When Church Attendance Influences Political Views (and When It Doesn’t)
In the world of public opinion there are issue areas that are often seen as ‘belonging’ to one party or another. For instance, foreign policy has always been seen as a strength for the Republicans, while something like healthcare has been more in the Democrats’ wheelhouse. Of course there is also a clear religious dimension to the public policy space, too. An issue like abortion is deeply intertwined with theological discourse, while something like gun control or environmental regulations aren’t often spoken from pulpits across the United States.
Catholic bishops, Evangelical Latino group oppose Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill
A coalition of Catholic bishops and Evangelical Latino leaders has formally opposed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that its provisions on immigration and artificial intelligence threaten both moral values and civil liberties. In a joint letter to the U.S. Senate, the faith leaders called on lawmakers to reject the legislation, citing its potential to harm immigrant families, weaken poverty assistance programs and erode states’ rights.
General Synod Learns of Leasing Scandal
A massive financial scandal is rocking the Anglican Church of Canada. How was a $9 million five-year lease signed without the knowledge of the denomination’s finance committee? How could something of this magnitude occur without proper authorization? Who had signing authority? Further, can the lease be broken? Can the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) get out of it? How will it recover from this decision?
Texas Supreme Court says UMC can sue Southern Methodist University over attempt to leave denomination
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a regional body of The United Methodist Church can sue Southern Methodist University over its effort to disaffiliate from the denomination. Founded by the UMC's predecessor denomination in 1911, SMU is home to the Perkins School of Theology, which is one of 13 UMC seminaries that receive aid from the denomination’s Ministerial Education Fund.
How to talk about polarizing topics at church
Churches can talk about polarizing topics — even politics — if they enter those conversations seeking transformation rather than conformity, church consultant Matt Cook told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis June 26. Cook, director of the Center for Healthy Churches, led a breakout session called “Responding to Polarization: Beyond Fight or Flight.” Before he joined the center, he was a pastor in Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas.
What’s the best thing to say to a person facing a tough time?
Many people struggle with knowing how to support others who are enduring tough times, but empathy — the kind, thoughtful key to that support — can be learned, Christy Edwards told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in St. Louis June 25. Edwards, a pediatric hospital chaplain in Kansas City, led a breakout session titled “Cultivating Empathy: The Path.” She is a member of Second Baptist Church in Liberty, Mo.
Early Church Practices – 9 Things the Early Church Did That We Should Do Today
The early church, described in the New Testament—especially the Book of Acts—provides a powerful glimpse into how the first followers of Jesus lived, worshiped, and impacted their communities. These believers didn’t rely on big budgets, elaborate buildings, or entertainment-driven events. Instead, they cultivated a vibrant and sacrificial community rooted in faith, obedience, and love. Today, as churches around the world navigate cultural shifts, declining attendance, and the challenges of modern life, looking back at early church practices can help us rediscover a more faithful and fruitful way of being the Church. Here are nine early church practices that remain relevant—and necessary—for Christians today.
Satan Can Stage a Quiet Revival Too
There are many roads to hell and more often than not they pass through churches, faiths, and creeds.
7 Ways to Develop Leaders in Your Church
We’re to develop leaders in the church, not so things run smoothly, but so the gospel may continue to spread to those who haven’t heard.
What is the Future of CCM: the Impact of CCM Scandals and the Path Forward
Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has been a powerful force in evangelical culture for more than four decades. It has provided spiritual encouragement and a shared language for believers around the world. Yet, in recent years, a wave of CCM scandals has cast a shadow over the genre. As artists fall into public controversy or quietly fade from the spotlight after personal failings. Fans and ministry leaders alike are left wondering: what is the future of CCM? To answer that question, it’s important to examine how CCM scandals have shaped the public perception of Christian music, what systemic issues may contribute to these failures, and how artists and the church can move forward with renewed integrity and purpose.
The evidence for faith-based morals: the academic research that backs Christian family values
Traditional Christian sexual ethics are sometimes perceived as completely unnecessary today, or even harmful. Yet there is a lot of modern research to back old-fashioned values such as chastity and restraint, showing that these principles lead to more flourishing for individuals, for families, and for society.
How Smartphones Reduce Physical Activity Among Our Young People
We’ve all seen the scene: a group of teenagers sitting together, each hunched over a phone, thumbs scrolling, eyes glued to glass. They’re technically in the same room, but in truth, they’re each in their own digital world. This scene has become the norm. And with it has come a silent but serious consequence: movement is disappearing from the lives of our young people.
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
Have you ever locked yourself out of your house, apartment, or car? Either lost your keys or left them inside. Maybe your roommate was supposed to leave the door unlocked, forgot, and took off for the weekend. It can be a very frustrating experience.
The topic of this Sunday’s message is the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Readings: Ezekiel 3:22-27, Acts 12: 1-11, and Matthew 16: 13-19
Message: The Keys to the Kingdom
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/06/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-june-29.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.
Build from the outside in
Fred Rogers lived out Thomas Merton’s experience of seeing everyone as “holy” and “shining like the sun.” Mr. Rogers believed his neighborhood was beautiful and his neighbors were beautiful. He told his neighbors that he always wanted a neighbor just like them. For many church leaders this has been true—until your neighbors change!
Christians in Africa face worsening violence, report finds
A new report from International Christian Concern (ICC) has revealed a disturbing rise in violence against Christians across parts of Africa, with Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Kenya experiencing a surge in attacks, abductions, massacres and forced displacements. The report, titled "Troubling Trends: Escalating Persecution of Christians in Africa," was written by Linda Burkle and focuses on the first four months of 2025, while also tracing violent trends within the past two decades.
In rare move, Catholic leaders issue dueling letters criticizing GOP budget bill
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops took a firm but mixed approach to the bill, while other Catholic leaders signed an interfaith letter asking senators to oppose the bill.
Most Americans support teacher-led school prayer to Jesus but views differ by state: Pew
While most Americans support allowing teachers to lead students in prayer to Jesus in schools, views on the matter differ widely from state to state, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. Pew released the data Monday documenting Americans' views on Christian prayer in schools. The survey is based on responses collected from Pew's 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, which sampled the opinions of 36,908 United States adults from July 17, 2023, to March 4, 2024.
