5 Reasons the Church Thrives When It Grows Younger
Growing younger isn’t about chasing trends or compromising truth; it’s about creating an environment where emerging generations can encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and lead purposefully. And when we do that, the whole church thrives. Here are five reasons why....
Andy Cook: A Renewed Vision
We are approaching a generational leadership shift, and it demands a renewed commitment to leadership rooted in evangelism.
The Great Episcopal Summer Shutdown
We’ve all heard the doom-and-gloom reports. Church attendance is plummeting. Membership is shrinking. The Episcopal Church is circling the drain faster than water in an old baptismal font!
Everyone has theories. Maybe it’s our liturgy (too formal), our theology (too liberal), or our General Convention (too everything). But I have a different theory, and it’s embarrassingly simple.
We need to stop taking the summer off.
Periods of uncertainty and upheaval affect every generation of the church. Political unrest, cultural shifts, economic pressures, and even divisions within the congregation can create a sense of instability. In such moments, the question of how to pray for the church becomes urgent. Prayer is not merely a spiritual exercise; it is a lifeline that sustains God’s people and empowers them to be faithful witnesses. By focusing on specific areas, believers can strengthen their community and remain anchored in hope.
10 Essential Questions for Church Leaders to Build and Maintain Trust
Trust is the foundation of every healthy church. Without it, unity crumbles, ministry slows, and relationships fracture. With it, your church will pursue God’s mission together.
How can we define trust in the context of ministry? Trust is the confident expectation that others will act with integrity, competence, and consistency, with the best interests of the church and its mission in mind.
Using AI For Sermon Preparation
In every generation, preachers have faced the temptation to bypass the hard path – to borrow words, to lean on others’ labour, and to reach for shortcuts instead of submitting to the slow shaping of the soul. In our generation, new tools have made the temptation even stronger. I’m talking, of course, about AI.
Why Church Engagement Matters for Spiritual Growth
Over 40% of self-identified Christians haven’t attended church in six months, yet research shows church involvement fosters spiritual growth.
Long Island Garden Ministry Bears Witness for 15 Years
“Well, why don’t we have a go of all this land?” one of Ann McPartlin’s fellow parishioners asked over a decade ago at what is now St. Francis Church in North Bellmore, a New York suburb 35 miles from Manhattan.
It was 2011, and the parishioners had heard of grants being given by Episcopal Ministries of Long Island, which supports parishes and faith communities involved in bringing the faith “from the pew to the public square.”
McPartlin, an English teacher, wrote the grant for the Garden at St. Francis, a community garden that offers fairly priced produce to the North Bellmore community and shares the first ten percent of its harvest with those in need.
Growing younger isn’t about chasing trends or compromising truth; it’s about creating an environment where emerging generations can encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and lead purposefully. And when we do that, the whole church thrives. Here are five reasons why....
Andy Cook: A Renewed Vision
We are approaching a generational leadership shift, and it demands a renewed commitment to leadership rooted in evangelism.
The Great Episcopal Summer Shutdown
We’ve all heard the doom-and-gloom reports. Church attendance is plummeting. Membership is shrinking. The Episcopal Church is circling the drain faster than water in an old baptismal font!
Everyone has theories. Maybe it’s our liturgy (too formal), our theology (too liberal), or our General Convention (too everything). But I have a different theory, and it’s embarrassingly simple.
We need to stop taking the summer off.
We came to the same conclusion at St.Michael's more than 3 decades ago. We kept our regular schedule of services during the summer, formed a summer choir, and conducted a popular summer vacation Bible school. We were rewarded with a number of new families.How to Pray for Your Church in Turbulent Times
Periods of uncertainty and upheaval affect every generation of the church. Political unrest, cultural shifts, economic pressures, and even divisions within the congregation can create a sense of instability. In such moments, the question of how to pray for the church becomes urgent. Prayer is not merely a spiritual exercise; it is a lifeline that sustains God’s people and empowers them to be faithful witnesses. By focusing on specific areas, believers can strengthen their community and remain anchored in hope.
10 Essential Questions for Church Leaders to Build and Maintain Trust
Trust is the foundation of every healthy church. Without it, unity crumbles, ministry slows, and relationships fracture. With it, your church will pursue God’s mission together.
How can we define trust in the context of ministry? Trust is the confident expectation that others will act with integrity, competence, and consistency, with the best interests of the church and its mission in mind.
Using AI For Sermon Preparation
In every generation, preachers have faced the temptation to bypass the hard path – to borrow words, to lean on others’ labour, and to reach for shortcuts instead of submitting to the slow shaping of the soul. In our generation, new tools have made the temptation even stronger. I’m talking, of course, about AI.
Why Church Engagement Matters for Spiritual Growth
Over 40% of self-identified Christians haven’t attended church in six months, yet research shows church involvement fosters spiritual growth.
Long Island Garden Ministry Bears Witness for 15 Years
“Well, why don’t we have a go of all this land?” one of Ann McPartlin’s fellow parishioners asked over a decade ago at what is now St. Francis Church in North Bellmore, a New York suburb 35 miles from Manhattan.
It was 2011, and the parishioners had heard of grants being given by Episcopal Ministries of Long Island, which supports parishes and faith communities involved in bringing the faith “from the pew to the public square.”
McPartlin, an English teacher, wrote the grant for the Garden at St. Francis, a community garden that offers fairly priced produce to the North Bellmore community and shares the first ten percent of its harvest with those in need.
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