May We Be One in Jesus and Ignore What Could Separate Us We live in a divisive time, with one group opposing another, often in the most zealous of ways, sometimes even with violent outcomes. As a society, we’re quick to put people in a box and label them according to some aspect of their […]
Church Services Have Become an Event, With Consumers Who Come to Watch a Show Today’s churches contain two types of people. And each of us fits in one category or the other. We are either performers or spectators. If this seems callous, consider that we live in an entertainment-centered society. We watch TV, go to […]
As a reference, I share attending our home church on Easter Sunday. This marks the end of 52 Churches and the start of More Than 52 Churches. Though I strive to remain objective in visiting churches, our home church forms the lens I look through. Consider these seven discussion questions about Church #53. 1. I […]
Our journey of visiting fifty-two churches in a year is over. I’m sad and excited at the same time. Our reunion with our home church community looms large. We will be home for Easter Sunday. It’s Easter, and we’re returning to the people we love and have missed. I expect a joyful homecoming and a […]
Discover How to Reframe Worship from a Biblical Perspective What do you think of when you hear the word worship? How do we worship God? What does worshiping our Lord mean? Worship Service Many churches refer to their Sunday morning meeting time as “worship” or “worship service.” This is how they list it on their […]
For 52 Churches, my wife and I spent one year visiting a different Christian church every week. What we learned was amazing. Still, I knew the journey wasn’t over. We had more to do and visited more churches. I shared these new experiences in More Than 52 Churches. Consider these three discussion questions as we […]
For 52 Churches, my wife and I spent one year visiting a different Christian church every Sunday. It was an amazing journey that allowed us to experience the vast scope of Jesus’s church. The experience expanded our faith as we celebrated God in various local branches of his church. Yes, the worship practices varied and […]
We witnessed more than a few oversights, errors, and blunders that could turn people away. Sadly, many occurred in more than one church. Here are some pointers, some church improvement tips, to consider so you don’t scare away guests. Consider these four discussion questions: 1. Realtors stress curb appeal. So should churches. What can you […]
Stating generalities is risky, but it is a way of processing information. Here are two areas to discuss: 1. In our experiences, churches with older congregations and traditional services tended to be friendlier than contemporary services with younger people. Does your church match this observation or break from it? What must change? 2. I’m dismayed […]
My wife went with me to every church we visited. “What an adventure!” she said. “We had the honor of worshipping with friends, old and new.” Here are two key considerations to discuss: 1. The most important thing she learned from this trek was how to—and how not to—make someone feel welcome. How can you […]