Tuesday's Catch: 'Would Evangelicals Prefer a United States with No Mainline Protestants?' And More

Would Evangelicals Prefer a United States with No Mainline Protestants?
...those evangelical bomb throwers on social media who like to point out the heresy of the mainline do not represent the majority view. In fact, numerically speaking, they represent an incredibly small fringe of evangelicalism.

The 3 Reasons You're Losing Church Members
Discover the 3 reasons why you may be losing church members and how to address them for church growth.

Is Downsizing the Church the Only Way to Save It?
In an era where the average church in America has an attendance of about 50 people, Karl Vaters talks about desizing the church, the drug of size, the good and bad of the church growth movement, and what large and small churches get right.

New Apostolic Reformation evangelicals see Trump as God’s warrior in their battle to win America from satanic forces and Christianize it
Many followers of the New Apostolic Reformation − a Christian religious movement − claim they receive divine guidance in reconstructing modern society based on Christian spiritual beliefs.

Americans elected Trump. They might not like what comes next.
Donald Trump has been president before. But all indications are that we should expect an even bolder Trump — or more extreme, depending on your point of view — in a second term.

A second Trump presidency has a strong likelihood of having unanticipated detrimental effects upon US churches. Trump's proposed tariffs, for example, would raise the cost of living for many Americans and in turn have a negative impact upon their contributions to the support of the local church. See What are tariffs? What to know about Donald Trump's plan to tax imports.

Who do you blame for this election and what can be done about it?
White Christian support for Donald Trump will go down as one of the greatest failures in American church history.

Martin Thielen has a point. Based upon what I have observed on social media, there is a significant gap between the posts and comments of self-identified Christians and Jesus' teaching and example. There is pronounced tendency to romanticize the President Elect, for example, he is represented in memes as a devote Christian kneeling in prayer, while at the same time overlooking his serious character flaws and other shortcomings. No apparent thought is given to the strong prohibition in Scripture about being deceitful, lying, stretching the truth, and giving false testimony.

Bob Woodward is wrong. American democracy is crumbling
We’ve all heard a lot about how Donald Trump won the presidential election, which voters he managed to draw in, and where. But what about the big picture, and the long game? What does Trump’s victory say about how safe America’s democracy is? And what, in turn, this might mean for the safety of the rest of us around the globe?

A Australian view of a second Trump presidency.

Pay Close Attention
...what makes a healthy leader? Here are three metrics church leaders should consider when looking at the state of their leadership health.

6 Do's and Don'ts for Pastors Before and After Worship Services
The times right before and right after worship services are probably more important than you realize. Pastors have a unique opportunity to interact with the entire church. As a church leader, your persona on Sunday morning is not the whole of who you are, but it’s often the primary way church members form perceptions about you. Thom and Sam talk about the six best practices for pastors before and after worship services.

The “Plus One” Approach to Church
Are you just starting out at a new church and don’t know how to get plugged in? Have you been at your church for years and still haven’t found your place? Are you feeling disconnected, unhappy, or bored with your local congregation? Let me suggest you enter the “Plus One” program of church involvement.

You Can’t Life-Hack Your Way to Holiness
When the Christian life doesn’t follow the simple, formulaic approach we learned as children, we often seek new methods. We hunt for the perfect technique or tool to maximize our Bible reading or make us more consistent in prayer. What practices will transform my life? What rhythms, formulas, or liturgies might help me gain the most from spiritual disciplines?