Pastoral pipeline: Will there be enough ministers to serve the Presbyterian Church?
Retirements and deaths are outpacing ordinations.
Not everyone is as certain as Hinson-Hasty that a pastor shortage is pending – in part because another piece of the puzzle involves 50 years of declining membership in mainline Protestant churches. Over the past two decades, the PC(USA)’s membership has dropped from 2.63 million in 1996 to 1.48 million in 2016, a decline of... Continue Reading
What if We Applied “For Better or Worse” to Church Commitment?
What would happen if we had higher expectations of commitment, both in marriage and in church?
This desire for perfect compatibility is a problem. And that makes sense for a generation that’s grown up in a consumerist society where there are limitless options of brands and apps and genres and communities that can be tailored and curated in a perfect-for-me sort of way. We approach the church with the same mentality.... Continue Reading
What Is Doctrine and Why Is It Important?
Doctrine is the way the central themes of God’s revelation in Scripture are summarized and taught.
Satan’s strategy is to oppose, subvert, and mute the content of biblical doctrine and dislodge it from its place in the church’s life. God, though, has placed in the Christian’s hand a weapon for defense. It is the very truth under attack. It is what Paul calls the “belt of truth” and “sword of the... Continue Reading
If You Had One Wish
"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple."
The one thing the psalmist asked was that he might dwell with the God he loved and behold His beauty. It became his ambition. His quest in the midst of adversaries and adversity. A quest that can be pursued in a wheelchair. I try to visit her once a week. Sometimes I have to... Continue Reading
A Tale of Two Churches: Abuse and Protection of the Vulnerable in the PCA
A testimony of a journey through brokenness unto healing.
Foreword by Valerie Hobbs: After my first post about how one PCA church responded to a case of abuse, I received the following story from Lynette English. Her story about two PCA churches echoes Jessica’s in many ways: victim-blaming, serving the status quo, etc. But it is also a story of great hope and is... Continue Reading
Death to the One-Year Rule!
We are never served by emphasizing haste at the expense of godly character.
In many cases, a year will prove insufficient. This should not be a surprise because there is nothing magical about a year. There is no intrinsic power in the passing of 365 days and nights. A year gives us a date to put on a calendar, a reminder to enter into a task management app.... Continue Reading
Why Churches Should have Meaningful Membership
Church membership must be a priority for Christians because God has not only called us into a covenantal relationship with himself, but also with others.
Meaningful membership helps us to see who we have this day-to-day New Covenant relationship with and who we are immediately responsible for. Knowing who we are accountable to helps to clarify what and how we are doing. Membership helps us to see who we are accountable to and responsible for. Church membership is a concept... Continue Reading
A Failed Attempt At ‘Bible Communism’
The founder of the 19th century Oneida commune believed in an extremely literal sense of ‘love thy neighbor’
“In establishing the society of inquiry as a communal economic unit, Noyes was no doubt influenced by the tradition of Christian socialism, as well as by the more general fad for associationist models in forward-thinking reform circles of the 1840s. But what Noyes was after was a much more radical.” In Oneida—a runner-up for... Continue Reading
Does Your Pastor Need a Friend?
A study reveals why relational ministry can leave our inner circle empty.
Though it may be tempting to simply encourage ministers to seek more relationships, many ministers are faced with a trade-off between quality and quantity. Those with a large number of very intimate relationships have a smaller overall social network, and those who form lots of relationships have impoverished inner circles. Failing to get the right... Continue Reading
Living With Financial Integrity
When was the last time you gave thought to your personal integrity as it relates to your finances?
A man was sitting at home one day and suddenly the power went out in his home. His wife called out to them to see what happened. Well, he knew exactly what happened; he forgot to pay the light bill. In moments like this, it is easy for us to point the finger, but integrity... Continue Reading