The Sound That Kills Worship

Darwin and Christine reached their limit. Their church’s worship leader recently raised the band’s sound levels to the point that Darwin suffered ear pain and headaches. The couple met with their pastors to request that volume levels be reduced to former levels. Instead of a lowering of decibels, the church offered the congregation free ear plugs […]

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Have We Been Sold a Fake Jesus?

“You should go to church. You should sit and listen. You should love Jesus.” Is a personal relationship with Jesus really more like an obligation? Many seem to think so. But author Rick Lawrence believes this should-based characterization contributes to a faulty view of the real Jesus. “It’s wrong to should people into a love relationship, and […]

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When Preaching the Word…Isn’t

Pastor Duane unloaded. “I don’t need to revolutionize the sermon time. I don’t need to entertain. I just preach the Word. Period. People need to sit and listen to the unadulterated Word of God proclaimed from my pulpit.” That was Pastor Duane’s reaction to an announcement about a new book that suggests some ways to make sermon times more effective. Allow me […]

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Will the Easter People Go Back to Church?

Easter Sunday brings special joy in many ways. It’s wonderful to see so many gather in worship to rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and remember his redeeming sacrifice for us. Most churches see a boost in attendance on Easter, which brings a special joy to church leaders and members. For many congregations, it’s the […]

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6 Must-Have Goodies for the Modern Church

At the start of another year I’m reflecting on the ever-emerging trends in vital equipment for the modern church. As I travel extensively around the country and world, I’ve noticed a number of popular items that were not commonplace in churches a decade ago. So, maybe it’s time to come out with a new catalog […]

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Is Once-a-Week Church Too Much?

The habit of weekly worship attendance has already taken a hit among American churchgoers. Now a move is afoot to offer the Sunday morning routine just once per month. Even people who describe themselves as regular churchgoers are attending less frequently these days. That’s one of the factors that is contributing to shrinking church attendance on […]

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Incognito Zone: Where the Church Is Booming

The final leg of our cross-country trip brought us to a sequestered zone where the church is thriving. After flying over multiple states where the majority of congregations are stagnant or shrinking, we arrived in a land where church leaders are scrambling to keep up with the growth. This healthy church zone is a hundred miles wide and […]

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Meet and Greet: Shake and Fake?

Whenever a pastor or worship leader prods us to “stand and greet your neighbor,” I muster my little smile and go through the motions. “Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.” I assume the goal is to shake as many hands as I can in 60 seconds. I usually squeeze seven or eight hands as I twirl like a […]

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Bible-Centered . . . or Jesus-Centered?

The man caught me after a screening of our documentary film, When God Left the Building. He wanted to talk about the “real reason” the American church is struggling. “Don’t you think the main problem is biblical illiteracy?” he asked. “Nobody knows what’s in the Bible anymore.” His concern is a common one. It’s caused […]

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Shaming Them into Church

“You should go to church–and like it, whether you like it or not.” Some responders to my articles on the Dones (people who’ve left the organized church) have assigned total blame to the Dones themselves. “They’re backsliders,” they say. “It’s their duty to obey God and get their backsides back to church.” I’ve seen a […]

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