The More You Care, the More You Care

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Taking place each year on October 17, this day was created to motivate action on eradicating extreme poverty, violence and hunger in the world. Though the challenges seem overwhelming, there are good reasons to have hope about global poverty, especially when it comes to the church’s role, and many American adults are forging ahead in the fight.

But who are these people, and what motivates them? The Good News About Global Poverty, a new Barna report produced in partnership with Compassion International, looks at the correlation between donating to causes aimed at eradicating global poverty and other acts of engagement and compassion.

Data shows that American adults who donate to help children in extreme poverty are also generous in other areas of their lives, are anchored by an active faith and are more concerned about a range of other important issues. That is, caring about global poverty means caring about other issues.

The data shows that interest and investment in the fight against global poverty goes hand-in-hand with a generous outlook toward many social issues they could help with—and is associated with actually doing something about these causes. Whether concern begets action, or action begets concern, the data suggests an encouraging cycle of engagement and compassion.

Learn more at Barna.com.

A Sanctifying Space

The local church does not simply occupy space. Rather, it makes place.

Beyond Burnout: Finding God in the Ashes

Where you are burned out, and you’re just desperately craving some real comfort, Jesus breaks himself into a feast for you, so that you can savor and taste and see that the Lord is good, and your heart can burn with hope within you again.

Merry and Bright Family Golf Night Attracts a Crowd

Sunday school classes and other groups “adopted” a hole and decorated it for Christmas, and with average Sunday attendance at around 260 at the church, there was a good pool of potential volunteers to staff the event.