What can medieval cathedral builders teach us about church leadership? Notre Dame took over 200 years to build — surviving wars, plagues, and leadership transitions — yet many modern churches can't survive a single pastoral transition. In this episode, Scott and A.J. explore why so many churches collapse when a long-tenured pastor leaves, and what you can do to build something that lasts far beyond your tenure.
Also See: How to Build a Church That Outlasts Your LeadershipThe Burge Report: Why Gen Z Might Be the Least Mobile Generation in American History
Americans are moving far less than they did in previous generations, and Gen Z may become the least mobile generation in American history. In the 1950s, about 20% of Americans moved each year. By 2019, that number had fallen to roughly 11%. Even more surprising, younger adults are more likely than older generations to say they have lived in the same local community their entire lives. Nearly half of those born in the early 2000s report never having moved from their local community.
Ryan and Sam discuss how this trend also has implications for churches. People who stay rooted in one place appear somewhat more likely to remain connected to religious life than those who move away. Moving disrupts habits, relationships, and rhythms—including church attendance. For many dechurched people, the issue may not be a conscious rejection of faith, but the loss of a weekly rhythm after relocating.
Everyone Else Forgot Gen X. Has Your Church Done the Same?
Gen X is old enough to lead and young enough to adapt. In many churches, they already chair the finance committee, teach the adult class, and keep the lights on. Most leadership plans still skip them. Here is what the research says about this generation, and four ways to stop overlooking the people holding your church together.
Newsdesk: Hope for TEC and the ACNA?
What happened in the Chip Edgar misconduct case? And what does it reveal about the continued, if fractured, relationships between the Episcopal Church and the ACNA?
Today’s newsdesk begins with two bishops, ecclesial discipline, and the complex landscape that is Anglicanism in South Carolina.
From there, we explore what this brings to light about the ACNA’s ongoing relationship with the Episcopal Church; how the 39 Articles, Jerusalem Declaration, and Abuja Affirmation offer clarity and hopeful surprises; and remaining questions about Christian friendship, leadership, and engagement across divides.
In a state of division, even with a call to “principled disengagement” of Global Anglican Communion from Anglican Communion relationships, it turns out that the lines between divided denominations aren’t as clear as they seem, and that the principal founding documents of the ACNA and Global Anglican Communion are more generous and realistic about inter-Anglican relationships than you might expect.
Bishop Edgar receives censure from ACNA College of Bishops over Porter-Gaud affair
"...the Anglican Church in North America’s College of Bishops have sentenced Bishop Edgar to a censure with no accompanying pastoral admonition. There are no restrictions to his exercise of his episcopal office and, this action puts to rest the official response of the Province to the Chapel dedication at Porter-Gaud."
ACNA College of Bishops deposes Derek Jones
"The College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America deposed Derek Jones from the Sacred Ministry on September 23, 2026.
"This is in response to his guilt of four canonical charges against him, as determined by the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. The facts now established show that over a period of many years he has offended against God and the Body of Christ through acts of wickedness, cruelty, and abuse of power against chaplains with limited recourse."
At the time of Derek Jones' reception into the ACNA and its episcopate I raised a number of questions about the appropriateness of his reception and the thoroughness of the ACNA's vetting of non-Anglican bishops and episcopi vagantes seeking to transfer their episcopal ministry to the ACNA. The ACNA leadership commissioned George Conger to write an article dismissing the validity of my concerns. In deposing Jones, the College of Bishops has largely vindicated those concerns. Hopefully in the future the College of Bishops will be more cautious as to who it admits to the ACNA's episcopate.Welsh bishops pull back from same-sex marriage bill, call for theological reflection
The Bench of Bishops of the Church in Wales has announced it will not introduce legislation to permit same-sex weddings in Welsh Anglican churches in April 2027 as previously planned, saying further theological reflection is needed before the province takes that step.
The decision, disclosed in a report to the Governing Body meeting in September, puts the brakes on a trajectory that had appeared to be leading inexorably toward same-sex marriage legislation within months.
Research from Finland has suggested that people seeking gender reassignment surgery are substantially more likely to need referral for psychiatric treatment.
The study, which was published in Acta Paediatricia, looked at just over 2,000 young people who contacted Finnish gender clinics between 1996 and 2019, and compared them with a sample of over 16,600 people from the rest of the population.
Court cases test United Methodist governance
As a matter of United Methodist church law, the season of church disaffiliations is over. However, legal disputes related to church property and other aspects of The United Methodist Church’s governance persist in civil courts across the U.S.
The “trust clause” became a familiar, if sometimes confusing, concept for many during the period when disaffiliation was possible for United Methodist churches for reasons of conscience related to human sexuality policies. When that period ended on December 31, 2023, one might have thought talk of the “trust clause” would have receded from the news. However, a current incident is bringing this issue and others related to polity and governance back to the forefront, and news of these concerns suggests it would be helpful to examine them further.
