Church & Ministry

“Harvest Bible Chapel’s founder and former leader James MacDonald has slapped Chicago radio personality Matthew ‘Mancow’ Muller with a lawsuit alleging multiple counts defamation and is seeking at least $50,000 in compensatory damages for the spread of false information which caused him emotional distress and significant harm to his reputation.” - Christian Post

“…an analysis by the Pew Research Center—billed as the first of its kind—of 49,719 sermons delivered in April and May that were shared online by 6,431 churches. Pew described its research as ‘the most exhaustive attempt to date to catalogue and analyze American religious sermons.’” - Christianity Today

“Basyle Tchividjian (Boz Tchividjian as he is more commonly known), a professor and founder of the organization GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment), is leaving the organization he founded and his position as a professor at the Liberty University School of Law.

“The Church Growth Movement of a few decades ago promoted the use of marketing techniques to attract as many people as possible to form a ‘mega-church.’ But today’s marketing philosophy, enabled by online technology, focuses not on reaching vast numbers but on identifying individuals with highly specific interests and targeting them with tailor-made appeals…creating not ‘mega-’ but ‘micro-churches.’” -

“The first scam directs emails at church staff. In it, ‘the pastor’ requests the recipient to send funds or gift cards with PINs….The second scam is worse because it targets congregants. Seeming to be from “the pastor” or a trusted church leader, congregants are asked to wire funds or send gift cards with PINs.” - Church Leaders

“Reportedly about two-thirds of the $66 million collected in 2018 was spent making up for shortfalls in the Vatican budget.” - Fox

“We asked two scholars—Tom Schreiner and Alex Strauch—the question, “Does the Bible allow for women deacons?” Below, you’ll find Tom’s answer, as well as Alex’s response.” (Also Alex’s answer and Tom’s response.) - 9 Marks

“Is there an essential connection between conservative theological beliefs about gender and the family to environments that foster and tolerate abuse? An increasing number, it seems, would answer ‘yes.’” - 9 Marks

“ ‘There is really no such thing as an atheist,’ has smugly crossed the lips of more than few of my conversation partners over the years followed by a variation of the ‘foxhole’ story. That accusation was even thrown in my face several times by Christians when I was an atheist.

“You have a mix of members in your church. Some are expats, or foreign nationals, who work in Hong Kong, but most are Hong Kong natives. In fact, many in your church are first generation Christians. As the protests begin to grow, many people are coming to you for spiritual advice. …Some ask, is it against God’s will if they join the protesters?” - SBC Voices