Welsh Primate Resigns in Cathedral Leadership Scandal
The Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev. Andrew John, has announced his immediate resignation following a motion of no confidence passed by the Church in Wales’ Representative Body – the province’s trustee group. He has served as primate since 2021. He is the second Anglican primate in the UK to step down over safeguarding failings in less than six months. His departure follows that of the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, who stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury in January, following criticism of his handling of the prolific abuse carried out by John Smyth.
The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ
The virgin birth of Jesus, which is more accurately labeled the virginal conception of Jesus, teaches that Jesus Christ was born apart from the normal process of procreation, but was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of her, without sin.
St. Stephen’s DC using ‘Rite 4: An Experimental Liturgy for the Eucharist’
St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church, Washington DC, has begun using Services A & B from Rite 4: An Experimental Liturgy for the Eucharist, Based on the Book of Common Prayer. St. Stephen’s began introducing the Rite 4 texts into its English-language services on Trinity Sunday 2025.
Come, Let Us Return to the Lord (Lyric Video)
Matt Boswell, Michael Cochren, and Matt Papa have come out with a new worship song. Check it out.
Northern California church launches outdoor play cafe as safe, inviting community hub
The Playground Café is first a playground – slide, tunnel, a kids’ playhouse and games for young and old – on the 4-acre campus of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, California. And after nearly eight years of planning, it now is also a cafe with a full menu of food from breakfast burritos to peanut butter and banana sandwiches and drinks from coffee and juice to beer and wine. Clergy and lay leaders at this enterprising Northern California congregation said they decided to dream big with the Playground Café, but it was a dream they almost lost, while their focus shifted to keeping the congregation running during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also See: Stop sitting on your assets
Evangelism for Introverts
We should be telling people about Jesus, not paying the pastors to do that work for us. And I wish to err on the side of practical advice, suggesting two courses of action seldom considered. I will assume your own love for Christ, your constant prayer, your dependence on the Spirit, your knowledge of the gospel, a growing concern for the lost, and a jealousy for God’s name. How can the shy become bolder for the glory of God?
Worth the Cost: The Challenges and Joys of Church Multiplication
Exponential’s 2025 theme—Good, Great, Greater—is inspired by a calling God placed on our hearts years ago, and is rooted in the promise of John 14:12: “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.” This big idea challenges churches—regardless of size, style or history—to step boldly into the greater things of kingdom multiplication. For us, this calling isn’t just a theory, it’s personal. It’s hard. And sometimes it feels counterintuitive. But the rewards? Eternal.
New church for the Costa Blanca
At the recent ACE Conference at the beginning of June, Bishop Andy Lines welcomed Bishop Josep Rosello to the diocese with a view to planting a new congregation in Benissa on the Costa Blanca in Spain. Married to Patrice, with a daughter Natalia, Bennisa is +Josep’s home town, at the centre of ten towns without an evangelical church and few opportunities to hear the great good news of Jesus Christ.
‘Evangelicals are bucking the trend’: Evangelical churches in Switzerland defy national decline in faith according to government report
Evangelical Christians in Switzerland are defying the nationwide decline in religious belief and practice, standing out for their commitment to regular worship, prayer, and spiritual engagement, according to newly released government data.
Pastor films as masked federal agents arrest Iranian Christian asylum-seekers in LA The arrests sparked angst in the community and have concerned advocates of Iranian Christians who’ve fled persecution from the Islamic regime.
Humanitarian aid is an interfaith, bipartisan American value we have to restore
The sudden reduction in humanitarian aid by the Trump administration has had devastating consequences that will only grow over time.
Dissent against injustice inflicted upon ‘the least of these,’ García warns
“Dissent against any ideology that seeks to replace Christ … with political power, nationalism, lies or fear,” outgoing Moderator Juan García urged the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship during its annual General Assembly in St. Louis June 26. “As true Baptists, we must oppose any attempt to co-opt the gospel for political gain or to use the name of Jesus as a weapon instead of proclaiming him as good news for the oppressed, the poor and the marginalized,” said García, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Newport News, Va.
Pastor calls for night prayer vigils in face of darkening world
Christians in Britain are being encouraged to revive the practice of night prayer vigils in light of the dire circumstances of the times. Jonathan Oloyede, who has been instrumental in organising mass prayer events in Britain over the last 20 years, said he had been stirred into action by last week’s parliamentary votes in favour of unrestricted abortion and assisted suicide, plus the escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
Canadians Choose Mid-Election Nominee as Primate
The Anglican Church of Canada has elected a new leader, but not from among the original slate of four candidates. The Rt. Rev. Shane Parker, Bishop of Ottawa, was elected the 15th Primate of the denomination, but in a surprise move.
PCA votes to form committee to investigate Christian nationalism
The Presbyterian Church in America has voted to form a committee to study the nature and influence of Christian nationalism within the theologically conservative denomination.
Do We Have Friends at Church – Or Are We a Lonely Crowd?
I’ve lost count of the number of Christians who’ve told me they either stopped attending or left because they couldn’t make any friends at church. They report that the church people were friendly enough. They were hospitable and welcoming. As one person told me, “They’re nice to you, but no one becomes your friend.” And it hurts when all that friendliness leads only to friendlessness.
“Thriving in Bivocational Ministry” featuring Kris Bentley
How can bivocational ministers and the congregations they serve thrive? In this conversation, Kris Bentley redefines bivocational ministry beyond traditional models, emphasizing shared leadership, congregational adaptability, and spiritual sustainability. She encourages both pastors and congregations to embrace bivocational ministry as a thriving, collaborative model of God’s call, rooted in sufficiency, creativity, and community engagement.
5 Ways to Prevent Pastoral Burnout
I can’t snap my fingers and give you a sabbatical, but if you or a pastor you know is on the brink of burnout, here are some things you can do to make regular rest a reality.
