In our last post (you can read it here), I shared the dangers and pitfalls of Transactional Evangelism, which I also refer to as “Vampire Evangelism. As United Methodists, we are called to share the love of Christ with others, not just through words but through our actions and relationships. One of the most effective …
By Tom Bandy We know how to retrieve lifestyle data about our community context or church participation. Run a ComparativeInsite Report. Identify the top 50-60% representation. Read the Experian E-Handbook summaries and MissionImpact Guide commentaries for each lifestyle segment, starting with those significantly over- or under-represented in our church. This gives us a pretty good …
Mainline Protestant denominations have long been pillars of American religious and cultural life. These denominations have been deeply influential, not only in shaping the spiritual landscape of the nation but also have shared a deep commitment to social justice and community betterment. However, in recent decades, these once-dominant religious bodies have faced substantial declines in …
By Tom Bandy MissionInsite does a nationwide survey called “The American Beliefs Study” of religious preferences and practices. This tends to be richer than other national surveys because it uses a larger sampling. A new summary is now available as of January 2023 and there are recent videos available to explain them. Customized data for …
Evangelism is a word that often elicits mixed emotions, especially for those of us who are United Methodists. For many, it conjures memories of encounters with judgmental zealots, overly aggressive preachers, and individuals who seem more focused on converting others than on genuine connection. Consequently, it’s not surprising that some of us, and particularly millennials, …
By Tom Bandy Many of you may have read the Easter opinion column by Ross Douthat in the New York Times: “It’s Easter 2050. Here’s What American Religion Looks Like”. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/30/opinion/easter-religion-america.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare. It’s a good article, and I have been reflecting on it from the point of view of demographic and lifestyle change. The writer predicts …
Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples of all nations, and for three days, the Rev. Dr. Michael Beck showed us how to do just that in the most unconventional places. I traveled with several pastors who are part of the Fresh Expressions Academy to Ocala, Florida, to witness innovative …
Read more “Taking the Jesus Story Outside the Church: Witnessing the Michael Beck Method”
Recently I reread a classic text, “The Way of the Pilgrim.” This work was written by an unknown Russian author and is a profound exploration of spiritual searching and devotional practices. It is set against the backdrop of 19th-century Russia, and follows an unnamed pilgrim, who describes himself as one who: “by the grace of …
By Tom Bandy The internet has been valuable in so many ways. But the combination of digitalization and miniaturisation has raised ethical concerns especially for lifestyle research. Many churches and denominations also use lifestyle research (as we do), but there is always a risk that institutional priorities and hidden biases might unconsciously lead us to …
Read more “How to Use MissionInsite: Ethical Principles for Lifestyle Research”
This is my third post in a random series of articles dealing with hospitality. I’ve spent time on this topic because it is so critical to church renewal and vitality. How we welcome the “other” is a foundational lesson of both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. A few weeks ago my wife and …