Revitalizing a church that is experiencing decline has always been hard. But in 2025, it is even harder. The present time is shaped by deep political polarization, theological division, post-pandemic fatigue, unrelenting cultural change, and widespread institutional distrust. I am ever mindful that the church does not exist outside of this context. It lives and breathes in it. And any attempt to bring renewal to a struggling congregation must account for the spiritual exhaustion, cultural fragmentation, and emotional guardedness that define so much of our collective life.
Eight Essentials for Guest-Friendly Church Bulletins
In many circles today, the church bulletin—or worship folder, as some prefer to call it—has been relegated to relic status. It’s often seen as a leftover from a bygone era, something traditional churches cling to while more “cutting-edge” congregations go completely digital. Some church leaders proudly announce that they’ve ditched the bulletin altogether. But I believe that’s a mistake.
US braces for severe weather across multiple states this week: What to know
Millions of Americans could this week be affected by a range of extreme weather conditions, from a heat dome to floods and severe storms, forecasters warn.
An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for the region of westernmost Kentucky in which I live.This is the summer of flooding across the US, and scientists know why
Once synonymous with leisure and reprieve, summer has increasingly become a season marked by anxiety and disruption. Fossil fuel pollution — alongside other compounding factors — has transformed these months into a time of mounting peril, punctuated by relentless heat waves, rampant wildfires and catastrophic flooding. This summer, in particular, has been defined by a tragic surge in deadly flash floods across the United States, underscoring the escalating volatility of our warming world.
‘A disaster for all of us’: US scientists describe impact of Trump cuts
Donald Trump’s assault on science – but particularly climate science – has led to unprecedented funding cuts and staff layoffs across federally funded agencies and programs, threatening to derail research tackling the most pressing issues facing Americans and humanity more broadly. A generation of scientific talent is also on the brink of being lost, with unprecedented political interference at what were previously evidence-driven agencies jeopardizing the future of US industries and economic growth.
Inside the federal government’s purge of climate data
Climate facts are inconvenient — so Trump is making them disappear.
Trump fossil-fuel push setting back green progress decades, critics warn
Ever since Donald Trump began his second presidency, he has used an “invented” national energy emergency to help justify expanding oil, gas and coal while slashing green energy – despite years of scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels has contributed significantly to climate change, say scholars and watchdogs. It’s an agenda that in only its first six months, has put back environmental progress by decades, they say.
Republicans slashed food aid. Grocers in small towns and rural areas are taking the hit.
The deep cuts Republicans made to federal nutrition programs this summer are poised to devastate independent grocery stores that are central to many low-income communities, including those that voted for President Donald Trump. Food aid recipients often make up the majority of small grocers' customer base in remote areas and food deserts — places that have limited options for fresh, healthy food.
Should Your Church Start a Young Adult Service?
Here are four considerations to help you determine if it’s time for your church to have a separate young adult service.
Worship Leader, Tell the Whole Story As worship leaders design services, we have the privilege of inviting people into the Story of stories. In an age of dopamine media and information overload, which flood the soul with torrents of anxiety and discontent, re-presenting the gospel through worship can calm the soul in a steady stream of mercy. However, if we don’t tell the full story, we risk shaping our people with a false gospel and producing burdened believers.
Gathered worship for the scattered church
This week a new set of worship songs is released, written by some of the UK’s most prominent song-writers, guided by theologians. The project is called 'Boundless', as the songs worship a God who cares and is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, including our places of work.
How to Use Prayer as Worship for a Deeper Congregational Experience
Worship is more than music—it is the full expression of a community offering praise, confession, and surrender to God. While songs often receive the most attention in modern church services, prayer remains an essential and powerful element of worship liturgy. When churches integrate prayer as worship intentionally, it can transform the gathering from a program of songs and sermons into a sacred encounter with the presence of God.
Start Your Day in Power with Morning Prayers Inspired by Great Christians
The first minutes of the day are some of the most influential. How we begin the morning can shape our thoughts, intentions, and spiritual posture for the hours ahead. Throughout Christian history, spiritual leaders and saints have leaned into the practice of morning prayers to align their hearts with God’s presence. From the early church fathers to modern voices of faith, these prayers have helped believers walk with the Holy Spirit from the break of day.
Why a Prayer Before Meal Matters in Daily Life
In our grab-and-go culture, meals can easily become rushed moments, devoid of reflection. Yet throughout history, followers of Christ have paused before eating to offer a prayer before meal times—inviting gratitude, reverence, and remembrance of God’s daily provision. Whether you’re dining alone or gathered around the table with family and friends, a simple prayer can transform an ordinary moment into a sacred one.
Making Disciples Who Make Jesus Known
Discipleship and mentoring have been two ordinary means that God has used to refine my faith, smooth out character flaws, and grow in a genuine love for the Savior. And they are crucial for every believer in Christ.
Republicans slashed food aid. Grocers in small towns and rural areas are taking the hit.
The deep cuts Republicans made to federal nutrition programs this summer are poised to devastate independent grocery stores that are central to many low-income communities, including those that voted for President Donald Trump. Food aid recipients often make up the majority of small grocers' customer base in remote areas and food deserts — places that have limited options for fresh, healthy food.
Whatever harms a community or district, higher energy costs, higher food prices, cuts in SNAP, closure of grocery stores, loss of jobs, harms the churches in that community or district.What Your Church Needs to Train Leaders (You Probably Already Have It) ...what if the best tools for training leaders wasn’t “out there” in the minds and methods of best-selling authors and conference-circuit experts? What if every local church possessed everything it needed for this task?
Should Your Church Start a Young Adult Service?
Here are four considerations to help you determine if it’s time for your church to have a separate young adult service.
Worship Leader, Tell the Whole Story
Gathered worship for the scattered church
This week a new set of worship songs is released, written by some of the UK’s most prominent song-writers, guided by theologians. The project is called 'Boundless', as the songs worship a God who cares and is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives, including our places of work.
How to Use Prayer as Worship for a Deeper Congregational Experience
Worship is more than music—it is the full expression of a community offering praise, confession, and surrender to God. While songs often receive the most attention in modern church services, prayer remains an essential and powerful element of worship liturgy. When churches integrate prayer as worship intentionally, it can transform the gathering from a program of songs and sermons into a sacred encounter with the presence of God.
The first minutes of the day are some of the most influential. How we begin the morning can shape our thoughts, intentions, and spiritual posture for the hours ahead. Throughout Christian history, spiritual leaders and saints have leaned into the practice of morning prayers to align their hearts with God’s presence. From the early church fathers to modern voices of faith, these prayers have helped believers walk with the Holy Spirit from the break of day.
Why a Prayer Before Meal Matters in Daily Life
In our grab-and-go culture, meals can easily become rushed moments, devoid of reflection. Yet throughout history, followers of Christ have paused before eating to offer a prayer before meal times—inviting gratitude, reverence, and remembrance of God’s daily provision. Whether you’re dining alone or gathered around the table with family and friends, a simple prayer can transform an ordinary moment into a sacred one.
Making Disciples Who Make Jesus Known
Discipleship and mentoring have been two ordinary means that God has used to refine my faith, smooth out character flaws, and grow in a genuine love for the Savior. And they are crucial for every believer in Christ.
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