The news about young adults and churches often sounds discouraging. Many young adults have no connection to a congregation, and numerous churches struggle to reach them.
Research from Faith Communities Today, commonly known as FACT, reinforces the challenge. In its study of more than 11,000 congregations, only 16 percent had what researchers called “significant young adult participation.” That meant at least 21 percent of the congregation’s participants were between 18 and 34 years old.
Some findings seem to favor churches that are already large, growing, or located in areas with expanding young populations. Most churches do not fit those descriptions.
But the research also points to several factors that almost any church can influence. A congregation does not have to be large, wealthy, or located in a booming suburb to take these steps.
A Centuries-Old Minnesota Parish Starts Afresh
A replant may be the way forward for a number of declining Episcopal churches. A replant may involve a change of name and a change of location. It will require changes in how the church has always done things.
How Patient Attention Nurtures the Life of the Church
When people grow tired of the rapidly shifting nature of modern culture, weary of not finding happiness in self-satisfaction, they will find the core of their longing fulfilled in the steadfast, though paradoxical, love of Christ.
Canada's Religious Revival That Never Came
Twenty years after a bold prediction, Canada's churches are still in decline.
What Can We Learn from the 100 Largest United Methodist Churches?
...there’s just not a whole lot of discussion of really big United Methodist Churches for a very good reason – there aren’t that many of them. But that gives me even more motivation to study this subset of American Christianity. Thankfully, the United Methodists have an easily accessible table listed on their website with the title “Largest 100 Churches by Membership.” I wanted to use this list because it offers a glimpse into a problem that plagues a lot of churches, especially in the mainline: their membership rolls are bloated with folks who haven’t attended a service in decades.
Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation
The general agency that oversees United Methodist Men has halted — at least for now — its affiliation with a fellowship that supports U.S. conference men’s ministries.
At heart, the Commission on United Methodist Men’s dispute with the National Association of Conference Presidents is about whether the association has been claiming authority that, under church law, belongs solely to the commission. The national association is a separately incorporated organization.
Pete Hegseth’s gospel of violence
Hegseth has spent years framing America’s political and cultural struggles using the imagery of the Crusades.
This execution is to satisfy Hegseth’s bloodlust and the bloodlust of all those like him.
While this is the logic of Christian nationalism and radical Islam, it is not the logic of Jesus.
Fewer than half of Americans now believe the birth of Jesus was a miracle stemming from the supernatural conception of Mary by the Holy Spirit, according to new research from the American Bible Society.
In the seventh chapter of its 16th annual State of the Bible report released Thursday, the American Bible Society highlights the experiences of Americans with the supernatural, including beliefs in God, Heaven, Hell, Satan, angels and demons. The data included responses from 2,649 Americans collected from Jan. 8 to 27.
Overall, 171 million Americans, about 62% of U.S. adults, believe in the supernatural, ABS said.
Who was the Ethiopian eunuch and what can we learn from him?
When we think about the history of Christianity in Africa, we may immediately think of European missionaries who travelled to the continent to spread the gospel. Yet Africa’s connection to Christianity stretches much further back, to the earliest days of the Church itself.
One particularly remarkable example is found in Acts 8:26–40, which recounts the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking African official whose encounter with Philip the evangelist transformed his life.
Although his name is never mentioned and his story occupies only a short passage, this man holds an important place in the biblical account of Christianity’s early expansion. His story not only reminds us of Africa’s presence in the early Christian movement but also offers timeless lessons about faith, humility and God’s love for all people.
Christian, Be a Gardener
Can you imagine what it would’ve been like to live in God’s garden and walk with him “in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8)? Imagine being the Lord’s appointed gardener in Eden, commissioned by God himself to “work it and keep it” (2:15). Living in God’s presence among lush vegetation, hypnotically vibrant flowers, and weather that was always perfect. No weeds, drought, or pests, so your labor always resulted in a full harvest.
Now, when you imagine Eden, have you considered how our gardening work continues today? While all human lives are marked by sin this side of the fall, believers are still called to work as God’s gardeners. One fundamental way we garden is as members of our local churches.
How to Arrange Your Sermon in the Most Persuasive Way Possible
Ancient experts on persuasion, such as Quintilian, spent considerable time training up-and-coming speakers. In particular, Quintilian explained the persuasive roles that confirmation, concession, and refutation play. Confirmation refers to the logical arguments that support a claim. Concession refers to the need to point out opposing views. And refutation refers to making counterarguments to persuade listeners to reject those views.1
The preacher who aims at persuasion would do well to employ similar strategies. These are not simply three tasks we do in order but three kinds of tasks we engage in as we move through the text in proclamation. Think of your task in the body of your sermon as riffing on these ancient tactics. To be persuasive, the body of your sermon must involve logical progression, naming obstacles, and well-reasoned counterarguments.
The work of confirming the main point of your sermon isn’t easy. It takes logic that arranges a series of smaller, progressively unfolding arguments. So what will help?
