Building Safer Microcultures In Small Churches
Not every church conflict is loud or obvious. Sometimes the deepest harm happens in the quieter corners. The side room after service. The team meeting where only a few voices seem to carry all the weight. The hallway conversation that shapes how someone feels about staying. These are not random moments. They’re microcultures. And in small churches, they shape whether people keep showing up or slowly fade out.
Now, we’re not gonna talk about fixing everything. Together, we will pay attention to what you can actually change. A safer microculture may not shift the whole church overnight, but it can be the reason someone feels seen, valued, and safe enough to stay. That’s holy work.
Setting Boundaries Without Losing Christ-like Grace Setting boundaries can feel wrong, especially in small churches. We’re close-knit. We eat together and pray for each other. Sometimes we even know each other’s medical appointments and family drama. So when something feels off or a line gets crossed, it feels safer to stay quiet than risk causing tension. That’s when many of us tell ourselves to “just be gracious.”
But here’s the hard truth: Grace doesn’t mean silence. Boundaries are not unspiritual. And Jesus never told us to ignore harm just to keep things calm.
4 Key Lessons for Vital Small Church Ministry
David Gilmore says the size of a congregation need not be a determining factor in its ability to connect with its neighbors. Small congregations who are intentional about finding their niche, empowering laity, focusing outward, and collaborating can be just as vital as larger congregations.
It’s part of the administration’s focus on streamlining Social Security — by cutting staff and reducing benefits — to save money and reduce alleged fraud.
Researchers Have Discovered 2 New Dementia Risk Factors. Here's What They Are.
Strides have been made in the world of dementia research compared with even just a few years ago. There’s now a blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s accurately 90% of the time, and more is understood about the factors (many of which are lifestyle habits) that can put you at higher risk for the condition.
In a new dementia report published in The Lancet journal by researchers who are part of The Lancet Commission, two new modifiable risk factors have been identified: high cholesterol after 40 and untreated vision loss.
What is Advent Sunday and why do churches mark it?
The fourth Sunday before Christmas is called Advent Sunday. It falls at the start of December, or sometimes as in 2025, at the end of November. In churches of many denominations, Advent marks the coming of the Christmas season. This is the story....
Who was St Andrew and why is he important? 30 November is St Andrew’s day. He was the brother of St Peter, the first of Jesus’s disciples, and later an Apostle. This is the story....
Task force to pave way for national youth council
The Council of General Synod (CoGS) has directed General Secretary Andrea Mann to form a task force and create terms of reference for a national youth council for the Anglican Church of Canada....
18 Creative Christmas Lessons for Youth Ministry
Christmas lessons are important for kids of all ages. Yet teens are busier than ever during the holidays. They must juggle final exams, games, concerts, and family commitments. Another challenge: Youth group members have heard the Nativity story countless times. Yet students need reminders about the life-changing hope of Jesus.
For churched teens, Christmas lessons can reignite awe and gratitude for God’s gift of salvation. For unchurched visitors, these lessons can introduce Jesus in a relatable way.
14 Christmas Object Lessons for Children’s Ministry
Christmas object lessons abound, with many options for teachable moments. From shimmering lights to wrapped presents, every holiday decoration and tradition can point kids toward Jesus.
When you use simple, everyday items to teach spiritual truths, kids’ eyes light up. Visuals will stick in their hearts long after the Christmas season ends.
People aren’t homogenous blocs so ask, don’t assume
When it comes to evangelism, everybody wants to know how to reach this or that group of people. How do you engage Catholics? What about Hindus? Muslims? Not just religious groups, but various other demographics, whether it is class based, sub-cultures or whatever. If we’re not from the particular group we want to reach, we very often want to know how to reach this group of people who don’t necessarily look, speak or reason like I do.
There are lots of things we could say about that. But I suspect we would be helped in all these cases by two simple and related things. First, we have to accept that no group is a homogenous bloc. Second, to understand the views and opinions of this particular person, I am going to have to speak with them and find out.
Kidnapped Anglican priest dies in captivity in Nigeria
Amid a rash of mass kidnappings in Nigeria, an Anglican priest in Nigeria abducted along with his wife and daughter has died in captivity, leaders of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion announced on Wednesday (Nov. 26).
Policies such as immigration raids, tariff changes and temporary and permanent cuts to food assistance programs have left farmers short of workers and money, food rotting in fields and warehouses, and millions of Americans hungry. And that doesn't even include the administration's actual destruction of edible food.
This disease has no cure, and it’s suddenly spreading fast again
Measles cases are surging worldwide, with 11 million infections reported last year alone. The World Health Organization says the once-achievable goal of eliminating measles is now far from reach.
