Handheld Technology Taking Hold of Churches
from The State Journal-Register
Do you Tweet during church? Isn’t it rude? David Loveless doesn’t think so. Loveless is lead pastor of Discovery Church, a nondenominational congregation that draws about 4,000 people on Sundays to three locations in Orlando. The congregation has always thrived on the cutting edge, becoming among the first to embrace contemporary music and remove its steeple from its building. Now the congregation is Tweeting — using 21st-century technology to discuss the Gospel in 140-character cell-phone text updates sent via Twitter. More

Survey: Churches Losing Youths Long Before College
from The Christian Post
The Bible calls the Church "the Body of Christ." Today, that body is bleeding profusely, says a Christian author and sought-out speaker. "The next generation of believers is draining from the churches, and it causes me great personal and professional concern," said Ken Ham, founder and president of Answers in Genesis and a Young Earth creationist. Hoping to shed light on what he believes is a monumental problem, Ham enlisted the services of America's Research Group to study why young people were leaving. The results will shake many churches to their very core. More

Train Church Leaders to Lead and Serve
from LifeWay
Churches throughout our nation are searching for the ingredients they need to reach people and help believers mature. Those key ingredients are right in front of you - the people of your church. One of the most important things you can do as an educational minister is to develop a strategy for equipping leaders for service. Here are 10 ideas to help you find your strategy for equipping your people for service. More

Ministry by E-mail
from The Christian Century
Like most pastors, Lillian Daniel claims that the face-to-face meeting is the best way to do the ministry of the church, but you would never guess it by her work habits. Also like most pastors, she spends an enormous amount of time reading and composing e-mails. She is driven not so much by my own schedule or preferences as by those of my church members. Many of them use e-mail all day long and expect the church to take advantage of the same means of communication. So if she wants to be in on the discussion, she had better be typing. More

Youth Outreach Challenges Ageism in Church
from UMNS
As The United Methodist Church, like other mainline denominations, seeks ways to keep its youth, the casual dress, contemporary music and opportunities for leadership at the Sunday service at Collierville United Methodist Church just east of Memphis, Tenn., may provide some answers. “There is no ageism here,” says Sarah Woodard, 17. “All have equal opportunity to be a leader.” More

Five Keys to Sharing a Vision that Resonates with Your Church or Ministry
from Ministry Marketing Coach
We’ve all been in those situations where a ministry or church leader had an awesome vision for where we should go, but just didn’t quite know how to get us there. Some leaders are great at sharing a vision but find it difficult to move people through the process of fulfilling that vision. Other leaders are skilled at walking us through the logistical execution of their vision, but have difficulty getting everyone to “buy-in” and really “own it.” Here are five suggestions for how you can share a vision that will take flight. More

Becoming Multi-site is More Accidental than Planned
from Church Executive Magazine
The multi-site paradigm has become a mainstay in conversations about the church. The multi-site church takes many forms, and numerous models are used. At the core of the movement is the principle that geography does not limit a single local church. The success of several multi-site churches demonstrates that the model may be around for quite some time. It’s not for every church, nor should we expect every church to strive to become multi-site. However, for churches that do expand to multiple locations, there are unique rewards and challenges. More

Pop Culture's New Role in the Church
from the San Angelo Standard-Times
In the beginning, revival preachers used their dynamic voices and dramatic sermons — framed with entertaining gospel music — to attract large crowds and to pull sinners into the Kingdom of God. Then along came the big media, which helped create a youth culture that exploded out of the 1950s and into the cultural apocalypse that followed. Church leaders tagged along. More

Raising Funds by … Shopping?
from Ministry Today Magazine
Today's difficult economic conditions have made raising funds for all churches and non-profit organizations more challenging than ever before. Churches are continually seeking out new ways to generate resources so that they can continue to be a voice inspiring spiritual and economic hope, encouragement and empowerment to people locally, nationally and around the world. This article discusses how affinity partnerships can help your church—using everyday purchases. More

Skateboard Ministry Spreads the Word
from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Naysayers told Jonny Nelson that he was being too ambitious when he suggested starting a skateboard-park ministry. After all, he was only 16. But when it comes to promoting God, Nelson figures that there's no such thing as being too ambitious. That's why, just five years later, he has incorporated his Twin Cities ministry into a nonprofit organization and signed deals to go on the road with two national evangelical missions this summer. More

Insurance Pitfalls Churches Should Avoid
from Church Solutions Magazine
By now, everyone is well aware that the economy is in crisis. Churches are not immune to the ill effects. Donations have decreased, enrollment in many summer camps was down, and yet more ministries are needed to help the community. Churches are looking for ways to trim their budgets while maintaining their ministries. There are a number of pitfalls to avoid when examining areas for cutbacks. More

Maryland Church Works with the Poor While Struggling to Stay Afloat
from the Frederick News-Post
"Redbeard," a homeless man hanging out with several friends in the small park across from Centennial Memorial United Methodist Church in Frederick, Md., stopped a reporter walking out of the church. "I want you to know this church does more for the homeless than anybody else," Redbeard said. More

Kentucky Pastor Welcomes Guns in Church
from The Associated Press via MSNBC
A gun-toting Kentucky pastor says it's OK to bring weapons to church — at least for one day. Ken Pagano asked his flock to bring their unloaded handguns — in holsters — to New Bethel Church in Louisville, Ky., for a celebration of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees the right to bear arms. More