The 5 Hour Sermon: A Covo Preacher’s Guide
The most common question I get is this: how on earth do you do it? Let me share an overall approach that will help my fellow covo preachers navigate the time constraints that surround effective sermon preparation.
"covo" is short for co-vocational.
How to Create a Healthy Worship Culture for Your Team
As a leader, there’s nothing more important than defining and protecting your team’s worship culture. A team’s success and failure rises on the health of its culture and how well it’s protected. But you can’t protect a culture if it hasn’t been defined. And you can’t truly lead unless you’ve defined what you’re leading toward.
The Case for Morning Devotions
God’s grace doesn’t eliminate our spiritual practices. Grace energizes them. Our spirituality is actualized by the grace of God.
Youth Group Ideas for Small Churches: Thrive With Fewer Attendees
Youth group ideas for small churches apply to most congregations. Serving in youth ministry at a smaller church brings blessings and challenges. If your youth group has a handful of kids (or just one or two faithful teens some weeks), don’t get discouraged. You’re not doing ministry “wrong.” And don’t compare your program to large, high-energy ones you see online.
The Future of America’s Largest Churches: An Interview with Eric Geiger
The future of America’s largest churches (specifically megachurches—2,000+ weekly attendees) is a complex mix of momentum, innovation, and cultural headwinds. Eric Geiger from Mariners Church joins Sam on the show to discuss the reality facing large churches. Will they keep growing? Some will, but many are plateauing or entering slow decline.
Pastors, learn to lean into your 'two-timing' congregants
A new report on church life shows that congregations have gained momentum from new habits formed during the pandemic.
Building Your Church Emergency Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide
While we’ll look at some ways that technology can help you prepare for an emergency, the primary goal of this post is to help you prepare for an emergency situation at your church. After researching and reviewing several church emergency plans, I found that the most important thing is to prepare ahead of time and have some type of plan, no matter how minimal.
Find purpose beyond church growth or decline, Burge urges CBF
“Your church probably is not growing, and that’s OK,” Ryan Burge, a leading analyst of politics and religion, told a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship gathering June 24 in St. Louis. But that doesn’t signal a cause for apathy or despair, he said, telling participants they can “literally change the world.”
Faith groups say House Republicans' probe into immigration work violates their religious freedom
The Homeland Security Committee named the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities USA among those under scrutiny.
United Methodist Leaders Condemn Middle East War
United Methodist leaders condemned the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran, including in one case criticizing President Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities June 21 without congressional approval required by the U.S. Constitution. The Council of Bishops posted a statement June 24, A Call for Peace in the Midst of Conflict in Mideast.
Russell Moore Warns Christians Not To ‘Track’ Jesus’ Return ‘Based on the Bombing Schedules of Israel and Iran’
It would be wise for Christians not to try to connect the current war between Israel and Iran to specific prophecies in the Bible in an effort to determine where we might be in the end times, said Dr. Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today.
Same-sex households on the rise in the US
A decade after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Obergefell versus Hodges legalising same-sex marriage across the US, new data shows steady growth in the number of American households led by same-sex couples - both married and cohabiting. According to recent figures released by the US Census Bureau, the number of households headed by married same-sex couples increased from 425,357 in 2015, to 774,553 in 2023.
Student Pastors Face Unique Ministry Insecurities
As student ministry leaders are pivotal in churches, senior leadership should work with them to address any insecurities as much as possible.
Using Social Media in Youth Ministry: Creative Ways To Connect
Today’s teens are immersed in online spaces. And they aren’t just passively consuming content. Kids actively create and shape their digital identities. To keep youth ministry relevant, we must meet young people online.
The Apostle Paul’s Principles for Digital Discipleship
Digital tools now make it possible to continue meaningful spiritual relationships while we build new local connections. The challenge is learning how to use these tools effectively for discipleship purposes—a challenge that finds surprising precedent in the New Testament itself.
The Origin and End of Missions
A missions-centered church recognizes that its mission begins with the Great Commission....A missions-centered church takes the Great Commission seriously. Such a church doesn’t simply pay lip service to Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations. No, a missions-centered church rolls up its sleeves and gets to work.
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.
It is officially summer in the northern hemisphere and the days are growing hotter and more humid in western Kentucky. Right now, it is hazy. The neighborhood cats have retreated into the nearest shade. Earlier thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance.
In this evening’ message we will be looking at an intriguing passage from Luke’s Gospel.
Reading: Luke 12:32-40
Message: Where Is Your Heart?
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/06/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_26.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.
Pentecostals Keep Growing: What the Assemblies of God’s 2024 Report Shows About the Spirit-Filled Movement
"While I was on my way to speak at the Pentecostal World Fellowship in Helsinki, Doug Clay (leader of the U.S. Assemblies of God), shared their annual report with me. Here are some thoughts on Pentecostals and their growth."
The Real Reason Churches Are in Decline
The church is in decline because we are turned inward instead of outward. Our hearts are not breaking for what breaks the heart of God, which is people facing a Christ-less eternity. And sadly, only a simple “invite” is all that is often needed: “Come and see, come and hear, come and explore.”
Why Are So Many Christians So Cruel?
Many Christians today feel tension between faith and politics, often confusing partisan allegiance with discipleship. Lovett Weems warns that Christianity’s credibility suffers when political power replaces Christlike love. True patriotism, rooted in Jesus’ teachings, values compassion, diversity, humility, and love.
35 Questions First-Time Worship Guests Are Probably Asking
We’ve all heard the adage about only getting one shot at a first impression. So in addition to evaluating sermons and songs, we should also evaluate our worship spaces and structures. Those first-time guests are inevitably asking themselves questions about their worship service visits. If we ask those same questions preemptively before they visit, then maybe their answers will be positive ones when they actually do visit.
Why has the use of the offering plate declined?
Thom has seen a precipitous decline in the use of offering plates in churches. He joins Jess as they both examine the reasons behind the decline.
Also See: How did churches raise money before the introduction of the offertory?
If Aslan is Shaking His Mane Again, Why Not Enjoy the Feast?
