Slightly more than half of U.S. Protestant pastors (54%) report their average worship service attendance has increased since 2023.
10 Reasons People Stay in a Church for Years
The people who stay for a decade or two are not staying by accident. They stay because something specific holds them there: a friendship, a role that fits, a sermon that meets them where they actually live. Leaders who understand what that something is can build a church community people choose to keep coming back to, long after the visitor packet is forgotten.
Are Pastors Missing the Biggest Shift in Their Congregation?
58% of practicing Christians are optimistic about AI — more than any other group in America. Nearly half have already used it to study the Bible, get spiritual advice, or create devotionals.
Your congregation is already in this conversation. The question is whether you're in it with them.
In this video, I break down new Barna research that changes the pastoral conversation on AI entirely — and explains why staying silent isn't a neutral choice. It's a discipleship gap.
According to a story by Lindsey Toomer published by Colorado Newsline on August 14, the detained priest presented respiratory symptoms that a medical provider who reviewed his case said could indicate tuberculosis (TB).
Persecution of Christians Deepens in Ongoing Sudanese Civil War
Violence against civilians in Sudan’s civil war has increased in recent months, with some attacks specifically targeting Christians. The conflict, between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known by the nom de guerre Hemedti), began in 2023.
Another militia group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM–N), has also intensified their armed operations in recent months, committing atrocities and dehumanization of Christians.
Your congregation is already in this conversation. The question is whether you're in it with them.
In this video, I break down new Barna research that changes the pastoral conversation on AI entirely — and explains why staying silent isn't a neutral choice. It's a discipleship gap.
Also See: What can we learn from the US pastor who created an AI version of himself?Colorado Priest’s Health Declines After a Year in ICE Custody
What I have found when I conduct a Google search, Google will in most instances generate an AI overview at the top of the list. Except for sources given, I ignore these overviews as they very frequently contain inaccurate or unreliable information, presented in an authoritative manner, enough to fool someone who unlike myself may not be familiar with the subject that I am researching. I don't use an AI assistant in my writing but I have found that Word's AI assistant will make changes in what I have written, on its own, unbidden. It will substitute words and grammar of its own choosing. The words are unrelated to the topic and the grammar is incorrect! In university I received teacher training. My second specialization was English grammar, composition, and literature. These experiences prompt me to wonder what spiritual advice AI is giving Christians.
According to a story by Lindsey Toomer published by Colorado Newsline on August 14, the detained priest presented respiratory symptoms that a medical provider who reviewed his case said could indicate tuberculosis (TB).
Persecution of Christians Deepens in Ongoing Sudanese Civil War
Violence against civilians in Sudan’s civil war has increased in recent months, with some attacks specifically targeting Christians. The conflict, between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known by the nom de guerre Hemedti), began in 2023.
Another militia group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM–N), has also intensified their armed operations in recent months, committing atrocities and dehumanization of Christians.
Also See: Violence reaches Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, where Christians once found refuge
When political leadership uses religion as a tool of power
One of the most troubling trends in modern leadership is the growing use of religion as a political instrument. The practice is not new.
Political leaders, especially where democratic institutions are weak, have learned that religion reaches people at the level of their deepest loyalties, fears and hopes. Once leaders discover that religious identity can mobilize large numbers of people, the temptation is to use faith not to encourage moral responsibility but to gain power, consolidate it and remain in office.
An autopsy of the Porter-Gaud affair
The Porter-Gaud affair put ACNA’s claim of “broken communion” on trial. Photographs of Bishop Chip Edgar participating in the dedication of St. Timothy’s Chapel alongside the Episcopal bishop of South Carolina, followed by his public apology for the pain and confusion caused, forced into the open a question Anglicans have often preferred to leave blurred: what, in practice, are the limits of fellowship at the altar?
Millennials Move LESS than Gen X and Boomers (New Implications for Your Church)
In this episode, we re-examine a major demographic shift reshaping communities and churches: the decline in mobility across the United States. Americans are moving far less than they did in previous generations, especially millennials. While older generations often relocated for work opportunities or family, today’s younger adults are more likely to stay put. Rising housing costs, tighter job markets, student loan burdens, and a growing preference for stability have all contributed to this trend. For church leaders, this change presents both challenges and opportunities.
Gavin Ortlund Argues There Is ‘No Biblical Warrant’ for Praying to Saints
From the Reformation on the Protestant position has been the official position of the Anglican Church and is set forth in its formularies. For example, Article XXII states " ...invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God." Catholic Rivalists who pray to the saints or who ask for their intercessions are outliers.
The global rise of unhappiness and how religion can reverse the trend
Young people are facing an epidemic of despair, but data shows religious community is an antidote.
Light For a Few Steps
On my desk I keep a small terra cotta lamp that dates from the first century of the Christian era. It is very small. The body of the lamp could be filled with a few ounces of olive oil. A small wick, probably of linen or flax, could be placed into the “spout.” When lit, the resulting flame would be about the size of a Bic lighter. These small lamps are found in archeological digs throughout the Middle East. They were a commonly used item through to the Byzantine era and the early rise of Islam.
Imagine a small village dwelling from the time of Christ. The main room might be ten feet deep and twelve feet wide. Apart from a small hearth fire, fueled by animal waste and a few sticks, this small lamp provides the only light in the darkness. Perhaps there are several in the room, perhaps only one. Regardless, the occupants of that house would have regarded the light as precious.
