All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (July 18, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

As well as containing generous promises, the Bible contains solemn warnings—warnings that we would be wise to heed. Among these warnings are warnings against prophets who, while claiming that they have heard God’s voice, tell people what they want to hear.

The reading appointed for this Sunday evening’ service is Jeremiah 23: 1-16 A Promised Shepherd for the Sheep of Israel.

The homily is titled, “A Promise and a Warning.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday_17.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. There may be a short pause before a song begins on a video. If the video begins playing partway, pause, move the track slider back to the beginning, and then play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at:

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'In Many COVID Hot Spots, a Pattern: High Concentrations of White Evangelicals' and More

In Many COVID Hot Spots, a Pattern: High Concentrations of White Evangelicals

‘It’s clear that the pattern is more white evangelical Protestants equals lower vaccination rates,’ said Natalie Jackson, research director at the Public Religion Research Institute.

U.S. COVID Deaths Are Rising Again. Experts Call It A 'Pandemic Of The Unvaccinated'
The death rate from COVID-19 in the U.S. is rising steadily for the first time in months as the nation grapples with a renewed burst of cases in what's become "a pandemic of the unvaccinated," the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Doctor Sounds Alarm on Low Vaccination Rates: 'It’s Not a Debate. It’s Science.'
Health experts are sounding the alarm as the number of unvaccinated individuals remains stagnant while COVID cases rise across the country. The reasons for individuals remaining unvaccinated vary; drivers include anti-vax sentiment and skepticism of scientific data. The stickiness of arguments that lead Americans to remain unvaccinated in the face of overwhelming evidence continues to worry medical professionals.

Summer Camps Hit with COVID Outbreaks — Are Schools Next?
The U.S. has seen a string of COVID-19 outbreaks tied to summer camps in recent weeks in places such as Texas, Illinois, Florida, Missouri and Kansas, in what some fear could be a preview of the upcoming school year. In some cases the outbreaks have spread from the camp to the broader community.

Covid-19: Five Ways to Avoid Catching the Virus Indoors
For months we've been told to wash our hands and maintain social distancing to beat the virus. But scientists and engineers say we also need to think about the air we breathe inside buildings. Good ventilation matters in five ways.

Many church buildings are inadequately ventilated. They were not designed to minimize the spread a highly infectious airborne virus.

3 Simple Reasons We Believe Misinformation
The young people who make up Gen Z are supposed to be smarter about this kind of stuff than their Boomer parents or grandparents, right? How are these internet curators and trend-setters getting duped themselves? In many of the same ways that we all can get tricked by news or other information we see online. Here are three simple ways we can all fall prey to misinformation....

Why Some Younger Evangelicals Are Leaving the Faith
The extent to which the number of white evangelicals have declined in the United States has been laid bare in a new report by the Public Religion Research Institute’s 2020 Census on American Religion. The institute’s study found that only 14% of Americans identify as white evangelical today. This is a drastic decline since 2006, when America’s religious landscape was composed of 23% white evangelicals, as the report notes.

9 Things You Should Know About Mainline Protestantism
A new survey on American religion finds that the percentage of Christians has stabilized, after having fallen for the past 20 years. The survey, called The 2020 Census of American Religion, claims that the recent increase is primarily due to an uptick in the proportion of white mainline Protestants.

Should Churches Ban Pastors Who Engage in Abuse? Most Pastors Say Yes.
Trauma expert and therapist Dr. Diane Langberg thinks the 83 percent of pastors who, when polled, agreed that if a pastor engages in child sexual abuse, they should never return to ministry, according to the latest Lifeway study, may be surprisingly high for the public—but most significantly, she points out that the ‘numbers on the ground’ are probably lower than the survey reveals.

4 Steps for Quickly Recruiting and Training Church Volunteers
Far too often when there’s a ministry gap in our churches, we focus on leadership placement over leadership development. We settle for warm bodies instead of weekly volunteers.

7 Practical Ideas To Recharge Your Leadership Battery
The church doesn’t stop during the summer, but it’s a good time to lean into the different life rhythm it carries, to catch your breath and recharge your leadership battery.

8 Easy and Affordable Children’s Ministry Area Update Ideas
Outreach Magazine together a few ideas for refreshing your children’s ministry area on a budget. Choose one, some, or all to give your space a boost and put a smile on your little ones’ faces.

In this age of higly infectious airborne viruses, make sure that your children's ministry area has plenty of clean fresh air from outside of the building. No stale, recirulated air.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (July 17, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul paints a rather stark picture of our spiritual state before Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross opened to us the way of salvation. No hope. Without God. We were outsiders. We had no part in the covenants of promise to the people of Israel.

The Scripture reading for this Saturday evening is Ephesians 2: 11-22 One in Christ.

The homily is titled “No Longer Outsiders.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_17.html 

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

Why Congregations Aren’t Waiting to Leave the United Methodist Church

With a denominational split delayed, some are willing to pay big to exit now.

Caught in a decades-long battle over LGBT issues, with a proposed denominational split delayed again by the pandemic, dozens of conservative and progressive churches are leaving the United Methodist Church (UMC) without a tidy exit plan.

