All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (August 14, 2022) 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.

Some things that Jesus said require that we consider what else he said in order to properly understand what he said and how it applies to us as his twenty-first century followers.

The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Luke 12:49-59 Jesus Causes Division.

The homily is titled “Shrewd as Snakes and Harmless as Doves.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday_14.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.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'The Gospel According to Dungeons & Dragons' And More

The Gospel According to Dungeons & Dragons

The fantasy role-playing game’s theological dimensions can be spiritually formative.

4 Ways Pastors can Refill their Depleted Souls
Here are four ways a pastor can refill a depleted soul.

How Ordinary Worship Is both Reverent and Relevant
In the 21st century evangelical landscape, there are two opposing errors concerning worship that grow out of the same root problem.

Truths the Devil Uses to Stop Us From Praying
Here are eight true statements Satan uses to put a stop to the most powerful force in the world, the prayers of God’s people....

How to Help Teens Who Are Anxious and Depressed
Preteens and teenagers are more anxious, overwhelmed, and depressed than the generations before.

5 Reasons Why Your Kids Are Not Listening to Your Lessons
Dale Hudson have found that when he is having trouble with kids listening, that it is often on him. He is not doing one or more of the five things.

Plan Your Funeral
It is a really good idea. You might even want to make a video recording of your own eulogy and have it played at your funeral.

6 Lessons for Evangelism From Youth Soccer
The church wins when everyone gets in the game.

Some Large Texas United Methodist Churches Vote on Disaffiliation
Texas has long been a stronghold of United Methodism in the U.S. Many United Methodist churches in Texas are weighing whether to leave the denomination.The Woodlands United Methodist and Faithbridge, two large traditional churches near Houston, both voted Aug. 7 for disaffiliation, while a third large church, Wildwood, adopted a resolution to stay in the denomination.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (August 13, 2022) 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.

Guarding against false prophets is an age-old problem. How do we go about it?

The Scripture reading for this Saturday is Jeremiah 23: 23-29 A Warning against False Prophets.

The homily is titled “Donkeys Eat Straw….”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_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

Friday's Catch: 'Seeds of Rural Ministry Thrive with Prayer and Patience, South Dakota Pastors Say' And More

Seeds of Rural Ministry Thrive with Prayer and Patience, South Dakota Pastors Say

Prayer and patience. They come in handy when crops go in the ground, but also when pastors are working to break through the hard soil of evangelism. That work takes place through their churches but also their secular jobs and other ways they serve the community.

When the South Loosens its Bible Belt
A growing breed of unchurched evangelicals is poised to heighten the culture wars.

8 Signs Your Church Is Actually Reaching Unchurched People
How can you tell you’re really making inroads with the unchurched?

How (And Why) To Put Your Worst Foot Forward
According to a study conducted by Thom Rainer, circumstance-triggered melancholy hits ministers at a disproportionally higher rate than the general populace.

When Pastors Need Confession
If all believers are commanded to confess sin in order to walk with God, how much more is confession necessary in the lives of pastors?

Effective Prayers for Evangelism
Prayers for evangelism not only open the door for effective outreach but it also prepares our hearts to evangelize more effectively. My own life group meets on Wednesday night. Some of our best times of community and growth happen when we go into the outlying area and talk to people about Jesus and their prayer needs. But before we do, we pray.

Thursday's Catch: 'Why We Preach for Proper Names' And More

Why We Preach for Proper Names

The local church is small and placed for a reason.

5 Tips for Enhancing Your Church’s Online Experience
An online church service is more than a camera streaming the service. It’s an experience. Here are five ways to enhance your church’s online experience.

3 Perspectives We See in Jesus’ Ministry to the Disabled
At the heart of Jesus’ ministry to disabled people, we see the value a human being has over questions, outcomes, and paradigms.

What Does it Mean to Believe in God?
History is littered with examples of men and women who had been raised to believe in God, who had been trained to know all they could know about him, who spent their whole lives dedicated to studying him, but did not truly know him. People who did not truly believe in him.

How To Know If You Are Called To Ministry
If you are questioning your call to ministry, first, you need to recognize that all Christians are called to ministry. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 is not only for professional pastors and missionaries. It’s a command for all believers.

