Friday's Catch: 'Just Ask: A Simple Solution to the Church Planter Shortage' And More

Just Ask: A Simple Solution to the Church Planter Shortage

The problem in the Western church is clear: There is a serious lack of church planters. So, what is the solution?

Ministering in Our Times and Amid Our Tragedies
Jesus’s bold teachings challenge us to keep God’s agenda in mind as we seek to understand our times and minister in them.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s Words to President Trump Continue Stirring Controversy
More than a week after Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde asked President Donald Trump to show mercy on Americans, her comments remain a hot topic in Christian circles. Budde, the first female bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, spoke during a Jan. 21 interfaith prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.

American values and a tale of two islands
In a move that is more publicity stunt than workable policy, President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to prepare to house tens of thousands of “criminal aliens” at the Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

Despite Vance attack, Catholic bishops press ahead on defending migrants
Just a week into the Trump presidency, the U.S. bishops find themselves in an unaccustomed position: For the first time in history, their character has been called into question by a Catholic standing at the helm of the U.S. government.

As Trump touts deportations, many Episcopalians are eager to offer immigrants sanctuary, support
The Diocese of Chicago has pledged support for immigrants as a “sanctuary diocese” since 2019. Now, with the Trump administration pursuing a new crackdown on immigration, Episcopalians in northern Illinois are living out that spirit of “sanctuary” in ways as diverse as their diocese.

Related article: Sacred Resistance ‘2.0’ gearing up to support vulnerable communities across diocese

United Methodists Mobilizing to Aid Immigrants in Face of Trump Orders
As fear stalks the United States from a tsunami of executive orders targeting immigrants, migrants and refugees, United Methodists around the country are mobilizing to help the people they've been serving in ministry for many years. As of Jan. 29, multiple United Methodist statements have been published in support of immigrants and in defiance of President Donald Trump's executive orders halting immigration and imposing mass deportations.

Theologians push back on JD Vance’s view of ‘ordered love’
Vice President JD Vance is getting schooled by theologians over his inverted theology expressed in a Jan. 29 interview on Fox News...Politics aside, numerous Christian theologians took to social media to point out the vice president — who is a conservative Catholic — misrepresented the teachings of Jesus and the Gospels.

Associate Pastor, It’s Good to Be Second
... in churches around the world, some of the most profound kingdom influence comes not from those standing in the spotlight but from those serving in the shadows. The role of associate pastor—often viewed as a transitional position to “real” leadership—may be the strategic key to unlocking a church’s true potential.

25 Hymns About Trusting God in Hard Times
In a time of uncertainty, what should we sing? Right now, the church certainly needs hymns about trusting God in hard times! The relevant hymns of the faith, both ancient and modern, offer us a vocabulary for expressing our fears, anxieties, and questions to the One who hears.

Sensory-Friendly Worship for Children with Autism: A Guide for Churches
Every congregation should consider sensory-friendly worship for children with autism. Kids with special needs and developmental disabilities are vital members of the church family. But traditional worship, children’s church, and Sunday school can present challenges.

5 Myths about Children’s Ministry (Jared Kennedy)
Today we are pleased to share an audio essay written and read by Jared Kennedy entitled "5 Myths about Children’s Ministry". Jared Kennedy serves as an editor at the Gospel Coalition. He is also cofounder of Gospel-Centered Family, a ministry that helps parents and church leaders share Jesus with the next generation, and the author of Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission: Practical Strategies for Discipling the Next Generation from Crossway.

Salt and Light: Remind Teens of Their Calling as Christ-Followers
Salt and light are important metaphors for Christian living. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls his followers to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Youth pastors and ministry volunteers can use these concepts to teach teens about discipleship and evangelism.

Thursday's Catch: 'Empathy for immigrants sounds like Christianity 101. Here's why some say it's a sin.' Ad More

Empathy for immigrants sounds like Christianity 101. Here's why some say it's a sin.
A small but influential group of evangelicals argues that enforcing the law is as important as mercy, and has come to see Christian charities as the enemy.

Suspending PEPFAR: An emergency of our own making
Trump’s stop-work order came with such power and authority that, literally, it caused global momentum on fighting HIV to simply stop.

Anglican priest Calvin Robinson defrocked over Nazi-like salute 

Robinson has defended the gesture, with which he concluded his speech at the National Pro-Life Summit last week, as an ‘attempt at dry wit.’

Related articles: Calvin Robinson Defrocked for Making Gesture Resembling Nazi Salute and Calvin Robinson removed as ACC priest after 'Elon Musk salute'

In asking Trump to show mercy, Bishop Budde continues a long tradition of Christian leaders ‘speaking truth to power’
A scholar of medieval Christianity explores the history of Christians who spoke out, unafraid to risk official censure or even death.

The Church in Dark Times with Mike Cosper
Ever wonder, “How did we get to this moment?” as a country, as a church?

The Catholic cohort
The first White House press conference introduced us to Karoline Leavitt: articulate, assertive and intensely Catholic. She represents to us the third component of the Religious Right in the United States.

12 Concerns and Burdens Church Staff Members Have Shared with Me
I most often work with lead pastors when I consult with churches, but I do spend time with staff members, too. I also have church staff members among my students at Southeastern Seminary. As I work with staff, here are some concerns staff have expressed to me over the years....

The Advantage of Pastoral Longevity
The vast majority of churches grow by layers not by leaps. Step by step, family by family, person by person rather than jumping by hundreds at a time. Because this is true, momentum is strengthened significantly by the longevity of the pastor. A longer pastoral tenure doesn’t guarantee greater spiritual results (growth and life change), but it sets the stage for it.

4 Attributes Of Powerful Preaching
Kevin DeYoung presents four qualities of what he calls "truly good preaching–-the kind that resonates with people and the kind God tends to employ."

