About 80% of churches are either declining or plateaued. We should celebrate the 20% that are growing, but this post is about the larger group. Struggling established churches are notorious for hanging on—not for years, but for decades. How is it that some churches can remain on life support for so long? The reasons are varied and, to some degree, contextual, but one demographic factor stands out.
Why Your Church Is Getting Older (and Getting Younger with Simple Church) Webinar Replay
If you’d like to revisit the content or share it with your team, or if you missed the webinar, I have posted the link to the replay of the webinar. I have also posted a link to the the slides of the webinar.
Also See: Why Your Church Is Getting Older (and Getting Younger with Simple Church) Webinar Slides (Downloadable)Grow It or Close It? Is There a Third Option for Struggling Small Churches?
We need to assemble and promote the best ideas we can find to help struggling small churches become healthy small churches.
Don’t Get Singled Out
One of the great tricks of the devil is to get someone alone. Have you ever seen those videos of wolves attacking a herd? Have you noticed how they attack? They don’t go for the big fella at the front of the pack, and they don’t go for the little one in the middle of the pack. They find the straggler. The one who is already on the outskirts of the herd. They get him further separated from the herd and then slowly wear him down until they can bring him down. This is what the devil does. He loves to get us alone and then slowly wear us down and discourage us. Let me warn you here: Don’t get singled out.
Trump’s AI Jesus Might Be the Messiah We’ve Been Looking For
Russell reads his latest article for Christianity Today.
Church leaders break silence: Trump represents threat to faith
These remarks were delivered during an emergency press conference in New Haven, Connecticut on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in response to recent comments and actions by President Donald J. Trump.
The blame for Trump’s messiah complex lies with Franklin Graham
Last week, Donald Trump began to openly challenge and mock the pope and then posted an image of himself as Jesus Christ. Many conservative Catholics and even evangelicals who have wholeheartedly defended and supported Trump were taken aback, but not one man: his most visible “spiritual adviser,” Franklin Graham.
Trump’s antipathy for Pope may have roots in childhood Protestant church
Somewhat overlooked in the furore over Donald Trump’s attacks this week on Pope Leo, for his criticism of the US attack on Iran, and the US president’s decision to post an image portraying himself as Jesus Christ on social media, is the fact that Trump attended services as a young man at the Protestant Marble Collegiate church in Manhattan, which was led at the time by an anti-Catholic pastor.
The idolator-in-chief plays savior while the pope chooses prophecy
One man seemed to imagine himself as Jesus. The other one simply tried to act like him.
What’s the risk of Trump’s fight with Pope Leo?
I don’t believe President Donald Trump understands the political risk of picking a fight with Pope Leo XIV. My best guess is he believes the unquestioning submission demonstrated by his fawning white evangelical followers exists among all his Christian followers. But Catholics are not white evangelical Protestants.
People with dark personality traits are naturally inclined towards leadership roles, finds new study
Can you tell if you're working with a narcissist or a psychopath? A new study suggests that people's job choices may offer some clues, especially in fields built on leadership and persuasion such as business, politics, and law, where such darker traits are more common. Those in creative fields or nature-focused work may be more likely to encounter individuals with a Machiavellian way of thinking, according to findings published in Personality and Individual Differences.
Share of young men attending church is on the rise in a trend driven by Republicans, Gallup finds
In a shift that may be driven by political identity, the share of young adult men who report attending a religious service at least monthly is now the highest it has been in more than a decade, according to a new report from Gallup.
Disabilities & the Church: What Leaders Should Know
This essay kicks off a series on Ministry, Disabilities, and Inclusion running April 20 – 25. A series round up with links to all the essays will appear later in the spring.
Healing What’s Within: Why Trauma-Informed Care is Vital for the Modern Church
For Christians committed to embodying the compassion of Christ, understanding trauma is not optional; it is a necessary expression of love. Jesus consistently drew near to the wounded, responding with tenderness, protection and truth. To follow him faithfully requires that we become communities where those who suffer are seen, believed and gently accompanied toward healing.
How People of Faith Can Help Solve the Mental Health Crisis, with Shaunti Feldhahn & James N. Sells (Ep 125)
“People need friends. Not paid-professional friends, not just online friends. Real people who engage in real time over real concerns.”
