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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Riding Out 3 Big Ministry Storms

These are turbulent times. And the church is swirling in the maelstrom. I was reminded of this turbulence as I reviewed Holy Soup’s top blog posts over the past year. Three topics catapulted to the top, fueled by viral sharing across the country and around the world. Here they are, with a few thoughts about what […]

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The Church’s 2 Imminent Threats

What does the future hold for the church in North America? What are the church’s major weaknesses and threats going forward? Last week church leaders, reporters and analysts gathered to discuss the church’s prospects at Group’s annual Future of the Church summit. Participants grappled with a wide variety of factors affecting the health of the church. […]

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A Murky Forecast for the ‘Religion Industry’

The dire headlines in the recent market research report caught my eye. “The industry exhibits stagnant participation.” “Industry value added is projected to decline.” What is this troubled industry? It’s the nation’s religious organizations. The business world’s chronicler of major industry trends, IBISWorld, decided to study and document the state of the religion “industry.” This […]

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3 Reactions to Church Decline

The American church is in trouble. (But don’t tell anybody.) That’s one way to “manage” the compounding news that the church as we know it is shrinking and losing its impact. Since releasing our book Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore I’ve noticed three general reactions to the current state of the church. […]

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The Church’s Frightful Kodak Moment

We walked through the nearly empty, formerly flourishing space of the Kodak manufacturing plant near our home. The plant manager, a friend from church, sadly described how Kodak plants had been downsizing and closing ever since the advent of digital photography. “We have a wish here,” he said. “We just want to be the last […]

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5 Forces That Will Reform the Church

The American church is entering a time of unprecedented upheaval. In 20 years, what we call the church will look very different from today. Thinkers at this year’s national Future of the Church summit, sponsored by Group Publishing, envisioned a new–and quite hopeful–picture for the church of tomorrow. This group of church leaders, authors, media […]

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4 Reasons the Majority Stay Away from Church

Most people don’t want to go to church. But why? And what might interest them in joining a community of faith? Those questions have sent us across the country looking for answers. After years of research and countless interviews, my wife Joani and I have finally collected our findings. They’re in a new book titled, […]

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5 Ways the Church Will Change

Is the American church fading away? Will the losses in membership and attendance lead to a marginalized church presence such as that in present-day Europe? What will the American church look like in ten years? Church leaders, denominational executives, and religion researchers gathered in Colorado recently to examine the church’s health and prognosis. The Future […]

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What Church Looks Like–in 10 Years

Where will you be in 10 years? in 20 years? If you’re involved in a church, it may look quite different from what you’re accustomed to today. The church in America is currently shuddering under unprecedented societal change. Some churches are shuttering—closing their doors, rather than adapting to the swirling changes around us. But some […]

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