Friday's Catch: 'Is There Any Hope for Revitalizing Mainline Churches?' And More

Is There Any Hope for Revitalizing Mainline Churches?
The long, slow death of mainline churches is well documented and goes back to the 1970s. In the mid-twentieth century, approximately half of all Americans were identified as members of one of the seven mainline denominations. Today, it’s between 10% and 15%. Not much is said about revitalizing these churches, but there is hope. Josh and Sam interview one mainline Methodist elder, Chad Brooks, who has a plan to solve this problem.

Make Do With Less: A Grassroots Approach to Church Transformation
As the denomination’s budget shrinks, how are churches supposed to pick up the work of church with fewer resources available? It’s clear that the Church is weathering through trying times, but the situation also presents an opportunity to consider outside-the-box approaches to church transformation and vitality. For a long time, we thought the success of any kind of church growth depended on the development of a particular method or strategy that offered unique insight into reaching a group or community.

'Quiet revival' may be happening in Ireland too
The “quiet revival” in Britain, especially among younger men, may well be occurring in the Republic of Ireland as well, with new research suggesting increasingly favourable attitudes towards Christianity in the country, albeit with a fair amount of suspicion towards the Roman Catholic Church. A poll of a 1,000 people commissioned by The Iona Institute, and carried out by Amarach Research, discovered that Gen Z (18 to 24 years-old) are more open to faith than Millennials (25 to 34 years old).

A Theology (Not Ideology) of Creation Care
Politicization has invaded our thinking to such a degree that when it comes to environmental concerns and challenges, responsibilities and commitments, we think about our political moorings before we look to what the Bible actually says. Or more to the point, instead of what the Bible actually says. We carry our political views like they are religious views, and we often make those political views our true religion.

Real Cost of Disasters Is 10 Times Higher Than Previously Thought, Says UN
As countries face increasingly steep bills from natural hazards, the true cost of disasters is actually 10 times higher than previously estimated, with far-reaching effects across healthcare, housing, education and employment. That’s according to a report released Tuesday by the UN’s disaster risk reduction agency, UNDRR.

9 Key Responsibilities of a Pastor That Go Beyond the Pulpit
Being a pastor involves far more than delivering sermons on Sundays. While preaching is central to a pastor’s role, there are other vital pastoral duties and responsibilities that shape the health, growth, and spiritual vitality of a church community. These responsibilities often go unseen by the congregation but are just as essential to the life and mission of the church.

Two-Adult Rule: A Must for Your VBS
One supervision angle that matters greatly and can easily get overlooked at VBS merits specific attention: the two-adult rule.

The Real Meaning of Fulfillment in Christ—Not What Culture Tells You
For Christians today, understanding true fulfillment in Christ isn’t a nice idea. It’s essential if we want real peace and purpose in a noisy, restless world.

5 Questions Every Church Must Answer Before It Can Send Out Pastors and Missionaries
Your church will be ready to send out pastors and missionaries only when it can answer each of the following five questions with a loud and hearty, “Yes, and amen!”