What do 105 churches planted in one of the most post-Christian cities in the U.S. have to teach us about the new thing God is doing in our time? Join Rev. Dr. Christopher James, Associate Professor of Evangelism and Missional Christianity at University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, as he unpacks five actionable findings from the groundbreaking research behind his book, Church …
If you took a tally on what Jesus talked most about, we would see that his conversations were oriented around one thing: the Kingdom of God. He connected how the Son of Man is connected to the Kingdom of God, who is a part of the Kingdom of God, and what the Kingdom of God is like. And he told …
There’s no need to revisit the history of how we got where we are today. We know all the facts surrounding COVID and the struggles that churches are facing in the midst of the pandemic and shutdown. Some of you reading this are dealing with these tensions on a daily basis and my heart truly goes out to you. Almost …
COVID-19 is helping write endless questions right now. But I’m guessing yours sound something like this: How are we supposed to curate a community that can’t commune? What are the best ways to maintain ecclesial rhythms online? How do I best keep my community connected as we journey a forced disconnection? What do we do when we’re able to have …
A pastor friend of mine, Jonathan Cleveland, recently reminded me of a metaphor that is not necessarily new but is good to revisit, especially when talking about missional church planting and ecclesiology. The imaging of this metaphor revolves around the differences between an oak tree and aspen tree. I live in Colorado, at a higher elevation, where Aspens are an …
Well, the news is out again. Gallup’s latest faith poll showed church membership is “down sharply”[1] over the past two decades. Relevant Magazine recently reported that young people are leaving the church due to perceived judgment and hypocrisy [2]. These types of reports are all the more common today, and it is getting harder for church leaders to navigate the …