Younger Pastors More Likely to Say They Struggle With Mental Illness
Overall, more than half of church leaders have seen members suffer depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

5 New Stats You Should Know About Teens and Social Media
In order to best love and lead the teens in our lives—whether they’re our children, in our student ministries, or otherwise in our care—we’d be wise to know how they use social media and other forms of technology. Let’s look at a handful of stats that provide a clearer picture of how these forms of media may be shaping teenagers.

6 Steps to Creative Problem-Solving for Your Small Group
Every problem has multiple, potential solutions. Some changes can make small, modest improvements while others can greatly advance your small groups and their effectiveness. Here are the best six steps to crack the code toward problem solving.

Four Ways to Wait
The arc of God’s goodness—that is, the time it takes for us to see that goodness, for it to work itself out—is often longer than we wish, but it’s always there, always at work.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (August 10, 2022) 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 being compassionate, forgiving, generous, humble, kind, patient, and truthful, followers of Jesus are expected to be just and even-handed. These are qualities that Jesus himself evidenced in his own character.

The Scripture reading for this Wednesday is Luke 12: 41-48 Jesus answers a question from Peter. 

The homily is titled “Called to Be Just.”

The link to this Wednesday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Anglican Division over Scripture and Sexuality Heads South' and More

Anglican Division over Scripture and Sexuality Heads South

After Lambeth conference steers bishops to agree to disagree on LGBT clergy and marriages, African conservatives chart a new course.

‘Community Lighthouses’ powered by the sun and volunteers
One more way churches can serve a neighborhood or a community. They can become become electricity hubs for the neighborhood or community in an extended power outage.

Christ’s Crucifixion Isn’t Child Sacrifice
Given that the historic understanding of the atonement has fallen out of favor with some deconstructionists, let’s consider three reasons why characterizing it as child sacrifice is inappropriate.

How Not to Waste Everyone’s Time with Snooze Fest Church Meetings
How can we make church meetings be less of a snooze fest and more engaging and valuable?

Open Groups Versus Closed Groups
Open small groups and closed small groups both have their advanatges and disadavantages.

Innovate Your Way to Better Small Groups
Here are a few key highlights from Matt Ridley's How Innovation Works as they related to Small Group Ministry.

4 Thoughts on Mission, Church, and Technology
Every new technology provides an opportunity for gospel advancement.But technology also presents us significant challenges.

The What and Why of Mentoring
This article is adapted from Growing Together: Taking Mentoring beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa B. Kruger.

The Five Marks of Spiritual Maturity
You don’t get to be mature by comparing yourself to anyone else. You become mature by comparing yourself to the Word of God. The book of James is a manual on how to be mature. It gives us five marks of spiritual maturity.

8 Ways to Bust Leadership Discouragement

By Charles Stone

Discouragement is a universal experience for ministry leaders and the word actually self defines itself…dis-courage meaning no courage. Some of the Bible’s greatest characters faced it: Moses, David, Paul, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the apostles. Nehemiah, the great Old Testament leader faced it when he led the Jews to rebuild the wall. Yet, his response offers us hope when we face it.

Nehemiah had been hammered with criticism and it was taking its toll. Discouragement had set in. Nehemiah 4.10-21 tells us what Nehemiah did in response to it. This part of the rebuilding story gives us 8 discouragement busters. Read More

Monday's Catch: 'Is America More Religious Than Popular Opinion Indicates?' an More

Is America More Religious Than Popular Opinion Indicates?

What if we are basing our church strategies on inaccurate and flawed research? What if religion in general and Christianity, in particular, are healthier than we perceive?

How to Lead When You Lack Clear Vision and Direction
If you are not clear about vision or direction, don’t panic, God is still with you.

Is Yours an Equipped Church?
Church leaders who claim to be serious about leading a disciple-making church aren’t going to get very far with such a claim if their flock isn’t equipped. But the equipping of the saints for ministry is one of the greatest failures among church leaders today.

Pray Your Uncensored Thoughts
When you pour out your heart before God, unfiltered thoughts and emotions rush out and collect in a pile at his feet.

10 Principles for Building a Thriving Small Group Ministry
Mark Howell shares 10 principles for a thriving small group ministry.

8 Reasons Why Non-Believers Don't Always Listen to Us
Chuck Lawless shares some reasons that he's hearing why non-believers don't always readily listen to believers.

