Warren Bird and Sean bust the "8,000 multisite churches" myth with real numbers from the largest multisite study ever done (there are only 1800).
Multisite churches are just 0.5% of all churches, yet they reach 10% of churchgoers, and that share is growing.
Tune in for an hour of the most detailed data on multisite churches ever done, and what you can learn in the process.
Also See: CityLife Church: Building a Culture of MultiplicationBreaking the 200 Barrier
When John Maxwell said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” I wanted to prove him wrong when I wrote the book Comeback Churches. I felt that something more spiritual or miraculous than leadership had to explain healthy, growing, transformational churches.
As it turns out, we researched over 200 churches only to learn that Maxwell was right: Leadership is key for churches that see growth and impact.
The Big Front Door for Guests Just About Every Church Misses
Most churches miss this front door, not because of a lack of awareness but because of a lack of effort. Over half of the unchurched believe church could be a great place to make friends, but nearly 60% say it’s too intimidating to visit alone. That’s a huge opportunity. Today’s episode highlights how friendship, follow-up, and one key ingredient—an invitation—can lower the barrier and open the door for gospel conversations. Thom and Sam discuss some key takeaways from their new research.
Also See: The Unknown Connection Most Unchurched Have with the Church, What Really Scares People Away from ChurchMoving Men from Consumers to Contributors
Many churches struggle to move men from passive attenders to active contributors, and the gap is wider than most pastors realize. In this episode, Scott and A.J. dig into the statistics behind male volunteerism, explore why so many men feel like there is no meaningful place for their skills in the church, and offer practical strategies for identifying, inviting, and deploying the right men in the right roles. The conversation is honest, encouraging, and packed with actionable ideas any church can apply.
VOICES: Why are Christians leaving for Islam?
I recently posted a clip about the thousands of Christians who leave the faith to become Muslims, which drew a response that disturbed me almost as much as the loss itself. Most people basically said, “good riddance.” If they were truly Christians, some argued, they would never have left.
That response contains a theological truth about being truly born again, but it also carries a dangerous temptation. It allows the Church to explain every departure by looking only at the person who left and never at the community he or she left behind. Scripture does not permit that kind of self-exoneration. Before we ask what has happened to America, we should be willing to ask what has happened to the Church.
10 Ways Every Christian Can Strengthen Their Church
Do your church members know how to strengthen the church? Most believers want a healthy church. Far fewer could tell you what their own part in building one looks like on an ordinary Tuesday.
In the early days at Lancaster Baptist Church, I led a “Visit With the Pastor” almost every Sunday night. My goal was to give our young congregation the DNA of New Testament Christianity. Each session was a short, practical lesson on something like leading someone to the Lord, having family devotions, or encouraging new Christians.
One of those lessons turned up again decades later, in a place I never expected.
Declines in Young Clergy Reflect a Changed Culture
When the Lewis Center began publishing annual reports 20 years ago on clergy age trends in the United Methodist Church—and from time to time across multiple denominations, there were two common responses to the stark decline in the percentage of young clergy (under age 35). One was surprise and even shock at the findings. The other was to offer what might be logical reasons for the small number of young clergy.
Some suggested there may be less need for entering clergy since there are fewer churches and members now. Others said that young people are doing everything later now such as finishing school, getting married, even moving out of their family home! One person suggested we check to see if there were fewer people ages 25-35 in the population now. As it turned out, there was some truth in all the ideas shared.
However, it turned out that in each case, even when taking account of the possible causes offered, those factors did not account for the degree of decline in young clergy. For example, young adults as a percentage of the population had declined, but the proportion of young clergy declined far more. The same was the case for fewer churches and members. And for young people delaying entry into professions, we compared the age trends among dentists (who have a similar length of education) with those of clergy and found no comparable absence of young dentists.
Leadership Drift: 4 Gauges Every Leader Should Check
No leader ever wakes up and says, “Today I’m going to drift.”
Drift is always accidental. It’s subtle. Quiet. Unannounced. And if we don’t notice it early, it takes us somewhere we never intended to go—often not a good place.
Episcopal churches bless animals on St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day
Oct. 4 was the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, and Episcopal congregations nationwide celebrated by welcoming “all creatures great and small” to church.
At these special “blessing of the animals” services, Episcopalians went to church with their pets, who received special blessings.
‘We don’t want to lose the Holy Spirit as well as our skills’: What AI means for the Church
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, from workplaces and schools to churches and Christian ministry. But as its use grows, questions are emerging about how Christians can embrace its benefits without outsourcing the thinking, relationships and spiritual formation that lie at the heart of Christian life.
The AI Christian Partnership has sought to help churches navigate those questions with a set of guidelines encouraging Christians to approach AI thoughtfully, ethically and in line with Christian values.
Christian Today spoke with Chris Goswami, founder of the AI Christian Partnership, about why the Church needs to engage with AI now, the opportunities for ministry and evangelism, and why questions about being human are increasingly important in an AI-driven world.
Jesus Chose Us to Continue His Mission
Do you ever find yourself going back to the basics of the faith? Sometimes I find it refreshing to simply hear the gospel and see what God has done in the past through his people. As I was working on my preaching schedule for the fall, I landed on the Book of Acts because it’s the perfect back-to-basics book of Scripture. It’s an opportunity for a spiritual reset as the seasons change and life starts to settle down a bit.
To truly understand the Book of Acts, we need some context. Acts is a direct continuation of the Gospel of Luke. Written by the same author to the same recipient, Theophilus, Luke wrote his gospel to offer assurance of the gospel. Acts continues this exact work as Luke lays out a biblical history, rich with the works of God and the fulfillment of Old Testament promises.
Despite common perceptions, Acts was not written as an apologetics manual or a guide on how to do church. Rather, the focus is on God’s powerful gospel work through the saints in the early church. If we lose sight of these foundations, we risk forgetting that it is God’s work alone that empowers the church today—and that is a dangerous place to be.
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