June 12, 2023
Rob Raynor of Lakepoint Community Church in Eatonton, Gal., is retiring this summer after nearly 50 years in ministry. His start in ministry was unlikely, and his time in ministry has been innovative. . . .
September 19, 2018
By Kent E. Fillinger Nonmetropolitan or “rural” counties make up 72 percent of the land area in the United States and are home to 14 percent of the nation’s population. The landscape of small towns and rural America is changing in distinct ways. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, Brookings Institution researcher William H. Frey reported, “Not only has the nonmetropolitan population remained much whiter than the rest of the nation, it is also getting older faster and shrinking in size” (www.brookings.edu). Almost three-fourths of these rural counties are at least 70 percent white, according to Census Bureau data. The age
August 11, 2018
By Kent E. Fillinger Worship music is a key part of a church’s overall worship experience, and a church’s style of worship remains a key differentiator, even as the “worship wars” of the 1980s and 1990s have subsided. Research shows that worship or music isn’t a priority for people in choosing to attend a church or in deciding whether to remain at a church (see my article “What Are Your Church’s Push and Pull Factors? Part 2” from March). Still, music remains one of the most talked about elements of a worship service. I wanted to learn more about worship
By Jerry Harris I remember the way youth ministry used to be. (Yes, I’m one of those guys.) It was a time when adults wanted to create a space for young people so they wouldn’t be bored in the adult service. Back then, church services didn’t connect to students. The deacons, wearing suits and ties, marched in and sat in the front row while the preacher took his place behind the pulpit. The organ would drone an instrumental call to worship until the song leader instructed the congregation to stand, then he would beat out 3/4 or 4/4 time with
June 16, 2018
By Jerry Harris What is faithfulness? Where does it come from? What builds and strengthens it? What sustains it over time? While all church leaders would like to be described as faithful, for many it’s an elusive target. That’s why it’s important to know the story of Thomas Campbell Huxford—or just Cam—and his wife, Sarah. Their life and ministry together have been an incredible living illustration of faithfulness. Faithfulness Begets Faithfulness Cam grew up in a small Christian church in a town of less than 500 in coastal South Carolina. His father, also named Thomas Campbell Huxford as was his
September 23, 2017
By Bob Hightchew How do you change an unhealthy church culture without any pain? How do you make necessary biblical changes without upsetting people? You can”t. If we are to serve the kingdom, we will have to fight some battles. The battle is worth it, though, if the process helps move a church to better health. I”ve learned this firsthand over the course of the last 20-plus years. South Fork Christian Church in Verona, Kentucky, has been an easy congregation for me to love. Our pews are filled with kind, generous, and loving individuals. However, when I arrived, the church
December 8, 2015
By Mark A. Taylor How should we worship? Maybe we can take some comfort in the fact that throughout church history, Christians have answered that question in wildly differing ways. As both Paul Blowers and Tom Lawson point out this month, lavish artistic expressions of worship centuries ago eventually gave way to abandonment and even destruction of them by Protestant reformers. The motivation for each approach was the desire to please and praise God. Across Christendom today, we find everything from formal liturgy in classic settings to simple, quiet contemplative gatherings in smaller groups to exuberant, loud, guitar-driven, drum-syncopated megachurch
June 20, 2015
By Karl Schad After months of seeking God in prayer, we prepared to launch three worship services designed to better reach all the generations in our community. We would offer blended traditional, contemporary, and modern services on Sunday mornings, each designed with a specific demographic in mind. Every service would include elements handpicked to engage the generational diversity of our community as we identified the distinct needs of the different age groups and planned to meet them. Three service styles would allow our community to express their worship to God in the way that best connected them to the Lord.
January 13, 2014
By T.R. Robertson Shortly after our arrival at the prison chapel, the two-way radios crackle with the announcement: “Release Christian Campus House to the chapel.” Within minutes a few dozen offenders, as we”re told to call them, come walking across the central prison yard. We actually call them by their first names. We make a point to learn and remember their names, since no one else here offers them that courtesy. The courts have mandated the prisoners” freedom to practice their chosen religion. The weekly chapel schedule is filled with a wide variety of offerings in 10 different “fully accommodated”
August 2, 2012
Why does worship music provoke such strong reactions? Randy Gariss explores heart language, group identity, personal preference, and the call to Christian maturity and unity when churches gather to worship.
May 29, 2012
Eric Keller returned to his home church and helped Oakwood Christian Church rebuild trust, renew its biblical focus, expand community outreach, and return to growth after a period of declining attendance.
November 25, 2011
Jeffrey Miller questions popular claims about the feminization of the church, examining assumptions about rugged recreation, worship music, masculinity, femininity, and the place of men and women in congregational life.
September 12, 2011
Jim Phegley recalls ministering in New York after 9/11, from opening Glen Cove Christian Church for prayer to helping affected families and witnessing lasting changes in the community.
September 20, 2009
Karen J. Diefendorf reflects on Hebrews 8, Orthodox worship, and Revelation to recover a reverent vision of worship as joining what is already happening before God’s throne.
September 14, 2008
Shockley Flick offers a practical framework for worship planning that honors God, edifies the church, and helps leaders use resources, sermon themes, and congregational “language” wisely.
October 14, 2007
Reflecting on Jesus’ conversation at the well, Greg Allen explores “thirst-quenching worship” rooted in the Holy Spirit—not personal preferences. Practical steps help move beyond worship wars toward spirit-and-truth worship.
July 1, 2007
A mother and son reflect on a month-long church visit and discover how quickly any worship style can become predictable. A thoughtful dialogue on labels, variety, and keeping worship Christ-centered and Bible-based.
October 22, 2006
Doug Priest reflects on worship across cultures—from rural Ethiopia to a Los Angeles church and the Maasai of Kenya—arguing that style matters less than keeping worship focused on God, not personal preferences.
Becky Ahlberg examines church staff transitions and challenges leaders to invest in development, communicate honestly, examine their motives, and handle difficult personnel changes with compassion and servant leadership.
March 19, 2006
After 35+ years in local ministry, Phil LeMaster surveys how busyness, shifting church “brand” loyalty, worship changes, staffing growth, and bigger facilities have reshaped preaching—while reminding us people still need Jesus.
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Rick Cherok
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