Megachurches often become “multisite” churches, meaning they launch satellite congregations in other communities. There were roughly 200 multisite churches in the U.S. in 2001, when Rev. Chris Philbeck became Mount Pleasant Christian Church (MPCC)’s senior pastor. The trend exploded after the turn of the century, as megachurches (defined as 2,000+ members) expanded their reach and…
Racially diverse leadership teams are a concrete and very visible step that organizations can take to manifest their commitment to greater equality. And the benefits flow both ways. As with the reading groups, workshops, and other antiracism initiatives that many congregations have initiated, however, creating positive change will be a long-term process. Diversity in itself…
For anyone concerned with achieving racial equality, Tocqueville’s analysis from nearly two centuries ago is a haunting one: Perhaps racism is so ingrained in the American experiment that the two are inextricably linked. The wide and growing wealth gap in America is a striking reminder that racism persists. Learn more about this divide.
This article looks at how the major shift of congregations to online giving during the pandemic increased donations from people not directly connected to the church. It considers what will happen to the new unaffiliated givers e.g., will they continue to give over the long run and will their commitment decrease or increase? How will…
This case study features Second Presbyterian Church’s congregational mission, Northside Mission Ministry (NMM). The food pantry is the church’s founding and anchor project. Each month, it serves between 400 and 500 families, distributing roughly 15 tons of food. The pantry inspired several members of the church to create and maintain a community garden on the…