There’s that memorable scene in The Last Battle in which the unbelieving Dwarfs faced with a feast, offered through the generosity of Aslan, refuse the taste of grace spread before them. As they sit before a banquet, all of their implacable, blind unbelief renders the meal tasteless....
Do Pastors Need to Be Discipled?
Is there any believer that does not need to be discipled? I think many of us would be quick to say no, but so often we treat our pastors as if they do not need discipleship—a neglect that impacts both their spiritual life and our own....
5 Realities of Pastoral Ministry That Haven’t Changed
Unsurprisingly, some measures of pastors’ experiences shifted over the past decade. But five aspects of pastoral ministry have been consistent.
How to Make a Good Entrance
Pastor Hannah Bonner offers wisdom she’s gleaned in beginning ministry in some dramatically different places, highlighting the need for emotional engagement and interpersonal honesty.
Spurgeon’s 9 Tips for New Preachers
Charles Spurgeon was a great preacher and a great trainer of preachers. Through the Pastors’ College, Spurgeon trained and helped hundreds of men become faithful and effective preachers. I took his lecture titled “Sermons” and came up with nine summary statements that can be labeled as Spurgeon’s tips for new preachers.
10 Ways to Safeguard Your Church in the Digital Age
Here are 10 essential cybersecurity measures every church or ministry should implement....
Are You Under Attack or Under Construction? How to Tell the Difference
There are ways to discern whether you’re being spiritually attacked or spiritually refined. And when you know the difference, you’ll know how to fight—or how to surrender.
Fostering Invitation Culture At Your Church
One disclaimer before we start. If you aren’t a welcoming church then don’t welcome people. What I mean is, if your church currently struggles being a holy huddle, address that first and then look to foster invitation. You don’t want to invite people to an alienating experience.
Pastor, Stop Attendance-Shaming
Attendance-shaming reinforces the false premise that sitting in church is the primary obligation of a committed Christian.
The Most Dangerous Thing a Christian Can Do
One of the most innocent things a Christian does may also be one of the most dangerous.
July’s Hot Topic is Heat!
The effects of heat go deeper than just feeling too hot. Here are some cool tips for cooling off and consequently, being kind to God’s creation, including people.
Anglican group condemns Parliament's 'culture of death
The Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) has issued a statement saying that Parliament had removed “restrictions which have for decades and even centuries protected the most vulnerable in society: the unborn and the very infirm”. “These votes show that while we live in a democracy and respect it, many of those elected to positions of the highest power can no longer be trusted to carry out their responsibilities with wisdom," it said.
Churches Rarely Discipline Members
Lifeway Research found pastors haven’t felt the need to practice church discipline in their congregations frequently, if at all.
Jesus, the Moral Stranger
The readiness of evangelical Christians to take up arms to make America a “Christian nation” has grown alarmingly.
Also See: The term ‘lone gunman’ ignores the structures that enable violence
What is CREC? The Christian nationalist group has a vision for America − and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s support
The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, or the CREC, has a highly patriarchal and conservative interpretation of Scripture.
Financing elders
The lack of affordable housing and the high cost of moving are not problems confined to the United Kingdom and they may prove significant obstacles to US congregations replacing their retiring pastor.
The Flavor of Worship Around the World – One Faith, Many Expressions
Christian worship is both deeply rooted and beautifully diverse. From small gatherings under open skies to grand cathedrals filled with incense and ancient hymns, believers around the globe lift their hearts in praise with a rich array of customs, languages, instruments, and styles. What unites all these varied expressions is the shared desire to glorify God, making the flavor of worship a beautiful testimony to the unity and diversity of the global Church.
Is compromise possible on the Catholic liturgy?
Supporters of the Traditional Latin Mass are a small minority, but they are well organized and very loud.
Preaching in the Green Growing Season
reaching Sunday by Sunday through the summer, the “Green Growing Season,” is not for the faint of heart, but there are some opportunities for the intrepid pastor to open God’s word.
Accessible Ministry at Any Scale: How AI-Powered Captioning and Translation Are Reaching More People, From Global Events to Local Church Services
Technology continues to reshape how churches connect with their congregations, and artificial intelligence (AI) has opened doors to new possibilities for delivering captioning and multilingual translation during worship services, conferences, and livestreams. With AI-powered tools now reaching reliability levels suitable for ministry use, churches of every size are implementing solutions that help them reach more people without compromising message integrity.
Also See: Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace for Churches
5 Things You Need to Know About Connecting Unconnected People
While there are definitely exceptions to just about every rule; if you can think of examples counter to these five, you are thinking of exceptions. Build your ministry off the rule and not the exception.
The Shifts in How Churches Choose Small Group Curriculum (What You Need to Know): An Interview with Michael Kelley
In this episode, Sam interviews Michael Kelley, Executive Director for the Rooted Network and a seasoned writer of church small group curriculum. As churches adapt to evolving discipleship needs, small group materials are also transforming. We’ll explore what’s driving these changes, how new approaches are resonating with different congregations, and practical insights for church leaders who are choosing curriculum in today’s landscape.
Is Evangelism Plausible Today?
Given our society’s hyper-individualized view of truth, high-profile Christian scandals, and spiritual resistance to the gospel, is evangelism even plausible today? Should we just redouble our commitment to our local churches and let people follow their hearts? Let’s consider each one of these responses to Christianity, in reverse.
ACNA Sees Multi-Year Growth
Attendance in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is up by double digits for the third consecutive year, according to congregational report data released June 19 during the denomination’s Provincial Council meeting at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.
These statistics do not address a critically important question, "How much of this growth is conversion growth, growth from non-Christians becoming Christians?" Non-denominational churches are also growing but their growth is primarily transfer growth and demographic growth, churchgoers changing churches and churchgoers moving to a new community, the "circulation of the saints." For 2024 the Southern Baptist Convention reported a increase in church attendance and an increase in baptisms. It also reported an increase in church closures. There is no mention in this report of the number of new startups, where, and the number of new church plants surviving beyond the critical first 5 years. Denominational expansion measured in terms of conversion growth and church multiplication is the best way to gauge a denomination's vitality.