Which type of tree did Zacchaeus actually climb?
20 April is the feast day of Zacchaeus of Jericho. We all know the account of Zacchaeus climbing a tree to see Jesus. However, it turns out not to have been a sycamore tree at all. This is the story....
Four Barriers for New Leaders
Here are four common barriers new leaders must overcome to lead effectively and faithfully....
2 Leadership Mistakes Every Rural Church Pastor Must Avoid
How can a pastor draw on an understanding of the relational nature of a rural church to avoid unnecessary struggles?
The Critical Functions of a Pastor Rarely Found in a Church Job Description
On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss some critical functions of their work as pastors that are not included in the typical church job description.
Should Full-Time Pastors Have a Side Hustle?
Ministry today and in the future will necessitate more co-vocational pastors and church leaders. What about full-time pastors who need to supplement their income? A side job may relieve financial pressure, expand skills, and create meaningful community connections outside the church. However, it can also be a distraction and create divided attention.
Scientists tested the creativity of AI models, and the results were surprisingly homogeneous
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus suggests that while artificial intelligence chatbots can match or exceed human creativity on individual tasks, they produce highly similar responses when compared to one another. This provides evidence that widespread reliance on artificial intelligence for creative tasks could lead to a loss of unique ideas.
Letting AI do your work erodes your confidence, according to a new study
As AI becomes a daily work tool, the real risk may not be losing our intelligence—but losing confidence in our own thinking. New research suggests the difference comes down to how actively we engage with the technology.
Teen boys are choosing AI girlfriends over real ones for 'maximum control, zero rejection'—experts say it could make them unemployable
The appeal is, as one professor told Fortune, obvious: “maximum control, zero rejection.” And it’s a shift that could reshape not just their love lives, but their future careers.
The toll of opting out of real relationships, in all their mess and glory, experts warn, could be a generation that arrives in the workforce unable to read a room, build trust over a coffee, or handle the one thing AI can never prepare you for—being told no.
‘Not a Child-Safe Technology’: Proactive Parenting in the Age of AI
When I asked him what parents should be worried about for their kids, he mentioned three things—education, emotions, and employment. These are areas where AI is already affecting children or young people, and, importantly, areas where parents have the agency and ability to make wise decisions that can significantly affect the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of their kids.
Let’s take them one at a time, starting with education.
The Critical Functions of a Pastor Rarely Found in a Church Job Description
On this episode, Josh and Sam discuss some critical functions of their work as pastors that are not included in the typical church job description.
Should Full-Time Pastors Have a Side Hustle?
Ministry today and in the future will necessitate more co-vocational pastors and church leaders. What about full-time pastors who need to supplement their income? A side job may relieve financial pressure, expand skills, and create meaningful community connections outside the church. However, it can also be a distraction and create divided attention.
Scientists tested the creativity of AI models, and the results were surprisingly homogeneous
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus suggests that while artificial intelligence chatbots can match or exceed human creativity on individual tasks, they produce highly similar responses when compared to one another. This provides evidence that widespread reliance on artificial intelligence for creative tasks could lead to a loss of unique ideas.
Letting AI do your work erodes your confidence, according to a new study
As AI becomes a daily work tool, the real risk may not be losing our intelligence—but losing confidence in our own thinking. New research suggests the difference comes down to how actively we engage with the technology.
Teen boys are choosing AI girlfriends over real ones for 'maximum control, zero rejection'—experts say it could make them unemployable
The appeal is, as one professor told Fortune, obvious: “maximum control, zero rejection.” And it’s a shift that could reshape not just their love lives, but their future careers.
The toll of opting out of real relationships, in all their mess and glory, experts warn, could be a generation that arrives in the workforce unable to read a room, build trust over a coffee, or handle the one thing AI can never prepare you for—being told no.
‘Not a Child-Safe Technology’: Proactive Parenting in the Age of AI
When I asked him what parents should be worried about for their kids, he mentioned three things—education, emotions, and employment. These are areas where AI is already affecting children or young people, and, importantly, areas where parents have the agency and ability to make wise decisions that can significantly affect the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of their kids.
Let’s take them one at a time, starting with education.
Image Credit: Hilda United Methodist Church, Mason, Texas/Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment