Friday's Catch: 'What Growing Churches Actually Do to Reach and Keep People' And More

What Growing Churches Actually Do to Reach and Keep People
How does a church grow without relying on people transferring from other congregations? Thom and Sam take a dive into this topic.

The Problems and Promise of Denominations
Are denominations still relevant—or are they slowly fading away?

The Red Flags Driving Women Out of Church (and How to Fix Them)
Recent data shows that while young men are coming to church in record numbers, women are leaving. Why? Kadi Cole shares the #1 reason women are leaving church (lack of trust) and outlines numerous other red flags that are alienating women.

Plus, she discusses how to address them and how to create an engaging environment for women, whether you lead a complementarian or egalitarian church.

Across US, churches plan Palm Sunday protests
United Methodists plan to join with thousands of other Christians on March 29 in taking their Palm Sunday processions outside church walls and into the streets.

Their goal for the Palm Sunday witness: Challenge notions of earthly power and domination with Christ-like humility and neighborliness.

Great Lakes Ministry Assists Tornado Victims
Four people died and 20 were injured when a tornado ripped through several counties in southwest Michigan on March 6. Trinity Church in Three Rivers was spared the brunt of the twister, which had estimated winds of at least 160 miles per hour. The congregation reported no fatalities or injuries, and its building was undamaged.

The parish is part of the Diocese of the Great Lakes, which encompasses 58 counties in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

Why is the Resurrection Important?
Most of those in your pews believe in Christ’s resurrection, but what might change if they grasped what that meant for their eternity?

Your Church Makes Christianity Credible
When Paul writes from prison to the Christians in Ephesus in the first century, he addresses a group of believers who, like us, live in a world overwhelmed with false information. They too can be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” or be taken in by “human cunning, by craftiness” for the purpose of “deceitful schemes” (4:14).

Paul seems to write to them, at least in part, to provide them with much-needed reorientation. With the shifting winds of disinformation blowing strong, he wants to remind them of their identity in Christ and of the way of life this identity entails. We need these reminders too.

Pastoral Burnout: Why Rest Isn’t Enough
Before we can counter our burnout, pastors and ministry leaders need to confront our own self-deception. In this respect, two forms of self-deception play a particularly significant role.

Legacy Over Platform: Six Things That Will Outlast Your Sermons
Long after the sermon manuscript is lost and the recording disappears into the internet archives, what remains is the quiet, everyday realities of pastoral life that shape people far more than we often realize.

Scientists discover what age children start becoming cunning little liars

Scientists may have just identified the age at which children begin to understand and practice deception for the first time—and it is a lot younger than you might think.

8 Critical Signposts of a Healthy Church
Christians should grow in these discipleship signposts. Conversely, if you’re not seeing growth in these areas, discipleship may have stalled out.