Today, many churches and their related agencies and ministries are shrinking. Often a large portion of those who remain are older adults. Celebrating the Graying Church suggests that this is an opportunity for a new and different kind of ministry—a ministry to,…
Read MoreThird Culture Faithful: Empowered Ministry for Multi-ethnic Believers and Congregations
“It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1960. This quote remains true and begs the question “How do we heal the church divide?” Mario…
Read MoreSam Wells: ‘At the Heart, On the Edge’
The vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London describes a visionary network for the renewal of church and society
Read MoreMarcia Shetler: 3 Teams to Lead Your Stewardship Ministry
Changing the structure of your stewardship ministries might bring new life to familiar work, writes the CEO of the Executive Stewardship Center.
Read MoreDwight Zscheile: We’re in the innovation business
The Christian church is about innovation—embodying God’s new life, hope, and community for the world, writes a scholar and priest
Read MoreR. Alan Rice: The Demise of Haystacks and the Future of the Rural Church
An ethic of being rather than the metrics of outcome might help us appreciate churches regardless of their size, writes a former denominational official and pastor
Read MoreMulder, Ramos and Martí: More than Simply “Not Catholic”: The Surge of Latino Protestantism in America
A new book from Rowman & Littlefield invites church leaders and observers of American congregational life to recognize and further explore the breadth and depth of Latino Protestant diversity.
Read MorePeter Coutts: Encouraging Attitude Change in the Congregation
Changing congregational attitudes can be an essential leadership responsibility, writes an Alban author
Read MoreLisa G. Fischbeck: The Season of Departures
A priest reflects on the perennial season of departures within the life of her mission church.
Read MorePrinciples for Leaders to Keep in Mind in Merging Congregations
Principles for leaders to keep in mind from Brett Opalinski’s story of Rader United Methodist Church: Prepare yourself spiritually. The pastor in this story began with prayer for personal guidance and an attitude of openness to many possible outcomes. This…
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