The WHO cites vaccination levels that are too low to protect many parts of the world. Health experts say 95% of people in a region must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and stop the spread.
Dr Vinayak Prasad, head of the FDA’s vaccine division, intends to demand new oversight powers and upend the process for evaluating vaccine safety, according to a memo seen by NBC News.
This Sunday is Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Adventide and the first Sunday of the new liturgical year. It is also the fourth Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity, commonly called Christmas Day.
This Sunday’s service follows the structure of the service for a Service of the Word outlined in the Church of Ireland’s The Book of Common Prayer (2004), as did last Sunday’s service.
In this Sunday’ message we unpack the three readings appointed for this Sunday and their implications for Christians of today.
Readings: Isaiah 2: 1-5; Romans 13: 11-14; and Matthew 24: 36-44
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.
Ohio United Methodists aim to plant 100 churches
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the East and West Ohio conferences has set a goal of 100 new faith communities planted by 2029. Brad Aycock, executive director of Fresh Starts and New Beginnings for the conferences, travels the state to recruit church planters and support ideas for fresh expressions of church. The Ohio conferences have committed $500,000 per year to support new ministries, Aycock said.
Planting Forward
A comprehensive resource collection designed for mainline and post-evangelical leaders launching inclusive, community-rooted churches. Each month features timely topics aligned with the church planting journey—from building launch teams to sustainable systems—while celebrating diverse voices and cultural perspectives. Whether you're planting an advocacy-focused congregation, community development church, or innovative worship community, find the theological depth and practical wisdom you need to grow healthy, progressive faith communities that reflect the richness of the neighborhoods they serve.
Fresh Expressions
Resources on helping you be part of a movement of new Christian communities that serve the present age. We're curating tools for sparking imagination, sharing wisdom, and giving you practices from across the connection to help this work. Find what you need to cultivate inclusive, accessible, transformative, connectional communities of love and grace for people in new ways and new places.
What is the significance of Thanksgiving for Christians?
Every fourth Thursday of November, Americans mark Thanksgiving. American Thanksgiving is a relatively modern tradition, but the principle behind it has a long biblical basis and liturgical history. This is the story....
About 35 million tons, to be specific, according to the latest ReFED report. Some 31% of food that is grown and produced goes unsold or uneaten in the US, estimates ReFED, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing food waste.
Food pantry digs deeper to overcome challenging year
This year has seen cuts to USDA funding, rising food costs, and a prolonged government shutdown that delayed SNAP benefits. These challenges have led to more demand at food pantries, and higher costs to operate these vital ministries. Just before Thanksgiving, UM News visited the Rhea House, which offers a free grocery store at Dyersburg First United Methodist Church in Tennessee.
Stalinism in British Museums
SStalin airbrushed out of soviet records those he came to dislike. Something similar has happened in Britain’s museums. Here, the ideology being airbrushed out is Christian faith.
Why Christians Disengage From Mission
We wonder why Christians disengage from mission. This is not a new question, and I won’t propose any new answers. However, the question is perennially important to consider and answer. When I say “mission,” I mean the mission of the church; specifically, the making and training of disciples (Mt. 28.19-21).
Religion Scholars Hear About Church Numbers
The American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature host an annual conference dedicated to the academic study of religion. This year it met on November 22-25 in Boston. The Living Church attended panels that included Anglican theologians, as well as one about Protestant relic collecting.
The Rev. Dr. Molly James, an Episcopal priest and interim executive officer of the Episcopal Church, gave a presentation on membership trends and the future of the Episcopal Church.
James' comments on Episcopalians and evangelism caught my attention. Based upon what I have observed over the past four odd decades, including a recent sermon given by a retired Episcopal priest and the reaction of the congregation to the sermon, Episcopalians not only have negligible understanding and appreciation of the importance of evangelism but also harbor a self-destructive antipathy toward evangelism. They denigrate the very thing that they need to do to arrest the decline of their church and which Jesus commissioned every succeeding generation of his disciples to do.
6 Signs Your Church Is Dysfunctional
"And therein lies the quandary of dysfunctional churches: it often does good things on the outside while destroying the souls of those on the inside. So, how do you know if your Christian organization or church is dysfunctional? Let me share some signs I have observed about dysfunctional churches."
Norovirus, also called the “winter vomiting disease,” has been rising across the nation since as early as mid-October, especially in states like Louisiana, Michigan and Indiana, according to data from WastewaterSCAN, an academic program through Stanford University in partnership with Emory University.
"As the Bishops and the Standing Committee of the Anglican Church of Indian Ocean, we receive with regret the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. We remain committed to the apostolic faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and the universal communion of the Church.