Baby Blues: How to Face the Church’s Growing Fertility Crisis
If current rates continue, most religious communities in America will shrink by more than half within three generations. But nondenominational Christianity might buck that trend.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (August 7, 2022) 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.

Fear can hinder us from become the kind of disciple that Jesus calls us to be. It can cause us to distrust our fellow Christians and form mistaken opinions about them. 

Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled but to trust in God and also to trust in him.

The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Luke 12:32-40 Teaching on Selling Possessions and Preparing for the Son of Man's Return.

The homily is titled “Fear Not, Little Flock.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday.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.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (August 6, 2022) 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.

To God how we honor and respect him in our daily lives is more important than how we offer him worship on a Sunday or any other occasion..

The Scripture reading for this Saturday is Isaiah 1: 1, 10-20 A Solemn Warning to Judah and Jerusalem.

The homily is titled “A Stubborn People and a Merciful God.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday.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

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Millennials adopt digital worship, but not at the expense of IRL faith' and More

Millennials adopt digital worship, but not at the expense of IRL faith

Forty-one percent of US respondents and 29% of Canadian respondents reported consuming religious or spiritual digital content at least once a month.

Nondenominational Churches Are Adding Millions of Members. Where Are They Coming From?
It’s not mainline traditions anymore.

Assemblies of God Ordains Record Number of Women
There is work to do and some of those God has called to do it are female, Pentecostal leaders say.

Poll about Jesus raises questions
A poll by the Ipsos company done for the Episcopal Church produced some interesting data on how mainline Protestants and non-believers view Christianity and Jesus. The most important thing Jesus did, according to 35% of mainline Protestants, was forgiving sins. A theologian from United Theological Seminary says the poll demonstrates that the teaching of who Jesus is and why he’s important has been lacking.

What Volunteers Want From Your Church
Here are 5 things that the people who volunteer at your church want from you. They may or may not say it—but they want it. And if they don’t get it, it will probably keep them from volunteering at your church....

Why You Don't Have to Know Everything to Be the Best Small Group Point Person
...you don’t have to know everything to be the best small group point person. Actually, it’s better for your small group leaders if you don’t. It isn’t helpful for them to be the only source for learning how to lead their small group.

Closeness Comes Through Fire: How Suffering Conforms Us to Christ
Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) believed the cannonball that broke his leg was essential to his spiritual awakening. For Martin Luther, it was the threat of lightning. What unites them is that they are part of a common Christian tradition that teaches an uncomfortable lesson: suffering sanctifies.

Sin is Only as Hidden as God Allows
If we have been nursing secret sin and we have not been exposed, that is because up to this point, God has not decided to reveal it. Nothing we do is unknown to God, and in his omnipotence, he could expose us at any moment if he so chooses. Sin is only as hidden as God allows.

Friday's Catch: 'How Your Church Can Impact Your Community This School Year' and More

How Your Church Can Impact Your Community This School Year
No matter the specific dynamics at play in your neighborhood, your church can meet needs in your community as students head back to school.

Three Changes in Church Practices (Most of Us) Did Not See Coming – Episode Three: The Massive Drop in Conversion Growth
It is cliche to say the world is changing. And it is cliche that churches are changing. But churches are indeed changing. Some of the changes were predictable, but some were not. Thom looks at three of the major changes most people did not see coming. In this third of three episodes, he looks at the dramatic decline of conversion growth in American churches.

Seizing Back To School Gospel Moments
"Wherever you may fall on the spectrum of back-to-school emotions, one thing I want to highlight is how much opportunity we have to show, be, and invite people into a relationship with Jesus."

Keeping the Faith in College
Michael J. Kruger describes the challenges that he faced to his faith when he entered university. They are also challenges that young Christians face when they enter university today.

How to Follow the Spirit Like an Apostle
"Following the Spirit is a nuanced business. But I don’t think it needs to be completely mystical. In fact, in the New Testament, I see four primary ways God’s Spirit leads his people. Check it out...."

12 Steps to Overcome Ongoing Sins
Are you struggling with sin that seems to be winning in your life? If so, here are some simple steps to victory in the battle....

Thursday's Catch: 'Why Christians Must Do More Than Just “Be the Church”' and More

Why Christians Must Do More Than Just “Be the Church”

We misunderstand the role of the gathered people of God if we think we can forego “going to church” and merely opt for “being the church.”