From Church Juice – Secrets of Great Church Websites
Website design is constantly changing. Technology evolves and design trends change. While this is not an exhaustive list, nor are the websites ranked in any order, we encourage you to use these great church websites as you look to update your own church website this year.

Youth Ministry Leader Burnout: Move From Exhaustion To Health Youth ministry leader burnout is unfortunately common. This calling brings challenges that can zap your joy. When ministry demands lead to burnout, everyone suffers. The good news? You can take steps to prevent burnout and restore your overall health. Discover ways to avoid youth ministry leader burnout so you can serve joyfully and effectively.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, January 30, 2025) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warned his disciples about false teachers. False teachers are not always glaringly obvious. While some false teachers intentionally seek to mislead people, others are misled themselves. They have fallen under the influence of someone else. They may suffer from distorted ways of thinking that have made them vulnerable to false teaching. One has to look at the larger picture.

This evening’s message asks a very important question.

Reading: Judges 11:1-11, 32-33; 12:1-7

Message: Who Has Your Loyalty?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/01/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_30.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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Is Gen Z In Revival or Retreat?' And More

Is Gen Z In Revival or Retreat?
Trends suggest Gen Z is simultaneously experiencing revival and retreat. How can churches be the front line for reaching the next generation?

New Research: Where Are Church Attendance Trends Headed Through 2030?
In the previous episode, Thom and Jess provided some of the most accurate data on worship attendance trends from 2019, the last pre-COVID year, through today. In this episode, they extrapolate the data to provide projected trends through 2030. You will probably be surprised.

SBC Pastor in Tennessee Faces Backlash for Immigration Comments
One online commentator's response to the sermon prompted me to dig deeper into the assertion that empathy is a sin. See the four articles to which I have posted links below.

Related articles: Have you heard the one about empathy being a sin?, ‘Empathy is considered a sin’: MAGAS viciously attack the church after Trump is asked to show compassion, The dangerous fad of calling empathy a sin, and What does the Bible say about empathy?

Bishop Budde was speaking Hebrew 

The bishop spoke truth to power. She has inherited a long and sacred lineage.

The gathering force of Trump's religious opposition
We are seeing the beginnings of an interfaith protest movement the likes of which we haven’t seen since the March on Washington.

How to Make Friends in College (or Anywhere)
As I’ve talked with youth leaders and campus pastors, some tell me that Gen Z struggles so much with social interactions that older generations almost need to reverse engineer their friendships, figure out what makes them work, and teach that to young people. So I asked those leaders for their best tips for young people trying to build their own friendships. I asked specifically about making friends in college, because that’s a time when young people are handling their own schedules and living with thousands of potential friends. But this advice could be adjusted to apply to all of us.

Church Youth Program Outline: Tips for Planning Youth Worship
No one-size-fits-all church youth program outline exists. But I believe the perfect order exists for youth worship. It just happens to be a case-by-case basis. Sure, our youth ministry has similarities in its regular worship order. But we like to view every program as its own living being.

Derwin Gray: Everyday Missionaries
If we do not equip the precious souls under our care and leadership to think and act like missionaries, the church in America will continue to reach fewer people, and discipleship in the church will continue to suffer.

Tuesday's Catch: 'The Burge Report: The New Era in American Religion Begins Now (What’s Happening?!)' And More

The Burge Report: The New Era in American Religion Begins Now (What’s Happening?!)
Are we entering a new era in American religion? Current data shows we are at an inflection point. Over the last 30 to 40 years, the share of Americans who had no religious affiliation has dramatically increased. That period is over, and something new is on the horizon. Ryan Burge joins the show to discuss what this new era in American religion may look like in the next ten years.

Related article: Young people are spiritually open but struggle with established religion - survey

Christians Face Increasing Global Persecution
Two organizations tracking global Christian persecution recently released their annual findings, highlighting issues around the world.

Faith groups say they'll help refugees despite Trump order. But they'll need help.
Trump's first term crippled much of the nation's resettlement infrastructure. Now a new executive order threatens to do the same.

Quakers file suit to stop ICE raids at churches like what happened Sunday
One day after federal immigration agents arrested a man at a church in Georgia, a coalition of Quaker meetings filed suit in federal court to block the Department of Homeland Security raids at houses of worship. The new policy of the Trump administration reverses previous federal policy that marked houses of worship and schools as off-limits for immigration raids and arrests. The actions are part of the new administration’s swift actions to create mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

What’s a Fair Share? ‘Raised for Our Justification’: Is It Enough That Jesus Died?Assessments Vary.
A comprehensive analysis conducted by The Living Church of 93 of the Episcopal Church’s 95 domestic dioceses found significant disparities related to assessment practices. In some dioceses, a parish is expected to pay a single-digit assessment to its diocese, while others turn over as much as a quarter of their operating income.

‘Raised for Our Justification’: Is It Enough That Jesus Died?
Is it really enough that Jesus died? If we’re justified by his blood, then what role (if any) does his resurrection play?

Happy Lies
I’m quite certain you have heard of the New Age movement. Though its popularity seems to have crested and begun to wane some time ago, it continues to wield a good bit of influence. But I wonder if you’ve heard of another similarly-named but quite different movement called New Thought.

The Anglican Mug
Perhaps it is strange to speak of a mug with such familiarity, but I would like to suggest that this relationship mirrors how many Anglicans approach their tradition. To more than a few clerics and theologians, our tradition isn’t treasured for its own sake but as a vessel — a means for holding and conveying something they deem of greater worth. That “something” might be the evangelical clarity of the Continental Reformation or the high aesthetic of Catholic worship stripped of Rome’s less palatable demands. Others see in Anglicanism a home for rationalist philosophy, Christian socialism, or even post-’60s Progressivism. The fact that this list could go on indefinitely only highlights Anglicanism’s peculiar openness to ideas and theologies that emerged elsewhere.