How Smartphones Have Been Used Toward a Torrent of Cyberbullying
It used to be that bullies waited for the schoolyard. Not anymore.Tod ay, the bullying follows our kids home. It follows them into their bedrooms. Into the night. Onto their screens. Into their hearts. The smartphone—what many call a communication device—has also become a megaphone for cruelty, a carrier for shame, and a tool for torment. With just a few taps, a teenager can be mocked, harassed, excluded, or humiliated—sometimes by people they know, sometimes by people they don’t. Let’s not downplay what’s happening. This isn’t teasing. It’s cyberbullying. And it’s a torrent—relentless, anonymous, and deeply damaging.
What Happens in Churches with Long Histories of Short Pastor Tenures (7 Big Patterns to Watch)
Churches with a long history of short pastor tenures often face a host of systemic and cultural challenges. The point here is not to place blame on either pastors or churches. Instead, the goal is to describe what happens culturally, regardless of who is to blame. While each situation has unique factors, there are several common patterns that make long-term pastoral success difficult to achieve in these churches. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward building a healthier, more stable future.
How Do You Deal With Cohabiting Young Adults in Your Ministry?
Most young adults walking through your church doors will have cohabited or are currently cohabiting. So, how do you reach them?
Your Sermon Doesn’t Need AI
Andrew Noble gives four reasons pastors and other preachers should limit the use of AI in sermon preparation.
Dear Bi-vocational Youth Minister, Your Labor is Not in Vain
If you are a bi-vocational minister to youth, sharing with students both the gospel of God and also your very self (1 Thess. 2.8), I want to encourage you in a fundamental reality of your calling: it is your life. You are nothing close to a part-time servant of God, even if you have a part-time employment arrangement with a local church.
4 Practical Ideas for VBS Follow-Up
Strategic follow-up plays a huge role in making the most of your VBS. In fact, intentional follow-up should be an important part of your regular VBS planning, right from the beginning. That means as you’re rounding up supplies, handing off VBS manuals, and putting up decorations, you’re also preparing to make a strong post-event impression.
Tips for Using Cell Phones for Church Directory Photos
A good time to take church directory photos is on VBS Sunday when the church gathers to worship God and celebrate what the children have been learning in VBS.
How to Share Your Faith in the Workplace
For many believers, the workplace can feel like a challenging environment to share the gospel. With professional boundaries, company policies, and the fear of offending others, it’s not always clear how to live out your faith in the workplace authentically without overstepping. Yet, the call to be salt and light applies not just to church or home life, but to every part of daily existence—including the 9-to-5 grind.
This past Friday, June 20, 2025, was the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. It was the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. For some Christians the summer solstice has no significance. It is just a natural event. For others it is a reminder of God’s grace to all.
The Feast of John the Baptist is celebrated on June 24. In the folk traditions of a number of countries his feast day is associated with the summer solstice.
This Sunday’s message explains why Jesus sent away a man he had freed from demons.
Readings: 1 Kings 19: 1-15a; Galatians 3:23-29; and Luke 8:26-39
Message: Why Did Jesus Send Away the Man He Had Freed from Demons?
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/06/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-june-22.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.
Fresh Expressions, yes! But...
“Fresh Expressions, yes! But…” When we conclude our trainings with a time of Q&A, this is a frequent prompt. We get the need for this, we see it in scripture and tradition, but get stuck on the potential challenges and pitfalls. Below I’ve listed sixteen common questions and a brief response to each, procured from over a decade of leading fresh expressions trainings.
James N. Sells: The Best Books on Church Care
Here are eight books that have influenced thought about church care; the first three are theological, and the final five focus on the “how” of Christian care.
The Young and the Sexless
This isn’t a revival of biblical ethics. Gen Z’s sexual inactivity isn’t driven by conviction or covenant, but by a culture that has numbed desire and dismantled formation.
Look Beneath the Bravado When Guiding Young Men
Every time I read Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, I walk away with fresh insight into the human heart and new applications for contemporary challenges. This year, reading through Michael Katz’s new translation, I was struck by Kolya Krasotkin—a 13-year-old on the precipice of manhood whose past history and present insecurities result in outward bravado.
Evangelicals are mean to kids, beginning at home
Are those we now label "evangelicals" or who label themselves "evangelicals" really genuine evangelicals? Or are they something else?
UK Chooses Death from Beginning to End
Two literal life-changing votes were held in the UK Parliament this week, one concerning the beginning of life and one centering on the end of life. On Tuesday, MPs voted 379 to 137 to “decriminalise abortion.” And on Friday, MPs backed an assisted suicide law by 314 to 291.
The quiet judgement on the UK
The judgement of God has finally come upon the United Kingdom. Quietly. Silently. Like a thief in the night. It came in the form of an irrational, emotive and Godless parliament who this week voted to permit the killing of babies in the womb up until birth, and has now introduced the National Suicide Service, with its vote to permit assisted suicide. God has given us what we voted for.
More barbaric than the Incas
In post-Inca Peru, child sacrifice is banned by law. In the post-Christian West, it is practiced with bloody enthusiasm.
Honoring Those We've Fallen Out With
The very human temptation after falling out with other Christians is to attempt to memory hole them. We try to speak and live as if they were not a significant part of our story. This is true even of church leaders and missionaries, who are, sadly, not at all immune to serious conflicts that lead to parting ways with formerly close friends and colleagues.
You Don’t Owe the Mob a Meeting
We’ve all seen it. A godly leader is doing what’s right — leading with integrity, making an impact for God’s glory. And then, someone attacks their character.
Why the Next Great Move of God Will Make Church People Uncomfortable
"Something is happening," writes Karl Vaters. He goes on to explain.
What Are Reasonable Worship Leader Expectations?
I thought the congregation expected a full band, lights and the whole shebang every week or they would not come back. Turns out, I was wrong. What are reasonable worship leader expectations?
27 Benefits Of Putting An Expiration Date On New Ministries
Here's a great way to open your church up to innovative new ideas by minimizing the risk – or at least the sting – of failure.