Two years ago, factions in the United Methodist Church (UMC) agreed on a plan for splitting the denomination with conservative churches keeping their property as they leave. But the UMC has twice postponed its General Conference and won ’t meet until August 2022 to vote on the proposal, called the “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation.”

A United Methodist News review of US annual conference reports and publicly available journals found that the 54 conferences—regional UMC governing bodies—approved at least 51 disaffiliations in 2020. Annual conference reports for 2021 show that the annual conferences have approved 38 disaffiliations so far in 2021.

Though the disaffiliations represent a sliver of the more than 31,000 United Methodist churches nationwide, they show that some churches are willing to take the hard way out of the UMC. Read More

Image Credit: Paul Jeffrey/United Methoidst News Service

North Georgia Conference Seizes Assets of Mt. Bethel UMC in East Cobb

In an extremely rare move, the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church has seized the assets of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta amid a fight over who should be its senior pastor.

The conference announced its stunning decision in a statement released Monday and said it was “acting out of love for the church and its mission” and to “preserve the legacy of the Mt. Bethel church and its longstanding history of mission and ministry.”

Mt. Bethel UMC in Marietta, whose membership has been reported to be around 8,000, has one of the largest congregations in the conference. It also has the Mt. Bethel Christian Academy. According to the statement from the North Georgia Conference, the regional governing body for the area’s United Methodist churches, the title to Mt. Bethel UMC’s real, personal, tangible and intangible property was immediately transferred to the conference’s Board of Trustees, “who may hold or dispose of such property in its sole discretion.”

The statement also said the employment, instruction, activities and worship at the church and the school will continue “but under the direction and control of the Conference Board of Trustees.”

The North Georgia Conference and the leadership at the conservative Mt. Bethel church have been locked in a battle for months. Read More

Also See:
United Methodist Conference Seizes Church Assets in Dispute
Conference Assumes Management of Megachurch

Image Credit: Mt. Bethel UMC

Things Will Never Be Normal — And That’s OK

Like most areas of our country, middle Tennessee is crawling out from under COVID-19 restrictions and inching our way back to some kind of normalcy. Some have thrown caution to the wind by fully engaging in their pre-covid habits. Everyone is so tired of having to stay home during the pandemic they’re going on extra vacations during the summer and staying out later during the week. Suddenly, everyone is acting like college students on spring break.

Others being more cautious. They’re still ordering their groceries online and haven’t gone out to restaurants yet. They’re still avoiding crowds and when they travel, they drive. Their return to church has been slower. While things might be better, for these friends, things aren’t normal yet.

No one knows what to make of these new realities. Are we back to normal yet? Is this the new normal? Will we ever get back to normal? What was normal anyway?

Every day, I get a call from someone who wants to know when we’ll get back to normal. The honest answer is we don’t know.

The real answer is “never.” Read More

10 Safety and Security Mistakes Churches Makes

Every church that wants to grow in today's culture must make safety and security a top priority.

When parents walk in the doors of your church, they are wondering "Is my child going to be safe here?"

We live in a new reality. And the reality is families can be attacked at the store, while at work, while at the movie theater, at a sporting event, at school and yes, even at church.

More than ever, we must have safety and security measures in place if we are going to reach families. The average Millennial parents are not going to return to your church if they see that safety and security is lacking.

Here are 10 safety and security mistakes churches make. Read More

God Doesn’t Get Tired Of Answering Prayer

Psalm 121 reminds us that God does not “slumber or sleep.” Isaiah tells us that “the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.” That’s hard to imagine for people like us who spend a quarter of our time on earth (at least) unconscious in bed. Even when we’re not in bed, a single day full of activity can leave us mentally and physically exhausted. Not God. He never slumbers or sleeps, he never flops on the couch and rests his eyes, he never gets tired at all.

This is encouraging. When my brain is foggy and I’m crashing after a long day, I know I can still bring my requests to a God whose thinking is perfectly clear, and whose ability is not diminished in the slightest by all the other things he’s done that day. I’m not like this. Everything I do wears me down a little more, brings me closer to my limit. When I’m running out and requests are still coming in, it’s easy for me to feel overwhelmed. On my worst days, being overwhelmed can make me feel resentful of all that is required of me. Does God feel like this? Is he overwhelmed when I come to him with my constant burdens, or resentful when I present (again) my never-ending needs? No. The Bible is clear.

I may get tired of being needy, but God doesn’t get tired of providing for his children.

I may get tired of always asking, but God doesn’t get tired of answering his children. Read More

Are You Leading Your Church Back to Egypt?

Are You Leading Your Church Back to Egypt?

“And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” —Numbers 14:4

If you know the story behind the verse above, you know how unbelievable that statement is: “Let’s go back to … Egypt.”

You can read the story in Exodus and Numbers for yourself, but basically, for generations, the nation of Egypt forced the Hebrew tribes within their borders into slavery: literal, horrific, violent, oppressive slavery. But now, God had rescued them. They were free for the first time in 400 (!) years.

