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Research
New Research: Churchgoers Stick Around for Theology, Not Music or Preachers
I used to lead, and now work with, LifeWay Research. Here’s an interesting piece of research they just released. It’s a bit counterintuitive in ways, so it caught my interest and I decided to share the story with you!
Most churchgoers will put up with a change in ...
The Increase of Women’s Involvement in Violent Extremism
While there is growing interest in the #METOO and #TIMESUP movements, and rightly so, we must not forget the women who are subjected to religious-based violence every day of their lives. Gender equality is not only defined by glass ceilings, pay raises, and workplace sexual ...
The Gospel in Major City Centers
Chicago has been my home town only for the past four years. I spent most of my adult life in Boston, the San Francisco Bay area, and the Inland Northwest. But perhaps since I grew up in the Midwest (Cleveland, Ohio), somehow Chicago feels even more like home than other places ...
Doubt Is Not Unbelief: Evangelicals and the Stigma of Doubt
The commitment of American evangelicals towards gospel propagation is evident from their dominant presence in Protestant mission (vast majority of U.S. based Protestant missionaries are evangelicals) and in the identities of their greatest heroes like Billy Graham.
Unfortunately, ...
Reflections on the Megachurch
This article originally appeared in Outreach Magazine.
As former head of LifeWay Research, I did the statistical research for the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing and Largest Churches lists for a number of years and always noticed two things: First, God was doing amazing things through ...
Personality Tests—A Waste or a Resource?
Most of us have taken at least one personality test over the course of our lifetime. Some prefer StrengthsFinder, others appreciate Myers–Briggs, but each with the same objective: to better understand who we are and what we should do.
The popularity of these tests has only ...
A Look at Notable 2017 Publications
As we move closer to the conclusion of the 2017 calendar year, it seems like a good time to look back at some of this year’s important publications. It is impossible to keep up with the ever expanding number of books that are published each year and I make no claims to ...
The Problem of Suicide: How is the Church Caring for those Impacted?
Each year, 44,193 Americans die by suicide which, on average, amounts to 121 suicides per day.
For many of us, these figures don’t feel too far off. We can picture the faces and remember the names of those in our own communities who’ve taken their own lives.
As a young ...
Origin of Spiritual Gifts Profiles
A while ago, I received an email from Ed Stetzer asking if I knew when spiritual gifts inventories first became prevalent. I gave him a quick reflection based on what I remembered at that time, but his question created a curiosity that sent me on a longer investigation. While ...
Suicide, Mental Illness, and the Church: An Interview with Kay Warren
Ed: When talking about mental health, I often think of Galatians 6:2: “Carry one another’s burdens.” I know we want to be a caring church, but I think a lot of churches don’t know how to be a carrying church. Why should we carry the burden of people who ...
20% of Americans Are on the Threshold of Religion
An important trend in American religion has been the rise of the religious nones. A religious none is someone who has no religious affiliation. They are given this name because when researchers survey them as to which religious faith they affiliate with, they check the box “none.” ...
Race and Ethnicity
In my previous post, I offered some reflections on the racist incidences at Fenway Park. In this follow-up post, I will attempt to explain why I believe the local church is an ideal context in which to pursue racial reconciliation.
I write this fully aware that Christians and ...
Teams in Mission: Are They Worth It? (Part Two)
Read Teams in Mission: Are They Worth It?, Part One (Disappointments with the Team; Restoring the Team).
Be a Real Team
In global missions practice, team is a nebulous and often misused term. Lewis asks an important question: “While the idea is admirable, what is the difference ...
Teams in Mission: Are They Worth It? (Part One)
Do teams work? What does it take to develop and maintain a healthy team? Is it worth the effort? Does a healthy team really produce better results than a dysfunctional team?
Teamwork has been a popular concept in missions theory and practice for decades, but there is a persistent ...
Is Orality Really Effective in Sharing the Gospel?
Increasing numbers of church and mission leaders are beginning to pay more attention to the orality movement that has emerged over the past 40 years. Some would say that the movement is one of the most significant breakthroughs that has taken place in the church/mission world ...
