Church by the Sea

Shut down the bus tours: What older church members should really be doing

So how do you engage older church attendees… say people over age 50? The question’s been around a long time. And, as most church leaders could tell you, it’s a bit of a loaded question. It’s also a question I’m...Read More→

Why we will no longer be a welcoming church

We’ve decided to quit being a welcoming church. No kidding. We’re giving it up. Like so many congregations, we’ve sunk an amazing amount of time and energy into becoming a welcoming church. We changed worship styles, trained greeters and ushers, wore name tags, brewed coffee, went to workshops on hospitality and put our friendliest people …

What the Bible Says About Homosexuality

What does the Bible truly say about homosexuality? In this blog you can find out the truth about what it says concerning same-sex love.

Should Your Church Live Stream?

Chances are, your church has either started live streaming recently or has considered it at some point. With equipment improvements, lower entry costs, and availability through the web and social media, live streaming is becoming more common in the church. If you are considering adding a streamed service or posting videos for replay viewing to …

What does "evangelical" mean to you?

A few years ago, someone told me that when he talked about me to a few of his friends (whom I had not yet met) one of them immediately expressed her dislike for me. As it turned out, he had told them that I worked for an evangelical church. That description alone was enough of a reason for this woman to form opinions about who I was and decide at that time that I was never going to be her friend<br>Now you…

What Jesus did Besides Go to Church

Sometimes Jesus gets a reputation for being boring. Probably because people who follow Him can be really boring. In one of my favorite videos of all time, Vintage 21 church pokes fun at our misconc…

8 Concerns That Church Members Seldom Tell Pastors

There are some concerns that are harder to bring up than others. Things like: We're concerned about your marriage.

“Does the Christian church need different denominations?”

What Should You Wear To Church? A Handy Guide For Each Denomination

Whether you’re visiting your parents’ stuffy old Baptist church or piling into the family minivan because the kids are begging to ride the roller coaster at the sleek new megachurch down the street, the age-old question persists: what should you wear?Wonder no longer, good and faithful servant. We sent a team of Babylon Bee agents to over two thous …

Can you be with someone long-term if you don’t attend the same church?

In this week’s question, Pastor Mark joins Grace to answer the question from a lady who attends a non-denominational Protestant church is dating a man who attends a Catholic church. She wonders what this means for their relationship long-term and if they can stay together if they’re not attending the same church.<br>Have a question you’d like Grace to answer? Send it in to hello@realfaith.com.

Missions, Denominations, and Honest Questions

What role do denominations play in the work of the local church and the broader mission of God?

Should Denominations Be Organized Geographically?

Is Your Denomination Slowly Committing Suicide?

Many denominations are slowly committing suicide. Suicide is not an intentional destination. It is, however, the unintended consequence of their collective actions over multiple years.

Just How Much are Denominations Declining?

The declining influence of the church amongst emerging generations is no surprise to church growth analysts and statisticians who have been tracking these losses over decades in some cases. While the major opinion research firms tend to report that weekly church involvement in the United States hovers around 40 percent, there is a variety of …

What if the Church Was the Church?

What does it look like to be the salt of the earth? For one thing, it might look like Christians welcoming sinners and eating with them.

A denomination confronts child sexual abuse: A positive step forward

A Protestant denomination confronts child sexual abuse with powerful words and a commitment to action.

Seven Things the Church isn’t and what the church is.

As a pastor in the 20th century, a part of preparing sermons is coming up with the “phrase that pays.” Sometimes they stick, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes I don’t even rem…

Why Isn't My Church Like The Church In Acts?

It’s tempting to imagine that the early believers represented a golden era of the Church.