By Lauren Markoe (RNS) After the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo., and a deadly shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., Americans are divided on gun control, and within certain religious groups, attitudes are far from ambivalent. But on the question of guns in churches, there is actual consensus: A strong majority […]

By Jon D. Wilke NASHVILLE, TN  — When it comes to discipleship, churchgoers struggle most with sharing Christ with non-Christians according to recent study of church-going American Protestants. The study conducted by LifeWay Research found 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month, believe they have a personal responsibility to […]

Congregations fire up steps to invite family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to National Back to Church Sunday on Sept. 16 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. /Christian Newswire/ — Show the “Pastor Rap” video on Sunday. Get the word out on Facebook and Twitter. Order invitations and door hangers for members to use when they invite people back […]

By Jeff Brumley Whether electric, digital or pipe, experts who play, study and make organs say the majestic instrument is making a comeback. There are times, Shaun King says, when worship music should be energetic, light or joyful. That’s when instruments like pianos, drums and guitars do the trick. But then there are times when […]

By Jeff Brumley A survey about social media usage and faith groups has researchers baffled. A survey’s finding that few Americans use social media to connect with churches and other religious groups has those who conducted the research astonished. “We were a little bit surprised,” Robert P. Jones, CEO of the Public Religion Institute, told […]

Cathy Lynn Grossman / USA Today (RNS) Unbelief is on the uptick. People who check “None” for their religious affiliation are now nearly one in five Americans (19 percent), the highest ever documented, according to the Pew Center for the People and the Press. The rapid rise of Nones — including atheists, agnostics and those […]

Willow Creek Community Church, located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, was included on this year’s Best Christian Workplaces list compiled by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute, Mercer Island, WA. The study factors included employee job satisfaction, Christian witness, personal growth and effectiveness, customer satisfaction, and compensation/benefits. “I believe Willow Creek’s best days as a […]

Contrasts with Decrease in Donations to Religious Charities Overall WINCHESTER, Va. — Cash charitable giving to ECFA members with fiscal years ending in 2011 reflected a modest increase from 2010, the organization announced today. This contrasts with a decrease in giving to religious charities overall, as noted in a recent national report. Giving to ECFA-accredited […]

MORRISTOWN, N.J./Christian Newswire/ – This  week, Pastors Tim Lucas and Tom Kang from Liquid Church in New Jersey are taking a leap of faith into Oklahoma backwaters as unlikely stars of the Animal Planet reality TV show “Hillbilly Handfishin’.” The popular show about noodlin’ – the art of catching giant catfish with bare hands and […]

By Robert Dilday Some traditional churches are challenging the conventional wisdom that style is everything when it comes to vibrant worship. It’s a recurring scenario in America’s Christian congregations. As members grapple with their church’s future — eager to increase attendance or renew spiritual energy — one suggestion inevitably emerges. It’s time to start a […]