We cannot, therefore, support the new Archbishop of Canterbury because her leadership represents a clear and evident departure from the teaching of Scripture on marriage and human sexuality...."
Arctic diocese could lose cathedral, bishop says
Parishioners at St. Jude’s Cathedral in Iqaluit are in danger of losing their place of worship if the congregation and the diocese of the Arctic cannot find solutions to several pressing financial problems, says Bishop Alexander Pryor. An outstanding tax bill with the City of Iqaluit, rising insurance rates, high operational costs and the by-now familiar problem of congregational decline—each exacerbated by the unique challenges of life in Northern Canada—have combined to threaten the parish’s ownership of the cathedral.
Grace Is a Verb
Preachers are sometimes fond of a grammatical claim or two in the context of a sermon. “Love is a verb.” “Worship is a verb.” That sort of thing. I don’t think anyone ever makes the point that something is a noun—even in cases like these where it could be.
There’s a place for this sort of claim, identifying a part of speech toward an edifying exhortation. And, having taught grammar to seminarians for several decades—intentionally to students of Greek, unintentionally and too often in marking papers—it is somewhat heartening to hear grammar from the pulpit.
New book warns shifts in Episcopal priests’ formation is creating a ‘wild west’ of training options
VTS Press is excited to announce the publication of The Varieties of Episcopal Theological Education by the Rev. Robert D. Flanagan, DMin, Dean’s Advisor for Partnerships at Virginia Theological Seminary and Chaplain at The General Theological Seminary. The book examines significant changes to the way Episcopal priests and deacons are being formed.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will soon look to sever ties between Scouting America and the military, according to an alleged draft memo that has not yet been sent, which National Public Radio reported on Tuesday.
Since November 27, 2025 is the last Thursday of November and Thanksgiving Day in the United States, this evening’s service is a service of thanksgiving. You will note that the canticles after the lessons are contemporary versions of Cantate Domino (Psalm 98) and Deus misereatur (Psalm 67), the alternative canticles for Evening Prayer appointed in the classical Anglican Book of Common Prayer of 1662. They were chosen for their suitability for a service of thanksgiving as were the other hymns of the service.
This evening’s message is a reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
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.
VOICES: 8 global trends that will transform the future Church
As we cross the threshold of a rapidly shifting global landscape, the Church must prepare itself for tectonic changes that will redefine its mission, methods, and missiology. We are living in a kairos moment — a window of divine opportunity — where crises and breakthroughs collide, giving birth to movements that will reshape how the body of Christ engages culture, makes disciples, and stewards the Kingdom.
The following are eight emerging global trends that I believe will transform the Church of the future....
Why Christianity No Longer Feels Necessary—But Might Be Again Soon
Charles Taylor famously began his definitive account of secularism by describing the loss of religious assumptions between 1500 and 2000. In Luther’s day, you had to opt out of religion. In our day, you must opt in. Faith is contested by the pluralism of our eyes. Everyone knows you don’t need to be Christian, that Christians don’t hold a monopoly on power. That’s our post-Christendom world, where belief sprouts on one street and decadence rules on another.
How one conservative Christian family is pushing back against ICE
A coalition of activists, everyday citizens and people of faith — including theologically conservative Christians — who have pooled resources and learned new technologies to mount an effort they say is designed to protect immigrants in their neighborhoods and around Chicago.
The decades long exodus of Anglican clergy into Catholicism
A study by St Mary’s University London has shown that since 1992 significant numbers of Anglican clergy have shifted their allegiance to Rome and have joined the Catholic Church.
1992 was the year that the Church of England controversially voted in favour of the ordination of women. The Catholic Church maintains that the priesthood is reserved for men only.
Georgia Priest Elected Bishop of East Carolina
Fisher, who says her strengths are in congregational development and listening, will also be the Episcopal Church’s third openly lesbian bishop.
St. Anne’s Church of Toronto, a congregation of the Anglican Church of Canada, was destroyed by a fire that completely engulfed the structure on June 9, 2024.
What Was the Protestant Reformation—& Why Does It Matter?
What is the Protestant Reformation, and why does it matter? Joel Beeke joins Kirk E. Miller to talk about the Reformation: Who were the Protestants, and why did they seek to reform the church? Kirk and Beeke explore the reason for the Reformation and unpack its core tenets like sola fide and sola scriptura. Tune in as they consider how these foundational beliefs reshaped the church and the life of everyday believers, and discover why the Reformation is not just a historical event but a vital part of evangelical Christian heritage.
Why You Should Leave Your Church (A Pastor's Perspective)
Most of the time, church hopping for convenience (better music, cooler programs, or a coffee bar) reveals more about our consumer culture than about spiritual growth. But Sam and Josh explain that there are also good, biblical, and even necessary reasons to leave one church for another.