Jesus Didn’t Commend ‘Childlike Faith’ Like We Think of It
Philip T. Morrow considers a different way of understanding Mark 10:13–16.

6 Simple Strategies That Help Me Pray More
Chuck Lawless shares some practical ways that have helped his prayer life.

Why a Youth Group Name Doesn’t Really Matter
Teens don’t care about the youth group name!

Don’t Leave Youth Ministry to the Youth Minister
Do your weekly efforts to foster community at church include the youth in your congregation?

Successful Children’s Ministry: 18 Tips Every Leader Needs to Know
Here are tips about successful children’s ministry Greg Baird as learned along the way. Everyone needs to know these insights before becoming a children’s ministry leader!

4 Reasons You Should Consider Teaching or Volunteering in Kids Ministry
Here are four reasons you should consider volunteering in the kid’s ministry at your church....

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Thursday Evening (August 4, 2022) 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.

On my daily walks I often pass joggers, air buds crammed into their ears. They sweep past me in a blare of loud music. I often pass other walkers too, their eyes glued to their cell phones. No one is paying attention to what is going on around them. During his earthly ministry Jesus was very attentive to his surroundings, not just to people, but to all God’s creation.

The Scripture reading for this Thursday is Luke 12: 22-31 Teaching about Money and Possessions.

The homily is titled “Look and Learn.”

The link to this Thursday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/08/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-thursday.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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'Six Questions to Discern Toxic Conflict vs. Healthy Conflict' and More

Six Questions to Discern Toxic Conflict vs. Healthy Conflict

Ask yourself these six questions before making a conclusion about the toxicity of conflict.

The Value of Knowing Both Sides
In this article, Dan Franklin gives great advice about understanding both sides of an issue. In today’s charged and divided culture, may God’s people model humility and wisdom in our communication, and bring more light and less heat to our dialogues with others.

4 Ministry Experts Share Tips for Recruiting Volunteers—And Keeping Them
Recruiting volunteers can be a challenging task in ministry. Four Lifeway ministry leaders have some advice and insights to share.

7 Essential Preaching Skills to Reach a Post-Christian Audience
The authentic gospel message will never change. But the methods and approaches have to if you’re going to connect with post-modern, post-Christian people.

4 Ways To Bring Your Congregation Forward In Worship
The congregation’s participation, or lack thereof, has everything to do with the experience.

Loving our Kentucky Neighbors as Ourselves
The recent flooding crisis in my home state is an opportunity to serve our sisters and brothers like never before.

Tuesday's Catch: 'As Bishops Meet, Anglican Future Is Already Written' And More

As Bishops Meet, Anglican Future Is Already Written

The real news isn’t what’s happening at Lambeth. On the ground, the center of gravity for global Anglicanism has shifted. A booming and orthodox Global South seeks to fill a vacuum left by a declining and revisionist Global North.

The FAQs: Anglican Conference in Conflict over Same-Sex Marriage
Division within a once-in-a-decade assembly of bishops of the Anglican Communion has erupted over the issues of homosexual ordination and same-sex marriage.

Many White Southern Evangelicals Are Now Lapsed Churchgoers
Data suggests that, when their attendance drops, these nominal Christians become hyper-individualistic, devoted to law and order, cynical about systems, and distrustful of others.

Pastors Have Congregational and, for Some, Personal Experience With Mental Illness
Most pastors have experience with mental illness in their congregations. Nine in 10 also say churches have a responsibility to provide support for those facing mental illness.

The Main Reason People Don’t Become Church Members
Church membership should not consist of rules to keep people out, but ramps to help people grow.

5 Good Questions to Assess Your Volunteer Teams
How would you assess the strength of your volunteer teams?

Actually, God Calls the Qualified… Into Leadership
It’s a matter of having a heart fully surrendered to God.

Youth Ministry Environment: How to Welcome Teens to Your Church
How much does a youth ministry environment matter? Can it make a difference in who attends—and who returns?

How Story Telling Can Transform Your Small Group Experience
What was Your Favorite Story? Do you remember the stories you were drawn to as a kid?

15 Recommended Resources for Equipping Individuals and Churches to Do Evangelism
It’s no secret that many evangelicals struggle with doing evangelism. In fact, many will never share their faith with anybody.

