CongregationsInnovationCongregational innovationMissions & Community
Considering the future of the 'Old First Church'
In this two-part series, United Methodist Church Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. and the Rev. Audrey Warren reflect on First Churches -- those anchor congregations in American downtowns. How can these institutions, which may be rich in tradition but strapped for cash, adapt to a changing society?
Progressive white churches resist anti-racism too
Research reveals that progressive white churches aren’t always willing to tackle racism.
Faith partners fight against ‘heat islands’: How a coalition works to lower temperatures and decrease flooding in cities
A church and a faith-based institute join a coalition that helps people create cooler, safer neighborhoods where residents can thrive.
Breathing Space: One church’s experiment with guaranteed minimum income
A church offered a “guaranteed gift” of $500 per month for a year to two neighbor-partners as a way to respect recipients’ dignity and give them more agency.
Like nature, congregations may change slowly
While we admire speed and efficiency, successful change can require time and patience, writes an associate director for Leadership at Duke Divinity’s Thriving Congregations Coordination Program.
Could ‘hybrid shared ministry’ help struggling congregations survive?
A pastor shares his experience with a new model in which a larger congregation helps a smaller one by digitally sharing resources, sermons and other assets.
What does it mean to follow Jesus in a divided America?
Our ultimate goal isn’t winning an argument or even an election but bringing healing to a suffering world, writes a journalist and author.
Millions of tourists flock to Montgomery to learn history, but past inequalities remain
A pastor in Montgomery, Alabama, reflects on the tourism paradox: Visitors interested in civil rights and racial justice are flocking to the city’s museums and monuments, boosting its economy. Meanwhile systemic inequities remain.
Do not swim alone, and other lessons for the church
A warning sign on a North Carolina beach reminds us that navigating life without community can put people in dangerous situations.