Episcopal dioceses and congregations are getting a first look at the 2027 health insurance landscape, and it will be expensive.
Pennsylvania diocese plans to build affordable clergy housing on underused sites
Clergy need housing, but housing is expensive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One thing the Diocese of Pennsylvania, which spans the five-county metro region, has is available space on which to build.
That combination of factors sparked an idea that now has become the diocese’s latest experiment in adaptive reuse of church properties. The diocese recently announced the launch of a new initiative that has identified at least three Episcopal properties for construction of affordable housing units that will be offered for rent to diocesan clergy and for priests who have been called to serve at churches that no longer have rectories.
The initiative coincides with the diocese’s ongoing Transformation Initiative. The diocese’s emphasis is on new uses for underutilized church properties, including to ease the financial burden on congregations struggling to maintain aging facilities.
Festival of Choirs Ltd is delighted to announce the return of its eponymous Festival to Cambridge, U.K. from Aug. 3-8, 2027. Following the conspicuous success of the inaugural Festival, which took place in the historic University city last month, this landmark event will bring together choirs and individual singers from around the world for an inspiring week of music-making, learning, and cultural exchange.
Criticize like a Christian
The decision, disclosed in a report to the Governing Body meeting in September, puts the brakes on a trajectory that had appeared to be leading inexorably toward same-sex marriage legislation within months.
Also See: Southern Africa synod rejects gay blessings at Makgoba’s final meetingStudy suggests strong correlation between gender transitioning and psychiatric treatment
Research from Finland has suggested that people seeking gender reassignment surgery are substantially more likely to need referral for psychiatric treatment.
The study, which was published in Acta Paediatricia, looked at just over 2,000 young people who contacted Finnish gender clinics between 1996 and 2019, and compared them with a sample of over 16,600 people from the rest of the population.
Court cases test United Methodist governance
As a matter of United Methodist church law, the season of church disaffiliations is over. However, legal disputes related to church property and other aspects of The United Methodist Church’s governance persist in civil courts across the U.S.
Also See: HPUMC sought to be ‘legally insulated’ from UMC strifeExploring the Significance of the “Trust Clause”
The “trust clause” became a familiar, if sometimes confusing, concept for many during the period when disaffiliation was possible for United Methodist churches for reasons of conscience related to human sexuality policies. When that period ended on December 31, 2023, one might have thought talk of the “trust clause” would have receded from the news. However, a current incident is bringing this issue and others related to polity and governance back to the forefront, and news of these concerns suggests it would be helpful to examine them further.
John Wesley introduced the "trust clause" to prevent Methodist Socities that chose to leave the movement from taking their building with them. The buildings in which Methodist Societies met were often purchased or constructed with money collected fom several Methodist Socities. Wesley's concern was that the loss of the building would have a negative affect not only on those Methodist Socities which had raised money for its purchase or construction but also on the movement as a whole.Episcopal employee insurance rates rising as much as 14% in 2027, further straining church budgets
Episcopal dioceses and congregations are getting a first look at the 2027 health insurance landscape, and it will be expensive.
Pennsylvania diocese plans to build affordable clergy housing on underused sites
Clergy need housing, but housing is expensive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One thing the Diocese of Pennsylvania, which spans the five-county metro region, has is available space on which to build.
That combination of factors sparked an idea that now has become the diocese’s latest experiment in adaptive reuse of church properties. The diocese recently announced the launch of a new initiative that has identified at least three Episcopal properties for construction of affordable housing units that will be offered for rent to diocesan clergy and for priests who have been called to serve at churches that no longer have rectories.
The initiative coincides with the diocese’s ongoing Transformation Initiative. The diocese’s emphasis is on new uses for underutilized church properties, including to ease the financial burden on congregations struggling to maintain aging facilities.
Also See: Diocese of Pennsylvania’s Transformation Initiative envisions new uses for 26 church propertiesReturning Festival of Choirs invites singers to Cambridge, England in August 2027
Festival of Choirs Ltd is delighted to announce the return of its eponymous Festival to Cambridge, U.K. from Aug. 3-8, 2027. Following the conspicuous success of the inaugural Festival, which took place in the historic University city last month, this landmark event will bring together choirs and individual singers from around the world for an inspiring week of music-making, learning, and cultural exchange.
Criticize like a Christian
Many of the Bible’s most faithful figures were critics. However, it’s not easy to find a good example of a Christian critic today. Most of our criticism is online, and even among believers, it’s often ugly.
We should be critics, but we should be distinctly Christian critics. Here are three principles for criticizing like a Christian.
What Makes Preaching Boring (And How to Fix It)
Boring preaching has one thing in common. It answers questions nobody in the room is asking.
