I have tried really hard to like golf, but I prefer hobbies that do not tempt me to say or do things I will regret later. One thing I do like about golf is the mulligan—a do-over stroke that doesn’t count. They make those terrible shots disappear into thin air.
Adobe Stock Photo. Do not publish.
For many pastors, it’s difficult to not take it personally when people leave their church. But according to a recent Lifeway Research study, most churchgoers aren’t leaving a church because they have a personal complaint against the pastor. During the research screening process, it was determined only 53% of U.S. regular churchgoers say they have attended more than one church as an adult. Among these, most say their church change was impacted by a residential move (60%). Still, 40% of church changes were driven by something other than a residential move.
Adobe Stock Photo. Do not publish.
Whether you fast one day, one week, one month, or longer, the goal of fasting is to disconnect from worldly distractions and prayerfully seek God. During your fast, indulge deeply in the reading of Scripture and longer seasons of private prayer. In addition, any opportunity to join with other believers in heartfelt praise, worship, and singing to the Lord will strengthen you spiritually.
iStock
If my life could be marked by copies of Scripture, it would look something like this:
If your pastor resigns this year, you probably will not hear any of these five issues in their reasons for departure. But you can be assured that the ongoing complaints, criticisms, and attacks have taken their toll.
The call from the pastor was not that unusual.
The trend toward smaller gatherings was slow but perceptible prior to the pandemic. That trend is much more noticeable now.
One of my passions in life is to help churches move from becoming inwardly focused to outwardly focused. When I wrote I Am a Church Member, my key motivation was to demonstrate that biblical church members are always looking outwardly. When I wrote Autopsy of a Deceased Church, my desire was to demonstrate the terrible consequences and deaths of local congregations when the members are inwardly focused.
By almost any metric, the churches in our nation are much less evangelistic today than they were in the recent past. In my own denomination, we are reaching non-Christians only half as effectively as we were 50 years ago (we measure membership to annual baptisms). The trend is disturbing.
Church leaders need to begin thinking about how their church should respond to threats from coronavirus right now rather than later, says author Thom Rainer.
Stand-and-greet times are the top reason why first-time guests don't return to a church, according to Twitter poll by Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. The poll, though "not scientific," prompts Rainer to explore reasons why guests don't like that part of many churches' worship services.
NASHVILLE (BP) -- On Jan. 1, 2011, the first Baby Boomer turned 65. In fact, on that day, 10,000 of them turned 65. And that pace of aging will continue until 2030, when every Boomer is 65 or older.
LifeWay President Thom Rainer gives seven warnings for church leaders and churches who use social media.
LifeWay President Thom Rainer, reflecting on a loss of evangelistic fervor in today's churches, sets forth key steps pastors can take to extend the good news of Jesus Christ in their communities.
