Growth & renewal

Larger churches have had an easier, more successful transition to using technology after the pandemic

New research reveals uncertainty about technology use among smaller churches, while for larger churches it has become “second nature.”

By Shari Finnell Journalist

Image link to article: Larger churches have had an easier, more successful transition to using technology after the pandemic

Bearing fruit beyond having children

Some churches may prioritize families with young children, but they should also remember to value all members, an Episcopal priest writes.

By Elizabeth Felicetti Priest and author

Image link to article: Bearing fruit beyond having children

The brain, the heart and the soul: How three Catholic churches are merging to create a new type of parish

Three congregations have avoided some of the disruption of a reorganization in Chicago by leaning into their individual identities while forming a new whole.

By Claire Zulkey Journalist

Image link to article: The brain, the heart and the soul: How three Catholic churches are merging to create a new type of parish

Church attendance is still evolving in a post-pandemic world

The latest findings from a five-year study reveal church attendance is recovering but without a discernible pattern.

By Shari Finnell Journalist

Image link to article: Church attendance is still evolving in a post-pandemic world

What happens when an ‘Old First Church’ needs to change?

Eight years ago, First United Methodist Church of Miami faced the fact that its history and prestige weren’t going to keep it alive forever. It has found a way to honor its past and grow into the future.

Audrey Warren Kenneth H. Carter Jr.

Image link to article: What happens when an ‘Old First Church’ needs to change?

An underserved neighborhood needed a community center, not another church

After a satellite campus of a large church struggled, a pastor decided to reformat his church into a community center to address needs in his hometown of Blue Island, Illinois.

By Laura Rodríguez

Image link to article: An underserved neighborhood needed a community center, not another church

Research-based guidelines for leading the church in a new era of ministry

How can Christian leaders adapt to the changes the pandemic has brought? A scholar who has studied pastors and volunteers during the past three years offers suggestions for adjusting to a new reality.

By Eileen R. Campbell-Reed Visiting associate professor, Union Theological Seminary

Image link to article: Research-based guidelines for leading the church in a new era of ministry

The gospel lived out in the company of friends

Do we make church more complicated than it needs to be? A social entrepreneur revisits her hometown friends and reflects on friendship and what is holy and enduring about life in community.

By Shannon Hopkins Co-founder & lead cultivator, RootedGood

Image link to article: The gospel lived out in the company of friends

Declining volunteerism is changing the church experience

Congregations struggle to maintain educational programs without volunteer support.

By Shari Finnell Journalist

Image link to article: Declining volunteerism is changing the church experience

Rural churches are economic powerhouses for their communities

The outsize economic impact of rural churches on their communities calls for a renewed vision of their importance, according to a two-year study in North Carolina.