Martha Irvine's recent AP article considers how the rising popularity of texting is changing what it means to "talk to" others by phone. The percentage of cell phone users who prefer to communicate by text rather than voice is highest among the young, but continuing to rise for all age groups. So What? The art of communication is evolving as a result of the always connected world in which we now live. Regardless of age, one should aspire to be able to communicate well in both Read More …
Trends
Facebook Bible/Book Study? (#0755)
Many congregations offer fewer opportunities for adult discipleship during the summer months. With more and more adult learning and growth opportunities moving from an on campus (church building, someone's home, or a coffee shop) to either a blended (part on campus and part online) or online format, perhaps summer is the ideal time for your congregation to try something new online (or expand its existing efforts). There are so many possible ways to begin that many people get hung up Read More …
Membership & Worship Attendance (#0748)
Len Wilson just started a new job yesterday in "an executive creative and communication position" at Peachtree Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, GA), one of the largest Presbyterian congregations in America with an average worship attendance of around 7,000. Recently, he blogged about attendance and membership patterns in the United Methodist Church. In a rather comprehensive piece, he compared the ranks of the top twenty-five conferences by both membership and worship attendance. Read More …
Top 10 Most Read Books (#0746)
Jared Fanning recently made an infographic that has been making its way around the web. Fanning constructed the visual using data from a list compiled by freelance writer James Chapman that provides the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years. So What? Saying that the Bible was the most sold or most read may be true, but understates its dominance. Together the books ranked #2 through #9 would yield a #2 book that would have only half the Read More …
Rethinking Teaching Online (#0741)
Margarita A. Mooney, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Faculty Fellow in the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, recently blogged about her experience with rethinking how best to teach online. She writes: . . . I have flipped the order in which I present material to students and it definitely captured their attention better than before. I used to assign heavy readings, give a lecture, and then Read More …
Mega Megachurches (#0733)
Warren Bird, Research Director for Leadership Network and co-author of 24 books on various aspects of church health and innovation, recently blogged about the global growth in and diversity of megachurches (congregations with an average weekend worship attendance of at least 2,000). Americans know about megachurches since they have grown rapidly in number over the last several decades. According to Scott Thumma and Dave Travis, (Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Read More …
Trends in College Degree Attainment (#0731)
I grew up with the understanding that a college degree was a part of the path leading to the American dream. A recent Chronicle of Higher Education interactive graphic provides the clearest visual explanation of trends in college degree attainment across the country. The graphic provides county by county analysis of the percentage of adults with college degrees, which can be further sorted by gender or race. Additionally, the graphic provides the same information for Read More …
The Changing Church (#0726)
Renowned New Testament scholar Scot McKnight has always managed to balance academic excellence with immersion in and understanding of the real world of church life. Given such, it isn't surprising to learn he will be leaving North Park University after this academic year for Northern Seminary. His recent blog post on how the church has changed during his lifetime is a must read. The piece is not intending to pass judgment on the changes, but rather call attention to Read More …
Mormon Growth: Myth or Fact? (#0724)
According to the latest data from the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) U.S. Mormon growth rose 45.5% "jumping from 4.2 million in 2000 to 6.1 million in 2010." This incredible growth does not accurately reflect the growth in adherents during the last decade; it reflects a change in the data being reported. More specifically, ASARB tracks self-reported data given to them by some 153 bodies. What happened? In 2000 Mormons reported 4.2 million, a Read More …
Reaching Young Adults (#0723)
Naomi Schaefer Riley's recent Wall Street Journal article considers how churches in Charlotte, NC have worked together across denominational lines to create a growing ministry to a demographic most congregations struggle to reach: young adults. Supported by 40 area congregations, Charlotte ONE worship experiences regularly attract capacity crowds of around 600 people. And, like most collaborative Christian endeavors many of the critics are leaders from Read More …