So why would someone even think, much less say, what they did in Numbers 14? Read More

Church of England Debates Parish System, Unity, Clergy Discipline

Anxiety about the future of the Church of England’s parish system, unity across differences over the ordination of women, and the adequacy of its clergy discipline system featured prominently in the latest semiannual session of its General Synod, held online July 9-12.

Parish System

In his opening presidential address, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell thanked church leaders for their faithfulness and perseverance in difficult times, and directly addressed criticisms that the call for 10,000 lay-led church plants by the Vision and Strategy group he chairs would undermine the parish system and sideline ordained ministers.

“Apparently, in some quarters it has been suggested that, somehow, clergy are a limiting factor on church growth. I think I want to agree. A shortage of clergy would really limit us. We need more vocations. That is my prayer: priests to serve a priestly people,” Cottrell said.

Cottrell’s assurances did not allay all concerns. Even before debate of the Vision and Strategy group’s report began on July 12, lay representative Sam Margrave from the Diocese of Coventry sought to adjourn the session. “I am aware the bulldozers are waiting outside many of our parishes, waiting to tear them down physically or spiritually,” he pleaded. “If we pass this report, we are handing a gun to the dioceses to kill off the Church as we know it.” Read More

While clergy may not like hearing it, they can be a limiting factor on church expansion. They may resist efforts to plant new churches in their deanery and may refuse to support new church plants when they are launched. It takes up to four years to train a new member of the clergy and two to three years to ordain them. Once they are ordained and assigned a cure, it may become quickly apparent that they lack the skills and gifts to plant new churches and are ill-equipped to lead others in launching and pioneering a new church. Since they require a stipned for their support, they can assigned only where there is funds available to support them. It is time for the Church of England and other Anglican and Episcopal Churches to start thinking outside of the box. Otherwise, they will keep on going downhill.

UPDATE: ACNA Archbishop Steps in to Help With Investigation Into Abuse Claims

UPDATED July 14, 2021: A third-party investigation into claims that leaders in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) mishandled allegations of sexual abuse and assault has been handed over to a Provincial Response Team, the denomination’s archbishop announced.

“A Provincial Response Team is being formed by Provincial leaders to take oversight of this process, committed to act with thorough professionalism and with deep care for the survivors,” said ACNA archbishop Foley Beach in a July 10 letter. “This team will include diverse representation of women and men with experience in these areas. We are prayerful and hopeful that this will help bring forth truth and confidence so healing and restoration can be facilitated.”

Beach explained that he had received and granted a formal request from the Bishop’s Council of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest for the ACNA to oversee the investigation and also to review the leadership structures of the Upper Midwest diocese, where the allegations are concerned. Read More

Lay-Led Churches: The Future of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches?

The concept, I believe is a sound one. If we want to reach and engage people in the twenty-first century, we must go to them. We can no longer expect them to come to us. "Going" is after all is a part of the Great Commission. By "going" Jesus meant not only leaving this place where he would ascend into heaven but also going into the world. We do not live in the 1950s or even the 1980s when a local church could expect in a growing community an influx of new attendees and church members. People no longer attend church as they once did. What may have motivated them in the past no longer motivates them. 

The concept does, however, require a rethink of Anglican and Episcopal ecclesiology and sacramental theology. This accounts at least in part for the resistance to the concept in the Church of England and elsewhere. It also requires the relinguishment of the Anglican and Episcopal clergy's obsession with clerical privilege and prorogative and sacerdotalism, which is not confined to any one particular wing of the church but suffuses the entire church. 

Church of England Considers Evangelical-Inspired Proposal for Lay-Led Churches

Petertide—the days around the feast of St. Peter on June 29—is traditionally one of the most joyful seasons for the Church of England, a time for ordination of new priests and deacons. But this year’s Petertide has been marred by what many have interpreted as an attack on the future of Anglican priesthood itself.

As Britain’s national church prepared to gather for its General Synod, which began last Friday and runs through Tuesday, one of its most senior clerics submitted a paper for discussion arguing that the future lies not with clergy in the pulpit, but with worshiping communities led by lay people.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell—second only in the hierarchy to the archbishop of Canterbury—first floated his ideas last year in a report from a “Vision and Strategy” committee that Cottrell heads. But its publication last month, just before the laity, bishops and other clergy attended the Synod sessions online, has caused an outcry. Read More

Mission Is Not a Zero-Sum Game

There is quite the row in the Church of England at present over the ambitious proposal called “Myriad” for the launching of 10,000 churches by 2030. One can detect amidst the heated debate pre-existing factors of churchmanship and of the Fresh Expressions movement (which, it should be noted, was warmly endorsed by the catholic Archbishop Rowan Williams). Strained church budgets never bring out the best in us, especially in the wake of a pandemic. But, while the circumstances of the Mother Church are different, there are real questions of ecclesiology and mission here which have implications for us in the Episcopal Church as well.