Pittsburgh traveling choir brings live music to the pews in underserved communities
The Diocese of Pittsburgh, though based in a large city, has many small churches in rural areas of southwestern Pennsylvania with no music program. To help bring music to those congregations, a group of volunteer chorists, called the Cantate Usquam Pilgrim Singers, will travel to sing during weekend worship services for free.
With the availability of electronic recordings of church music in a variety of formats-CDs, midis, mp3s, digital hymnals, the lack of a organist or pianist should not prevent a congregation from singing more than a couple of hymns. I found the excuses that the clergyperson in the article offered for not having more music in the service to be rather lame and suggestive of an inability to delegate and a deficit of imagination coupled with a lack of appreciation of congregational singing as an integral part of the people's worship.
Future Church Series – Episode 1: The Microchurch
Welcome to a brand-new series on The Church Answers Podcast called “The Future Church.” Over the next six episodes, we’ll explore how the landscape of ministry is changing—and how leaders can prepare with wisdom, courage, and hope.
In this first episode, Thom and Jess begin by looking at one of the most intriguing movements shaping the future: the rise of the microchurch. This small, mission-driven model is gaining traction across the United States and around the world. What exactly is a microchurch, how is it structured, and why is it so different from other forms of church? Let’s find out.
Future Church Series – Episode 2: The Economics of the Future Church
Welcome back to The Church Answers Podcast and to our ongoing series called “The Future Church.” In each episode, Thom and Jess Rainer unpack the shifts shaping tomorrow’s congregations—and how pastors and leaders can prepare today.
In this episode, we’re looking at a subject every church feels: money. The financial landscape of ministry is changing rapidly. Attendance patterns have shifted, giving habits have evolved, and the next generation is thinking about generosity in completely new ways.
So, what will funding look like for the future church? Thom and Jess explore four emerging models that are helping churches stay healthy and mission-focused in a changing economy.
The Power of Asking ‘What If?’
In 42 years of full-time ministry, I’ve witnessed countless pastors ask, “How much?” But in my experience, the better question is, “What if?”
“What if” is the language of possibility. It unlocks not only real estate but real opportunities for missional vibrancy and impact. It invites bold thinking and encourages leaders toward faithful risk.
But metamodernism doesn’t simply want to replace modernism and postmodernism; it seeks a synthesis or integration of the two, with the metamodern mood constantly oscillating or toggling between modern and postmodern postures.
Once you understand metamodernism, you start to see it everywhere—in pop culture, in politics, in how we talk and think. Let’s consider some dynamics of metamodern Christianity that will be important for church leaders to understand and address. Specifically, we’ll drill down into one big challenge and one big opportunity I’m seeing.
How We Choose Songs
What we sing each Sunday really matters. Here’s how we choose what songs to sing at our church.
Church Tech Turn-offs: How Technology Can Offend Members
Technology in church can feel like a marvel—shiny tools, slick screens, streaming worship. Yet the very same church tech can become a turn-off when not handled thoughtfully. So let’s talk about church tech turn-offs: the ways that technology, meant to serve people, actually causes offense, friction or disconnect in your congregation.
10 Things That Make People Not Return to a Small Group
Ever you arranged snacks, crafted a beautiful study, and hoped people will show up—and stay? Yet your small group ends up with a handful of repeat faces and lots of one-time visitors. If you’re leading a small group, recognising the reasons people don’t return matters. These are genuine issues, not just “maybe they’re busy.”
Meet the Moment
We are living through a protracted period of cultural disruption. That’s not cause for despair, but it is cause for discernment. Leaders who thought they could wait out the storm now realize this is not a squall passing over the horizon, it is a change in climate that we must adapt to and learn to inhabit. For Christians, this isn’t simply a matter of finding ways to live comfortably, but rather how to live faithfully. How should Christians respond in such a moment?
The Conservative Movement’s Intellectual Collapse
The Heritage Foundation, which has stood for decades as the intellectual crown jewel of the conservative movement, has been convulsed in an ugly public spat over the organization’s approach to anti-Semitism. Employees and visiting scholars are resigning from and revolting against the think tank over its defense of the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist and anti-Semite who has gained prominence in MAGA circles. The conflict has exposed the degree to which previously forbidden bigotries have penetrated the heart of the Trump-era Republican Party. It has also revealed a somewhat different, yet related pathology: the brain death of the conservative movement.
The latest update to Elon Musk's social media platform has sparked confusion and chaos across the world, as trusted sources of political information have had their motivations called into question.
