Tagged: United Methodist Church

Making Disciples and Taking Measurements

Last week, I talked about a survey by the Barna Group which analyzed what types of experiences Americans have in their church congregations.  The data suggest that, while Americans experience God and fellowship in church, attending church often does not change their lives.  I suggested, following comments from Taylor Burton-Edwards, that these findings may indicate […]

Congregations, Discipleship, and Staying on Mission in the UMC

I just learned about a recently reported study by the Barna Group entitled What People Experience in Churches.  This study asked Christians questions to assess five different dimensions of church-going.  There’s some good and some bad news included in the findings of the report.  The good news is that most church-goers say they experience a […]

Numbers, Mission, and Losing Our Life for the Sake of the Gospel

My adviser, Dana Robert, and I recently wrote an article (which is available for free online – check it out) comparing growth rates of United Methodism to related denominations around the world.  We conclude that United Methodism is often growing slower than related denominations, and that this indicates a problem.  We suggest some possible explanations […]