The Apostle Paul’s Amazing Ability to Share Christ
His secret was finding unusual opportunities....

5 Essential Ingredients for Planting Purpose Driven Churches

By Brandon A. Cox

If the local church is the hope of the world… then we need more local churches.

As I write this, I’m a couple of hours away from teaching a lab at Saddleback Church’s Hope Renewed conference on Planting Purpose Driven Churches. I’m a huge believer in the power of church planting for extending the reach of God’s kingdom throughout the world.

The story of Grace Hills, the church we’ve been planting since Saddleback sent us to Northwest Arkansas six years ago, has had some exciting things happen. We started with one other family and this past Easter, we had over 550 people attending. That’s cool! But growing larger isn’t the most beautiful part of our story.

It’s that we’ve managed to spread out and multiply. Read More

5 Signs of a Dying Church

By Tim Spivey

The last year has been hard on churches and church health – how can we tell the difference between Covid declines or fatal flaws? I think it’s true to say there are symptoms your church may be on the path to death. Misdiagnosing the actual state of the union and what the real issues is a difficult business, but there are some sure signs of a dying church.... Read More

I was a part of a dying church. Its congregation was small and made up largely of middle-aged or older people. They had tried a number of things to grow the church but they did not understand what they were doing and how it would benefit the church and when it did not immdeiately benefit the church, the stopped doing it. They eventually adopted the pessmistic attitude, "We tried that! Nothing works!" 

The congregation had negligible conections with the community in which the church was located. Most of the congregation lived in other communities. The church was not a good fit with the community--demographically, yes, in the way the church worshipped, no. The congregation did not want to make the kinds of changes that would have made the church's worship a better fit with the community. The COVID-19 pandemic sped up the death of the church.

I moved on before the church closed its doors. I realized that if a church is going to thrive, its congregation needs to live in the community where it is located and open the church's doors to the community and get involved in the community. It was not going to flourish as long as the congregation wanted to quietly gather on Sundays and worship in their preferred manner, fellowship over coffee and sweet pastries and then go their separate ways. The church lacked the horizontal dimension critical to thriving.

I mourn that the congregation has disbanded and the building auctioned off. But the congregation lost what vitality they had left and were unable to keep going.

The Community Fairytale

By James Emerson White

One of the great myths of relational life is that community is something found. In this fairy tale, community is simply out there – somewhere – waiting to be discovered like Prince Charming finding Cinderella. All you have to do is find the right person, join the right group, get the right job or become involved with the right church. It’s kind of an “Over the Rainbow” thing; it’s not here, so it must be over there.

This is why so many people (and you’ve seen them and probably flirted with this yourself) go from relationship to relationship, city to city, job to job, church to church, looking for the community that they think is just around the corner if they could only find the right people and the right place.

The idea is that real community exists somewhere and we simply must tap into it. It’s not something you have to work at; in fact, if you have to work at it, then you know it’s not real community.

This mindset runs rampant in our day.... Read More

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (July 31, 2022) 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.

What is your most precious possession? With what are you unwilling to part?

The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Luke 12: 13-21 Parable of the Rich Fool.

The homily is titled “Our Most Precious Possession.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday_31.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.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (July 30, 2022) 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.

God works in us to bring us to a living faith in Jesus Christ and having brought us to a vital faith in Christ, works in us to transform us into the likeness of his Son. God works through the means of grace, including our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as directly in us.

The Scripture reading for this Saturday is Colossians 3:1-11 Living the New Life.

The homily is titled “A New Life in Christ.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_30.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

Saturday Lagniappe: 'Faithful Orthodoxy Requires Reading Widely' And More

Faithful Orthodoxy Requires Reading Widely

Evangelicals should humbly learn from all Christian tradition—yet many are ignorant or suspicious of pre-Protestant theology.

Learning to Love Our Neighbor’s Fears
We aren’t all equally afraid of the same things. But Scripture’s wisdom can apply to all of us.

If God Knows Everything, Do We Have Free Choice?
If God knows everything, you basically have five types of explanations when it comes to free choice in saving faith.....

10 Ways to Make Your Worship Space Less Ableist
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to ending ableism, but disability activists spoke with RNS about where religious communities can start.

