Wednesday's Catch: 'Why Are More Pastors Thinking About Quitting?' And More

Why Are More Pastors Thinking About Quitting?
More pastors are contemplating quitting ministry and leaving their church. Several factors increase the likelihood of those thoughts.

Eight Essential Qualities of Pastors Who Love Their Jobs
You can do your job well without loving it. However, for pastors, the calling often goes beyond mere duty. It encompasses a passion for serving and guiding their flocks. What distinguishes pastors who love their jobs from those who do their jobs? It boils down to several essential qualities.

US survey sheds light on Church exodus
The results of a comprehensive survey into the religious experiences of American adults have been released, offering some sobering food for thought to religious and faith organisations.

More Gen Z women leaving the church than men: survey
A higher percentage of young women have left organized religion and identify as religiously unaffiliated than their male counterparts, prompting concerns about the future of religion in the United States, according to a recent survey.

What Temptation Is and Is Not
We must understand sin, but we also need to understand temptation and how it relates to our sin. Maybe a few stories will help....

How to Unite for the Cause of Christ 

No ministry can single-handedly reach their community with the Gospel. Use the “5 G’s” to find like-minded ministries to partner with.

'Gender non-contentedness' commonly fades after adolescence: 15-year study
A recent study out of the Netherlands found that "gender non-contentedness" is largely a passing phase among young people if they are allowed to grow out of it.

At Yale, Christian pastors sign a declaration opposing religious nationalism
The declaration commits Christian leaders to preaching on moral issues and rejecting a political movement it says is exploiting traditional values to undermine democracy.

'Berlin 1936 anyone?' Conservative shreds media's recent shrugs at Donald Trump?
Conservative Rick Wilson warned Tuesday a normalcy bias in the media could have fatal consequences for American Democracy should former President Donald Trump regain the White House.

Inside Trump's plan to fight 'anti-white racism' in the White House
Now, with the very real prospect of a second term in office on the horizon, Trump and his team of advisers have begun working on plans to federalize one vector of that inverted interpretation of discrimination.

Tuesday's Catch:"'How to tell if it’s ‘Christian nationalism’ or not" And More

How to tell if it’s ‘Christian nationalism’ or not
Identification as a white evangelical doesn’t necessarily mean a Christian has become a follower of Christian nationalism, but it certainly doesn’t rule it out, said Amanda Tyler, executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

Cultural Enemies
If you are a true follower of Christ, you will have enemies. A lot of enemies. This isn’t a popular idea. Many Christians seem more intent on fitting into culture, or at least getting its affirmation, than opposing it. And the entire idea of being an enemy, or having one, seems out of sync with the Christ life. But it isn’t.

Turning Naysayers Into Allies: How Successful Leaders Do It
Learn a new approach founded upon one simple question that can turn naysayers into allies.

Growing Percentage of Americans See Declining Religious Influence
Four in 5 U.S. adults believe religious influence is declining in American life, and most aren’t happy about it, according to Pew Research.

VOICES: The decline of church attendance in America
Concerns about regular church attendance have always challenged most faith leaders. However, according to a recent Gallup poll, a decline in consistent church attendance is at an all-time low. The survey, conducted from 2021 to 2023 with over 32,000 participants, reveals that only 30% of U.S. adults are steady in their church attendance. Protestant churches and non-denominational groups were among the highest at 44%, while Catholics were at 33%.

10 Surprising Reasons Our Kids Leave Church
There are 10 surprising reasons our kids are leaving Christianity. And we can do something about it now! We all know them, the kids who were raised in church. They were stars of the youth group. They maybe even sang in the praise band or led worship. And then they graduate from high school and they leave church. What happened?

Win the Next Generation with Love
The evangelical church has spent far too much time trying to figure out cultural engagement and far too little time just trying to love. If we listen to people patiently and give them the gift of our curiosity, we will be plenty engaged. I’m not arguing for purposeful obscurantism. What I’m arguing for is getting people’s attention with a force more powerful than the right lingo and the right movie clips.

A dramatic schism over social issues? The United Methodist Church has been here before
The United Methodist Church will hold its General Conference, delayed several years by the pandemic, in April 2024. The meeting comes amid a dramatic divide over LGBTQ+ rights.

Trump announces abortion policy, but neither side believes he’ll do what he says
When Donald Trump announced his presidential campaign’s abortion policy April 8, advocates on both sides of the issue didn’t believe him. Of course, stretching the truth is nothing new for the presumptive once-again Republican nominee.

Monday's Catch: 'It Is Time to Stop Celebrating Church Transfer Growth: A Church Answers Research Article' And More

It Is Time to Stop Celebrating Church Transfer Growth: A Church Answers Research Article

“My church has been experiencing growth due to the decline of sister churches around the area. I feel sad for the declining churches, but this also creates a potential problem in my church: the complacent attitude of the members who believe that we don’t need to reach out to people. Can someone see the issue here?” 

46% Of Us Adults Now Unchurched
Barna makes these observations: “Attracting churchless people to corporate faith usually requires more than a few incremental refinements in outreach strategy and tactics. This is about more than improved marketing and having greeters at the church’s front door."

Trumpism Is Emptying Churches
The former president’s embrace of White Christian militantism coincides with a precipitous decline in religious affiliation in the US.

Also see: Linking the Decline in US Religious Affiliation to the Rise of Trump's Christian Nationalism

If You’re a Small Church, Stop Trying to Look Big
Why embracing your size, can make you remarkable....

