[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–“The Top 10 Issues Facing Today’s Church” is the focus of a two-month online research project launched Nov. 8 by the e-business department of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Thousands of evangelical pastors, staff members, organizational directors and seminary leaders of various denominations across the United States and around the world are being queried by e-mail to cite the most important issues affecting their ministries. Ministry leaders can submit their responses via an online survey form at http://www.LifeWay.com/Top10survey.
From the initial list of responses, the 20 most frequently cited issues will be sent back to the ministry leaders who offered input. During December, the leaders will use the same Internet survey tool to rank their top 10 from among the 20 issues.
“This is another way ministry leaders can share with us their challenges and opportunities -– the important issues they regularly face,” said Gary McClure, LifeWay’s e-business marketing manager.
After the list has been compiled, the LifeWay website at www.lifeway.com will begin a weekly series unveiling the “Top 10 Issues Facing Today’s Church,” beginning with No. 10 in early February. A new topic will be explored each Monday until the No. 1 issue is presented in April. Links to all the preceding rankings will be available in every article.
“With this project we not only desire to learn of the top issues facing today’s church, we have an equally important opportunity to help propose effective biblical solutions to those issues,” McClure said. The e-business department will integrate input from other LifeWay divisions as necessary in order to provide a “well-rounded perspective” on each topic.
[2]Since the project draws on opinions from a wide array of ministries, McClure said he expects the Top 10 to “strike an emotional nerve” among church leaders “because it involves the daily concerns relevant to their ministry.”
At the conclusion of the project, LifeWay will compile a special report on the Top 10 issues with associated Scripture, information, resources and other materials to help ministries address the various concerns. The report will be free for downloading from LifeWay.com.
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