Sowing Gospel Seeds in Children’s Ministry
In show business, there’s a term called “typecasting.” It describes the way actors are repeatedly cast in similar roles due to their personality, appearance, or skill set...Typecasting shapes careers and influences how actors are perceived. Interestingly, I’ve noticed a similar phenomenon in children’s ministry. As we disciple children, it’s tempting to engage in “typecasting” ourselves

12 Indications a Church is Making Disciples
I’ve often heard people say you can’t measure discipleship. I don’t know if that’s true. It is certainly true you can’t necessarily put a number or percentage on discipleship growth – as easily as you can numerical growth, but you can tell, over time, if discipleship has happened or is happening. Granted, it’s still going to be subjective, as is this post, but I believe the Bible gives us clear indications someone has been discipled.

Related article: 5 Principles of Making Disciples and Enabling Spiritual Growth

Monday's Catch: 'Worship Circles: Worship Settings Don’t Have to Look Like a Concert' And More

Worship Circles: Worship Settings Don’t Have to Look Like a Concert
In recent years, modern worship settings have increasingly mirrored the energy and aesthetics of live concerts. Bright lights, fog machines, and towering sound systems dominate many church sanctuaries. While these elements can create an engaging atmosphere, not everyone connects with God in this high-energy environment. Enter worship circles: a refreshing approach that prioritizes intimacy, simplicity, and connection over production.

Worship settings also don't have to look like a lecture hall or a medieval church with a high altar. When families gather at Thanksgiving, they typically gather around a table, not in front of it.

In Planting, High-Energy Worship Is Essential
As declining congregations shrink in worship attendance below thirty percent of their sanctuary capacity, the energy in the room often drops below the threshold of a winsome gathering. When new churches cannot fill their worship space past thirty percent capacity, they will likely suffer from low energy in their worship gatherings.

Services that are poorly put together and contain too many elements can also negatively affect the energy of worship.

A Cultural Shift
We are living through several epic cultural shifts. Since the demise of the five-hundred-year Protestant-Christian cultural consensus in recent years, almost every denominational group has shrunk in size, especially in participation from younger people. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, churches saw fewer young families with children. The loss of America’s “mainline” Protestant churches is significant for the country in terms of the faith development of Americans and the way politically diverse churches helped hold us together as church families through moments of national division.

Working Americans Turn to Food Banks as Fed Inflation Battle Drags On
Once a month, Kersstin Eshak visits a food pantry in Loudoun County, Virginia to stretch her family’s budget. Eshak’s husband works at a big box retailer. She works as a substitute teacher. They have income, but with prices up nearly 23% over the past five years — and still rising — their earnings just don’t stretch quite far enough some months. Food banks across the nation are seeing a similar story: A post-pandemic wave of demand for food driven by working people caught in America’s cost-of-living crunch.

President Trump's obsession with tariffs and his other economic policies, including larger tax cuts for the rich and deep spending cuts in programs designed to help low income and no income Americans, are going to make things worse.

Fla. church opens doors to anyone in need of food, shelter: 'This is what the Lord wants us to do'
The founder of a Florida church comprised mostly of homeless people explained how the Lord provided her with the space to open the doors to those in need of food and shelter, the embodiment of Christ-like behavior. 100 Church, located inside a storefront in North Port, began offering free community dinners in October 2020, when many churches had stopped providing such services due to the government's COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. That same year, 100 Church provided shelter to anyone needing a place to stay.

America needs a new sanctuary movement today
As President Donald Trump categorically bans people from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border and cancels flights for incoming refugees, it’s worth recalling this isn’t the first time the federal government has failed the world’s most vulnerable — nor would it be the first time everyday Americans decided to fight back.

Related article: Episcopal bishops uphold sanctuary policies, oppose threat of immigration arrests in churches

Who Is a Young Adult?
Defining who a young adult is in your community is one more step toward connecting them in the church and making disciples.

Five Reasons Millennial Pastors Are Not Moving to Larger Churches
They are the second largest generation in America’s history. At 74 million persons, they are only surpassed in size by the Boomer generation. Born between 1980 and 1997, they are shaping our businesses, our government, and our culture. And they are shaping our churches.

Discipleship Bands
A discipleship band is a group of three to five people who read together, pray together, and meet together to become the love of God for one another and the world.

Discipleship bands can be independent small groups. They can be affiliated with a existing church. A cluster of discipleship bands can also form the nucleus of a new church.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, January 26, 2025) Is ow Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. It is also the last Sunday of January. In a little over five weeks, it will be the first day of Lent, commonly known as Ash Wednesday, which falls this year on March 5th. It is a good time to start thinking about how we are going to observe a holy Lent in 2025. For example, we may want to take on a new spiritual discipline such as Lectio Divina, a meditative prayer practice that involves reading a passage of scripture, reflecting upon it, and then praying in response to what God is saying to us through that passage.

This Sunday’s message addresses the question of who is a part of the Body of Christ.

Readings: Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; and Luke 4: 14-30

Message: Who Is a Part of the Body of Christ?

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/01/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-january_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.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Just Hire the Right Person' And More

Just Hire the Right Person
Policies are inherently limited because there can never be enough rules to cover every conceivable circumstance.

10 Things Healthy Churches Do Well
Whether we are a critic or a lover of the church — or for some of us, both — it's important to remain balanced.

Bishop’s Sermon Ignites Web Debates
House Resolution 59, a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 23, condemned the sermon preached by Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde during the National Prayer Service two days earlier, which closed with a direct plea to President Donald Trump to show mercy.

Related articles: Now the US House wants to censor a preacher? and Inauguration week was a collision of two Christianities

The budgets coming to Congress would bend the moral arc away from justice
Those of us committed to continuing King’s dream should be outraged by the unjust economic proposals being advanced by the administration and Republicans in Congress.