I learned to avoid making this mistake from reading Michael Marshall's Renewal in Worship in the 1980s. At the time I was pioneering a new church plant and was involved in the planning of its worship services. We put into practice Bishop Marshall's recommendation that we tailor our services to our circumstances such as size, ministry target group, available resources, and the like, rather than try to imitate the worship of a larger church. It proved to be a wise decision. We would become the fastest growing church in the diocese.

'Forgotten Scot' who inspired Tolkien and CS Lewis
This year marks 200 years since the birth of George MacDonald, whose fantasy writing and ideas on faith inspired literary greats including JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.

Embracing Collaborative Leadership: Moving Beyond the CEO Model
In recent years, churches and organizations have undergone significant shifts across various facets, spanning from attendance trends to resource allocation and volunteer recruitment. However, one prominent change stands out amidst this evolution: a transition towards collaborative leadership.

10 Tests of Good Praise and Worship Leadership
How is your praise and worship leadership? How do you know if you are a good worship leader? Mark Cole suggests a few guidelines that will help to quantify your answer to these questions.

7 Ways to Prepare Your Church’s Small Groups for Summer
Don’t lose sight of the fact that your groups need to prepare for the summer months when attendance typically declines for a bit.

Also see: The Next Big Thing in Small Groups

Christian students talk self-censorship, death threats and why sharing faith is not optional
A study recently published by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) in 2022 revealed the reality of self-censorship, most prevalent among college students. A documentary film based on this study launched in January 2024. In it, students, who were identified only by their first names, admit to keeping quiet when they believe they should've spoken in name of their faith.

The Best Fuel for Your Ministry Fire
Losing heart? Try winning souls.

We do not "win souls" with our persuasiveess. Rather the Holy Spirit may use our words to move someone to repentance and faith.

How to Share the Gospel with Someone Struggling with Addiction
Addicts are people like everyone else. As such, they need the gospel like everyone else.

Trump says abortion should be left to states, declines to endorse national limit
Former president Donald Trump, who has wavered between highlighting and downplaying his role in curtailing abortion rights, suggested Monday that the politically volatile issue should be left to states, after months of mixed signals about his position.

At one time Trump was pro-choice. When he is not playing the victim at his rallies or appealing to his audience's fears and prejudices, he tells his audience what be believes what they want to hear, what will garner votes for him. One of the consequences is a tendency to vacillate on a number of issues. If, however, you look at his past conduct, his overall policies while he was president, and his more recent proposals, it is quite clear that he is not pro-life. Being pro-life involves more than being anti-abortion.

Trump’s perverted and violent rhetoric requires a response
Donald Trump reposted a video to his personal social media website depicting President Joe Biden with his hands and feet tied together in the back of a pickup truck. Disgusting, but what’s new? Observing Trump’s perverse rhetorics — visual and verbal — can produce Post Trump Traumatic Syndrome.

A neuroscientist explains how Trump is using existential fear to win the election 

The 2024 election is heating up, and Donald Trump is back to using his number one political strategy to grab Americans’ attention and galvanize his base: fear.

Trump’s history of politicizing murders is outrageous — and par for the course
Donald Trump has used yet another violent crime victim to boost his presidential campaign. Trump has faced backlash since Tuesday for invoking the name of Ruby Garcia, a woman allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and for lying about having spoken to her family.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, April 7, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Easter. It concludes the Octave of Easter, a period of eight days that began on the First Sunday of Easter: Easter Day. In the Western Church it has historically been called White Sunday, Quasimodo Sunday, Bright Sunday, and Low Sunday.

John Wesley, an Anglican minister, a leading figure in the Eighteenth Century Evangelical Revival, and the founder of the Methodist Movement, received Holy Communion not just on Easter Day, the premier Communion Sunday in the Church of England, but also on every day of the Octave of Easter. It was Wesley’s practice to receive communion every four or five days and more often at Christmas and Easter. Wesley encouraged Methodists to celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week.

Reading: 1 John 5: 1-6

Message: “Perfected in Love”

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-april-7.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-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.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Lagniappe: 'How Fingernails Changed My Relationship with the Church' And More

How Fingernails Changed My Relationship with the Church
...how’s your church growing right now? Not “How should they grow?” The latter’s a great question, but don’t miss out on how Christ is remaking your church into his image right now.

Unlike Any Other Book in History
Understanding the Bible is a journey—much more than just reading; it’s about discovering its essence, connecting on a deeper level, and allowing its messages to resonate within our lives. The Bible is unlike any other book in history. It’s the only book that reads you while you read it. Finding ways to understand the Bible offers not just knowledge but opens the door to connecting with the Lord on a much deeper level.

The Secret To Leading an Amazing, Healthy Small Group
This article is about leading an amazing, healthy small group. And if you are reading this article, two things are probably true....

Sin Behind Passive Aggressive Behavior
As church leaders, we have to stop to take a look at any passive aggressive behaviors and the secret sin that may underlie those behaviors.

‘Girls State’ Highlights Abortion’s Role in Growing Gender Divide
It’s hard to ignore the growing political gender gap. Its implications are obvious for the present electoral landscape in the United States, as young women become an increasingly crucial part of the Democratic coalition while young men trend more conservative. But the gender ideological divide seems to be happening in other countries too, and the implications go beyond politics.

Catholic parishes disproportionately closed in poor, Black and Latino neighborhoods
Priest shortages have played a significant role in the decisions to close parishes.