Protecting the Generosity That Fuels the Church
To keep online giving secure, houses of worship must safeguard digital donations and create a culture focused on cybersecurity awareness. Here are a couple suggestions that can help your church, no matter the size, get started.
The National Guard is a tool of tyranny where we need justice
Too often in America, we deploy troops not in response to harm, but in response to hope.
Jerusalem Archbishop: ‘Intercede on Our Behalf’
The Anglican/Episcopal Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, has asked for fellow Anglicans around the world to “intercede on our behalf” as the war between Israel and Iran intensifies.
Please also pray that the United States is not drawn into what is likely to become a protracted conflict between Israel and Iran. US involvement would likely widen the conflict, cost America lives as well as more Israeli and Iranian lives, and have serious, unintended negative consequences.
The New Normal: 9 Realities And Trends In Bivo/covocational Ministry
Bivo- and covocational ministry is more than a pit-stop on the way to "real" pastoring. It's as real as it gets. And it's becoming very common.
What is the origin of the Sunday evening worship services?
For churches in many traditions, particularly among Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, Sunday evening services were a staple for decades. Jess and Thom examine the origins of these services.
What is the origin of the Wednesday-night meal in many churches?
Some traditions, particularly among Methodists and Baptists, provided Wednesday night meals with as much fervor as Sunday services. Thom and Jess looked at the origin of the Wednesday night meal in many churches.
On Praying the Creed
The Nicene Creed is a statement of faith, and it is meant to lead to prayer. The Anglican theologian Austin Farrer speaks of “turning the creed into prayer,” and this is the idea I want to pursue here, by way of encouraging prayerful meditation on the central mysteries of faith.
Planning a Youth Group Lock-In: Blueprint for a Memorable Event
Are you planning a youth group lock-in soon? Then check out these comprehensive tips for safety and success!
Before You Pack Up and Leave...
What should you do when you begin feeling discontent at your church? What should you do when you feel that yearning to pick up and move on? What should you do when you find yourself eager to slip out of one church and into another? I’d like to offer just a few suggestions that I hope you’ll consider and put into practice.
Five possible paths for 21st-century churches
It’s no secret that organized religion is in trouble. Over the past few decades, the American church has seen a freefall in membership, attendance and reputation. Current data suggest the steep decline has stabilized for now. But the long-term trajectory doesn’t look particularly promising. Given these sobering realities, almost everyone involved in the life of the American church is asking, “Where do we go from here?”
Juneteenth 160 years later
This year, Juneteenth turns 160. While it only became a federal holiday in 2021 — joining the calendar as America’s 11th official holiday — it commemorates one of the country’s oldest and most painful journeys: the ongoing fight for true, tangible and equitable freedom.
United Methodist Ministries Named in House Probe
The United Methodist Council of Bishops and other church ministries are among 215 charities that received letters from a U.S. congressional committee. The letters aim to see whether the groups used U.S. taxpayer dollars to “facilitate illegal immigration.” However, neither the bishops nor the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, another letter recipient, receive any federal funding.
Majority of Americans oppose ‘big beautiful bill’
President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is opposed by far more Americans than approve of it, according to new research from Navigator.
Also See: ‘Big beautiful bill’ is ugly, BJC webinar shows
'Amber waves of grain' recede in America's heartland as wheat farmers struggle
-On a foggy morning in May, Dennis Schoenhals drove a carload of crop scouts around the wheat fields of northern Oklahoma, part of an annual tour to evaluate the health of the crop. But on some fields, Schoenhals and other farmers had already abandoned plans to harvest the grain for sale because prices had sunk to five-year lows. Farmers cut their losses early this year across the U.S. wheat belt, stretching from Texas to Montana. They were choosing to bale the wheat into hay, plow their fields under or turn them over to animals to graze. In Nebraska, wheat acreage is less than half of what it was in 2005.
What affect rural farming communities will affect the churches in those communities. Reduction in farmland devoted raising grain crops will affect food prices and may cause food shortages.
VOICES: Can Faithful Christians Agree to Disagree on Sexuality?
"Now, my intent is not to address all the nuances of gender and sexuality in this article, nor to question the sincerity of those with whom we disagree. And my views on these questions are not secret—I have been written about biblical orthodoxy on these issues in places like USA Today. Yet, I also believe we can—and we must—love those with whom we disagree. In cases like this, clarity and compassion are not enemies."
‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,' the unofficial Black national anthem, celebrates 125 years
‘It is featured in over 40 different Christian hymnals and sung in churches all across America, not just during Black History Month or Juneteenth,’ said musician Theodore Thorpe III.
The Best Bible Translation for Preaching
Many people are passionate about Bible translations and have strong opinions about which one is the best. Pastors are no exception. Josh and Sam discuss what translations they believe are best suited for preaching.
Identity, Belonging, and the Gospel: A Call to Faithful Presence in Student Ministry
Let’s be the kind of ministries where every student—no matter their background, questions, or identity—can encounter the love of Jesus.
Ready to Talk: Are Christians Speaking Truth to Our Culture?
As our culture shifts, the contrast between Christian beliefs and the beliefs assumed in our society becomes more pronounced. It is time we consider how our local church is (or is not) adjusting to this reality.
Multiplying Disciples Starts with the Church
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus places the Church under orders, with the central command being “make disciples.” While the passage includes multiple verbs—go, make disciples, baptize, and teach—the Greek makes it clear that the only imperative is “make disciples.”
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.
With this past Sunday, Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, we began what in some churches is called Trinitytide and in others the Season after Pentecost. This season of the Church Year, with Epiphanytide, or the Season after Epiphany, is also known as the “green season” or “ordinary time.” They are called the “green season” since green is the liturgical color widely used in churches during these seasons. It must be noted that English cathedrals had their own liturgical color schemes and in one of these color schemes red was used in Trinitytide. Whatever liturgical color is used in a church, Trinitytide or the Season after Pentecost is the longest season of the Church Year.
The topic of this evening’s message is perseverance in prayer.
