The newest Presbyterian denomination continued to grow in 2016. ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians gained 78 churches and approximately 18,475 members last year. While the 2016 membership numbers have not been completely finalized yet, Stated Clerk Dana Allin said that the numbers so far show that at the end of 2015 “we had…
(By Ed Stetzer, The Washington Post). Christians recently celebrated Easter, a Sunday where many churches are robust and full. But, if current trends continue, mainline Protestantism has about 23 Easters left. The news of mainline Protestantism’s decline is hardly new. Yet the trend lines are showing a trajectory toward zero in both those who attend a…
By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. InterVarsity is an Evangelical Christian organization, and people who work at InterVarsity are, not surprisingly, expected to hold evangelical beliefs. Or, you could state it as Elisabeth Dias of TIME Magazine did: One of the largest evangelical organizations on college campuses nationwide has told its 1,300 staff members that will…
If our churches have to be a little more uncomfortable to us insiders in order to reach even one lost soul for Christ, that’s a sacrifice we should all be willing to make. By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. As we all know, it’s election season. This isn’t ever a rosy time for America, filled with…
The Future of Evangelicalism Includes Harsh Realities for Churches By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. This a longer post than normal, but I felt it better to post singly rather than break it up into a series. Evangelistic fervor—the core of evangelicalism—ebbs and flows in the West. Lately, it seems more ebb than flow. Entire regions…
By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. The fastest shrinking category in American religion is still the largest catagory—people who self-identify as Christian, but whose religion is not a central part of their lives. We call these people nominal Christians. Where I live in Tennessee, nominal Christianity is overwhelming and easy to notice. In the places I’ve…
Churches have a mission that God has given. This is beyond dispute. But, we cannot overlook the personal mission that comes with being a follower of Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us.” You want to talk about a mission? Paul says he…
What are the limits of cross-denominational partnership? By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. In John 17, we hear the Son of God pour out His deepest heart-wrenching desires to the Father. Facing the cross, Jesus prayed some rather unexpected words. Instead of praying for Himself, for strength, for some way out, Jesus prayed that His death…
By Ed Stetzer, The Exchange. There was a time in American history when it seemed like everyone was a Christian. Now, depending on where in America you live, it can seem like no one is a Christian. In reality, in our lifetimes, there was never a time when everyone was a Christian, and there will…
It may look like a church, sing like a church, have stained-glass like a church, and call itself a church, but be careful: It might not be a church. By John Stonestreet, BreakPoint. The big religion story of last year? Christianity is in decline in America. The sensational headlines were based on data from the…