The fight against Hindu nationalism in the United States is multifaith, says a newly formed coalition
A declaration from the newly formed coalition Savera: United Against Supremacy expressed the group's 'acute concern' of Hindu nationalism, which they say now 'finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right.'

In considering the suitability of a candidate to hold the office of President of the United States (or any other political office) a number of other critical factors must be taken into consderation beside the policies that the candidate proposes to pursue. These factors include their psychological make-up, their emotional and psychological stability, their mental acuity, their financial dealings, the foreign actors or others with foreign connections to whom they may be beholding, their moral character, their past and present behavior (particular their treatment of other people and their ability to build cooperative relationships and to work harmoniously with others),  their motives, their commitment to democracy and the rule of law, their actual truthfulness and trustworthiness as opposed to their imagined truthfulness and trustworthiness, their criminal record, their legal entanglements, the motives and plans of those who hope to benefit from the candidate's election, and the impact they are likely to have upon the cause of the gospel in the United States and beyond. 

The peril radicalizing some evangelicals goes beyond Christian nationalism
Christian supremacists are plotting the end of America as we know it.

Clinical social worker: "With the Trump Bible, one must consider dementia"
Fascism is a type of political religion. Donald Trump is preaching the religion of fascism.

Trump’s bizarre, vindictive incoherence has to be heard in full to be believed
Donald Trump’s speeches on the 2024 campaign trail so far have been focused on a laundry list of complaints, largely personal, and an increasingly menacing tone.

The overlooked detail in Trump’s Bible sales pitch
An important detail was lost in the outrage and disgust over Donald Trump’s decision to get into the business of selling bibles. It was overlooked, because few people in mainstream American culture recognize its significance, and they didn’t recognize it, because they were not raised and educated by white conservative Protestants.

MAGA’s Christian nationalism excludes a vast majority of Christianity
You have probably heard a lot of scary things in the news lately about something called “Christian nationalism.” Without going into the weeds about what these people want in terms of policy, it’s important to understand who they are, and who they are is pretty simple: people who believe America was founded as a Christian nation for Christians.

Robert B. Reich: Trump’s 5-step fascist plan
On Friday, Trump posted a video featuring an image of President Biden hog-tied — with hands and feet bound together. Trump has previously posted doctored photos and videos depicting him physically attacking Biden, such as hitting Mr. Biden with golf balls. It’s all part of Trump’s 5-step fascist plan.

'In office forever': Trump's Project 2025 partner calls for ending presidential term limit
Conservatives are advocating to repeal the U.S. Amendment that limits presidential terms, prompting President Joe Biden's campaign to warn an election year victory for former President Donald Trump could allow him to remain "in office forever."

Friday's Catch: '7 Preliminary Steps When Initiating Major Change' And More

7 Preliminary Steps When Initiating Major Change

...when making major change – change which impacts everyone – change which may be controversial – there are some steps to take before you begin to implement the change.

A Parish’s Commitment to “People Who Are More Challenging to House”
The story behind the 18-unit apartment house rising in the lot behind St. Paul’s Church in White River Junction began in a moment of prayer. Then things got complicated.

Only Bad Calvinism Abandons Souls: The Story Behind a Missions Revival
A persistent critique of Reformation theology is that a high view of God’s sovereignty reduces evangelistic zeal. While the criticism is often misguided, the danger is not historically unprecedented. Church history bears witness to unbiblical understandings of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. In the eighteenth century, one such view choked the life out of many Reformed Baptist and Congregational churches in England.

Why Cancel Culture Needs the Breathtaking Mercy of God’s Kingdom
The merciless approach of cancel culture drives us away from what sinful people like you and me most need: mercy.

Pastoring is Tortoise Work: A Lesson for the Young and Aspiring
As a young man, aspiring to the noble task of pastoring, do you recognize your need to learn patience? Do you see in yourself a tendency to idolize immediacy? Are you frustrated when things don’t happen as quickly as you expect?

7 Things We May Wish the Bible Didn’t Say About Worship
Some Bible verses about worship make us uncomfortable. Here are seven things you may wish the Bible didn’t say about worship.

‘Broken Churches, Broken Nation?’ A crisis of our times
There seems to be a closer link between the denominational schisms and the coming of the war than has been commonly recognized.

Is the nation really "broken"? Or are we allowing those who are promoting for their own personal advantage a false narrative that the nation is "broken"to dominate the conversation?

1 in 5 Americans think violence may solve U.S. divisions, poll finds
One in 5 U.S. adults believe Americans may have to resort to violence to get their own country back on track, according to the latest PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll, an attitude that experts say puts the nation in “an incredibly dangerous place” in the months before the 2024 presidential election.

Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, April 4, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Thursday evenings at All Hallows.

The Octave of Easter is a period of eight days that begins on Easter Sunday and ends with Second Sunday of Easter. It marks the beginning of Eastertide, the Season of Easter. The first seven days of the octave are also collectively known as Easter Week. During Eastertide Christians not only celebrate the Jesus’ resurrection from the dead but also the spread of the gospel.

Reading: 1 Peter 2: 11-25

Message: A Method of Searching the Scriptures

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/04/thursday-evenings-at-all-hallows.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-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.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Thursday's Catch: '3 “New” Post-Easter Opportunities' And More

3 “New” Post-Easter Opportunities

As church leaders, we need to be careful not to let up or be let down after Easter.