Long Sermons Seem Longer in the Pews, Study Finds
But it’s not a new problem. Just ask Martin Luther.

Does God Ever Tempt Us to Sin?
An interview with John Piper.

Friday's Catch: 'Could the Climate Crisis Make Religion Even Crazier?' And More

Could the Climate Crisis Make Religion Even Crazier?
Extreme weather changes can prompt people to seek out extreme solutions and saviors.

Not Our Kind of People: 6 Intercultural Worship Musts
Some of us can imagine our church filled with people of multiple colors, nationalities, economic levels and political beliefs all worshiping God together. The problem with that scenario is that most of us imagine how great that vision would be as long as those various cultures, tribes and tongues are willing to make adjustments to worship like we do.

Why We Need Children in Church
Little ones are inherently valuable to Jesus, and they should be to us as well. So we should include children in the life of the church.

Your Family Is Your First Mission Field: Staying Connected with Your Children
When children aren’t receiving the love and attention they need from their parents, they will seek it out. How do you know if your children are seeking more connection from you? Children may not have the emotional or cognitive understanding to verbalize what they are feeling, so they express their feelings through behaviors. Here are six signs your child may not feel connected and tips on being more involved.

My Biggest Struggle with Daily Devotions
"My biggest struggle with daily devotions is not carving out the 20 to 30 minutes needed to read the word and spend time with God. The most difficult part is slowing down my heart and mind enough to get anything from it."

The Christian Reformed Church Corrects Course
Last month, the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) voted 123-53 to affirm that “unchastity” in the Heidelberg Catechism includes adultery, premarital sex, extra-marital sex, polyamory, pornography, and homosexual sex. The move wasn’t just an affirmation of biblical sexuality but also a call for church discipline for congregations that dissent.

Thursday's Catch: 'Anglicans Drop Proposal to Reaffirm Traditional Marriage Stance' and More

Anglicans Drop Proposal to Reaffirm Traditional Marriage Stance 

Organizers of the Lambeth Conference revised a draft statement calling same-sex marriage “not permissible” after pushback.

What Is Christian Nationalism?
An explainer on how the belief differs from other forms of nationalism, patriotism, and Christianity.

Hot Takes Don’t Belong in Church
Crafting public political statements can detract from the church’s true call.

Why John Stott Lived with Less
We live in an age of excess. Stott’s life stands in stark contrast to our cultural tendencies.

CPR for Small Groups
Do you and your small groups need CPR? Not the Cardiopulmonary resuscitation we’re familiar with, but CPR with the way you communicate.

How to Use Social Media as a Church—4 Struggles
Social media can be a tool for making disciples of all nations. Mastering social media as a church is worth the effort.

Blistering Summer Challenges Churches
Opening local churches as cooling centers is a good idea as many areas are under a heat alert. On the other hand, using young people to do roofing work even shifts in the heat of the day is risky. Roofers in my area work in the cooler parts of the day--early morning and near sunset. They take a break during the hottest part of the day.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Wednesday Evening (July 27, 2022) 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 you find yourself looking for the faults in the character of others? Are you more willing to listen to the bad things people say about them than the good things? You are not alone.

The Scripture reading for this Wednesday is Luke 11:14-28 Jesus and the Prince of Demons.

The homily is titled “How Are We Blessed?”

The link to this Wednesday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for_27.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.

Wednesday's Catch: 'With Gen Z, Women Are No Longer More Religious than Men' and More

With Gen Z, Women Are No Longer More Religious than Men

Younger generations see female nones on the rise.

Does Your Church Have Spiritual Double-Vision?
"This summer my church is devoting our sermons to digging deeply into the Gospel according to Luke. As we spend time focusing on Jesus’ interactions with all sorts of people, listening to his messages, considering his questions, and peeling back all the layers of his parables, our prayer is that we would develop a spiritual double-vision"

3 Church Member Experiences That May Look Like Apathy But Aren’t
People experience things that may seem like apathy in church but aren’t actually apathy. And these need your pastoral care.

How to Set Annual Goals with Your Church Staff
One of the key roles of a lead pastor (or whoever manages the staff) is coordinating the staff’s annual goals. Below are five steps to set annual goals with your team.

What’s the Hard Decision You Need to Make?
There are business, nonprofit, and church leaders who at this moment have one major obstacle standing between them and success: The inability to make a hard decision.

