Unmooring is also an accurate description of the complexities and confusion of our moment. People—even whole communities—are becoming disconnected from the realities that held previous generations together.
While this “Great Unmooring” is certainly true of American society, it can also be felt throughout the world. Its impacts are multifaceted, creating turbulent times, division and uncertainty. But it also presents tremendous opportunity for the gospel.
Denominations That Are on Red Alert for Rapid Decline
Using a recent study by Ryan Burge, Jess and Thom examine the sobering reality of demographic decline in two groups: the Southern Baptist Convention and non-denominational evangelical churches.
Two Denominations That Are Surprisingly Young
In the previous podcast, Jess and Thom examined the aging and dying denominations. In this podcast, they discuss the two youngest denominations.
Church of Ireland marks St Patrick’s Day with worship, music and pilgrimage
Church of Ireland dioceses and cathedrals have prepared a wide programme of worship, music and community events to mark St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.
The commemorations are in honour St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who is remembered for bringing Christianity to the island in the fifth century.
The story of St Patrick’s Day
On March 17 every year, people in Ireland and across the world celebrate St Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast has grown into a global celebration of Irish culture, history and identity.
But who was St Patrick, and why is he remembered centuries later? His story is one of hardship, faith and a remarkable mission that changed the course of Ireland’s history. So, let’s dive right into it.
Disestablishing Church of England 'will not be a priority' at next election, says Green Party
The Green Party has responded to claims it wants to disestablish the Church of England by saying that this will "not be a priority" at the next General Election.
The Daily Mail reported that it had seen the plans in a Green Party policy document stating that the Church would be disestablished and instead become "self-governing" so that future appointments of offices like the Archbishop of Canterbury would be done without involvement from secular government officials. Bishops would also be removed from the House of Lords under the alleged plans.
Why Harassment Training Is Essential for Small Churches (And How to Protect Your Ministry)
For many pastors and church leaders, the idea of “workplace harassment training” can feel like something designed for corporations, not congregations. After all, churches are communities built on shared faith, trust, and service. They’re supposed to be immune to things like this. Right?
But the reality is that most churches are also technically workplaces, too. Staff members, volunteers, and ministry leaders interact daily, often in emotionally intense environments. And like any workplace, misunderstandings, poor boundaries, or inappropriate behavior can occur.
The Afterlife Isn’t Going Away
One thing I am always probing the edges of is how deeply religion is embedded in each one of us. There’s a saying that bounces around the sociology of religion: “you may be done with religion but religion is not done with you.” I really like how Daryl van Tongeren describes this phenomenon: religious residue. You may not have gone to church in a decade and have no plans of raising your kids in a religious household, but there are probably parts of your psyche that are still impacted by religious concepts and frameworks.
I think that the idea of the afterlife is one of those things. It seems pretty common to reject the idea of Moses parting the Red Sea or to question whether Jesus died and actually resurrected. Lots of folks cast serious doubts on those types of miraculous events. But then when surveys include questions about concepts like having a soul and what happens to your existence after you die, that religious residue reemerges, and you can see that lots of Americans do tend to have some type of supernatural belief.
How Pastors Can Lead Through Culture Wars and Political Division
Picture this: You preach on caring for the poor. After the service, a longtime deacon named Harold corners you in the hallway by the coffee table. “That sounded pretty liberal,” he says, and walks away. Next Sunday, a young couple stops you at the door. “We love that you’re speaking up about justice,” they say. “We’ve been looking for a church that actually cares.”
Same sermon. Opposite reactions. Welcome to ministry in a culture war. This isn’t a guide for making everyone happy—that’s not possible, and chasing it will hollow out your ministry. It’s something harder and better than that. Jesus calls his church to rise above worldly divisions, uniting in his truth. Understanding America’s culture wars isn’t optional for pastors—it’s essential.
Actually, You Do Have Time to Read
Literacy in the Western world is in freefall. A study from the University of Florida found that the time Americans spend reading for pleasure declined 40 percent between 2003 and 2023. Pleasure reading among children is now at the lowest level on record. After 300 years of becoming more literate, more intelligent, more communicative, we in the West are regressing. Like Miller’s mobs of Simpletons, we’ve ceased to see the value in books. It seems to not be something we did intentionally, unlike the mobs, but that we just sort of let happen to us.
I probably don’t need to tell you that the decline in literacy tracks with the introduction and widespread adoption of the smartphone, a device that may as well have been developed by a Simpleton to ruin our capacity to read. All previous technology that could (and did) displace reading for pleasure—television, movies, even radio—was designed to get and keep our attention for extended periods of time. But the smartphone and its accompanying software is the first device that is purpose-built for minimizing attention and maximizing distraction. We flip between apps, scroll between videos, and receive notifications of things that seem to need our attention right away.
Relational Ministry in a Technology-Dominated World
Why is relational ministry so important? Read on to find out!
Ground Rules for Counseling Students
If it hasn’t happened already, it’ll happen soon enough:
The late night phone call from a student or parent dropping a bombshell. “Tim, my dad just beat me up. What should I do?” “Tasha, my mom just left my dad, and I don’t know where I should go now.”
For years, Tasha has worked as a counselor, and Tim has served with students. Their experience in these areas has helped them develop ground rules when it comes to counseling students.
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