The Importance of Innovation
One of the least talked about issues within churches is innovation. There is talk about the importance of evaluating current approaches in light of ongoing effectiveness, and how strategic it is to be willing to embrace new methods, but those topics are different from innovation. What most churches are talking about is whether to embrace something other churches are doing. They aren’t discussing creating something new on their own.

15 Ideas To Spark Extraordinary Church Growth
Not every church is the same, and not all church growth ideas are equally effective for every church. What works for one may not work for another. To help spark new ways to improve your church, Church Fuel recommends these church growth ideas.

Is the Lord's Supper a Feast or a Funeral?
Feast or funeral? That’s a major question as we approach the Lord’s Table. What are we here to do? Are we rejoicing, or are we mourning? Is this a festive banquet to which we have come, or is it a funeral service?

The strange world of Catholic ‘integralism’ — and Christian nationalism
‘There’s the sense that the liberal order is so corrupt that elite Catholics have to find positions of influence and use them in a kind of noble and appropriate way,’ said Kevin Vallier.

False prophets and politicians
The Bible warns against putting our trust in princes—and that applies to politicians as well.

A Colorado city fights back against the prosperity preacher trying to ‘take over’ their town
Voters appeared to reject Andrew Wommack’s plan to “take over” the city of Woodland Park, Colo., on Tuesday, electing a new mayor and four city council members who prevailed over candidates the health-and-wealth preacher endorsed.

Women and girls suffer disproportionately from religious freedom violations, experts warn
Special attention must be paid to the plight of women and girls in addressing religious freedom violations around the world, Nazila Ghanea said during a panel discussion hosted by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Report reveals surge in violence against Christians in India
The Evangelical Fellowship of India's (EFI) latest annual report on religious liberty sounds a chilling alarm over the escalating violence and systematic persecution faced by the country's Christian community.

Southern Baptist Convention lost over 1,200 churches in 2022, data shows
The Southern Baptist Convention, the United States' largest Protestant denomination, lost more than 1,200 member churches in 2022, according to a recent data analysis from LifeWay Research. According to the analysis of the SBC's 2022 Annual Church Profile published Tuesday, Lifeway found that, from 2021 to 2022, 1,253 congregations were no longer part of the SBC.

Wednesday's Catch: '7 Reasons Why Pastoral Leadership is So Critical to Producing an Evangelistic Church' And More

7 Reasons Why Pastoral Leadership is So Critical to Producing an Evangelistic Church

Chuck Lawless explains why he thinks pastoral leadership is so critical in this task.

7 Practical, Personal Ways to Follow Up After Easter
Easter is always a good time to invite folks to attend church, and many church members work more diligently at inviting others during this season than any other. What we usually don’t do, though, is strategize to follow up practically and personally after Easter services. Here are some ways to do that....

Share Jesus with Your Friends
The miracle story in Mark 2 is a powerful one. Jesus confounds his critics and confirms his divinity when he tells a paralyzed man to take his mat and walk home...the most stunning elem ent is the activity of the friends who carried the man to Jesus. D. Scott Hildreth thinks there are three evangelism principles we can learn from these brave, unnamed individuals.

The Episcopal Church announces four candidates for presiding bishop
The next presiding bishop will succeed Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, whose nine-year term concludes on Oct. 31.

I won’t buy his ‘truth’ or his Bible
One presidential candidate is now selling an American-flag-draped, Constitution-including Bible for $60! If certain American evangelicals, certain Republicans and perhaps all people who still intend to vote for him know their history — especially the history of the Reformation — then that news should raise red flags and sound loud alarms.

Why Is the Resurrection Good News?
If, come Easter morning, a preacher mounted the steps of the pulpit and proclaimed, “Hitler is risen!” I doubt that anyone would reply, “He is risen indeed!” In fact, if the proclamation were taken seriously, there would probably be screams of horror. The world as we know it would be turned upside down in the worst way possible. Why? Because it would not be good news if God raised Hitler from the dead.

A Scarecrow in a Melon Patch 

Church leaders face a serious temptation: letting ministry become an idol. Here’s how to resist.

5 Symptoms of False Humility
While humility is a virtue we should celebrate and encourage, it’s essential to recognize how we may be expressing false humility.

4 Systems Church Leaders Should Care About
Whichever comes first, systems and culture are deeply connected. At minimum, systems reveal culture in that they reveal what is really important to a group of people. Here are four systems church leaders should care are effective in their churches.

Understanding and Appreciating the Lord’s Supper
The Lord's Supper is a biblical and historical means of grace that forms and shapes the life of a church. How do we understand and appreciate its meaning?

A 3-Step Plan for Mobilizig Your Small Group Outreach
If you want your small group to be healthy, contribute to God’s mission in the world, and inspire your group members grow closer to Jesus and help others to do the same – then voice the need to reach others with the Gospel! Get your small group thinking about others and sharing their faith. If you don’t take the lead in cultivating an outward-orientation to your group life then it is unlikely somebody else in the group will.

Is the ‘Silent Treatment’ a Godly Approach to Conflict?
Though it may seem a lesser evil, this approach fails to align with the biblical requirement for resolving conflicts and nurturing a healthy marriage. A spouse who gives the silent treatment is likely to also engage in a broader cluster of similarly sinful behaviors—a pattern of behaviors first named during World War II.

What Ghosting Says About You
Ghosting is generally considered to be an unkind and passive-aggressive way of ending communication or a relationship as it can leave the other party confused, hurt, and questioning what went wrong. While there might be exceptional cases where safety concerns or extreme circumstances warrant cutting off contact abruptly, in most situations, it’s more respectful and considerate to communicate openly and honestly.