9 Tools for Leading a Life-Changing Bible Study
Having the right tools available can open a conversation around God’s Word that will eventually lead to discipleship. You don’t need seminary training to lead a life-changing Bible study. All you need is some planning and a few tools.

Whatever You Want to Be: Start Acting Like It
Whatever you want to be in life – novelist, filmmaker, artist, pastor, leader, whatever – there’s one piece of advice I’d give you: Start acting like it. Too many people wait years for their opportunity while successful people step out and do it now. Sure, you may not have funding, school isn’t finished, you haven’t left your day job, or you haven’t picked the right project. But I’ve discovered that everything changes when you start the interior process of being that person.

Friday's Catch: '10 Reasons Churches Aren’t Attracting People Who Need Jesus' And More

10 Reasons Churches Aren’t Attracting People Who Need Jesus
Many churches bemoan the absence of newcomers but fail to consider how their own failure to meaningfully engage others contributes to this reality. Phil Maynard outlines 10 reasons churches aren’t attracting the many people in their communities who need Jesus.

8 Phases of Moving Guests from Anonymity to Community at Your Church
What is the process by which guests transition from unfamiliarity with your church to becoming raving fans? How do they move through those phases, and how are we helping them at every step along the way? Understanding how guests transition along the spectrum from stranger to advocate for the church is important for us as we build our programs and processes.

7 Best Practices of First-time Guest Gifts at Your Church
Are you leveraging your first-time guest gifts effectively enough to move people from being guests to fully connected members of your church?

Related article: First Time Guest Gifts: 26 Lessons from 33 Churches

‘You Need to Repent’—Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates Responds to White Evangelical Pastors Celebrating Trump’s Presidency as a Sign of God’s Favor
Pastors celebrating Donald Trump’s presidency as a sign of God’s favor to the United States need to repent of their “theological arrogance” and their “failure to understand Scripture in light of history,” said Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates in a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, Jan. 23.

Churches are no longer off-limits for immigration arrests under Trump
Authorities in the US have been given the green light by the Trump administration to arrest undocumented migrants at schools, churches and hospitals.It has been over a decade since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) and Customs and Border Protection have been allowed to make arrests in so-called "sensitive areas". The policy change was announced on Tuesday by the US Department of Homeland Security.

Catholic leaders speak out against Trump's immigration policies
A growing number of Catholic Church leaders are criticizing President Trump's immigration crackdown. Bishop Mark J. Seitz, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration, joins "America Decides" to discuss his opposition to some of Trump's recent moves.

‘Laken Riley Act’ sets the stage for Trump campaign against immigrants
Amid a flurry of executive orders from the White House immediately after Donald Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20, immigrant and refugee advocates were on the lookout for signs of the campaign promises they fear most. Some of those things came true almost immediately, but one of the most significant actions came at the same time in both houses of a Republican-controlled Congress: Passage of the Laken Riley Act. That bill now is on track to become the first one Trump signs into law as president. Hailed by conservatives as a needed response to the threat of violence by illegal immigrants, the bill has been dismissed as dangerous political theater by others.

10 Kinds of Pastors You Should Have MAJOR Concerns About
In this article Scott Postma shares a number of his concerns about pastors and the role they play in the church’s decline.

The Ministry of Small Things
In the pursuit of meaningful service for Christ, oftentimes the little things are the big things.

“Exploring Spiritual Direction“ featuring Eunhyey Lok
How can spiritual direction impact leaders and congregations? In this episode Eunhyey Lok reflects on the role of spiritual direction, its benefits for personal and church growth, distinctions from counseling, and tips for finding a spiritual director.

The story behind the red letters in your Bible
Millions of people read the New Testament printed with the words of Jesus in red. Most people do not realise that this is a fairly modern evangelical tradition. This is the story....

How To Teach Kids Theology
Tim Challies reviews Sam Luce and Hunter Williams' How To Teach Kids Theology.

Handling Questions in Youth Ministry: Advice About Advising Teens
Youth group members view you as a trusted guide. So your approach to handling questions in youth ministry matters. You won’t always have the answers, of course. But you can address sensitive or controversial topics with wisdom and compassion.

Thursday's Catch: 'Trump’s Executive Order Harms Persecuted Christians, Argues World Relief' And More

Trump’s Executive Order Harms Persecuted Christians, Argues World Relief
Less than a week after Donald Trump’s inauguration, World Relief is calling on the president to reverse course on immigration policy, particularly with regard to an executive order suspending the United States Refugee Admission Program (USRAP). World Relief argues that Trump’s course of action exacerbates humanitarian concerns, including for Christians fleeing persecution around the world.

Episcopal bishop says she'll continue to pray for Trump, who lashed out at her over viral sermon
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Diocese of Washington, said Wednesday that she will continue to pray for President Donald Trump, hours after he lashed out at her over a sermon.

Related articles: Trump demands an apology from bishop who asked him to ‘have mercy’ on LGBTQ+ people and migrants, Bishop defends comments aimed at Trump during sermon, and After eyebrow-raising sermon to Trump, Bishop Budde beset with criticism and praise

A plea for courage
Thank you, Bishop Mariann Budde. Where are the rest of them, the folks who proclaim the Christian faith and yet never would dare stand before the president to ask for mercy for our sisters and brothers who deserve mercy? Where are the hundreds of ordained folks who proclaim that Jesus has something to do with their lives and the work they do as priest, preachers and bishops in this present moment? Where are their pleas for mercy? Where is their courage?

Bishops Challenge President, Policies
Bishops issued pastoral letters urging Episcopalians to care for marginalized and vulnerable people after President Donald Trump’s Inauguration and the new administration’s wave of executive actions affecting immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and transgender individuals.