We do well at the outset to acknowledge some facts. First, the financial underpinnings of the Church of England are already under considerable stress. “Keep calm” is good advice, but just “carry on” won’t be enough. The same could be said of the Episcopal Church, though we have yet to see the extent of our problem. Secondly, the world’s largest Anglican provinces do indeed have a myriad of lay-led small congregations, which do grow. So the idea of rethinking theological education, buildings, stipendiary clergy in light of this is not crazy. To be sure, I am speaking of the churches of sub-Saharan Africa, where stick-and-mud buildings can often be put up or taken down over a week’s time. And on the positive side of the ledger, they have a system of local or bush Bible schools where catechist/evangelists can be readily trained (as well as an evangelical ethos centered on proclamation). Thirdly, we must admit that our world was once closer to what is here proposed than we often remember. Your parish was planted by someone. Your congregation may have had strong chapters of women’s or men’s or missionary groups, which promoted various missional projects. Our prior economy was more mixed than we now recall.

None of this makes the planting of a myriad of congregations easy, not least because of our own congregationalist spirit, episcopacy or no episcopacy. Fourth, though we all imagine our parishes to be friendly, we have to admit that church plants, difficult to sustain to be sure, have certain advantages. Everyone is new, and for many that makes joining and staying easier. These four facts at least show us that the “Myriad” moment raises questions closer to home than we at first suppose. Read More

It's Wednesday: "Mainline Protestants Are Still Declining, But That’s Not Good News for Evangelicals' and More

Mainline Protestants Are Still Declining, But That’s Not Good News for Evangelicals

If there’s one overarching conclusion that comes from studying survey data of American religion over the last several decades, it is that fewer people identify with an established religious tradition every year. The ranks of religiously unaffiliated, also called the nones, have grown from just about 5 percent in the early 1970s to at least 30 percent in 2020.

10 Poisons That Will Kill Any Church
I read recently that thousands of churches close their doors every year. Who knows how many others are on life support? We live in a time when churches need revitalization and renewal. The eternal destiny of people depend on the faithful witness of local churches. Here are 10 poisons that will kill any church.

Is Your Online Church IRS Compliant?
When you took your church online, did you know that it needs to meet compliance requirements? Like your physical church, what your ministry does online is held accountable to the IRS.

It’s Noisy Out There: Why We Need Intergenerational Community
The noise is not the only reason that churches need to help the generations connect. The generations are losing touch with each other.

Good Works Are Less Complicated Than You Think
If you want to make an evangelical nervous, mention the concept of good works. But speaking of good works should feel life-giving.

4 Handy Tips On Eye Contact And Body Posture In Worship Leading
I must disagree with what Dan Wilt says about eyes closed. People are apt to close their eyes out of the mistaken belief that it is a more devote way of praying or worshiping. It is more of a learned habit than it is a sign that they are deeply spiritually engaged, communing with God. When people close their eyes in a worship gathering, however, they often miss what the Holy Spirit is doing in the gathering.

Back to Normal Post-COVID? Not Everywhere
International Mission Board workers share descriptions of current conditions around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has not gone away.

Christians Aren’t Called to Pull Weeds but to Sow Seeds!
It is not our job to call down fire or tear out tares. The only evil we are called to root out is the evil in our own lives (Matthew 7:5.) Instead, we are called to sow seed generously in the harvest field (Matthew 13:1-23) and disciple those who respond to the message. We are called to go with the goers, pray for the others and keep chucking Gospel seeds.

Use Your Summer Schedule for Evangelism
Through the years, I have learned that effective evangelism results from intentionality. In my book, Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out, 2nd ed., we make the point: “A Jesus Sharing Lifestyle starts with a plan to share Jesus as part of everyday living.” (p. 121) Throughout the book we encourage the reader to place themselves at God’s disposal, praying for opportunities, and then “develop a rhythm of life that focuses on your spiritual formation as a witness.” How is this possible in the summer?

When Evangelism Makes You Cringe
Most of us cringe at the word evangelism. Christians I talk to are creeped out by it, uncomfortable, and want to run as far away from “witnessing” as possible.

Burial, Cremation, or Composting?

Amid Catholic Opposition, States Are Legalizing Composting of Human Remains

Washington, Colorado and Oregon are now among the U.S. states that have legalized the process of converting human bodies into soil, a procedure the Catholic Church said fails to show “respect for the body of the deceased.” Meanwhile, California and New York are seeking to be next in line to allow human composting.

The process for composting a body was introduced by the Seattle-based company Recompose, which is now open for business after the state of Washington legalized the process in 2019. Colorado was the second state to legalize it, followed by Oregon, when Gov. Kate Brown in mid-June signed House Bill 2574 into law.

Here’s how it works: A dead body is broken down through a process known as Natural Organic Reduction by placing the body in a reusable vessel, covering it with wood chips and aerating it, which creates an environment for microbes and essential bacteria. The body, over a span of about 30 days, is fully transformed into soil. Read More

Christian Burial: Dividing Up Cremains and Other Troubling Habits

Over the past generation American Christians, including and perhaps especially Episcopalians, have increasingly favored cremation over casket burial. This shift has happened for a variety of reasons: cost, concerns about the sustainability of burial space, the ability to have a funeral at a much later date for the sake of family traveling (yet another societal shift, families spread out across the nation).

