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JESUS. PRESIDENT? Embodying the change we seek in our culture. By Ronald E. Keener Pastors and politicians don’t often mix well. The current election season has shown that — writ large. John Hagee said he’d never endorse another candidate when an initial endorsement of John McCain went awry. Rick Warren said he doesn’t believe pastors [...]
How will the nation’s economic slowdown affect America’s churches? Even as there’s a softening of $4-plus gasoline, there still loom large layoffs, bottoming stock markets, rising food prices and home foreclosures.
Taking the church bus on a road trip is an altogether difference experience with the folks at Lightrider, a mobile retreat ministry that uses a 40-foot double-decker motor coach equipped with seats and bunk beds.
Erwin McManus calls himself a cultural architect. His college major was philosophy, and he spent most of his early, secular career as a futurist working with companies and organizations — and still does as he pastors Mosaic Church in East Los Angeles.
As communicators, what result do we want from our readers? Whether inside or outside the church, we all seek to inform, educate, or persuade as we communicate to others. Within the weekly messages to parishioners, church communicators hope to increase involvement, attendance, membership and overall contribution.
Think back to when you were first selected to be part of your church board. If your church is like most, the process probably was not very formal. I recall my first experience in becoming a church board member. I received a phone call from a member of the nominating committee asking about my interest. There was no written description for the position, just a verbal summary of the job.
The news is mixed among larger churches surveyed about the impact of tough economic times on their congregations. The 105 large churches surveyed by Leadership Network this summer said they were minimally or not at all affected (56 percent) by the downturn in the economy, while 41 percent gave a somewhat negative and 3 percent said very negative to the question.
Just a year or two ago most Americans were feeling financially secure if not downright prosperous. Their homes were appreciating in value, the job market was strong and they were earning solid returns on their savings and investments.
A Wisconsin Catholic Community includes memorials of its past on a campus forged for permanence.