3 Diagnostic Questions for the Christian Idolater 

That title might not make sense to you. At first reading, it might seem to be self-contradictory. How can a Christian be an idolater? Christians recognize and believe in the God of the Bible, don’t they? And don’t they willingly confess Jesus as Lord? How, then, can Christians be idolaters? Pretty easily, actually.

The Tell-Tale Signs of Abusive Pastors

Abuse originates in how victimizers view others. At some level, they believe that other people exist to fulfill their desires. Pastors who take advantage of others place themselves at the center and try to control the orbits of vulnerable people around them. Victimizers are not necessarily brash or overpowering. They may be sensitive, subdued, and even charming. Many abusive pastors have likable personalities. So what are some warning signs to watch for? Josh and Sam discuss this difficult topic.

9 Points For Preaching On The Problem Of Evil
The topic of evil offers many onramps to preaching powerful sermons and proclaiming the gospel. Dr. Norman Geisler offers insight for preaching and pastoral conversations.

Independent Small Groups – Apart from a Church?
Small groups have long been a cornerstone of church life, providing believers with opportunities for fellowship, spiritual growth, and mutual support. But as the nature of religious engagement evolves, many are questioning whether church small groups can thrive outside the formal structure of a church. While these groups have traditionally been rooted in a church community, recent trends suggest that independent small groups are not only possible but also increasingly common. Some believers are beginning to consider whether independent small groups can exist apart from association with a church, and the benefits and challenges that come with such a setup.

What Is Discipleship?
On a church ministry level, discipleship leverages the resources of God’s people to promote disciple making.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, January 23, 2025) Is now Online

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

Dawn and dusk have traditionally been times of prayer for Christians since earliest times. In the morning, we dedicate the day and ourselves to God; in the evening, we confess to God how we have erred and strayed from God’s ways during the day, ask God’s forgiveness, give thanks for the mercies God has shown us, and pray for God’s protection throughout the night. This daily rhythm of prayer keeps our heart and mind focused upon God as does the spiritual disciple of being mindful of God’s presence with us wherever we are and whatever we are doing and sharing with God either silently or aloud as circumstances permit what is on our heart and mind. We also attentively listen for God’s voice.

In this evening’s message we look at two spiritual dangers Christians face and a way Christians can help each other to grow spiritually.

Reading: Galatians 5: 13-26

Message: Works In Progress

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/01/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_23.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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Budde Appeals to Trump for Mercy for Those Living in Fear' And More

Budde Appeals to Trump for Mercy for Those Living in Fear
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde appealed directly to a glowering President Donald Trump on behalf of LGBT people and immigrants in an emotional finish to her sermon at Washington National Cathedral’s interfaith Service of Prayer for the Nation, which marked the close of Inauguration events on January 21. “Millions have put their trust in you,” Budde said. “As you said yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of the loving touch of God. In the name of our God, have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now.”

Related articles and videos: In sermon to Trump, Bishop Budde pleads for immigrants, transgender rights, At prayer service, Episcopal bishop calls on Trump to show mercy, Bishop rebukes Trump at service, asks him to ‘have mercy’ on LGBT people, illegal immigrants, Trump rails against bishop who rebuked him over LGBT stance, This Church Sermon Went Viral After Bishop Chastised Donald Trump, and Trump criticizes church service after bishop makes plea for immigrants

Presiding Officers Attack Trump’s Deportation Plans
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and President of the House of Deputies Julia Ayala Harris criticized President Donald Trump’s plans for deporting undocumented immigrants on an unprecedented scale in a pastoral letter issued January 21. They describe a series of executive orders he signed just after taking office as a “harbinger” of more dramatic actions soon to come.

Related article: Presiding officers uphold Biblical call to ‘welcome the stranger’ after Trump’s anti-immigration orders

Trump's inauguration should be a day of REPENTANCE for Christians in America.
Patrick Kahnke explains why he believes Trump's inauguration should be a day of repentance for American Christians.

I. Am. Afraid.
I am not just worried. Or apprehensive. Or uneasy. I am afraid.

The ‘Surprising Rebirth’ at Oxford: Perspectives from a Graduate Student 

When I started my master’s program, I came mentally prepared for the ridicule I’d been told Christians inevitably receive in academia. I even read historian Tom Holland’s Dominion to arm myself with positive moments in Christian history, ready to face the gauntlet of accusations about colonialism, imperialism, and misogyny. To my surprise, I encountered a far different posture toward my religious beliefs.

Beyond the Fiction: What Are the Real Church Attendance Trends in America?
It’s hard to get a handle on accurate church attendance trends in America. Examining some of the most reliable sources for church attendance data, including the work of Church Answers, Thom and Jess look at some incredible data that will provide clarity and help your church.

Our Migrant God
The Bible is filled with migration narratives because it is a reality that humans have lived throughout our history, and one that humanity will continue to experience. And while stories like Christmas depict the courage and compassion found in dire circumstances, other narratives reveal devastating choices people make when struggling to survive.

A Set List Challenge for Worship Leaders
The problem with worship songs is that we end up just picking them. We scan the CCLI top 10 and string together a bunch of hits. Little thought goes into what my friend Zack Hicks calls the “theological diet” of our people.

Hannah Gronowski Barnett: Are You Ready?
Hannah Gronowski Barnett offers a strategy designed on 10 key principles that she believes are essential to building ministries that effectively reach, engage and mobilize the next generation on behalf of the gospel.

What Makes a Good Church? 10 Signs You’re Attending One
What makes a good church? No church is perfect, but there are some biblical blueprints that dictate whether or not a church is fulfilling its God-given mission as the bride of Christ. The reason a church cannot be perfect is because we as humans are flawed. Inevitably, the second any one of us step inside a church building, we in fact have contaminated the idea of perfection. Regardless of the human imperfections, here are 10 signs of what makes a good church.

