Saturday Lagniappe: 'Where have all the clergy gone?' And More

Where have all the clergy gone?
The root cause of many of our problems was the disastrous decision by those in what was then called the Advisory Board for Ministry (ABM) to push the average age of ordination up by ten years over about ten years. Just pause for a moment, and reflect on what that does to the age profile of clergy.

Sarah Mullally is outshining Justin Welby on assisted dying
Earlier this week, Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally wrote an opinion piece in the Telegraph urging MPs to vote against the reintroduced Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill when it comes before the Commons on Friday. The article restates her opposition to assisted dying, expressed in a speech in the House of Lords last year and again when the previous bill ran out of time in the upper house in April.

UK High Court rules Exeter breakaway congregation does not control FCE properties 

The High Court of Justice in London (Property, Trusts and Probate List) has held that the Free Church of England Central Trust—not the trustees of the congregation that withdrew from the denomination in 2023—is the charity trustee of Christ Church Exeter’s principal properties. The ruling turns on the legal meaning of “in union with” the Free Church of England and leaves unresolved the underlying accusation that the FCE has departed from its Protestant founding principles.

Christian Nationalism Since 2019: A Retrospective 

One of the greatest snags for the nationalist is what to do with people who, though within the geographic boundaries of the nation-state, are not of the “people” or ethnos or “imagined nation,” whether that be defined in terms of religion or race or something else. The advantage of federal unions and empires is that they have allowed various peoples or nations to exist with a level of harmony and peace; proper nation-states have a hard time coping with whatever “other” there may be in a country’s populace. But how have the self-identified nationalists and their allies been getting along since 2019?

The Suitors’ Days Are Numbered 

...multiple denominations and churches (even churches that don’t affiliate with a denomination) all around the world have been racked with scandal as sexual abuse has come to light in recent years.

It’s as if the Lord has seen fit to expose the corruption at all levels and remove any reason for denominational or tribal pride. There’s hardly anywhere any of us can look for a church tradition or Christian organization that isn’t, in some way, stained by this evil. The scandal of sexual abuse—the unbearable weight of story after story of spiritual shepherds abusing their authority and preying on sheep—has grown heavier and heavier.

Human trafficking, evangelicals and the ‘lifestyles’ of survivors
Victims and survivors were forcibly wrapped up in a sinful situation. But it was created by the sins of their traffickers, by which they found themselves unfree to experience anything else. Although they experienced and endured sinfulness, they are not the ones who sinned.

Rise of Hispanic Church Plants
In 2025, Lifeway Research worked with 16 denominations or similar groups to survey leaders at almost 300 new Protestant Hispanic churches to gain insight into what these new ministries look like. Sponsored by Exponential and the Church Planting Leadership Fellowship, the Hispanic Church Planting Study 2025 follows up on similar 2019 research. Here are some key findings...

Theology and the Episcopal Church with Kelli Joyce and Scott MacDougall
Today we get a taste of how two of the top theological and pastoral thinkers in the Episcopal Church more broadly consider theology and its role in Episcopal life, from personal formation to polity and Church unity, and they’re helping other Episcopalians to understand how they’re already “doing theology” together.

This podcast offers a window into present day theological thinking in the Episcopal Church. It is always a good idea to know what others are thinking even though you may not share their views.

You Don’t Have to Dread Your Vocation
Every Monday morning, I receive an email that reads, “Pastor, it’s Monday. Don’t quit.” The email comes from an important ministry that serves pastors, providing resources to help them persevere and thrive in ministry. As a pastor, it’s a ministry I appreciate very much. Pastoring can be lonely, and it’s always encouraging to receive practical help from others who are in the trenches of ministry.

However, as much as I appreciate this ministry, I’ve come to despise this weekly email. Every single week, at the very top of the page, I encounter the same five words in two short sentences. Every week, I delete it immediately without reading the rest of the email. To be honest, I’m frightened by the email. I know how easy it is for me to adopt a mindset of self-pity and dreadful loathing of what God has called me to do. I don’t need a weekly assist in this area. In fact, in my interactions with other pastors, I don’t think any of us need to be reminded that ministry is hard. I believe this messaging is dangerous.

Workarounds for the 2019 Anglican Standard Eucharistic Rite: A Guide for Reformational Anglicans 

I wrote this article five years ago. My observations and suggestions for the most part remain unchanged. The rites and services of the 2019 ACNA Proposed Prayer Book tend to be more pretentious than practical. For example, the entrance rite for both eucharistic rites is modeled on the late medieval entrance rite of a Roman Catholic Mass celebrating a visit from the Pope! The rubrics make no provision for a simpler entrance rite, one more suitable for small congregation worshiping in a non-traditional setting like a firestation's community room.

Should the Bible Be Taught in Public Schools? Yes.
Many critics and even some conservative Christians have sounded the alarm that this comes close to violating the U.S. Constitution’s establishment clause by favoring Christianity over other religions. This, coupled with the mandatory posting of the Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms, has some nervous about the encroachment of Christian nationalism.

But I don’t think constitutionalists should be so worried.

Should the Bible Be Taught in Public Schools? No.
Machen is worth hearing on this issue precisely because no one can accuse him of theological squishiness or embarrassment about the Bible. He gave his career, his reputation, and eventually his denominational standing to defend the full authority of Scripture.

Why, then, did he so strongly oppose Bible reading in public schools? His reasons are worth considering today.

‘Come As You Are’: Inside The Journey Church’s Growth
The Journey Church in Newark, Delaware, has rooted its identity around one conviction: “We’re a real church for real people.” Located in a college town where the median age is just 22 years old, the church near the University of Delaware has found authenticity to be the ultimate growth strategy.