When You Say You'll Pray...
We often respond to such requests in the affirmative. We may even say "I'll pray for you"--as a common and almost automatic response we give without even thinking. But then we go on our way and forget the request altogether. But saying such things without actually praying about the person's need is worthless. Meaningless. And does more harm than good.

Churches: Why You’re Not Getting a Bigger Response to Your Social Media Posts
Let’s make this short and sweet: For a church – whether or not you have an official social media person on staff or not – here’s what you need to know about posting on social media....

Do We Have Evangelism Backward
Christians may understand the urgency of evangelism and their role in leading people to Jesus, yet not know what the Bible says about how to share their faith. In other words, many get the “why” and “who”, but not the “how”. Few churches are preparing members well to present the Gospel and respond to typical questions. Instead, most offer churchgoers a get out of evangelism (and discipleship) free card, simply instructing them to tell their story and invite people to next Sunday’s service. Entrusting pastors with our responsibility to make the case for Christ is not biblical. However, it accomplishes several goals of contemporary church growth models taught by many seminaries, consultants, and authors....

How to Leverage Existing Ministries for Outreach
Most churches could start three to five new outreach ministries in the next six months with almost no cost, no new staff and no new volunteers. The key is not to begin new ministries but to rethink your existing ministries.

Tuesday's Catch: 'The Joys and Challenges of Small Church Ministry' and More

The Joys and Challenges of Small Church Ministry
Jeff Straub describes his experience as a small church pastor.

5 Ways to Maintain Unity amid Disagreement
For millennia, most societies agreed on basic questions. There were always disagreements, but now they’ve become more frequent and fundamental.

The Ultimate List of 21 Completely Free Stock Photo Sites for Churches
Where to find free stock photos online.

Be Present as a Leader
Leading in person can form a stronger team and culture.

How to Post a Sermon Online and Reach an Audience
Here are some of the most common ways churches have been succeeding in putting their messages online.

Upgrade Your Church Social Media Feed With These Free Tools
Jordan An shares some of her favorite free tools for ideating, designing, and scheduling your church’s social media.

How We Can Empower and Multiply Disciples
We need to de-emphasize the clergy and refocus on equipping disciples of Christ.

Monday's Catch: 'Flowers Springing Up in the Rain' and More

Flowers Springing Up in the Rain
If we are to be the Christians God wishes us to be, we must have sun and rain, clear days and cloudy.

Eleven Signs You Are Becoming a Church Consumer Instead of a Committed Church Member
Here are eleven signs that we are becoming a church consumer instead of a committed church member.

The One Time You Shouldn’t Talk To Your Guests
In his last post Danny Franks covered the six times in a weekend service that you should strategically plan to address your guests. But what about times when you should strategically plan not to talk to them?

What To Do When Tragedy Strikes Your Community
Here are 5 things Dale Chamberlain learned about how to respond when tragedy strikes your community.

7 Practices for Inclusion of Young Leaders
If we allow fear that a young leader might make a mistake, not do it as well as we can, or just flat drop the ball to be reasons not to include them, they’ll never learn to lead.

3 Ways to Teach a Bible Story to Children
The most natural place for children’s ministry teachers to begin is to look at a Bible story and think about what models should be followed—or avoided.

Recovering The Lost Art Of Encouragement
Somehow, in a sincere effort to “speak the truth,” we can lose our way. How easy it is to forget that truth, in order to be true in the truest sense, must be spoken in love. Jesus affirmed some and critiqued others. But it might surprise us to see who Jesus affirmed and who He critiqued.

Why Everyone (Including Us) Needs to Practice Self-Aid
To care well for others we must also care well for ourselves.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (July 24, 2022) 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.

How's your prayer life? Where is your favorite spot to pray? Do stand, kneel, sit, walk? What do find is most challenging about praying?

The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Luke 11: 1-13 Teaching about Prayer.

The homily is titled “Perseverance in Prayer.”

The link to this Sunday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-sunday_23.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.

3 Steps to Move Into Deeper Church Community

By Ed Stetzer

We need to continue to press in toward being churches that not only care for our members, but carry each other’s burdens.

We all want our churches to be loving environments. But what does that look like? How do we make that happen?

