Thom reviews recent data from the Cooperative Election Study and Ryan Burge, focusing on atheists and agnostics. The information raises many questions and provides encouraging opportunities for churches.
Also See: Are the Boomers Nones No More?The Crowd is Not a Church
Jesus isn’t interested in gathering a crowd. He’s interested in building a church.
United Methodism two years after 25% of churches disaffiliated
The United Methodist Church’s experience with the disaffiliations of a number of its congregations has received widespread coverage in church media and in some secular media outlets. Because the polity of the UMC differs from that of many other denominations, this chapter in our denomination’s history may be confusing to those with different approaches to the ways congregations and whole denominations govern themselves.
Some may find it helpful to learn of the steps that led to the disaffiliation process, what its effect has been upon the denomination and what it may hold for the future of the denomination in the United States. The following constitutes a brief overview of these concerns.
Also See: Signs of Rebound Amid Uneven Recovery: the Changing Congregational LandscapeDepressed Congregations: Root, Rosa, Acceleration, and Innovation (Part 1)
This is a two part essay. Part 2 will appear tomorrow, May 6.
Evangelical groups warn Trump’s deportations could leave 1.3M 'torn apart' from families
'What might have been an abstract policy decision that's taking place in Washington now is actually impacting communities,' said Walter Kim, head of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Why MAGA’s Christian revival claim is a total fantasy
In 2026, right-wing media have been full of reporting on an alleged Christian fundamentalist revival among young Generation Z men — who, they claim, are going to evangelical churches in big numbers. Many of these reports also claim that Gen-Z men are searching for "tradwives" who reject feminism, wear old-fashioned attire (including prairie dresses) and are determined to be stay-at-home moms.
But Salon's Amanda Marcotte, in article published on May 4, argues that this "Christian revival" among Gen-Z men is a myth.
Conspiracy and the Christian
Conspiracy theories have been around a long time. But they have surfaced with a vengeance in recent years, serving up a counter narrative to the official explanations for all sorts of things. Conspiracy theories are fringe beliefs but have become increasingly popularized and believed by average voters, citizens, and—important for our purposes—church members.
Why do Christians say “Amen”?
There are certain words we use so often in church that we rarely stop to think about them. “Amen” is one of those words. It slips so naturally off our lips at the end of a prayer or sermon that it can almost feel automatic. But this small, familiar word carries a depth of meaning, history, and spiritual weight that is far from ordinary.
Let’s slow down and rediscover what we are really saying when we say Amen.
For Every Minister Who Struggles With Your Prayer Life
Real prayer is about relationship. And relationships are hard. Even (especially?) with God.
You Answered an Altar Call. But Was It a Conversion?
This article argues that while altar calls can serve as meaningful moments of response, they risk producing emotional decisions without lasting faith.
The Algorithm Is Changing How We Speak and Strive
“Algospeak” capitalizes on our desire for attention and status. We should turn to God for both.
Grok convinces man to arm himself because assassins are coming to kill him
Over the past year or so, a bizarre phenomenon has emerged: people start talking with AI chatbots about delusions or conspiracies and get sucked into mental health crises that doctors are calling “AI psychosis.”
The results can be grim. We’ve seen mainstream AI implicated in numerous suicides, involuntary commitment and even murder.
Let’s slow down and rediscover what we are really saying when we say Amen.
For Every Minister Who Struggles With Your Prayer Life
Real prayer is about relationship. And relationships are hard. Even (especially?) with God.
You Answered an Altar Call. But Was It a Conversion?
This article argues that while altar calls can serve as meaningful moments of response, they risk producing emotional decisions without lasting faith.
The Algorithm Is Changing How We Speak and Strive
“Algospeak” capitalizes on our desire for attention and status. We should turn to God for both.
Grok convinces man to arm himself because assassins are coming to kill him
Over the past year or so, a bizarre phenomenon has emerged: people start talking with AI chatbots about delusions or conspiracies and get sucked into mental health crises that doctors are calling “AI psychosis.”
The results can be grim. We’ve seen mainstream AI implicated in numerous suicides, involuntary commitment and even murder.
Image Credit: St. Columba Episcopal Church, Bristol, Tennessee
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