Friday's Catch: 'Rural Church Pastors Face Obstacles With Optimism' And More

Rural Church Pastors Face Obstacles With Optimism
Rural church pastors recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities.

Why the Local Church Really Matters
As we prepare to worship God tomorrow, it may do us good to pause for just a few moments to consider the local church. What is the church? Why has God called us into these little communities? Does the local church really matter? It does! The local church is foundational to God’s plan for his people. In their book Church in Hard Places, Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley offer 6 reasons that the local church matters.

Churches Work to Meet Rising Requests for Food, Utility, Housing Aid
As families struggle with rising food, housing and utility costs, more are turning to local churches for assistance. Pastors say their community members are worried as recent legislation -- and the ongoing government shutdown -- could leave some low-income families with fewer resources to make ends meet. While generous people are helping ministries in Holston Conference meet the rising needs, ministry leaders offer suggestions for how others can help.

Pastors Split on the Economy’s Impact on Their Churches
Half of U.S. Protestant pastors say the economy is negatively impacting their churches, according to the latest Lifeway Research tracking survey.

7 dioceses receive assessment waivers as Episcopal Church finalizes 2026 revenue projections
Seven Episcopal dioceses have requested and received assessment waivers, meaning they will not be required to pay the full 15% of diocesan revenue to support the churchwide budget in 2026.

Global report warns of sharp decline in religious freedom
Religious freedom is under growing threat across the globe, according to a new report released by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

The organisation’s biennial Religious Freedom in the World 2025 report paints a grim picture, revealing that 64.7% of the world’s population— about 5.4 billion people — live in countries where this fundamental right is severely restricted or denied.

ACNA archbishop faces allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying
Stephen D. “Steve” Wood, the archbishop and senior-most official of the Anglican Church in North America, faces allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and plagiarism, according to an investigation and “presentment” (formal church complaint) first reported by the Washington Post.

Also See: ACNA Primate Faces Misconduct Charges

Little evidence so far that Anglican leaders plan to join GAFCON in leaving Anglican Communion
The GAFCON statement’s potential impact was evident as soon as it landed Oct. 16. It immediately provoked intense reactions in Anglican circles around the world.

Also See: The Anglican Communion Is Coming Apart

Churches Can Plan for Potential Disasters Using Restored Database
A non-profit organization that tracks severe weather and climate change events has taken over a crucial database – a resource for church planning – that the current federal administration discontinued in June.

Climate Central announced Oct. 22 that it has assumed responsibility for managing and maintaining a billion-dollar disaster dataset previously compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). President Donald Trump ordered NOAA to cease tracking billion-dollar disasters in May 2025, and Climate Central acquired the database July 28, 2025.

5 Approaches Christians Take Toward Culture
For centuries, Christians have debated what our response to the world around us should be.

During the 1940s, Yale professor Richard Niebuhr gave a series of lectures on five common approaches Christians have taken toward culture throughout history.

My take on the five approaches follows.....

Jesus’s Atoning Death in Mark
People have a wide range of opinions on how Jesus viewed his own death and resurrection. But it’s important to listen to the Gospels themselves on this topic. They give us eyewitness testimony to Jesus that can be traced back to authoritative apostles.

The Gospels also requires us to consider carefully the Old Testament background for his teaching.

Let’s consider three ways Jesus speaks about his death and resurrection in the Gospel of Mark. We’ll see that Jesus speaks about his death in multifaceted ways, but he memorably describes his death as a substitutionary ransom for many.

The 7 Cs of Leadership: Essential Traits for Effective Ministry 

As a preacher, I naturally think in alliterative terms—it’s practically part of my DNA. Recently, while reflecting on leadership, I began jotting down five “C” words. Before long, two more emerged. The result? Seven traits that every Christian leader should cultivate.

The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon, with Austin Carty (Ep 114)
"At a certain point in the process, we must stop trying to control our sermons and must learn instead to trust the Spirit of God.”

More than a Welcome: Why Calling Your Congregation to Worship Really Matters
This article is part of a series on the role the elements of the Sunday worship service play in everyday discipleship. While our individual churches may not formally include each of these liturgical pieces, we hope you will be blessed to understand the heart of Jesus behind these historic practices and allow them to shape your daily life as disciples.

Holiday Planning for Youth Ministry: Why Less Is More
For youth ministry holiday planning, don’t run yourself ragged. Instead, embrace simplicity to have greater impact on teens during this holy (and busy) season!

Christmas Musicals and Solutions for Tryouts
For Christmas musicals at church, are tryouts terrible or terrific? Should you hold auditions for your children’s ministry Christmas production?

Consider the two perspectives below. Then learn helpful solutions for Sunday school Christmas programs.