Wednesday' Catch: 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years' And More

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 1: Key Strengths of American Protestantism in the 21st Century
In an unusual departure from the style of this podcast, Thom and Jess look at American Protestantism in the 21st century, highlighting 10 amazing contributions and 10 abject failures. For number 21, the Rainers give American Christianity a “grade” they believe is objective based on the past 25 years. They will take four podcasts to take you on this journey

Related: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of American Protestantism the Past 25 Years, Part 2: Abject Failures of American Protestantism in the 21st Century

Ten Non-Negotiable Rules for Child Safety in Churches
Child security is crucial in church ministries to ensure a safe environment for children to grow spiritually. Sam Rainer identifies ten key measures help protect children from potential harm including: avoiding one-on-one adult-child situations, conducting annual background checks, establishing check-in procedures, supervising bathrooms, and providing ongoing volunteer training.

Millions of Christians could face deportation from the US, report says: 'vast majority of individuals at risk of deportation are Christians'
A new report by several Christian organizations warns that up to 10 million Christians could face deportation under proposed Trump administration policies—raising concerns for families and churches across the U.S.—though the authors say their goal is not to take a political stance but to highlight the potential impact on the American church. 

Trump’s cruel calculus on public health is slashing lifelines for the most vulnerable
While the White House justifies its clawback of $11.4 billion in public health funds by declaring the pandemic “over,” the truth — buried beneath rhetoric — is that this money was never solely about COVID. These funds were the only significant investments in behavioral health infrastructure in a generation, targeting deeply underfunded mental health and substance use services long before and long after the virus.

Related: States sue Trump administration for rescinding billions in health funding

Kennedy Axes 10,000 Health Workers and Makes America Unhealthy Again
...HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s move Tuesday to fire 10,000 HHS workers, or one-quarter of the agency’s staff, without warning or cause shatters that vision and makes American communities less safe. It comes a week after the Trump administration cut $12 billion in federal grants to state and local health departments to track communicable diseases and to treat mental health, addiction and other urgent health problems.

NewSpring Church Voluntarily Leaves SBC Amid Controversy Over Female Pastors
NewSpring Church, a megachurch with multiple locations in South Carolina, has voluntarily withdrawn from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) despite the fact that the denomination’s Credential Committee reaffirmed its cooperation with the church following an inquiry. The inquiry into whether NewSpring should still be considered to be “in friendly cooperation” with the SBC was launched last year after concerns were raised about the fact that a woman serves as a teacher pastor for NewSpring.

America the secular? What a changing religious landscape means for US politics
A common assumption holds that nonreligious Americans vote for liberal candidates. The reality isn’t so simple.

Here’s who’s behind the war on empathy
Alan Bean offers an analysis of the antipathy toward empathy in segments of the US population, what these population segments have in common, and how they differ from each other.

The late cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead was once asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said. "We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized.”

Which Identity is More Important: Race, Gender, or Religion? Or are we just trying to put smoke in a box? 

There’s this inherent tension in doing survey research. We are trying to get people to explain their thinking about things. I don’t know if that’s always possible. As many of you know, I worked on a book project called The Great Dechurching with two pastors - Michael Graham and Jim Davis. We asked folks a whole bunch of questions about why they stopped attending religious services and why they might come back. In writing that book we would always come back to the possibility that people themselves don’t fully understand why they do the things that they do. They contradict themselves. They contain multitudes.

7 Life-Changing Jesus Leadership Lessons for Pastors
Jesus was the ultimate leader, demonstrating wisdom, humility, and unwavering commitment to His mission. His leadership principles remain timeless and serve as a model for pastors seeking to shepherd their congregations effectively. By studying His example, these Jesus leadership lessons for pastors can help grow in their calling and leadership. 

Random Thoughts on Preaching
In no particular order, here are some random thoughts on preaching.