As I see it, some churches work to be more friendly—and that’s good. Some move beyond being friendly and move to caring—and that’s better. But, I think there is another step. That step is being a carrying church.


Let’s look at the progression. Read More

WHY You Pray is as Important as WHAT You Pray

By Rusty George

3 Ways to Pray the WHY Way

You’ve taken their advice:

“Just pray about it.”

“It’s just talking to God.”

“Just start the conversation.”

So you do… And then you wait.

Is there something you are supposed to do after you say “amen?”

The short answer is… YES. And the first answer is to “Align with the Why.” But what does that mean? Read More

Friday's Catch: 'Jesus, the Most Embarrassing Dinner Guest in the Four Gospels' and More

Jesus, the Most Embarrassing Dinner Guest in the Four Gospels

Who feels uninvited to God’s table because of you?

What Is the Purpose of Sunday School? 4 Key Program Roles What Elmer Towns describes in this article is what has historically been the purpose of adult Sunday chool. The questis "In how many churches is adult Sunday school fulfilling these purposes today?" While it was posted as a children's ministry article, it is evident from the article that Tows has adult Sunday school in mind.

Praise and Worship Leadership – 18 Traps to Avoid
Check out these things that strong praise and worship leadership doesn’t do, so you can grow and improve.

Here I Am to Sound Check
Church tech teams kept worship plugged-in and streaming during the pandemic. But when does the job become too much for volunteers?

10 Reasons Why Youth Ministry Matters Now More Than Ever
Greg Stier lists 10 reasons.

Be the Church that Embraces Children, Not Just Tolerates Them
There are two kinds of churches—those that embrace children and those that tolerate children. Most churches are not rude towards kids, and I’ve never seen a church sign stating “No Kids Allowed.” However, the families visiting your church will know whether you embrace their kids or not. The churches that welcome children have a higher likelihood of families returning—not just once but often!

How Children Can Make Your Children's Ministry Better

Did you know that children can make your children's ministry better when you include them in your planning, evaluations, brainstorming and creating? Successful toy companies and entertainment groups know this and actively pursue children to help them improve their products.

How to Know Your Purpose
Kurt Bubna takes a brief look at how to discover your God-given purpose.

All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (July 23, 2022) 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.

There are spiritual lessons to be learned in nature, even from the humble dandelion.

The Scripture reading for this Saturday is Colossians 2:6-15 Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ.

The homily is titled “Deep Roots.”

The link to this Saturday evening’s service is—

https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2022/07/all-hallows-evening-prayer-for-saturday_22.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.

Thursday's Catch: 'Seven Common Comments Non-Christians Make about Christians' and More

Seven Common Comments Non-Christians Make about Christians

Over the past several years, Thom Rainer and his research teams have interviewed thousands of unchurched non-Christians. Among the more interesting insights I gleaned were those where the interviewees shared with me their perspectives of Christians.

Laying the Best Foundation for Starting a Special Needs Ministry
Are you ready to make a plan to include all families in your church? Here are three steps to start a special needs ministry.

The Indispensable Ministry of Disability
It is a courageous decision for parents to bring their child with special needs to church, not knowing if they will be welcomed or if people are willing to make adaptations to accommodate their needs.

6 Ways the Team Reflects the Leader
"A leader can complain about the culture of the team for only a few years because after that, the culture reflects the leader.” In a church or an organization, there are multiple teams or groups. Obviously there should be an overarching culture and mission, but it is common for those teams/groups to take on different identities. And those identities, over time, are reflections of the leadership the group receives.

Why We Shouldn’t Practice Liturgy ‘A La Carte’
Stripping historical traditions from their theological context is trendy but problematic.

Worship Leader, Use the Whole Bible
How to craft calls to worship, invocations, and benedictions from all of Scripture.

What Does the Embodied Church Mean for Kids?
This is a unique moment for you to walk alongside parents as they disciple their kids to know and love the Lord and His church.

6 Essentials for Spiritual and Emotional Health
After meeting with her pastor, Kelly Minter recognized six things that have significantly supported her spiritual and emotional health. Se has put them in the form of questions so you can think personally and critically about how well you’re covered in each area.

U.S. House Officially Abandons Support for Traditional Marriage
In what was historically signifcant vote the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA), codifying same sex marriage into federal law, moves closer to becoming the law of the land.