“Unbelievers need to see that we care for them, not just their postmortem souls but all of who they are as fallen image-bearers of God.”

The fastest shrinking category in American religion is still the largest category—people who self-identify as Christian, but whose religion is not a central part of their lives. We call these people nominal Christians.

The marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger who was sent from the Battle of Marathon to Athens—26 miles away—to inform the Greeks...

Too many churches open and then close too often because instead of looking to God, they were looking to themselves.

North America is the only continent in the world where the church is not growing. In North America, the church is in decline. Some even claim it is dying. Most denominations—including evangelical denominations—are shrinking.

We must begin with this simple assertion: Social media can take over your life. It can become a distraction that takes the best out of you.

For many parents right now watching their kids slowly transition away from the church, it can be all too common to experience feelings of confusion, fear and a lingering sense of failure.

As I see it, some churches work to be more friendly—and that’s good. Some move beyond being friendly and move to caring—and that’s better.

I believe that prayer by the pastor should be one of the highest moments in public worship services. This moment of public intercession can be absolutely powerful.

"If you can answer people's questions and also learn how to question people's answers, that's how you can approach having these conversations."