Maybe your sermon really is irrelevant. Maybe it only seems that way to the people listening. Either way, the signs are easy to read. People check their phones. They stifle yawns. After the service they talk about the weather and steer clear of the sermon. They are telling you that you solved a problem they don’t have.
Here is how to spot it, why it happens, and five questions that will fix most of it before Sunday.
Magnify Your Ministry Voice: Ed Stetzer and Corey Alderin on Using Tech to Reach Your Community (Ep 137)
“Online church is not the goal, it's a tool, and it's a tool to get people into in-person community.”
What Should You Look for in a Church?
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who spent years in a church but were still starving spiritually. They attended churches that were friendly, vibey, full of entertainment, fun, and programs for the kids, but even after years of a generally enjoyable “Sunday experience,” they struggled to explain the gospel, navigate Scripture, regularly go to war against their sin, and confidently live the Christian life. Their homes were happy on the outside, but not thriving on the inside.
That kind of experience should concern us. The church you join shapes your view of God, your family’s convictions, and your habits of obedience. There are many churches that can give you what you want, but not all churches give you what you need.
Jesus loves His church and has told us how it should function and what to look for in a faithful place to entrust your soul care to. Here are five marks to look for (and cultivate)...
The Lost Art of Manners and Why Children Still Need Them
Whatever picture you may have in your mind, I want to suggest that manners are indispensable, especially in the education of children, and that the failure to train our children in them harms those we are called by God to teach.
Every pastor carries a list of names they haven’t seen in a while. Some stopped coming after a move or a new job. Others still slide into the back row on Sunday and leave before the last song ends. A short, personal letter is one of the simplest ways to reach both groups.
Below you’ll find a full sample letter to inactive church members that you can adapt today, a shorter version for text or email, and a plan for the week after you send it. That last part is where most outreach either takes hold or quietly stalls.
We should be critics, but we should be distinctly Christian critics. Here are three principles for criticizing like a Christian.
What Makes Preaching Boring (And How to Fix It)
Boring preaching has one thing in common. It answers questions nobody in the room is asking.
Maybe your sermon really is irrelevant. Maybe it only seems that way to the people listening. Either way, the signs are easy to read. People check their phones. They stifle yawns. After the service they talk about the weather and steer clear of the sermon. They are telling you that you solved a problem they don’t have.
Here is how to spot it, why it happens, and five questions that will fix most of it before Sunday.
Magnify Your Ministry Voice: Ed Stetzer and Corey Alderin on Using Tech to Reach Your Community (Ep 137)
“Online church is not the goal, it's a tool, and it's a tool to get people into in-person community.”
What Should You Look for in a Church?
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who spent years in a church but were still starving spiritually. They attended churches that were friendly, vibey, full of entertainment, fun, and programs for the kids, but even after years of a generally enjoyable “Sunday experience,” they struggled to explain the gospel, navigate Scripture, regularly go to war against their sin, and confidently live the Christian life. Their homes were happy on the outside, but not thriving on the inside.
That kind of experience should concern us. The church you join shapes your view of God, your family’s convictions, and your habits of obedience. There are many churches that can give you what you want, but not all churches give you what you need.
Jesus loves His church and has told us how it should function and what to look for in a faithful place to entrust your soul care to. Here are five marks to look for (and cultivate)...
The Lost Art of Manners and Why Children Still Need Them
Whatever picture you may have in your mind, I want to suggest that manners are indispensable, especially in the education of children, and that the failure to train our children in them harms those we are called by God to teach.
As a child I was expected to conduct myself according to a particular standard of behavior, a standard which the adult members of my family themselves observed and modeled. When I deviated from these expectations, I received gentle reminders of what was expected of me, often in the form of proverbial sayings from the Bible and other sources. These expectations were not reinforced with a switch or a belt as a number of folks who spent their childhood in the South or come from working class backgrounds tell me was their experience. Nor was I expected to address my grandfather as "sir" or my grandmother and mother as "ma'm," an expectation of children that I regard as excessive and unwarranted to this day, a manner of address for strangers, not close family members. Grandad was Grandad, Nan, Nan, and Mum, Mum. Being courtesy, polite, respectful, considerate of others, and the like were treated as a part of the natural order of things, the way someone who received a proper upbringing behaved.Sample Letter to Inactive Church Members Pastors Can Use
Every pastor carries a list of names they haven’t seen in a while. Some stopped coming after a move or a new job. Others still slide into the back row on Sunday and leave before the last song ends. A short, personal letter is one of the simplest ways to reach both groups.
Below you’ll find a full sample letter to inactive church members that you can adapt today, a shorter version for text or email, and a plan for the week after you send it. That last part is where most outreach either takes hold or quietly stalls.
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