Around the world—from Africa to Asia to South America—the church continues to multiply. And even in the West, while the “decline narrative” still dominates headlines, a different set of numbers is emerging—quieter but full of life.
Churches across the UK are getting into the Christmas spirit
Cathedrals and churches across the UK are embracing Advent with a flurry of festive markets, carol services and community events.
Also See: Westminster Abbey carol service, celebrating kindness and communityChurches helping millions of Brits get by as living costs remain high
Nearly a quarter of Britain’s population have received support or assistance from a church or Christian organisation in the last five years, new research has shown.
Southwest Florida churches recover after facing three hurricanes in 2022, 2024
Members of St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, were thrilled when they finally were able to celebrate St. Raphael’s Day in their nave in late October. The church had finished rebuilding more than three years after Hurricane Ian, a strong Category 4 storm, hit just north of the town that is located on Estero Island, a 1.5-mile-wide barrier island off the west coast of Florida, on Sept. 28, 2022.
Vatican report says church teaching bars women deacons, but stops short of final ruling
A Vatican-appointed commission says current church teaching does not allow women to be ordained as Catholic deacons. Advocates for women deacons describe the decision as discouraging and warn it could push some women away from the church.
Also See: Vatican document on women deacons opens door to more confusionArchbishop of Canterbury-elect Sarah Mullally moves closer to confirmation
On Dec. 2, a centuries-old ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral formally elected the 106th archbishop of Canterbury.
What Wicca’s Origins Teach Us About Christian Nationalism
Like the neo-pagans who adopted Murray’s imagined past as their own, many Christian Nationalists are now trying to “restore” an America that exists primarily in their imagination. And in so doing, they’re creating something genuinely new that smuggles in much that’s harmful about nationalism while discarding what makes Christianity beautiful.
Addicted to More
American society is entrenched in consumption. Part of this is the natural work of producing, purchasing and consuming the food, clothing, transportation and shelter we need to live. But America has created a society with an endless drive to produce and consume more and more.
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MAGA isn't the biggest threat to America
In a recent Wall Street Journal report, “The Ultrarich Are Spending a Fortune to Live in Extreme Privacy,” reporter Arian Campo-Flores pulls back the curtain on a disturbing new reality: our country’s wealthiest citizens now inhabit a parallel America of private jets, members-only restaurants, “sky-garage” condos, and luxury wellness centers they can rent out entirely for themselves.
These aren’t just perks; they’re a full-blown escape from public life. The ultra-wealthy no longer wait in lines, navigate public institutions, or share community space with ordinary Americans.
And that’s the real danger: once the richest begin living outside the civic sphere, they stop caring whether the rest of society works at all. A nation where the wealthy secede into a private realm is a nation confronting oligarchy.
Revisiting the Most Influential Leadership Book I’ve Ever Read (And What I Learned)
Every leader has a handful of books that change how they see the world. For me, one of those books is Reframing Organizations by Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal. I first read it years ago as an academic text, but it has stayed with me far longer than most books from graduate school. The reason is simple: it taught me how to see my church differently.
Engaging Unchurched People
Despite being a Christian, having read several chapters of the Bible, and praying that morning and wanting to be in church, guess what I was not thinking about? Engaging in the service.
Fortunately, our team has done a lot of work trying to counter that. Because we’re a North Point strategic partner, we follow the Rules of Engagement Andy Stanley has developed.
What Makes a Compelling Worship Service?
Having visited several churches during the past year and then joining one as a non-staff member, here’s what I believe can help make a compelling worship service that would encourage people to want to come back.
How Christmas Can Steal Worship
...how do we help our church focus on the presence of God more than the presents under the tree?
Your Church Needs You to Sing, and So Do You
Singing is essential to our discipleship.
RFK Jr. panel ends longtime recommendation for hepatitis B shot at birth
A federal vaccine advisory committee voted Friday to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. newborns receive a hepatitis B shot on the day they are born, a dramatic shift that drew immediate condemnation from medical and public health leaders.
The health case for church attendance
The most common argument for religion in modern times is a utilitarian one: People are social animals who need religion and mediating institutions for a happy and healthy social organization. For better or worse, the moral cause and classical arguments for faith have fallen by the wayside, leaving young folks to discover firsthand the effects of a secular world.
18 Christmas Outreach Ideas for Youth Ministry
Need some creative Christmas outreach ideas for teens? Keep reading for fresh insights about how to involve teens in meaningful service at the holidays.
Shine, Jesus, Shine remix launched for Christmas evangelism campaign
The old favourite “Shine, Jesus, Shine” has received something of a makeover as part of a national campaign to share the gospel this Christmas.
First written in 1987 by Graham Kendrick, a special new recording of the song will be released this month.
I introduced "Shine, Jesus, Shine" to my congregation back in the early 1990s. It proved very popular with the congregation and provided the congregation with an opportunity to sing the church doors off their hinges! We often sang it as the final hymn of the service.
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