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Showing posts from July, 2022

When Civility Fails: A Pastor’s Response to Violence, Rage, and the Hard Work of Truth

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  by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D. Introduction — Why I must speak I have been reflecting on recent events in our nation and wrestling with how best to speak into them. As a follower of Jesus Christ and as a pastor, I believe my calling is to shed more light than heat in times of turmoil, and to offer the seasoning of grace in a culture that often tastes bitter. This will not be an exercise in soft-peddling. It will be frank, pastoral, and, where necessary, unflinching. Somewhere, this post will fail to address a consideration that it might have spoken to. I own it, saying in my defense only that space prevents my discussing everything that might be said on a subject and my views on it. Yet undoubtedly, this will cover more ground than most newspaper op-ed articles. Some readers may focus on one thing I say in the post without taking the entirety of what I said here in context. I pray you won't. But I resign myself to the likelihood some will. What I saw this past week I saw a young...
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Are you becoming a "consumer" church member?

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Today (July 25, 2022) Noted church consultant, Dr. Thom Rainer, writes today on  Eleven Signs You Are Becoming a Church Consumer Instead of a Committed Church Member .   When you look in the mirror, do any of the sign of the person in his article ?
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A Fervent Plea for Church Revitalization

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In my previous post, I spoke of ugly baby churches and the statistical likelihood that your church is an ugly baby. Sadly, most churches in America are ugly babies—plateaued at best or, more likely, in a death spiral after a decadal decline. In 2019 most statistics ventured that somewhere between 65 and 85 percent of churches were in a state of plateau or decline. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. By all indicators, most churches aren’t doing as well as before the pandemic—at least in worship attendance, programs, and finance. [1] In my previous post, I also said that, statistically , I am not optimistic that your church will do an about-face in its march down the road of decline. Such a turnaround involves changes and sacrifices that most churches are unwilling to make. Your church must staunch the bleeding and obediently return to the Great Commission call to make disciples and the Great Commandment mandate to love God and others. I can’t guarantee any church attempting a turnarou...
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The Ugly Babies of Church Revitalization

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by Bart Denny Your baby is ugly. I know—that’s harsh. You don’t want to hear it, and I get it. We’re talking about your baby, after all. She’s not stunning. But you love her. You’d defend her with everything you’ve got. Especially from the guy who just called her ugly. I’m that guy. No, I’m not talking about your kids or grandkids. I’m sure they’re gorgeous. I’m talking about your church. Your church is an ugly baby. Or at least statistically speaking, it is. Depending on the source, somewhere between 65% and 85% of American churches are struggling—ugly babies at best, smoldering dumpster fires at worst. And that’s based on numbers before COVID-19. In the last year and a half, I’ve seen the reality for myself across multiple regions. Churches are far less welcoming than they believe. Congregations are inward-focused. Sure, they support “global missions,” but they’ve outsourced the actual work of evangelism to professionals. They're not making disciples—at least not ...
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