Tuesday's Catch: 'Ed Stetzer: New Churches for a New Era'And More

Ed Stetzer: New Churches for a New Era
After leading a project under the late Bob Buford of Leadership Network with a team that read all the books on church planting written in English since 1950, I learned that church planting in Western culture developed in three eras from the mid-20th century to the present. I call these eras Church Planting 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0.

How Small Churches Can Serve a Global God
Here are a few tips for small churches considering a more global reach.

Understanding Our Hispanic Brothers and Sisters
...as brother and sisters in Christ, we have more in common with one another, with people who don’t even speak our language, than we do with our own blood-kin, our family members in our own households who are not believers. We have more in common with a believer who has come out of the Muslim faith in the Middle East than our American neighbor down the road who has an American flag waving in front of their house, but doesn’t know Christ.

Wreck the Roof: How Far Will You Go to Bring Friends With Disabilities to Jesus?
The biblical account of the paralyzed man and his faithful friends epitomizes this unwavering resolve to bring all people to Jesus.

How Can the Church Serve Families Touched by Autism?
According to Autism Speaks, the non-profit research and awareness organization, 2.7 percent of children and 2.2 percent of adults in the United States have autism. So, in a church of just 200, at least two children and two adults probably have autism. Your church probably has autistic brothers and sisters attending. Do you know their names?

5 Great Ways to Grow Your Leadership
...here are five specific ways you can focus on how to grow your leadership.

6 Key Questions to Ask of Your Sermon Before You Preach it
Before you preach your next sermon, take the time to answer these 6 questions. If you do, you’ll have greater clarity for the content of the message and the congregation will have greater clarity for the expected action from the message.

Preaching Notes: Think GPS not Teleprompter
Use your preaching notes like your GPS–as a guide, not a teleprompter.

Bible Lesson on Kindness: Help Teens Learn & Live Out Compassion
A Bible lesson on kindness is important for people of all ages. But it’s especially meaningful for tweens and teens. Kids must deal with in-person conflicts, online bullies, and short-tempered friends and family members

Create Community Through Technology
With change comes the need for the church to help members stay connected.

Monday's Catch: "How did we get the word 'Easter?'" And More

How did we get the word 'Easter?'
Easter is a time when Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is the story....

Easter is March 31 this year. Here’s why many Christians will wake up before sunrise to celebrate
For the majority of the world’s Christians, Easter Sunday — and in turn, the sunrise service tradition — will be observed on March 31 this year.

A Simple Formula to Determine If Your Church Members Are Too Old
Is there any way to determine if your church members are too old for the church to be effective?

5 New Staff Positions Your Church Needs
What staff positions are needed at your church is an important and changing question. This post gives you 5 potential new positions to consider.

Where to Put Your Best Volunteers
You probably have many different places where volunteers can serve...Out of all of those opportunities you have to decide where to place your best volunteers.

Are your sermons hard or easy to listen to?
In this post Charles Stone shares some interesting insight about the brain that can make your sermons easier to listen to.

How To Write Dynamic Agendas for Your Home Groups
What does it mean for your large-group and small-group wings to move in harmony with each other? Most cell churches create this synergy in part by dovetailing their home groups to their Sunday sermon themes.

Easter Sunday at All Hallows (Sunday, March 31, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, March 31, is the Feast of the Resurrection in the Western Church. It is also known as Resurrection Sunday, Pascha and Easter Sunday. Pascha is derived from a Greek word, which is in turn derived from the Aramaic pascha, from the Hebrew pesach meaning Passover. Easter is derived from a German word for the east and the dawn.

As with Christmas the Eastern Church and the Western Church celebrate this feast on different times of the year. The Eastern Church will be celebrating the feast on May 5.

What matters is not when we celebrate the feast but rather we recognize the importance of Jesus’ resurrection to the Christian faith. Christians follow a living Lord, not a dead teacher who lived in the first century of the Common Era.

Reading: John 20: 1-18

Message: On Sunday Morning

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/03/easter-sunday-at-all-hallows-sunday.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-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.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday Laniappe: '8 Reasons The Church is a Light in a Troubled World' And More

8 Reasons The Church is a Light in a Troubled World
Cultivating hope, expressing encouragement, and maintaining an authentically positive spirit are vital to your leadership. People need to sense your optimism as a leader. But that’s not always easy, is it?

10 Church Poisons That Will Kill Any Church
Todd Gaddis identifies 10"church poisons" which can kill a church.

Why is Church Membership Important?
Why is carefully practicing church membership and discipline critical to the growth of the saints and the evangelism of the church?

One of the Most Overlooked Arguments for the Resurrection
...the earliest Christians came to believe, against all odds and against all expectations, that Jesus of Nazareth had been raised from the dead.

The Calendar Controversies Behind Easter
Christians historically have disagreed on when to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Even now, churches in Western and Eastern traditions use different calendars for their faith’s most sacred holiday.

One Thing You Must Remember if You Want to Walk Worthy of the Calling
How is it possible to walk in a worthy manner in light of what Jesus has done on our behalf?

Do Nine Out of Ten Churched Students Actually Drop Out of Church after High School?
Timothy Pau Jones was reminded a few weeks ago of a persistent and unhelpful myth that’s still circulating.

Is Roman Catholicism a Creedal Faith?
At least two questions must be considered to assess Rome’s creedal commitment, and these relate to the theological meaning and use of the Creed.