Certainly the God who raised Jesus from the dead can and will restore us bodily on that last and great day whether we are cremated or buried in a casket. Regarding this promise, Christians should not worry or have reservations. In other words, cremation is an option for believers. But there are other issues that lay beneath the surface, as well as some unexamined and frankly bad practices that have emerged along with the shift, and these warrant some exploration. Read More

ACNA Bishop Admits Mishandling Child Sex-Abuse Case

For the third time in a little more than a year, a bishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has left office for an offense related to sexuality. This time, the episode is flaring into national consciousness through media reports and Twitter threads, amid allegations that church officials kept quiet for years about accusations of sexual abuse involving a 9-year-old girl.

The Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch III, Bishop of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, requested and was granted a leave of absence on July 8 after acknowledging “regrettable errors” in responding to alleged sexual offenses by a volunteer lay leader at a small Anglican church in Illinois. Archbishop Foley Beach announced the leave of absence on July 10.

“I feel like the best way to walk in integrity now is to step aside as this process moves forward and as efforts are made to serve any survivors of abuse,” Ruch said in a letter to the diocese. The diocese has hired an independent company, California-based Grand River Solutions, to reach out to other possible victims and make recommendations on improving the diocese’s practices. Read More

Also See:
TN Youth Pastor Among 18 Charged in Human Trafficking Investigation
How Josh Duggar Shifted Homeschoolers’ Sense of Security

It's Tuesday: '2 Questions Every Pastor Must Ask to Be Successful in Modern Ministry' and More

2 Questions Every Pastor Must Ask to Be Successful in Modern Ministry
Books and seminary clesses on American church growth can feel more like church history than leading a church in today's context.

Declining Volunnteer Numbers and 5 Steps to Reverse It
While there’s been a lot of conversation about declining church attendance numbers (even before COVID), the more concerning number is the decline in consistent volunteers. While this appears to be more of a physical location versus digital issue, it’s actually both.

7 High Standards of Leadership
Those who carry leadership authority must live according to higher standards.

7 Leadership Qualities Children's Ministry Leaders Need
Children's ministry is just like any other area of the church...everything rises and falls on leadership. Great children's ministries are made possible by great leadership.

How to Use Push Notifications to Increase Engagement
If you don’t have a mobile strategy to promote your church, you’re missing out on a tremendous opportunity. Your church needs to explore different ways to communicate with your church to get their attention. It could be an easy win for you to learn how to use push notifications.

‘Pray Away the Gay’ Has Gone Away. Why Are Governments Trying to Stop It?
Nations around the globe are pushing bans on conversion therapy, some without defining what it is.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (July 14, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

Do we fully grasp what calling Jesus Lord means? Do we really understand its implications? It is something that we all need to chew on.

The Scripture reading for this Wednesday evening is Ephesian 1: 15-23 Paul’s Prayer

The homily is titled “Jesus Is Lord!!”

The link to this Wednesday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for_12.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

It's Monday: 'J. I. Packer’s Famous Essay on Christ’s Death' and More

J. I. Packer’s Famous Essay on Christ’s Death
J I Packer wrote this essay as an introduction to Puritan John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: A Treatise in Which the Whole Controversy about Universal Redemption is Fully Discussed.

10 Things Every New Christian Should Know
Brian Mavis offers a list of 10 things that he believes a new Christian should know within the first year.

‘How Could All the Prophets Be Wrong About Trump?’
While the Bible contains references to prophets and prophesy, it contains warnings about lying prophets and false prophets too. The Bible also tells us that God humbles the proud and that we should put our trust not in human leaders but in God himself.

Highway to Hell: Why the Modern Emphasis on Justice Paves the Way for a Traditional Doctrine
Aaron Earlys shares some research findings regarding what Americans believe about sin and hell and the implications of these findings.

How to Improve Singing Pitch – 7 Great Tips
I have one problem with this article. Mark Cole assumes that every chorister and vocalist knows how to play the piano. I have sung in several chancel choirs and on one praise team. The choristers and vocalists who were able to play a piano or electronic keyboard were few in number.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (July 11, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

Words have consequences. They may have consequences for us. They may have consequences for others. Words carelessly spoken in the heat of the moment would cost John the Baptist his life. Unknowingly to Herod Antipas, they would set in motion a chain of events that would lead to the death of Jesus and Herod Antipas’ own fall from power and banishment .

The reading appointed for this Sunday evening’ service is Mark 6:14-29 The Death of John the Baptist.

The homily is titled, “Careless Words.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday_10.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. There may be a short pause before a song begins on a video. If the video begins playing partway, pause, move the track slider back to the beginning, and then play. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at:

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Five Ways COVID Has Changed the Church' and More

Five Ways COVID Has Changed the Church

There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that COVID has changed our world. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently outlined several such areas, such as altered shopping habits, remote learning and big government. It’s also changed things for the church, and here I outline five of those changes and how the church might (or, in some cases, must) respond. As you will read, not all of the changes are good. Of the five shifts outlined here, I would contend that only three should be embraced. Two, on the other hand, must be forcefully resisted. But for good or ill, here are five ways COVID has changed the church....

