Kermit Moss, Sr says getting into the neighborhood, with the unchurched as well as the churched, is a key to his ministry at Manhattan Bible Church, in New York City. The gifted teaching pastor, an African American called to shepherd in a Spanish speaking neighborhood, says it’s even more important for him to work at [...]

Presbyterian pastor Byron Wade says one way he’s energized his mainline congregation is to change the vocabulary that speaks of maintenance to that which speaks of mission. Byron’s Davie Street Presbyterian (USA) no longer has committees, but Ministry Teams – that take ownership and intentionality toward the work they’ve been called to do. In this [...]

Just a few months into his new position at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, NC, Pendelton (Pen) Peery is doing a lot of listening. This dynamic pastor, and leader of the PCUSA renewal movement called Next Church, Pen has learned to listen for the unique gifts his new congregation possesses, with plans to first begin [...]

How does a church of 19 (mostly grandparents) get to nearly 150 in just a few years? Intentional Christian practice found at the heart of the Methodist tradition. Matt Smith, co-founder of The Table at Central United Methodist Church says the growing congregation, that already has one ‘plant’ at a local coffee house, is all [...]

He grew up in the pews of his denomination, now Pastor Quinn Caldwell is taking the helm at Plymouth Congregational Church in Syracuse, NY and is ready to make some noise. Caldwell says many mainline denominations suffer from a sense of complacency, as if the highest calling of the Christian was quiet dignity. He is [...]

Deacon Earl Randall has one part of the Great Commission down pat: Go! Earl, a youth leader at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans, LA, is joined by his wife as they reach out to the impoverished community around them. In this interview, Earl tells us how his ministry has started taking on [...]

Mark Scandrette believes churches need to function less like classrooms and more like karate studios. This innovative pastor and author of Practicing the Way of Jesus, says congregations need to find ways to connect much more deeply with people, allowing room for practice, failure, and transformative interaction. In this interview, Mark describes the ‘learning labs’ [...]

It’s not that they’ve never been churched, it’s that they’ve been de-churched – says Foundry United Methodist pastor Dean Snyder – which calls for ministering in a whole new way. Pastor Snyder’s helped design a whole new worship service, with different time and liturgy, in hopes of capturing the attentions of Washington, D.C.’s young urbanites. [...]

Church planting in Silicon Valley… it’s about encountering an incredibly gifted and brilliant community… that can be disinterested or even antagonistic toward the Gospel. But that’s not stopping Nicole Lamarche from her work planting Silicon Valley United Church of Christ. She’s moving forward on the Spirit’s prodding that there’s plenty of room for a progressive [...]

The pendulum’s swung, says author, speaker, and activist JR Woodward. Bigger is no longer better in the church world – and Woodward is predicting that the real energy for God’s work in the local church will come from smaller, intentional communities who are immersed in spiritual practices that energize and inspire. While many people are [...]

Ten years ago Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. was near death’s door. With less than 40 people in the pews, nearly all well-past retirement, many thought the church would close. But, God had a different plan. Thanks to a new stadium built nearby, neighborhood gentrification, and a renewed sense to do ministry in context, [...]

Here’s a preacher who’s been at it for 14 years and is still under 30. Kadri Webb says he’s preaching, blogging, and restless with the Word of God in his soul – that just has to get out. His convictions on social action are challenging and refreshing. In this interview Kadri calls the Church to [...]

It’s both an imperative and an invitation: Chris Heuertz’ conviction that the cultivation of unlikely friendships lies at the heart of God’s dynamic vision for the church and the world. Chris, of The Word Made Flesh community, has seen firsthand the blessings of relationships with those who are different than he, and thinks more congregations [...]

Sure, it may not sell in many church circles today – but Margot Starbuck’s invitation to discomfort for the sake of others has invigorated her ministry and the thousands she addresses. Margot, an author, speaker, and Presbyterian minister, just moved with her family into a community being formed around young adult friends with disabilities. In [...]

The Rev. Dawnn Brumfield’s public battle with her weight (one she’s now currently winning) serves as a metaphor for her greater ministry: one that’s had to start by simply being herself. Brumfield, a progressive, non-denominational church planter, has worked for years in youth ministry, and says that the authenticity she’s needed to connect with young [...]

When Derek Penwell began serving the struggling Douglass Boulevard Christian Church in 2008, the church board decided to reach out to its local neighborhood – an LGBT neighborhood. Little did Derek know this would bring him to places of leadership in the community and in his Disciples of Christ denomination to champion LGBT rights. In [...]

St. James’ Cathedral in Seattle, WA has tripled in attendance during the two-decade leadership of Fr. Michael Ryan- growth, he says, that was ignited only after the building was renovated. Sure the building needed renewal, but Fr. Ryan says so did the parish, so the building was designed to foster Christian community in ways that [...]

It may be America’s best known church – and the man at the top says his leadership style begins at the bottom. Frank Wade, Interim Dean at the Washington National Cathedral, brings a wealth of experience and intelligence to his work – and in this interview passes along some of the leadership lessons he’s picked [...]

Applying Purpose-Driven principles to a mainline church? Bethlehem Lutheran may be the first mainline congregation to apply Rick Warren’s famous philosophy – and it’s been a great success. Nearly 20 years ago Pastor Chris Nelson attended a conference at the now-famous Saddleback Church in Southern California. When he returned he did not change the music, [...]

Connecting the poorly resourced with the better resourced is Dr. Jimmy Dorrell’s soul and passion – he’s the founder of The Church Under the Bridge and Mission Waco/Mission World. This full-time social service administrator and part time seminary professor and pastor says that when congregations get a deeper vision for the plight of the poor, [...]

Author, activist, and new monasticism practitioner Shane Claiborne says it’s all about having a heart for others and concentrating on life here before the life hereafter. Shane, a member of The Simple Way community in Philadelphia, moved into the Kensington neighborhood years ago with a desire to build a community, not a church, and it’s [...]

Lonely Los Angeles has new a place for deeper connections. Episcopal priest Jimmy Bartz, and the ‘experimental community’ called Thad’s has found new growth by intentionally focusing on connecting people to the Story and to each other. Thad’s calls itself a community of Monday through Saturday believers who strive to live out God’s story of [...]

‘The community is my congregation!’ says pastor Edgar Vann, whose involvement in civic as well as church affairs is legendary in his home town of Detroit, Michigan. Under his leadership Second Ebenezer Church has grown from 66 people to more than 5,000 people. Bishop Vann, who spends a lot of time mentoring younger ministers, says that getting [...]

The problem with most of America’s churches (which are declining) is that they’re too focused on empire building and not kingdom building, says church planter Nick Warnes.  If congregations would simply take the risk of giving their power away the Church would be a more vibrant, relevant force. Nick’s intentional church plant with the Presbyterian [...]

When Kevin Martin’s St. Matthew’s Cathedral saw European-Americans leaving the neighborhood and a cadre of vibrant Latinos moving in, it became clear that the church had to change.  Over the last decade that’s meant welcoming a new Latino population that’s produced a wonderful success story – and brought attendance back to the church’s heyday. I [...]