Friday's Catch: 'What is good about Good Friday?' And More

What is good about Good Friday?
Good Friday is when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus. But what is good about Good Friday?

Jesus’s Burial Defied All Expectations
All four Gospel writers tell good news before the good news. They tell of an unexpected triumph before the unexpected triumph. There are many important details in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that only one or two of the Gospel writers tell. So we should take notice when all four heralds draw our attention to the same story.

Jesus set the example of service and care, says King Charles in Maundy Thursday message
King Charles III has spoken about the importance of showing care and kindness to others in a message that was specially recorded for Maundy Thursday. The King was unable to accompany the Queen to a Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral as he continues to receive treatment for cancer.

3 Core Values of People Who Actually Make a Difference in the World
In 1955 a forty-two year old black woman, exhausted from a hard day at work, refused to sit in the back of the transit bus. The southern bus driver warned her that her defiance would be cause for him to call the police and have her arrested. But she had had enough of white bigotry. She resented being judged by the color of her skin instead of by the integrity of her heart, so she steadfastly refused to move. Her name was Rosa Parks. 

Why We Don't Have a Formal Greeting Time
Many churches have this allotted time for the sake of visitors. After all, we don’t want to risk someone walking through our doors and not be greeted with a friendly face. What better way to assure this happens than to have a 3-5 minute time during the service to do just that. But it doesn’t work. In fact, church health guru, Thom Rainer, found that almost 90% of guests were uncomfortable by the practice. (Source) It might be one of the reasons a visitor doesn’t come back to your church.

Can You Pass the Timothy Test?
Toward the end of the apostle Paul’s final letter, he gave his protégé Timothy four challenges. Greg Stier has come to nickname these challenges the “Timothy Test,” and he beieves that they are essential to effective ministry, especially youth ministry.

How to Follow the Spirit Like an Apostle
"God doesn’t offer a map, but he usually provides a compass," writes J. D. Greear. "With a map, I can be in total control. With a compass, I have only the right direction. But along the way, I still need God to open and close doors for me. And sometimes he changes the trajectory altogether."

Thursday's Catch: 'Study: Unaffiliated Americans are the only growing religious group' And More

Study: Unaffiliated Americans are the only growing religious group

The Catholic Church saw the largest decline in religious affiliation of any religious group in 2023.

See also Fewer Americans Regularly Attend Church and Easter Remains High Attendance Day for Most Churches

8 Attitude Adjustments for Church Life
Whether it is growth, development or a complete overhaul, make sure that the people are ready in heart and motivation for the movement that a new strategy will bring. Here are eight attitude adjustments that may help your local church life.

The Plays C. S. Lewis Read Every Year for Holy Week
Review: ‘The Man Born to Be King’ by Dorothy L. Sayers

3 Ways to Write Better Sermons
Wise preachers know that improving in the craft of preaching is something they’ll need to work on for the rest of their lives.

What Does it Really Mean to 'Bear One Another's Burdens'?
...within the pages of Scripture we see instructions calling for us to bear one another’s burdens. Why does Jesus ask us to bear burdens?

Conservative Radio Host Slams Pro-Trump Ministers
Aconservative radio host is taking umbrage with Donald Trump peddling $60 Bibles, claiming that religious individuals, including ministers, are cashing in on the former president's stature while ignoring his faults.

Staying awake to the threat of Christian nationalism 

Some Christians are asleep to the machinations of political actors who are hijacking their faith.

Will Donald Trump Be America's First Dictator? 

Former President Donald Trump has been very clear in his intentions. He has vowed to go after his political opponents, and to use the Justice Department to do so.

Maundy Thursday at All Hallows (Thursday, March 28, 2024) Is Now Online

 

Welcome to Maundy Thursday at All Hallows.

This week, Holy Week, is a special week in the life of the Church. During this week Christians recall the events that lead up to and immediately follow Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. Maundy Thursday commemorates what happened on the night of Jesus’ betrayal. “Maundy “comes from the Latin word mandatum, or commandment, a reference to the new commandment Jesus gave to his disciples on that night. In some Christian traditions the Lord's Supper is celebrated in the evening, after which all ornaments, linens, and paraments are removed from the sanctuary or worship center of the church.

Reading: John 13:1–17, 31–35

Message: A Night That Ends in Jesus' Betrayal

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/03/maundy-thursday-at-all-hallows-thursday.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-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.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Thursday Evenings at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Wedesday's Catch: '12 Ways To Make Sure Easter Guests Don’t Come Back" And More

12 Ways To Make Sure Easter Guests Don’t Come Back
How can you ensure Easter guests don’t come back the week after Easter? Paul Steinbrueck shares 12 ways to go about it.

Nine Reasons Easter—and Other Big Days—Can Drive Church Growth
If you focus your church on evangelism during the Easter season, Rick Warren believes Easter can be an important turning point for the growth of your church. He gives nine reasons why.

Hitting A Church Growth Barrier? Getting Bigger Isn’t Your Only Option
Should pastors adjust our leadership style to accommodate a larger congregation? Or is there a way to allow for and encourage growth that won’t require such a radical shift?

Millennials, Gen Z and the Hobbit
The generation which should now be taking up the baton in churches as Boomers begin to move on to heaven, are those the sociologists label the Millennials (born 1980–1994). These folk are between 30 and 44 at present, the age at which we expect people to take on responsibility. But often that seems not to be happening. Why is that?

