Josiah Smith, an Associate Lead Pastor, discusses the critical link between worldview and mental health, emphasizing the prevalence of anxiety and depression among Americans. He argues that a biblical worldview can significantly mitigate these issues, encouraging individuals to seek God’s kingdom for a fulfilling purpose and meaningful life.
In “Code Blue In the Church Part One,” I addressed five Code Blue facts about the health of the American Church today (CLICK TO READ PART ONE) 1. Americans are not only skipping church services; they are skipping out of the church. A 2023 study by George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian […]
A church leader, a great friend, told me today of churches closing in his city. Sadness and lament poured from his heart. He is grieving for the church in his area, aching for his fellow believers and church leaders. Key phrases he shared with me: “The apostasy grows day by day.” “What we see around […]
With 2024 only days old, here are my predictions for the Evangelical church in America this year. My predictions are not presented as prophetic (we have enough of those), but as my read on the future based on present trends. There is no “God told me” in the thoughts below so you can put away […]
As we turn the final pages of 2023, I again offer my list of favorite reads for the year. As always, this is not a list of my favorite books published in 2023, but books read in 2023. If a book is on my “Best Of” list, I recommend you give it a read in 2024. Of interest, the publishing […]
It was a Sunday I’ll never forget. As a staff pastor, I had just finished leading worship in our morning service. As I did every Sunday, I exited the platform through a door to the right, descending the steps into our office suite. Closing the door behind me, I turned to my right, entering a […]
Before our many years in the French-speaking region of Belgium, my wife, two daughters, and I were privileged to serve as missionaries in France for two years. By design, our first year was invested in learning French language and culture and making relationships. At the time, a new theory had sprung up among some that […]
As a full-time pastoral coach, I spend my weeks on the phone, talking with members of Journey Pastoral Coaching across the country. It is both a full and fulfilling ministry. I thank God for what I am privileged to do with my life. To raise the financial support needed to sustain this ministry, I also […]
INTRODUCTION In my previous article, I identified two foundational challenges for the church: Reality and Community. We are weak and weakening in both. And the prospects are not promising. Concerning the Church and Reality: Studies reveal the following statistics about the Evangelical Church (see part one for more): 79% of Evangelicals do not have a […]
All indications say 2022 will be another challenging year for the American church. That means it will be another challenging year for those who lead the church. If we’re going to navigate it in strength, it will require not 20/20 rose-colored glasses, but 22/22 lenses. What are 22/22 lenses? They are lenses that see deeper […]
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