Diocese of Texas, other faith partners launch effort to feed hungry people
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas is spearheading an effort to encourage people of faith across the state to help feed those who are hungry. On Nov. 21 it launched “Feed the People Today,” an online resource to help people connect with ways to give or receive food assistance.
This new effort also encouraged faith communities across the state to work together to take concrete action, including partnering with local food banks, volunteering and mobilizing resources for families affected by the interruption of their federal SNAP benefits, opening church kitchens and pantries, and using worship spaces to distribute food as well as hope.
Map shows states where COVID Is rising before Thanksgiving
While the threat posed by COVID-19 remains relatively low nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that infections are growing or likely growing in 19 states across the nation.
According to a popular tradition, this prayer – in the Latin form “A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine” – was prayed in the churches and monasteries of Britain as Viking raids escalated in the 9th century. However, there is no evidence that this particular litany was in use at this time.
10 Red Flags in a Pastoral Job Posting
When searching for a ministry position, you can come across some interesting job descriptions. Sometimes the wording is warm and clear, and sometimes the red flags practically wave themselves. If you’re a pastor looking for a healthy church home, recognizing these red flags early can save you from heartbreak, burnout, and a fast return to the job boards.
What Happens in Worship
Worship is the primary formational space in most congregations, yet many churches rarely consider what they hope will happen during the service. Emily Peck invites leaders to name their core values and design worship that intentionally forms disciples within their unique context.
Special Music Ideas for Your Christmas Eve Service
The Christmas Eve service is one of those moments where worship, story, and community converge. If you’re planning this year’s Christmas Eve service, you know the music can either lift the moment or let it fall flat.
Let’s talk about special music ideas that help your congregation feel the wonder, the pause, and the celebration.
Music sets the tone. Before the sermon or message, people arrive with all sorts of noise in their lives. When your service opens with music that leads them into the story of the incarnation, that’s good ministry.
This Nostalgic Christmas Craft Is Making a Major Comeback
It seems social media is catching on to what we here at Country Living have known for quite some time: paper chain garland is the best, most whimsical holiday decoration you can use.
When I was young and lived in rural East Anglia, we made paper chain garlands at Christmastime and decorated our cottage with them. We also made paper lanterns. Making them is an activity adults and children can do together as a family and as a church. As well as to decorate homes, paper chain garlands can be used to decorate school classrooms, and parish halls. In a small church they might be used to decorate the sanctuary.
If you’ve heard the phrase “we need to do better at discipleship” more times than you can count, you’re not alone.
But what if the reason we keep having that conversation… is because we’ve been getting discipleship wrong?
In this video, I break down 7 key truths about Biblical discipleship—and why the modern church’s approach often misses what Jesus modeled. You’ll discover how discipleship and evangelism are inseparable, why maturity takes time, and how love, not control, should be the driving force behind spiritual growth.
Why Guests Don’t Come to Your Church After a Big Event
I’ve seen it in towns across America. Churches put tremendous energy and money into events—fall festivals, concerts, car shows, you name it—and then wonder why no one returns. It’s not that the events are bad. In fact, they’re often excellent. The problem is deeper—and it’s rarely about the barbeque.
This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King. It is a recent addition to the liturgical calendar and is observed in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches and some Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist churches. It celebrates the reign of Christ as the Lord of all creation, not just Lord of the Church but also every human being and every living thing on earth.
This Sunday’s service follows the structure of the service for a Service of the Word outlined in the Church of Ireland’s The Book of Common Prayer (2004). The Service of the Word is a form of service found in a number of more recent Anglican and Lutheran service books.
The topic of this Sunday’s message is the kingship of Christ.
Readings: Jeremiah 23: 1-6; Colossians 1: 11-20; and Luke 23: 33-43
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.
While older members of the GOP favor establishment principles and are more willing to engage in international issues, there is evidence that newer generations have adopted more populist and isolationist views and have more radical takes on a number of issues including immigration.
Understanding Repentance in the Bible: A Path to Salvation
Repentance is a central theme in the Bible, encompassing a profound transformation of heart and mind regarding sin. This transformative process is not merely about feeling remorseful but involves a decisive turn towards God and away from all forms of evil.
By embracing repentance, we draw nearer to God, paving the way for our ultimate salvation. This article will delve into the biblical perspective on repentance, providing insights from scripture and answering key questions surrounding this spiritual concept.
The Burge Report: How Do Pastors Actually End Up in Ministry?
In this episode, Sam and Ryan Burge discuss how pastors become pastors. Using data from the National Survey of Religious Leaders, the cohosts reveal that clergy often come to ministry through winding, unconventional paths—many after careers in other fields. Far from being single-focused, pastors frequently juggle multiple responsibilities: leading congregations, working as chaplains, and even holding non-ministry jobs. The numbers reveal both the beauty and burden of this calling: most clergy work 50+ hours a week, with a quarter clocking over 60. Yet despite financial pressures and demanding schedules, these leaders remain deeply committed to serving their communities and churches.