5 Ways to Develop Bible-Reading Disciples in Your Church
In an age of digital consumption, it’s never been more important to embrace the intentionally slow and formative habit of Bible reading.
AI Is Weakening Pastors’ Authority
Christians should not be receiving pastoral guidance from technology that won’t give an account for their souls.
How Patient Attention Nurtures the Life of the Church
When people grow tired of the rapidly shifting nature of modern culture, weary of not finding happiness in self-satisfaction, they will find the core of their longing fulfilled in the steadfast, though paradoxical, love of Christ.
Canada's Religious Revival That Never Came
Twenty years after a bold prediction, Canada's churches are still in decline.
What Can We Learn from the 100 Largest United Methodist Churches?
...there’s just not a whole lot of discussion of really big United Methodist Churches for a very good reason – there aren’t that many of them. But that gives me even more motivation to study this subset of American Christianity. Thankfully, the United Methodists have an easily accessible table listed on their website with the title “Largest 100 Churches by Membership.” I wanted to use this list because it offers a glimpse into a problem that plagues a lot of churches, especially in the mainline: their membership rolls are bloated with folks who haven’t attended a service in decades.
Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation
The general agency that oversees United Methodist Men has halted — at least for now — its affiliation with a fellowship that supports U.S. conference men’s ministries.
At heart, the Commission on United Methodist Men’s dispute with the National Association of Conference Presidents is about whether the association has been claiming authority that, under church law, belongs solely to the commission. The national association is a separately incorporated organization.
Pete Hegseth’s gospel of violence
Hegseth has spent years framing America’s political and cultural struggles using the imagery of the Crusades.
This execution is to satisfy Hegseth’s bloodlust and the bloodlust of all those like him.
While this is the logic of Christian nationalism and radical Islam, it is not the logic of Jesus.
Also See: What kind of people are we becoming?Fewer than half of Americans believe in virgin birth, study finds
Fewer than half of Americans now believe the birth of Jesus was a miracle stemming from the supernatural conception of Mary by the Holy Spirit, according to new research from the American Bible Society.
In the seventh chapter of its 16th annual State of the Bible report released Thursday, the American Bible Society highlights the experiences of Americans with the supernatural, including beliefs in God, Heaven, Hell, Satan, angels and demons. The data included responses from 2,649 Americans collected from Jan. 8 to 27.
Overall, 171 million Americans, about 62% of U.S. adults, believe in the supernatural, ABS said.
Who was the Ethiopian eunuch and what can we learn from him?
When we think about the history of Christianity in Africa, we may immediately think of European missionaries who travelled to the continent to spread the gospel. Yet Africa’s connection to Christianity stretches much further back, to the earliest days of the Church itself.
One particularly remarkable example is found in Acts 8:26–40, which recounts the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking African official whose encounter with Philip the evangelist transformed his life.
Although his name is never mentioned and his story occupies only a short passage, this man holds an important place in the biblical account of Christianity’s early expansion. His story not only reminds us of Africa’s presence in the early Christian movement but also offers timeless lessons about faith, humility and God’s love for all people.
Christian, Be a Gardener
Can you imagine what it would’ve been like to live in God’s garden and walk with him “in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8)? Imagine being the Lord’s appointed gardener in Eden, commissioned by God himself to “work it and keep it” (2:15). Living in God’s presence among lush vegetation, hypnotically vibrant flowers, and weather that was always perfect. No weeds, drought, or pests, so your labor always resulted in a full harvest.
Now, when you imagine Eden, have you considered how our gardening work continues today? While all human lives are marked by sin this side of the fall, believers are still called to work as God’s gardeners. One fundamental way we garden is as members of our local churches.
How to Arrange Your Sermon in the Most Persuasive Way Possible
Ancient experts on persuasion, such as Quintilian, spent considerable time training up-and-coming speakers. In particular, Quintilian explained the persuasive roles that confirmation, concession, and refutation play. Confirmation refers to the logical arguments that support a claim. Concession refers to the need to point out opposing views. And refutation refers to making counterarguments to persuade listeners to reject those views.1
The preacher who aims at persuasion would do well to employ similar strategies. These are not simply three tasks we do in order but three kinds of tasks we engage in as we move through the text in proclamation. Think of your task in the body of your sermon as riffing on these ancient tactics. To be persuasive, the body of your sermon must involve logical progression, naming obstacles, and well-reasoned counterarguments.
The work of confirming the main point of your sermon isn’t easy. It takes logic that arranges a series of smaller, progressively unfolding arguments. So what will help?
5 Ways to Develop Bible-Reading Disciples in Your Church
In an age of digital consumption, it’s never been more important to embrace the intentionally slow and formative habit of Bible reading.
AI Is Weakening Pastors’ Authority
Christians should not be receiving pastoral guidance from technology that won’t give an account for their souls.
Also See: Eric Mascall and a Christian Account of the Human Person in the Age of AI
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