Thom and Sam explore why the pastorate remains one of the most secure callings in an AI world. Artificial intelligence can help with research and administrative tasks, but it cannot replace the heart of pastoral ministry: presence, trust, discernment, and shepherding. The more ministry is rooted in real relationships rather than production alone, the more durable it becomes. In many ways, the rise of AI may actually clarify what people need most from pastors in the years ahead.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 - Part 1
Thom and Jess Rainer revisit the insights from Thom’s 2016 bestseller “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” and provide a sobering update for today’s church landscape. In this episode, they begin unpacking the eight new signs that a church is nearing its end in 2025.
The only reason Thom wrote this book is that his blog of the same title went viral. The book became another number-one bestseller. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 12 years after it was published.
Why Church Autopsies Are Important
Mark and Thom delve into the painful issue of examing why churches died. They do so that future deaths might be prevented. They also show how churches today can move to health rather than death.
While The United Methodist Church debates societal issues — LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, welcome of refugees and the like — its congregations’ real estate is eating away at the denomination and threatening its viability.
Theologically, Anglicanism charts a third way through the landscape of evangelical and catholic options: one that is not at odds with either, but nonetheless aspires, at its best, to be more than what either can offer on its own. It’s a combination of progressive thinking and traditional foundations that Canadian society sorely needs. Yet in this age of church decline and all-too frequent church closures, it’s an offering that seems to be falling flat in our secular world.
One solution may be to reimagine the one thing Anglicanism in Canada still has in abundance: its spaces.
Beach’s 2020 probe cleared Dobbs of claims now driving defamation suit
A confidential November 12, 2020 report and set of Godly Judgments issued by the Most Rec. Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America has emerged as a central exhibit in the federal defamation lawsuit the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs filed against the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones.
GAFCON Europe launches funding appeal
These are challenging days and yet times of opportunity for all Christians and Anglicans who are biblically orthodox. This is true both for those who are committed to staying within the existing structures, as well as those who have reached the decision to establish new and alternative Anglican structures. Both seek to strategically remain biblically orthodox and missional and Gafcon Europe is committed to seeing both prosper and play a significant role, alongside other bible believing Christians, in reaching Europe for Christ.
Following pandemic losses, schism, UMC merges 2 Georgia conferences
Two regional bodies of The United Methodist Church are merging into a single entity following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the denomination’s recent schism.
The UMC Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference voted 291-0 on Tuesday to approve the merging of the North Georgia Conference and the South Georgia Conference into one body.
Hunt is willing to pay to restore himself to his position of power and influence, but he is not willing to pay the victim who has paid the greatest cost. This is an apt metaphor for the leadership of the SBC.
A family in Canada has alleged that their 83-year-old grandmother was euthanised despite her stated Christian beliefs and lack of mental capacity to consent to the procedure.
Literal or Symbolic? Reading Revelation Responsibly
Without a doubt, Revelation is one of the most difficult Bible books to understand. It has baffled ancient and modern commentators alike. Yet Revelation continues to capture the church’s imagination.
The church remains divided over how to interpret the Apocalypse. There are two main approaches for reading the book: the futurist perspective and the recapitulation perspective.
When Did the Church Begin?
Reformed theology agrees that Pentecost brought something new. It denies that Acts 2 created a second redeemed people unrelated to the saints who lived before Christ. God has one covenant of grace, one Mediator, and one people saved through faith in him. The church existed before Pentecost; at Pentecost it entered its universal New Covenant form.
Where the Font Lives Is What the Font Teaches
When someone walks into your church, what do they notice first? Do they see stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Scripture? A majestically high ceiling lifting their eyes upward to the heavens? What people see inside a church helps to teach them your church’s theology. The location of a baptismal font is one aspect of this teaching. Where a baptismal font lives can help teach not only the one being baptized, but the congregation as a whole.
While I would argue that there is no “correct” location for a baptismal font, where the font lives in a church can help to reveal the mysteries of the sacrament.
Shattering Illusions and Offering Hope: Christian Funerals
The funeral is not an interruption of our ambitious projects—our strategic plans, capital campaigns, diocesan commitments, or boundaries of “self-care.” Death pays no heed to any of them. No, the funeral is one of the primary sacramental functions of the priest. It is ministry, arguably our most important ministry in the lives of many of our families. Most of our sermons will be forgotten, our clever stewardship themes and our Christian formation classes will fade from memory, but the way we loved people in the most intimate moments of loss will indelibly shape their understanding of God and the gospel. Indeed, it will shape our own.
How to Avoid Individualism When Listening to Sermons
It seems obvious that no one is an “Army of One.” Yet it’s easy to function like a church of one. When it comes to hearing sermons, we often view ourselves as solo listeners, there to consume the message only for ourselves.
But the Bible says we’re a family of siblings, a body with parts, and a flock of sheep (1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 2:19–22; 4:15–16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 5:2–3). So you’re not an only child but a family member, not a prosthetic limb but a body part, not an isolated sheep but part of a flock.
You are not a church of one.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 - Part 1
Thom and Jess Rainer revisit the insights from Thom’s 2016 bestseller “Autopsy of a Deceased Church” and provide a sobering update for today’s church landscape. In this episode, they begin unpacking the eight new signs that a church is nearing its end in 2025.
