Why Denomination Matters to Church Growth

A recent study suggests orthodoxy doesn’t draw church crowds on its own.

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Christianity Today previously spotlighted pastors’ fight and flight, muscular Christianity, the evangelistic question that died, religious attitudes and economic inequality, the lasting effects of your school, a poll of evangelical leaders, YouVersion, Osama bin Laden’s death, Reformed hip-hop, church value, Christian names, how evangelicals give, evangelical vs. mainline politics, today’s pilgrims, President Obama’s faith, the future(s) of missions, health-care reform, Africa, and American Idol.

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This article appeared in the June, 2012 issue of Christianity Today as "Mainline Conservatives' Dilemma".

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Christianity Today June, 2012

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Cover Story

When Are We Going to Grow Up? The Juvenilization of American Christianity

Thomas E. Bergler

Cover Story

Review

Holy Ground: Why This Land Is God's Land

Jake Meador

Review

Grace Amid Genocide

Tim Stafford

My Top 5 Books On Patriotism

David Gushee, director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University

News

Nonprofits, the Bible, and Jesus

Compiled by Ted Olsen

In on the Joke of the Bible

Carolyn Arends

Timothy George on the Reformers' Postmodern Moment

Interview by David Neff

Editorial

Why Catholics and Evangelicals Can Be United Against Nihilism

A Christianity Today Editorial

The Art of Loving Your Neighbor

Matt Branaugh

News

Pro-Life Democrats Dwindle in Congress

Tobin Grant

Should Churches Abandon Travel-Intensive Short-Term Missions in Favor of Local Projects?

Brian M. Howell, David Livermore, and Robert J. Priest

News

Should Denominations Be Organized Geographically?

Compiled by Ruth Moon

Excerpt

Learning from My Father: Lessons on Life and Faith

David Lawther Johnson

When Dad Is in Prison

G. Jeffrey MacDonald in New Orleans

Ponce de León on Steroids

John Ortberg

The Social Network Gospel

Robert C. Crosby

Apps to the Future: The New Social Network Engagers

Robert C. Crosby

The Rise of Digital Urban Tribes

David Kinnaman

News

Book Buyer Beware? It's Christian Fiction.

Ken Walker

Charles Colson & Timothy George: Churchless Jesus

Chuck Colson & Timothy George

News

Fury Over Mission School Fees

Sunday Oguntola in Lagos

Review

Kin: Songs by Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell

Josh Hurst

News

Liberia: Getting Back to the Founding Faith

George Stewart in Monrovia

Review

For Greater Glory

Steven D. Greydanus

News

The Fight for Egypt's Future

Jeremy Weber in Cairo

Letters to the Editor

Evangelicalism's Youthful Romance

Mark Galli

News

Passages

Tobin Grant

Review

The Trinity and the Cross, and Why It Matters

Jeff Haanen

Review

God on the Streets of Gotham

Steven Greydanus

Review

Debating Same-Sex Marriage

Matt Reynolds

Wilson's Bookmarks

John Wilson

News

Quotation Marks

Compiled by Ted Olsen

News

Christians Face Forced Exodus, Missionary Wins 'Rare' Settlement, Churches Want Fewer Cash Offerings, and More

Remembering Charles Colson, a Man Transformed

Jonathan Aitken

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Seven tvs all showing faces of different figures from horror movies, such as the scream.

The Bulletin

NYC Mayoral Race, Trump Softens to Ukraine, and Can Horror Films Edify?

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll

Mamdani leads NYC mayoral race, Trump-Putin relationship cools, and why horror movies might help you cope in a horrible world.

Lukas Rogers (left) and Nathan Henry (right), the co-hosts of Blurry Creatures.

The Bigfoot and UFOs Podcast Introducing Listeners to Christ

Interview by Jacob Zerkle

“We want to make a space where people can scratch an itch about the weird stuff they’ve encountered, but our heart for this is for people to encounter God.”