Drive through almost any American city, and you will see church buildings everywhere. Some occupy prominent downtown corners. Others meet in storefronts, schools, warehouses, and theaters. Their visible presence can create the impression that their communities have already been thoroughly reached.
The data tell a different story.
How Church Size Culture Is Affecting the Decline of Denominations
Church Size Culture often causes greater points of connection and disagreement than our theological traditions or denominational ties.
What Does It Take to Revitalize a Rural Church?
There are unique challenges in rural ministry. Here’s what it takes to lead revitalization in a declining rural church.
How the new General Synod could move beyond the present disagreement over same-sex relationships
In July the present General Synod of the Church of England came to an end. A new one will be elected in the autumn and inaugurated by the King in November. A key part of its agenda will be to consider the unfinished business concerning marriage and human sexuality left over from the Prayers of Love and Faith process which formed a central part of the business of the previous Synod.
The Sports Gambling Epidemic is Only Getting Worse
Young men are the hardest hit demographic of sports gambling’s rapid growth.
Mike Bowie: Dare to Shift!
The United Methodist Church is living through a defining moment. Congregations are experiencing decline. Communities are changing. Cultural expectations are shifting. Leaders are navigating unprecedented challenges. Some churches are struggling to understand their identity and mission in a rapidly changing environment. Others are wondering whether the strategies that sustained the Church for generations can still carry us into the future.
As I see it, both the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church need to prioritize planting new churches and revitalizing existing ones, as well as showing greater sensitivity to conditions on the North American mission field.
Former Bishop of South Carolina, the Rt. Rev. Dr. C. FitzSimons Allison, believes that Anglo Catholics do not take Reformation soteriology seriously by showing that without justification by faith dogma loosens their Gospel proclamation and become doctrines that must be believed, a law deprived of its grace. He has tried to build up on the virtues of Anglo-Catholics, their concern for doctrine, their love of the church and their witness to metaphysics and the numinous reality beneath the rational reductionism of mere physics and mere phenomenon. He wants them to know about how concerned he is about the distortions and foibles of the Anglo-Catholic tradition.
Why Aslan Is Male, and Why God Is a Father
Recent news outlets have announced that the forthcoming Greta Gerwig film, a cinematic portrayal of C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew, features the actress Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan. At the risk of seeming dramatic, I was heartbroken. The Magician’s Nephew is one of my favorite books, and the character of Aslan has been chiseled into the Western world’s “social imaginary” (to use Charles Taylor’s phrase) for almost three quarters of a century. So, why is it such a big deal that Aslan’s voice is cast by a woman rather than a man?
Why Aslan Is Male, and Why God Is a Father
Recent news outlets have announced that the forthcoming Greta Gerwig film, a cinematic portrayal of C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew, features the actress Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan. At the risk of seeming dramatic, I was heartbroken. The Magician’s Nephew is one of my favorite books, and the character of Aslan has been chiseled into the Western world’s “social imaginary” (to use Charles Taylor’s phrase) for almost three quarters of a century. So, why is it such a big deal that Aslan’s voice is cast by a woman rather than a man?
Also See: The Magic Is Real
A national campaign spearheaded by the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) to raise funds for local child and youth ministry, Say Yes! To Kids (SYTK) began as a one-time initiative in 2021 before becoming an annual campaign the following year. But 2026 felt different for AFC staff, executive director Scott Brubacher says.
“We felt like this year the church got it,” Brubacher says. “The donations were coming faster and more immediately and it felt more organically charged … We felt like, ‘Ah, people get it now.’ It took a few years for us to get this cranked up and running, so we’re excited to see where it goes from here.”
Shine Your Light campaign aims to reach millions of lonely people this Christmas
Summer is over, school is back and so naturally thoughts are already drifting towards Christmas.
Following the success of last year’s Shine Your Light evangelistic campaign, organisers say they want this year’s efforts to be even greater and to give special focus to those struggling with loneliness during the festive season.
“We felt like this year the church got it,” Brubacher says. “The donations were coming faster and more immediately and it felt more organically charged … We felt like, ‘Ah, people get it now.’ It took a few years for us to get this cranked up and running, so we’re excited to see where it goes from here.”
Shine Your Light campaign aims to reach millions of lonely people this Christmas
Summer is over, school is back and so naturally thoughts are already drifting towards Christmas.
Following the success of last year’s Shine Your Light evangelistic campaign, organisers say they want this year’s efforts to be even greater and to give special focus to those struggling with loneliness during the festive season.
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