9 Guidelines for Developing a Culture of Evangelism with Your Church this Year
Here is a list of guidelines I have found helpful in leading churches to develop a culture of evangelism that is biblical, practical, and owned by the members. Pastors must take the lead and set the example in their teaching, modeling, story telling, expectations, and providing training and outreach opportunities.

7 Ideas for Fostering Connections with Unchurched People
Three in 4 pastors say fostering connections with unchurched people is a top priority. Here are seven practical ways to engage with others.

Image Credit: Jack Jenkins, RNS

Tuesday's Catch: 'Advocates reeling as Trump shuts down legal refugee entry' And More

Advocates reeling as Trump shuts down legal refugee entry
On “day one,” President Donald Trump shut the door on legal immigration of well-vetted refugees into the United States. While much of Trump’s anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric focused on what he called “illegal” immigrants — people he uniformly equated with crime and disease — this Jan. 20 executive order goes much further and shuts down a part of the nation’s immigration system even evangelical leaders had begged him not to harm.

Letter from Episcopal Church leaders on Trump administration immigration executive orders
"Even as we gave thanks for a peaceful transfer of power, we learned from news reports that the new presidential administration has issued a series of executive orders that are a harbinger of President Trump’s pledge to deport undocumented immigrants at a historic scale, restrict asylum, and direct other immigration actions. We read this news with concern and urge our new president and congressional leaders to exercise mercy and compassion, especially toward law-abiding, long-term members of our congregations and communities; parents and children who are under threat of separation in the name of immigration enforcement; and women and children who are vulnerable to abuse in detention and who fear reporting abuse to law enforcement."

Do You Really Remember What Took Place in Churches During COVID?
Though COVID is still mentioned frequently, many of the detailed memories have disappeared. Thom and Sam recall six very specific developments in churches during COVID based upon hundreds of stories from members of Church Answers. They share what we can learn from them today.

Embracing Latino Spirituality
Latinos are often seen primarily as a demographic solution — a potential means to bolster numbers and build diversity. This perspective, however, reduces a vibrant culture and its rich spiritual life to mere statistics, overlooking the profound spiritual depth that Latinos bring. To genuinely address the church’s challenges, we must move beyond this narrow focus on demographic contributions and recognize the cultural and spiritual wealth inherent in the Latino community. Our role is not just to increase numbers, but to foster genuine relationships and true inclusivity.

Seeds of Religious Freedom: The 500th Anniversary of the Anabaptist Movement
As snow fell on Zurich’s narrow streets on January 21, 1525, a group of young Swiss reformers huddled inside Felix Manz’s home in the shadow of the Grossmünster cathedral. The air outside was frozen, but the room was filled with fervent prayer and intense discussion. This was a forbidden gathering. Zurich’s city council had prohibited these men from convening for Bible study. The edict was to no avail. The smallest seeds of religious freedom had already been sown. By the end of the night, the first Reformation-era believers’ church was born.

Against Executive Pastors
For churches of a similar size and wealth to the aforementioned leafy London church, an increasingly popular hire has been an Executive Pastor. They have become somewhat ubiquitous in churches of a certain size and evangelical lilt. Now, I have been in a number of churches with EPs, and this is not to say that those men have not been gifted or productive in the life of those churches. Yet I find the role somewhat superfluous conceptually.

What Happens at the Prayer Meeting? 

Each Sunday night we have a prayer meeting. The church gathers, there is singing, a short exhortation from a passage of Scripture, and then we pray through that passage of Scripture. That is how the prayer meeting happens. I want to tell you what happens at the prayer meeting.

Hundreds of churches offer warm spaces this winter
As winter continues to bite, hundreds of churches across the country are opening their doors each week to offer a warm space to people struggling to keep their heating on. There are 485 Church of England churches offering warm spaces this winter, many of them with food and activities to help build community.

Monday's Catch: 'Should We Trust Churches? And If So, How?' And More

Should We Trust Churches? And If So, How?
Should we trust churches? Obviously, not all churches are trustworthy, some aren’t even orthodox! But setting matters of prudence aside for a moment, Should we desire and work to trust churches and other religious institutions or should we have a posture of skepticism? Put differently, what do we lose if we hold a posture of skepticism toward religious institutions and what do we risk?

10 Features of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community
C. Anthony Hunt identifies 10 features of the Beloved Community in the work of Martin Luther King Jr. He describes how King’s concept of Beloved Community, rooted in the biblical notion of God’s unconditional love, connects faith to action.

What Does Hate Feel Like in The Body?
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, but when hate sneaks into our hearts, we can lose both self-control and awareness of who we’ve become, writes the Rev. Neelley Hicks. It is critical for Christians to understand the spiritual, emotional and physical warning signs of hate. Through self-awareness, we can recognize the triggers that set us off and take steps to de-escalate, she says.

The Church and the Illusion of Political Salvation
The French philosopher Jacques Ellul once discussed “”The biblical view [of the church] is not just apolitical but antipolitical in the sense that it refuses to confer any value on political power, or in the sense that it regards political power as idolatrous, inevitably entailing idolatry” (The Political Illusion, 1972, p113). These words profoundly echo in our moment, as numerous Christians are attracted to the appeal of political engagement.

3 Approaches to Recruiting Volunteers Among Infrequent Church Attendees
How does less frequent attendance impact volunteer recruitment? There are three mindsets church leaders may have as they recruit volunteers.

Why Don’t Pastors Use All Their Vacation Days?
Few pastors use all their vacation days. One-third of the pastors say they always take fewer vacation days than the church permits.

3 Keys To Overcoming Barriers To Bible Engagement In The Church
In North America, we have more Bibles than ever, but less and less real engagement. Why?

Prayer Is Not Like a Good Recipe
Though in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus provided a basic structure to inform the way we pray, he did not provide a formula. And in fact, no such formula exists, for prayer is not meant to be formulaic. It is not meant to be an exercise in rote statements or vain repetitions.

