Growth & renewal
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TagsBearing 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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

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.

Declining volunteerism is changing the church experience
Congregations struggle to maintain educational programs without volunteer support.

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.

A collective of mostly Black women seeks to create a church that prioritizes their needs
The Root Cause Collective aims to provide a flexible space for those marginalized by mainstream churches.