12 Essential Worship Team Guidelines
A strong worship team is more than just a group of musicians and vocalists—it is a unified body that leads congregations into meaningful encounters with God. Developing a worship team that is both spiritually grounded and musically excellent requires intentionality and dedication. Here are 12 essential worship team guidelines for building a worship team that is effective, cohesive, and spiritually strong.

Spring Training in Student Ministry: The Critical Role of Parent Discipleship and how to Strengthen It
If we’re serious about making disciples, we need to get serious about parent discipleship. Here are some practical ways to make it a reality.

14 Essential Traits of a Successful Evangelist 

Evangelism is a powerful calling that requires passion, dedication, and a deep commitment to sharing the gospel. Those who are most effective in this role possess specific qualities that allow them to connect with people, communicate God’s truth, and inspire transformation. What are the essential traits of a successful evangelist that contribute to their effectiveness in ministry?

Tuesday's Catch: 'Don’t Invite Your Friends to the Eucharist' And More

Don’t Invite Your Friends to the Eucharist: The Church We Are Becoming
The Rt. Rev. Daniel Martins, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in the Episcopal Church, shares his thoughts on what he describes as "the tsunami of 'post-Christendom'" and how the church should respond to what he hazards may turn out to be more significant than the 16th century Reformation.

The Burge Report: Everyone Is Having Less Sex (What It Means for the Church)
Ryan Burge discusses his most-read research post of the year. Every age group is having less sex than they were a generation ago. Not only has sexual behavior declined among young people, but it has also declined among Evangelicals and other religious groups. What are the implications for the church? How should pastors address this reality, if at all?

Related: How Does the Public Feel About Sex Among Teenagers? And what role does religion play in shaping these views?

Are There Two Types of Gen Z When It Comes to Religion?
Every now and then someone has a somewhat original thought on Twitter. That was certainly the case a couple of weeks ago when Rachel Janfaza, who writes a newsletter called The Up and Up, posted a picture of ‘two Gen Z’s.’

Most Immigrants Who Are Vulnerable to Trump’s Mass Deportation Policies Are Christians: Report
A new report has revealed that the majority of those affected by President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportation are Christians.

Related: Evangelical, Catholic groups: 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by Trump deportations

Christians believe human fallibility too great to allow unchecked power for our leaders
If the political realm will not stand up to the autocratic pretensions of the current president, it falls to people of faith to take nonviolent action.

Rebuilding for Renewal: The Importance of Sacred Spaces in Our Cities
A church without a building can still thrive, but having a place to call our own has deepened our ability to live out our calling.

In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, Jesus made it clear that to God it does not matter where we worship. What matters most to God in how genuinely we worship him.

The Story and Message of the Bible
The Bible is comprised of many books and written by various authors over centuries, but as God’s Word it is a unified revelation unveiling a single message. It is crucial to understand what the Bible’s overall message is to interpret it properly and rightly apply it to our lives

3 Preaching Alternatives to PowerPoint

PowerPoint has long been a staple of modern preaching, helping pastors and speakers organize their thoughts with visual support. However, many preachers find themselves looking for alternatives to PowerPoint that foster deeper engagement, minimize technical issues, and create a more dynamic worship experience. Whether you want to simplify your presentation or make your sermons more interactive, exploring different tools and techniques can greatly enhance your message.

New Attention for Old Hymn Texts
The Rev. Ted Campbell has edited and published “A Core Methodist Hymnal, which collects the texts of 126 hymns in the public domain. Campbell is a longtime professor at United Methodist seminaries and an authority on the great hymn writer Charles Wesley. The book is intended as a devotional or study book for individuals and small groups and includes commentaries by Campbell after each hymn text.

Basic Small Group Dynamics Every Leader Needs to Know
Small groups are powerful tools for building relationships, fostering spiritual growth, and achieving shared goals. However, leading a small group effectively requires an understanding of small group dynamics. By recognizing how groups develop, interact, and function, leaders can create an environment makes discipleship bloom.