The Psychology of Short-Form Content: Why We Love Bite-Sized Videos
73% of consumers prefer to watch short-form videos to learn about a product or service, and 56% of marketers reported that short-form video was the top trend they planned to invest in in 2024. So, why are short-form videos so popular? Turns out there are a few reasons, one of which involved a bit of psychology. Let's get into it!

7 "Somebody's" In Our Lives
A few years ago, I wrote a book called, Nobodies for Jesus: 14 Days toward a Great Commission Lifestyle—a book about being so fascinated with Jesus that we don’t worry about getting recognition from others. All we want is to make sure others know the name of Jesus. In today’s post, though, I’m thinking about “somebody’s” in our lives. Here are seven that come to mind for me—including “somebody’s” we don’t often realize are there....

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, January 19, 2025) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

In the twenty-first century those planning worship have a broad range of hymns and other forms of church music from which they can select treasures both old and new, like those the master of the house brought from his storeroom in Matthew 13:52. The church music of Christians of other times and other places is a part of their witness. Exposure to a wide variety of these forms will not only enrich the worship of a congregation but also foster its spiritual growth. This Sunday we have church music from the sixteenth century, the nineteenth century, the twentieth century, and the twenty-first century.

The topic of this Sunday’s message is spiritual gifts.

Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, and John 2:1-11

Message: Spiritual Gifts

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/01/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-january_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.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'What I Suspect Will Happen in 2025' And More

What I Suspect Will Happen in 2025
When it comes to the start of a new year, there tend to be two kinds of predictions. The first are “shots in the dark”—wild, almost baseless predictions that seem more designed to gain attention than to be grounded in any kind of fact. The second are more reasoned. They tend to be based on things already happening that seem to be headed toward even greater prominence. It’s the second of those types of predictions that can be of use, and I offer a dozen here that I hope will serve churches and their leaders for the coming year.

I am anticipating economic hard times due to the incoming Trump administration's agenda, e.g., tariffs, cuts to social safety net funding; deportation of migrant agricultural, construction, and meat processing workers. The affluent will not feel the squeeze but the middle class, blue collar workers, and the poor will. So will churches with a decline in giving and an increase in the number of families and individuals struggling to make ends meet.

Field Notes for Episcopalians on the 80 Percent
Despite many worthy efforts at explication, evangelical remains an uncertain label. Always an admixture of theology, history, and sociology, a turning mobile of persons, networks and institutions with only the most tenuous ties to one another — often yielding inexplicable kinship, on the one hand, but also ties that will not bind, on the other....

Christian Diversity
My beautiful ‘practicing’ Christians: As churchgoers’ numbers shrink, their social views grow more similar.

Italian bishop refutes claim of policy change allowing ordination of gay men: 'Not a correct reading'
An Italian bishop has insisted that the rules for admission to the priesthood in his home country haven't changed amid reports that new guidelines allow homosexuals to become priests as long as they remain celibate.

Ahistoricism Leads to Doctrinal Drift
The church is always situated in a cultural context. Ever since the early church, Christians have grappled with how to speak the gospel into culture and become all things to all people while remaining true to biblical teachings. And yet contemporary Western societies have largely lost their meaningful engagement with, and connection to, history. This has left them disconnected from the full scope of the cultural context of the church. I have coined the term “Ahistoric Age” to identify the way in which this plays out.

What Will Be the Sacred Cows in Church Worship When the Millennials Are the Oldest Generation?
In about 30 years, Millennials will become the dominant older generation in most churches. What will they refuse to give up? Josh and Sam talk about their generation and what might become the sacred cows as they become elderly.

Using Loops in Worship
How can we successfully bring loops into our worship set? Many small churches want to start using loops – laptops running some sort of rhythmic or musical software in the background of different songs. How do we use loops in worship tastefully in a way that works for our congregation and feels authentic to our worship dynamic? Here are 5 non-negotiables when it comes to using loops in worship.

"But I Keep Sinning!"
Many Christians understand that justification produces sanctification, but it’s easy to forget that, while justification happens in an instant, sanctification is a lifelong process—one that is often nonlinear as you run into roadblocks and experience setbacks. If you expect to see some evidence of the end result (sinless perfection) while skipping over the process, you will be disappointed—and, worse, you will question how effective your sanctification is. Those questions will then lead you to wonder whether you were ever justified.

Also See: The Radiance of Real Holiness

Friday's Catch: 'Washington Post Digs Into Sex-Abuse Allegations" And More

Washington Post Digs Into Sex-Abuse Allegations
The Washington Post has published a 5,300-word story about multiple allegations of sexual abuse against Jeff Taylor, a former priest with The Falls Church in northern Virginia. The story said the FBI may be investigating the allegations, but the FBI declined comment.

The Vatican braces for a second Trump presidency
Recent appointments show Pope Francis and Trump already setting a different tone for Vatican-U.S. relations.

Evangelical leaders urge Trump to preserve refugee resettlement program
Leaders of some of the most prominent evangelical organizations in the U.S. are urging Donald Trump to preserve the nation’s refugee resettlement program when he takes office.

Majority of adults globally believe children will be economically worse off than parents: study
Adults in 36 countries around the world, including the United States, hold a bleak view of what the future holds for their children economically, with more than half expecting that kids today will be worse off than their parents amid growing income inequality, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

Mark DeYmaz: Poised to Thrive
To know and place volunteers for church and kingdom advance, ministry leaders would do well to ask new or existing members the following three questions....

How To Engage Preschoolers in Church: Build an Early Faith Foundation
EngagiHappy Wednesday Blessings: Midweek Encouragement for Teensng preschoolers requires intentionality and creativity. Plus, a solid understanding of development helps. So let’s look at tips for how to engage preschoolers in church. Learn how your kidmin program can captivate preschoolers.

