Listen to the Dones
by Josh Packard Why would someone devote his whole life to church and then one day decide to walk out the door and not come back? This was the central…
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Change in the Wind
by Rick Chromey Spring has truly sprung. Everywhere you look, trees bud, grass greens, and birds nest. As the days warm, there’s the promise of better days ahead. The dark,…
Why He Stays Away: Confessions of a Former “Regular” Church Attender
By Rick Chromey I enjoy conversations about church attendance. I like to chat with people about why they go, what they prefer, and what they would change. The answers rarely…
The Friendship Factor: The Long Trail for Authentic Community
By Rick Chromey Friends are hard to come by these days, especially at church. In an age of social media and instant connections, authentic community is a rare thing indeed.…
5 Hard Truths for the Church About Millennials
by Austin Maxheimer “Contrary to popular belief, we (millennials) can’t be won back with hipper worship bands, fancy coffee shops, or pastors who wear skinny jeans.” – Rachel Held Evans…
Afraid to Grow
by Thom Schultz What could be stifling growth in the American church—and in individual spiritual growth? A deadly emotion is killing us. It’s widespread, sneaky, crippling, and the very antithesis…
4 Strategies to Re-engage People in Ministry
Is it getting harder to enlist people for ministry at your church? Are volunteers stepping down from their engagement and connection? With the busy holiday season approaching and the on-going…
How Christian Is Your Community?
by Rick Edwards Longtime Christians are leaving the church and not planning to return. Sociologist Josh Packard dubbed such people the “Dones.” As Packard reports in the book Church Refugees…
Snore No More! How the church can avoid this silent killer
by Rick Chromey I had a rude awakening recently. I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. My snoring evidently shook walls, rattled nerves, and tested love. A sleep study…
“Help We’ve Fallen and We Can’t Get Up—Or Can We?”
How You Can Address Declining Church Membership Down, down, down. For the first time in its 8-decade history, the Gallup poll on church membership reveals that membership among US adults…