Don’t Call Me a Worship Leader. Seriously.
Don’t call me a worship leader. Seriously. Our words do matter. And I have a concern with the way that we use a couple of particular words: I don’t want to be called a worship leader anymore unless we redefine the meaning of worship leader.
Music Ministry with Modest Resources
For music leaders with less resources, a few important considerations can help awaken the joy of this calling and create a beautifully worshipful atmosphere for your congregation.
The findings come from The State of Today’s Family, a report by faith-based research organisation Barna, produced as part of its multi-year Flourishing Families Initiative.
Before You Say No to Childcare
Every family must prayerfully decide what’s best for them. But I want to share why my husband and I chose to let others care for our kids—and why we’ve never regretted it.
Advent Calendar Christmas Countdown for Kids
This Advent calendar idea is a Christmas Countdown chain. What a great way to help kids show love for their families and grow closer to God as they prepare for Christmas!
5 Planning Hacks for Stress-Free Youth Group Events
Planning youth group events often gets chaotic. Between last-minute cancellations, forgotten supplies, and the constant balancing act of fun versus faith formation? Youth ministry can sometimes feel like herding caffeinated cats.
But with a little preparation and a few hacks, planning youth group meetings, Bible studies, and outreach events can be relatively stress-free.
How Can I Practice Christian Hospitality?
When our culture talks about having people over, they often use the language of entertainment: “I like entertaining,” or “Here are some tips on entertaining.” Christian hospitality, however, is not entertaining. It is not the addition of some religion to entertaining. Hospitality has totally different motives, means, and ends, largely because it is not about us....
5 Urgent Evangelical Challenges in the Coming Years
Many say it’s been a tough decade for us evangelical Christians. The media say that Christianity is in great decline. We hear that most young adults dropped out of evangelical churches and that everyone hates us. The actual numbers tell a different story. The American Religious Identification Survey pointed to an overall decline of self-identified Christians. But although those numbers show a steep decline among mainline Christians, they also show a growth pattern for evangelicals Even so, these are evangelical challenges that call for reassessment.
But sometimes the comments give you a sense of what some segment of the population is thinking and what might become reality. That’s certainly true of a Nov. 19 post by a user named JLR Investigates, a self-styled “Gonzo journalist.”
Let’s change how we talk about immigrants
Conversations about immigration, especially on social media, reveal hard lines in the sand, a closed binary line of thinking, along with disgust, anger and outrage.
Bring up immigration at the family Thanksgiving gathering, and the turkey may burn in the cooker and a family feud may start.
The major impediment to this sort of civil dialogue is our language — the way we talk about immigrants.
A new funding plan would cut costs for most New York churches but calls on Trinity Church to double its donations to the diocese. Trinity leaders say they want to help but the bishop’s plan won’t work.
20 November is St Edmund’s Day, celebrating the king and martyr who was once the patron saint of England. This is his story.
The Leadership Time Trap: How to Multiply Results Without Adding Hours
In this episode of the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, you'll learn a fresh perspective on exactly where your time goes, how to cut the investments where you're least effective, and multiply your time investments in the activities that generate the most results.
Negativity Bias and the Praying Imagination
...I daily struggle with fixation on the negative. Perhaps you can relate. Psychologists call it “negativity bias,” and it seems to be a universal human phenomenon. Negative information has a greater impact on our thoughts and emotions than positive. If you give a person three bits of good news and one bit of bad news, he or she will likely zoom in on the bad news so much that the good news has little impact. Bad news sticks like Velcro.
It’s the Little Things
In the Thanksgiving season, we are provided with so many opportunities to practice being thankful by helping others. We give prayers of thanks for God’s grand plan for our redemption, but we also give thanks for His simple daily provisions. As the hands and feet of Jesus, we must be on the lookout for those opportunities where we can make life a little sweeter for someone else. It is the appropriate response for all our blessings.
Picture this: A phone call comes in at 2 a.m. On the other side is a pastor in New England, voice cracking, who wanted to know if his church was dying. Not in the traditional sense—attendance held stable, giving remained consistent, and conventional programs ran on schedule. But something felt broken at the core.
“My elders spend 45 minutes debating election outcomes,” he says, “and 10 minutes on discipleship strategy. That can’t be right.”
Well, he was correct. It was not right. And his church was far from alone.
Wood Inhibited; Sutton Steps Down
The Most Rev. Steve Wood, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, has been inhibited from ministry. The Most Rev. Ray Sutton, the denomination’s second bishop in the line of succession, has resigned from his positions as dean of the province and as acting archbishop in Wood’s absence.
