Released by Barna Research 11:30AM EDT 3/16/2016, © 2016 by Barna Group. The United States is in a cultural crisis. There are gaping fissures between the rich and poor, growing tensions between races, disunity among faith groups, increasing resentment between genders, and a vast and expanding gap between liberals and conservatives. Generation, gender, socioeconomics, ethnicity, faith, […]
By: Karl Vaters I want my church to grow. I want your church to grow. But more than anything, I want The Church to grow. I want as many people as possible, all over the world, to know Jesus. The good news of the gospel can’t be confined within the walls of my church, the […]
BY: Amanda Casanova / Religion Today Contributing Writer Watchdog groups are reporting that as many as one million Muslim converts are risking prison or death in Iran by worshiping as part of a house church movement. Open Doors USA estimates there are about 450,000 practicing Christians in Iran. Others estimate more than 1 million. According to Fox News, […]
BY: Amanda Casanova | Religion Today Contributing Writer A Missouri court has ruled in favor of a Catholic diocese’s decision to fire employees that violate the diocese’s religious beliefs. According to ChristianToday.com, the Missouri court ruled that the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph had the right to fire Colleen Simon from her role as director for social ministries at […]
By: Thom Rainer I was serving a church in St. Petersburg, Florida, when it hit me hard. One of my young children had playfully fallen on the floor in the foyer after a worship service. A deacon in the church came up to me and spoke forcefully: “You need to tell your kid to get […]
Texas case is the pro-life movement’s first return to the high court in a decade. By Kate Shellnut The first abortion case to reach the US Supreme Court in nearly a decade stands to impact the fate of most clinics in Texas—and possibly clinics in states with similar restrictions that have led to years of record closures. […]
By Thom Rainer There are certain metrics and issues physicians check when we go to the doctor. They want to check our blood pressure and temperature. They do blood tests to see if there are any warning signs. They are looking for symptoms that might indicate real problems exist. After working with churches for thirty […]
You Will Give Account for Their Souls By Brian Croft 2-24-16 One of the most significant implications from Hebrews 13:17 (giving account for souls) I learned early in ministry was that I don’t have the right to dislike and refuse to care for someone’s soul that God has entrusted to me. This is important to realize as pastors because we all […]
By Karl Vaters 02-27-16 When it comes to small groups, what works for big churches may not work for small churches. Small group ministry is a must for a healthy church. We need the fellowship, the accountability and so much more. But what if you can’t get small groups going strong in your small church, no matter […]
The Lifeway Survey that produced these findings focused primarily on why pastors left: change in calling, conflict, and burnout. These big three, plus others, identify where local churches, conferences and denominations need to work to improve the retention rates among pastors. – Pastor Frank By Lisa Cannon Green No sabbatical. No help with counseling. No clear picture […]