Reading: Luke 11:1-13
Message: Perseverance in Prayer
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/06/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows_19.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.
Nine events to check out for a faith-centered Juneteenth
Across the country, faith groups are gearing up for Juneteenth celebrations that weave spirituality and history.
Nearly half of churchgoers attend more than 1 congregation: survey
I posted links to two articles about the findings of Hartford Institute for Religion Research survey on Monday. I posting a link to this article in case it contains any additional information which may prove useful in understanding contemporary church attendance patterns.
Christian Bible College Disavows Any Link to the Violence of Alleged Minnesota Shooter, an Alum
Following the killing of a Minnesota state legislator and her husband on Saturday (June 14), Christ for the Nations Institute (CFNI) said it “unequivocally rejects, denounces, and condemns any and all forms of violence and extremism”—including that of alleged suspect Vance Boelter, one of its graduates.
Also See: Christ for the Nations, where suspect in Minnesota shooting attended, denounces ‘hateful actions’
Colo. town agrees to allow church to operate homeless shelter, pay church's $225K in legal fees
A Colorado town has agreed to a settlement with a local church that allows the congregation to operate a homeless shelter on its property while also paying $225,000 in legal fees. The Town of Castle Rock and Rock Church released a joint statement last Friday announcing an end to the litigation between the two parties, which began last year.
Is There Idolatry in the Church Today?
What do you worship today? Ever ask yourself as a church leader, do I worship something or someone other than God? Is there idolatry in the church?
3 Necessary Self-Cares to Survive the Pastorate
I’ve never heard of pastors who intentionally wear themselves down to nothing; it just happens. Here are three ways you can actively participate in your own survival.
A New Horizon: What Cultural Shifts Mean for Apologetics Today
It’s no secret that over the past 60 years U.S. Christian apologists have witnessed a dramatic cultural sea change. In the past, we could assume two things: the general belief in reasonable objective truths, and a baseline cultural familiarity with what’s in the Bible. All that shifted with the appearance of Gen Z, which Barna Group has dubbed “the first truly ‘post-Christian’ generation.”
Four Kinds of Church Leaders Who Will Not Lead in Revitalization
In this episode, Thom and Sam explore four types of church leaders who are unlikely to lead effectively in revitalization....
Death By A Thousand Cuts: Gen Z and That Quiet Revival
Depending on how your social media algorithm is configured – mine is a bewildering mix of conservative theology, Forrest Frank songs, and cats singing K-Pop (thanks to my eldest daughter for that one) – you’re unlikely to have scrolled for long before coming across evidence of what is being termed ‘The Quiet Revival.’
Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission repeats evangelical grievances
The first meeting of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission was an exercise in airing conservative evangelical grievances, much like the first meeting of his Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, according to observers.
New Pew report shows Catholicism's deep roots and dire challenges in US life
While reporting relatively low levels of attendance at Mass, almost half of US adults (47%) say they have a personal or family relationship to Catholicism, a new Pew Research Center survey finds.
Radical Christian theology appears to have shaped Minnesota shooter
The Minnesota man accused of shooting two state legislators and their spouses may have been driven by anti-abortion views shaped by some of the nation’s most radical and potentially violent Christian movements, educated observers say.
Minnesota bishop calls for nonviolence in response to Saturday’s shootings of state Democratic lawmakers, spouses
Following a deadly incident early Saturday where a now-captured suspected gunman impersonating a law enforcement officer shot and killed one state Democratic legislator and her husband and injured another lawmaker and his wife, Minnesota Bishop Craig Loya asked Episcopalians not to respond to violence with violence.
Gallup finds record gap between men, women on whether abortion is morally acceptable
The gap between men and women on whether abortion is morally acceptable has reached record levels, as the overall percentage of Americans who believe it is has slightly decreased, a new survey finds.
Who Is Jesus? Lessons from Nicaea
With the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea this year, it’s worthwhile to consider why we should care about a creed from that long ago. Are there lessons to be learned?
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Scripture is sufficient in that it is the only inspired, inerrant, and therefore final authority for Christians for faith and godliness, with all other authorities being subservient to Scripture.
6 Habits of a Healthy Cell Group Leader
Several characteristics do distinguish a successful healthy group leader. These differentiating factors relate to what a person does as a part of his or her typical weekly lifestyle. It has nothing to do with personality, background or how long one has been a Christian. Instead, a healthy cell group leader incorporates certain habits into their lives. You can join them.
How Can Church Communities Show Hospitality to Children?
In this video, Jared Kennedy discusses how church communities can show hospitality to Children.
Bible Games for Kids: Fantastic Sunday School Activities
Bible games for kids work in your Sunday school classes, midweek program, children’s church, and even at home. We scoured the internet (and Pinterest) for the very best Bible games. And by best, we mean active, fun, and meaningful. Students will love all these Bible games for kids!
Churchiness Is Back
What is attracting young people to low-church charismatic services and high-church liturgical experiences?
What church do you attend? Maybe more than one, survey finds
Overall, besides worship services, participation in other religious activities and programs has increased or remained the same in the last five years.
Post-COVID, church-shifting has created more ideological agreement
The COVID pandemic facilitated a greater sorting of churchgoers into more ideological groups than before, according to new nationwide data from Hartford Institute for Religion Research. This is one of several key findings from the National Survey of Church Attenders in Post-Pandemic United States, which was released this morning.
Church Membership Is Inescapable
When it comes to church membership, the question is not whether a church will have a membership or not. It’s really whether that membership is a defined system, or whether it is “unwritten” and ambiguous. In the real world, it’s either one or the other.
Stop Worrying About Who’s Leaving The Church
Imagine what your life and daily work would be like if you had no reason to worry over who might leave.
Choosing the Church Despite Being Hurt By the Church
Choose to be patient, kind, and faithful when building bridges with those who’ve been hurt by the Church.
10 Ways the Church Is Responding to Mental Health Needs
The topic of mental health is no longer a conversation confined to clinics or therapy offices. Increasingly, it’s also being addressed within the church. As awareness of emotional and psychological well-being grows across society, so too does the recognition that faith communities must play an active role in caring for people’s mental and emotional lives. The relationship between the church and mental health is evolving, with many congregations working to meet the needs of those struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other challenges.