Debbie Potter, children’s pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, was chosen as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in a race with Kevin Burrow, pastor of First Baptist Church of Eastland, Texas. The vote was 430 to 320.
All of us do need a plan for prayer, whether we are church leaders or laypersons.
In Prayer, Structure Serves Spontaneity
For more than two decades now, I’ve been collecting prayers from faithful Christians across centuries and continents, and I’ve found that taking the words of our forefathers and mothers in the faith and making them our own is one way I can orient my heart toward asking for—and desiring—what’s best.
5 Steps To Create A Sound Mix Blueprint
Today’s article lists out the steps I take whenever I see a new song on the set list. I’ve mentioned before about the importance of getting a copy of the song which the band will be using as their blueprint. This list goes way beyond that. It’s a way of creating your own sound mix blueprint. It’s a way of ensuring you are just as prepared as the musicians when you mix the song for the first time.
Vital Questions for Small Group Leaders
Meeting with small group leaders is one of the most impactful things you can do as a small groups point-person. Group leaders need care, coaching, and encouragement to stay in the game. While we all know this to be true, have you ever walked away from a one-on-one meeting with a leader and though, “did that even accomplish anything?” In order to ensure that you make the most of the time spent with a leader, it is important to go in with a game plan, including a list of questions for small group leaders, to determine: How will you make sure they are alright? Can you get a sense of how their group is doing? What particular skill do they need to be coached in?
If I were to design a wall hanging for a church, I would incorporate sparrows, swallows, and wildflowers into the design. All are mentioned in the Bible. The sparrow has a home and the swallow, a nest in the courts of the Lord, the Temple at Jerusalem (Psalm 84). Jesus uses sparrows as an example of how God cares for all of his creatures (Matthew 10:29-31; Luke 12:6-7). Psalm 103:15 compares the brevity of human life to that of the wildflower. They bloom one day and are gone the next. Birds and wildflowers are also mentioned in this evening’s reading.
In this evening’s message we reflect on the implications of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:25-34 for disciples of Jesus Christ in our day and time.
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.
Is A Big Fat Audacious Hairy Revival On Its Way?
Is a big fat audacious hairy revival on its way? Is that raincloud the size of a man’s fist about to shower down a typhoon’s worth of spiritual rain on a dry and parched land? Is the quiet revival going to get noisy? Is Protestantism in France going to sprout again for the first time since the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre?
6 Reasons Why Most Church Greeter Ministries Struggle
Church greeter ministries are among the most undervalued ministries in churches today, even though churches of all sizes can have this ministry. Sam and Thom examine six reasons the ministries struggle or fail.
Is the Rise of Reenchanted Spirituality Good?
As a Christian in these times, it’s hard not to celebrate when we see cracks in the sidewalks of secularism. In recent decades, atheism and agnosticism have been widespread among society’s elites, yet a persistent spiritual openness endures among most Americans—even those claiming no religious affiliation—like stubborn weeds or grass peeking through pavement.
Should we see these shoots of reenchantment as hopeful signs of revival or as weeds that conceal deeper dangers?
Who was Hilda of Whitby and why is she important?
19 November is the day when Anglicans remember St Hilda of Whitby. She was a powerful and important woman in the history of the English Church. This is her story.
Worship Circles: Worship Settings Don’t Have to Look Like a Concert
In recent years, modern worship settings have increasingly mirrored the energy and aesthetics of live concerts. Bright lights, fog machines, and towering sound systems dominate many church sanctuaries. While these elements can create an engaging atmosphere, not everyone connects with God in this high-energy environment. Enter worship circles: a refreshing approach that prioritizes intimacy, simplicity, and connection over production.
Is Artificial Intelligence Demonic?
Artificial Intelligence has quickly become mainstream. Some are excited by its potential; others are terrified. It has resulted in job losses, threatens entire industries, and enabled plagiarism on a massive scale. By far the biggest concern however are the cases where AI chatbots have apparently encouraged users to take their own lives.
Less than half of American adults say religion is important: study
Despite less than half of Americans ranking religion as an important part of their daily life, America is still more devout when it comes to religion than its economic peers, such as the United Kingdom or Germany, new data from Gallup shows.
Sound Tech: Should You Change the Sound Mix for the Holidays?
Churches often pour tremendous energy into Christmas services, but one question doesn’t get enough attention: should you adjust your holiday sound mix to match the unique demands of the season? Christmas services tend to bring fuller rooms, broader age ranges, and special musical elements. That means your soundboard shouldn’t stay on “business as usual.” The holidays call for thoughtful adjustments that can elevate the worship experience for both newcomers and your regular congregation.
