Thursday's Catch: 'Is the Era of Mere Christianity Over?' And More

Is the Era of Mere Christianity Over?
We may be entering an era marked by the continued decline of denominationalism alongside an increase in theological factionalism. (A subscription is required but it is free.)

VOICES: Churches have shrunk the Gospel
In many churches, Christianity has been reduced, not necessarily to something false or heretical, but to something much smaller than it is.

Even our understanding of the church’s mission — to exalt Christ, edify believers, and evangelize the lost — is understood in ways that confine Christianity. Worship only happens on Sunday mornings. Discipleship is the acquisition of biblical knowledge or the process of becoming more moral. Evangelism is about securing decisions for Christ.

What Successful Evangelistic Churches Actually Do for Outreach
Only 1% of churches have an ongoing emphasis on evangelism. Josh and Sam break down what successful evangelistic churches actually do.

Church Branding Isn’t Church Planting
What makes us like other churches is far greater than what distinguishes us from other churches.

When we — Baptists and Methodists — were all evangelical
It may now seem surprising to many United Methodists, and even more Baptists, that for most of our histories in the United States, all Methodists and Baptists were regularly designated as evangelical denominations.

The most important reason is that both traditions had established themselves as evangelical movements, and marginal ones at that, in their earliest days. In addition, in the early 20th century, as scholar David R. Bains notes, “all Methodists and Baptists, most Presbyterians, and many Episcopalians and Congregationalists would have once been placed firmly within the bounds of evangelical Protestantism.”

On Anglican Documents and the Declaration of Principles of the Free Church of England
Reformation era churches wrote documents to define the extent of the protest against late-mediaeval Roman Catholicism – the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Catechisms, the Second Helvetic Confession, etc. The English documents are the Articles of Religion, the Homilies, and the Book of Common Prayer which are intended to hang together as the theological baseline for Anglicanism and its liturgical expression. The three hang together remarkably well and, even though Anglicanism broadened out somewhat even before the revolutions of the nineteenth century, they still provide the foundation of the Anglican tradition to the degree that to alter or abandon one is to run the risk of throwing the others out of balance.

‘This isn’t a peacekeeping initiative — this is a terror campaign’: Texas faith leaders condemn ICE deaths
A news conference inside the state Capitol brought together about two dozen leaders from the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ, the National Council of Jewish Women and other faith-related groups.

Also See: Texas religious leaders demand ICE accountability

Bertha heads for Gulf Coast, flooding worsens Eastward
Tropical Storm Bertha nears final landfall on the northwest Gulf Coast, but its greatest flooding threat remains focused farther east.

Also See: Tropical Storm Bertha makes second landfall in Texas; Emergency flood rescues as heavy rain triggers rising waters

West Texas diocese applies lessons from 2025 floods to its relief efforts after latest disaster
The impact of severe flooding last week in the central Texas counties known as the Hill Country is still being felt by residents. Since then, Episcopal congregations have joined community efforts to respond to pressing needs there — one year after the region was hit by an earlier round of deadly and destructive river flooding.

Maryland town countersues Episcopal church seeking to close overnight shelter
The legal battle continues to escalate between a Maryland town and an Episcopal church over the church’s overnight shelter for unhoused people. In response to the church’s lawsuit, the town of Ocean City has filed a countersuit, and it also has rejected the church’s permit applications for unrelated plumbing work.

Why Is It So Hard to Find a Bishop?
So far this year, five dioceses– Kansas, Lexington, Western New York, Tennessee, and Navajoland–across the Episcopal Church have extended their bishop searches.

Lay Preacher Training Informational Webinar
The role of lay preacher has been an important part of the church from its earliest days. As the clergy shortage grows and churches are under increased financial strain, the need for licensed lay preachers grows each year.

UN report finds many young people want to get married but find it hard to do so
A UN report has suggested that across the world young people want to get married and have children, but often find it difficult to do so.

5 Ways to Deepen Your Men’s Ministry
When you implement these strategies, you won’t just have more spiritual depth in your men’s ministry but also a healthier church as a whole.