Many churches and denominations put a lot of effort into attracting new members only to lose many of them through a “back door”— a term used to describe people who regularly attended a church in the past but stopped.
Jesus Christ is the head of the church. But when it comes to ways Christians discern Christ’s will for their particular congregation, handle its day-to-day administrative chores and make decisions about budget and buildings, Baptist churches demonstrate remarkable diversity.
As some congregations reach out to minister beyond their church campus, many have chosen to begin second or third or more sites under the church umbrella. Adding more sites usually means adjusting the congregation’s governing structure.
Rural churches, particularly those within driving distance of a seminary or denominational college or university, often become training grounds for ministerial staff.
Rural churches in America face a host of challenges as they seek to continue ministry in their communities. Loss of members through population shift from rural areas to urban centers can drain rural churches.
Brand New Church in Arkansas and Fairy Baptist Church in Texas are examples of rural churches that follow different worship styles and appeal to different kinds of people.
Planting new churches in places where none exists, or reaching specific culture groups, can result in changed lives and the expansion of God’s kingdom. But it takes flexibility to adapt to each new work’s context.
When it comes to employment law, maintaining church-state separation becomes a delicate balance between preventing the state from interfering in church polity and governance while still protecting workers.
WASHINGTON (ABP) -- A landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling June 28 that possessing a handgun is a constitutional right is expected to unleash a wave of new lawsuits, including challenges to state laws that forbid carrying of concealed weapons in church.
