Many churches in North America are not drifting away from Christianity; they are surrounded by it. They are fluent in Scripture, practiced in worship, experienced in ministry systems, and deeply familiar with Christian language. Yet, despite decades of effort, many congregations feel stalled, working harder, praying less with expectation, and seeing little lasting fruit.
The issue is not proximity to God.The issue is proximity without trust....
Can You Prevent a Church Split? A Ministry Survival Guide
The thunder clouds of dissent and dissatisfaction are gathering. You hear (and likely feel) the tremor that eventually becomes a rumble, and finally the undeniable earthquake of a church on the brink of a split. This is that perilous season where wise leadership can sometimes prevent a split, and often reduce the damage if one still happens. The months leading up to a potential church split are about slowing things down, lowering the emotional temperature, and leading with unusual clarity and humility.
Here’s practical, field-tested advice for that pre-split season.
Church Split: A Ministry Survival Guide
Church splits are among the most painful experiences a leader can face. They carry spiritual, relational and organizational fallout—and they almost never unfold neatly. In moments like these, church leaders don’t just need encouragement; they need a clear, practical plan. What follows is a realistic timeline of critical steps to take when a church is splitting, written from the perspective of pastors and senior leaders who must shepherd people through crisis with wisdom and integrity.
Trump admin continues to lie about who’s being arrested by ICE
Only a fraction of the 400,000 immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the past year had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses, according to new data from the Department of Homeland Security.
Maryland priest, wife caring for children of single mom detained by immigration officials
A Maryland priest and his wife have assumed care of two children after their mother was detained by immigration officials, according to a story from NBC4 Washington.
Cardinal Cupich says feds stopped priests, demanded citizenship proof
‘I’ve had some priests who are of a different color being targeted and arrested — stopped — because of their color and asking them to prove that they’re citizens. That’s not America,’ the Chicago cardinal said.
Decision on ‘sensitive location’ policy coming
Carlos Chavez, a Mexican-born member of North Hills United Methodist Church Hispanic Mission in Los Angeles, was apprehended Jan. 29 at the church and deported shortly thereafter. The D.C. Court of Appeals heard oral arguments Feb. 5 for a lawsuit filed by religious organizations claiming that a 2025 policy change that rescinds a long-time policy to avoid disrupting churches and schools is unconstitutional. A decision from the court is expected to take about two months.
Calvin Robinson Joins Sixth Denomination
The Rev. Calvin Robinson, the religious internet personality, recently became a cleric in a continuing Anglican denomination founded in 2024: the English Catholic Church in North America. Robinson has been temporary licensed in this denomination since 2025, and was permanently incardinated into it on February 4.
Discipleship Deficit Exists Among U.S. Churchgoers
Lifeway Research studied churchgoers’ levels of discipleship by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice.
Evangelical Theology 1833–1856: A Response to Tractarianism
In this classical study, now out of print, the late English theologian and historian Peter Toon examines how Anglican Evangelical theologians in the mid-19th century reacted to the rise of the Oxford Movement and Tractarianism.
Also See: Evangelicals and Tractarians: then and nowPreparing for the Unexpected in Your Worship Service
What are some practical ways church leaders can care for their congregation if they face a disruption?
Bible Study Leaders Should Not Have All the Answers
Even though leaders can’t logistically have all the answers, I don’t think that should even be a goal. As an ambition, that’s harmful for at least two reasons.
VOICES: Want to improve your prayer life? Try shorter prayers
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that longer prayers are better prayers. There is a temptation to believe the more we talk, the more persuasive we are in moving the hand of God. But that is not what the Bible shows us.
‘God Told Me’: How We Hear God’s Voice Today
How do we take seriously that God speaks yet embrace firmly Scripture’s authority? Can we hear Father, Son, and Spirit speak in our personal circumstances in immediate and specific ways and say truly, “God told me”?
Yes, within three guardrails.
Seeing the gym as a mission field
Did you set a new year’s resolution this year? Chances are, the resolution was focused on improving yourself. According to YouGov, exercise remains resoundingly the top ‘self-betterment’ goal. As a self-confessed fitness-fanatic myself, I get this: the structure, consistency, and community offered by the gym helps me in so many ways. But how does this fit with the Christian life? Is growing in my faith like going to the gym?
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