Monday's Catch: 'The Urgent Reality of Church Safety' And More

The Urgent Reality of Church Safety: New Issues Every Congregation Now Faces

Every church has a dual calling when it comes to the evils of the world: ensure safety and confront danger.

How Do Your Church’s Post-Pandemic Finances Compare with Other Churches?
Lovett H. Weems, Jr. shares information on how the pandemic affected congregations financially, drawing on data from a recent Hartford Institute report. Overall, the report found that the fiscal health of faith communities was not dramatically altered by the pandemic, with the majority of congregations reporting that they are in excellent or good financial health.

I am anticipating that churches are going to face rough times financially during the second Trump presidency as a number of Trump's economic proposals, if they are implemented, will raise the cost of living for many Americans and decrease their disposable income. They will also result in a slowdown of the economy and increased unemployment. This will negatively impact charitable giving. At the same time deep funding cuts will reduce the nation's social safety net, causing more people to turn to churches and other charitable organizations for help. With decreased charitable giving these organizations will not be in a good position to respond to the needs of those most affected by Trump's economic proposals.

Advent Invites Us to a Better Eschatology
The message of Advent is not simply “lift up your heads and keep hope burning,” but rather “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand,” and “bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” The eschatological dimension of the season is a call to conversion and a call to action. No, we will never construct the kingdom on this earth. No, we will never eradicate all injustice. But we will be judged, and judged by the standards of the kingdom, by the way we and our societies treat those who are most vulnerable.

4 Ways to Read the Christmas Story Like Jesus
From Jesus’s teaching on the road to Emmaus, we learn four important lessons for reading the Christmas story.

VOICES: Unmasking UFOs, aliens and demonic deception
As reported by The Economist earlier this year, "UFOs are Going Mainstream." Believe it or not, 20 million people in the United States claim to have seen a UFO, and four million claim to have been abducted by aliens. So, what in the world is going on here? Are UFOs and "aliens" real?

What do Christians have to say about death?
The fact that death is coming for all of us, raises the inevitable question of how we should view it. Is it something we should be afraid of, or not?

Encouragement for Those Ignored
If your goal is to make an impact in your career or calling, it won’t be long before you meet someone who doesn’t recognize (or even dismisses) your talent.

Eleven Hindrances to Answered Prayer
What are some of the most common hindrances to answered prayer?

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