Do Flags Belong in Churches? Pastors Around the World Weigh In.
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“Christian cases for yes, no, and flying other nations’ flags as congregations balance love of God, neighbor, and country.” - C.Today
‘Rise & Fall of Mars Hill’ podcast draws lessons on platforms, accountability
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“This isn’t about one individual or a fallen leader,” said Cosper – writer, producer, editor, and host of the serial podcast…“It’s about a church of 15,000 people who closed their doors nine weeks after losing their pastor.” - BPNews
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“Church was never intended to be the spiritual equivalent of a spectator sport.”
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“Quite the opposite from being a spiritual theatre intended for the entertainment of the saints, church is actually a spiritual bootcamp where they are to be equipped for service and prepared for cosmic warfare.” - Ref21
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Seven Ways to Improve Your Church’s Observance of the Lord’s Table
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“Many churches have chosen to do it on the first Sunday of every month. We decided not to do that… . Beginning in the late 1990’s we began dedicating an entire service to the Lord’s Table when we do it and it has been transformative for our church.” - Kevin Schaal
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Hurt by a church? Resist the urge to withdraw
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“Don’t let those who’ve sinned against you determine your future. …You can move toward others with trust and hope again, not because your next community won’t fail you, but because God will never fail you, and he often ministers to us through others.” - TGC
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Becoming an Adoption Friendly Church
By Paul Golden
Do Christians realize that adoption is truly a special opportunity for believers to affirm and demonstrate the sanctity of life to an unsaved world? Sadly, and for a variety of reasons, many Christians do not seriously consider adopting. Churches can and should play a crucial role in encouraging their members to “look after orphans … in their distress” (James 1:27, NIV).
Here are some specific ideas on how to become an adoption-friendly church.
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We Weren't Afraid
For many of us it was never about fear. We wore masks. We social-distanced. We avoided gatherings. We encouraged people to consider participating in Sunday school and worship over Zoom or Facebook Live. We respected the officials who—for better or worse, correct or incorrect—made the tough calls and closed businesses, limited gatherings, and recommended or required masks.
We were not “afraid.”
We didn’t choose “fear instead of faith” and certainly didn’t choose “fear instead of science.”
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Barna Research: Encouraged, Disappointed, Connected—How Churchgoers Feel After Worship
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“The Good: Two-Thirds of Churched Adults Feel “Encouraged” After Worship Services….The Bad: Half of Churched Adults Feel “Disappointed” After Church at Least Sometimes” - Barna
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"Members of the blood-bought church of Jesus Christ have a holy calling to put up with one another."
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“Forbearance is more than a nicety we extend to fellow church members when convenient. It’s a moral responsibility: we are called to clothe ourselves with the virtue of “bearing with one another” in fidelity to Christ (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13; cf. Rom. 15:1).” - 9 Marks
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“Protestant churchgoers (86%) say they are proud of how their church has responded during the coronavirus pandemic”
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“Most churchgoers experienced some type of back-and-forth with the availability of in-person services. For 3 in 10 (31%), in-person services stopped at their church for a short period of time and have since resumed. Another 22% say in-person services were halted for much of the year but have resumed.” - LifeWay
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