In video ad, Donald Trump endorses ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible for every American home
Donald Trump, self-proclaimed defender of the faith, is now hawking overpriced KJV God Bless the USA Bibles, for which he receives monetary renumeration for his endorsement. Trump appears to be going all out in playing the religion card in his effort to become President again and make a buck at the same time.

How to Protect Your Kids from Sexual Abuse
Every child is different. Some are naturally more cautious or distrustful; others are carefree risk-takers. It’s helpful to know your children and to shape your conversations around what they need to hear and learn. But whatever your child’s bent, here are six ways you can begin to train them in safety skills.

US Delegates Name General Conference Goals
A group of U.S. delegates has released a statement on three legislative proposals they are endorsing at General Conference, scheduled for April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, N.C.

Tuesday's Catch: 'Gallup poll: More than half of Americans rarely go to church' And More

Gallup poll: More than half of Americans rarely go to church
The percentage of Americans who never attend services outnumbers those who go every week, according to a new Gallup report.

Time for a Change
It can be tempting to focus only on the future when thinking about our congregation. What do we want to do? Who do we want to reach? But periodically we need to remember to look back and check on the condition of our flock to see who we have lost and why. We should avoid asking, “Who is to blame?” and instead ask, “How can we improve?”

Is Church Membership Biblical?
Though the New Testament does not explicitly use the term membership, the concept is very much implied.

Six Reasons Your Church Welcome Ministry Is More Important Than Ever
The church welcome ministry (or whatever your church calls it) has always been important. But the ministry is more important today than it’s ever been. Look at six reasons this level of importance has risen.

It’s Holy Week, and Trump is comparing himself to Jesus once again
On the second day of the Christian Holy Week, Donald Trump once again compared himself to Jesus Christ.

Donald Trump 'cult' set for 'even more violent' administration as he compares himself to Christ
Donald Trump is seeking a "biblical legitimization" of his promise for violence by comparing himself to Jesus Christ, an expert has argued.

Here comes a progressive response to demagogic and authoritarian politics
Mainline Christians, progressive Christians and the religiously unaffiliated are not the only ones who can see the danger that Donald Trump represents to this country and to the world. Conservative Chrstians who have not let themselves fall under his influence and are not allowing themselves to be manipulated by him see it too. They take seriously the warnings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament and have not forgotten the lessons of the past.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Esther, and the Argument from Silence
Some scholars will conclude that if an author doesn’t use/cite a book that he doesn’t know it or value it. Or if a manuscript of a certain book is not discovered at a certain locale, then some will conclude that that particular community must not have known or valued that book. The problem with this line of reasoning, however, is that it is a form of the argument from silence. And the argument from silence is regarded as fallacious for a number of reasons....

How to Discover Your True North Values
Every leader should be clear on his or hear true north values. Such values aren’t the essential values every believer should embrace like keeping the ten commandments, obeying the golden rule, or living out Jesus’ great command and great commission. Rather they are more nuanced ones that deep down capture the essence of the real you. These values should so infuse our souls that nothing external can cause us to compromise them. Granted, they might be aspirational, ones not yet fully developed. Nevertheless, they would describe the authentic, Christ-honoring you to which you aspire. Here’s a way to discover them.

8 Benefits of Silence and Solitude in a Leader’s Life
All Christians can benefit from building the discipline of silence and solitude ito their lives, not just leaders.

How Every Christian Can Participate in the Great Commission
God did not save us and take us straight to heaven. He left us in a world of urgent spiritual and physical need for a finite amount of time, which is why we must give our lives sacrificially for the spread of the gospel. We do not exist merely to coast through casual Christianity on a week-by-week basis; we were created for so much more than that. As Christians, we come together in local churches that exist for the accomplishment of global mission.

Image Credit: Religion News Service, Tom Killoran

Monday's Catch: An Easy Formula to Evaluate Your Church’s Growth (or Decline)

An Easy Formula to Evaluate Your Church’s Growth (or Decline)
While admittng no numerical formula is perfect, Thom Rainer offers church leaders a simple way of evaluating their churches’ growth or lack thereof.

How the Babylonian Exile Informs Gen Z’s Evangelism
If we’re to reach Babylon for Christ, we’ll need to do more than just post content that might be found—but might also get lost—amid the glut of media. We need to be a faithful, countercultural, compelling everyday presence.

Risking Experiments for God’s Reign
Where is God’s movement taking place in new ways for new times? Cherished narratives, programs, language, and structures are no longer producing the fruit associated with them during past eras. Lovett Weems says innovation is possible if church leaders challenge the assumptions behind what we are doing because they no longer match the current reality.

Survey: US Hispanic Churches Could Do More if They Had More
Their pastors are mostly evangelical, sometimes bivocational, and eager for additional workers and funding to better serve their communities.

Might Will Not Make Right
You don’t have to be a hitman or tribal headhunter to use violence to serve your ambition. You can commit violence to someone’s name, reputation, or finances. Violence is a frame of mind before it is physical act. It is an ends-justify-the-means philosophy. You harden your heart to the pain you inflict on others in order to advance yourself.

A Royal Lesson on the Rumor Mill from The Princess of Wales
Gossip and rumor-mongering were bad enough in the days before the internet and social media. They have gotten far worse since their invention.

Your idea of goodness may not be kindness
Too often we in the church think our way is always righteous.

How does the Annunciation underpin fundamental beliefs within Christian faith?
The Annunciation holds a profound place in Christian theology, marking the moment when the angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary with a message of immense significance: the conception of Jesus, the Son of God.