How We'll Know When The COVID-19 Crisis Is Over
The U.S. is not out of the woods yet. The Delta variant has spread just as fast through the U.S. as epidemiologists feared it would. It now accounts for more than half the cases in the U.S., and far more than that in certain states. Lynn Goldman, an epidemiologist and dean of the school of public health at George Washington University, says the U.S. has certain things working for it, and some against it.

Presenting Hybrid Church Effectively (Part 2)
While there are divergent opinions about online services and worship, there is common agreement that a hybrid offering can be effective in reaching people who may not return to a post-pandemic, in-person setting. Hybrid has been defined as a combination of an in-person service with an online service, either livestreamed or recorded, of the Eucharist, Morning Prayer, Compline, Noonday Prayer, or a Bible study. Even those who may not be enthralled with hybrid recognize its value.

I did not post a link to the first article in this three-part article series on hybrid church as I found it to be quite negative. The opinions that were voiced in the article reflected the kind of thinking that has contributed to the decline of the Episcopal Church. This article takes a much more positive view of hybrid church.

6 Questions about Prayer
Infrequent prayer teaches a church that God is needed only in special situations—under certain circumstances but not all. It teaches a church that God’s help is intermittently necessary, not consistently so. It leads a church to believe that there are plenty of things we can do without God’s help, and we need to bother him only when we run into especially difficult situations.

11 Obstacles to Effective Discipleship in the Church
Leading a church to be a discipling church—especially if that’s never been their focus—is not easy. You might, in fact, be learning that truth the hard way. Here are some obstacles to effective discipleship in the church....

Why and How Reading Shapes Your Soul
I remember a seminary professor of mine saying once, “The biggest problem most preachers have is they don’t read enough fiction.” I’ll admit, at the time, with all the problems I could list that most churches and pastors experience, a lack of novels was not near the top of my list. In time, though, I came to realize this professor was right, and more importantly, I came to understand why. I realized, too, that when it comes to moral decision-making, the same holds true. So I’ll propose a similar ally in a quest for understanding and nourishing our moral and ethical frameworks: stories. Here’s why.

Discover the Ministry of Asking Others Questions
I love this article by Blake Glosson, a student at Reformed Theological Seminary, about the importance of asking others thoughtful questions as a way of ministering to them and showing interest in their lives.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (July 10, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

The yearning to belong is a very human yearning. Some people go to great lengths to gain acceptance from the people in their lives, from those around them. Other people decide to go it alone at an early age, based upon what were for them painful life experiences. They choose to keep an emotional distance between themselves and the people in their lives. God in his merciful kindness loves them both and gives himself to them, embracing them as his own, as his beloved children—weaknesses, shortcomings, insecurities, and all.

The Scripture reading for this Saturday evening is Ephesians 1: 3-14 Spiritual Blessings in Christ.

The homily is titled “The Seal of the Spirit”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_10.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

It's Friday: 'Plan for 10,000 New Churches Roils C of E' and More

Plan for 10,000 New Churches Roils C of E

Hats off to the Rev. Canon John McGinely for telling it like it is. Stipendiary clergy, church buildings, and theological college training do limit the growth of the church. We forget that the early church had none of these things, but it spread like wild fire. It is time that Anglicans and Episcopalians stopped tying their own hands and feet when it comes to expanding and growing the church.

Why We Don’t Dump Friends Who Disagree
Where does dumping friends with whom we disagree fit with what Jesus exemplified and taught? The truth is that it does not fit Jesus' example and teaching at all. Jesu befirended all kinds of people. He taught that we should love those with whom we disagree.

Why Your Church Needs to Know and Use ‘Flake’s Formula’ Right Now
Ken Brady makes some good points in this article but we are far from the verge of "normalcy." Indeed we may be on the cusp of a new surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations due to the spread of the Delta variant, low vaccination rates, and the premature relaxation of public health measures.

If Your Congregation Isn’t Singing Ask These 15 Questions
We cannot worship God through a surrogate, through someone else. We must honor God ourselves with our own lips and our own lives.

Yes, Jesus Told Us to Pray in Secret. But He Also Prayed with His Friends.
"Prayer alone is certainly one model of prayer in the Bible, but if we read the Bible only through the lens of praying in a closet, we miss much of the rich diversity possible in prayer."

‘Our Hearts Break’—TX Pastor Says 125 Campers Test Positive for COVID-19

More than 125 teens and adults who attended a late-June event in Galveston County put on by Clear Creek Community Church have tested positive for COVID-19. Health officials have confirmed that at least three cases involve the highly transmissible Delta variant.

This is the second coronavirus outbreak tied to a church camp this summer. Last month, at least 85 people tested positive for COVID-19 after attending The Crossing Camp in Quincy, Illinois. Read More

Also See:
99.2% of US Covid deaths in June were unvaccinated, says Fauci
WHO urges extreme caution against completely lifting public health measures
WHO warns of ‘epidemiological stupidity’ of early Covid reopening
A leading US disease expert says there's 'no doubt in my mind' that vaccinated people are helping spread Delta

image credit: churchleaders.com

How Churches Can Address a Growing Suicide Threat in Young Adults

Our bodies are holy temples (1 Cor. 6:19). It would make sense as believers to take care of it. Whether it’s drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, food, or anything consumed, we should always be mindful of its effects on us.