Pros & Cons: Should Your Small Group Meet Through the Holidays?
Church leaders often wrestle with the same question every year: should holiday small groups continue meeting during the busy Christmas season, or is it healthier to take a break? The answer isn’t simple. People’s rhythms shift, schedules tighten, and emotions rise—but community is still deeply needed. Navigating this tension takes pastoral wisdom and a measured approach.
Partnering With Schools for the Holidays
By partnering with schools, your church and children’s ministry program can champion all kids. As ministry leaders, we help develop authentic faith in children and students. But we also work to equip others to best influence and encourage young people.
Because the greatest gift we can give children is the influence of honest and caring adults, we prioritize encouraging those who have the most influence on kids. Other than parents, teachers and school staff spend the most time per year with children.
A Layperson’s Deep Gladness Meets a Literal Deep Hunger
Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck writes about one of many examples that led him to give more attention to the clues God is giving us, often from laity, for next faithful steps in our congregational witness. He encourages the practice of discernment where we acknowledge that God takes the lead while inviting the faithful to join God’s redemptive work.
The Urgent Need for Smaller Churches
The United States Census Bureau released a report in 2020 that provided a striking reminder about who we are as a nation. In a report titled “America: A Nation of Small Towns,” they noted that about 76% of all incorporated places—nearly 19,500 of them—have fewer than 5,000 residents. Even more astonishing, almost 42% of incorporated places have populations under 500.
That means the overwhelming majority of American communities are small. While our cultural attention often focuses on the big cities, the small towns and rural areas form the backbone of the nation’s geography—and, for generations, the backbone of its spiritual life. Yet these are the very places where the church’s presence is now most fragile.
The data underscores an urgent truth: if we do not intentionally strengthen, plant, and support smaller churches, the majority of American communities will have little or no access to a local, gospel-centered congregation.
6 MORE Things Churches Not (Yet) Seeing Revival Can Learn
If your church isn’t seeing revival yet, don’t lose heart. In this follow-up to Part 1, I unpack six more powerful shifts growing churches are making today—changes that can help your ministry thrive and reach more people than ever before.
From simplifying ministries to taking more risks, these principles will help your team embrace innovation, deepen community, and stay laser-focused on the mission that matters most.
ACA Marketplace increases are slamming church budgets
Church and denominational staffs are scrambling to find employee health insurance alternatives in the event Affordable Care Act subsidies expire at the end of the year.
Two decades later, Justin Douglas is running for the US Congress – as a Democrat.
Once again: Jesus was not born in a stable!
Every year, in the northern hemisphere, and especially in Northern Europe, we are apparently caught by surprise as the evenings draw in, and the morning light comes later. It always seems surprising, even though it is the same every year.
And every year, I brace myself for the repetition of the ill-founded claim that Jesus was born in a stable, alone and isolated, with his family ostracised by the community—despite the complete lack of evidence for this reconstruction. It will be repeated in pulpits, real and virtual, up and down the land, so I do not apologise for reposting once more this annual feature.
Who was St Margaret of Scotland and why is she important?
16 November is the day when people remember St Margaret of Scotland. She was born in Hungary and became Queen of Scotland, where she restored the religious life of the country. This is her story....
How to Mix Old and New Music in Your Christmas Worship Set
Blending old and new songs in a Christmas worship set can feel like walking a tightrope. You want to honor cherished traditions, introduce fresh expressions of praise, and keep the entire congregation engaged. When done well, this mix creates a worship atmosphere that feels both familiar and alive—bridging generations and inviting everyone to sing with joy.
Are We Slow to Speak and Rush to Judgment on Social Media?
The human impulse to rush to judgment has always existed, but now it is common to believe whatever we hear and then post outrage using social media. But what if in our use of social media we applied the concepts of innocent until proven guilty, and from the mouth of Jesus, “Do to others as you would have them do to you”?
Most college students disagreed with Charlie Kirk
A whopping 94% of American college students had heard of Charlie Kirk before the time of his death, but only 30% of students said they agreed with his views.
What Role Does AI Have in Discipleship?
When we let AI take over the relational work of discipleship, we lose more than efficiency. We lose the essence of what makes it meaningful.
The gift of fellowship in building one body in Christ
There’s a saying that a lone coal grows dim, but coals heaped together glow red-hot. The same could be said of the Church. We are not designed for isolation but for interdependence. From the earliest days of creation, God declared that it is not good for a person to be alone, and that truth reverberates through the entire story of redemption.
The Christian life, in all its fullness, is not a solo pursuit - it is a shared journey - a divine collaboration of grace, gift, and love.
