Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Tuesday's Catch: "Introducing the Seoul Statement' And More


Introducing the Seoul Statement
The Seoul Statement, alongside The State of the Great Commission report, is being released at the beginning of the Fourth Lausanne Congress to be an informative and inspirational tool for the global church during the Congress.

The Nuts and Bolts of Starting a New Church Site
The multisite church movement continues to grow. Today, more small churches start new sites than larger churches. Thom Rainer talks with Jess Rainer about the very practical steps of starting a new site. Jess has started three churches himself.

Are Megachurches Bad? 5 Unfair Criticisms It’s Time To Drop
When you think of large churches and megachurches, what comes to mind? Do you have a problem with megachurches?

Ed Stetzer: All Shapes and Sizes Each year, when we publish the Outreach 100 issue, it fosters some debate. Is there value in continuing to track the largest and fastest-growing churches? Why create such lists?

Undivided: How Regular Churchgoers Cultivated Racial Unity
hese days, it’s hard to avoid the divisive rancor that characterizes so much of our public life. In times of deep contention, how can church leaders equip people to bear witness to the gospel in a deeply convictional way, yet still be a source of unity—so that their communities can continue to grow and multiply? Navigating these turbulent times is no easy task for anyone in leadership.

Navigating a Massive Shift to Part-Time Clergy
Having a full-time paid priest serving one congregation used to be the norm in the Episcopal Church, but not anymore. Sixty-four percent of Episcopal congregations don’t have a paid, full-time priest. That’s up from 40 percent in 2015, according to the most recent Office of General Convention data from 2022. This massive, cost-lowering shift is having far-reaching ripple effects on congregational leadership, including who practices it, how leaders train, and what forms leadership takes.
The Episcopal Church should give serious thought to licensing lay pastors to not only preach sermons and to provide pastoral care but also to preside at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist and to administer the sacrament of Baptism--a step both the United Methodist Church and the Methodist Church in Britain have taken.
Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church: 1985-2024
Any report on changes in clergy numbers and ages must acknowledge clergy leaving as a result of the disaffiliation process between 2019 and 2024. While this is a factor in declining clergy numbers, it is difficult with the information we have at this point to identify the specific impact of disaffiliation on various age groupings of clergy.

Pulpit Abuse: What It Is And How To Stop It
Do your sermons always circle back to your favorite topics? If so, you might be practicing pulpit abuse.

River baptisms revive faith on Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor, an iconic and rugged landscape in North Cornwall, has recently become a site for inspired Christian renewal through outdoor river baptisms.Earlier this month, on Sunday 15 September, an enthusiastic congregation of about ninety gathered at Delphy Bridge on the De Lank River to witness a series of baptisms, marking the second such Christian ceremony this year.

Getting the Most Out of Scripture Writing
Research has shown that writing things out by hand is more beneficial than we might have thought. It helps your memory more than typing...and writing by hand has also been shown to help you learn and retain knowledge....

How Pastors Who Feel ‘Overwhelmed’ by AI Can Engage With It Well
There are church leaders who want to ignore artificial intelligence (AI) completely and there are those who find it intriguing, but regardless of pastors’ feelings about the technology, it is essential that they engage with it. Experts whom ChurchLeaders spoke to at Gloo’s second annual AI and the Church Hackathon offered encouragement and practical steps for how pastors can do so well.

Effective Young Adult Ministry Depends on Small Groups
No matter your church size or context, there are things your ministry can do to engage the young adult population in your community.

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