Jesus’ Resurrection Confronts and Comforts
The truthfulness of Jesus’ resurrection should challenge skeptics and bring life-changing hope and comfort to every Christian.

Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, March 24, 2024) Is Now Online

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.

This Sunday, the Sixth Sunday in Lent, is called Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before Easter Sunday and is the beginning of Holy Week. In a number of Christian traditions on this Sunday a special liturgy, the Liturgy of the Palms, begins the service, recalling Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Palm branches are blessed and then distributed to the congregation who form a procession. As the congregation processes around the community and then into the church’s sanctuary or worship center, the congregation sings “All Glory, Laud and Honor” and other hymns and sacred songs appropriate for the occasion. In England freshly cut willow branches are substituted for the palm branches.

On this Sunday the Passion Gospel, which retells the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial may also be read. The Passion Gospel appointed for this liturgical year is Mark 14:1-15:27.

In some churches the congregation is given small crosses, made from palms, as a reminder of the occasion and the events that it commemorates.

Reading: Philippians 2:1-11

Message: “He was humble….”

Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2024/03/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-march-24.html

Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested.

If you are new to Sundays at All Hallows, you may find these directions helpful:

-When you open the link to a video in a new tab, check auto-play to make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, a second video with a different song will follow the first.

-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.

-If a song begins partway through the video, click pause, move the slider to the beginning, and then click play.

-An ad may follow a song so as soon as the song is finished, close the tab.

May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.

Saturday's Lagniappe: 'Reaching Oral Learners with the Gospel' And More

Reaching Oral Learners with the Gospel
...between seventy and eighty percent of people in the world are oral learners.

What happens when people encounter Jesus in their own heart's language?
Nelson Mandela once said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart."

White Evangelicals Want Christian Influence, Not a ‘Christian Nation’
A new study finds white evangelicals are most eager to see their faith reflected more in the government, but very few say they support Christian nationalism.

Threats to Catholic Charities staffers increase amid far-right anti-migrant campaign
Catholic Charities locations have become the target of far-right media personalities, conspiracy theorists and even members of Congress.

Jim Wallis calls for an American revival flowing from a ‘remnant church’
Saving American Christianity from the idolatry of religious nationalism requires the creation of a church untainted by MAGA conservatism and its lust for racial and political dominance, according to Sojourners founder Jim Wallis. The new creation would be comprised mostly of Christians accustomed to embracing theological and racial diversity and willing to evangelize those given over to white supremacist ideology, Wallis said in a webinar hosted by Robert P. Jones, president of Public Religion Research Institute.

The ‘foolish’ message every Christian believes
Christians understand and believe that without the cross, we would be lost forever. In fact, every Christian over the past 2,000 years has believed that Christ’s death on the cross is what secures our salvation. The Anglican bishop Charles Ryle (1816-1900) said, “Take away the cross of Christ, and the Bible is a dark book.”

Don’t Give Up on Physical Bibles
Chris Polski explains why holding a physical Bible in our laps during worship has unique benefits.

Multiply Your Impact With Volunteers
Jesus spent time reaching the crowds hands on…and he also spent time developing his leaders. Ask yourself honestly: Do you regularly do both?

11 Ways To Create a Safe and Inclusive Environment
For families, keeping their kids safe is always top of mind. They want to know how you intend to protect and ensure safety while their children are in your care. Child safety encompasses more than strict adherence to policy and procedures. It also involves creating an environment that prioritizes communication and transparency, where kids feel safe and included.

6 Keys to Sharing the Gospel with Strangers
Striking up spiritual conversations can be easier than you’d think.

Friday's Catch: 'Pastoral Hypocrisy and Bad Preaching Are a Turnoff to Churchgoers' And More

Pastoral Hypocrisy and Bad Preaching Are a Turnoff to Churchgoers 

Most churchgoers aren’t leaving a church because they have a personal complaint against the pastor or his preaching, but some are.

Which Kind of Transformation Does Your Preaching Bring?
Our only hope for real transformation through our preaching is the gospel of Christ. Knowing Jesus is the means and goal of transformation.

5 Puritan Prescriptions for Gospel-Centered Preaching
The Puritans possessed what J. I. Packer called “a minute acquaintance with the human heart.” While historical caricatures tend to emphasize their external scrupulosity, in reality they aimed at the inner person by means of what they called the “plain style” of preaching. This method, as outlined by the renowned Puritan expositor William Perkins (1558–1602), encouraged preachers to first explain the text of Scripture, then describe its doctrinal significance, and finally to apply it to the particular “experiences and condition of the church.” The best of the Puritans weren’t content merely to defend doctrine from the pulpit; they sought to apply truth in the pews by engaging the hearts of their hearers. The directives below highlight five key strategies for applying the gospel to the heart.

Preachers, Aspire to Be Relentlessly Interesting
... there’s no reason for solid, biblical preaching to bore people. Crafting a sermon well, with intention, and being passionate in your delivery so your tone reflects the seriousness of the substance, isn’t something new. This has been and remains a perennial concern of Christian exegetes.

A Word to Those who Wish to Help Others Apply the Bible
...whether you are a preacher, Sunday school teacher, small group leader, instructor, coach, parent, discipler, or friend, you must never forget one crucial principle: Do not try to help others to apply a Bible passage without first applying it to yourself.

Four Sermons You Should Write in 2024
Kellen Roggenbuck has created a list of four important sermon topics he believes are "must preach" topics in 2024 along with scripture references that can serve as a foundation.