This seems to be a hot topic these days. After all, it is easy to read someone else’s message on Sunday morning. And AI can write sermons. Also, AI tools now can examine every word every preacher speaks for unattributed quotes or content. It’s daunting to think that members of congregation can be using tools on their phones to evaluate the words of the preacher as he speaks. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a misunderstanding of the nature of preaching verses the published word or academic paper. So, a few words are in order now, and a fuller development of the subject should follow later. Please read or listen to the end before you criticize.
Five Ways God’s People Minister God’s Grace to Each Other
One of a dozen-plus reasons I love church-based counseling[1] is that it maximizes the ministry Christ’s body can play in the lives of those we counsel. Our counselees need more than the Holy Spirit and the Bible, and even more than just us. God has provided our counselees with Christian brothers and sisters—fellow church members—as vital means of God’s grace to help them know Jesus initially and grow in Jesus continually. Counselees who bond well with other believers show faster, more sustained growth than those who remain isolated or who only have private appointments with you.
Consider five ways believers minister to each other. At the end, I also suggest how a small group can use this article.
How Do We Create an Evangelism and Outreach Culture in Our Church?
Evangelism isn’t a program—it’s a culture rooted in identity. In this episode of the Church Revitalization Podcast, we explore how churches can move from sporadic outreach events to fostering a deep, church-wide culture of evangelism that flows naturally from who we are in Christ.
Hosts Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from The Malphurs Group bring their practical experience working with hundreds of churches to help you reframe evangelism as a core component of your church’s DNA, not just a once-a-year effort.
One of the most troubling trends in modern leadership is the growing use of religion as a political instrument. The practice is not new.
Political leaders, especially where democratic institutions are weak, have learned that religion reaches people at the level of their deepest loyalties, fears and hopes. Once leaders discover that religious identity can mobilize large numbers of people, the temptation is to use faith not to encourage moral responsibility but to gain power, consolidate it and remain in office.
An autopsy of the Porter-Gaud affair
The Porter-Gaud affair put ACNA’s claim of “broken communion” on trial. Photographs of Bishop Chip Edgar participating in the dedication of St. Timothy’s Chapel alongside the Episcopal bishop of South Carolina, followed by his public apology for the pain and confusion caused, forced into the open a question Anglicans have often preferred to leave blurred: what, in practice, are the limits of fellowship at the altar?
Millennials Move LESS than Gen X and Boomers (New Implications for Your Church)
In this episode, we re-examine a major demographic shift reshaping communities and churches: the decline in mobility across the United States. Americans are moving far less than they did in previous generations, especially millennials. While older generations often relocated for work opportunities or family, today’s younger adults are more likely to stay put. Rising housing costs, tighter job markets, student loan burdens, and a growing preference for stability have all contributed to this trend. For church leaders, this change presents both challenges and opportunities.
Gavin Ortlund Argues There Is ‘No Biblical Warrant’ for Praying to Saints
From the Reformation on the Protestant position has been the official position of the Anglican Church and is set forth in its formularies. For example, Article XXII states " ...invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God." Catholic Rivalists who pray to the saints or who ask for their intercessions are outliers.
The global rise of unhappiness and how religion can reverse the trend
Young people are facing an epidemic of despair, but data shows religious community is an antidote.
Light For a Few Steps
On my desk I keep a small terra cotta lamp that dates from the first century of the Christian era. It is very small. The body of the lamp could be filled with a few ounces of olive oil. A small wick, probably of linen or flax, could be placed into the “spout.” When lit, the resulting flame would be about the size of a Bic lighter. These small lamps are found in archeological digs throughout the Middle East. They were a commonly used item through to the Byzantine era and the early rise of Islam.
Imagine a small village dwelling from the time of Christ. The main room might be ten feet deep and twelve feet wide. Apart from a small hearth fire, fueled by animal waste and a few sticks, this small lamp provides the only light in the darkness. Perhaps there are several in the room, perhaps only one. Regardless, the occupants of that house would have regarded the light as precious.
I own three terracotta replicas of these lamps. Each lamp fits in the palm of my hand. I use them as props when preaching on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:14–15, Mark 4:21–25 and Luke 8:16–18.Plagiarism and the Preacher
This seems to be a hot topic these days. After all, it is easy to read someone else’s message on Sunday morning. And AI can write sermons. Also, AI tools now can examine every word every preacher speaks for unattributed quotes or content. It’s daunting to think that members of congregation can be using tools on their phones to evaluate the words of the preacher as he speaks. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a misunderstanding of the nature of preaching verses the published word or academic paper. So, a few words are in order now, and a fuller development of the subject should follow later. Please read or listen to the end before you criticize.
Five Ways God’s People Minister God’s Grace to Each Other
One of a dozen-plus reasons I love church-based counseling[1] is that it maximizes the ministry Christ’s body can play in the lives of those we counsel. Our counselees need more than the Holy Spirit and the Bible, and even more than just us. God has provided our counselees with Christian brothers and sisters—fellow church members—as vital means of God’s grace to help them know Jesus initially and grow in Jesus continually. Counselees who bond well with other believers show faster, more sustained growth than those who remain isolated or who only have private appointments with you.
Consider five ways believers minister to each other. At the end, I also suggest how a small group can use this article.
How Do We Create an Evangelism and Outreach Culture in Our Church?
Evangelism isn’t a program—it’s a culture rooted in identity. In this episode of the Church Revitalization Podcast, we explore how churches can move from sporadic outreach events to fostering a deep, church-wide culture of evangelism that flows naturally from who we are in Christ.
Hosts Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from The Malphurs Group bring their practical experience working with hundreds of churches to help you reframe evangelism as a core component of your church’s DNA, not just a once-a-year effort.
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