As a second generation Filipino-American I am very aware of my othernesswhether its at church on Sunday which includes a 30-minute worship set with a beautiful LED screen displaying the lyrics so we can sing along, a distant departure from my Catholic upbringing where we were accompanied by a pianist and the sheet music was […] This article explores how to love other Christians even when you don't agree.
Robinson, Illinois, is a unique town of about 8,000 people. Rural, but defined by industry, Robinson is about 40 minutes away from the next largest city. It is home to a Marathon Petroleum Corporation refinery, a Hershey Company plant and a state prison. It is also where Pastor Adam Hafenbridle, along with his wife, Emily, is leading a church replant named The Refinery in this community.
As you know, long before COVID, it was already difficult to get people to attend weekend church services. Travel sports, weekends away, the death of cultural Christianity and a growing indifference and increased mobility meant that for most churches, attendance was flat or declining, and for growing churches, growing attendance was, well, work. Post-COVID, as … Continued
Communal spaces are becoming more intimidating by the minute. So, how will architects and designers create spaces where relationships can still flourish, without the need for safe distancing and frequent disinfection diminishing people’s much-needed sense of community? Visioneering Studios’ vice president of strategic design, Dave Milam, spoke with Church.Design about questions like these that the … Continued
It is hard to lead a small church or a young church. Perhaps it is even more challenging today than it once was. Church planters and small church pastors have a tall orderI know from personal experience. This article discusses avoiding the comparison trap. I have helped corral an army of tireless volunteers to haul chairs in and out every week. It […]
Raising up women leaders should matter to all of us, but it requires an oft-lacking intentionality. Women make up more than half the church, and God has gifted both men and women for his glory and for his purposes. People from different theological traditions will have different pathways for ministry, but none exclude the opportunity […]
When the pandemic went into full swing and the lockdowns began, I was working with a ministry client who also owned a successful business. He led hundreds of employees, and they had never even considered the idea of anyone working from home. Panic struck. They started scrambling, and it took a few weeks before they … Continued
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” —Matthew 23:12 Our college ministry staff has been reading the classic Campus Crusade book Principles God Honors by Jim Sylvester. In the book, his first principle is: God honors himself, not men. Sylvester writes of five signs that indicate you may be … Continued
Have you ever felt like you’re on the backside of the desert or in some twisted form of an apocalyptic wasteland? Do you feel a bit isolated and irritated in your struggle with the COVID dilemma? Of course, you’re pretty sure God hasn’t abandoned you or moved out of your reach. But … You feel … Continued
One of the most exciting parts of the topsy-turvy year we have had so far in 2020 is that churches have had an opportunity to step back and evaluate the role of church capital campaigns post-COVID. Not unlike our personal lives when an unexpected challenge hits, we have had a time-out forced upon us. Usually those breaks are the times of the […]
