David Briggs
Journalist
David Briggs is a former national writer for The Associated Press who holds a master's degree from Yale Divinity School. He writes the Ahead of the Trend column for the Association of Religion Data Archives.
Quiz: Navigating the world of Christian nonprofits
The rise of independent churches and the blurring of denominational boundaries have led to a boom in Christian nonprofit organizations. The challenge for church leaders is to respond to the growth of these parachurch organizations in ways that strengthen their identity and mission. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of Christian nonprofits.
Quiz: How to fill the collection plate
Nurturing cheerful givers is more challenging than ever during an economic downturn. New research provides important insights that could boost the financial and spiritual health of congregations. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of church giving trends.
David Briggs: The effect on faith of being smarter than a fifth-grader
Does higher education lead to a loss of faith? The answer is as complex as the American religious landscape.
Quiz: Investing for sustainability
Many congregations have endured staff cutbacks, salary freezes and deferred maintenance in response to the recession. But one budget area that may need to be increased, even in hard economic times, is programming, recent research suggests. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of the relationship between economics and congregational health.
Quiz: Congregational conflict in changing times
Periods of change can stress the relationships among church members and leaders. But there's also good news related to such conflict, research shows. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of issues and trends related to congregational conflict.
Generate a religion demographics report for your zip code
This tool from the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) assists church and community leaders in accessing free online information about their communities. The initial map shows the location of other churches in your area and the Community Profile Builder provides you with social, economic and religious information on the community or neighborhoods you select.
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