In recent years, marijuana legalization has made it more accessible than ever to the public, especially to young adults. According to a study from Lifeway Research, 18% of pastors surveyed say marijuana should be legalized throughout the country for any purpose and 6% are not sure. Although a small percentage, that’s still 24% of pastors who are indirectly advocating for marijuana use or not making a stand either way. Pastors and leaders need to aware of the research and ramifications of marijuana use as more information comes to light.

A new study conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests a connection between marijuana use and suicide in young adults. Surveying more than 280,000 young adults ages 18-35, marijuana use and increased risks of thoughts of suicide (suicidal ideation), suicide plan, and suicide attempt are seen to be linked.

“Among people with depression, 35% of people who did not use cannabis had suicidal ideation, compared to 44% of those with nondaily cannabis use, 53% of those who used cannabis daily, and 50% of those who had a cannabis use disorder …

Among individuals without a major depressive episode, the prevalence of suicidal ideation for those with vs. without a cannabis use disorder was 13.9% vs. 3.5% among women and 9.9% vs. 3.0% among men.”

Suicide and suicidal thoughts are on the rise, especially after a global pandemic, and especially with marijuana use increasing. Young adult ministries need to be aware and informed. What are some steps needed to prepare for such staggering news? Read More

A word of caution is warranted here. The author of this article appears to infer a causative relationship between marijuana use and suicide in young adults in her interpretation of the NIDA research findings. The connection between marijuana use and suicide in young adults, however, may be the other way around.  I have worked with suicidal patients, including adolescents and young adults. The deeper a suicidal patient's depression, the greater the likelihood that they will resort to drugs and alcohol to relieve their pain. The link may be that the more suicidal a young adult is, the more likely they are to use marijuana and other recreational drugs. These drugs can affect mood. They can also impair judgment. While under the influence of certain drugs, including alcohol, someone who is suicidal is likely to act impulsively.  People tend to loose their inhibitions when they are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. This includes any inhibitions against killing themselves. 

What to Do When a Staff Member’s Family Member Is Causing Problems in the Church [Podcast]

Does a pastor have either a right or an obligation to address issues caused by a staff member’s spouse or children? Thom and Mark look at ways to navigate this tricky issue. Listen Now

4 Thoughts on Mission, Church, and Technology

Every new technology provides an opportunity for gospel advancement. With the Gutenberg press, the Scripture became more accessible. With the advent of the microphone and sound system, regular preachers without booming George Whitefield voices were able to speak the good news of Jesus to more people. With radio, Christians such as C.S. Lewis were able to place important messages about Christ into the culture of the day. With social media, messages are able to be quickly shared and spread.

But technology also presents us significant challenges.

Sean Parker, who was president of Facebook for a season, recently admitted that Facebook (and assuming other social media): “literally changes your relationship with society, with each other. It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways. God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains … It’s a social-validation feedback loop, exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.”

Clearly those who have introduced new technology to our world know there are some really damaging and destructive results in the technology they introduced. People learn, without realizing it, to live for likes and hearts. And phrases such as FOMO (fear of missing out) have been invented because teenagers see a continual highlight reel of places where they were not invited.

So, is technology good or bad? It depends who is using it and for what motivation. In Titus 1:15 the apostle Paul writes, “To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure…” Yes, I want to use technology in ministry but I also want to heed some cautions that wise men and women have articulated. Here are four thoughts that summarize where I am today on the issue.... Read More

5G Small Group Discipleship

Moving to the next generation of small group discipleship certainly accelerates speed, but there’s something else even more important.

You can hardly watch any screen without receiving the ubiquitous message about 5G. Every mobile phone company and manufacturer touts 5G. Every device down to your Wi-Fi enabled toothbrush talks about being part of the Internet-of-Things, IoT, revolution that needs 5G’s voracious speeds. And with $2.7 trillion already spent on 5G deployment, the pressure to migrate to 5G is only going to get greater. Read More

It's Wednesday: 'Churches Urged to Relaunch, Not Just Reopen' and More

Churches Urged to Relaunch, Not Just Reopen
The spirit of innovation seen in the COVID-19 pandemic needs to continue and deepen, church leadership experts say.

How COVID-19 Reshaped Campus Ministry
As students report high levels of anxiety and isolation in a new InterVarsity survey, ministry leaders look to small groups to provide community for Gen Z.

Tips to Communicate with Parents at Your Youth Ministry Parent Meeting
Back to school usually means a jumpstart in your youth ministry. This year will be no exception. This training article is to help you pull off a fantastic parent meeting to begin the school year.

5 Ways to Encourage Discouraged Parents
While some parents felt like failures, few felt like churches in their area were doing anything to help them. How can churches change that as we move out of the pandemic and into the post-COVID reality? Here are five steps church leaders can take, from suggesting family changes to providing practical helps, that can offer discouraged parents some much needed encouragement.

How to Grow Small Groups – 5 Paradigm Shifts
While the phrase “Paradigm Shift” may be used and heard a lot today, the actual occurrence of one is still a rare sight, especially when considering how to grow small groups.

