What are congregations actually doing in the way of study, celebration, and action on environmental issues? People have produced many books, study guides, and curricula aimed at teaching congregations about creation care. New ones are being published regularly. Furthermore,…
Read MoreAsk Alban: Religious Preference
by Larry Peers Q: It seems that a growing number of people indicate that their religious preference is “none”—or say, “I’m spiritual, but not religious.” Is there anything that congregations can do differently? Are we becoming irrelevant? A. Loyalty to religious…
Read MoreMission and the Challenge of Difference
by William Sachs Doug is proud that First Church where he worships has an extensive mission commitment. In the downtown area where it is located, First Church operates programs that feed dozens of hungry people and house almost as many who…
Read MoreFrom Stressed to Blessed, A Conversation for Recomposing Volunteer Service in the Congregation
“You should have seen the one that got away!” “I got a big one—quite a catch!” Each of these comments was followed by brief peals of laughter as a small group jokingly talked about the process of recruiting members for…
Read MoreStarting a Nonprofit At Your Church: Drawing More Resources to Meet Increasing Community Needs
All around the country, church congregations are establishing separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in order to draw new funding, new people, and new partnerships into the ministry of their church. In these difficult economic times when community needs have increased and…
Read MoreCreativity in Crisis: Responding to Community Hardship from Congregational Health
I must love church work. Though I make my living ministering to a variety of congregations across the country, every Sunday finds me in the same pulpit. A Baptist by tradition and persuasion, I log many hours in Presbyterian, Episcopal,…
Read MoreMinistering to the Soul of a Community
Congregations are born from a generative spark of interaction between stories of faith and stories of place. Some person or group looks out on a particular landscape and says, “There should be a church—or there should be a congregation of…
Read MoreKnowing Your Community, Defining Your Mission
Getting to know the community that your congregation will focus on is a critical step in defining your mission. To start, work on getting answers to several key questions: What are the primary issues in your community? How do the…
Read MoreCongregations in the Community: Making an Impact on Public Life
Congregations asked freelance writer ‘Marlis McCollum to interview key leaders in American religion about their perspectives on how congregations make a difference and why they matter. In the first of a two-part serices, Thomas Tewell, Lowell Livezey, Bob Abernathy, and…
Read MoreFulfilling the Great Commission: Congregations as Missionary Outposts
The Great Commission is Christ’s command to make disciples of the world. Reported in all four Gospels, it is the heart of a vibrant Christianity, a reflection of the kingdom of God at hand, and the source of a profound…
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