and state in the United States and undermine the freedom of conscience but it would also introduce into government structures and practices that history shows would concentrate power into the hands of a small, self-perpetuating elite and is highly vulnerable to a number of serious abuses. Rather than making America great again, it would set the stage for its stagnation, decline, and collapse. The particular brand of conservatism represented by Project 2025 is not in step with Jesus' teaching and example and amounts to an aberration of the Christian faith. It would not only harm the spread of the gospel in this country but also around the world.
On Spiritual Amphibians
Calvin Lane, the new editor of Covenant, The Living Church's online journal, refects on how people are complex and who hold a variety of commitments and live in a messy world. They are what the historian Egan Shagan called "spiritual amphiians." Amphibians live in two worlds, i the water and on the land.
Americans Support Legality of Euthanasia, Doctor-Assisted Suicide
For the past 10 years, support for legal euthanasia among Americans has hovered around 7 in 10, according to Gallup.
Gossip: A Sin That Is Sadly Indigenous To The Church
The stench of rotten fish can ruin your appetite for pap and beef. Similarly, gossip destroys the pleasant aroma of authentic Christian life and community. In a technology-saturated world, where information about others is only a few clicks away, gossip features on most daily menus. For many, it is the exotic spice that enlivens conversation. It is subtle and almost innocent within Christian communities and churches because it permeates and punctuates daily discussions under the auspices of concern and care for brethren.
Catalyst vs. Analyst: How Effective Pastors Master Both Roles in Their Churches
Effective pastors are both analysts and catalysts. Good leaders must accurately describe reality. Good leaders must create a better future. An analyst has a proper understanding of present reality. A catalyst knows what to create for a better future. The analyst helps followers understand the present. The catalyst inspires followers to move towards the future.
12 Tips for Preaching Online
Here are some best practices we are seeing among churches for delivering digital sermons online.
What Is the Purpose of Sunday School? 4 Key Program Roles
Elmer Towns describes the trditional roles of Sunday shool in evangelical churches and examines how some evangelical churches have departed from these roles and the resultig consequences.
6 Avenues for the Church to be Salt and Light
To be salt and light to the world is a simple concept, yet it can’t happen on Sunday mornings alone. The embodiment of salt and light must be carried into the community that our churches serve.
Why evangelizing the nations must start with American Gen Zers
"How can we evangelize to the world if we cannot even evangelize at home?" writes Nick Vujicic. "We can't expect to export what we don't live out locally."
Why Speaking the Language of Your Community Matters
What your church says matters. So does how you say it. The church’s number one job is to share the good news about Jesus with people who have never heard it—in every way and every language. God wants our churches to be all-nations congregations.
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows:
All the hymns for this Sunday were selected as a tribute to the late Timothy Dudley Smith who entered the nearer presence of God this past Monday. He was 97. Timothy Dudley Smith was one of the most prolific hymn writers in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion in recent years. He wrote more than 400 hymns in his lifetime. His hymns are found in the hymnals of a number of denominations. A number of his hymns have also been arranged for choirs and soloists.
In this Sunday’s message we take a look at the part that hymns and other forms of sacred music play in the faith and the life of a Christian, according to the apostle Paul, and the implications for worship planners.
Readings: Proverbs 9: 1-14; Ephesians 5: 15-20
Message: Sing…to God with Thankful Hearts
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-august-18.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:
-It is recommended that after reading or hearing each lesson to take time to reflect on what you read or heard during the period of silence which follows each lesson. It is also recommended that you do the same thing after reading or hearing the message.
-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.
Single Parents and the Future of Children's Ministry
Most church leaders do not know how many single parents live in the community. Single moms and dads are often underestimated and off the radar. Sam and Josh talk about ways to engage single parents and their children. With some simple changes, your church can make a big difference with this group.
How Churches Can Support Christian Teachers in Public Schools
God uses the presence of Christian teachers in public schools to make his name known.
“Is This Sinful?”: How to Know Whether Something Is a Sin
“Am I sinning?” This is an inevitable question those in ministry will be asked. Christians want to know whether or not particular thoughts, words, and deeds are sinful. A glance at recent Google monthly search metrics reveals how anxious people are about this question....
4 Reasons Why You Should Share The Pulpit
Do you want to preach God’s word for the long haul? Take regular weeks off to let God refill your tank and let others feed your soul.
7 Questions to Evaluate Your Worship Service
Too often, we spend little time evaluating our worship service. We may critique based on attendance, but seldom do we review it with intentionality. Use these questions to evaluate your church’s worship service this past weekend—including evaluating whether you chose to truly worship....
Parents, Let’s Not Overschedule Our Kids to Death This Year
As the new school year approaches, many of us parents are already feeling the pressure to fill our kids’ schedules with extracurricular activities. From soccer practice to piano lessons, from ballet to coding clubs, the options are endless, and the temptation to say “yes” to everything is real. After all, we want our kids to be well-rounded, successful, and happy. But in our quest to give them every opportunity, are we actually doing more harm than good?
Christians’ promotion of corporal punishment harms bodies, minds and the gospel
Our primary problem, then, lies in how we interpret Scripture in historical context and then apply it to our contemporary lives. This already-complex issue gets further complicated by how we communicate about it.
Evangelicals make up smaller share of US population than commonly thought: report
Evangelicals make up a far smaller share of the United States population than expected due to a misunderstanding of the term, a new research report states, finding that the lack of a uniform biblical worldview among Evangelicals has negative implications.
Only 6% of self-professed Christians hold biblical worldview amid increasing syncretism in the US: survey
Only 6% of Christians have a biblical worldview as many Americans embrace syncretism, according to a new survey.
5 ways preachers blow it during the invitation
Here’s 5 ways most preachers blow it during the invitation....
Why Catholic bishops rocked out to megachurch worship hits
The rise in popularity of music from churches like Elevation, Hillsong and Bethel has helped launch a new kind of ecumenical movement.
While the worship songs from the so-called big Four megachurches dominate the worship music charts, I found that a number of them are not accessibe to the average congregational singer and are biblically or otherwise doctrinally unsound. While they are not as popular, there is mountain of worship songs from other sources, which are far more singable and doctrinally sound.
6 Ways To Embrace Culturally Diverse Worship
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?
3 Questions I Ask During Every Bible Study
Good questions are at the core of good Bible study planning. And the best questions are crafted to relate both to the text at hand and the people in the group. However, there are some general questions I ask during just about every Bible study I lead. Sometimes I’ll modify these questions slightly, but mostly they can be used as is. These questions almost always help my group look closely at the Scriptures, work to understand its meaning, and draw out its implications.
5 Trends in Reaching College Students
College students and young adults are one of the best demographics for a bold, contextualized form of evangelism.
How the Presence of God Fuels Our Mission
When we understand that the presence of God is at work in the world, and the church—as a people—is called to be faithful to his presence through Jesus Christ, our understanding of mission is revitalized.