Controversy over Communion in the Catholic Church Goes Back Some 2,000 Years
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recently approved drafting a document on receiving Communion in the Catholic Church. It will include a section regarding standards for politicians and public figures who support laws allowing abortion, euthanasia and other “moral evils.” The proposed document has already caused controversy. The Vatican has warned against exclusively focusing on abortion and euthanasia and cautioned that the document could further divide U.S. Catholics.

Presbyterian Church in America Leaders Say Those Who Identify as Gay Are Not Qualified for Ordination
Scott Barber, chair of the Overtures Committee, told the elders voting on the overture that its intent is not to exclude Christians who are gay but remain celibate. Still, that’s not the way many opponents of the overture received its approval.

Study: Trump Expanded Evangelical Support in 2020, but Biden Gained with Other White Christians
Biden chipped away at Trump's support among white Catholics and white non-evangelical Protestants and ran up the score among the religiously unaffiliated.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (July 7, 2021) Is Now Online

All Hallows Evening Prayer is a service of worship in the evening for all pilgrims on the journey to the heavenly city.

In today’s reading the apostle Paul invites us to examine ourselves to see whether we are living in the faith. Do we truly have fellowship with our Lord? Do we manifest in our lives the loveliness of our Lord?

The Scripture reading for this Wednesday evening is 2 Corinthians 13:4-13 Further Warning.

The homily is titled “Test Yourselves.”

The link to this Wednesday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2021/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for.html

Please feel free to share the link to the service with anyone whom you believe might benefit from the service.

If an ad plays when you open a link to a video in a new tab, click the refresh icon of your browser until the song appears. An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

Previous services are online at

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/

May this service be a blessing to you.

A Special Prayer Request for This Summer's Vacation Bible Schools

Across the United States many churches will be holding Vacation Bible School this week or a subsequent week during the summer. Some churches may have already held their VBS. Here in Murray, Kentucky my friends at First Methodist started their VBS yesterday, Monday, July 5, at 5:00 PM. They are conducting their VBS in the evening throughout the week, concluding with VBS Sunday this coming Sunday.

I am asking prayers for Murray First’s Vacation Bible School and all VBSs that have started this week or will be starting in upcoming weeks. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will work powerfully in everyone involved, in church staff, volunteers, and participants, in everything that is said and done, that young hearts and minds will be reached with the good news of Jesus and of a loving God who sent Jesus to be their Savior, Lord, and Friend.

I attended Vacation Bible School as a young boy more than 60 odd years ago. I still remember making mosaics of Bible stories from dyed, crushed eggshells. Since that time I have taken part in VBS as a volunteer, mainly learning and singing worship songs with the kids.

Vacation Bible School is not only way for kids to have summer fun but also for them to learn about God’s love for them and to experience God’s love.

Thank you for your prayers.

May God bless and keep you this day and evermore.

It's Tuesday: 'Small Church, Big Potential' and More

Small Church, Big Potential
We need all kinds of churches. We should celebrate churches of varying sizes, contexts and approaches. We must remember that the typical church, globally or in North America, has fewer than 100 people in weekly attendance, but significant gospel ministry is taking place.

Why Church Can’t Be the Same After the Pandemic
With COVID-19 vaccines making way for looser recommendations around distancing and masking, many congregations in the US have been able to get back to normal operations again. But some are not rushing to return to how things were, opting instead to rethink how and why they gather.

John Hus’s Company of Women
John Hus, the Bohemian Reformer who was condemned as heretic at the Council of Constance, was supported by a large number of women. This was, in some ways, unusual. The same couldn’t be said, for example, in the case of John Wycliffe, in England. One possible reason was that John Hus valued the active role of women in the church more than most medieval theologians.

How the Brain Stifles Church Change
If you want your church to thrive you can’t avoid church change. Yet it is seldom easy, even though we leaders see the benefits of change before others see them. One hidden reason that makes it so difficult comes from how our brains respond to change. I believe that the more we know how the brain works, the more effective change managers we’ll become. In this post I explain how brain processes in stifle change in your church.

Disciple Making Movements
The numbers, if they are to be believed, are staggering. Millions of Christian converts. Thousands of churches. And all this in a few years, with relatively little direct engagement.It is no wonder that the recent missionary strategy known as “Disciple-Making Movements” (DMM) has become increasingly prevalent in Western missionary sending agencies. To put this in perspective, one hundred years of traditional Reformed Presbyterian (RP) mission work in Syria resulted in two congregations with less than a thousand members.[2] As the RPCNA continues to look to new mission fields, how should we evaluate this recent trend in missions?

The Great Commission and 3 Types of Churches
The mission Jesus gave His disciples is our mission, the mission of the churches we serve and lead. My friend Ed Stetzer has said, “More than the church has a mission, the mission has a church.” The Lord has created a church to fulfill His mission. The mission is given to His people. The mission has us.

8 Easy Ways to Be Missional
Missional is not an event we tack onto our already busy lives. It is our life. Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life: “As you go, make disciples;” “Walk wisely toward outsiders;” “Let your speech always be seasoned with salt;” “Be prepared to give a defense for your hope.” We can have a missional lifestyle in everyday ways without overloading our schedules.