Wedesday's Catch: 'How Important Is the Feeling of Belonging at Church?' And More

How Important Is the Feeling of Belonging at Church?
People leave churches for various reasons. Sometimes they leave a church because they don’t have a sense of belonging there.

Some Churchgoers Feel Congregations Have Chronological Confusion
The decade in which churchgoers feel their church’s ministry belongs contributes to the tone of the congregational conversations.

Politics and Issue Disagreements Send Some Churchgoers Looking for a New Congregation
More than 1 in 5 churchgoers left a congregation because they couldn’t agree with some of its teachings or positions on issues or politics.

Is the Denomination in Your Church Name a Liability?
Most denominations are in decline, which means the churches within them are decreasing in size. Does the baggage of a name have anything to do with it? Josh and Sam discuss whether having the denomination in your church name is a liability.

I learned 11 years ago how the denomination in a church name can be a serious liability. In my former diocese the election. confirmation, and consecration of an openly gay bishop, the first in a major Christian denomination believing in the historic episcopate, brought my former diocese's church planting initiative to a grinding halt, leading to the shutting down of one new work and a sharp decline in attendance of another new work. Both new works had been thriving before this development. It also led to a significant drop in attendance across the diocese, resulting in at least one growing parish becoming a mission again. This development showed how a change in the public image of a denomination can a adversely affect its churches. 

After Trump shooting, calls for violence and civil war spiked online
The day after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the internet saw a huge spike in calls for violence, and in particular an increase in calls for a modern-day civil war — a chilling reflection of a small group of users who create and amplify messages glorifying mass shooters and perpetrators of targeted violence.

The existence of this group of users should concern religious leaders as churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship are often the targets of arson, shootings, and vandalism.

The Prayer Book, Memorialization, and Communion Across Difference, Part II
This second part of my three-part essay on these matters begins the conversation about the first step in the process to add gender-neutral marriage to the Book of Common Prayer. Yesterday’s article explored the resolutions proposed by the Task Force on Communion Across Difference, which were considered Louisville. Tomorrow’s Part III will look at changes to the Constitution and Canons related to liturgy and the Book of Common Prayer and proposes some ways to think about the future.

Church/state mandates then and now: A tenuous freedom
Church/state mandates began early in the American colonies.

What People Hear When A Leader Doesn’t Communicate
Leader, do you realize what you communicate when you don’t communicate as a leader?

4 Temptations That Leaders Face
It’s troubling to see a called, gifted and talented leader give up a lifetime of ministry for a moment of temptation. And the sobering truth is that we all face temptation. It’s rarely a “I never saw it coming – it took me by surprise” situation.

Pastor Like It’s AD 299
Review: Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls by Coleman Ford and Shawn Wilhite.

Message Prep and 3 Rhythms to Avoid the Agony of a Blank Page
A blank page on a Monday, six to seven days before you must preach, is agony. At least for me. I do all I can to avoid it. Here are three things I do....

When Should You Stop Praying?
Sir Walter Raleigh filled many roles and wore many hats over the course of his life, among them politician, soldier, and writer. But he is best known to history as an explorer. In 1584, Queen Elizabeth granted him a charter to explore, colonize, and rule any “remote, heathen and barbarous lands, countries and territories, not actually possessed of any Christian Prince or inhabited by Christian People.” In return, he was expected to extend the reach and riches of the crown. The first region he claimed, he named “Virginia” in honor of Elizabeth, the virgin queen.

How to Choose, Train, and Keep Women’s Ministry Volunteers
Committed, prepared, unpaid workers are necessary for our women’s ministries. So how do we find “volunteers” (even when no one has volunteered)? How do we train them for their assigned roles? And how do we keep them involved?

Qualities of a Youth Leader in Church: Must-Haves for Volunteers
What are must-have qualities of a youth leader in church today? Youth leaders need to understand the importance of recruiting and developing volunteers. It isn’t rocket science, but few people do this the right way.

Do You Know the Strengths of Your Congregation?
....what if you did an inventory of the unique skill set at your church and focused your outreach efforts with that in mind?

How well do you really know your congregation? What are its strengths? What does it have going for it? How might you build on these strengths to reach your community?

People Reaching People
The last couple of years have reshaped churches’ activities, numbers and thinking. Many of the fastest-growing churches have shifted their evangelism strategies or renewed their focus on their mission. Their increased awareness and specific emphases are worth considering for any church leader. Three important shifts contributed to the stirring of evangelism: equipping people to be everyday missionaries, elevating the role of groups, and amplifying opportunities to serve.