One Thing Two-Thirds of Parents Will Bring Their Kids to Church For

What church activity or program or event grabs the attention of parents who go to church and those who don’t? If you had to make a list of what a kids ministry and church could offer the community that resonates with parents from all types of backgrounds, what would make the top of the list? […]

New Research: 5 Types of Givers in Your Church

“Tithe” means ten percent. And lots of people still believe in the tithe, in giving ten percent of their income. In fact, according to LifeWay Research, more churchgoers believe tithing is for today than pastors believe it. Some believe tithing was an Old Testament command and in the New Testament we are simply told to […]

New Research, Culture, and Systems on How Churches Welcome Guests

Every church sends a message through how they welcome and treat guests. Those with no strategy send the loudest message: “What we believe has not impacted how we treat you.” Not to be hospitable is to prove the message of God’s grace hasn’t impacted the totality of the church. Hospitality is the combination of two […]

To Phone or Not to Phone—and When?

In previous generations, when parents gathered for dinner and compared parenting notes, a pressing question was “When are you going to let your teenager get a driver’s license?” Comments would be made about how hauling the kid around was proving to be less and less practical, about the high cost of insurance, about safety implications, […]

Who Are the iGeneration and What Does Research Tell Us?

Boomers. Generation X. Millenials. You have likely read research and descriptions on each generation. While generational generalities cannot adequately or specifically describe individuals, generational names and descriptions endure because they are helpful in understanding the influences and the commonalities in a generation of people. Thus parents, ministry leaders, and educators are wise to pay attention […]

Research and Thoughts on Billy Graham’s Legacy and Leadership

There is no doubt that Billy Graham has been used by the Lord to bring people to Christ, to expand His kingdom, and to give us a great example of faithfulness. There is the quantitative (the data) and the qualitative (the stories) about Billy Graham’s legacy. On the quantitative, we know some remarkable stats through […]

Research Reveals Realities of Being a Pastor’s Spouse

Halloween is not the only national day in October… October 7th is National Frappe Day (as in the drink). October 8th is National Clergy Appreciation Day. October 9th is National Moldy Cheese Day. October 10th is National Handbag Day. October 11th is National Sausage Pizza Day. To some people, clergy appreciation day sounds like it […]

Research Reveals the 5 Biggest Influencers on Your Child’s Spiritual Health

What do you think makes the biggest impact on a child’s spiritual development? Dinner as a family? Parents who don’t miss special events? Having church friends? Being at a good Christian school? Being at a church with a vibrant kids and student ministry? While surely those are all good things and things I want for […]

5 Truths from 10 Years of Discipleship Research

discipleship groups bible reading

Jesus gave His people a clear mission—to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). For this reason, a local church exists to make disciples. C.S. Lewis challenged: The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, everything else is simply a […]