Happy Wednesday Blessings: Midweek Encouragement for Teens
For youth pastors and youth ministry volunteers, midweek messages are ideal for touching base and inspiring teens. So keep reading for creative ways to share happy Wednesday blessings. Learn how to offer encouragement that matters to today’s teens.

Congregation’s furniture ministry distributes hundreds of beds each year to families in need
Partners in Housing Transition is a long-running furniture ministry of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Of all the furniture and household items that its staff and volunteers put in the hands of deserving families throughout the year, the most important is a place to sleep. The ministry provides new or gently used mattresses and frames, pillows and sheets – all free of charge to more than 200 families a year in Kalamazoo County.

Image Credit: The Falls Church Anglican

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, January 16, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

Both Jesus and the apostles used what were common life experiences at that time to explain and illustrate what they were saying. These experiences may no longer be common experiences today or they may only be common experiences of one or more segments of the population. Or they may be common experiences, but we give little or no attention to them. How many people who live in the suburbs pay attention to their neighbor watering a lawn except when it is a drought and water is scarce, or the neighbor's sprinkler wets them?

Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is packed with the apostle’s teachings. In this evening message we take a look at one of his teachings and how it applies to every Christian.

Reading: 1 Corinthians 3: 1-22

Message: Planting and Watering

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/01/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_15.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.

Thursday's Catch: 'Public Trust in Pastors Continues Steep Decline' And More

Public Trust in Pastors Continues Steep Decline
Trust in pastors continues to fall with only 30% of U.S. adults saying clergy members have high or very high levels of honesty and ethics.

Changes to Title IV in 2025
In this article Lynn Carter-Edmands draws attention to a number of chages in the Episcopal Church's disciplinary canons that will be effective in 2025.

The Simple Sermon Outline That Helps Me Preach Better
Brandon Hilgemann explains a simple three-part sermon outline that has helped him structure his preaching and keep him focused on what a sermon is intended to accomplish.

Related article: 100 Sermon Topics

Talk to God in His Own Language: Learning to Pray the Bible
...most believers fall into varying sorts of routines in their prayers. This is quite normal, but there are both helpful and unhelpful prayer routines.

12 Spiritual Disciplines That Will Make Your Faith Strong
How does a Christian train for godliness? Brandon Hilgemann identifies what he believes are twelve primary spiritual activities that were practiced by Jesus and prescribed for all believers in the Bible.

The Quiet Time Kickstart
Rachel Jones has written a book that is meant to help new Christians—or long-term Christians who have never quite gotten going—to kick-start their quiet time.

Is Your Hospitality Christian?
...while Christians may know to show hospitality, we can be less clear on how to show distinctly Christian hospitality.

Spread God’s Love: Printable Acts of Kindness Checklists
As Christians, spreading God’s love through kindness aligns with the teachings of Jesus and helps to build a community of compassion and hope.

Wednesday's Catch: 'The Flow of Dinner Church: What Dinner Church looks like' And More

The Flow of Dinner Church: What Dinner Church looks like
“So what does this actually look like?”

Also See: Dinner Church Reading List and Hope Dinner Church

Ten Tips for Becoming a Productive Pastor
Pastors are ... expected to “run the race” constantly. But how can they keep up the pace in this marathon of ministry without burning out? How can they remain productive with such demands? Jess and Thom offer ten tips for becoming more productive pastors.

Physical Stewardship: Viewing Health as Worship for Pastors
Eating healthy often feels impossible. What if even in our busy ministry lives, we can approach our health in a way that glorifies God?

12 Tips for Preaching Online
Jim Tomberlin shares best practices for churches delivering digital sermons to their online audiences or satellite campuses. He highlights how simple adjustments to language and camera strategies can make those not in the room feel valued and included.

Bible Study Tips for Beginners: How to Use Cross-References in the Bible
What are cross-references? Why bother reading them? How should we read or use cross-references in personal Bible study?

Innovative Small Groups Strengthen Faith Connections
Here are just a few examples of innovative small groups to get your creative juices flowing! Each example comes from a small group that is working to keep things fun, fresh, and new.

Is Your Church Lying? 

When it comes to evangelism, a mission statement can turn from big black letters on a church marquee to a little white lie that the church is telling the community.

Tuesday's Catch: '5 Hidden Dangers of Consumerism in the Church' And More

5 Hidden Dangers of Consumerism in the Church

How prevalent is consumerism within the church? Unfortunately, church attendance and a consumeristic mindset are correlated.

At last, some good news for the Church of England
Just when the Church of England needs some good news ... the Royal Mail has issued a set of special stamps celebrating the UK's most popular cleric. Yes, the much-loved Vicar of Dibley is making a comeback to letterboxes across the country with eight new designs featuring episodes from the classic comedy series, shown by TV stations in the UK, US and across the world.

The Vicar of Dibley Theme (Original)
This is the actual original version of the theme used in the show. It is Howard Goodall's choral arrangement of Psalm 23, "The Lord Is My Shepherd."

Dealing With Negative People in Church
Ron Edmonson offers 7 ways to respod to negative people in the church.

Sermon Prep: Not How Long, But Where?
...many pastors are in danger of spending too much time in their office surrounded by books when they should be spending more time in the world and among people as part of their sermon preparation.

10 Commandments for Great Discussions
Over the past 30 years of ministry I have had the chance to facilitate hundreds of discussions in dozens of environments, and along the way I’ve picked up some principles for what works and what doesn’t; here are my top 10....

Baptism Promises and Foxholes
“No one will give you a medal for bringing your baby to worship, for getting two or three small children dressed and out the door for church with a little nourishment in their tummies in time to get to the nine o’clock service,” I said. “But it will make an immeasurable difference in their lives...."

Motivate Volunteers: 5 Ways To Maintain Excitement
...when it comes to igniting passion, you need multiple methods. What works to motivate some of your volunteers may not work for all.