Also See: Autopsy of a Deceased Church in 2025 - Part 2A Look at "Autopsy of a Deceased Church" 12 Years Later
The only reason Thom wrote this book is that his blog of the same title went viral. The book became another number-one bestseller. Thom attempts to do an objective assessment of the book and its impact 12 years after it was published.
Why Church Autopsies Are Important
Mark and Thom delve into the painful issue of examing why churches died. They do so that future deaths might be prevented. They also show how churches today can move to health rather than death.
Most of the reasons that churches die are avoidable. Those who made the decisions in the church made the wrong judgment call.Church Must Tackle Its Real Estate Crisis
While The United Methodist Church debates societal issues — LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, welcome of refugees and the like — its congregations’ real estate is eating away at the denomination and threatening its viability.
Five years later things have not gotten better.We need Anglican ‘third places’
Theologically, Anglicanism charts a third way through the landscape of evangelical and catholic options: one that is not at odds with either, but nonetheless aspires, at its best, to be more than what either can offer on its own. It’s a combination of progressive thinking and traditional foundations that Canadian society sorely needs. Yet in this age of church decline and all-too frequent church closures, it’s an offering that seems to be falling flat in our secular world.
One solution may be to reimagine the one thing Anglicanism in Canada still has in abundance: its spaces.
Beach’s 2020 probe cleared Dobbs of claims now driving defamation suit
A confidential November 12, 2020 report and set of Godly Judgments issued by the Most Rec. Foley Beach of the Anglican Church in North America has emerged as a central exhibit in the federal defamation lawsuit the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs filed against the Rt. Rev. Derek Jones.
GAFCON Europe launches funding appeal
These are challenging days and yet times of opportunity for all Christians and Anglicans who are biblically orthodox. This is true both for those who are committed to staying within the existing structures, as well as those who have reached the decision to establish new and alternative Anglican structures. Both seek to strategically remain biblically orthodox and missional and Gafcon Europe is committed to seeing both prosper and play a significant role, alongside other bible believing Christians, in reaching Europe for Christ.
Following pandemic losses, schism, UMC merges 2 Georgia conferences
Two regional bodies of The United Methodist Church are merging into a single entity following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the denomination’s recent schism.
The UMC Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference voted 291-0 on Tuesday to approve the merging of the North Georgia Conference and the South Georgia Conference into one body.
Also See: Georgia unification gains final approvalJohnny Hunt’s lawsuit is over. The SBC’s abuse crisis isn’t.
Hunt is willing to pay to restore himself to his position of power and influence, but he is not willing to pay the victim who has paid the greatest cost. This is an apt metaphor for the leadership of the SBC.
Also See: Johnny Hunt's last defamation claims rejected by federal judgeCanadian family claim Christian grandmother was euthanised against her wishes
A family in Canada has alleged that their 83-year-old grandmother was euthanised despite her stated Christian beliefs and lack of mental capacity to consent to the procedure.
Literal or Symbolic? Reading Revelation Responsibly
Without a doubt, Revelation is one of the most difficult Bible books to understand. It has baffled ancient and modern commentators alike. Yet Revelation continues to capture the church’s imagination.
The church remains divided over how to interpret the Apocalypse. There are two main approaches for reading the book: the futurist perspective and the recapitulation perspective.
When Did the Church Begin?
Reformed theology agrees that Pentecost brought something new. It denies that Acts 2 created a second redeemed people unrelated to the saints who lived before Christ. God has one covenant of grace, one Mediator, and one people saved through faith in him. The church existed before Pentecost; at Pentecost it entered its universal New Covenant form.
Where the Font Lives Is What the Font Teaches
When someone walks into your church, what do they notice first? Do they see stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Scripture? A majestically high ceiling lifting their eyes upward to the heavens? What people see inside a church helps to teach them your church’s theology. The location of a baptismal font is one aspect of this teaching. Where a baptismal font lives can help teach not only the one being baptized, but the congregation as a whole.
While I would argue that there is no “correct” location for a baptismal font, where the font lives in a church can help to reveal the mysteries of the sacrament.
Shattering Illusions and Offering Hope: Christian Funerals
The funeral is not an interruption of our ambitious projects—our strategic plans, capital campaigns, diocesan commitments, or boundaries of “self-care.” Death pays no heed to any of them. No, the funeral is one of the primary sacramental functions of the priest. It is ministry, arguably our most important ministry in the lives of many of our families. Most of our sermons will be forgotten, our clever stewardship themes and our Christian formation classes will fade from memory, but the way we loved people in the most intimate moments of loss will indelibly shape their understanding of God and the gospel. Indeed, it will shape our own.
How to Avoid Individualism When Listening to Sermons
It seems obvious that no one is an “Army of One.” Yet it’s easy to function like a church of one. When it comes to hearing sermons, we often view ourselves as solo listeners, there to consume the message only for ourselves.
But the Bible says we’re a family of siblings, a body with parts, and a flock of sheep (1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 2:19–22; 4:15–16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 5:2–3). So you’re not an only child but a family member, not a prosthetic limb but a body part, not an isolated sheep but part of a flock.
You are not a church of one.
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