A Curious Prayer & The Inversion of Scripture
There is a collect in use in the Anglican Church of Canada that draws on Scripture in a troubling way.
3 Key Questions a Pastor Search Team Must Ask
Without a picture of who the church is, what it values, and where it is in its lifecycle, a pastor search team doesn’t know who to look for.
Running on Empty? How Pastors Overcome Fatigue and Reclaim Energy
For many pastors and church leaders, feeling tired has moved from an occasional issue to an ongoing one. Fatigue is no longer a seasonal challenge but a chronic issue. Unfortunately, too many pastors and ministry staff across the country are running on empty, struggling to find the energy they once had. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. There are proven strategies that can help you break the burnout cycle and reclaim the joy of ministry.
The Centrality of Character to Preaching
Preaching demands patient, prayerful preparation in God’s word.
The Beach Boys, The Beatles, And The Battle of Quality v Cool
It can be tempting to pursue cool over quality. But doing good work is what lasts.
Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
This Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost is, in the tradition of the Western Church, called Trinity Sunday. Unlike the other festivals of the Christian Year, it does not celebrate an event in the history of salvation. Instead, Trinity Sunday celebrates a core belief of the Christian faith. For a helpful explanation of this belief, I recommend Matt Perman’s article, “Understanding the Trinity: A Christian Core Belief,” on the CRU website.
This Sunday’s message unpacks Romans 5:1-5, the epistle reading appointed for Trinity Sunday.
Readings: Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5; and John 16:12-15
Message: The Reason for Our Hope
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/06/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-june-15.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.
What Is The Minimum For A Church To Be Viable? with Sam Peters (Ep 104)
“If the neighborhood does not realize that the church is alive, the church must begin to reengage and develop connections by going outside its walls."
Looking forward to surprising transformation
As a 26-year-old often referred to as “the lady pastor” by the community I serve, you might expect that my story would be about a young pastor sent to a rural church that is declining, and that continued to decline. Surprisingly, this is not one of those stories. The Sunday before I arrived at my placement there were 25 people in the pews, and this last Sunday we had 98. We have had around 70 consistently participating in worship, and somehow this rural United Methodist church a mile away from four other Methodist churches continues to thrive.
Leatherwood Church: The Pull
Situated in northwestern New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Leatherwood Church is surrounded on three sides by farms. The rural location inspired Pastor Doug Henry to come up with a new outreach centered on something almost everyone in the area has: a tractor.
The Latest: 'No Kings' protests spread across US as Trump gets military parade
A massive military parade in Washington DC had not been originally planned as a part of the US Army's 250th birthday celebration.
Also See: Most Americans Don’t Want Their Tax Dollars Spent On Trump’s Military Parade
California pastor says apparent immigration agents waved a weapon at her in church parking lot
The Rev. Tanya Lopez says a masked man pointed a weapon at her while she was filming a group of unidentified men detaining a man in her church's parking lot.
Pope Leo's first US bishop takes action against Trump migrant crackdown
The first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV has called for priests, deacons and parish leaders to accompany migrants to court and stand in solidarity with them. Rev. Michael Pham, who was named bishop of San Diego, California, by Pope Leo in May, wrote a letter about the action on Wednesday, along with Rev. Felipe Pulido and Rev. Ramón Bejarano, both appointed by the previous pontiff, Pope Francis.
Donald Trump is building a strange, new religious movement
"But President Donald Trump is trying to create a new religious right, one that is not just illiberal but fundamentally different and opposed to traditional religion as we’ve known it. The faith of the MAGA movement is not one in which the state conforms to the church, but one in which the church is bent to the will of the strange beast that is American nationalism — the belief that the American project is an exercise in freedom and prosperity like the world has never known, but also the sole possession of those who are white, heterosexual, and unquestioningly loyal to the nation."
Zoning board rejects Episcopal church’s request to operate a homeless shelter
Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, is considering its options after the town Zoning Board of Adjustment refused June 12 the parish’s request for a variance, which would allow for a 17-bed overnight shelter on its campus. The parish and the diocese are considering whether to appeal the 5-2 decision to the Ocean County Superior Court. The church’s attorney, Harvey York, predicted during his closing argument to the board that a no vote would prompt an appeal.
Dioceses, parishes across The Episcopal Church to mark Juneteenth with events and celebrations
Activities marking Juneteenth – June 19 – are set to take place in churches and dioceses across The Episcopal Church in the coming days, ranging from helping to restore a historically Black cemetery to concerts, worship services and speakers.
Understanding the Trinity: A Christian Core Belief
The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. But it also raises many difficult questions. How can God be both one and three? Is the Trinity a contradiction? If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one.
Pastors faring worse than others in relationships and well-being but most don’t get help
Despite faring worse than practising Christians and US adults in general in their relationships, physical, emotional and mental health, most pastors don't get professional support. A majority of them also appear to be unaware that these are the areas of their lives where they have the greatest need, according to a new Barna "State of the Church" report.
Deal-Breakers: 8 Ways God May Tell You to Leave Your Pastorate
Long-term pastorates are almost always good for the church and the pastor. But some situations let you know it's time to go.
How Technology Can Help Candidate Screening
Our search firm has completed over 3,500 searches for churches and religious organizations over the years, and it still amazes me how much verification needs to happen to make sure a person applying for a job really is who they say they are. If tech is the reason so much disinformation exists, it can also be the remedy for it. So, what tech solutions can a search committee use to help with background checks? Here are two tangible steps to take when hiring for church staff. You’ll find, l’m sure, that a little bit of legwork upfront can save you a lot of heartache later.
A Censorious Spirit
In what is arguably one of the most important books ever written, Charity and Its Fruits, Jonathan Edwards sounded the theological alarm about a censorious spirit being contrary to Christian love. In the course of his sermon on this subject, Edwards set out three ways "wherein a censorious spirit or a disposition uncharitably to judge others consists"....
