November 18, 2025
What Should We Make of All the Revival Talk Among the Youth?
Many indicators suggest that there is an encouraging surge of curiosity in the supernatural, spiritual hunger, commitment to Jesus, and church attendance.
Articles for tag: Barna Research
May 1, 2024
Raising the Strongest Generation
The Youth Worldview Ministry of Connection Pointe Christian Church
CCU Reunion Planned for July 16 (Plus News Briefs)
A reunion event for Cincinnati Christian University alumni will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. July 16 at the Christian Church Leadership Center in Florence, Ky. Also this week, briefs about a new book about the Restoration Movement, a Bob Russell blog piece, highly-rated dorms, and more.
January 1, 2022
The Invisible Renaissance
What Independent Christian Churches Have to Celebrate . . . and the Challenges Ahead We live in a world of polls describing a hopelessly post-Christian culture in which the church is constantly losing ground. A 2020 Gallup Poll found the number of Americans now affiliated with a church is just 47 percent, a sub-50 percent number for the first time in 80 years. Cary Nieuwhof shared a recent Barna/Stadia Poll that stated 30 percent fewer people in Generation Z (those born 1999 to 2015) attend church than baby boomers (those born 1946 to 1964). Another Barna study informed us that
September 4, 2019
Spire: What It Is, What It Isn’t . . . and Why
By Chris Moon New things inevitably generate questions. “What is it?” “Why this?” “Why now?” And “why not this other thing?” It’s been no different for the organizers of Spire Network, a digital platform that has set its sights on uniting and equipping pastors within the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ. The network has been working toward its first conference—set for October 8 to 10 in Orlando—and preparing to roll out its online networking platform this fall. In the middle of all of that, organizers are fielding questions about the nature of Spire and what it hopes to
Restoration House Ministries: A Light in Dark Places (New England)
By Kelly Carr “We cannot ignore going to where the people are.” That is Eric Lee’s succinct summation of the current urban church-planting focus of Restoration House Ministries in New England, where he is executive director. A focus on urban areas was not a stated goal when RHM started, Lee notes. When former executive director Dan Clymer founded RHM in 1996, the aim was simply to plant where there was a dearth of churches. It’s estimated that only 5 percent of the just under 15 million people living in the six states that comprise New England—Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
June 20, 2017
5 Reasons Church Planting Should Matter to You
By David Dummitt Not long ago, when you talked to church leaders about church planting, eyes would glaze over and conversation topics would awkwardly shift. I”m excited to live in a time when this is changing. Organizations like NewThing, Stadia, Passion for Planting, Orchard Group, and others demonstrate that more and more churches are passionate about planting even more churches around the globe. Whether you lead a congregation of 50, 500, or 5,000, your engagement in church planting is critical to the mission that Jesus gave us to be and make disciples. Multiplication is a charge for each one of
Acting My Age
By Jennifer Johnson A new thing for me is being one of the older people in situations where I used to be young and cool. Most recently I experienced this in my preaching class at Emmanuel Christian Seminary; when Dr. Aaron Wymer discussed the various generations currently alive in the church and surveyed our class, I sheepishly raised my hand as a Gen Xer. The millennials who made up most of the class peered at me with curiosity. (“Look, she can use a computer!”) I realize that at not-yet-40 (you didn”t think I”d give you my real age, did you?),
August 12, 2013
What about the Preacher”s Family?
By Dennis Bratton Fifty percent of preachers” marriages will end in divorce. Eighty percent of preachers believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Thirty-three percent say being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family. Local churches can change this picture. Here are some simple ideas any congregation can follow to make sure their preacher”s family is an example for every family. Preachers live in a continuum of unfinished tasks. At the end of nearly every day, the preacher can think of calls he needs to return, a sermon or lesson he needs to write, someone who requires a personal visit,
October 12, 2011
Remember the Children
By Mark A. Taylor “Whenever two people are together, one is influencing the other.” My adult children tell me today this was one of my favorite reminders years ago whenever they left the house to be with their teenage friends. I”ve thought about my little proverb often since then, especially as Christian Standard has taken up issues of church and culture. How is the church today influencing the values of our culture? And how are the attitudes and ideals of today”s educators, politicians, entertainers, and corporate leaders changing the church? Research seems to say the church is not prevailing. George
October 24, 2007
Ministers Deserve Our Gratitude
By Mark A. Taylor “I feel like I got my husband back.” This testimony came from the wife of a fellow who had served many years in local church ministry before joining the staff of a Christian publishing house. He does not work at Standard Publishing; you wouldn”t recognize his name. But his situation is unfortunately familiar to many ministers you know. Several years ago, George Barna said churchgoers “expect their pastor to juggle an average of 16 major tasks. That”s a recipe for failure.” And even without such unreasonable expectations, local church ministry can be more demanding than many
March 26, 2006
Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church
Most churches in America are smaller congregations, and their local presence is strategic. Shawn McMullen highlights why small churches matter and introduces a resource designed to help leaders and volunteers expand ministry impact.
October 16, 2005
2005 NACC: President’s Message, “Journey to the Presence”
The Presence of God in Worship Reflecting on the North American Christian Convention’s regional conferences, the author argues that what truly distinguishes God’s people is not programs or polish but the manifest Presence of God. He calls believers and churches to pursue a deeper encounter with the Lord through thanksgiving, praise, humility, and time spent with God. The church’s defining mark is God’s Presence, not organization or style. Scripture points to more than omnipresence: a personal, evident encounter with God. Thanksgiving, praise, humility, and unhurried time with God nurture this pursuit. By Howard Brammer Three regional conferences instead of one
