As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“Yes, there has always been the reality of churches mixing in too much politics, but this is different. It’s not necessarily about the pastor being too political, as would be the common claim before our current political climate. Today’s criticism is more focused on what the pastor is not. This usually takes form in two different outrages…” - F&T
A lot of church growth is wrongly measured by the three B’s, according to my dear friend Nord Zootman: Bucks, Bodies, and Buildings. It is possible to grow the Kingdom without numerically or financially growing a local church, and spiritual growth can be tough to reduce to statistics.
This poll is focusing upon “bodies and bucks.” How are your church’s finances and attendance doing? We will count online attendance for those of you who meet in person but also stream online, and for those only streaming, we will use that number.
“Conflicting government [COVID-19] guidance about baptisms in England and Wales has prompted the Church in Wales and the Church of England to pursue different policies.” - C.Times
“A manual providing guidance on hiring staff members and selecting volunteers is the latest Southern Baptist resource designed to help churches prevent sexual abuse…. The free guide, which is available at caringwell.com/hiring, describes itself as ‘a first step for church leaders on what to consider’ when seeking, screening and choosing staff or volunteers.” - BPNews
“If you want something that becomes a tool to attract people to your church, you can still do it for free, but I would not recommend it. Free comes with its own set of costs.” - CLeaders
Much of the debate over whether churches should submit to COVID-related rules in California has been inaccurately framed. “We must obey God rather than man,” they say (drawing from Acts). Using phrases like “ban on indoor worship” or even “ban on worship,” they represent the options as totaling two: We can (1) obey God by continuing to meet, disobey the manmade rules, and stand up for our rights or we can (2) disobey God by not meeting at all, comply with oppressive orders, and watch our liberties be slowly stripped away.
But these aren’t really the choices anywhere in California.
“Chan said it struck him as “almost silly” and even “heretical” to take this view of communion. However, at the urging of his friends and fellow ministry leaders, Hank Hanegraaff and K.P. Yohannan, Chan says he decided to study early church history to discover what they believed about communion, or the Eucharist.” - C. Leaders
“While this is a new challenge for a lot of pastors, it is not a death blow. It is a pivot but one you can still utilize to reach people.” - C. Leaders
“Speaking on NPR’s ‘Here & Now,’ Barna president David Kinnaman said that based on trends both before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, American churches will look significantly different after the pandemic—and a fifth of them could close.” - C. Leaders
“Much of what is reported in the media regarding law enforcement these days is negative and critical. Brown Street Baptist Church wanted to change that negative perception, at least for those who serve the church’s city.” - GARBC
Discussion