Mary Jacob's recent article considers the role of children's messages/sermons in worship. Most importantly, she provides perspective that allows readers to more fully consider if the practice is appropriate in their congregation. It hasn't always been this way. Children's messages/sermons began appearing in worship services in the late nineteenth century, but didn't become common until the 1970s and 1980s. Children's messages/sermons often lack focus or are directed at a Read More …
worship
Good Liturgy? (#0873)
Glenn Packiam is the lead pastor of new life DOWNTOWN, an extension of New Life Church (Colorado Springs, CO). He recently shared his list of five marks of good liturgy: A Good Liturgy Invites People to Participate. A Good Liturgy Reinforces the Right Desires. A Good Liturgy Challenges Our Desire for Novelty. A Good Liturgy Confronts Our Obsession with Originality. A Good Liturgy Breaks Our Addiction to Activity. So What? I have been involved in Read More …
Megachurches Offer a “Religious High” (#0838)
According to a new University of Washington study, there may be a scientific reason why people return again and again to megachurches: a religious high. Put differently, the hi-tech high energy megachurch worship service experience is thought to "trigger feelings of transcendence and changes in brain chemistry – a spiritual “high” that keeps congregants coming back for more." So What? While megachurches comprise a very small percentage of churches in America, they are home to Read More …
Virtual Connectivity (#0828)
Writing for the Naples Florida Weekly, Ella Nayor explores how many congregations in Southwest Florida are using technology to connect people to one another and to the life of the faith community. Clergy from multiple religions see value in leveraging technology for connectivity in a variety of use cases. While some congregations have just a few dozen followers on Facebook, many have more robust offerings. North Naples United Methodist Church's staff includes a Read More …
Silence in Worship (#0789)
Mark Vernon's recent article explores how limited silence is a part of most Christian worship services today. The current preference for services filled with sound is an historical aberration. To consider the topic in greater depth, he defers to Diarmaid MacCulloch (pictured at right), professor of the history of the church at Oxford University. MacCulloch chose the silence in Christian history as his topic for the prestigious Gifford Lectures, which are available online. So 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 …
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 …
Plate or Plate Free? (#0715)
Shane Raynor recently wrote a blog post encouraging congregations to adopt a plate free practice. More specifically, Raynor proposes that congregations that still pass offering plates or baskets consider moving away from this practice for several reasons: Many people don’t use cash and checks anymore. Some people believe the negative stereotypes about churches and money. Passing the plate puts people on the spot. Someone could get the idea that church has a cover Read More …
Just Going Through the Motions (#0710)
Thom Rainer, President & CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently shared several statistics from Brad Waggoner's The Shape of the Faith to Come (2008), including "47 percent of Protestant churchgoers admitted to just 'going through the motions' often during the singing and prayer portions of worship services." So What? How might your congregational leadership begin a conversation about this matter? What is an appropriate response to the statistic that roughly half of those Read More …
Future Church – More Connected (#0704)
Church v.2020 - Ten Changes: #4 More Connected – Less Geographically Dependent When compared with the American church of 2012, the future church (v.2020) will be more connected and less geographically dependent. The increased abilities of technology along with increased utilization within the church will facilitate many changes, including: Most congregations will move from being identified primarily by a physical presence (e.g., church campus that includes one or more buildings) Read More …