Vital Signs: 2025 Annual Statistical Report pt. 2
Part 2 of the Vital Signs 2025 Annual Statistical Report covers ministers’ retirement confidence, multisite ministry trends, and what churches reported about giving, staffing, and mission investment.
Articles for tag: Christian Financial Resources
September 12, 2023
Lincoln Christian University Reduces Debt, But Enrollment Remains a Challenge
Lincoln Christian University is entering the second year of a massive overhaul of its educational model. And it’s doing so with a mixed bag of early results. . . .
May 31, 2023
SPOTLIGHT: Ocala Christian Church’s New Building, Baptistery Paying Dividends
A baptistery can make a world of difference. Ocala Christian Church discovered this during 2022 when the small church in central Florida baptized 31 people. That translated into a 27.9 percent baptism ratio (baptisms per 100 in average attendance). . . .
October 3, 2022
Florida Churches Recovering from Hurricane Ian
Much of Florida is recovering from a direct hit by Hurricane Ian last week. Here’s a sampling of what some Christian churches and agencies in Florida have posted on their websites and via Facebook in the past few days. (We are continuing to update this article.)
August 8, 2022
Swearingen Assumes Full-Time Lead Role with Florida Church Planters
After 17 years as lead pastor with Crosspoint Church, Cape Coral, Fla., Jeff Swearingen has assumed the full-time lead role with Florida Church Planters. The church's elders, meanwhile, selected Jeff's son, Matt, to lead Crosspoint.
News Briefs for July 27
This week we have briefs about the ICOM Student Film Festival, Eli Cramer (a Milligan runner who was struck and killed by a car earlier this year), a salary survey being conducted by CFR, the 40th anniversary of Financial Planning Ministry, and more.
As It Transitions, LCU to Sell Student Apartments, Lease Portion of Campus
Four months after announcing an overhaul of its educational model, Lincoln Christian University now has a contract to sell its student apartments to a private developer and has entered into a 10-year lease agreement with a local church that will use the university’s chapel and athletic facilities.
February 24, 2022
Lincoln Christian University Revamping Its Model, May Sell Campus
Lincoln Christian University has announced sweeping changes to its program offerings as it grapples with a difficult economic environment in higher education. The university says it plans to eliminate all its non-ministry degree programs.
September 22, 2021
Three Churches Celebrate Major Anniversaries (Plus News Briefs)
Broadway Christian Church (Lexington, Ky.), Central City Christian Church (Joplin, Mo.) and Jefferson Street Christian Church (Lincoln, Ill.) all are reporting significant anniversaries. Also, news briefs from Ozark Christian College, Galilee Christian Church, and more.
Manhattan Christian Plans to Buy Apartment/Retail Building
Manhattan Christian College is about to close on the purchase of a $4 million retail center that will provide additional student housing and a new revenue stream. It also is a chance to buy back a parcel of land the school sold 36 years ago.
CDF Capital Announces Leadership Transition
CDF Capital has announced a leadership transition that will see president and CEO Dusty Rubeck retire from those roles and longtime CDF board member Eric R. Schroeder replace him on July 1.
May 26, 2021
Job Prospects Strong Among Christian Churches
Despite a global pandemic that limited in-person church services for much of the past year, the job market for pastors in the Restoration Movement remains robust, say those who closely follow the trends.
March 31, 2021
Two Churches Open New Buildings Just in Time for Easter
Many churches that offered only taped or livestreamed Easter services last year are excited to be planning in-person gatherings this year. But two churches—Discovery Christian Church in Mars, Pa., and Crestview Christian Church in Manhattan, Kan.—will be celebrating Easter in just-opened buildings
January 1, 2021
How the Pandemic Impacted Construction Loans
Three Leaders of Church-Lending Organizations Discuss How They Are Building on a Strong Foundation in Uncertain Times Early in 2020, as the global pandemic unfolded, the uncertainty and economic losses seemed to spell disaster both for churches looking to build or expand their facilities and for the financial institutions that provide loans to these ministries. How can churches expect to build when they can’t even safely meet in person? How can giving and lending hold steady when the economy is flailing and so many people are out of work? Now, mere months later—albeit long months—the worst fears did not happen.
December 30, 2020
COVID-19 Claims Indiana Pastor, 2 Family Members (Plus News Briefs)
Jim Applegate, 54, pastor for 21 years of Westview Christian Church in Campbellsburg, Ind., died of COVID-19 on Dec. 20, followed by virus-related deaths of his mother (12 hours later), and his sister (on Christmas Eve). “The thing that’s keeping me going is . . . hope in Jesus because I know where they’re at,” Nicholas Applegate, the pastor’s son and WCC’s youth pastor, told WHAS11.com. “The first few weeks in December our community had seen a lot of COVID cases, especially here in our church family.” In addition to the death of his father, Nicholas Applegate’s grandmother, Pat Applegate,
September 23, 2020
Kentucky Church Hosts Football Watch Party for Rival Fan Bases (Plus News Briefs)
Harmony Christian Church, Georgetown, Ky., attempted to live up to its name Friday night by hosting a drive-in watch party to view a football game between crosstown rivals Scott County High School and Great Crossing High School. Fans of both teams attended. Last year the game was viewed in-person by 7,000 spectators, but attendance restrictions due to COVID-19 this year meant only two tickets were allotted per each participating student, the News-Graphic reported. The free drive-in featured livestreaming of the game projected onto a giant inflatable screen set up behind the church. Cars could tune into the local radio broadcast
August 15, 2020
Church Finance FAQ
By Kent E. Fillinger The COVID-19 pandemic has dominated our time and attention for much of 2020. This month’s article provides an overview of church finances based on our 2019 survey of 439 churches, while next month’s article will share findings from a separate survey that seeks to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the financial health of our churches. How Much Money Was Given to Churches Last Year? The total amount given last year to the churches we surveyed was $872,134,383. This included giving to the general fund, capital campaigns, building funds, and other sources. This reflected less than
TSF, CDF, CFR Helping Partner Churches to Weather COVID-19
The three church extension funds that provide loans to independent Christian churches and churches of Christ have been working to accommodate and help their partner churches during the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Solomon Foundation has thus far helped 34 churches secure $8.4 million in SBA Payroll Protection Program forgivable loans through its bank partnerships. TSF also initiated a special program for those unable to obtain PPP funds which has provided grants totaling more than $425,000 to 26 churches and organizations. (TSF and 13 partnering churches provided funds for this endeavor.) Additionally, the TSF Tithe program disbursed
My Story . . . from Denomination to Renewed Vision
By Gonzalo Venegas The Restoration Movement is an inviting movement—that’s something I’ve learned firsthand. You see, I didn’t start out in the Restoration Movement. For a long time, my faith experience was limited to having served as an altar boy in the Catholic church. Then I spent time in gangs. (See “My Life Story . . . from Gang Member to Church Planter” from March 2019.) After coming to faith in Michigan, I was discipled, educated, and ordained by the Reformed Church in America. I developed a seemingly unquenchable desire to study God’s Word. I preached many sermons and did
May 13, 2020
Keeping Facility Clean an Obstacle to Reopening (Plus News Briefs)
Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Churches are taking different approaches to reopening their doors as local governments begin to lift social distancing requirements. Lead pastor Glen Elliott provided insight to the Arizona Daily Star about Pantano Christian Church’s decision to remain closed at least until June. Elliott said the challenges of cleaning the Tucson church—including children’s areas—between each of its three services of more than 1,000 people each make it “near impossible to open,” he said. “Can you imagine the incredible challenges we’d have just cleaning every classroom for kids between every service? And then cleaning doors, cleaning bathrooms,”
